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〃Tell Rachel to go stay at his place。〃
Billy's joking tone vanished； and his eyes got soft。 〃We've only had her home a few weeks。 First time
she's been here in a long time。 It's hard—the girls were older than you when your mom passed。 They
have more trouble being in this house。〃
〃I know。〃
Rebecca hadn't been home once since she got married； though she did have a good excuse。 Plane
tickets from Hawaii were pretty pricey。 Washington State was close enough that Rachel didn't have the
same defense。 She'd taken classes straight through the summer semesters； working double shifts over the
holidays at some cafe on campus。 If it hadn't been for Paul； she probably would have taken off again real
quick。 Maybe that was why Billy wouldn't kick him out。
〃Well； I'm going to go work on some stuff___〃I started for the back door。
〃Wait up； Jake。 Aren't you going to tell me what happened？ Do I have to call Sam for an update？〃
I stood with my back to him； hiding my face。
〃Nothing happened。 Sam's giving them a bye。 Guess we're all just a bunch of leech lovers now。〃
〃Jake。。。〃
〃I don't want to talk about it。〃
〃Are you leaving； son？〃
The room was quiet for a long time while I decided how to say it。
〃Rachel can have her room back。 I know she hates that air mattress。〃
〃She'd rather sleep on the floor than lose you。 So would I。〃
I snorted。
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〃Jacob； please。 If you need。。。 a break。 Well； take it。 But not so long again。 e back。〃
〃Maybe。 Maybe my gig will be weddings。 Make a cameo at Sam's； then Rachel's。 Jared and Kim might
e first； though。 Probably ought to have a suit or something。〃
〃Jake； look at me。〃
I turned around slowly。 〃What？〃
He stared into my eyes for a long minute。 〃Where are you going？〃
〃I don't really have a specific place in mind。〃
He cocked his head to the side； and his eyes narrowed。 〃Don't you？〃
We stared each other down。 The seconds ticked by。
〃Jacob；〃 he said。 His voice was strained。 〃Jacob； don't。 It's not worth it。〃
〃I don't know what you're talking about。〃
〃Leave Bella and the Cullens be。 Sam is right。〃
I stared at him for a second； and then I crossed the room in two long strides； i grabbed the phone and
disconnected the cable from the box and the jack。 I wadded the gray cord up in the palm of my hand。
〃Bye； Dad。〃
〃Jake； wait—；'7he called after me； but I was out the door； running。
The motorcycle wasn't as fast as running； but it was more discreet。 I wondered how long it would take
Billy to wheel himself down to the store and then get someone on the phone who could get a message to
Sam。 I'd bet Sam was still in his wolf form。 The problem would be if Paul came back to our place
anytime soon。 He could phase in a second and let Sam know what I was doing。。。。
I wasn't going to worry about it。 I would go as fast as I could； and if they caught me； I'd deal with that
when I had to。
I kicked the bike to life and then I was racing down the muddy lane。 I didn't look behind me as I passed
the house。
The highway was busy with tourist traffic； I wove in and out of the cars； earning a bunch of honks and a
few fingers。 I took the turn onto the 101 at seventy； not bothering to look。 I had to ride the line for a
minute to avoid getting smeared by a minivan。 Not that it would have killed me； but it would have slowed
me down。 Broken bones—the big ones； at least—took days to heal pletely； as I had good cause to
know。
The freeway cleared up a little； and I pushed the bike to eighty。 I didn't touch the brake until I was close
to the narrow drive； I figured I was in the clear then。 Sam wouldn't e this far to stop me。 It was too
late。
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It wasn't until that moment—when I was sure that I'd made it—that I started to think about what exactly
I was going to do now。 I slowed down to twenty； taking the twists through the trees more carefully than I
needed to。
I knew they would hear me ing； bike or no bike； so surprise was out。 There was no way to disguise
my intentions。 Edward would hear my plan as soon as I was close enough。 Maybe he already could。 But
I thought this would still work out； because I had his ego on my side。 He'd want to fight me alone。
So I'd just walk in； see Sam's precious evidence for myself； and then challenge Edward to a duel。
I snorted。 The parasite'd probably get a kick out of the theatrics of it。
When I finished with him； I'd take as many of the rest of them as I could before they got me。 Huh—I
wondered if Sam would consider my death provocation。 Probably say I got what I deserved。 Wouldn't
want to offend his bloodsucker BFFs。
The drive opened up into the meadow； and the smell hit me like a rotten tomato to the face。 Ugh。
Reeking vampires。 My stomach started churning。 The stench would be hard to take this way—undiluted
by the scent of humans as it had been the other time I'd e here—though not as bad as smelling it
through my wolf nose。
I wasn't sure what to expect； but there was no sign of life around the big white crypt。 Of course they
knew I was here。
I cut the engine and listened to the quiet。 Now I could hear tense； angry murmurs from just the other side
of the wide double doors。 Someone was home。 I heard my name and I smiled； happy to think I was
causing them a little stress。
I took one big gulp of air—it would only be worse inside—and leaped up the porch stairs in one bound。
The door opened before my fist touched it； and the doctor stood in the frame； his eyes grave。
〃Hello； Jacob；〃 he said； calmer than I would have expected。 〃How are you？〃
I took a deep breath through my mouth。 The reek pouring through the door was overpowering。
I was disappointed that it was Carlisle who answered。 I'd rather Edward had e through the door；
fangs out。 Carlisle was so。。。 just human or something。 Maybe it was the house calls he made last spring
when I got busted up。 But it made me unfortable to look into his face and know that I was planning
to kill him if I could。
〃I heard Bella made it back alive；〃 I said。
〃Er； Jacob； it's not really the best time。〃 The doctor seemed unfortable； too； but not in the way I
expected。 〃Could we do this later？〃
I stared at him； dumbfounded。 Was he asking to postpone the death match for a more convenient time？
And then I heard Bella's voice； cracked and rough； and I couldn't think about anything else。
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〃Why not？〃 she asked someone。 〃Are we keeping secrets from Jacob； too？ What's the point？〃
Her voice was not what I was expecting。 I tried to remember the voices of the young vampires we'd
fought in the spring； but all I'd registered was snarling。 Maybe those newborns hadn't had the piercing；
ringing sound of the older ones； either。 Maybe all new vampires sounded hoarse。
〃e in； please； Jacob；〃 Bella croaked more loudly。
Carlisle's eyes tightened。
I wondered if Bella was thirsty。 My eyes narrowed； too。
〃Excuse me；〃 I said to the doctor as I stepped around him。 It was hard—it went against all my instincts
to turn my back to one of them。 Not impossible； though。 If there was such a thing as a safe vampire； it
was the strangely gentle leader。
I would stay away from Carlisle when the fight started。 There were enough of them to kill without
includinghim。
I sidestepped into the house； keeping my back to the wall。 My eyes swept the room—it was unfamiliar。
The last time I'd been in here it had been all done up for a party。 Everything was bright and pale now。
Including the six vampires standing in a group by the white sofa。
They were all here； all together； but that was not what froze me where I stood and had my jaw dropping
to thefloor。
Itwas Edward。 It was the expression on his face。
I'd seen him angry； and I'd seen him arrogant； and onceI'd seen him in pain。 But this—this was beyond
agony。 His eyes were halfcrazed。 He