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He chuckled once—even his laugh sounded exhausted。 〃Okay。 How much biology have you taken？ Did
you study chromosomal pairs？〃
〃Think so。 We have twentythree； right？〃
〃Humans do。〃
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I blinked。 〃How many do you have？〃
〃Twentyfive。〃
I frowned at my fists for a second。 〃What does that mean？〃
〃I thought it meant that our species were almost pletely different。 Less related than a lion and a
house cat。 But this new life—well； it suggests that we're more geically patible than I'd thought。〃 He
sighed sadly。 〃I didn't know to warn them。〃
I sighed； too。 It had been easy to hate Edward for the same ignorance。 I still hated him for it。 It was just
hard to feel the same way about Carlisle。 Maybe because I wasn't ten shades of jealous in Carlisle's
case。
〃It might help to know what the count was—whether the fetus was closer to us or to her。 To know what
to expect。〃 Then he shrugged。 〃And maybe it wouldn't help anything。 I guess I just wish I had something
to study； anything to do。〃
〃Wonder what my chromosomes are like；〃 I muttered randomly。 I thought of those Olympic steroids
tests again。 Did they run DNA scans？
Carlisle coughed selfconsciously。 〃You have twentyfour pairs； Jacob。〃
I turned slowly to stare at him； raising my eyebrows。
He looked embarrassed。 〃I was。。。 curious。 I took the liberty when I was treating you last June。〃
I thought about it for a second。 〃I guess that should piss me off。 But I don't really care。〃
〃I'm sorry。 I should have asked。〃
〃S'okay； Doc。 You didn't mean any harm。〃
〃No； I promise you that I did not mean you any harm。 It's just that。。。 I find your species fascinating。 I
suppose that the elements of vampiric nature have e to seem monplace to me over the centuries。
Your family's divergence from humanity is much more interesting。 Magical； almost。〃
〃BibbidiBobbidiBoo；〃 I mumbled。 He was just like Bella with all the magic garbage。
Carlisle laughed another weary laugh。
Then we heard Edward's voice inside the house； and we both paused to listen。
〃I'll be right back； Bella。 I want to speak with Carlisle for a moment。 Actually； Rosalie； would you mind
acpanying me？〃 Edward sounded different。 There was a little life in his dead voice。 A spark of
something。 Not hope exactly； but maybe the desire to hope。
〃What is it； Edward？〃 Bella asked hoarsely。
〃Nothing you need to worry about； love。 It will just take a second。 Please； Rose？〃
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〃Esme？〃 Rosalie called。 〃Can you mindBella for me？〃
Iheard the whisper of wind as Esme flitted down the stairs。
〃Of course；〃 she said。
Carlisle shifted； twisting to look expectantly at the door。 Edward was through the door first； with Rosalie
right on his heels。 His face was； like his voice； no longer dead。 He seemed intensely focused。 Rosalie
looked suspicious。
Edward shut the door behind her。
〃Carlisle；〃 he murmured。
〃What is it； Edward？〃
〃Perhaps we've been going about this the wrong way。 I was listening to you and Jacob just now； and
when you were speaking of what the。。。 fetus wants； Jacob had an interesting thought。〃
Me？What had thought？ Besides my obvious hatred for the thing？ At least I wasn't alone in that。 I could
tell that Edward had a difficult time using a term as mild as fetus。
〃We haven't actually addressed that angle；〃 Edward went on。 〃We've been trying to get Bella what she
needs。 And her body is accepting it about as well as one of ours would。 Perhaps we should address the
needs of the。。。 fetus first。 Maybe if we can satisfy it； we'll be able to help her more effectively。〃
〃I'm not following you； Edward；〃 Carlisle said。
〃Think about it； Carlisle。 If that creature is more vampire than human； can't you guess what it craves
—what it's not getting？ Jacob did。〃
I did？ I ran through the conversation； trying to remember what thoughts I'd kept to myself。 I
