The pain hurt so much. Only three seconds ago, Edward bit me. And now I was crying out in pain. If this was the way it was going to be for the next three days, I would surely rather take not being a vampire. At least now I would. But it was too late. And I wasn't going to regret this after the three days, I just couldn't. This was my dream, and I wasn't backing down now.

My veins were on fire, like hot poison was squirming throughout my body. Someone picked me up and brought me to Edward's room. The bed in the middle of the room felt unfamiliar and cold, which felt good against my now sizzling skin.

Arms wrapped around me, and I instantly knew they were his. I curled up in a tight ball and hugged my knees, waiting for the pain to end. I knew he felt bad. He was tense, and his cold hands felt unfamiliar wrapped around my torso. I tried not to scream. At least then he wouldn't feel so bad about his decision. I knew he thought I would loose my soul through all this, but it was better than living without him. After this week, I would no longer be a barren on him. We could go to Alaska and see all the other vampires living up there. And no one would be in danger. Not Charlie, not Renee, not even Jacob.

That thought hurt me and I pushed it to the back of my mind. I couldn't think of that ever again. We would no longer be able to see each other.

We made sure this wasn't going against the treaty. We did it far away from the line. And yet, it took us under a minute to get back. Or at least it seemed that way to me.

I didn't even get to say a proper good-bye to him. Sam didn't want Jacob to get mad, and he wanted to stay with us. Jacob promised him he wouldn't, but he did. Not mad enough to change into his other half, but mad enough where Sam made me go. It seemed like an eternity ago now.

Edward kissed my neck and brought me back into reality. I felt numb, like nothing in the world mattered. My heart was still beating, but slower now, slowing with each breath I took. I could hear him growling, a low rumbling in the pit of his chest. I turned to face him, putting on the best calm face I could possibly make at a time like this.

To my surprise, he smiled and bent down to kiss my forehead. I closed my eyes to savor the moment his lips touched my skin. It would be the last time he would have me human, and I let him do whatever he wanted to do now.

Alice walked in the door and sat on the edge of the bed. I could see her smiling face looking at me, as if I was a newborn child. In a sense, I guess I was. I was to them, anyway. How she could run all that way back? Especially after all she went through in the past five minutes? I knew the pure blood made her want to bite me herself. She had to leave soon after the bite. I saw her flash away through the woods as I was being carried away. Only Carlise and Edward could handle it. Jasper was there at first, and said he'd see me on the other side. I hope that means he thinks I will pull through the pain.

I looked up at Edward, who was looking at Alice and nodding. In a split second his smile had turned into a scowl. Obviously she was telling him something. And I had seen that look too many times to know it was no good. I pulled myself up, leaning against his chest for support. Whatever was happening, I knew it would involve me somehow.

When she saw me get up, Alice got up and came to sit beside me. She perched herself on the edge of the bed and felt my forehead. Her expression told me it was burning up. She waved slightly to Edward and danced back to the door.

I looked at him, wondering what in the world Alice could have told him now. Nothing could be wrong. The treaty wasn't broken, Victoria and James were dead, and now I was turning into one of them. Everything seemed perfect.

If he felt my gaze on him, he didn't show it. Edward was staring out the glass wall, lost in thought. I looked out there, too. The stars were twinkling in the sky, but I couldn't find the moon. I wanted to know what was wrong. Something was up, and if Edward wouldn't tell me himself, I'd have to pry it out of him.

Wiping away the pain from my head, I sat up fully and looked at him. I broke his trance, and he stared at me. His cold hands felt nice against my body, which was now hurting some more. It was almost as if my body was giving me time to question Edward before slipping back into the unbearable state I was in.

"What was that about?" I asked him. I knew it wouldn't be that easy, but I had to try. If Edward had told me everything that had happened in the past two years, we wouldn't have known each other so much. He smiled and looked back out the window. I turned my head, aware of the sharp pain that shot down my spine. Birds scattered from the tops of the trees and fluttered to the sky. Even they looked scared for something.

He picked me up and put me on his lap, as easy as if I was a bag of flour. Leaning against his chest, I waited for him to answer. He seemed to be thinking hard, and I wanted to find out what.

"What's wrong?" I asked again, worried this time. He looked down at me, as if noticing I was talking for the very first time.

"The Volturi are coming back." He whispered. Was I the only one who didn't think there was something wrong with this? Edward and Alice had both obviously found some fault in this. I shrugged and looked out the window, not believing he actually told me what was happening. I could see Edward's reflection in the window, so white it looked as if a ghost were holding me now.

He didn't respond at first, but then opened his mouth. It instantly closed, and if I had not been watching his reflection, I would not have noticed anything wrong.

"What were you going to say?" He looked down at me curiously, expecting a much more worried reaction than that. Now every breath I took hurt, and I was inching closer to screaming out in pain. He looked down at me for a long time. I was relieved when his eyes finally veered to the window. I let out a scowl he couldn't see, and bit my lip. Nothing would stop me from finding out what was wrong with the Volturi coming. I twisted the bed sheet around my hand, grasping the mattress underneath. I felt like it would rip any second, I was pulling on it so hard. He looked down at me with sincere remorse shining in his eyes.

"They want you to join them," He whispered softly in my ear, "and will stop at nothing to make it happen."