whoever got to her first could have her。”
I heard Edward’s jaw flex beside me。
“It looks like Riley was wrong about the easy part；” Jane noted。
Bree nodded； seeming relieved that the conversation had taken this nonpainful course。 She sat up
carefully。 “I don’t know what happened。 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。” She
shuddered again。 “I was afraid。 I wanted to run away。 That one” — she looked at Carlisle — “said they
wouldn’t hurt me if I stopped fighting。”
“Ah； but that wasn’t his gift to offer； young one；” Jane murmured； her voice oddly gentle now。 “Broken
rules demand a consequence。”
Bree stared at her； not prehending。
Jane looked at Carlisle。 “Are you sure you got all of them？ The other half that split off？”
Carlisle’s face was very smooth as he nodded。 “We split up； too。”
Jane halfsmiled。 “I can’t deny that I’m impressed。” The big shadows behind her murmured in agreement。
“I’ve never seen a coven escape this magnitude of offensive intact。 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 rested
unwilling on me for one short second。
I shivered。
“Victoria held a grudge against Bella；” Edward told her； his voice impassive。
Jane laughed — the sound was golden； the bubbling laugh of a happy child。 “This one seems to bring out
bizarrely strong reactions in our kind；” she observed； smiling directly at me； her face beatific。
Edward stiffened。 I looked at him in time to see his face turning away； back to Jane。
“Would you please not do that？” he asked in a tight voice。
Jane laughed again lightly。 “Just checking。 No harm done； apparently。”
I shivered； deeply grateful that the strange glitch in my system — which had protected me from Jane the
last time we’d met — was still in effect。 Edward’s arm tightened around me。
“Well； it appears that there’s not much left for us to do。 Odd；” Jane said； apathy creeping back into her
voice。 “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；” Edward answered her quickly； his voice sharp。 “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。”
Jane met Edward’s glare with unwavering eyes。 “Yes。 Quite a pity how things turned out； isn’t it？”
Edward nodded once to himself； his suspicions confirmed。
Jane turned to look at the newborn Bree again； her face pletely bored。 “Felix？” she drawled。
“Wait；” Edward interjected。
Jane raised one eyebrow； but Edward was staring at Carlisle while he spoke in an urgent voice。 “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 answered。 “We would certainly be prepared to take responsibility for Bree。”
Jane’s expression was torn between amusement and disbelief。
“We don’t make exceptions；” she said。 “And we don’t give second chances。 It’s bad for our reputation。
Which reminds me 。 。 。” Suddenly； her eyes were on me again； and her cherubic face dimpled。 “Caius will be
so interested to hear that you’re still human； Bella。 Perhaps he’ll decide to visit。”
“The date is set；” Alice told Jane； speaking for the first time。 “Perhaps we’ll e to visit you in a few
months。”
Jane’s smile faded； and she shrugged indifferently； never looking at Alice。 She turned to face Carlisle。 “It
was nice to meet you； Carlisle — I’d thought Aro was exaggerating。 Well； until we meet again 。 。 。”
Carlisle nodded； his expression pained。
“Take care of that； Felix；” Jane said； nodding toward Bree； her voice dripping boredom。 “I want to go
home。”
“Don’t watch；” Edward whispered in my ear。
I was only too eager to follow his instruction。 I’d seen more than enough for one day — more than enough
for one lifetime。 I squeezed my eyes tightly together and turned my face into Edward’s chest。
But I could still hear。
There was a deep； rumbling growl； and then a highpitched keen that was horribly familiar。 That sound cut
off quickly； and then the only sound was a sickening crunching and snapping。
Edward’s hand rubbed anxiously against my shoulders。
“e；” Jane said； and I looked up in time to see the backs of the tall gray cloaks drifting away toward
the curling smoke。 The incense smell was strong again — fresh。
The gray cloaks disappeared into the thick mist。
26。 ETHICS
THE COUNTER IN ALICE’S BATHROOM WAS COVERED WITH a thousand different products； all claiming to
beautify a person’s surface。 Since everyone in this house was both perfect and impermeable； I could only
assume that she’d bought most of these things with me in mind。 I read the labels numbly； struck by the waste。
I was careful never to look in the long mirror。
Alice bed through my hair with a slow； rhythmic motion。
“That’s enough； Alice；” I said tonelessly。 “I want to go back to La Push。”
How many hours had I waited for Charlie to finally leave Billy’s house so that I could see Jacob？ Each
