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different； more guttural； the cadence off。 I didn't think he was speaking Portuguese anymore。
For a moment； the woman stared at him in wonder； and then her eyes narrowed as she barked out a
long question in the same alien tongue。
I watched as his face grew sad and serious； and he nodded once。 She took a quick step back and
crossed herself。
He reached out to her； gesturing toward me and then resting his hand against my cheek。 She replied
angrily again； waving her hands accusingly toward him； and then gestured to him。 When she finished； he
pleaded again with the same low； urgent voice。
Her expression changed—she stared at him with doubt plain on her face as he spoke； her eyes
repeatedly flashing to my confused face。 He stopped speaking； and she seemed to be deliberating
something。 She looked back and forth between the two of us； and then； unconsciously it seemed； took a
step forward。
She made a motion with her hands； miming a shape like a balloon jutting out from her stomach。 I started
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—did her legends of the predatory blooddrinker include this？ Could she possibly know something
about what was growing inside me？
She walked a few steps forward deliberately this time and asked a few brief questions； which he
responded to tensely。 Then he became the questioner—one quick query。 She hesitated and then slowly
shook her head。 When he spoke again； his voice was so agonized that I looked up at him in shock。 His
face was drawn with pain。
In answer； she walked slowly forward until she was close enough to lay her small hand on top of mine；
over my stomach。 She spoke one word in Portuguese。
〃Morte；〃she sighed quietly。 Then she turned； her shoulders bent as if the conversation had aged her； and
left the room。
I knew enough Spanish for that one。
Edward was frozen again； staring after her with the tortured expression fixed on his face。 A few
moments later； I heard a boat's engine putter to life and then fade into the distance。
Edward did not move until I started for the bathroom。 Then his hand caught my shoulder。
〃Where are you going？〃 His voice was a whisper of pain。
〃To brush my teeth again。〃
〃Don't worry about what she said。 It's nothing but legends； old lies for the sake of entertainment。〃
〃I didn't understand anything；〃 I told him； though it wasn't entirely true。 As if I could discount something
because it was a legend。 My life was circled by legend on every side。 They were all true。
〃I packed your toothbrush。 I'll get it for you。〃
He walked ahead of me to the bedroom。
〃Are we leaving soon？〃 I called after him。
〃As soon as you're done。〃
He waited for my toothbrush to repack it； pacing silently around the bedroom。 I handed it to him when I
was finished。
〃I'll get the bags into the boat。〃
〃Edward—〃
He turned back。 〃Yes？〃
I hesitated； trying to think of some way to get a few seconds alone。 〃Could you。。。 pack some of the
food？ You know； in case I get hungry again。〃
〃Of course；〃 he said； his eyes suddenly soft。 〃Don't worry about anything。 We'll get to Carlisle in just a
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few hours； really。 This will all be over soon。〃
I nodded； not trusting my voice。
He turned and left the room； one big suitcase in each hand。
I whirled and scooped up the phone he'd left on the counter。 It was very unlike him to forget things—to
forget that Gustavo was ing； to leave his phone lying here。 He was so stressed he was barely himself。
I flipped it open and scrolled through the preprogrammed numbers。 I was glad he had the sound turned
off； afraid that he would catch me。 Would he be at the boat now？ Or back already？ Would he hear me
from the kitchen if I whispered？
I found the number I wanted； one I had never called before in my life。 I pressed the 〃send〃 button and
crossed my fingers。
〃Hello？〃 the voice like golden wind chimes answered。
〃Rosalie？〃 I whispered。 〃It's Bella。 Please。 You have to help me。〃
BOOK TWO
Jacob
And yet； to say the truth； reason and love keep little pany together nowadays。
William Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Act III； Scene i
PREFACE Life sucks； and then you die。
Yeah； I should be so lucky。
8。 WAITING FOR THE DAMN FIGHT TO START ALREADY
〃Jeez； Paul； don't you freaking have a home of your own？〃
Paul； lounging across my whole couch； watching some stupid baseball game on my crappy TV； just
grinned at me and then—real slow—he lifted one Dorito from the bag in his lap and wedged it into his
mouth in one piece。
〃You betterVe brought those with you。〃
Crunch。 〃Nope；〃 he said while chewing。 〃Your sister said to go ahead and help myself to anything I
wanted。〃
I tried to make my voice sound like I wasn't about to punch him。 〃Is Rachel here now？〃
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It didn't work。 He heard where I was going and shoved the bag behind his back。 The bag crackled as he
smashed it into the cushion。 The chips crunched into pieces。 Paul's hands came up in fists； close to his
face like a boxer。
〃Bring it； kid。 I don't need Rachel to protect me。〃
I snorted。 〃Right。 Like you wouldn't go crying to her first chance。〃
He laughed and relaxed into the sofa； dropping his hands。 〃I'm not going to go tattle to a girl。 If you got
in a lucky hit； that would be just between the two of us。 And vice versa； right？〃
Nice of him to give me an invitation。 I made my body slump like I'd given up。 〃Right。〃
His eyes shifted to the TV。
I lunged。
His nose made a very satisfying crunching sound of its own when my fist connected。 He tried to grab me；
but I danced out of the way before he could find a hold； the ruined bag of Doritos in my left hand。
〃You broke my nose； idiot。〃
〃Just between us； right； Paul？〃
I went to put the chips away。 When I turned around； Paul was repositioning his nose before it could set
crooked。
The