want　to　break　faith　with　you　if　there　is　any　way　to　avoid　it。　We　never　intended　to　go　back　on　our　word；
  and　we　don't　do　it　lightly　now。　I　want　your　understanding；　Jacob；　because　you　know　exactly　why　we　do
  this。　I　want　the　alliance　between　our　families　to　survive　when　this　is　over。〃
  I　tried　to　swallow。　Sam；　I　thought。　It's　Sam　you　want。
  〃No。　Sam's　authority　is　assumed。　It　belongs　to　you。　You'll　never　take　it　from　him；　but　no　one　can
  rightfully　agree　to　what　I'm　asking　except　for　you〃
  It's　not　my　decision。
  〃It　is；　Jacob；　and　you　know　it。　Your　word　on　this　will　condemn　us　or　absolve　us。　Only　you　can　give　this
  to　me。〃
  /　can't　think。　I　don't　know。
  〃We　don't　have　much　time。〃　He　glanced　back　toward　the　house。
  No；　there　was　no　time。　My　few　days　had　become　a　few　hours。
  /　don't　know。　Let　me　think。　Just　give　me　a　minute　here；　okay？
  〃Yes。〃
  I　started　walking　to　the　house；　and　he　followed。　Crazy　how　easy　it　was；　walking　through　the　dark　with　a
  vampire　right　beside　me。　It　didn't　feel　unsafe；　or　even　uncomfortable；　really。　It　felt　like　walking　next　to
  anybody。　Well；　anybody　who　smelled　bad。
  There　was　a　movement　in　the　brush　at　the　edge　of　the　big　lawn；　and　then　a　low　whimper。　Seth　shrugged
  through　the　ferns　and　loped　over　to　us。
  〃Hey；　kid；〃　I　muttered。
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  He　dipped　his　head；　and　I　patted　his　shoulder。
  〃S'all　cool；〃　I　lied。　〃I'll　tell　you　about　it　later。　Sorry　to　take　off　on　you　like　that。〃
  He　grinned　at　me。
  〃Hey；　tell　your　sister　to　back　off　now；　okay？　Enough。〃
  Seth　nodded　once。
  I　shoved　against　his　shoulder　this　time。　〃Get　back　to　work。　I'll　spell　you　in　a　bit。〃
  Seth　leaned　against　me；　shoving　back；　and　then　he　galloped　into　the　trees。
  〃He　has　one　of　the　purest；　sincerest；　kindest　minds　I've　ever　heard；〃　Edward　murmured　when　he　was
  outof　sight。　〃You're　lucky　to　have　his　thoughts　to　share。〃
  〃I　know　that；〃！　grunted。
  We　started　toward　the　house；　and　both　of　our　heads　snapped　up　when　we　heard　the　sound　of　someone
  sucking　through　a　straw。　Edward　was　in　a　hurry　then。He　darted　up　the　porch　stairs　and　was　gone。
  〃Bella；　love；　Ithought　you　were　sleeping；〃　I　heard　him　say。　〃I'm　sorry；　I　wouldn't　have　left。〃
  〃Don't　worry。　Ijust　got　so　thirsty—it　woke　me　up。It's　a　good　thing　Carlisle　is　bringing　more。　This　kid　is
  going　to　need　it　when　he　gets　out　of　me。〃
  〃True。　That's　a　good　point。〃
  〃I　wonder　if　he'll　want　anything　else；〃　she　mused。
  〃I　suppose　we'll　find　out。〃
  I　walked　through　the　door。
  Alice　said；　〃Finally；〃　and　Bella's　eyes　flashed　to　me。　That　infuriating；　irresistible　smile　broke　across　her
  face　for　one　second。　Then　it　faltered；　and　her　face　fell。　Her　lips　puckered；　like　she　was　trying　not　to　cry。
  I　wanted　to　punch　Leah　right　in　her　stupid　mouth。
  〃Hey；　Bells；〃　Isaid　quickly。　〃How　ya　doing？〃
