her up from the floor in the same second。 We smiled widely at each other。
She was different； but not so much。 A little longer again； her proportions drifting from babyish to
childlike。 Her hair was longer by a quarter inch； the curls bouncing like springs with every movement。 I'd
let my imagination run wild
on the trip back； and I'd imagined worse than this。 Thanks to my overdone fears； these little changes
were almost a relief。 Even without Carlisle's measurements； I was sure the changes were slower than
yesterday。
Renesmee patted my cheek。 I winced。 She was hungry again。
〃How long has she been up？〃 I asked as Edward disappeared through the kitchen doorway。 I was sure
he was on his way to get her breakfast； having seen what she'd just thought as clearly as I had。 I
wondered if he would ever have noticed her little quirk； if he'd been the only one to know her。 To him； it
probably would have seemed like hearing anyone。
〃Just a few minutes；〃 Rose said。 〃We would have called you soon。 She's been asking for you—
demandingmight be a better description。 Esme sacrificed her second…best silver service to keep the little
monster entertained。〃 Rose smiled at Renesmee with so much gloating affection that the criticism was
entirely weightless。 〃We didn't want to。。。 er； bother you。〃
Rosalie bit her lip and looked away； trying not to laugh。 I could feel Emmett's silent laughter behind me；
sending vibrations through the foundations of the house。
I kept my chin high。 〃We'll get your room set up right away；〃 I said to Renesmee。 〃You'll like the
cottage。 It's magic。〃 I look up at Esme。 〃Thank you； Esme。 So much。 It's absolutely perfect。〃
Before Esme could respond； Emmett was laughing again—it wasn't silent this time。
〃So it's still standing？〃 he managed to get out between his snickers。 〃I would've thought you two had
knocked it to rubble by now。 What were you doing last night？ Discussing the national debt？〃 He howled
with laughter。
I gritted my teeth and reminded myself of the negative consequences when I'd let my temper get away
from me yesterday。 Of course； Emmett wasn't as breakable as Seth___
Thinking of Seth made me wonder。 〃Where're the wolves today？〃 I glanced out the window wall； but
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there had been no sign of Leah on the way in。
〃Jacob took off this morning pretty early；〃 Rosalie told me； a little frown creasing her forehead。 〃Seth
followed him out。〃
〃What was he so upset about？〃 Edward asked as he came back into the room with Renesmee's cup。
There must have been more in Rosalie's memory than I'd seen in her expression。
Without breathing； I handed Renesmee off to Rosalie。 Super…self…control； maybe； but there was no way
I was going to be able to feed her。 Not yet。
〃I don't know—or care；〃 Rosalie grumbled； but she answered Edward's question more fully。 〃He was
watching Nessie sleep； his mouth hanging open like the moron he is； and then he just jumped to his feet
without any kind of trigger—that I noticed； anyway—and stormed out。 / was glad to be rid of him。 The
more time he spends here； the less chance there is that we'll ever get the smell out。〃
〃Rose；〃 Esme chided gently。
Rosalie flipped her hair。 〃I suppose it doesn't matter。 We won't be here that much longer。〃
〃I still say we should go straight to New Hampshire and get things set up；〃 Emmett said； obviously
continuing an
earlier conversation。 〃Bella's already registered at Dartmouth。 Doesn't look like it will take her all that
long to be able to handle school。〃 He turned to look at me with a teasing grin。 Tm sure you'll ace your
classes。。。 apparently there's nothing interesting for you to do at night besides study。〃
Rosalie giggled。
Do not lose your temper； do not lose your temper；I chanted to myself。 And then I was proud of myself
for keeping my head。
So I was pretty surprised that Edward didn't。
He growled—an abrupt； shocking rasp of sound—and the blackest fury rolled across his expression like
storm clouds。
Before any of us could respond； Alice was on her feet。
〃What is he doing？ What is that dog doing that has erased my schedule for the entire day？ I can't see
anything＇ No！〃 She shot me a tortured glance。 〃Look at you！ You neec/meto show you how to use your
closet。〃
