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were the closest to the
door。 Esme hugged me carefully； her soft； caramel…colored hair brushing
against my cheek as she kissed
my forehead； and then Carlisle put his arm around my shoulders。
〃Sorry about this； Bella；〃 he stage…whispered。 〃We couldn't rein Alice in。〃
Rosalie and Emmett stood behind them。 Rosalie didn't smile； but at least she
didn't glare。 Emmett's face
was stretched into a huge grin。 It had been months since I'd seen them； I'd
forgotten how gloriously
beautiful Rosalie was—it almost hurt to look at her。 And had Emmett always
been so big？
〃You haven't changed at all；〃 Emmett said with mock disappointment。 〃I
expected a perceptible
difference； but here you are； red…faced just like always。〃
〃Thanks a lot； Emmett；〃 I said； blushing deeper。
He laughed； 〃I have to step out for a second〃—he paused to wink conspicuously
at Alice—〃Don't do
anything funny while I'm gone。〃
〃I'lltry。〃
Alice let go of Jasper's hand and skipped forward； all her teeth sparkling in
the bright light。 Jasper smiled；
too； but kept his distance。 He leaned； long and blond； against the post at the
foot of the stairs。 During the
days we'd had to spend cooped up together in Phoenix； I'd thought he'd gotten
over his aversion to me。
But he'd gone back to exactly how he'd acted before—avoiding me as much as
possible—the moment
he was free from that temporary obligation to protect me。 I knew it wasn't
personal； just a precaution；
and I tried not to be overly sensitive about it。 Jasper had more trouble
sticking to the Cullens' diet than
the rest of them； the scent of human blood was much harder for him to resist
than the others—he hadn't
been trying as long。
〃Time to open presents；〃 Alice declared。 She put her cool hand under my elbow
and towed me to the
table with the cake and the shiny packages。
I put on my best martyr face。 〃Alice； I know I told you I didn't want anything
—〃
〃But I didn't listen；〃 she interrupted； smug。 〃Open it。〃 She took the camera
from my hands and replaced it
with a big； square silver box。
The box was so light that it felt empty。 The tag on top said that it was from
Emmett； Rosalie； and Jasper。
Selfconsciously； I tore the paper off and then stared at the box it concealed。
It was something electrical； with lots of numbers in the name。 I opened the
box； hoping for further
illumination。 But the box was empty。
〃Um thanks。〃
Rosalie actually cracked a smile。 Jasper laughed。 〃It's a stereo for your
truck；〃 he explained。 〃Emmett's
installing it right now so that you can't return it。〃
Alice was always one step ahead of me。 〃Thanks； Jasper； Rosalie；〃 I told them；
grinning as I remembered
Edward's plaints about my radio this afternoon—all a setup； apparently。
〃Thanks； Emmett！〃 I called
more loudly。
I heard his booming laugh from my truck； and I couldn't help laughing； too。
〃Open mine and Edward's next；〃 Alice said； so excited her voice was a high…
pitched trill。 She held a
small； flat square in her hand。
I turned to give Edward a basilisk glare。 〃You promised。〃
Before he could answer； Emmett bounded through the door。 〃Just in time！〃 he
crowed。 He pushed in
behind Jasper； who had also drifted closer than usual to get a good look。
〃I didn't spend a dime；〃 Edward assured me。 He brushed a strand of hair from
my face； leaving my skin
tingling from his touch。
I inhaled deeply and turned to Alice。 〃Give it to me；〃 I sighed。
Emmett chuckled with delight。
I took the little package； rolling my eyes at Edward while I stuck my finger
under the edge of the paper
and jerked it under the tape。
〃Shoot；〃 I muttered when the paper sliced my finger； I pulled it out to
examine the damage。 A single drop
of blood oozed from the tiny cut。
It all happened very quickly then。
〃No！〃 Edward roared。
He threw himself at me； flinging me back across the table。 It fell； as I did；
scattering the cake and the
presents； the flowers and the plates。 I landed in the mess of shattered
crystal。
Jasper slammed into Edward； and the sound was like the crash of boulders in a
rock slide。
There was another noise； a grisly snarling that seemed to be ing from deep
in Jasper's chest。 Jasper
tried to shove past Edward； snapping his teeth just inches from Edward's face。
Emmett grabbed Jasper from behind in the next second； locking him into his
massive steel grip； but
Jasper struggled on； his wild； empty eyes focused only on me。
Beyond the shock； there was also pain。 I'd tumbled down to the floor by the
piano； with my arms thrown
out instinctively to catch my fall； into the jagged shards of glass。 Only now
did I feel the searing； stinging
pain that ran from my wrist to the crease inside my elbow。
Dazed and disoriented； I looked up from the bright red blood pulsing out of my
arm—into the fevered
eyes of the six suddenly ravenous vampires。
2。STITCHES
CARLISLE WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO STAYED calm。 Centuries of experience in the
emergency room were evident in his quiet； authoritative voice。
〃Emmett； Rose； get Jasper outside。〃
Unsmiling for once； Emmett nodded。 〃e on； Jasper。〃
Jasper struggled against Emmett's unbreakable grasp； twisting around； reaching
toward his brother with
his bared teeth； his eyes still past reason。
Edward's face was whiter than bone as he wheeled to crouch over me； taking a
clearly defensive
position。 A low warning growl slid from between his clenched teeth。 I could
tell that he wasn't breathing。
Rosalie； her divine face strangely smug； stepped in front of Jasper—keeping a
careful distance from his
teeth—and helped Emmett wrestle him through the glass door that Esme held
open； one hand pressed
over her mouth and nose。
Esme's heart…shaped face was ashamed。 〃I'm so sorry； Bella；〃 she cried as she
followed the others into
the yard。
〃Let me by； Edward；〃 Carlisle murmured。
A second passed； and then Edward nodded slowly and relaxed his stance。
Carlisle knelt beside me； leaning close to examine my arm。 I could feel the
shock frozen on my face； and
I tried to pose it。
〃Here； Carlisle；〃 Alice said； handing him a towel。
He shook his h