didn't miss that the step
brought him closer to me。 In my head； the voice responded with a low snarl。
〃So how are things working out in Denali？ Carlisle said you were staying with
Tanya？〃 My voice was too
high。
The question made him pause。 〃I like Tanya very much；〃 he mused。 〃And her
sister Irina even more
I've never stayed in one place for so long before； and I enjoy the advantages；
the novelty of it。 But； the
restrictions are difficult I'm surprised that any of them can keep it up for
long。〃 He smiled at me
conspiratorially。 〃Sometimes I cheat。〃
I couldn't swallow。 My foot started to ease back； but I froze when his red
eyes flickered down to catch
the movement。
〃Oh；〃 I said in a faint voice。 〃Jasper has problems with that； too。〃
〃Don't move；〃 the voice whispered。 I tried to do what he instructed。 It was
hard； the instinct to take flight
was nearly uncontrollable。
〃Really？〃 Laurent seemed interested。 〃Is that why they left？〃
〃No；〃 I answered honestly。 〃Jasper is more careful at home。〃
〃Yes；〃 Laurent agreed。 〃I am； too。〃
The step forward he took now was quite deliberate。
〃Did Victoria ever find you？〃 I asked； breathless； desperate to distract him。
It was the first question that
popped into my head； and I regretted it as soon as the words were spoken。
Victoria—who had hunted
me with James； and then disappeared—was not someone I wanted to think of at
this particular moment。
But the question did stop him。
〃Yes；〃 he said； hesitating on that step。 〃I actually came here as a favor to
her。〃 He made a face。 〃She
won't be happy about this。〃
〃About what？〃 I said eagerly； inviting him to continue。 He was glaring into
the trees； away from me。 I
took advantage of his diversion； taking a furtive step back。
He looked back at me and smiled—the expression made him look like a black…
haired angel。
〃About me killing you；〃 he answered in a seductive purr。
I staggered back another step。 The frantic growling in my head made it hard to
hear。
〃She wanted to save that part for herself；〃 he went on blithely。 〃She's sort
of put out with you； Bella。〃
〃Me？〃 I squeaked。
He shook his head and chuckled。 〃I know； it seems a little backward to me；
too。 But James was her
mate； and your Edward killed him。〃
Even here； on the point of death； his name tore against my unhealed wounds
like a serrated edge。
Laurent was oblivious to my reaction。 〃She thought it more appropriate to kill
you than Edward—fair
turnabout； mate for mate。 She asked me to get the lay of the land for her； so
to speak。 I didn't imagine
you would be so easy to get to。 So maybe her plan was flawed—apparently it
wouldn't be the revenge
she imagined； since you must not mean very much to him if he left you here
unprotected。〃
Another blow； another tear through my chest。
Laurent's weight shifted slightly； and I stumbled another step back。
He frowned。 〃I suppose she'll be angry； all the same。〃
〃Then why not wait for her？〃 I choked out。
A mischievous grin rearranged his features。 〃Well； you've caught me at a bad
time； Bella。 I didn't e
to this place on Victoria's mission—I was hunting。 I'm quite thirsty； and you
do smell simply
mouthwatering。〃
Laurent looked at me with approval； as if he meant it as a pliment。
〃Threaten him；〃 the beautiful delusion ordered； his voice distorted with
dread。
〃He'll know it was you；〃 I whispered obediently。 〃You won't get away with
this。〃
〃And why not？〃 Laurent's smile widened。 He gazed around the small opening in
the trees。 〃The scent will
wash away with the next rain。 No one will find your body—you'll simply go
missing； like so many； many
other humans。 There's no reason for Edward to think of me； if he cares enough
to investigate。 This is
nothing personal； let me assure you； Bella。 Just thirst。〃
〃Beg；〃 my hallucination begged。
〃Please；〃 I gasped。
Laurent shook his head； his face kind。 〃Look at it this way； Bella。 You're
very lucky I was the one to find
you。〃
〃Am I？〃 I mouthed； faltering another step back。
Laurent followed； lithe and graceful。
〃Yes；〃 he assured me。 〃I'll be very quick。 You won't feel a thing； I promise。
Oh； I'll lie to Victoria about
that later； naturally； just to placate her。 But if you knew what she had
planned for you； Bella〃 He shook
his head with a slow movement； almost as if in disgust。 〃I swear you'd be
thanking me for this。〃
I stared at him in horror。
He sniffed at the breeze that blew threads of my hair in his direction。
〃Mouthwatering；〃 he repeated；
inhaling deeply。
I tensed for the spring； my eyes squinting as I cringed away； and the sound of
Edward's furious roar
echoed distantly in the back of my head。 His name burst through all the walls
I'd built to contain it。
Edward； Edward； Edward。 I was going to die。 It shouldn't matter if I thought
of him now。 Edward； I
love you。
Through my narrowed eyes； I watched as Laurent paused in the act of inhaling
and whipped his head
abruptly to the left。 I was afraid to look away from him； to follow his
glance； though he hardly needed a
distraction or any other trick to overpower me。 I was too amazed to feel
relief when he started slowly
backing away from me。
〃I don't believe it；〃 he said； his voice so low that I barely heard it。
I had to look then。 My eyes scanned the meadow； searching for the interruption
that had extended my life
by a few seconds。 At first I saw nothing； and my gaze flickered back to
Laurent。 He was retreating more
quickly now； his eyes boring into the forest。
Then I saw it； a huge black shape eased out of the trees； quiet as a shadow；
