Renesmee over to see you？〃
Charlie was quiet for so long that I wondered if he heard the strain beneath my fagade。
But then he muttered； 〃Need to know； ugh〃 and I realized it was just his wariness of the supernatural
that made him slow to respond。
〃Okay； kid；〃 Charlie said。 〃Can you bring her over this morning？ Sue's bringing me lunch。 She's just as
horrified by my cooking as you were when you first showed up。〃
Charlie laughed and then sighed for the old days。
〃This morning will be perfect。〃 The sooner the better。 I'd already put this off too long。
〃Is Jake coming with you guys？〃
Though Charlie didn't know anything about werewolf imprinting； no one could be oblivious to the
attachment between Jacob and Renesmee。
〃Probably。〃 There was no way Jacob would voluntarily miss an afternoon with Renesmee sans
bloodsuckers。
〃Maybe I should invite Billy； too；〃 Charlie mused。 〃But。。。 hmm。 Maybe another time。〃
I was only half paying attention to Charlie—enough to notice the strange reluctance in his voice when he
spoke of Billy； but not enough to worry what that was about。 Charlie and Billy were grown…ups； if there
was something going on between them； they could figure it out for themselves。 I had too many more
important things to obsess over。
〃See you in a few；〃 I told him； and hung up。
This trip was about more than protecting my father from the twenty…seven oddly matched vampires
—who all had sworn not to kill anyone in a three…hundred…mile radius； but still。。。 Obviously； no human
being should get anywhere near this group。 This was the excuse I'd given Edward： I was taking
Renesmee to Charlie so that he wouldn't decide
to come here。 It was a good reason for leaving the house； but not my real reason at all。
〃Why can't we take your Ferrari？〃 Jacob complained when he met me in the garage。 I was already in
Edward's Volvo with Renesmee。
Edward had gotten around to revealing my after car； as he'd suspected； I had not been capable of
showing the appropriate enthusiasm。 Sure； it was pretty and fast； but I liked to run。
〃Too conspicuous；〃 I answered。 〃We could go on foot； but that would freak Charlie out。〃
Jacob grumbled but got into the front seat。 Renesmee climbed from my lap to his。
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〃How are you？〃 I asked him as I pulled out of the garage。
〃How do you think？〃 Jacob asked bitingly。 〃I'm sick of all these reeking bloodsuckers。〃 He saw my
expression and spoke before I could answer。 〃Yeah； I know； I know。 They're the good guys； they're
here to help； they're going to save us all。 Etcetera； etcetera。 Say what you want； I still think Dracula One
and Dracula Two are creep…tacular。〃
I had to smile。 The Romanians weren't my favorite guests； either。 〃I don't disagree with you there。〃
Renesmee shook her head but said nothing； unlike the rest of us； she found the Romanians strangely
fascinating。 She'd made the effort to speak to them aloud since they would not let her touch them。 Her
question was about their unusual skin and； though I was afraid they might be offended； I was kind of glad
she'd asked。 I was curious； too。
They hadn't seemed upset by her interest。 Maybe a little rueful。
〃We sat still for a very long time； child；〃 Vladimir had answered； with Stefan nodding along but not
continuing Vladimir's sentences as he often did。 〃Contemplating our own divinity。 It was a sign of our
power that everything came to us。 Prey； diplomats； those seeking our favor。 We sat on our thrones and
thought ourselves gods。 We didn't notice for a long time that we were changing—almost petrifying。 I
suppose the Volturi did us one favor when they burned our castles。 Stefan and I； at least； did not
continue to petrify。 Now the Volturi's eyes are filmed with dusty scum； but ours are bright。 I imagine that
will give us an advantage when we gouge theirs from their sockets。〃
I tried to keep Renesmee away from them after that。
〃How long do we get to hang out with Charlie？〃 Jacob asked； interrupting my thoughts。 He was visibly
relaxing as we pulled away from the house and all its new inmates。 It made me happy that I didn't really
count as a vampire to him。 I was still just Bella。
〃For quite a while； actually。〃
The tone of my voice caught his attention。
