strong；　something　like　vampire　skin。　So　how　did　that　work？　How　did　it　get　out？
  〃From　what　little　research　we've　been　able　to　do；　it　would　appear　the　creatures　use　their　own　teeth　to
  escape　the　womb；〃　he　whispered。
  I　had　to　pause　to　swallow　back　the　bile。
  〃Research？〃　I　asked　weakly。
  〃That's　why　you　haven't　seen　Jasper　and　Emmett　around。　That's　what　Carlisle　is　doing　now。　Trying　to
  decipher　ancient　stories　and　myths；　as　much　as　we　can　with　what　we　have　to　work　with　here；　looking　for
  anything　that　might　help　us　predict　the　creature's　behavior。〃
  Stories？　If　there　were　myths；　then。。。
  〃Then　is　this　thing　not　the　first　of　its　kind？〃　Edward　asked；　anticipating　my　question。　〃Maybe。　It's　all　very
  sketchy。　The　myths　could　easily　be　the　products　of　fear　and　imagination。　Though　。。　。〃—he
  hesitated—〃your　myths　are　true；　are　they　not？　Perhaps　these　are；　too。　They　do　seem　to　be　localized；
  linked___〃
  〃How　did　you　find。。。　？〃
  〃There　was　a　woman　we　encountered　in　South　America。　She'd　been　raised　in　the　traditions　of　her
  people。　She'd　heard　warnings　about　such　creatures；　old　stories　that　had　been　passed　down。〃
  〃What　were　the　warnings？〃　I　whispered。
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  〃That　the　creature　must　be　killed　immediately。　Before　it　could　gain　too　much　strength。〃
  Just　like　Sam　thought。　Was　he　right？
  〃Of　course；　their　legends　say　the　same　of　us。　That　we　must　be　destroyed。　That　we　are　soulless
  murderers。〃
  Two　for　two。
  Edward　laughed　one　hard　chuckle。
  〃What　did　their　stories　say　about　the。。。　mothers？〃
  Agony　ripped　across　his　face；　and；　as　I　flinched　away　from　his　pain；　I　knew　he　wasn't　going　to　give　me
  an　answer。　I　doubted　he　could　talk。
  tt　was　Rosalie—who'd　been　so　still　and　quiet　since　Bella'd　fallen　asleep　that　I'd　nearly　forgotten
  her—who　answered。
  She　made　a　scornful　noise　in　the　back　of　her　throat。　〃Of　course　there　were　no　survivors；〃　she　said。　No
  survivors；　blunt　and　uncaring。　〃Giving　birth　in　the　middle　of　a　disease…infested　swamp　with　a　medicine
  man　smearing
  sloth　spit　across　your　face　to　drive　out　the　evil　spirits　was　never　the　safest　method。　Even　the　normal
  births　went　badly　half　the　time。　None　of　them　had　what　this　baby　has—caregivers　with　an　idea　of　what
  the　baby　needs；　who　try　to　meet　those　needs。　A　doctor　with　a　totally　unique　knowledge　of　vampire
  nature。　A　plan　in　place　to　deliver　the　baby　as　safely　as　possible。　Venom　that　will　repair　anything　that　goes
  wrong。　The　baby　will　be　fine。　And　those　other　mothers　would　probably　have　survived　if　they'd　had
  that—if　they　even　existed　in　the　first　place。　Something　I　am　not　convinced　of。〃　She　sniffed　disdainfully。
  The　baby；　the　baby。　Like　that　was　all　that　mattered。　Bella's　life　was　a　minor　detail　to　her—easy　to　blow
  off。
  Edward's　face　went　white　as　snow。　His　hands　curved　into　claws。　Totally　egotistical　and　indifferent；
  Rosalie　twisted　in　her　chair　so　that　her　back　was　to　him。　He　leaned　forward；　shifting　into　a　crouch。
  Allow　me；I　suggested。
  He　paused；　raising　one　eyebrow。
  Silently；　I　lifted　my　doggy　bowl　off　the　floor。　Then；　with　a　quick；　powerful　flip　of　my　wrist；　I　threw　it　into
  the　back　of　Blondie's　head　so　hard　that—with　an　earsplitting　bang　—it　smashed　flat　before　it　ricocheted
  across　the　room　and　snapped　the　round　top　piece　off　the　thick　newel　post　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs。
  Bella　twitched　but　didn't　wake　up。
  〃Dumb　blonde；〃　I　muttered。
  Rosalie　turned　her　head　slowly；　and　her　eyes　were　blazing。
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  〃You。　Got。　Food。　In。　My。　Hair。〃
  That　did　it。
  I　busted　up。I　pulled　away　fromBella　so　that　I　wouldn't　shake　her；　and　laughed　so　hard　that　tears　ran
  down　my　face。　From　behind　the　couch；　I　heard　Alice's　tinkling　laugh　join　in。
  I　wondered　why　Rosalie　didn't　spring。　I　sort　of　expected　it。　But　then　I　realized　that　my　laughing　had
  woken　Bella　up；　though　she'd　slept　right　through　the　real　noise。
  〃What's　so　funny？〃　she　mumbled。
  〃I　got　food　in　her　hair；〃　I　told　her；　chortling　again。
  〃I'm　not　going　to　forget　this；　dog；〃　Rosalie　hissed。
  〃S'not　so　hard　to　erase　a　blonde's　memory；〃　I　countered。　〃Just　blow　in　her　ear。〃
  〃Get　some　new　jokes；〃　she　snapped。
