strong； something like vampire skin。 So how did that work？ How did it get out？
〃From what little research we've been able to do； it would appear the creatures use their own teeth to
escape the womb；〃 he whispered。
I had to pause to swallow back the bile。
〃Research？〃 I asked weakly。
〃That's why you haven't seen Jasper and Emmett around。 That's what Carlisle is doing now。 Trying to
decipher ancient stories and myths； as much as we can with what we have to work with here； looking for
anything that might help us predict the creature's behavior。〃
Stories？ If there were myths； then。。。
〃Then is this thing not the first of its kind？〃 Edward asked； anticipating my question。 〃Maybe。 It's all very
sketchy。 The myths could easily be the products of fear and imagination。 Though 。。 。〃—he
hesitated—〃your myths are true； are they not？ Perhaps these are； too。 They do seem to be localized；
linked___〃
〃How did you find。。。 ？〃
〃There was a woman we encountered in South America。 She'd been raised in the traditions of her
people。 She'd heard warnings about such creatures； old stories that had been passed down。〃
〃What were the warnings？〃 I whispered。
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〃That the creature must be killed immediately。 Before it could gain too much strength。〃
Just like Sam thought。 Was he right？
〃Of course； their legends say the same of us。 That we must be destroyed。 That we are soulless
murderers。〃
Two for two。
Edward laughed one hard chuckle。
〃What did their stories say about the。。。 mothers？〃
Agony ripped across his face； and； as I flinched away from his pain； I knew he wasn't going to give me
an answer。 I doubted he could talk。
tt was Rosalie—who'd been so still and quiet since Bella'd fallen asleep that I'd nearly forgotten
her—who answered。
She made a scornful noise in the back of her throat。 〃Of course there were no survivors；〃 she said。 No
survivors； blunt and uncaring。 〃Giving birth in the middle of a disease…infested swamp with a medicine
man smearing
sloth spit across your face to drive out the evil spirits was never the safest method。 Even the normal
births went badly half the time。 None of them had what this baby has—caregivers with an idea of what
the baby needs； who try to meet those needs。 A doctor with a totally unique knowledge of vampire
nature。 A plan in place to deliver the baby as safely as possible。 Venom that will repair anything that goes
wrong。 The baby will be fine。 And those other mothers would probably have survived if they'd had
that—if they even existed in the first place。 Something I am not convinced of。〃 She sniffed disdainfully。
The baby； the baby。 Like that was all that mattered。 Bella's life was a minor detail to her—easy to blow
off。
Edward's face went white as snow。 His hands curved into claws。 Totally egotistical and indifferent；
Rosalie twisted in her chair so that her back was to him。 He leaned forward； shifting into a crouch。
Allow me；I suggested。
He paused； raising one eyebrow。
Silently； I lifted my doggy bowl off the floor。 Then； with a quick； powerful flip of my wrist； I threw it into
the back of Blondie's head so hard that—with an earsplitting bang —it smashed flat before it ricocheted
across the room and snapped the round top piece off the thick newel post at the foot of the stairs。
Bella twitched but didn't wake up。
〃Dumb blonde；〃 I muttered。
Rosalie turned her head slowly； and her eyes were blazing。
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〃You。 Got。 Food。 In。 My。 Hair。〃
That did it。
I busted up。I pulled away fromBella so that I wouldn't shake her； and laughed so hard that tears ran
down my face。 From behind the couch； I heard Alice's tinkling laugh join in。
I wondered why Rosalie didn't spring。 I sort of expected it。 But then I realized that my laughing had
woken Bella up； though she'd slept right through the real noise。
〃What's so funny？〃 she mumbled。
〃I got food in her hair；〃 I told her； chortling again。
〃I'm not going to forget this； dog；〃 Rosalie hissed。
〃S'not so hard to erase a blonde's memory；〃 I countered。 〃Just blow in her ear。〃
〃Get some new jokes；〃 she snapped。
