I looked away。
〃Of course；〃 I said； my voice blank with surprise at his question。 Of course I wanted to go back。
Jacob's face hardened while I stared at him； congealing into the bitter mask that I'd thought was gone for
good。 Just before he had the mask in place； I caught the spasm of betrayal that flashed in his eyes。 His
hands were still shaking。 He looked ten years older than me。
He took a deep breath。 〃You're sure it's not a trick？〃 he asked in a slow； heavy voice。
〃It's not a trick。 It's Carlisle。 Take me back！〃
A shudder rippled through his wide shoulders； but his eyes were flat and emotionless。 〃No。〃
〃Jake； it's okay—〃
〃No。 Take yourself back； Bella。〃 His voice was a slap—I flinched as the sound of it struck me。 His jaw
clenched and unclenched。
〃Look； Bella；〃 he said in the same hard voice。 〃I can't go back。 Treaty or no treaty； that's my enemy in
there。〃
〃It's not like that—〃
〃I have to tell Sam right away。 This changes things。 We can't be caught on their territory。〃
〃Jake； it's not a war！〃
He didn't listen。 He put the truck in neutral and jumped out the door； leaving it running。
〃Bye； Bella；〃 he called back over his shoulder。 〃I really hope you don't die。〃 He sprinted into the
darkness； shaking so hard that his shape seemed blurred； he disappeared before I could open my mouth
to call him back。
Remorse pinned me against the seat for one long second。 What had I just done to Jacob'？
But remorse couldn't hold me very long。
I slid across the seat and put the truck back in drive。 My hands were shaking almost as hard as Jake's
had been； and this took a minute of concentration。 Then I carefully turned the truck around and drove it
back to my house。
It was very dark when I turned off the headlights。 Charlie had left in such a hurry that he'd forgotten to
leave the porch lamp on。 I felt a pang of doubt； staring at the house； deep in shadow。 What if it was a
trick？
I looked back at the black car； almost invisible in the night。 No。 I knew that car。
Still； my hands were shaking even worse than before as I reached for the key above the door。 When I
grabbed the doorknob to unlock it； it twisted easily under my hand。 I let the door fall open。 The hallway
was black。
I wanted to call out a greeting； but my throat was too dry。 I couldn't quite seem to catch my breath。
I took a step inside and fumbled for the light switch。 It was so black—like the black water… Where was
that switch？
Just like the black water； with the orange flame flickering impossibly on top of it。 Flame that couldn't be a
fire； but what then… ？ My fingers traced the wall； still searching； still shaking—
Suddenly； something Jacob had told me this afternoon echoed in my head； finally sinking in… She took
off into the water； he'd said。 The bloodsuckers have the advantage there。 That's why I raced home
—I was afraid she was going to double back swimming。
My hand froze in its searching； my whole body froze into place； as I realized why I recognized the
strange orange color on the water。
Victoria's hair； blowing wild in the wind； the color of fire…
She'd been right there。 Right there in the harbor with me and Jacob。 If Sam hadn't been there； if it had
been just the two of us… ？ I couldn't breathe or move。
The light flicked on； though my frozen hand had still not found the switch。
I blinked into the sudden light； and saw that someone was there； waiting for me。
17。 VISITOR
UNNATURALLY STILL AND WHITE； WITH LARGE BLACK EYES intent on my face； my visitor
waited perfectly motionless in the center of the halt； beautiful beyond imagining。
My knees trembled for a second； and I nearly fell。 Then I hurled myself at her。
〃Alice； oh； Alice！〃 I cried； as I slammed into her。
I'd forgotten how hard she was； it was like running headlong into a wall of cement。
〃Bella？〃 There was a strange mingling of relief and confusion in her voice。
I locked my arms around her； gasping to inhale as much of the scent of her skin as possible。 It wasn't like
anything else—not floral or spice； citrus or musk。 No perfume in the world could pare。 My memory
hadn't done it justice。
I didn't notice when the gasping turned into something else—I only realized I was sobbing when Alice
dragged me to the living room couch and pulled me into her lap。 It was like curling up into a cool stone；
but a stone that was contoured fortingly to the shape of my body。 She rubbed my back in a gentle
rhythm； waiting for me to get control of myself。