  〃C'mon；　Jake。　Leave　Rose　alo—〃　Bella　broke　off　mid…sentence　and　sucked　in　a　sharp　breath。　In　the
  same　second；　Edward　was　leaning　over　the　top　of　me；　ripping　the　blanket　out　of　the　way。　She　seemed　to
  convulse；　her　back　arching　off　the　sofa。
  〃He's　just；〃　she　panted；　〃stretching。〃
  Her　lips　were　white；　and　she　had　her　teeth　locked　together　like　she　was　trying　to　hold　back　a　scream。
  Edward　put　both　hands　on　either　side　of　her　face。
  〃Carlisle？〃　he　called　in　a　tense；　low　voice。
  〃Right　here；〃　the　doctor　said。　I　hadn't　heard　him　come　in。
  〃Okay；〃　Bella　said；　still　breathing　hard　and　shallow。　〃Think　it's　over。　Poor　kid　doesn't　have　enough　room；
  that's　all。　He's　getting　so　big。〃
  It　was　really　hard　to　take；　that　adoring　tone　she　used　to　describe　the　thing　that　was　tearing　her　up。
  Especially　after　Rosalie's　callousness。　Made　me　wish　I　could　throw　something　at　Bella；　too。
  She　didn't　pick　up　on　my　mood。　〃You　know；　he　reminds　me　of　you；　Jake；〃　she　said—affectionate
  tone—still　gasping。
  〃Do　not　compare　me　to　that　thing；〃　I　spit　out　through　my　teeth。
  〃I　just　meant　your　growth　spurt；〃　she　said；　looking　like　I'd　hurt　her　feelings。　Good。　〃You　shot　right　up。　I
  could　watch　you　getting　taller　by　the　minute。　He's　like　that；　too。　Growing　so　fast。〃
  I　bit　my　tongue　to　keep　from　saying　what　I　wanted　to　say—hard　enough　that　I　tasted　blood　in　my
  mouth。　Of　course；　it　would　heal　before　I　could　swallow。　That's　what　Bella　needed。　To　be　strong　like　me；
  to　be　able　to　heal。。。。
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  She　took　an　easier　breath　and　then　relaxed　back　into　the　sofa；　her　body　going　limp。
  〃Hmm；〃　Carlisle　murmured。　I　looked　up；　and　his　eyes　were　on　me。
  〃What？〃　I　demanded。
  Edward's　head　leaned　to　one　side　as　he　reflected　on　whatever　was　in　Carlisle's　head。
  〃You　know　that　I　was　wondering　about　the　fetus's　genetic　makeup；　Jacob。　About　his　chromosomes。〃
  〃What　of　it？〃
  〃Well；　taking　your　similarities　into　consideration—〃
  〃Similarif/es？〃　I　growled；　not　appreciating　the　plural。
  〃The　accelerated　growth；　and　the　fact　that　Alice　cannot　see　either　of　you。〃
  I　felt　my　face　go　blank。　I'd　forgotten　about　that　other　one。
  〃Well；　I　wonder　if　that　means　that　we　have　an　answer。　If　the　similarities　are　gene…deep。〃
  〃Twenty…four　pairs；〃　Edward　muttered　under　his　breath。
  〃You　don't　know　that。〃
  〃No。　But　it's　interesting　to　speculate；〃　Carlisle　said　in　a　soothing　voice。
  〃Yeah。　Just　fascinating〃
  Bella's　light　snore　started　up　again；　accenting　my　sarcasm　nicely。
  They　got　into　it　then；　quickly　taking　the　genetics　conversation　to　a　point　where　the　only　words　I　could
  understand　were　the　the's　and　the　ands。　And　my　own　name；　of　course。　Alice　joined　in；　commenting　now
  and　then　in　her　chirpy　bird　voice。
  Even　though　they　were　talking　about　me；　I　didn't　try　to　figure　out　the　conclusions　they　were　drawing。　I
  had　other　things　on　my　mind；　a　few　facts　I　was　trying　to　reconcile。
  Fact　one；　Bella'd　said　that　the　creature　was　protected　by　something　as　strong　as　vampire　skin；　something
  that　was　too　impenetrable　for　ultrasounds；　too　tough　for　needles。　Fact　two；　Rosalie'd　said　they　had　a　plan
  to　deliver　the
  creature　safely。　Fact　three；　Edward'd　said　that—in　myths—other　monsters　like　this　one　would　chew
  their　way　out　of　their　own　mothers。
  I　shuddered。
  And　that　made　a　sick　kind　of　sense；　because；　fact　four；　not　many　things　could　cut　through　something　as
  strong　as　vampire　skin。　The　half…creature's　teeth—according　to　myth—were　strong　enough。　My　teeth
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  were　strong　enough。
  And　vampire　teeth　were　strong　enough。
  It　was　hard　to　miss　the　obvious；　but　I　sure　wished　I　could。　Because　I　had　a　pretty　good　idea　exactly
  how　Rosalie　planned　to　get　that　thing　〃safely〃　out。
  16。　TOO…MUCH…INFORMATION　ALERT
  I　took　off　early；　long　before　sunrise　was　due。　I'd　gotten　just　a　little　bit　of　uneasy　sleep　leaning　against　the
  side　of　the　sofa。　Edward　woke　me　when　Bella's　face　was　flushed；　and　he　took　my　spot　to　cool　her　back
  down。　I　stretched　and　decided　I　was　rested　enough　to　get　some　work　done。
  〃Thank　you；〃　Edward　said　quietly；　seeing　my　plans。　〃If　the　route　is　clear；　they'll　go　today。〃
  Tillet　you　know。〃
  It　felt　good　to　get　back