  〃I'm　fine；〃　she　said。
  〃Big　day　today；　huh？　Lots　of　new　stuff。〃
  〃You　don't　have　to　do　that；　Jacob。〃
  〃Don't　know　what　you're　talking　about；〃　I　said；　going　to　sit　on　the　arm　of　the　sofa　by　her　head。　Edward
  had　the　floor　there　already。
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  She　gave　me　a　reproachful　look。　〃I'm　so　s—〃　she　started　to　say。
  I　pinched　her　lips　together　between　my　thumb　and　finger。
  〃Jake；〃　she　mumbled；　trying　to　pull　my　hand　away。　Her　attempt　was　so　weak　it　was　hard　to　believe　that
  she　was　really　trying。
  I　shook　my　head。　〃You　can　talk　when　you're　not　being　stupid。〃
  〃Fine；I　won't　say　it；〃　it　sounded　like　she　mumbled。
  I　pulled　my　hand　away。
  〃Sorry！〃　she　finished　quickly；　and　then　grinned。
  I　rolledmy　eyes　and　then　smiled　back　at　her。
  When　I　stared　into　her　eyes；　I　saw　everything　that　I'd　been　looking　for　in　the　park。
  Tomorrow；　she'd　be　someone　else。　But　hopefully　alive；　and　that　was　what　counted；　right？　She'd　look　at
  me　with　the　same　eyes；　sort　of。　Smile　with　the　same　lips；　almost。　She'd　still　know　me　better　than　anyone
  who　didn't　havefull　access　to　the　inside　of　my　head。
  Leah　might　be　an　interesting　companion；　maybe　even　a　true　friend—someone　who　would　stand　up　for
  me。　But
  she　wasn't　my　best　friend　the　way　thatBella　was。　Aside　from　the　impossible　love　I　felt　for　Bella；　there
  was　also　that　other　bond；　and　it　ran　bone　deep。
  Tomorrow；　she'd　be　my　enemy。　Or　she'd　be　myally。　And；　apparently；　that　distinction　was　up　to　me。
  I　sighed。
  Fine！I　thought；　giving　up　the　very　last　thing　i　had　to　give。　It　made　me　feel　hollow。　Go　ahead。　Save　her。
  As　Ephraim's　heir；　you　have　my　permission；　my　word；　that　this　will　not　violate　the　treaty。　The
  others　will　just　have　to　blame　me。　You　were　right—　they　can't　deny　that　it's　my　right　to　agree　to
  this。
  'Thank　you。〃　Edward's　whisper　was　low　enough　that　Bella　didn't　hear　anything。　But　the　words　were　so
  fervent　that；　from　the　corner　of　my　eye；　I　saw　the　other　vampires　turning　to　stare。
  〃So；〃Bella　asked；　working　to　be　casual。　〃How　was　your　day？〃
  〃Great。　Went　for　a　drive。　Hung　out　in　the　park。〃
  〃Sounds　nice。〃
  〃Sure；　sure。〃
  Suddenly；　she　made　a　face。　〃Rose？〃　she　asked。
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  I　heard　Blondie　chuckle。　〃Again？〃
  〃I　think　I've　drunk　two　gallons　in　the　last　hour；〃　Bella　explained。
  Edward　and　I　both　got　out　of　the　way　while　Rosalie　came　to　lift　Bella　from　the　couch　and　take　her　to　the
  bathroom。
  〃Can　I　walk？〃　Bella　asked。　〃My　legs　are　so　stiff。〃
  〃Are　you　sure？〃　Edward　asked。
  〃Rose'llcatch　me　if　I　trip　over　my　feet。　Which　could　happen　pretty　easily；　since　I　can't　see　them。〃
  Rosalie　set　Bellacarefully　on　her　feet；　keeping　her　hands　right　atBella's　shoulders。　Bella　stretched　her
  arms　out　in　front　of　her；　wincing　a　little。
