deep stress。
Tanya skittered back four steps； her strawberry curls quivering； like a human confronted by a venomous
snake。 Kate jumped back all the way to the front door and braced herself against the wall there。 A
shocked hiss came from between her clenched teeth。 Eleazar threw himself in front of Carmen in a
protective crouch。
〃Oh please〃 I heard Jacob plain under his breath。
Edward put his arm around Renesmee and me。 〃You promised to listen；〃 he reminded them。
〃Some things cannot be heard！〃 Tanya exclaimed。 〃How could you； Edward？ Do you not know what
this means？〃
〃We have to get out of here；〃 Kate said anxiously； her hand on the doorknob。
〃Edward 。。。〃 Eleazar seemed beyond words。
〃Wait；〃 Edward said； his voice harder now。 〃Remember what you hear； what you smell。 Renesmee is not
what you think she is。〃
〃There are no exceptions to this rule； Edward；〃 Tanya snapped back。
〃Tanya；〃 Edward said sharply； 〃you can hear her heartbeat！ Stop and think about what that means。〃
〃Her heartbeat？〃 Carmen whispered； peering around Eleazar's shoulder。
〃She's not a full vampire child；〃 Edward answered； directing his attention toward Carmen's less hostile
expression。 〃She is halfhuman。〃
The four vampires stared at him like he was speaking a language none of them knew。
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〃Hear me。〃 Edward's voice shifted into a smooth velvet tone of persuasion。 〃Renesmee is one of a kind。
I am her father。 Not her creator—her biological father。〃
Tanya's head was shaking； just a tiny movement。 She didn't seem aware of it。
〃Edward； you can't expect us to—；〃 Eleazar started to say。
〃Tell me another explanation that fits； Eleazar。 You can feel the warmth of her body in the air。 Blood runs
in her veins； Eleazar。 You can smell it。〃
〃How？〃 Kate breathed。
〃Bella is her biological mother；〃 Edward told her。 〃She conceived； carried； and gave birth to Renesmee
while she was still human。 It nearly killed her。 I was hardpressed to get enough venom into her heart to
save her。〃
Tve never heard of such a thing；〃 Eleazar said。 His shoulders were still stiff； his expression cold。
〃Physical relationships between vampires and humans are not mon；〃 Edward answered； a bit of dark
humor in his tone now。 〃Human survivors of such trysts are even less mon。 Wouldn't you agree；
cousins？〃
Both Kate and Tanya scowled at him。
〃e now； Eleazar。 Surely you can see the resemblance。〃
It was Carmen who responded to Edward's words。 She stepped around Eleazar； ignoring his
halfarticulated warning； and walked carefully to stand right in front of me。 She leaned down slightly；
looking carefully into Renesmee's face。
〃You seem to have your mother's eyes；〃 she said in a low； calm voice； 〃but your father's face。〃 And then；
as if she could not help herself； she smiled at Renesmee。
Renesmee's answering smile was dazzling。 She touched my face without looking away from Carmen。
She imagined touching Carmen's face； wondering if that was okay。
〃Do you mind if Renesmee tells you about it herself？〃 I asked Carmen。 I was still too stressed to speak
above a whisper。 〃She has a gift for explaining things。〃
Carmen was still smiling at Renesmee。 〃Do you speak； little one？〃
〃Yes；〃 Renesmee answered in her trilling high soprano。 All of Tanya's family flinched at the sound of her
voice except for Carmen。 〃But I can show you more than I can tell you。〃
She placed her little dimpled hand on Carmen's cheek。
Carmen stiffened like an electric shock had run through her。 Eleazar was at her side in an instant； his
hands on her shoulders as if to yank her away。
〃Wait；〃 Carmen said breathlessly； her unblinking eyes locked on Renesmee's。
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Renesmee 〃showed〃 Carmen her explanation for a long time。 Edward's face was intent as he watched
with Carmen； and I wished so much that I could hear what he heard； too。 Jacob shifted his weight
impatiently behind me； and I knew he was wishing the same。
〃What's Nessie showing her？〃 he grumbled under his breath。
〃Everything；〃 Edward murmured。
Another minute passed； and Renesmee dropped her hand from Carmen's face。 She smiled winningly at
the stunned vampire。
〃She really is your daughter； isn't she？〃 Carmen breathed； switching her wide topaz eyes to Edward's
face。 〃Such a vivid gift！ It could only have e from a very gifted father。〃
〃Do you believe what she showed you？〃 Edward asked； his expression intense。