remembered at the same time that Carlisle understood。
〃Oh；〃 he said in a surprised tone。 〃You think it is。。。 thirsty？〃
Rosalie hissed under her breath。 She wasn't suspicious anymore。 Her revoltingly perfect face wasall lit
up； her eyes wide with excitement。 〃Of course；〃 she muttered。 〃Carlisle； we have all that type O negative
laid aside for Bella。 It's a good idea；〃 she added； not looking at me。
〃Hmm。〃 Carlisle put his hand to his chin； lost in thought。 〃I wonder。。。 And then； what would be the best
way to administer___〃
Rosalie shook her head。 〃We don't have time to be creative。 I'd say we should start with the traditional
way。〃
〃Wait a minute；〃 i whispered。 〃Just hold on。 Are you—are you talking about making Bella drink blood？〃
〃It was your idea； dog；〃 Rosalie said； scowling at me without ever quite looking at me。
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I ignored her and watched Carlisle。 That same ghost of hope that had been in Edward's face was now in
the doctor's eyes。 He pursed his lips； speculating。
〃That's just。。。〃 I couldn't find the right word。
〃Monstrous？〃 Edward suggested。 〃Repulsive？〃
〃Pretty much。〃
〃But what if it helps her？〃 he whispered。
I shook my head angrily。 〃What are you gonna do； shove a tube down her throat？〃
〃I plan to ask her what she thinks。 I just wanted to run it past Carlisle first。〃
Rosalie nodded。 〃If you tell her it might help the baby； she'll be willing to do anything。 Even if we do have
to feed them through a tube。〃
I realized then—when I heard how her voice got all loveydovey as she said the word baby—that
Blondie would be in line with anything that helped the little lifesucking monster。 Was that what
was going on； the mystery factor that was bonding the two of them？ Was Rosalie after the kid？
From the corner of my eye； I saw Edward nod once； absently； not looking in my direction。 But I knew
he was answering my questions。
Huh。 I wouldn't have thought the icecold Barbie would have a maternal side。 So much for protecting
Bella—Rosalie'd probably jam the tube down Bella's throat herself。
Edward's mouth mashed into a hard line； and I knew I was right again。
〃Well； we don't have time to sit around discussing this；〃 Rosalie said impatiently。 〃What do you think；
Carlisle？ Can we try？〃
Carlisle took a deep breath； and then he was on his feet。 〃We'll ask Bella。〃
Blondie smiled smugly—sure that； if it was up to Bella； she would get her way。
I dragged myself up from the stairs and followed after them as they disappeared into the house。 I wasn't
sure why。 Just morbid curiosity； maybe。 It was like a horror movie。 Monsters and blood all over the
place。
Maybe I just couldn't resist another hit of my dwindling drug supply。
Bella lay flat on the hospital bed； her belly a mountain under the sheet。 She looked like wax—colorless
and sort of seethrough。 You'd think she was already dead； except for the tiny movement of her chest；
her shallow breathing。 And then her eyes； following the four of us with exhausted suspicion。
The others were at her side already； flitting across the room with sudden darting motions。 It was creepy
to watch。 1 ambled along at a slow walk。
〃What's going on？〃 Bella demanded in a scratchy whisper。 Her waxy hand twitched up—like she was
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trying to protect her balloonshaped stomach。
〃Jacob had an idea that might help you；〃 Carlisle said。 I wished he would leave me out of it。 I hadn't
suggested anything。 Give the credit to her bloodsucking husband； where it belonged。 〃It won't be。。。
pleasant； but—〃
〃But it will help the baby；〃 Rosalie interrupted eagerly。 〃We've thought of a better way to feed him。
Maybe。〃
Bella's eyelids fluttered。 Then she coughed out a weak chuckle。 〃Not pleasant？〃 she whispered。 〃Gosh；
that'll be such a change。〃 She eyed the tube stuck into her arm and coughed again。
Blondie laughed with her。
The girl look