minute； not knowing if Jacob was still breathing or not； had seemed like ten lifetimes。 And then； when at last
I’d been allowed to go； to see for myself that Jacob was alive； the time had gone so quickly。 I felt like I’d
barely caught my breath before Alice was calling Edward； insisting that I keep up this ridiculous sleepover
faade。 It seemed so insignificant。 。 。 。
“Jacob’s still unconscious；” Alice answered。 “Carlisle or Edward will call when he’s awake。 Anyway； you
need to go see Charlie。 He was there at Billy’s house； he saw that Carlisle and Edward are back in from their
trip； and he’s bound to be suspicious when you get home。”
I already had my story memorized and corroborated。 “I don’t care。 I want to be there when Jacob wakes
up。”
“You need to think of Charlie now。 You’ve had a long day — sorry； I know that doesn’t begin to cover it
— but that doesn’t mean that you can shirk your responsibilities。” Her voice was serious； almost chiding。 “It’s
more important now than ever that Charlie stays safely in the dark。 Play your role first； Bella； and then you can
do what you want second。 Part of being a Cullen is being meticulously responsible。”
Of course she was right。 And if not for this same reason — a reason that was more powerful than all my
fear and pain and guilt — Carlisle would never have been able to talk me into leaving Jacob’s side；
unconscious or not。
“Go home；” Alice ordered。 “Talk to Charlie。 Flesh out your alibi。 Keep him safe。”
I stood； and the blood flowed down to my feet； stinging like the pricks of a thousand needles。 I’d been
sitting still for a long time。
“That dress is adorable on you；” Alice cooed。
“Huh？ Oh。 Er — thanks again for the clothes；” I mumbled out of courtesy rather than real gratitude。
“You need the evidence；” Alice said； her eyes innocent and wide。 “What’s a shopping trip without a new
outfit？ It’s very flattering； if I do say so myself。”
I blinked； unable to remember what she’d dressed me in。 I couldn’t keep my thoughts from skittering
away every few seconds； insects running from the light。 。 。 。
“Jacob is fine； Bella；” Alice said； easily interpreting my preoccupation。 “There’s no hurry。 If you realized
how much extra morphine Carlisle had to give him — what with his temperature burning it off so quickly —
you would know that he’s going to be out for a while。”
At least he wasn’t in any pain。 Not yet。
“Is there anything you want to talk about before you leave？” Alice asked sympathetically。 “You must be
more than a little traumatized。”
I knew what she was curious about。 But I had other questions。
“Will I be like that？” I asked her； my voice subdued。 “Like that girl Bree in the meadow？”
There were many things I needed to think of； but I couldn’t seem to get her out of my head； the newborn
whose other life was now — abruptly — over。 Her face； twisted with desire for my blood； lingered behind my
eyelids。
Alice stroked my arm。 “Everyone is different。 But something like that； yes。”
I was very still； trying to imagine。
“It passes；” she promised。
“How soon？”
She shrugged。 “A few years； maybe less。 It might be different for you。 I’ve never seen anyone go through
this who’s chosen it beforehand。 It should be interesting to see how that affects you。”
“Interesting；” I repeated。
“We’ll keep you out of trouble。”
“I know that。 I trust you。” My voice was monotone； dead。
Alice’s forehead puckered。 “If you’re worried about Carlisle and Edward； I’m sure they’ll be fine。 I
believe Sam is beginning to trust us 。 。 。 well； to trust Carlisle； at least。 It’s a good thing； too。 I imagine the
atmosphere got a little tense when Carlisle had to rebreak the fractures —”
“Please； Alice。”
“Sorry。”
I took a deep breath to steady myself。 Jacob had begun healing too quickly； and some of his bones had
set wrong。 He’d been out cold for the process； but it was still hard to think about。
“Alice； can I ask you a question？ About the future？”
She was suddenly wary。 “You know I don’t see everything。”
“It’s not that； exactly。 But you do see my future； sometimes。 Why is that； do you think； when nothing else
works on me？ Not what Jane can do； or Edward or Aro 。 。 。” My sentence trailed off with my interest level。
My curiosity on this point was fleeting； heavily overshadowed by more pressing emotions。
Alice； however； found the question very interesting。 “Jasper； too； Bella — his talent works on your body
just as well as it does on anyone else’s。 That’s the difference； do you see it？ Jasper’s abilities affect the body
physically。 He really does calm your system down； or excite it。 It’s not an illusion。 And I see visions of
outes； not the reasons and thoughts behind the de