“That should have been our first kiss。 Better late than never。”
Against his chest； where he couldn’t see； the tears welled up and spilled over。
24。 SNAP DECISION
I LAY FACEDOWN ACROSS THE SLEEPING BAG； WAITING for justice to find me。 Maybe an avalanche would bury
me here。 I wished it would。 I never wanted to have to see my face in the mirror again。
There was no sound to warn me。 Out of nowhere； Edward’s cold hand stroked against my knotted hair。 I
shuddered guiltily at his touch。
“Are you all right？” he murmured； his voice anxious。
“No。 I want to die。”
“That will never happen。 I won’t allow it。”
I groaned and then whispered； “You might change your mind about that。”
“Where’s Jacob？”
“He went to fight；” I mumbled into the floor。
Jacob had left the little camp joyfully — with a cheerful “I’ll be right back” — running full tilt for the
clearing； already quivering as he prepared to shift to his other self。 By now the whole pack knew everything。
Seth Clearwater； pacing outside the tent； was an intimate witness to my disgrace。
Edward was silent for a long moment。 “Oh；” he finally said。
The tone of his voice worried me that my avalanche wasn’t ing fast enough。 I peeked up at him and；
sure enough； his eyes were unfocused as he listened to something I’d rather die than have him hear。 I dropped
my face back to the floor。
It stunned me when Edward chuckled reluctantly。
“And I thought I fought dirty；” he said with grudging admiration。 “He makes me look like the patron saint
of ethics。” His hand brushed against the part of my cheek that was exposed。 “I’m not mad at you； love。
Jacob’s more cunning than I gave him credit for。 I do wish you hadn’t asked him； though。”
“Edward；” I whispered to the rough nylon。 “I 。 。 。 I 。 。 。 I’m —”
“Shh；” he hushed me； his fingers soothing against my cheek。 “That’s not what I meant。 It’s just that he
would have kissed you anyway — even if you hadn’t fallen for it — and now I don’t have an excuse to break
his face。 I would have really enjoyed that； too。”
“Fallen for it？” I mumbled almost inprehensibly。
“Bella； did you really believe he was that noble？ That he would go out in a flame of glory just to clear the
way for me？”
I raised my head slowly to meet his patient gaze。 His expression was soft； his eyes were full of
understanding rather than the revulsion I deserved to see。
“Yes； I did believe that；” I muttered； and then looked away。 But I didn’t feel any anger at Jacob for
tricking me。 There wasn’t enough room in my body to contain anything besides the hatred I felt toward myself。
Edward laughed softly again。 “You’re such a bad liar； you’ll believe anyone who has the least bit of skill。”
“Why aren’t you angry with me？” I whispered。 “Why don’t you hate me？ Or haven’t you heard the whole
story yet？”
“I think I got a fairly prehensive look；” he said in a light； easy voice。 “Jacob makes vivid mental
pictures。 I feel almost as bad for his pack as I do for myself。 Poor Seth was getting nauseated。 But Sam is
making Jacob focus now。”
I closed my eyes and shook my head in agony。 The sharp nylon fibers of the tent floor scraped against my
skin。
“You’re only human；” he whispered； stroking my hair again。
“That’s the most miserable defense I’ve ever heard。”
“But you are human； Bella。 And； as much as I might wish otherwise； so is he。 。 。 。 There are holes in your
life that I can’t fill。 I understand that。”
“But that’s not true。 That’s what makes me so horrible。 There are no holes。”
“You love him；” he murmured gently。
Every cell in my body ached to deny it。
“I love you more；” I said。 It was the best I could do。
“Yes； I know that； too。 But 。 。 。 when I left you； Bella； I left you bleeding。 Jacob was the one to stitch you
back up again。 That was bound to leave its mark — on both of you。 I’m not sure those kinds of stitches
dissolve on their own。 I can’t blame either of you for something I made necessary。 I may gain forgiveness； but
that doesn’t let me escape the consequences。”
“I should have known you’d find some way to blame yourself。 Please stop。 I can’t stand it。”
“What would you like me to say？”
“I want you to call me every bad name you can think of； in every language you know。 I want you to tell me
that you’re disgusted with me and that you’re going to leave so that I can beg and grovel on my knees for you
to stay。”
“I’m sorry。” He sighed。 “I can’t do that。”
“At least stop trying to make me feel better。 Let me suffer。 I deserve it。”
“No；” he murmured。
I nodded slowly。 “You’re right。 Keep on being too understanding。 That’s probably worse。”
He was silent for a moment； and I sensed a charge in the atmosphere； a new urgency。
“It’s getting close；” I stated。
“Yes； a few more minutes now。 Just enough time to say one more thing。 。 。 。”
I waited。 When he finally spoke again； he was whispering。 “I can be noble； Bella。 I’m not going to make
you choose between us。 Just be happy； and you can have whatever part of me you want； or none at all； if
