If I was truly as brave as I thought I was, I'd have let him go. But I loved him, and I wasn't that brave.

Richard was a riddle with no answer, and I was tired of playing a game I couldn't win.

You can't kill us all, human.' He was right. I raised the machine gun a little. 'True, but who's going to be first in line?

Children make that big a difference to you? He asked. I nodded. Yeah, they do. I never figured you as the maternal type. I'm not, but kids are people, Edward, little people trapped by the choices the adults around them make.

I locked the door, for what good it would do me, and went to bed. The Browning Hi-Power was in its second home, a modified holster strapped to the headboard of my bed. The crucifix was cool metal around my neck. I was as safe as I was going to be and almost too tired to care. I took one more thing to bed with me, a stuffed toy penguin named Sigmund. I don't sleep with him often, just every once in a while after someone tries to kill me. Everyone has their weaknesses. Some people smoke. I collect stuffed penguins. If you won't tell, I won't.

We aren't the good guys, Anita. We're the necessary guys. -Edward

I loved him, but love isn't enough. All the fairy tales, the romance novels, the soap operas; they're all lies. Love does not conquer all.