Marcus guessed before I could even bring Elijah into the conversation. He stood like a statue, his red eyes emotionless searching my face for anything that would differ from the last time we had seen each other.

"We know of the Mikaelsons," he admitted. "We've a pact. We stay out of each other's business. It has always been so. That it took them so long to discover you, it is astonishing."

I tried not to show offense at this. I was sure he didn't mean it like it sounded. Like I was a prize, a good adding to a collection, a must-have to their vampire clans.

"I dreamed I would see the sun," he said glancing at the ceiling as if he could see through it. It was dark in the living room and we were alone. Nobody cared much to entertain Marcus and Marcus preferred it like this. "Once, long ago. I dreamed I would see the face of God."

"Maybe you still can," I ventured.

"I pity you," he said not unkindly. "You are bound to vampires. You cannot get away anywhere you go. I fear for you, Renesmee. That someday you should find yourself desperate for a little humanity and unable to find it even within yourself."

"I love Elijah."

"A vampire."

"Yes."

"One of the oldest. All vampires are damned. We're a taint, a blot on the face of the Earth. Murderers. Animals. Monsters. It is detachment that makes possible to live with our sins, a sublime loneliness with which we move through the world of mortal men. And all material troubles pass from us. And we do not care. And we do not feel."

"That's not true. Not for Elijah. Not for my family. Maybe not even for you, Marcus."

"But it is, Renesmee," he assured me. "It is. No matter how much we try to change, it is impossible. There is no humanity left. That which grows in you, stronger every day, that is what we lack. And I want you by my side because you remind me of that. You must remind him as well."

I shook my head. I would not believe Elijah was with me because he needed my humanity, though I would lend it to him anytime he needed. But he loved me. As sure as the sun would rise. And I told Marcus that.

"Angels are detached," I shrugged. "But they are capable of love. They gaze upon the face of God with complete love." Or so it was supposed, if you were religious. I wasn't particular into that, but I liked poetry and all poets agreed on that.

"Adoration, more likely."

"Is there a difference?"

"Positively."

"You're implying that vampires cannot love. But I know that to be false. You've loved, Marcus. Don't let time, immortality, make you forget it."

He took my hand and squeezed. I remembered he liked doing that. I always took the precaution of wearing gloves when I was with him. His pain was too great for me.

"Young one," he started softly, "I will say no more. I wanted you for me, but I never thought I was your best choice. Your best choice lies with those you don't cohort with. The humans. The people. They are the ones moving ahead. They are not stuck in time. They will no hold you back and freeze you to your beauty, though that it's not considered a shame in my eyes."

"How are people better, Marcus?" I asked exasperated. "Aren't they evil and cunning, just like vampires?"

The vampire looked uneasy and unhappy. "They, at least, are human, part of God's plan. Vampires are an abomination."

"And yet they've raised me, loved me. They've been good to me. Vampires are my family."

"But they take the blood of innocents also." His red eyes bore into mine. "They have to kill to feed and that is never going to change. When younger, I fed on children."

I felt myself flinching but I thought it would be rude to remove my hand from his. "What-what stopped you?"

"Nothing will stop me, dearest," he smiled weakly. "Nothing but my death."

"I'm so sorry," I said inadequately. Despite everything, Marcus was my friend – a very weird friendship we had – and he was suffering, and I truly did feel sorry for that.

Marcus left that same night. My family understood all too easily why he declined the invitation to stay for a few days. Everyone kind of thought Elijah would show up and everything would turn another degree of weird, but that didn't happen. Elijah didn't even call.

The next day, I went out for a morning walk. I was in that kind of mood where I was rolling in how awful everything was. Despite a nearly sleepless night I felt energetic. And worried. And I wouldn't let go of my cellphone in case Elijah decided to remember I existed.

By lunch time, I decided to visit Jacob and Leah. I tried real hard not to be bitter. I tried to pretend that all was well, that was soon as Elijah came to me again he would be a passionate lover, like before, and treasure and make me feel valuable. That none of what Marcus told me was true.

Oh, God, I needed to see him. To hear his voice, to feel his arms around me. Being away from him was like being separated from my own flesh. The pain in my middle was the unmistakable pain of rejection.

Jacob was this enormous, thick, toned and muscular guy. He had always been good looking, but now that he had a family and a wife that loved him, he looked even better. Happier. More alive.

Leah had perfect copper skin and eyelashes like feather dusters. She was truly beautiful and exotic. There was nobody like her. Once it was established we were all family, neither Jacob nor Leah hesitated on following us to New Orleans. According to her, we were a pack and we should stick together. She looked eager to leave Forks. I believe it was all she had wanted for the longest time.

"And how are you, Nessie?" asked Leah. She sat beside me caressing the protuberance of her belly.

"How are you?" I deflected. "There's someone growing inside of you!"

I heard Jacob laughing, though he wasn't in the living room with us.

"I think I'll live," said Leah carefully.

"Well... so will I." I shrugged. Leah didn't insist in the matter, which made me want to share more. "Things have been weird," I told her. "Elijah... His creep of a brother showed up and I haven't heard from him since."

"Did you try calling him?"

"Yes."

"Did you try looking for him?" I stared at her. The last time I went to his house without being invited, Niklaus had been there. I wasn't sure I wanted to repeat the scene. "Honey, you can't wait for men. You want something, go and do it yourself. With a few good punches, you get what is yours."

Maybe Leah wasn't the best person to give advice about vampire/human relationships, but I didn't have anything to lose, did I? So I went to his house, to that strange old house and I allowed myself in and I called his name, my heart racing just for saying it.

Again, it wasn't Elijah who received me.