across the room and snapped the round top piece off the thick newel post at the foot of the stairs。
Bella twitched but didn't wake up。
〃Dumb blonde；〃 I muttered。
Rosalie turned her head slowly； and her eyes were blazing。
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〃You。 Got。 Food。 In。 My。 Hair。〃
That did it。
I busted up。I pulled away fromBella so that I wouldn't shake her； and laughed so hard that tears ran
down my face。 From behind the couch； I heard Alice's tinkling laugh join in。
I wondered why Rosalie didn't spring。 I sort of expected it。 But then I realized that my laughing had
woken Bella up； though she'd slept right through the real noise。
〃What's so funny？〃 she mumbled。
〃I got food in her hair；〃 I told her； chortling again。
〃I'm not going to forget this； dog；〃 Rosalie hissed。
〃S'not so hard to erase a blonde's memory；〃 I countered。 〃Just blow in her ear。〃
〃Get some new jokes；〃 she snapped。
〃C'mon； Jake。 Leave Rose alo—〃 Bella broke off midsentence and sucked in a sharp breath。 In the
same second； Edward was leaning over the top of me； ripping the blanket out of the way。 She seemed to
convulse； her back arching off the sofa。
〃He's just；〃 she panted； 〃stretching。〃
Her lips were white； and she had her teeth locked together like she was trying to hold back a scream。
Edward put both hands on either side of her face。
〃Carlisle？〃 he called in a tense； low voice。
〃Right here；〃 the doctor said。 I hadn't heard him e in。
〃Okay；〃 Bella said； still breathing hard and shallow。 〃Think it's over。 Poor kid doesn't have enough room；
that's all。 He's getting so big。〃
It was really hard to take； that adoring tone she used to describe the thing that was tearing her up。
Especially after Rosalie's callousness。 Made me wish I could throw something at Bella； too。
She didn't pick up on my mood。 〃You know； he reminds me of you； Jake；〃 she said—affectionate
tone—still gasping。
〃Do not pare me to that thing；〃 I spit out through my teeth。
〃I just meant your growth spurt；〃 she said； looking like I'd hurt her feelings。 Good。 〃You shot right up。 I
could watch you getting taller by the minute。 He's like that； too。 Growing so fast。〃
I bit my tongue to keep from saying what I wanted to say—hard enough that I tasted blood in my
mouth。 Of course； it would heal before I could swallow。 That's what Bella needed。 To be strong like me；
to be able to heal。。。。
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She took an easier breath and then relaxed back into the sofa； her body going limp。
〃Hmm；〃 Carlisle murmured。 I looked up； and his eyes were on me。
〃What？〃 I demanded。
Edward's head leaned to one side as he reflected on whatever was in Carlisle's head。
〃You know that I was wondering about the fetus's geic makeup； Jacob。 About his chromosomes。〃
〃What of it？〃
〃Well； taking your similarities into consideration—〃
〃Similarifes？〃 I growled； not appreciating the plural。
〃The accelerated growth； and the fact that Alice cannot see either of you。〃
I felt my face go blank。 I'd forgotten about that other one。
〃Well； I wonder if that means that we have an answer。 If the similarities are genedeep。〃
〃Twentyfour pairs；〃 Edward muttered under his breath。
〃You don't know that。〃
〃No。 But it's interesting to speculate；〃 Carlisle said in a soothing voice。
〃Yeah。 Just fascinating〃
Bella's light snore started up again； accenting my sarcasm nicely。
They got into it then； quickly taking the geics conversation to a point where the only words I could
understand were the the's and the ands。 And my own name； of course。 Alice joined in； menting now
and then in her chirpy bird voice。
Even though they were talking about me； I didn't try to figure out the conclusions they were drawing。 I
had other things on my mind； a few facts I was trying to reconcile。
Fact one； Bella'd said that the creature was protected by something as strong as vampire skin； something
that was too imperable for ultrasounds； too tough for needles。 Fact two； Rosalie'd said they had a plan
to deliver the
creature safely。 Fact three； Edward'd said that—in myths—other monsters like this one would chew
their way out of their own mothers。
I shuddered。
And that made a sick kind of sense； because； fact four； not many things could cut through something as
strong as vampire skin。 The halfcreature's teeth—according to myth—were strong enough。 My teeth