〃C'mon； Jake。 Leave Rose alo—〃 Bella broke off mid…sentence and sucked in a sharp breath。 In the
same second； Edward was leaning over the top of me； ripping the blanket out of the way。 She seemed to
convulse； her back arching off the sofa。
〃He's just；〃 she panted； 〃stretching。〃
Her lips were white； and she had her teeth locked together like she was trying to hold back a scream。
Edward put both hands on either side of her face。
〃Carlisle？〃 he called in a tense； low voice。
〃Right here；〃 the doctor said。 I hadn't heard him come in。
〃Okay；〃 Bella said； still breathing hard and shallow。 〃Think it's over。 Poor kid doesn't have enough room；
that's all。 He's getting so big。〃
It was really hard to take； that adoring tone she used to describe the thing that was tearing her up。
Especially after Rosalie's callousness。 Made me wish I could throw something at Bella； too。
She didn't pick up on my mood。 〃You know； he reminds me of you； Jake；〃 she said—affectionate
tone—still gasping。
〃Do not compare me to that thing；〃 I spit out through my teeth。
〃I just meant your growth spurt；〃 she said； looking like I'd hurt her feelings。 Good。 〃You shot right up。 I
could watch you getting taller by the minute。 He's like that； too。 Growing so fast。〃
I bit my tongue to keep from saying what I wanted to say—hard enough that I tasted blood in my
mouth。 Of course； it would heal before I could swallow。 That's what Bella needed。 To be strong like me；
to be able to heal。。。。
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She took an easier breath and then relaxed back into the sofa； her body going limp。
〃Hmm；〃 Carlisle murmured。 I looked up； and his eyes were on me。
〃What？〃 I demanded。
Edward's head leaned to one side as he reflected on whatever was in Carlisle's head。
〃You know that I was wondering about the fetus's genetic makeup； Jacob。 About his chromosomes。〃
〃What of it？〃
〃Well； taking your similarities into consideration—〃
〃Similarif/es？〃 I growled； not appreciating the plural。
〃The accelerated growth； and the fact that Alice cannot see either of you。〃
I felt my face go blank。 I'd forgotten about that other one。
〃Well； I wonder if that means that we have an answer。 If the similarities are gene…deep。〃
〃Twenty…four pairs；〃 Edward muttered under his breath。
〃You don't know that。〃
〃No。 But it's interesting to speculate；〃 Carlisle said in a soothing voice。
〃Yeah。 Just fascinating〃
Bella's light snore started up again； accenting my sarcasm nicely。
They got into it then； quickly taking the genetics conversation to a point where the only words I could
understand were the the's and the ands。 And my own name； of course。 Alice joined in； commenting now
and then in her chirpy bird voice。
Even though they were talking about me； I didn't try to figure out the conclusions they were drawing。 I
had other things on my mind； a few facts I was trying to reconcile。
Fact one； Bella'd said that the creature was protected by something as strong as vampire skin； something
that was too impenetrable for ultrasounds； too tough for needles。 Fact two； Rosalie'd said they had a plan
to deliver the
creature safely。 Fact three； Edward'd said that—in myths—other monsters like this one would chew
their way out of their own mothers。
I shuddered。
And that made a sick kind of sense； because； fact four； not many things could cut through something as
strong as vampire skin。 The half…creature's teeth—according to myth—were strong enough。 My teeth
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were strong enough。
And vampire teeth were strong enough。
It was hard to miss the obvious； but I sure wished I could。 Because I had a pretty good idea exactly
how Rosalie planned to get that thing 〃safely〃 out。
16。 TOO…MUCH…INFORMATION ALERT
I took off early； long before sunrise was due。 I'd gotten just a little bit of uneasy sleep leaning against the
side of the sofa。 Edward woke me when Bella's face was flushed； and he took my spot to cool her back
down。 I stretched and decided I was rested enough to get some work done。
〃Thank you；〃 Edward said quietly； seeing my plans。 〃If the route is clear； they'll go today。〃
Tillet you know。〃
It felt good to get back