CHAPTER 21

When the subtle electronic tones played over the loud-speakers to indicate that the library would close soon, I reluctantly released Bella's hand so that we could both stand.

"Sorry for wasting work time," she apologized quietly.

"We have plenty of time for research," I reminded her. "I'm here. Anytime you need to talk. Anytime at all. Ok?"

She smiled her thanks, and tucked her chin down towards her chest- watching the floor as we walked back to our table. I wondered if that was an old habit born of her innate clumsiness, or if she was specifically trying to avoid looking at me.

For the first time, we took advantage of our arrangements to work late. A quick call from my cell phone ensured that we were permitted to re-enter the building at the side door. And together we worked until nearly four a.m. During that time, we didn't speak other than to compare notes right away. Bella's voice seemed loud in the quiet of the building when she finally did speak, hours later.

"Hey Edward?" she asked as she looked up from her book.

"Yes?"

"What was that phrase you spoke in Italian? At my apartment- when you were talking about the opera that was playing?"

I lowered my brows in confusion. I hadn't said anything about the opera. Then realization came to me.

"Abbracciare il cantante," I smiled.

"About the singer… right?" she asked.

"Yes," I nodded. I hadn't been referring to the opera. Carlisle, my father, had once called Bella my 'singer', because of the call of her blood to me.

"This book keeps mentioning the word. 'Cantante…' she looked back down to where her finger pressed onto the page. I stood and walked to stand behind her, and leaned over her shoulder to read. She was right. My eyes scanned the information quickly, noting the rough translations and missing text.

"What does singing have to do with vampires?" Bella turned her face towards me, and I felt her breath on my cheek. I closed my eyes, savoring the sensation, before moving a little further away.

"It's not complete," I shrugged. But what I did see made me tuck the information away for future reference. I planned to ask Carlisle if he knew more on the subject. Bella was watching me with interest, and so I tried to summarize.

"In some of these old stories… it is believed that certain humans held blood more tempting, more powerful, and more difficult to resist for certain vampires."

"I don't understand."

"Hmm. Well. It's not very clear…" I pretended to be confused by it, even though I understood it all far too well. "It would be like if a vampire found the scent of one particular person's blood more intoxicating than any other. More impossible to resist… more painful to endure… That person would be considered his 'singer.' Because her blood would 'sing' for him." I realized that I had slipped into male and female pronouns that could describe the two of us. Bella didn't seem to think anything of it.

"But why would a vampire try to resist? I mean… if I liked a chocolate shake, and it smelled better to me than any other dessert in the world…. I'd just order the chocolate shake and be done with it."

"Drinking a shake wouldn't make you a monster," I said quietly. Bella nodded, and then her eyes brightened with a new understanding.

"Like on Interview with a Vampire!" she declared. "When Louie tried to eat animals!"

"Probably." I turned away from her then. She was closer to the truth than she realized.

"I understand the tempting part. And about it being more difficult to resist. But how can it be more powerful?"

"Huh?"

"You said 'more powerful.'" I stepped back to look at the book again. The translation was obviously lacking. It did refer to the powers of the blood. Though I couldn't make sense of it.

"I'm not sure," I admitted. "It's choppy information to do with the power of the blood. Probably something about how its lure is more powerful than that of others."

"Hmm," she thoughtfully bit down on her lower lip.

I went back towards my stack of books, and couldn't help but notice when Bella yawned hugely.

"We should get you home," I stated.

"That's probably a good idea," she nodded. We placed our books on the return desk, and I helped Bella put on her coat. We exited through the side door and we walked slowly to our cars. We were parked in the same lot.

"Do you need me to follow you home?" I asked.

"You don't have to. It didn't snow much. The roads should be fine."

I pressed my lips together. I wouldn't have time to sit beside her as she slept this morning. Dawn was fast approaching. And while I had no issue with actually being out in the daylight hours, I didn't ever want to take the chance of getting caught in Bella's room, watching her sleep. I was fairly sure the tender friendship we had begun to forge would be ruined by that quirky little habit of mine.

"Well… drive safely."

"Thanks. You too."

Of course, I took a detour before driving home. And of course, I drove by Bella's apartment to make sure that she got there safely. I spent the last hours before the sun came up, hunting near home. It was still easier to be close to Bella when I kept my thirst firmly in check. I didn't want to tempt fate any more than I already was. Fate. Tonight's conversation with Bella gave me a lot to think about on that subject. And I still loved to run. In the darkness my imagination let her run beside me.

