hand； and his other arm wrapped securely around my waist； almost as if he needed the support。
I couldn't take my eyes off Renesmee to check his expression。
She looked perfect； absolutely healthy。 Her skin glowed like backlit alabaster； the color in her cheeks
Page 271
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； www。processtext。com/abclit。html
was rose petals against it。 There couldn't be anything wrong with such radiant beauty。 Surely there could
be nothing more dangerous in her life than her mother。 Could there？
The difference between the child I'd given birth to and the one I'd met again an hour ago would have
been obvious to anyone。 The difference between Renesmee an hour ago and Renesmee now was subtler。
Human eyes never would have detected it。 But it was there。
Her body was slightly longer。 Just a little bit slimmer。 Her face wasn't quite as round； it was more oval by
one minute degree。 Her ringlets hung a sixteenth of an inch lower down her shoulders。 She stretched out
helpfully in Rosalie's arms while Carlisle ran the tape measure down the length of her and then used it to
circle her head。 He took no notes； perfect recall。
I was aware that Jacob's arms were crossed as tightly over his chest as Edward's arms were locked
around
me。 His heavy brows were mashed together into one line over his deep…set eyes。
She had matured from a single cell to a normal…sized baby in the course of a few weeks。 She looked
well on her way to being a toddler just days after her birth。 If this rate of growth held。。。
My vampire mind had no trouble with the math。
〃What do we do？〃 I whispered； horrified。
Edward's arms tightened。 He understood exactly what I was asking。 〃I don't know。〃
〃It's slowing；〃 Jacob muttered through his teeth。
〃We'll need several more days of measurements to track the trend； Jacob。 I can't make any promises。〃
〃Yesterday she grew two inches。 Today it's less。〃
〃By a thirty…second of an inch； if my measurements are perfect；〃 Carlisle said quietly。
〃Be perfect； Doc；〃 Jacob said； making the words almost threatening。 Rosalie stiffened。
〃You know I'll do my best；〃 Carlisle assured him。
Jacob sighed。 〃Guess that's all I can ask。〃
I felt irritated again； like Jacob was stealing my lines—and delivering them all wrong。
Renesmee seemed irritated； too。 She started to squirm and then reached her hand imperiously toward
Rosalie。 Rosalie leaned forward so that Renesmee could touch her face。 After a second； Rose sighed。
〃What does she want？〃 Jacob demanded； taking my line again。
〃Bella； of course；〃 Rosalie told him； and her words made my insides feel a little warmer。 Then she
looked at me。 〃How are you？〃
〃Worried；〃 I admitted； and Edward squeezed me。
Page 272
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； www。processtext。com/abclit。html
〃We all are。 But that's not what I meant。〃
〃I'm in control；〃 I promised。 Thirstiness was way down the list right now。 Besides； Renesmee smelled
good in a very non…food way。
Jacob bit his lip but made no move to stop Rosalie as she offered Renesmee to me。 Jasper and Edward
hovered but allowed it。 I could see how tense Rose was； and I wondered how the room felt to Jasper
right now。 Or was he focusing so hard on me that he couldn't feel the others？
Renesmee reached for me as I reached for her； a blinding smile lighting her face。 She fit so easily in my
arms； like they'd been shaped just for her。 Immediately； she put her hot little hand against my cheek。
Though I was prepared； it still made me gasp to see the memory like a vision in my head。 So bright and
colorful but also completely transparent。
She was remembering me charging Jacob across the front lawn； remembering Seth leaping between us。
She'd seen and heard it all with perfect clarity。 It didn't look like me； this graceful predator leaping at her
prey like an arrow arcing from a bow。 It had to be someone else。 That made me feel a very small bit less
guilty as Jacob stood there defenselessly with his hands raised in front of him。 His hands did not tremble。
Edward chuckled； watching Renesmee's thoughts with me。 And then we both winced as we heard the
crack of
Seth's bones。
Renesmee smiled her brilliant smile； and her memory eyes did not leave Jacob through all the following
