alive；　but

part　of　my　mind　was　making

contingency　plans。　Like　I　said；　it's　not　as　easy　for　me　as　it　is　for　a　human。〃

For　one　second；　the　memory　of　my　last　trip　to　Phoenix　washed　through　my　head

and　made　me　feel　dizzy。

I　could　see　it　all　so　clearly—the　blinding　sun；　the　heat　waves　ing　off　the

concrete　as　I　ran　with

desperate　haste　to　find　the　sadistic　vampire　who　wanted　to　torture　me　to

death。　James；　waiting　in　the

mirrored　room　with　my　mother　as　his　hostage—or　so　I'd　thought。　I　hadn't　known

it　was　all　a　ruse。　Just　as

James　hadn't　known　that　Edward　was　racing　to　save　me；　Edward　made　it　in　time；

but　it　had　been　a　close

one。　Unthinkingly；　my　fingers　traced　the　crescent…shaped　scar　on　my　hand　that

was　always　just　a　few

degrees　cooler　than　the　rest　of　my　skin。

I　shook　my　head—as　if　I　could　shake　away　the　bad　memories—and　tried　to　grasp

what　Edward　meant。

My　stomach　plunged　unfortably。　〃Contingency　plans？〃　I　repeated。

〃Well；　I　wasn't　going　to　live　without　you。〃　He　rolled　his　eyes　as　if　that　fact

were　childishly　obvious。　〃But　I

wasn't　sure　how　to　do　it—I　knew　Emmett　and　Jasper　would　never　help　so　I　was

thinking　maybe　I

would　go　to　Italy　and　do　something　to　provoke　the　Volturi。〃

I　didn't　want　to　believe　he　was　serious；　but　his　golden　eyes　were　brooding；

focused　on　something　far

away　in　the　distance　as　he　contemplated　ways　to　end　his　own　life。　Abruptly；　I

was　furious。

〃What　is　a　Volturi？〃　I　demanded。

〃The　Volturi　are　a　family；〃　he　explained；　his　eyes　still　remote。　〃A　very　old；

very　powerful　family　of　our

kind。　They　are　the　closest　thing　our　world　has　to　a　royal　fam