Part Four

"Leah," Carlisle greeted me with concern as he entered his office. "What's the matter? Edward said you needed a doctor."

"What do you make of this?" I pointed to the red, puffy scar on my clavicle.

"It looks more like an allergy than an infection," he observed. "What bit you? Were you in human or wolf form when it happened?"

"What do you think did this?" I said cautiously.

"I can't do much for you without a good patient history," he said. "I need to know what bit you and how long ago it happened."

"Would you believe it was a vampire a week and a half ago?" I mumbled.

"I have a houseful of very anxious guests, and I really don't have time for practical jokes," he frowned.

"It's not a joke," I insisted. "And I wasn't attacked," I hastily clarified. "I came in for lunch one day – you can ask Rosalie – and I sort of hooked up with one of your guests. As you can see, things got a little rough. Don't worry, it was as much my idea as his."

"The bite pattern looks right," he marveled. "But this doesn't make sense. So long ago…you should either be dead or turned." He went about swabbing, poking, and magnifying my bite. "Of course, you are the only female," he said more to himself than to me.

"That's what I was thinking," I said. "And anyway, I wanted to ask you – this is kind of embarrassing, but I don't know who else to ask-"

"Don't be embarrassed," he said comfortingly. "I'll treat whatever you say with full doctor/patient confidentiality."

"Jacob said new vampires have an inherent bond with their creator," I started. "Do you think it's possible that this vampire's bite could have affected me that way, even though I wasn't turned?"

"Anything is possible," said Carlisle. "Have you felt an irrational compulsion to be near this person, a reliance on his company and guidance? Does his opinion seem to hold more weight in your decisions than that of other people in your life?"

"The irrational part, maybe," I agreed. "But the rest doesn't sound right. It's not like I see him as some kind of Yoda. And I can tell if something he says sounds stupid. You know, the more I think about it, the compulsion seems to be more on his part. He sought me out the two days I didn't visit him."

"I don't think it's a creation bond, then," Carlisle shook his head thoughtfully. "Have you considered that you're spending time with him because you're attracted to him in a normal human way? Love is seldom rational. A lot of people would find it difficult to name exactly what first attracted them to their mates."

"I was afraid of that," I sighed. "By the way, what's the verdict on the bite?"

"I'll run some tests, but I don't think you're in danger," he said. "Try this ointment," he wrote something on a piece of paper, "and come back and see me any time tomorrow. Just page my receptionist and I'll be in my office," he chuckled.

"Thanks," I said with grudgingly genuine gratitude. Hm. Witch hazel. Mom always had some on hand. I'd always thought of her herb lore as an embarrassing stereotype.

"And, look," he smiled encouragingly, "I'm not suggesting anything long-term, but if you're happy and Randall's happy, give it a chance."

"Who's Randall?" I wrinkled my forehead.

"The only single man in my house who isn't an ancient Romanian," he said slowly, now with an apprehensive edge in his voice.

"Alistair has a mate?" I snarled, knocking over the exam table. Carlisle caught it before it could clatter to the floor.

"Alistair?" He dropped the table. "Dark-haired, British, haunts my attic Alistair? He's the man in your story?"

"It never occurred to me that he wasn't single," I protested.

"He is," said Carlisle. "As long as I've known him, he's been the very definition of a confirmed bachelor. There have been a few random dalliances with vampire women, but nothing like what you've just described. I suppose I didn't think of him because I've never known him to be capable of such an affair. Just to be clear, he sought you out – twice?"

"Yeah, but not on purpose. His compass led him to me or some bloodsucker mumbo jumbo."

"Think carefully: did he bite you before or after he sought you out the first time?"

"After," I said. "The first time he found me was when he did it. And it wasn't really a deliberate thing. Like I said, we just got carried away. And we didn't actually have sex, in case you needed to know that. You didn't need to know that," I babbled, becoming more flustered and confused by the second.

"Actually, it confirms my theory," said Carlisle. "I do need to know this: you were engaged in foreplay when this happened, weren't you?"

"Yes," I answered frankly, "but like I said, it didn't go anywhere. We stopped because of my bite, and then we just kissed."

"And what about physical activity since then?"

"Just kissing," I repeated, though I knew that was a bit of an understatement. "Once I was able to clear my head, I realized I'm still not ready. Sam was my first and only, you know." I had a feeling that, between Jacob and Edward, my history was as much of an open book around here as it was in the pack.

"Has Alistair propositioned you?"

"No, he's been a real gentleman in his own way. I don't know if it's his compass or what, but he always seems to know just what I need. Physically, emotionally, whatever." As I said these words, it occurred to me that maybe my attraction to him wasn't so irrational after all. For the first time, I almost felt I understood why Emily had fallen in love with Sam.

"I don't think it's his compass," Carlisle said with an incredulous chuckle. "I'm starting to think it isn't a vampire trait at all."

I was hardly listening. Something in my own thoughts hit me with sudden realization. How Emily felt.

"Leah, have you considered-"

"He imprinted on me."

I thanked Carlisle and ran back upstairs to the attic. I didn't need a day. I knew right now that, whatever we were doing, however short a time it was meant to last, I didn't want it to end a second sooner than it had to. I told Alistair exactly that as soon as I was with him again. I told him everything Carlisle had told me. Alistair thought our theory made perfect sense. Why shouldn't imprinting work opposite in females as it did in males?

One thing he didn't say was what exactly he intended to do about this – specifically, how long he intended to stay. I didn't bring it up. I didn't care about the future, at least not as much as I cared about the present.

I visited Alistair every day after that. He offered to visit me, too, but I decided it would be best if he didn't so my mother wouldn't get suspicious. The whole pack knew about us, of course, but we had agreed to keep it from the Elders.

Alistair kept his word not to hunt again. A couple times I suggested we hunt game together, but he refused, insisting he didn't have the taste for animal blood. Besides, he didn't want to start associating my scent with food.

All in all, everything was just a little too good to be true. Until Christmas Eve.