I slid across the seat and put the truck back in drive。 My hands were shaking
almost as hard as Jake's
had been； and this took a minute of concentration。 Then I carefully turned the
truck around and drove it
back to my house。
It was very dark when I turned off the headlights。 Charlie had left in such a
hurry that he'd forgotten to
leave the porch lamp on。 I felt a pang of doubt； staring at the house； deep in
shadow。 What if it was a
trick？
I looked back at the black car； almost invisible in the night。 No。 I knew that
car。
Still； my hands were shaking even worse than before as I reached for the key
above the door。 When I
grabbed the doorknob to unlock it； it twisted easily under my hand。 I let the
door fall open。 The hallway
was black。
I wanted to call out a greeting； but my throat was too dry。 I couldn't quite
seem to catch my breath。
I took a step inside and fumbled for the light switch。 It was so black—like
the black water Where was
that switch？
Just like the black water； with the orange flame flickering impossibly on top
of it。 Flame that couldn't be a
fire； but what then ？ My fingers traced the wall； still searching； still
shaking—
Suddenly； something Jacob had told me this afternoon echoed in my head；
finally sinking in She took
off into the water； he'd said。 The bloodsuckers have the advantage there。
That's why I raced home
—I was afraid she was going to double back swimming。
My hand froze in its searching； my whole body froze into place； as I realized
why I recognized the
strange orange color on the water。
Victoria's hair； blowing wild in the wind； the color of fire
She'd been right there。 Right there in the harbor with me and Jacob。 If Sam
hadn't been there； if it had
been just the two of us ？ I couldn't breathe or move。
The light flicked on； though my frozen hand had still not found the switch。
I blinked into the sudden light； and saw that someone was there； waiting for
me。
17。 VISITOR
UNNATURALLY STILL AND WHITE； WITH LARGE BLACK EYES intent on my face； my
visitor
waited perfectly motionless in the center of the halt； beautiful beyond
imagining。
My knees trembled for a second； and I nearly fell。 Then I hurled myself at
her。
〃Alice； oh； Alice！〃 I cried； as I slammed into her。
I'd forgotten how hard she was； it was like running headlong into a wall of
cement。
〃Bella？〃 There was a strange mingling of relief and confusion in her voice。
I locked my arms around her； gasping to inhale as much of the scent of her
skin as possible。 It wasn't like
anything else—not floral or spice； citrus or musk。 No perfume in the world
could pare。 My memory
hadn't done it justice。
I didn't notice when the gasping turned into something else—I only realized I
was sobbing when Alice
dragged me to the living room couch and pulled me into her lap。 It was like
curling up into a cool stone；
but a stone that was contoured fortingly to the shape of my body。 She
rubbed my back in a gentle
rhythm； waiting for me to get control of myself。
〃I'm sorry；〃 I blubbered。 〃I'm just so happy to see you！〃
〃It's okay； Bella。 Everything's okay。〃
〃Yes；〃 I bawled。 And； for once； it seemed that way。
Alice sighed。 〃I'd forgotten how exuberant you are；〃 she said； and her tone
was disapproving。
I looked up at her through my streaming eyes。 Alice's neck was tight；
straining away from me； her lips
pressed together firmly。 Her eyes were black as pitch。
〃Oh；〃 I puffed； as I realized the problem。 She was thirsty。 And I smelled
appetizing。 It had been a while
since I'd had to think about that kind of thing。 〃Sorry。〃
〃It's my own fault。 It's been too long since I hunted。 I shouldn't let myself
get so thirsty。 But I was in a
hurry today。〃 The look she directed at me then was a glare。 〃Speaking of
which； would you like to
explain to me how you're alive？〃
That brought me up short and stopped the sobs。 I realized what must have
happened immediately； and
why Alice was here。
I swallowed loudly。 〃You saw me fall。〃
〃No；〃 she disagreed； her eyes narrowing。 〃I saw you jump。〃
I pursed my lips as I tried to think of an explanation that wouldn't sound
nuts。
Alice shook her head。 〃I told him this would happen； but he didn't believe me。
'Bella promised；'〃 her
voice imitated his so perfectly that I iroze in shock while the pain ripped
through my torso。 〃'Don't be
looking for her future； either；'〃 she continued to quote him。 '〃We've done
enough damage。〃
〃But just because I'm not looking； doesn't mean I don't see〃 she went on。 〃I
wasn't keeping tabs on you；
I swear； Bella。 It's just that I'm alreacy attuned to you when I saw you
jumping； I didn't think； I just got
on a plane。 I knew I would be too late； but I couldn't do nothing。 And then I
get here； thinking maybe I
could help Charlie somehow； and you drive up。〃 She shook her head； this time
in confusion。 Her voice
was strained。 〃I saw you go into the water and I waited and waited for you to
e up； but you didn't。
What happened？ And how could you do that to Charlie？ Did you stop to think
what this would do to
him？ And my brother？ Do you have any idea what Edward—〃
I cut her off then； as soon as she said his name。 I'd let her go on； even
after I realized the
misunderstanding she was under； just to hear the perfect bell tone of her
voice。 But it was time to
interrupt。
〃Alice； I wasn't mitting suicide。〃
She eyed me dubiously。 〃Are you saying you didn't jump off a cliff？〃
〃No； but〃 I grimaced。 〃It was for recreational purposes only。〃
Her expression hardened。
