real。
〃Rose； don't；〃 Bella whispered。 〃It's fine。〃
Blondie moved out of my way； though I could tell she hated to do it。 Scowling at me； she crouched by
Bella's head； tensed to spring。 She was easier to ignore than I ever would have dreamed。
〃Bella； what's wrong？〃 I whispered。 Without thinking about it； I found myself on my knees； too； leaning
over the back of the couch across from her。。。 husband。 He didn't seem to notice me； and I barely glanced
at him。 I reached out for her free hand； taking it in both of mine。 Her skin was icy。 〃Are you all right？〃
It was a stupid question。 She didn't answer it。
〃I'm so glad you came to see me today； Jacob；〃 she said。
Even though I knew Edward couldn't hear her thoughts； he seemed to hear some meaning I didn't。 He
moaned again； into the blanket that covered her； and she stroked his cheek。
〃What is it； Bella？〃 I insisted； wrapping my hands tight around her cold； fragile fingers。
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Instead of answering； she glanced around the room like she was searching for something； both a plea
and a warning in her look。 Six pairs of anxious yellow eyes stared back at her。 Finally； she turned to
Rosalie。
〃Help me up； Rose？〃 she asked。
Rosalie's lips pulled back over her teeth； and she glared up at me like she wanted to rip my throat out。 I
was sure that was exactly the case。
〃Please； Rose。〃
The blonde made a face； but leaned over her again； next to Edward； who didn't move an inch。 She put
her arm carefully behind Bella's shoulders。
〃No；〃 I whispered。 〃Don't get up___〃 She looked so weak。
〃I'm answering your question；〃 she snapped； sounding a little bit more like the way she usually talked to
me。
Rosalie pulled Bella off the couch。 Edward stayed where he was； sagging forward till his face was buried
in the cushions。 The blanket fell to the ground at Bella's feet。
Bella：s body was swollen； her torso ballooning out in a strange； sick way。 It strained against the faded
gray sweatshirt that was way too big for her shoulders and arms。 The rest of her seemed thinner； like the
big bulge had grown out of what it had sucked from her。 It took me a second to realize what the
deformed part was—I didn't understand until she folded her hands tenderly around her bloated stomach；
one above and one below。 Like she was cradling it。
I saw it then； but I still couldn't believe it。 I'd seen her just a month ago。 There was no way she could be
pregnant。 Not that pregnant。
Except that she was。
I didn't want to see this； didn't want to think about this。 I didn't want to imagine him inside her。 I didn't
want to know that something I hated so much had taken root in the body I loved。 My stomach heaved；
and I had to swallow back vomit。
But it was worse than that； so much worse。 Her distorted body； the bones jabbing against the skin of her
face。 I could only guess that she looked like this—so pregnant； so sick—because whatever was inside
her was taking her life to feed its own。。。。
Because it was a monster。 Just like its father。
I always knew he would kill her。
His head snapped up as he heard the words inside mine。 One second we were both on our knees； and
then he was on his feet； towering over me。 His eyes were flat black； the circles under them dark purple。
〃Outside； Jacob；〃 he snarled。
I was on my feet； too。 Looking down on him now。 This was why I was here。
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〃Let's do this；〃 I agreed。
The big one； Emmett； pushed forward on Edward's other side； with the hungrylooking one； Jasper； right
behind him。 I really didn't care。 Maybe my pack would clean up the scraps when they finished me off。
Maybe not。 It didn't matter。
For the tiniest part of a second my eyes touched on the two standing in the back。 Esme。 Alice。 Small and
distractingly feminine。 Well； I was sure the others would kill me before I had to do anything about them。 I
didn't want to kill girls。。。 even vampire girls。
Though I might make an exception for that blonde。
〃No；〃 Bella gasped； and she stumbled forward； out of balance； to clutch at Edward's arm。 Rosalie
moved with her； like there was a chain locking them to each other。
〃I just need to talk to him； Bella；〃 Edward said in a low voice； talking only to her。 He reached up to
touch her face； to stroke it。 This made the room turn red； made me see fire—that； after all he'd done to
her； he was still allowed to touch her that way。 〃Don't strain yourself；〃 he went on； pleading。 〃Please rest。
