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〃I was a bit absorbed；〃 I admitted； blushing a deep red。
He touched my burning cheek and sighed。 〃I'm really going to miss that。〃
I stared at his face； searching for any signs of the anger or remorse I feared。 He gazed back at me
evenly； his expression calm but otherwise unreadable。
〃How are you feeling？'7
He laughed。
〃What？〃 I demanded。
〃You look so guilty—like you've mitted a crime。〃
〃I feel guilty；〃 I muttered。
〃So you seduced your alltoowilling husband。 That's not a capital offense。〃
He seemed to be teasing。
My cheeks got hotter。 〃The word seduced implies a certain amount of premeditation。〃
〃Maybe that was the wrong word；〃 he allowed。
〃You're not angry？〃
He smiled ruefully。 Tm not angry。〃
〃Why not？〃
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〃Well。 。 。〃 He paused。 〃I didn't hurt you； for one thing。 It was easier this time； to control myself； to
channel the excesses。〃 His eyes flickered to the damaged frame again。 〃Maybe because I had a better
idea of what to expect。〃
A hopeful smile started to spread across my face。 〃I told you that it was all about practice。〃
He rolled his eyes。
My stomach growled； and he laughed。 〃Breakfast time for the human？〃 he asked。
〃Please；〃 I said； hopping out of bed。 I moved too quickly； though； and had to stagger drunkenly to regain
my balance。 He caught me before I could stumble into the dresser。
〃Are you all right？〃
〃If I don't have a better sense of equilibrium in my next life； I'm demanding a refund。〃
I cooked this morning； frying up some eggs—too hungry to do anything more elaborate。 Impatient； I
flipped them onto a plate after just a few minutes。
〃Since when do you eat eggs sunnyside up？〃 he asked。
〃Since now。〃
〃Do you know how many eggs you've gone through in the last week？〃 He pulled the trash bin out from
under the sink—it was full of empty blue cartons。
〃Weird；〃 I said after swallowing a scorching bite。 〃This place is messing with my appetite。〃 And my
dreams； and my already dubious balance。 〃But I like it here。 Well probably have to leave soon； though；
won't we； to make it to Dartmouth in time？ Wow； I guess we need to find a place to live and stuff； too。〃
He sat down next to me。 〃You can give up the college pretense now—you've gotten what you wanted。
And we didn't agree to a deal； so there are no strings attached。〃
I snorted。 〃It wasn't a pretense； Edward。 I don't spend my free time plotting like some people do。 What
can we do to wear Bella out today？〃 I said in a poor impression of his voice。 He laughed； unashamed。
〃I really do want a little more time being human。〃 I leaned over to run my hand across his bare chest。 〃I
have not had enough。〃
He gave me a dubious look。 〃For this？〃 he asked； catching my hand as it moved down his stomach。
〃Sex was the key all along？〃 He rolled his eyes。 〃Why didn't i think of that？〃 he muttered sarcastically。 〃I
could have saved myself a lot of arguments。〃
I laughed。 〃Yeah； probably。〃
〃You are so human；〃 he said again。
〃I know。〃
A hint of a smile pulled at his lips。 〃We're going to Dartmouth？ Really？〃
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〃I'll probably fail out in one semester。〃
〃I'll tutor you。〃 The smile was wide now。 〃You're going to love college。〃
〃Do you think we can find an apartment this late？〃
He grimaced； looking guilty。 〃Well； we sort of already have a house there。 You know； just in case。〃
〃You bought a house？〃
〃Real estate is a good investment。〃
I raised one eyebrow and then let it go。 〃So we're ready； then。〃
〃I'll have to see if we can keep your 'before' car for a little longer___〃
〃Yes； heaven forbid I not be protected from tanks。〃
He grinned。
〃How much longer can we stay？〃 I asked。
〃We're fine on time。 A few more weeks； if you want。 And then we can visit Charlie before we go to
New Hampshire。 We could spend Christmas with Renee___〃
His words painted a very happy immediate future； one free of pain for everyone involved。 The
Jacobdrawer； all but forgotten； rattled； and i amended the thought—for almost everyone。
This wasn't getting any easier。 Now that I'd discovered exactly how good being human could be； it was
tempting to let my plans drift。 Eighteen or nieen； nieen or twenty。。。 Did it really matter？ I wouldn't
change so much in a year。 And being human with Edward。。。 The choice got trickier every day。
〃A few weeks；〃 I agreed。 And then； because there never seemed to be enough time； I added； 〃So I was
thinking—you know what I was saying about practice before？〃
He laughed。 〃Can you hold on to that thought？ I hear a boat。 The cleaning crew must be here。〃
He wanted me to hold on to that thought。 So did that mean he was not going to give me any more
trouble about practicing？ I smiled。
〃Let me explain the mess in the white room to Gustavo； and then we can go out。 There's a place in the
jungle on the south—〃
〃I don't want to go out。 i am not hiking all over the island today。 I want to stay here and watch a movie。〃
He pursed his lips； trying not to laugh at my disgruntled tone。 〃All right； whatever you'd like。 Why don't
you pick one out while I get the door？〃
〃I didn't hear a knock。〃
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He cocked his head to the side； listening。 A half second later； a faint； timid rap on the door sounded。 He
grinned and turned for the hallway。
I wandered over to the shelves under the big TV and started scanning through the titles。 It was hard to
decide where to begin。 They had more DVDs than a rental store。
I could hear Edward's low； velvet voice as he came back down the hall； conversing fluidly in what I
assumed was perfect Portuguese。 Another； harsher； human voice answered in the same tongue。
Edward led them into the room； pointing toward the kitchen on his way。 The two Brazilians looked
incredibly short and dark next to him。 One was a round man； the other a slight female； both their faces
creased with lines。 Edward gestured to me with a proud smile； and I heard my name mixed in with a
flurry of unfamiliar words。 I flushed a little as I thought of the downy mess in the white room； which they
would soon encounter。 The little man smiled at me politely。
But the tiny coffeeskinned woman didn't smile。 She stared at me with a mixture of shock； worry； and
most of all； wideeyed fear。 Before I could react； Edward motioned for them to follow him toward the
chicken coop； and they were gone。
When he reappeared； he was alone。 He walked swiftly to my side and wrapped his arms around me。
〃What's with her？〃 I whispered urgently； remembering her panicked expression。
He shrugged； unperturbed。 〃Kaure's part Ticuna Indian。 She was raised to be more superstitious—or
you could call it more aware—than those who live in the modern world。 She suspects what I am； or
close enough。〃 He still didn't sound worried。 〃They have their own legends here。 The Libishomen—a
blooddrinking demon who preys exclusively on beautiful women。〃 He leered at me。
Beautiful women only？ Well； that was kind of flattering。
〃She looked terrified；〃 I said。
〃She is—but mostly she's worried about you。〃
〃Me？〃
〃She's afraid of why I have you here； all alone。〃 He chuckled darkly and then looked toward the wall of
movies。 〃Oh well； why don't you choose something for us to watch？ That's an acceptably human thing to
do。〃
〃Yes； I'm sure a movie will convince her that you're human。〃 I laughed and clasped my arms securely
around his neck； stretching up on my tiptoes。 He leaned down so that I could kiss him； and then his arms
tightened around me； lifting me off the floor so he didn't have to bend。
〃Movie； schmovie；〃 I muttered as his lips moved down my throat； twisting my fingers in his bronze hair。
Then I heard a gasp； and he put me down abruptly。 Kaure stood frozen in the hallway； feathers in her
black hair； a large sack of more feathers in her arms； an expression of horror