〃Is something going on here besides visiting your dad？〃
〃Jake； you know how you're pretty good at controlling your thoughts around Edward？〃
He raised one thick black brow。 〃Yeah？〃
I just nodded； cutting my eyes to Renesmee。 She was looking out the window； and I couldn't tell how
interested she was in our conversation； but I decided not to risk going any further。
Jacob waited for me to add something else； and then his lower lip pushed out while he thought about
what little
I'd said。
As we drove in silence； I squinted through the annoying contacts into the cold rain； it wasn't quite cold
enough for snow。 My eyes were not as ghoulish as they had been in the beginning—definitely closer to a
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dull reddish orange than to bright crimson。 Soon they'd be amber enough for me to quit the contacts； i
hoped the change wouldn't upset Charlie too much。
Jacob was still chewing over our truncated conversation when we got to Charlie's。 We didn't talk as we
walked at a quick human pace through the falling rain。 My dad was waiting for us； he had the door open
before I could knock。
〃Hey； guys！ It seems like it's been years！ Look at you； Nessie！ Come to Grampa！ I swear you've grown
half a foot。 And you look skinny； Ness。〃 He glared at me。 〃Aren't they feeding you up there？〃
〃It's just the growth spurt；〃 I muttered。 〃Hey； Sue；〃 I called over his shoulder。 The smell of chicken；
tomato； garlic； and cheese issued from the kitchen； it probably smelled good to everyone else。 I could
also smell fresh pine and packing dust。
Renesmee flashed her dimples。 She never spoke in front of Charlie。
〃Well； come on in out of the cold； kids。 Where's my son…in…law？〃
〃Entertaining friends；〃 Jacob said； and then snorted。 〃You're so lucky you're out of the loop； Charlie。
That's all I'm going to say。〃
I punched Jacob lightly in the kidney while Charlie cringed。
〃Ow；〃 Jacob complained under his breath； well； I'd thought I'd punched lightly。
〃Actually； Charlie； I have some errands to run。〃
Jacob shot a glance at me but said nothing。
〃Behind on your Christmas shopping； Bells？ You only have a few days； you know。〃
〃Yeah； Christmas shopping；〃 I said lamely。 That explained the packing dust。 Charlie must have put the
old decorations up。
〃Don't worry； Nessie；〃 he whispered in her ear。 〃I got you covered if your mom drops the ball。〃
I rolled my eyes at him； but in truth； I hadn't thought about the holidays at all。
〃Lunch's on the table；〃 Sue called from the kitchen。 〃C'mon； guys。〃
〃See you later； Dad；〃 I said； and exchanged a quick look with Jacob。 Even if he couldn't help but think
about this near Edward； at least there wasn't much for him to share。 He had no idea what I was up to。
Of course； I thought to myself as I got into the car； it wasn't like I had much idea； either。
The roads were slick and dark； but driving didn't intimidate me anymore。 My reflexes were well up to
the job； and I barely paid attention to the road。 The problem was keeping my speed from attracting
attention when I had company。 I wanted to be done with today's mission； to have the mystery sorted out
so that I could get back to the vital task of learning。 Learning to protect some； learning to kill others。
I was getting better and better with my shield。 Kate didn't feel the need to motivate me anymore—it
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wasn't hard to find reasons to feel angry； now that I knew that was the key—and so I mostly worked
with Zafrina。 She was
pleased with my extension； I was able to cover almost a ten…foot area for more than a minute； though it
exhausted me。 This morning she'd been trying to find out if I could push the shield away from my mind
altogether。 I didn't see what the use of that would be； but Zafrina thought it would help strengthen me；
like exercising muscles in the stomach and back rather than just the arms。 Eventually； you could lift more
weight when all the muscles were stronger。
I wasn't very good at it。 I had only gotten one glimpse of the jungle river she was trying to show me。
But there were different ways to prepare for what was coming； and with only two weeks left； I worried
that I might be neglecting the most important。 Today I would rectify that oversight。
I'd memorized the appropri