greenblack forest； a glint of silver—or was it gold？—gripped my attention。
My gaze zeroed in on the color that shouldn't have been there； so far away in the haze that an eagle
wouldn't
have been able to make it out。 I stared。
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She stared back。
That she was a vampire was obvious。 Her skin was marble white； the texture a million times smoother
than human skin。 Even under the clouds； she glistened ever so slightly。 If her skin had not given her away；
her stillness would have。 Only vampires and statues could be so perfectly motionless。
Her hair was pale； pale blond； almost silver。 This was the gleam that had caught my eye。 It hung straight
as a ruler to a blunt edge at her chin； parted evenly down the center。
She was a stranger to me。 I was absolutely certain I'd never seen her before； even as a human。 None of
the faces in my muddy memory were the same as this one。 But I knew her at once from her dark golden
eyes。
Irina had decided to e after all。
For one moment I stared at her； and she stared back。 I wondered if she would guess immediately who I
was as well。 I halfraised my hand； about to wave； but her lip twisted the tiniest bit； making her face
suddenly hostile。
I heard Renesmee's cry of victory from the forest； heard Jacob's echoing howl； and saw Irina's face jerk
reflexively to the sound when it echoed to her a few seconds later。 Her gaze cut slightly to the right； and I
knew what she was seeing。 An enormous russet werewolf； perhaps the very one who had killed her
Laurent。 How long had she been watching us？ Long enough to see our affectionate exchange before； I
was sure。
Her face spasmed in pain。
Instinctually； I opened my hands in front of me in an apologetic gesture。 She turned back to me； and her
lip curled back over her teeth。 Her jaw unlocked as she growled。
When the faint sound reached me； she had already turned and disappeared into the forest。
〃Crap！〃 I groaned。
I sprinted into the forest after Renesmee and Jacob； unwilling to have them out of my sight。 I didn't know
which direction Irina had taken； or exactly how furious she was right now。 Vengeance was a mon
obsession for vampires； one that was not easy to suppress。
Running at full speed； it only took me two seconds to reach them。
〃Mine is bigger；〃 I heard Renesmee insist as I burst through the thick thornbushes to the small open
space where they stood。
Jacob's ears flattened as he took in my expression； he crouched forward； baring his teeth—hismuzzle
was streaked with blood from his kill。 His eyes raked the forest。 I could hear the growl building in his
throat。
Renesmee was every bit as alert as Jacob。 Abandoning the dead stag at her feet； she leaped into my
waiting arms； pressing her curious hands against my cheeks。
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〃I'm overreacting；〃 I assured them quickly。 〃It's okay； I think。 Hold on。〃
I pulled out my cell phone and hit the speed dial。 Edward answered on the first ring。 Jacob and
Renesmee listened intently to my side as I filled Edward in。
〃e； bring Carlisle；〃 I trilled so fast I wondered if Jacob could keep up。 〃I saw Irina； and she saw me；
but then
she saw Jacob and she got mad and ran away； I think。 She hasn't shown up here—yet； anyway—but
she looked pretty upset so maybe she will。 If she doesn't； you and Carlisle have to go after her and talk
to her。 I feel so bad。〃
Jacob rumbled。
〃We'll be there in half a minute；〃 Edward assured me； and I could hear the whoosh of the wind his
running made。
We darted back to the long meadow and then waited silently as Jacob and I listened carefully for the
sound of an approach we did not recognize。
When the sound came； though； it was very familiar。 And then Edward was at my side； Carlisle a few
seconds behind。 I was surprised to hear the heavy pad of big paws following behind Carlisle。 I supposed
I shouldn't have been shocked。 With Renesmee in even a hint of danger； of course Jacob would call in
reinforcements。
〃She was up on that ridge；〃 I told them at once； pointing out the spot。 If Irina was fleeing； she already
had quite a head start。 Would she stop and listen to Carlisle？ Her expression before made me think not。
〃Maybe you should call Emmett and Jasper and have them e with you。 She looked。。。 really upset。
She growled at me。〃
〃What？〃 Edward said angrily。
Carlisle put a hand on his arm。 〃She's grieving。 HI go after her。〃