〃Without a doubt；〃 Carmen said simply。
Eleazar's face was rigid with distress。 〃Carmen！〃
Carmen took his hands into her own and squeezed them。 〃Impossible as it seems； Edward has told you
nothing but truth。 Let the child show you。〃
Carmen nudged Eleazar closer to me and then nodded at Renesmee。 〃Show him； mi querida〃
Renesmee grinned； clearly delighted with Carmen's acceptance； and touched Eleazar lightly on the
forehead。
〃Ay caray！〃hespit； and jerked away from her。
〃What did she do to you？〃 Tanya demanded； ing closer warily。 Kate crept forward； too。
〃She's just trying to show you her side of the story；〃 Carmen told him in a soothing voice。
Renesmee frowned impatiently。 〃Watch； please；〃 she manded Eleazar。 She stretched her hand out to
him and then left a few inches between her fingers and his face； waiting。
Eleazar eyed her suspiciously and then glanced at Carmen for help。 She nodded encouragingly。 Eleazar
took a deep breath and then leaned closer until his forehead touched her hand again。
He shuddered when it began but held still this time； his eyes closed in concentration。
〃Ahh；〃 he sighed when his eyes reopened a few minutes later。 〃I see。〃
Renesmee smiled at him。 He hesitated； then smiled a slightly unwilling smile in response。
〃Eleazar？〃 Tanya asked。
〃It's all true； Tanya。 This is no immortal child。 She's halfhuman。 e。 See for yourself。〃
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In silence； Tanya took her turn standing warily before me； and then Kate； both showing shock as that
first image hit them with Renesmee's touch。 But then； just like Carmen and Eleazar； they seemed
pletely won over as soon as it was done。
I shot a glance at Edward's smooth face； wondering if it could really be so easy。 His golden eyes were
clear； unshadowed。 There was no deception in this； then。
〃Thank you for listening；〃 he said quietly。
〃But there is the grave danger you warned us of；〃 Tanya said。 〃Not directly from this child； I see； but
surely from the Volturi； then。 How did they find out about her？ When are they ing？〃
I was not surprised at her quick understanding。 After all； what could possibly be a threat to a family as
strong as mine？ Only the Volturi。
〃When Bella saw Irina that day in the mountains；〃 Edward explained； 〃she had Renesmee with her。〃
Kate hissed； her eyes narrowing to slits； 〃irina did this？ To you？ To Carlisle？ Irina？〃
〃No；〃 Tanya whispered。 〃Someone else 。。。〃
〃Alice saw her go to them；〃 Edward said。 I wondered if the others noticed the way he winced just
slightly when he spoke Alice's name。
〃How could she do this thing？〃 Eleazar asked of no one。
'Imagine if you had seen Renesmee only from a distance。 If you had not waited for our explanation。〃
Tanya's eyes tightened。 〃No matter what she thought。。。 You are our family。〃
〃There's nothing we can do about Irina's choice now。 It's too late。 Alice gave us a month。〃
Both Tanya's and Eleazar's heads cocked to one side。 Kate's brow furrowed。
〃So long？〃 Eleazar asked。
〃They are all ing。 That must take some preparation。〃
Eleazar gasped。 〃The entire guard？〃
〃Not just the guard；〃 Edward said； his jaw straining tight。 〃Aro； Caius； Marcus。 Even the wives。〃
Shock glazed over all their eyes。
〃Impossible；〃 Eleazar said blankly。
〃I would have said the same two days ago；〃 Edward said。
Eleazar scowled； and when he spoke it was nearly a growl。 〃But that doesn't make any sense。 Why
would they put themselves and the wives in danger？〃
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〃It doesn't make sense from that angle。 Alice said there was more to this than just punishment for what
they think we've done。 She thought you could help us。〃
〃More than punishment？ But what else is there？〃 Eleazar started pacing； stalking toward the door and
back again as if he were alone here； his eyebrows furrowed as he stared at the floor。
〃Where are the others； Edward？ Carlisle and Alice and the rest？〃 Tanya asked。
Edward's hesitation was almost unnoticeable。 He answered only part of her question。 〃Looking for
friends who might help us。〃
Tanya leaned toward him； holding her hands out in front of her。 〃Edward； no matter how many friends
you gather； we can't help you win。 We can only die with you。 You must know that。 Of course； perhaps
the four of us deserve that after what Irina has done now； after how we've failed you in the past—