For one second I was grateful for whatever Jacob was up to。
And then Edward's hands balled up into fists and he snarled； 〃He talked to Charlie。 He thinks Charlie is
following after him。 Coming here。 Today。〃
Alice said a word that sounded very odd in her trilling； ladylike voice； and then she blurred into motion；
streaking out the backdoor。
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〃He told Charlie？〃 I gasped。 〃But—doesn't he understand？ How could he do that？〃 Charlie couldn't
know about me！ About vampires！ That would put him on a hit list that even the Cullens couldn't save him
from。 〃No！〃
Edward spoke through his teeth。 〃Jacob's on his way in now。〃
It must have started raining farther east。 Jacob came through the door shaking his wet hair like a dog；
flipping droplets on the carpet and the couch where they made little round gray spots on the white。 His
teeth glinted against his dark lips； his eyes were bright and excited。 He walked with jerky movements；
like he was all hyped…up about destroying my father's life。
〃Hey； guys；〃 he greeted us； grinning。
It was perfectly silent。
Leah and Seth slipped in behind him； in their human forms—for now； both of their hands were trembling
with the tension in the room。
〃Rose；〃 I said； holding my arms out。 Wordlessly； Rosalie handed me Renesmee。 I pressed her close to
my motionless heart； holding her like a talisman against rash behavior。 I would keep her in my arms until I
was sure my decision to kill Jacob was based entirely on rational judgment rather than fury。
She was very still； watching and listening。 How much did she understand？
〃Charlie'll be here soon；〃 Jacob said to me casually。 〃Just a heads…up。 I assume Alice is getting you
sunglasses or something？〃
〃You assume way too much；〃 I spit through my teeth。 〃What。 Have。 You。 Done？〃
Jacob's smile wavered； but he was still too wound up to answer seriously。 〃Biondie and Emmett woke
me up this morning going on and on about you all moving cross…country。 Like I could let you leave。
Charlie was the biggest issue there； right？ Well； problem solved。'7
〃Do you even realize what you've done？ The danger you've put him in？〃
He snorted。 〃I didn't put him in danger。 Except from you。 But you've got some kind of supernatural
self…control； right？ Not as good as mind reading； if you ask me。 Much less exciting。〃
Edward moved then； darting across the room to get in Jacob's face。 Though he was half a head shorter
than Jacob； Jacob leaned away from his staggering anger as if Edward towered over him。
〃That's just a theory； mongrel；〃 he snarled。 〃You think we should test it out on Charlie？ Did you
consider the physical pain you're putting Bella through； even if she can resist？ Or the emotional pain if she
doesn't？ I suppose what happens to Bella no longer concerns you！〃 He spit the last word。
Renesmee pressed her fingers anxiously to my cheek； anxiety coloring the replay in her head。
Edward's words finally cut through Jacob's strangely electric mood。 His mouth dropped into a frown。
〃Bella will be in pain？〃
〃Like you've shoved a white…hot branding iron down her throat！〃
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I flinched； remembering the scent of pure human blood。
〃I didn't know that；〃 Jacob whispered。
〃Then perhaps you should have asked first；〃 Edward growled back through his teeth。
〃You would have stopped me。〃
〃You should have been stopped—〃
〃This isn't about me；〃 I interrupted。 I stood very still； keeping my hold on Renesmee and sanity。 〃This is
about Charlie； Jacob。 How could you put him in danger this way？ Do you realize it's death or vampire life
for him now； too？〃 My voice trembled with the tears my eyes could no longer shed。
Jacob was still troubled by Edward's accusations； but mine didn't seem to bother him。 〃Relax； Bella。 I
didn't tell him anything you weren't planning to tell him。〃
〃But he's coming here！〃
〃Yeah； that's the idea。 Wasn't the whole let him make the wrong assumptions' thing your plan？ I think I
provided a very nice red herring； if I do say so myself。〃
My fingers flexed away from Renesmee。 I curled them back in securely。 〃Say it straight； Jacob。 I don't
have the patience for this。〃
〃I didn't tell him anything about you； Bella。 Not really。 I told him about me。 Well； sho