〃I'm… sorry；〃 I blubbered。 〃I'm just… so happy… to see you！〃
〃It's okay； Bella。 Everything's okay。〃
〃Yes；〃 I bawled。 And； for once； it seemed that way。
Alice sighed。 〃I'd forgotten how exuberant you are；〃 she said； and her tone was disapproving。
I looked up at her through my streaming eyes。 Alice's neck was tight； straining away from me； her lips
pressed together firmly。 Her eyes were black as pitch。
〃Oh；〃 I puffed； as I realized the problem。 She was thirsty。 And I smelled appetizing。 It had been a while
since I'd had to think about that kind of thing。 〃Sorry。〃
〃It's my own fault。 It's been too long since I hunted。 I shouldn't let myself get so thirsty。 But I was in a
hurry today。〃 The look she directed at me then was a glare。 〃Speaking of which； would you like to
explain to me how you're alive？〃
That brought me up short and stopped the sobs。 I realized what must have happened immediately； and
why Alice was here。
I swallowed loudly。 〃You saw me fall。〃
〃No；〃 she disagreed； her eyes narrowing。 〃I saw you jump。〃
I pursed my lips as I tried to think of an explanation that wouldn't sound nuts。
Alice shook her head。 〃I told him this would happen； but he didn't believe me。 'Bella promised；'〃 her
voice imitated his so perfectly that I iroze in shock while the pain ripped through my torso。 〃'Don't be
looking for her future； either；'〃 she continued to quote him。 '〃We've done enough damage。〃
〃But just because I'm not looking； doesn't mean I don't see〃 she went on。 〃I wasn't keeping tabs on you；
I swear； Bella。 It's just that I'm alreacy attuned to you… when I saw you jumping； I didn't think； I just got
on a plane。 I knew I would be too late； but I couldn't do nothing。 And then I get here； thinking maybe I
could help Charlie somehow； and you drive up。〃 She shook her head； this time in confusion。 Her voice
was strained。 〃I saw you go into the water and I waited and waited for you to e up； but you didn't。
What happened？ And how could you do that to Charlie？ Did you stop to think what this would do to
him？ And my brother？ Do you have any idea what Edward—〃
I cut her off then； as soon as she said his name。 I'd let her go on； even after I realized the
misunderstanding she was under； just to hear the perfect bell tone of her voice。 But it was time to
interrupt。
〃Alice； I wasn't mitting suicide。〃
She eyed me dubiously。 〃Are you saying you didn't jump off a cliff？〃
〃No； but…〃 I grimaced。 〃It was for recreational purposes only。〃
Her expression hardened。
〃I'd seen some of Jacob's friends cliff diving；〃 I insisted。 〃It looked like… fun； and I was bored…〃
She waited。
〃I didn't think about how the storm would affect the currents。 Actually； I didn't think about the water
much at all。〃
Alice didn't buy it。 I could see that she still thought I had been trying to kill myself。 I decided to redirect。
〃So if you saw me go in； why didn't you see Jacob？〃
She cocked her head to the side； distracted。
I continued。 〃It's true that I probably would have drowned if Jacob hadn't jumped in after me。 Well；
okay； there's no probably about it。 But he did； and he pulled me out； and I guess he towed me back to
shore； though I was kind of out for that part。 It couldn't have been more than a minute that I was under
before he grabbed me。 How e you didn't see that？〃
She frowned in perplexity。 〃Someone pulled you out？〃
〃Yes。 Jacob saved me。〃
I watched curiously as an enigmatic range of emotions flitted across her face。 Something was bothering
her—her imperfect vision？ But I wasn't sure。 Then she deliberately leaned in and sniffed my shoulder。
I froze。
〃Don't be ridiculous；〃 she muttered； sniffing at me some more。
〃What are you doing？〃
She ignored my question。 〃Who was with you out there just now？ It sounded like you were arguing。〃
〃Jacob Black。 He's… sort of my best friend； I guess。 At least； he was…〃 I thought of Jacob's angry；
betrayed face； and wondered what he was to me now。
Alice nodded； seeming preoccupied。
〃What？〃
〃I don't know；〃 she said。 〃I'm not sure what it means。〃
〃Well； I'm not dead； at least。〃
She rolled her eyes。 〃He was a fool to think you could survive alone。 I've never seen anyone so prone to
lifethreatening idiocy。〃
〃I survived；〃 I pointed out。
She was thinking of something else。 〃So； if the currents were too much for you； how did this Jacob
manage？〃
〃Jacob is… strong。〃
She heard the reluctance in my voice； and her eyebrows rose。
I gnawed on my lip for a second。 Was this a secret； or not？ And if i