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around him； some following； and some walking ahead of him with the alert manner of bodyguards）。 I
couldn't decide if his face was beautiful or not。 I suppose the features were perfect。 But he was as
different from the vampires beside him as they were from me。 His skin was translucently white； like
onionskin； and it looked just as delicate—it stood in shocking contrast to the long black hair that framed
his face。 I felt a strange； horrifying urge to touch his cheek； to see if it was softer than Edward's or
Alice's； or if it was powdery； like chalk。 His eyes were red； the same as the others around him； but the
color was clouded； milky； I wondered if his vision was affected by the haze。
He glided to Jane； took her face in his papery hands； kissed her lightly on her full lips； and then floated
back a step。
〃Yes； Master。〃 Jane smiled； the expression made her look like an angelic child。 〃I brought him back alive；
just as you wished。〃
〃Ah； Jane。〃 He smiled； too。 〃You are such a fort to me。〃
He turned his misty eyes toward us； and the smile brightened—became ecstatic。
〃And Alice and Bella； too！〃 he rejoiced； clapping his thin hands together。 〃This is a happy surprise！
Wonderful！〃
I stared in shock as he called our names informally； as if we were old friends dropping in for an
unexpected visit。
He turned to our hulking escort。 〃Felix； be a dear and tell my brothers about our pany。 I'm sure they
wouldn't want to miss this。〃
〃Yes； Master。〃 Felix nodded and disappeared back the way we had e。
〃You see； Edward？〃 The strange vampire turned and smiled at Edward like a fond but scolding
grandfather。 〃What did I tell you？ Aren't you glad that I didn't give you what you wanted yesterday？〃
〃Yes； Aro； I am；〃 he agreed； tightening his arm around my waist。
〃I love a happy ending。〃 Aro sighed。 〃They are so rare。 But I want the whole story。 How did this
happen？ Alice？〃 He turned to gaze at Alice with curious； misty eyes。 〃Your brother seemed to think you
infallible； but apparently there was some mistake。〃
〃Oh； I'm far from infallible。〃 She flashed a dazzling smile。 She looked perfectly at ease； except that her
hands were balled into tight little fists。 〃As you can see today； I cause problems as often as I cure them。〃
〃You're too modest；〃 Aro chided。 〃I've seen some of your more amazing exploits； and I must admit I've
never observed anything like your talent。 Wonderful！〃
Alice flickered a glance at Edward。 Aro did not miss it。
〃I'm sorry； we haven't been introduced properly at all； have we？ It's just that I feel like I know you
already； and I tend get ahead of myself。 Your brother introduced us yesterday； in a peculiar way。 You
see； I share some of your brother's talent； only I am limited in a way that he is not。〃 Aro shook his head；
his tone was envious。
〃And also exponentially more powerful；〃 Edward added dryly。 He looked at Alice as he swiftly
explained。 〃Aro needs physical contact to hear your thoughts； but he hears much more than I do。 You
know I can only hear what's passing through your head in the moment。 Aro hears every thought your
mind has ever had。〃
Alice raised her delicate eyebrows； and Edward inclined his head。
Aro didn't miss that either。
〃But to be able to hear from a distance…〃 Aro sighed； gesturing toward the two of them； and the
exchange that had just taken place。 〃That would be so convenient。〃
Aro looked over our shoulders。 All the other heads turned in the same direction； including Jane； Alec；
and Demetri； who stood silently beside us。
I was the slowest to turn。 Felix was back； and behind him floated two more blackrobed men。 Both
looked very much like Aro； one even had the same flowing black hair。 The other had a shock of
snowwhite hair—the same shade as his face—that brushed against his shoulders。 Their faces had
identical； paperthin skin。
The trio from Carlisle's painting was plete； unchanged by the last three hundred years since it was
painted。
〃Marcus； Caius； look！〃 Aro crooned。 〃Bella is alive after all； and Alice is here with her！ Isn't that
wonderful？〃
Neither of the other two looked as if wonderful would be their first choice of words。 The darkhaired
man seemed utterly bored； like he'd seen too many millennia of Aro's enthusiasm。 The other's hice was
sour under the snowy hair。
Their lack of interest did not curb Aro's enjoyment。
〃Let us have the story；〃 Aro almost sang in his feathery voice。
The whitehaired ancient vampire drifted away； gliding toward one of the wooden thrones。 The other
paused beside Aro； and he reached his hand out； at first I thought to take Aro's hand。 But he just
touched Aro's palm briefly and then dropped his hand to his side。 Aro raised one black brow。 I
wondered how his papery skin did not crumple in the effort。
Edward snorted very quietly； and Alice looked at him； curious。
〃Thank you； Marcus；〃 Aro said。 〃That's quite interesting。〃
I realized； a second late； that Marcus was letting Aro know his thoughts。
Marcus didn't look interested。 He glided away from Aro to join the one who must be Caius； seated
against the wall。 Two of the attending vampires followed silently behind him—bodyguards； like I'd
thought before。 I could see that the two women in the sundresses had gone to stand beside Caius in the
same manner。 The idea of any vampire needing a guard was faintly ridiculous to me； but maybe the
ancient ones were as frail as their skin suggested。
Aro was shaking his head。 〃Amazing；〃' he said。 〃Absolutely amazing。〃
Alice's expression was frustrated。 Edward turned to her and explained again in a swift； low voice。
〃Marcus sees relationships。 He's surprised by the intensity of ours。〃
Aro smiled。 〃So convenient；〃 he repeated to himself。 Then he spoke to us。 〃It takes quite a bit to surprise
Marcus； I can assure you。〃
I looked at Marcus's dead face； and I believed that。
〃It's just so difficult to understand； even now；〃 Aro mused； staring at Edward's arm wrapped around me。
It was hard for me to follow Aro's chaotic train of thought。 I struggled to keep up。 〃How can you stand
so