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Edward’s lips pulled up on one side as he tapped his temple。
With a strangled screech； Victoria darted out of the trees again； feinting to the side。 Edward responded；
and the dance began again。
Just then； Riley’s fist caught Seth’s flank； and a low yelp coughed out of Seth’s throat。 Seth backed away；
his shoulders twitching as if he were trying to shake off the pain。
Please； I wanted to plead with Riley； but I couldn’t find the muscles to make my mouth open； to pull the
air up from my lungs。 Please； he’s just a child！
Why hadn’t Seth run away？ Why didn’t he run now？
Riley was closing the distance between them again； driving Seth toward the cliff face beside me。 Victoria
was suddenly interested in her partner’s fate。 I could see her； from the corner of her eyes； judge the distance
between Riley and me。 Seth snapped at Riley； forcing him back again； and Victoria hissed。
Seth wasn’t limping anymore。 His circling took him within inches of Edward； his tail brushed Edward’s
back； and Victoria’s eyes bulged。
“No； he won’t turn on me；” Edward said； answering the question in Victoria’s head。 He used her
distraction to slide closer。 “You provided us with a mon enemy。 You allied us。”
She clenched her teeth； trying to keep her focus on Edward alone。
“Look more closely； Victoria；” he murmured； pulling at the threads of her concentration。 “Is he really so
much like the monster James tracked across Siberia？”
Her eyes popped wide open； and then began flickering wildly from Edward to Seth to me； around and
around。 “Not the same？” she snarled in her little girl’s soprano。 “Impossible！”
“Nothing is impossible；” Edward murmured； voice velvet soft as he moved another inch closer to her。
“Except what you want。 You’ll never touch her。”
She shook her head； fast and jerky； fighting his diversions； and tried to duck around him； but he was in
place to block her as soon as she’d thought of the plan。 Her face contorted in frustration； and then she shifted
lower into her crouch； a lioness again； and stalked deliberately forward。
Victoria was no inexperienced； instinctdriven newborn。 She was lethal。 Even I could tell the difference
between her and Riley； and I knew that Seth wouldn’t have lasted so long if he’d been fighting this vampire。
Edward shifted； too； as they closed on each other； and it was lion versus lioness。
The dance increased in tempo。
It was like Alice and Jasper in the meadow； a blurred spiraling of movement； only this dance was not as
perfectly choreographed。 Sharp crunches and crackings reverberated off the cliff face whenever someone
slipped in their formation。 But they were moving too fast for me to see who was making the mistakes。 。 。 。
Riley was distracted by the violent ballet； his eyes anxious for his partner。 Seth struck； crunching off
another small piece of the vampire。 Riley bellowed and launched a massive backhanded blow that caught Seth
full in his broad chest。 Seth’s huge body soared ten feet and crashed into the rocky wall over my head with a
force that seemed to shake the whole peak。 I heard the breath whoosh from his lungs； and I ducked out of the
way as he rebounded off the stone and collapsed on the ground a few feet in front of me。
A low whimper escaped through Seth’s teeth。
Sharp fragments of gray stone showered down on my head； scratching my exposed skin。 A jagged spike
of rock rolled down my right arm and I caught it reflexively。 My fingers clenched around the long shard as my
own survival instincts kicked in； since there was no chance of flight； my body — not caring how ineffectual the
gesture was — prepared for a fight。
Adrenaline jolted through my veins。 I knew the brace was cutting into my palm。 I knew the crack in my
knuckle was protesting。 I knew it； but I could not feel the pain。
Behind Riley； all I could see was the twisting flame of Victoria’s hair and a blur of white。 The increasingly
frequent metallic snaps and tears； the gasps and shocked hissings； made it clear that the dance was turning
deadly for someone。
But which someone？
Riley lurched toward me； his red eyes brilliant with fury。 He glared at the limp mountain of sandcolored
fur between us； and his hands — mangled； broken hands — curled into talons。 His mouth opened； widened；
his teeth glistening； as he prepared to rip out Seth’s throat。
A second kick of adrenaline hit like an electric shock； and everything was suddenly very clear。
Both fights were too close。 Seth was about to lose his； and I had no idea if Edward was winning or losing。
They needed help。 A distraction。 Something to give them an edge。
My hand gripped the stone spike so tightly that a support in the brace snapped。
Was I strong enough？ Was I brave enough？ How hard could I shove the rough stone into my body？
Would this buy Seth enough time to get back on his feet？ Would he heal fast enough for my sacrifice to do him
any good？
I raked the point of the shard up my arm； yanking my thick sweater back to expose the skin； and then
pressed the sharp tip to the crease at my elbow。 I already had a long scar there from my last birthday。 That
night； my flowing blood had been enough to catch every vampire’s attention； to freeze them all in place for an
instant。 I prayed it would work that way again。 I steeled myself and sucked in one deep breath。
Victoria was distracted by the sound of my gasp。 Her eyes； holding still for one tiny portion of a second；
met mine。 Fury and curiosity mingled strangely in her expression。
I wasn’t sure how I heard the low sound with all the other noises echoing off the stone wall and hammering
inside my head。 My own heartbeat should have been enough to drown it out。 But； in the split second that I
stared into Victoria’s eyes； I thought I heard a familiar； exasperated sigh。
In that same short second； the dance broke violently apart。 It happened so quickly that it was over before
I could follow the sequence of events。 I tried to catch up in my head。
Victoria had flown out of the blurred formation and smashed into a tall spruce about halfway up the tree。
She dropped back to the earth already