ouldn’t physically take revenge on this monster； but I could tell the yelloweyes everything with my thoughts。 I hoped。 I nodded； agreeing with Jane’s little joke； and sat up because I wanted the mind reader’s attention； whoever that was。 I continued with the version of the story that any other member of my coven would have been able to give。 I pretended I was Kevin。 Dumb as a bag of rocks and totally ignorant。 “I don’t know what happened。” That part was true。 The mess on the battlefield was still a mystery。 I’d never seen any of Kristie’s group。 Did the secret howler vampires get them？ I would keep that secret for the yelloweyes。 “We split up； but the others never came。 And Riley left us； and he didn’t e to help like he promised。 And then it was so confusing； and everybody was in pieces。” I flinched at the memory of the torso I’d hurdled。 “I was afraid。 I wanted to run away。” I nodded at Carlisle。 “That
Page 149
one said they wouldn’t hurt me if I stopped fighting。” This wasn’t betraying Carlisle in any way。 He’d already told Jane as much。 “Ah； but that wasn’t his gift to offer； young one；” Jane said。 She sounded like she was enjoying herself。 “Broken rules demand a consequence。” Still pretending I was Kevin； I just stared at her as if I were too stupid to understand。 Jane looked at Carlisle。 “Are you sure you got all of them？ The other half that split off？” Carlisle nodded。 “We split up； too。” So it was the howlers that got Kristie。 I hoped that； whatever else they were； the howlers were really； really terrifying。 Kristie deserved that。 “I can’t deny that I’m impressed；” Jane said； sounding sincere； and I thought that this was probably the truth。 Jane had been hopeful that Victoria’s army would do some damage here； and we’d clearly failed。 “Yes；” the three vampires behind Jane all agreed quietly。 “I’ve never seen a coven escape this magnitude of offensive intact；” Jane continued。 “Do you know what was behind it？ It seems like extreme behavior； considering the way you live here。 And why was the girl the key？” Her eyes flicked to the human for just a moment。 “Victoria held a grudge against Bella；” the redhead told her。 So the strategy finally made sense。 Riley just wanted the girl dead and didn’t care how many of us died to get it done。 Jane laughed happily。 “This one” and she smiled at the
Page 150
human the way she’d smiled at me “seems to bring out bizarrely strong reactions in our kind。” Nothing happened to the girl。 Maybe Jane didn’t want to hurt her。 Or maybe her horrible talent only worked on vampires。 “Would you please not do that？” the redhead asked in a controlled but furious voice。 Jane laughed again。 “Just checking。 No harm done； apparently。” I tried to keep my expression Kevinish and not betray my interest。 So Jane couldn’t hurt this girl the way she’d hurt me； and this was not a normal thing for Jane。 Though Jane was laughing about it； I could tell it was driving her crazy。 Was this why the human girl was tolerated by the yelloweyes？ But if she was special in some way； why didn’t they just change her into a vampire？ “Well； it appears that there’s not much left for us to do；” Jane said； her voice a dead monotone again。 “Odd。 We’re not used to being rendered unnecessary。 It’s too bad we missed the fight。 It sounds like it would have been entertaining to watch。” “Yes；” the redhead retorted。 “And you were so close。 It’s a shame you didn’t arrive just a half hour earlier。 Perhaps then you could have fulfilled your purpose here。” I fought a smile。 So the redhead was the mind reader； and he’d heard everything I’d wanted him to hear。 Jane wasn’t getting away with anything。 Jane stared back at the mind reader with a blank expression。 “Yes。 Quite a pity how things turned out； isn’t it？” The mind reader nodded； and I wondered what he was
Page 151
hearing in Jane’s head。 Jane turned her blank face to me now。 There was nothing in her eyes； but I could feel that my time had run out。 She’d gotten what she needed from me。 She didn’t know that I’d also given the mind reader everything I could。 And protected his coven’s secrets； too。 I owed him that。 He’d punished Riley and Victoria for me。 I glanced at him from the corner of my eye and thought； Thanks。 “Felix？” Jane said lazily。 “Wait；” the mind reader said loudly。 He turned to Carlisle and spoke quickly。 “We could explain the rules to the young one。 She doesn’t seem unwilling to learn。 She didn’t know what she was doing。” “Of course；” Carlisle said eagerly； looking at Jane。 “We would certainly be prepared to take responsibility for Bree。” Jane’s face looked like she wasn’t sure if they were joking； but if they were joking； they were funnier than she’d given them credit for。 Me； I was touched to the core。 These vampires were strangers； but they’d gone out on this dangerous limb for me。 I already knew it wasn’t going to work； but still。 “We don’t make exceptions；” Jane told them； amused。 “And we don’t give second chances。 It’s bad for our reputation。” It was like she was discussing someone else。 I didn’t care that she was talking about killing me。 I knew the yelloweyes couldn’t stop her。 She was the vampire police。 But even though the vampire cops were dirty really dirty at least the yellow
Page 152
eyes knew it now。 “Which reminds me…；” Jane went on； her eyes locking on the human girl again and her smile widening。 “Caius will be so interested to hear that you’re still human； Bella。 Perhaps he’ll decide to visit。” Still human。 So they were going to change the girl。 I wondered what they were waiting for。 “The date is set；” said the little vampire with the short black hair and the clear voice。 “Perhaps we’ll e to visit you in a few months。” Jane’s smile disappeared like someone had wiped it off。 She shrugged without looking at the blackhaired vampire； and I got the feeling that as much as she might have hated the human girl； she hated this small vampire ten times as much。 Jane turned back to Carlisle with the same vacant expression as before。 “It was nice to meet you； Carlisle I’d thought Aro was exaggerating。 Well； until we meet again…” This would be it； then。 I still didn’t feel afraid。 My only regret was that I couldn’t tell Fred more about all of this。 He was going almost totally blind into this world full of dangerous politics and dirty cops and secret covens。 But Fred was smart and careful and talented。 What could they do to him if they couldn’t even see him？ Maybe the yelloweyes would meet Fred someday。 Be nice to him； please； I thought at the mind reader。 “Take care of that； Felix；” Jane said indifferently； nodding at me。 “I want to go home。” “Don’t watch；” the redheaded mind reader whispered。 I closed my eyes。
Page 153
AcknowledgmentsAs always； I am very grateful to all the people who made this book possible： my boys； Gabe； Seth； and Eli； my husband； Pan ho； my parents； Stephen and Candy； my very supportive girlfriends Jen H。； Jen L。；Meghan； Ni ； and Shelly； my ninja agent； Jodi Reamer； my “baffy；” Shannon Hale； all my friends and mentors at Little； Brown； most espe ially David Young；Asya Mu hni k； Megan Tingley； Elizabeth Eulberg； Gail Doobinin； Andrew Smith； and Tina M Intyre； and； saving the best for last； my readers。You’re the best audien e anyone ould have。Thank you！