and stalked deliberately
toward the vampire。 It was enormous—as tall as a horse； but thicker； much
more muscular。 The long
muzzle grimaced； revealing a line of dagger…like incisors。 A grisly snarl
rolled out from between the teeth；
rumbling across the clearing like a prolonged crack of thunder。
The bear。 Only； it wasn't a bear at all。 Still； this gigantic black monster
had to be the creature causing all
the alarm。 From a distance； anyone would assume it was a bear。 What else could
be so vast； so
powerfully built？
I wished I were lucky enough to see it from a distance。 Instead； it padded
silently through the grass a
mere ten feet from where I stood。
〃Don't move an inch；〃 Edward's voice whispered。
I stared at the monstrous creature； my mind boggling as I tried to put a name
to it。 There was a distinctly
canine cast to the shape of it； the way it moved。 I could only think of one
possibility； locked in horror as I
was。 Yet I'd never imagined that a wolf could get so big。
Another growl rumbled in its throat； and I shuddered away from the sound。
Laurent was backing toward the edge of the trees； and； under the freezing
terror； confusion swept
through me。 Why was Laurent retreating？ Granted； the wolf was monstrous in
size； but it was just an
animal。 What reason would a vampire have for fearing an animal？ And Laurent
was afraid。 His eyes were
wide with horror； just like mine。
As if in answer to my question； suddenly the mammoth wolf was not alone。
Flanking it on either side；
another two gigantic beasts prowled silently into the meadow。 One was a deep
gray； the other brown；
neither one quite as tall as the first。 The gray wolf came through the trees
only a few feet from me； its
eyes locked on Laurent。
Before I could even react； two more wolves followed； lined up in a V； like
geese flying south。 Which
meant that the rusty brown monster that shrugged through the brush last was
close enough for me to
touch。
I gave an involuntary gasp and jumped back—which was the stupidest thing I
could have done。 I froze
again； waiting for the wolves to turn on me； the much weaker of the available
prey。 I wished briefly that
Laurent would get on with it and crush the wolf pack—it should be so simple
for him。 I guessed that；
between the two choices before me； being eaten by wolves was almost certainly
the worse option。
The wolf closest to me； the reddish brown one； turned its head slightly at the
sound of my gasp。
The wolf's eyes were dark； nearly black。 It gazed at me for a fraction of a
second； the deep eyes seeming
too intelligent for a wild animal。
As it stared at me； I suddenly thought of Jacob—again； with gratitude。 At
least I'd e here alone； to
this fairytale meadow filled with dark monsters。 At least Jacob wasn't going
to die； too。 At least I
wouldn't have his death on my hands。
Then another low growl from the leader caused the russet wolf to whip his head
around； back toward
Laurent。
Laurent was staring at the pack of monster wolves with unconcealed shock and
fear。 The first I could
understand。 But I was stunned when； without warning； he spun and disappeared
into the trees。
He ran away。
The wolves were after him in a second； sprinting across the open grass with a
few powerful bounds；
snarling and snapping so loudly that my hands flew up instinctively to cover
my ears。 The sound faded
with surprising swiftness once they disappeared into the woods。
And then I was alone again。
My knees buckled under me； and I fell onto my hands； sobs building in my
throat。
I knew I needed to leave； and leave now。 How long would the wolves chase
Laurent before they
doubled back for me？ Or would Laurent turn on them？ Would he be the one that
came looking？
I couldn't move at first； though； my arms and legs were shaking； and I didn't
know how to get back to
my feet。
My mind couldn't move past the fear； the horror or the confusion。 I didn't
understand what I'd just
witnessed。
A vampire should not have run from overgrown dogs like that。 What good would
their teeth be against
his granite skin？
And the wolves should have given Laurent a wide berth。 Even if their
extraordinary size had taught them
to fear nothing； it still made no sense that they would pursue him。 I doubted
his icy marble skin would
smell anything like food。 Why would they pass up something warmblooded and
weak like me to chase
after Laurent？
I couldn't make it add up。
A cold breeze whipped through the meadow； swaying the grass like something was
moving through it。
I scrambled to my feet； backing away even though the wind brushed harmlessly
past me。 Stumbling in
panic； I turned and ran headlong into the trees。
The next few hours were agony。 It took me three times as long to escape the
trees as it had to get to the
meadow。
At first I paid no attention to where I was headed； focused only on what I was
running from By the time I
collected myself enough to remember the pass； I was deep in the unfamiliar
and menacing forest。 My
hands were shaking so violently that I had to set the pass on the muddy
ground to be able to read it。
Every few minutes I would stop to put the pass dowr and check that I was
still heading northwest；
hearing—when the sounds weren't hidden behind the frantic squelching of my
footsteps—the quiet
whisper of unseen things moving in the leaves。
The call of a jaybird made me leap back and fall into a thick stand of young
spruce； scraping up my arms
and tangling my hair with sap。 The