  〃That　feels　good；〃　she　sighed。　〃Ugh；　but　I'm　huge。〃
  She　really　was。　Her　stomach　was　its　own　continent。
  〃One　more　day；〃　she　said；　and　patted　her　stomach。
  I　couldn't　help　the　pain　that　shot　through　me　in　a　sudden；　stabbing　burst；　but　I　tried　to　keep　it　off　my
  face。　I　could　hide　it　for　one　more　day；　right？
  〃All　righty；　then。　Whoops—oh；　no！〃
  The　cup　Bella　had　left　on　the　sofa　tumbled　to　one　side；　the　dark　red　blood　spilling　out　onto　the　pale
  fabric。
  Automatically；　though　three　other　hands　beat　her　there；　Bella　bent　over；　reaching　out　to　catch　it。
  There　was　the　strangest；　muffled　ripping　sound　from　the　center　of　her　body。
  〃Oh！〃　she　gasped。
  And　then　she　went　totally　limp；　slumping　toward　the　floor。　Rosalie　caught　her　in　the　same　instant；　before
  she　could　fall。　Edward　was　there；　too；　hands　out；　the　mess　on　the　sofa　forgotten。
  〃Bella？〃　he　asked；　and　then　his　eyes　unfocused；　and　panic　shot　across　his　features。
  A　half　second　later；Bella　screamed。
  Itwas　not　justa　scream；　it　was　a　blood…curdling　shriek　of　agony。　The　horrifying　sound　cut　off　with　a
  gurgle；　and　her　eyes　rolled　back　into　her　head。　Her　body　twitched；　arched　in　Rosalie's　arms；　and　then
  Bella　vomited　a　fountain　of　blood。
  18。　THERE　ARE　NO　WORDS　FOR　THIS。
  Bella's　body；　streaming　with　red；　started　to　twitch；　jerking　around　in　Rosalie's　arms　like　she　was　being
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  electrocuted。　All　the　while；　her　face　was　blank—unconscious。　It　was　the　wild　thrashing　from　inside　the
  center　of　her　body　that　moved　her。　As　she　convulsed；　sharp　snaps　and　cracks　kept　time　with　the　spasms。
  Rosalie　and　Edward　were　frozen　for　the　shortest　half　second；　and　then　they　broke。　Rosalie　whipped
  Bella's　body　into　her　arms；　and；　shouting　so　fast　it　was　hard　to　separate　the　individual　words；　she　and
  Edward　shot　up　the　staircase　to　the　second　floor。
  I　sprinted　after　them。
  〃Morphine！〃　Edward　yelled　at　Rosalie。
  〃Alice—get　Carlisle　on　the　phone！〃　Rosalie　screeched。
  The　room　I　followed　them　to　looked　like　an　emergency　ward　set　up　in　the　middle　of　a　library。　The　lights
  were　brilliant　and　white。　Bella　was　on　a　table　under　the　glare；　skin　ghostly　in　the　spotlight。　Her　body
  flopped；　a　fish　on　the　sand。　Rosalie　pinned　Bella　down；　yanking　and　ripping　her　clothes　out　of　the　way；
  while　Edward　stabbed　a　syringe　into　her　arm。
  How　many　times　had　I　imagined　her　naked？　Now　I　couldn't　look。　I　was　afraid　to　have　these　memories
  in　my　head。
  〃What's　happening；　Edward？〃
  〃He's　suffocating！〃
  〃The　placenta　must　have　detached！〃
  Somewhere　in　this；　Bella　came　around。　She　responded　to　their　words　with　a　shriek　that　clawed　at　my
  eardrums。
  〃Get　him　OUT！〃　she　screamed。　〃He　can't　BREATHE！　Do　it　NOW！〃
  I　saw　the　red　spots　pop　out　when　her　scream　broke　the　blood　vessels　i