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were strong enough。
And vampire teeth were strong enough。
It was hard to miss the obvious； but I sure wished I could。 Because I had a pretty good idea exactly
how Rosalie planned to get that thing 〃safely〃 out。
16。 TOOMUCHINFORMATION ALERT
I took off early； long before sunrise was due。 I'd gotten just a little bit of uneasy sleep leaning against the
side of the sofa。 Edward woke me when Bella's face was flushed； and he took my spot to cool her back
down。 I stretched and decided I was rested enough to get some work done。
〃Thank you；〃 Edward said quietly； seeing my plans。 〃If the route is clear； they'll go today。〃
Tillet you know。〃
It felt good to get back to my animal self。 I was stiff from sitting still for so long。 I extended my stride；
working out the kinks。
Morning； Jacob；Leah greeted me。
Good； you're up。 How long's Seth been out？
Not out yet；Seth thought sleepily。 Almost there。 What do you need？
You think you got another hour in you？
Sure thing。 No problem。Seth got to his feet right away； shaking out his fur。
Let's make the deep run；Itold Leah。 Seth； take the perimeter。
Gotcha。Seth broke into an easy jog。
Off on another vampire errand；Leah grumbled。
You got a problem with that？
Of course not。 I just love to coddle those darling leeches。
Good。 Let's see how fast we can run。
Okay； I'm definitely up forthat
Leah was on the far western rim of the perimeter。 Rather than cut close to the Cullens' house； she stuck
to the circle as she raced around to meet me。 I sprinted off straight east； knowing that even with the head
start； she'd be
passing me soon if I took it easy for even a second。
Nose to the ground； Leah。 This isn't a race； it's a reconnaissance mission。
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I can do both and still kick your butt
I gave her that one。 know。
She laughed。
We took a winding path through the eastern mountains。 It wasa familiar route。 We'd run these mountains
when the vampires had left a year ago； making it part of our patrol route to better protect the people
here。 Then we'd pulled back the lines when the Cullens returned。 This was their treaty land。
But that fact would probably mean nothing to Sam now。 The treaty was dead。 The question today was
how thin he was willing to spread his force。 Was he looking for stray Cullens to poach on their land or
not？ Had Jared spoken the truth or taken advantage of the silence between us？
We got deeper and deeper into the mountains without finding any trace of the pack。 Fading vampire
trails were everywhere； but the scents were familiar now。 I was breathing them in all day long。
I founda heavy； somewhat recent concentration on one particular trail—all of them ing and going
here except for Edward。 Some reason for gathering that must have been forgotten when Edward brought
his dying pregnant wife home。 I gritted my teeth。 Whatever it was； it had nothing to do with me。
Leah didn't push herself past me； though she could have now。 I was paying more attention to each new
scent than I was to the speed contest。 She kept to my right side； running with me rather than racing
against me。
Were getting pretty far out here；she mented。
Yeah。 If Sam was hunting strays； we should have crossed his trail by now。
Makes more sense right now for him to bunker down in La Push；Leah thought。 He knows we're giving
the bloodsuckers three extra sets of eyes and legs。 He's not going to be able to surprise them。
This was just a precaution； really。
Wouldn't want our precious parasites taking unnecessary chances。
Nope；I agreed； ignoring the sarcasm。
You've changed so much； Jacob。 Talk about oneeighties。
You're not exactly the same Leah I've always known and loved； either。
True。 Am I less annoying than Paul now？
Amazingly。。。 yes。
Ah； sweet success。
Congrats。
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We ran in silence again then。 It was probably time to turn around； but neither of us wanted to。 It felt nice
to run like this。 We'd been staring at the same small circle of atrail for too long。 It felt good to stretch our
muscles and take the rugged terrain。 We weren't in a huge hurry； so I thought maybe we should hunt on
the way back。 Leah was pretty
hungry。
Yum； yum；she thought sourly。
It's all in your head；I told her。 That's the