mess。 I tasted a new flavor to the memory—not exactly protective； more possessive—as she watched
Jacob。 I got the distinct impression that she was glad Seth had put himself in front of my spring。 She
didn't want Jacob hurt。 He was hers。
〃Oh； wonderful；'71 groaned。 〃Perfect。〃
〃It's just because he tastes better than the rest of us；〃 Edward assured me； voice stiff with his own
annoyance。
〃I told you she likes me； too；〃 Jacob teased from across the room； his eyes on Renesmee。 His joking
was halfhearted； the tense angle of his eyebrows had not relaxed。
Renesmee patted my face impatiently； demanding my attention。 Another memory： Rosalie pulling a brush
gently through each of her curls。 It felt nice。
Carlisle and his tape measure； knowing she had to stretch and be still。 It was not interesting to her。
〃It looks like she's going to give you a rundown of everything you missed；〃 Edward commented in my
ear。
My nose wrinkled as she dumped the next one on me。 The smell coming from a strange metal cup
—hard enough not to be bitten through easily—sent a flash burn through my throat。 Ouch。
And then Renesmee was out of my arms； which were pinned behind my back。 I didn't struggle with
Page 273
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； www。processtext。com/abclit。html
Jasper； I just looked at Edward's frightened face。
〃What did I do？〃
Edward looked at Jasper behind me； and then at me again。
〃But she was remembering being thirsty；〃 Edward muttered； his forehead pressing into lines。 〃She was
remembering the taste of human blood。〃
Jasper's arms pulled mine tighter together。 Part of my head noted that this wasn't particularly
uncomfortable； let alone painful； as it would have been to a human。 It was just annoying。 I was sure I
could break his hold； but I didn't fight it。
〃Yes；〃 I agreed。 〃And？〃
Edward frowned at me for a second more； and then his expression loosened。 He laughed once。 〃And
nothing at all； it seems。 The overreaction is mine this time。 Jazz； let her go。〃
The binding hands disappeared。 I reached out for Renesmee as soon as I was free。 Edward handed her
to me without hesitation。
〃I can't understand；〃 Jasper said。 〃I can't bear this。〃
I watched in surprise as Jasper strode out the back door。 Leah moved to give him a wide margin of
space as he paced to the river and then launched himself over it in one bound。
Renesmee touched my neck； repeating the scene of departure right back； like an instant replay。 I could
feel the question in her thought； an echo of mine。
I was already over the shock of her odd little gift。 It seemed an entirely natural part of her； almost to be
expected。 Maybe now that I was part of the supernatural myself； I would never be a skeptic again。
But what was wrong with Jasper？
〃He'll be back；〃 Edward said； whether to me or Renesmee； I wasn't sure。 〃He just needs a moment
alone to readjust his perspective on life。〃 There was a grin threatening at the corners of his mouth。
Another human memory—Edward telling me that Jasper would feel better about himself if I 〃had a hard
time adjusting〃 to being a vampire。 This was in the context of a discussion about how many people I
would kill my first newborn year。
〃Is he mad at me？〃 I asked quietly。
Edward's eyes widened。 〃No。 Why would he be？〃
〃What's the matter with him； then？〃
〃He's upset with himself； not you； Bella。 He's worrying about。。。 self…fulfilling prophecy； I suppose you
could say。〃
Page 274
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； www。processtext。com/abclit。html
〃How so？〃 Carlisle asked before I could。
〃He's wondering if the newborn madness is really as difficult as we've always thought； or if； with the right
focus and attitude； anyone could do as well as Bella。 Even now—perhaps he only has such difficulty
because he believes it's natural and unavoidable。 Maybe if he expected more of himself； he would rise to
those expectations。 You're making him question a lot of deep…rooted assumptions； Bella。〃
〃But that's unfair；〃 Carlisle said。 〃Everyone is different； everyone has their own challenges。 Perhaps what
Bella is doing goes beyond the natural。 Maybe this is her gift； so to speak。〃
I froze with surprise。 Renesmee felt the change； and touched me。 She remembered the last second of
time and wondered why。
〃That