that’s better。 Don’t let any debt you feel you owe me influence your decision。”
I pushed off the floor； shoving myself up onto my knees。
“Dammit； stop that！” I shouted at him。
His eyes widened in surprise。 “No — you don’t understand。 I’m not just trying to make you feel better；
Bella； I really mean it。”
“I know you do；” I groaned。 “What happened to fighting back？ Don’t start with the noble selfsacrifice
now！ Fight！”
“How？” he asked； and his eyes were ancient with their sadness。
I scrambled into his lap； throwing my arms around him。
“I don’t care that it’s cold here。 I don’t care that I stink like a dog right now。 Make me forget how awful I
am。 Make me forget him。 Make me forget my own name。 Fight back！”
I didn’t wait for him to decide — or to have the chance to tell me he wasn’t interested in a cruel； faithless
monster like me。 I pulled myself against him and crushed my mouth to his snowcold lips。
“Careful； love；” he murmured under my urgent kiss。
“No；” I growled。
He gently pushed my face a few inches back。 “You don’t have to prove anything to me。”
“I’m not trying to prove something。 You said I could have any part of you I wanted。 I want this part。 I
want every part。” I wrapped my arms around his neck and strained to reach his lips。 He bent his head to kiss
me back； but his cool mouth was hesitant as my impatience grew more pronounced。 My body was making my
intentions clear； giving me away。 Inevitably； his hands moved to restrain me。
“Perhaps this isn’t the best moment for that；” he suggested； too calm for my liking。
“Why not？” I grumbled。 There was no point in fighting if he was going to be rational； I dropped my arms。
“Firstly； because it is cold。” He reached out to pull the sleeping bag off the floor； he wrapped it around me
like a blanket。
“Wrong；” I said。 “First； because you are bizarrely moral for a vampire。”
He chuckled。 “All right； I’ll give you that。 The cold is second。 And thirdly 。 。 。 well； you do actually stink；
love。”
He wrinkled his nose。
I sighed。
“Fourthly；” he murmured； dropping his face so that he was whispering in my ear。 “We will try； Bella。 I’ll
make good on my promise。 But I’d much rather it wasn’t in reaction to Jacob Black。”
I cringed； and buried my face against his shoulder。
“And fifthly 。 。 。”
“This is a very long list；” I muttered。
He laughed。 “Yes； but did you want to listen to the fight or not？”
As he spoke； Seth howled stridently outside the tent。
My body stiffened to the sound。 I didn’t realize my left hand was clenched into a fist； nails biting into my
bandaged palm； until Edward took it and gently smoothed my fingers out。
“It’s going to be fine； Bella；” he promised。 “We’ve got skill； training； and surprise on our side。 It will be
over very soon。 If I didn’t truly believe that； I would be down there now — and you’d be here； chained to a
tree or something along those lines。”
“Alice is so small；” I moaned。
He chuckled。 “That might be a problem 。 。 。 if it were possible for someone to catch her。”
Seth started to whimper。
“What’s wrong？” I demanded。
“He’s just angry that he’s stuck here with us。 He knows the pack kept him out of the action to protect
him。 He’s salivating to join them。”
I scowled in Seth’s general direction。
“The newborns have reached the end of the trail — it worked like a charm； Jasper’s a genius — and
they’ve caught the scent of the ones in the meadow； so they’re splitting into two groups now； as Alice said；”
Edward murmured； his eyes focused on something far away。 “Sam’s taking us around to head off the ambush
party。” He was so intent on what he was hearing that he used the pack plural。
Suddenly he looked down at me。 “Breathe； Bella。”
I struggled to do what he asked。 I could hear Seth’s heavy panting just outside the tent wall； and I tried to
keep my lungs on the same even pace； so that I wouldn’t hyperventilate。
“The first group is in the clearing。 We can hear the fighting。”
My teeth locked together。
He laughed once。 “We can hear Emmett — he’s enjoying himself。”
I made myself take another breath with Seth。
“The second group is getting ready — they aren’t paying attention； they haven’t heard us yet。”
Edward growled。
“What？” I gasped。
“They’re talking about you。” His teeth clenched together。 “They’re supposed to make sure you don’t
escape。 。 。 。 Nice move； Leah！ Mmm； she’s quite fast；” he murmured in approval。 “One of the newborns
caught our scent； and Leah took him down before he could even turn。 Sam’s helping her finish him off。 Paul
and Jacob got another one； but the others are on the defensive now。 They have no idea what to make of us。
Both sides are feinting。 。 。 。 No； let Sam lead。 Stay out of the way；” he muttered。 “Separate them — don’t let
them protect each other’s backs。”
Seth whined。
“That’s better； drive them toward the clearing；” Edward approved。 His body was shifting unconsciously