Tm ing with you；〃 Edward insisted。
They exchanged a long glance—perhaps Carlisle was measuring Edward's irritation with Irina against his
helpfulness as a mind reader。 Finally； Carlisle nodded； and they took off to find the trail without calling for
Jasper or Emmett。
Jacob huffed impatiently and poked my back with his nose。 He must want Renesmee back at the safety
of the house； just in case。 I agreed with him on that； and we hurried home with Seth and Leah running at
our flanks。
Renesmee was placent in my arms； one hand still resting on my face。 Since the hunting trip had been
aborted； she would just have to make do with donated blood。 Her thoughts were a little smug。
28。 THE FUTURE
Carlisle and Edward had not been able to catch up with Irina before her trail disappeared into the sound。
They'd swum to the other bank to see if her trail had picked up in a straight line； but there was no trace of
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her for miles in either direction on the eastern shore。
It was all my fault。 She had e； as Alice had seen； to make peace with the Cullens； only to be
angered by my camaraderie with Jacob。 I wished I'd noticed her earlier； before Jacob had phased。 I
wished we'd gone hunting somewhere else。
There wasn't much to be done。 Carlisle had called Tanya with the disappointing news。 Tanya and Kate
hadn't seen Irina since they'd decided to e to my wedding； and they were distraught that Irina had
e so close and yet not returned home； it wasn't easy for them to lose their sister； however temporary
the separation might be。 I wondered if this brought back hard memories of losing their mother so many
centuries ago。
Alice was able to catch a few glimpses of Irina's immediate future； nothing too concrete。 She wasn't
going back to Denali； as far as Alice could tell。 The picture was hazy。 All Alice could see was that Irina
was visibly upset； she wandered in the snowswathed wilderness—to the north？ To the east？—with a
devastated expression。 She made no decisions for a new course beyond her directionless grieving。
Days passed and； though of course I forgot nothing； Irina and her pain moved to the back of my mind。
There were more important things to think of now。 I would leave for Italy in just a few days。 When I got
back； we'd all be off to South America。
Every detail had been gone over a hundred times already。 We would start with the Ticunas； tracing their
legends as well as we could at the source。 Now that it was accepted that Jacob would e with us； he
figured prominently in the plans—it was unlikely that the people who believed in vampires would speak
to any of us about their stories。 If we deadended with the Ticunas； there were many closely related
tribes in the area to research。 Carlisle had some old
friends in the Amazon； if we could find them； they might have information for us； too。 Or at least a
suggestion as to where else we might go for answers。 It was unlikely that the three Amazon vampires had
anything to do with the legends of vampire hybrids themselves； as they were all female。 There was no
way to know how long our search would take。
I hadn't told Charlie about the longer trip yet； and I stewed about what to say to him while Edward and
Carlisle's discussion went on。 How to break the news to him just right？
I stared at Renesmee while I debated internally。 She was curled up on the sofa now； her breathing slow
with heavy sleep； her tangled curls splayed wildly around her face。Usually； Edward and I took her back
to our cottage to put her to bed； but tonight we lingered with the family； he and Carlisle deep in their
planning session。
Meanwhile； Emmett and Jasper were more excited about planning the hunting possibilities。 The Amazon
offered a change from our normal quarry。 Jaguars and panthers； for example。 Emmett had a whim to
wrestle with an anaconda。 Esme and Rosalie were planning what they would pack。 Jacob was off with
Sam's pack； setting things up for his own absence。
Alice moved slowly—for her—around the big room； unnecessarily tidying the already immaculate space；
straightening Esme's perfectly hung garlands。 She was recentering Esme's vases on the console at the
moment。 I could see from the way her face fluctuated—aware； then blank； then aware again—that she
was searching the future。 I assumed she was trying to see through the blind spots that Jacob and
Renesmee made in her visions as to what was waiting for us in South Ameri