Solstice

REVELATIONS

That weekend was the last of the glorious weather for the year – perhaps the century, knowing the Pacific North-West's tendency to be covered with driving rain the majority of the time. We all spent as much time outside as we could, shielded from the humans' gaze by our long, long drive flanked by an impenetrable screen of trees, revelling in the warmth, the beauty of the days. Persephone fell asleep the first night for an hour, and woke with a start to see the entire Cullen clan eyeing her with interest. As the hours passed, I saw her eyes change colour. At first, there was an Arctic tinge to the golden irises; then, gradually, like the blue of a perfect day breaking through a gilded dawn, they turned the cerulean I'd hoped for. I looked at her – clear, creamy skin with a smattering of freckles, bright blue eyes, long dark lashes and dark brows, and hair of a beautiful red-brown – and envied her slightly. She seemed to be taking to vampire life with almost too much ease. I slightly resented that she'd surpassed me in the acclimatisation stakes.

'She's been preparing for so many years,' Edward told me as we lay on a picnic rug in our glade. He was finishing a glass of the finest leopard blood; I had allowed myself several glasses of champagne. They didn't have any effect on me – I supposed my vampire metabolism was so fast it simply burnt through the alcohol as soon as it hit my system. 'She's been getting ready for this forever. Long before you were born. I read her mind. I saw she'd been trying to find someone to Change her since the year 1900 – the same year I was born. It's a pity she didn't find Carlisle sooner; she would've saved herself a lot of heartache, a lot of unnecessary energy expenditure. She's read every book on vampires and vampirism there is. She's worried, though. She fears what the three from the coven, the ones who came up here to yell at you, will do. Laura is a difficult person, full of anger and unresolved grief, and she leads the other girls – Bryony, Caitlyn and Jenny; you had the displeasure of meeting them the other day – by the nose. The coven knew Persephone was seeking to make the Change, rather than die in the way of all mortals. But reality is very far from the imagination.' He shrugged. 'I think we have to look after her, Bella. Protect her. You took responsibility for her Change, but it doesn't end there. If you're at all responsible, it means you ease your Changeling into their new life, too.'

'I'm responsible!' I cried, stung by the implied criticism. He raised his brows at me, and I realised that he wasn't accusing me of being neglectful to Persephone at all. 'Well, I am,' I said stormily, sticking out my lower lip in a pout, and he chuckled.

'No-one would ever accuse you, Mrs Bella Marie Cullen, of being irresponsible,' he said gravely and winked.

'Except for when I lost my temper with Jacob and set the tree on fire.' I scowled, folding my arms.

'I'm amazed you only burnt the tree. Had it been I in that situation and, had I magical powers, I would have burnt Jacob Black to a cinder myself.' Edward was not laughing now. 'I got a look at his mind – he was overwhelmed by the fact he'd lost seven years of his life – but he didn't consider for the slightest moment the impact his behaviour'd had on others. He has to be the most deeply selfish being I have ever encountered – and I've lived with Rose for decades.'

I rolled my eyes as my phone pinged, and I pulled it out of my pocket. 'Speak of the Devil,' I mumbled. '-By the way, I won't let you talk that way about my sister,' I informed him frostily, and he put on a mock-humble expression. 'Oh my God! It's 'Grayson',' I told him, and his eyes lit up. 'She's sent me a photo – look, Edward. Isn't he beautiful.' I showed him the image of the exquisite baby, a little blond boy with green eyes and rosy, dimpled cheeks. 'That's the best news ever!' I wrote. I'm so happy for you – Edward is here, and we're both just so delighted for you. I'm just so GLAD you got what you always wanted and deserved. I can't wait to meet my nephew – give him a kiss for me! Love you both, x B&E.'