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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
black…robed men。 Both
looked very much like Aro； one even had the same flowing black hair。 The other
had a shock of
snow…white hair—the same shade as his face—that brushed against his
shoulders。 Their faces had
identical； paper…thin 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 dark…haired
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 white…haired 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 close to het like that？〃
〃It's not without effort；〃 Edward answered calmly。
〃Butstill—la tua cantante！ What a waste！〃
Edward chuckled once without humor。 〃I look at it more as a price。〃
Aro was skeptical。 〃A very high price。〃
〃Opportunity cost。〃
Aro laughed。 〃If I hadn't smelled her through your memories； I wouldn't have
believed the call of anyone's
blood could be so strong。 I've never felt anything like it myself。 Most of us
would trade much for such a
gift； and yet you〃
〃Waste it；〃 Edward finished； his voice sarcastic now。
Aro laughed again。 〃Ah； how I miss my friend Carlisle！ You remind me of him—
only he was not so
angry。〃
〃Carlisle outshines me in many other ways as well。〃
〃I certainly never thought to see Carlisle bested for self…control of all
things； but you put him to shame。〃
〃Hardly。〃 Edward sounded impatient。 As if he were tired of the preliminaries。
It made me more afraid； I
couldn't help but try to imagine what he expected would follow。
〃I am gratified by his success；〃 Aro mused。 〃Your memories of him are quite a
gift for me； though they
astonish me exceedingly。 I am surprised by how it pleases me； his success in
this unorthodox path he's
chosen。 I expected that he would waste； weaken with time。 I'd scoffed at his
plan to find others who
would share his peculiar vision。 Yet； somehow； I'm happy to be wrong。〃
Edward didn't reply。
〃But your restraint！〃 Aro sighed。 〃I did not know such strength was possible。
To inure yourself against
such a siren call； not just once but again and again—if I had not felt it
myself； I would not have believed。〃
Edward gazed back at Aro's admiration with no expression。 I knew his face well
en