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that doesn’t let me escape the consequences。”
“I should have known you’d find some way to blame yourself。 Please stop。 I can’t stand it。”
“What would you like me to say？”
“I want you to call me every bad name you can think of； in every language you know。 I want you to tell me
that you’re disgusted with me and that you’re going to leave so that I can beg and grovel on my knees for you
to stay。”
“I’m sorry。” He sighed。 “I can’t do that。”
“At least stop trying to make me feel better。 Let me suffer。 I deserve it。”
“No；” he murmured。
I nodded slowly。 “You’re right。 Keep on being too understanding。 That’s probably worse。”
He was silent for a moment； and I sensed a charge in the atmosphere； a new urgency。
“It’s getting close；” I stated。
“Yes； a few more minutes now。 Just enough time to say one more thing。 。 。 。”
I waited。 When he finally spoke again； he was whispering。 “I can be noble； Bella。 I’m not going to make
you choose between us。 Just be happy； and you can have whatever part of me you want； or none at all； if
that’s better。 Don’t let any debt you feel you owe me influence your decision。”
I pushed off the floor； shoving myself up onto my knees。
“Dammit； stop that！” I shouted at him。
His eyes widened in surprise。 “No — you don’t understand。 I’m not just trying to make you feel better；
Bella； I really mean it。”
“I know you do；” I groaned。 “What happened to fighting back？ Don’t start with the noble selfsacrifice
now！ Fight！”
“How？” he asked； and his eyes were ancient with their sadness。
I scrambled into his lap； throwing my arms around him。
“I don’t care that it’s cold here。 I don’t care that I stink like a dog right now。 Make me forget how awful I
am。 Make me forget him。 Make me forget my own name。 Fight back！”
I didn’t wait for him to decide — or to have the chance to tell me he wasn’t interested in a cruel； faithless
monster like me。 I pulled myself against him and crushed my mouth to his snowcold lips。
“Careful； love；” he murmured under my urgent kiss。
“No；” I growled。
He gently pushed my face a few inches back。 “You don’t have to prove anything to me。”
“I’m not trying to prove something。 You said I could have any part of you I wanted。 I want this part。 I
want every part。” I wrapped my arms around his neck and strained to reach his lips。 He bent his head to kiss
me back； but his cool mouth was hesitant as my impatience grew more pronounced。 My body was making my
intentions clear； giving me away。 Inevitably； his hands moved to restrain me。
“Perhaps this isn’t the best moment for that；” he suggested； too calm for my liking。
“Why not？” I grumbled。 There was no point in fighting if he was going to be rational； I dropped my arms。
“Firstly； because it is cold。” He reached out to pull the sleeping bag off the floor； he wrapped it around me
like a blanket。
“Wrong；” I said。 “First； because you are bizarrely moral for a vampire。”
He chuckled。 “All right； I’ll give you that。 The cold is second。 And thirdly 。 。 。 well； you do actually stink；
love。”
He wrinkled his nose。
I sighed。
“Fourthly；” he murmured； dropping his face so that he was whispering in my ear。 “We will try； Bella。 I’ll
make good on my promise。 But I’d much rather it wasn’t in reaction to Jacob Black。”
I cringed； and buried my face against his shoulder。
“And fifthly 。 。 。”
“This is a very long list；” I muttered。
He laughed。 “Yes； but did you want to listen to the fight or not？”
As he spoke； Seth howled stridently outside the tent。
My body stiffened to the sound。 I didn’t realize my left hand was clenched into a fist； nails biting into my
bandaged palm； until Edward took it and gently smoothed my fingers out。
“It’s going to be fine； Bella；” he promised。 “We’ve got skill； training； and surprise on our side。 It will be
over very soon。 If I didn’t truly believe that； I would be down there now — and you’d be here； chained to a
tree or something along those lines。”
“Alice is so small；” I moaned。
He chuckled。 “That might be a problem 。 。 。 if it were possible for someone to catch her。”
Seth started to whimper。
“What’s wrong？” I demanded。
“He’s just angry that he’s stuck here with us。 He knows the pack kept him out of the action to protect
him。 He’s salivating to join them。”
I scowled in Seth’s general direction。
“The newborns have reached the end of the trail — it worked like a charm； Jasper’s a genius — and
they’ve caught the scent of the ones in the meadow； so they’re splitting into two groups now； as Alice said；”
Edward murmured； his eyes focused on something far away。 “Sam’s taking us around to head off the ambush
party。” He was so intent on what he was hearing that he used the pack plural。
Suddenly he looked down at me。 “Breathe； Bella。”
I struggled to do what he asked。 I could hear Seth’s heavy panting just outside the tent wall； and I tried to
keep my lungs on the same even pace； so that I wouldn’t hyperventilate。
“The first group is in the clearing。 We can hear the fighting。”
My teeth locked together。
He laughed once。 “We can hear Emmett — he’s enjoying himself。”
I made myself take another breath with Seth。
“The second group is getting ready — they aren’t paying attention； they haven’t heard us yet。”
Edward growled。
“What？” I gasped。
“They’re talking about you。” His teeth clenched together。 “They’re supposed to make sure you don’t
escape。 。 。 。 Nice move； Leah！ Mmm； she’s quite fast；” he murmured in approval。 “One of the newborns
caught our scent； and Leah took him down before he could even turn。 Sam’s helping her finish him off。 Paul
and Jacob got another one； but the others are on the defensive now。 They have no idea what to make of us。
Both sides are feinting。 。 。 。 No； let Sam lead。 Stay out of the way；” he muttered。 “Separate them — don’t let
them protect each other’s backs。”
Seth whined。
“That’s better； drive them toward the clearing；” Edward approved。 His body was shifting unconsciously as
he watched； tensing for moves he would have mad