The next evening, I received a summons by voicemail for me to meet Alice at her apartment. I went with a bit of unease… nervous about her reason for calling me over. She hadn't shared her visions with me lately. I hoped that was because Bella really was safe now, in my presence. Mind over matter. When I knocked on the door, I heard Alice bid me to enter. As I opened the door, I saw her sitting with her legs crossed beneath her in the middle of the floor.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Blowing bubbles," Alice smiled sweetly. As if to demonstrate, she lifted a tiny plastic bubble wand in front of her lips and produced a stream of small delicate orbs that drifted and danced in the air around her. She seemed completely at ease. I began to wonder if I had worried needlessly about her reasons for inviting me. I walked to the center of the room, and lowered myself to sit in the same fashion across from her.

When I moved closer, I noticed a scent that was entirely too familiar and impossible for me to ignore.

"Alice…" I growled lowly. "When were you around Bella? And why?"

"This afternoon," she shrugged and blew another wand full of soapy solution into the air.

"Explain."

"Say 'please'," she frowned darkly. "You know that bossy shit doesn't work on me."

"Please, explain," I softened my voice and gave in. She was so stubborn. She would never elaborate if I didn't comply.

"We traded numbers when we were dancing at the bar," Alice said easily. "She said she knew of a good book-store in town. So I called her and asked if she wanted to go."

"Just… like that?"

"Yes. Just like that. It's amazing. You can actually spend time with someone… just by making plans and asking. Shocking, huh?" She was being a smart-ass and she knew it.

"Why?"

"Because I don't have any friends here," Alice pouted. I knew better. "And because I wanted to pick her brain. Get to know her a little better," she admitted. "Did you know, she's never seen 'Phantom of the Opera?'"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Oh. Nothing really. I just thought that most people had at least seen the movie version!"

"Ok." I wasn't sure where she was leading me with this information. But I could tell I wouldn't get more from her unless she wanted to offer it.

"Where's Jasper?" I finally asked.

"He went away for a few days. He said he wanted to hunt something larger than squirrel."

"There are elk and bear in the area, and he knows it."

"I think he was craving something more exotic," Alice sighed. "He's always trying new things these days."

I pressed my eyebrows together and looked at the floor. I wondered if she knew anything about the conversation that Jasper and I had about his past history with human women. But Alice didn't seem upset. She just blew more bubbles in my direction. I smiled, and held out my pointer finger to balance one of the delicate spheres on its tip.

"Do you remember this game?" Alice asked then. "You and Emmett used to see how many bubbles you could bounce… and for how long… before they would pop."

"I always won," I boasted, balancing the bubble before giving it a little bounce, only to catch it once again.

"Because you took your time," Alice agreed. "Emmett was always in a hurry to catch more than you. They would pop faster. You caught less, but you were especially careful with them."

"It's not that hard," I murmured, staring at the soapy film of the bubble I had caught on my finger. "You just have to test the strength of the bubble… and not apply more pressure than necessary. I can feel it give, under my touch. If I pay attention, it's no problem at all."

Alice grinned at me and twisted the lid back onto her little bottle of bubble solution.

"What?" I asked.

"Thus concludes your daily lesson in 'safe sex' with Alice!" she imitated an announcer's voice. My mouth popped open.

"Why… you little sneak!" I accused, narrowing my eyes at her.

"Honestly Edward!" Alice huffed. "Why you are so nervous about how to handle Bella is beyond me. She isn't nearly as fragile as a bubble."

"Bubbles don't make me lose my head," I insisted. "What if I lost focus? What if I got… too excited and hurt her?"

"I don't think you could."

"I can't think clearly around her," I reiterated. "Last night, I was so consumed by… a daydream… I didn't even notice that she was talking to me!"

"That would change if she were actually with you. You'd be too concerned about hurting her to forget yourself."

"You don't know that."

"You can't be sure either!" Alice insisted.

"Exactly. And I'm not ready to take that chance," I insisted. And then something occurred to me. Alice was pushing the subject awfully hard. I glanced up from under my lashes… looking at her sideways. "I… don't even know if… my advances would be welcome."

"Oh," Alice smirked. "I bet they'd be plenty welcome."

"What do you know Alice?"

She just smiled wider.

"Alice….?" I let my voice drop. "If you know something… you need to tell me."

"It wasn't a detailed vision!" she promised.

"Please. I'll take anything!" I know I sounded desperate. I even remembered to say 'please.'

"All I know is… I could hear 'Music of the Night.' And… Bella is going to ask you to kiss her."