〃I'd seen some of Jacob's friends cliff diving；〃 I insisted。 〃It looked like
fun； and I was bored〃
She waited。
〃I didn't think about how the storm would affect the currents。 Actually； I
didn't think about the water
much at all。〃
Alice didn't buy it。 I could see that she still thought I had been trying to
kill myself。 I decided to redirect。
〃So if you saw me go in； why didn't you see Jacob？〃
She cocked her head to the side； distracted。
I continued。 〃It's true that I probably would have drowned if Jacob hadn't
jumped in after me。 Well；
okay； there's no probably about it。 But he did； and he pulled me out； and I
guess he towed me back to
shore； though I was kind of out for that part。 It couldn't have been more than
a minute that I was under
before he grabbed me。 How e you didn't see that？〃
She frowned in perplexity。 〃Someone pulled you out？〃
〃Yes。 Jacob saved me。〃
I watched curiously as an enigmatic range of emotions flitted across her face。
Something was bothering
her—her imperfect vision？ But I wasn't sure。 Then she deliberately leaned in
and sniffed my shoulder。
I froze。
〃Don't be ridiculous；〃 she muttered； sniffing at me some more。
〃What are you doing？〃
She ignored my question。 〃Who was with you out there just now？ It sounded like
you were arguing。〃
〃Jacob Black。 He's sort of my best friend； I guess。 At least； he was〃 I
thought of Jacob's angry；
betrayed face； and wondered what he was to me now。
Alice nodded； seeming preoccupied。
〃What？〃
〃I don't know；〃 she said。 〃I'm not sure what it means。〃
〃Well； I'm not dead； at least。〃
She rolled her eyes。 〃He was a fool to think you could survive alone。 I've
never seen anyone so prone to
life…threatening idiocy。〃
〃I survived；〃 I pointed out。
She was thinking of something else。 〃So； if the currents were too much for
you； how did this Jacob
manage？〃
〃Jacob is strong。〃
She heard the reluctance in my voice； and her eyebrows rose。
I gnawed on my lip for a second。 Was this a secret； or not？ And if it was；
then who was my greatest
allegiance to？ Jacob； or Alice？
It was too hard to keep secrets； I decided。 Jacob knew everything； why not
Alice； too？
〃See； well； he's sort of a werewolf；〃 I admitted in a rush。 〃The Quileutes
turn into wolves when there
are vampires around。 They know Carlisle from a long time ago。 Were you with
Carlisle back then？〃
Alice gawked at me for a moment； and then recovered herself； blinking rapidly。
〃Well； I guess that
explains the smell；〃 she muttered。 〃But does it explain what I didn't see？〃
She frowned； her porcelain
forehead creasing。
〃The smell？〃 I repeated。
〃You smell awful；〃 she said absently； still frowning。 〃A werewolf？ Are you
sure about that？〃
〃Very sure；〃 I promised； wincing as I remembered Paul and Jacob fighting in
the road。 〃I guess you
weren't with Carlisle the last time there were werewolves here in Forks？〃
〃No。 I hadn't found him yet。〃 Alice was still lost in thought。 Suddenly； her
eyes widened； and she turned
to stare at me with a shocked expression。 〃Your best friend is a werewolf？〃
I nodded sheepishly。
〃How long has this been going on？〃
〃Not long；〃 I said； my voice sounding defensive。 〃He's only been a werewolf
for just a few weeks。〃
She glowered at me。 〃A young werewolf？ Even worse！ Edward was right—you're a
magnet for danger。
Weren't you supposed to be staying out of trouble？〃
〃There's nothing wrong with werewolves；〃 I grumbled； stung by her critical
tone。
〃Until they lose their tempers。〃 She shook her head sharply from side to side。
〃Leave it to you； Bella。
Anyone else would be better off when the vampires left town。 But you have to
start hanging out with the
first monsters you can find。〃
I didn't want to argue with Alice—I was still trembling with joy that she was
really； truly here； that I could
touch her marble skin and hear her wind…chime voice—but she had it all wrong。
〃No； Alice； the vampires didn't really leave—not all of them； anyway。 That's
the whole trouble。 If it
weren't for the werewolves； Victoria would have gotten me by now。 Well； if it
weren't for Jake and his
friends； Laurent would have gotten me before she could； I guess； so—〃
〃Victoria？〃 she hissed。 〃Laurent？〃
I nodded； a teensy bit alarmed by the expression in her black eyes。 I pointed
at my chest。 〃Danger
magnet； remember？〃
She shook her head again。 〃Tell me everything—start at the beginning。〃
I glossed over the beginning； skipping the motorcycles and the voices； but
telling her everything else right
up to today's misadventure。 Alice didn't like my thin explanation about
boredom and the cliffs； so I
hurried on to the strange flame I'd seen on the water and what I thought it
meant。 Her eyes narrowed
almost to slits at that part。 It was strange to see her look so so dangerous
—like a vampire。 I
swallowed hard and went on with the rest about Harry。
She listened to my story without interrupting。 Occasionally； she would shake
her head； and the crease in
her forehead deepened until it looked like it was carved permanently into the
marble of her skin。 She
didn't speak and； finally； I fell quiet； struck again by the borrowed grief at
Harry's passing。 I thought of
Charlie； he would be home soon。 What condition would he be in？
〃Our leaving didn't do you any good at all； did it？〃 Alice murmured。
I laughed once—it was a slightly hysterical sound。 〃That was never the point；
though； was it？ It's not like
you left for my benefit。〃
Alice scowled at the floor for a moment。 〃Well I guess I acted impulsively
today。 I prob