按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Lots of howling。 But you probably heard that part。 It was so loud that it took us a while to figure out that
we couldn't hear either of you anymore。 Sam was。。。Words failed her； but we could see it in our head。
Both Seth and I cringed。 After that； it was clear pretty quick that we were going to have to rethink
things。 Sam was planning to talk to the other
Elders first thing this morning。 We were supposed to meet up and figure out a game plan。 I could tell he
wasn't going to mount another attack right away； though。 Suicide at this point； with you and Seth AWOL
and the bloodsuckers forewarned。 I'm not sure what they'll do； but I wouldn't be wandering the forest
alone if I was a leech。 It's open season on vamps now。
You decided to skip the meeting this morning？I asked。
When we split up for patrols last night； I asked permission to go home； to tell my mother what had
happened—
Crap！ You told Mom？Seth growled。
Seth； hold off on the sibling stuff for a sec。 Go on； Leah。
So once I was human； I took a minute to think things through。 Well； actually； I took all night。 I bet the
others think I fell asleep。 But the whole two…separate…packs； two…separate…pack…minds thing gave mea
lot to sift through。 In the end； I weighed Seth's safety and the； er； other benefits against the idea of
turning traitor and sniffing vampire stink for who knows how long。 You know what I decided。 I
left a note for my mom。 I expect we'll hear it when Sam finds out 。 。。
Leah cocked an ear to the west。
Yeah； I expect we will；I agreed。
So that's everything。 What do we do now？she asked。
She and Seth both looked at me expectantly。
This was exactly the kind of thing I didn't want to have to do。
Page 137
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； www。processtext。com/abclit。html
/ guess we just keep an eye out for now。 That's all we can do。 You should probably take a nap；
Leah。
You've had as much sleep as I have。
Thought you were going to do what you were told？
Right。 That's going to get old；she grumbled； and then she yawned。 Well； whatever。 I don't care。
I'll run the border； Jake。 I'm not tired at all。Seth was so glad I hadn't forced them home； he was all but
prancing with excitement。
Sure； sure。 I'm going to go check in with the Cullens。
Seth took off along the new path worn into the damp earth。 Leah looked after him thoughtfully。
Maybe a round or two before I crash。。。。 Hey Seth； wanna see how many times I can lap you？
NO！
Barking out a low chuckle； Leah lunged into the woods after him。
I growled uselessly。 So much for peace and quiet。
Leah was trying—for Leah。 She kept her jibes to a minimum as she raced around the circuit； but it was
impossible not to be aware of her smug mood。 I thought of the whole 〃two's company〃 saying。 It didn't
really apply； because one was plenty to my mind。 But if there had to be three of us； it was hard to think
of anyone that I wouldn't trade her for。
Paul？she suggested。
Maybe；I allowed。
She laughed to herself； too jittery and hyper to get offended； i wondered how long the buzz from
dodging Sam's pity would last。
That will be my goal then—to be less annoying than Paul。
Yeah； work on that
I changed into my other form when I was a few yards from the lawn。 I hadn't been planning to spend
much time human here。 But I hadn't been planning to have Leah in my head； either。 I pulled on my ragged
shorts and started across the lawn。
The door opened before I got to the steps； and I was surprised to see Carlisle rather than Edward step
outside to meet me—his face looked exhausted and defeated。 For a second； my heart froze。 I faltered to
a stop； unable to speak。
〃Are you all right； Jacob？〃 Carlisle asked。
Page 138
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； www。processtext。com/abclit。html
〃Is Bella？〃 I choked out。
〃She's。。。 much the same as last night。 Did I startle you？ I'm sorry。 Edward said you were coming in your
human form； and I came out to greet you； as he didn't want to leave her。 She's awake。〃
And Edward didn't want to lose any time with her； because he didn't have much time left。 Carlisle didn't
say the words out loud； but he might as well have。
It had been a while since I'd slept—since before my last patrol。 I could really feel that now。 I took a step
forward； sat down on the porch steps； and slumped against the railing。
Moving whisper…quiet as only a vampire could； Carlisle took a seat on the same step； against the other
railing。
〃I didn't get a chance to thank you last night； Jacob。 You don't know how much I appreciate your。。。
compassion。 I know your goal was to protect Bella； but I owe you the safety of the rest of my family as
well。 Edward told me what you had to do___〃
〃Don't mention it；〃 I muttered。
〃If you prefer。〃
We sat in silence。 I could hear the others in the house。 Emmett； Alice； and Jasper； speaking in low；
serious voices upstairs。 Esme humming tunelessly in another room。 Rosalie and Edward breathing close
by—I couldn't tell which was which； but I could hear the difference in Bella's labored panting。 I could
hear her heart； too。 It seemed。。。 uneven。
It was like fate was out to make me do everything I'd ever sworn I wouldn't in the course of twenty…four
hours。 Here I was； hanging around； waiting for her to die。
I didn't want to listen anymore。 Talking was better than listening。
〃She's family to you？〃 I asked Carlisle。 It had caught my notice before； when he'd said I'd helped the
rest of his family； too。
〃Yes。 Bella is already a daughter to me。 A beloved daughter。〃
〃But you're going to let her die。〃
He was quiet long enough that I looked up。 His face was very； very tired。 I knew how he felt。
〃I can imagine what you think of me for that；〃 he finally said。 〃But i can't ignore her will。 It wouldn't be
right to make such a choice for her； to force her。〃
I wanted to be angry with him； but he was making it hard。 It was like he was throwing my own words
back at me； just scrambled up。 They'd sounded right before； but they couldn't be right now。 Not with
Bella dying。 Still。。。 I remembered how it felt to be broken on the ground under Sam—to have no choice
but be involved in the murder of someone I loved。 It wasn't the same； though。 Sam was wrong。 And
Bella loved things she shouldn't。
〃Do you think there's any chance she'll make it？ I mean； as a vampire and all that。 She told me about。。。
Page 139
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； www。processtext。com/abclit。html
about Esme。〃
Tel say there's an even chance at this point；〃 he answered quietly。 〃I've seen vampire venom work
miracles； but there are conditions that even venom cannot overcome。 Her heart is working too hard now；
if it sho