按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
right along before Sam。。。
He was right about that part。 There was no time for this argument。 Ifell into a run again； not pushing
myself quite as hard。 Seth stayed on my heels； holding the Second's traditional place on my right flank。
can run somewhere else； he thought； his nose dipping a little。 didn't follow you because I was after
a promotion。
Run wherever you want。 Makes no difference to me。
There was no sound of pursuit； but we both stepped it up a little at the same time。 I was worried now。 If
I couldn't tap into the pack's mind； it was going to make this more difficult。 I'd have no more advance
warning of attack than the Cullens。
We'll run patrols；Seth suggested。
And what do we do if the pack challenges us？My eyes tightened。 Attack our brothers？ Your sister？
No— we sound the alarm and fall back。
Page 126
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html
Good answer。 But then what？ I don't think。。。
I know；he agreed。 Less confident now。 don't think I can fight them； either。 But they won't be any
happier with the idea of attacking us than we are with attacking them。 That might be enough to
stop them right there。 Pius； there're only eight of them now。
Stop being so。。。Took me a minute to decide on the right word。 Optimistic。 It's getting on my nerves。
No problem。 You want me to be all doom and gloom； or just shut up？
Just shut up。
Can do。
Really？ Doesn't seem like it。
He was finally quiet。
And then we were across the road and moving through the forest that ringed the Cullens' house。 Could
Edward hear us yet？
Maybe we should be thinking something like；'We e in peace。〃
Go for it
Edward？He called the name tentatively。 Edward； you there？ Okay； now I feel kinda stupid。
You sound stupid； too。
Think he can hear us？
We were less than a mile out now。 think so。 Hey； Edward。 If you can hear me— circle the wagons；
bloodsucker。 You've got a problem。
We've got a problem； Seth corrected。
Then we broke through the trees into the big lawn。 The house was dark； but not empty。 Edward stood
on the porch between Emmett and Jasper。 They were snow white in the pale light。
〃Jacob？ Seth？ What's going on？〃
I slowed and then paced back a few steps。 The smell was so sharp through this nose that it felt like it
was honestly burning me。 Seth whined quietly； hesitating； and then he fell back behind me。
To answer Edward's question； I let my mind run over the confrontation with Sam； moving through it
backward。 Seth thought with me； filling in the gaps； showing the scene from another angle。 We stopped
when we got to the part
about the 〃abomination；〃 because Edward hissed furiously and leaped off the porch。
〃They want to kill Bella？〃 he snarled flatly。
Page 127
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html
Emmett and Jasper； not having heard the first part of the conversation； took his inflectionless question for
a statement。 They were right next to him in a flash； teeth exposed as they moved on us。
Hey； now；Seth thought； backing away。
〃Em； Jazz—not theml The others。 The pack is ing。〃
Emmett and Jasper rocked back on their heels； Emmett turned to Edward while Jasper kept his eyes
locked on us。
〃What's their problem？〃 Emmett demanded。
〃The same one as mine；〃 Edward hissed。 〃But they have their own plan to handle it。 Get the others。 Call
Carlisle！ He and Esme have to get back here now。〃
I whined uneasily。 They were separated。
〃They aren't far；〃 Edward said in the same dead voice as before。
I'm going to go take a look；Seth said。 Run the western perimeter。
〃Will you be in danger； Seth？〃 Edward asked。
Seth and I exchanged a glance。
Don't think so；we thought together。 And then I added； But maybe I should go。 Just in case。。。
They'll be less likely to challenge me；Seth pointed out。 I'm just a kid to them。
You're just a kid to me； kid。
I'm outta here。 You need to coordinate with the Cullens。
He wheeled and darted into the darkness。 I wasn't going to order Seth around； so I let him go。
Edward and I stood facing each other in the dark meadow； i could hear Emmett muttering into his
phone。 Jasper was watching the place where Seth had vanished into the woods。 Alice appeared on the
porch and then； after staring at me with anxious eyes for a long moment； she flitted to Jasper's side。 I
guessed that Rosalie was inside with Bella。 Still guarding her—from the wrong dangers。
〃This isn't the first time I've owed you my gratitude； Jacob；〃 Edward whispered。 〃I would never have
asked for this from you。〃
I thought of what he'd asked me for earlier today。 When it came to Bella； there were no lines he
wouldn't cross。 Yeah； you would。
He thought about it and then nodded。 〃I suppose you're right about that。〃
I sighed heavily。 Well； this isn't the first time that I didn't do it for you。
Page 128
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html
〃Right；〃 he murmured。
Sorry I didn't do any good today。 Told you she wouldn't listen to me。
〃I know。 I never really believed she would。 But。。。〃
You had to try。 I get it。 She any better？
His voice and eyes went hollow。 〃Worse；〃 he breathed。
I didn't want to let that word sink in。 I was grateful when Alice spoke。
〃Jacob； would you mind switching forms？〃 Alice asked。 〃I want to know what's going on。〃
I shook my head at the same time Edward answered。
〃He needs to stay linked to Seth。〃
〃Well； then would you be so kind as to tell me what's happening？〃
He explained in clipped； emotionless sentences。 〃The pack thinks Bella's bee a problem。 They
foresee potential danger from the。。。 from what she's carrying。 They feel it's their duty to remove that
danger。 Jacob and Seth disbanded from the pack to warn us。 The rest are planning to attack tonight。〃
Alice hissed； leaning away from me。 Emmett and Jasper exchanged a glance； and then their eyes ranged
across the trees。
Nobody out here；Seth reported。 All's quiet on the western front
They may go around。
I'll make a loop。
〃Carlisle and Esme are on their way；〃 Emmett said。 〃Twenty minutes； tops。〃
〃We should take up a defensive position；〃 Jasper said。
Edward nodded。 〃Let's get inside。〃
' run perimeter with Seth。 If I get too far for you to hear my head； listen for my howl。
〃Iwill。〃
They backed into the house； eyes flickering everywhere。 Before they were inside； I turned and ran
toward the west。
I'm still not finding much；Seth told me。
' take half the circle。 Move fast— we don't want them to have a chance to sneak past us。
Seth lurched forward in a sudden burst of speed。
Page 129
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html
We ran in silence； and the minutes passed。 I listened to the noises around him； doublechecking his
judgment。
Hey —something ing up fast！he warned me after fifteen minutes of silence。
On my way！
Hold your position— don't think it's the pack。 It sounds different。
Seth —
But he caught the approaching scent on the breeze； and I read it in his mind。
Vampire。 Bet it's Carlisle。
Seth； fall back。 It might be someone else。
No； it's them。 I recognize the scent Hold up； I'm going to phase to explain it to them。
Seth； I don't think —
But he was gone。
Anxiously； I raced along the western border。 Wouldn't it be just peachy if I couldn't take care of Seth
for one freaking night？ What if something happened to him on my watch？ Leah would shred me into
kibble。
At least the kid kept it short。 It wasn't two minutes later when I felt him in my head again。
Yep； Carlisle and Esme。 Boy； were they surprised to see me！ They're probably inside by now。 Carlisle
said thanks。
He's a good guy。
Yeah。 That's one of the reasons why we're right about this。
Hope so。
Why're you so down； Jake？ I'll bet Sam won't bring the pack tonight。 He's not going to launch a suicide
mission。
I sighed。 It didn't seem to matter； either way。
Oh。 This isn't about Sam