We'll both be back in just a few minutes。〃
She stared at his face； reading it carefully。 Then she nodded and drooped toward the couch。 Rosalie
helped lower her back onto the cushions。 Bella stared at me； trying to hold my eyes。
〃Behave；〃 she insisted。 〃And then e back。〃
I didn't answer。 I wasn't making any promises today。 I looked away and then followed Edward out the
front door。
A random； disjointed voice in my head noted that separating him from the coven hadn't been so difficult；
had it？
He kept walking； never checking to see if I was about to spring at his unprotected back。 I supposed he
didn't need to check。 He would know when I decided to attack。 Which meant I'd have to make that
decision very quickly。
Tm not ready for you to kill me yet； Jacob Black；〃 he whispered as he paced quickly away from the
house。 〃You'll have to have a little patience。〃
Like I cared about his schedule。 I growled under my breath。 〃Patience isn't my specialty。〃
He kept walking； maybe a couple hundred yards down the drive away from the house； with me right on
his heels。 I was all hot； my fingers trembling。 On the edge； ready and waiting。
He stopped without warning and pivoted to face me。 His expression froze me again。
For a second I was just a kid—a kid who had lived all of his life in the same tiny town。 Just a child。
Because I knew I would have to live a lot more； suffer a lot more； to ever understand the searing agony
in Edward's eyes。
He raised a hand as if to wipe sweat from his forehead； but his fingers scraped against his face like they
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were going to rip his granite skin right off。 His black eyes burned in their sockets； out of focus； or seeing
things that weren't there。 His mouth opened like he was going to scream； but nothing came out。
This was the face a man would have if he were burning at the stake。
For a moment I couldn't speak。 It was too real； this face—I'd seen a shadow of it in the house； seen it in
her eyes and his； but this made it final。 The last nail in her coffin。
〃It's killing her； right？ She's dying。〃 And I knew when I said it that my face was a watereddown echo of
his。 Weaker； different； because I was still in shock。 I hadn't wrapped my head around it yet—it was
happening too fast。 He'd had time to get to this point。 And it was different because I'd already lost her so
many times； so many ways； in my head。 And different because she was never really mine to lose。
And different because this wasn't my fault。
〃My fault；〃 Edward whispered； and his knees gave out。 He crumpled in front of me； vulnerable； the
easiest target you could imagine。
But I felt cold as snow—there was no fire in me。
〃Yes；〃 he groaned into the dirt； like he was confessing to the ground。 〃Yes； it's killing her。〃
His broken helplessness irritated me。 I wanted a fight； not an execution。 Where was his smug superiority
now？
〃So why hasn't Carlisle done anything？〃 I growled。 〃He's a doctor； right？ Get it out of her。〃
He looked up then and answered me in a tired voice。 Like he was explaining this to a kindergartener for
the tenth time。 〃She won't let us。〃
It took a minute for the words to sink in。 Jeez； she was running true to form。 Of course； die for the
monster spawn。 It was so Bella。
〃You know her well；〃 he whispered。 〃How quickly you see。。。。 I didn't see。 Not in time。 She wouldn't talk
to me on the way home； not really。 I thought she was frightened—that would be natural。 I thought she
was angry with me for putting her through this； for endangering her life。 Again。 I never imagined what she
was really thinking； what she was resolving。 Not until my family met us at the airport and she ran right
into Rosalie's arms。 Rosalie's！ And then I heard what Rosalie was thinking。 I didn't understand until I
heard that。 Yet you understand after one second。 。 。 。〃 He halfsighed； halfgroaned。
〃Just back up a second。 She won't let you。〃 The sarcasm was acid on my tongue。 〃Did you ever notice
that she's exactly as strong as a normal hundredandtenpound human girl？ How stupid are you vamps？
Hold her down and knock her out with drugs。〃
〃I wanted to；〃 he whispered。 〃Carlisle would have___〃
What； too noble were they？
〃No。 Not noble。 Her bodyguard plicated things。〃
Oh。 His story hadn't made much sense before； but it fit together now。 So that's what Blondie was up to。
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