按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
People — well； vampires and werewolves really； but still — people I loved were going to get hurt。 Hurt
because of me。 Again。 I wished my bad luck would focus a little more carefully。 I felt likeyelling up at the
empty sky： It’s me you want — over here！ Just me！
I tried to think of a way that I could do exactly that — force my bad luck to focus on me。 It wouldn’t be
easy。 I would have to wait； bide my time。 。 。 。
I did not fall asleep。 The minutes passed quickly； to my surprise； and I was still alert and tense when
Edward pulled us both up into a sitting position。
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay and sleep？”
I gave him a sour look。
He sighed； and scooped me up in his arms before he jumped from my window。
He raced through the black； quiet forest with me on his back； and even in his run I could feel the elation。
He ran the way he did when it was just us； just for enjoyment； just for the feel of the wind in his hair。 It was the
kind of thing that； during less anxious times； would have made me happy。
When we got to the big open field； his family was there； talking casually； relaxed。 Emmett’s booming laugh
echoed through the wide space now and then。 Edward set me down and we walked hand in hand toward
them。
It took me a minute； because it was so dark with the moon hidden behind the clouds； but I realized that
we were in the baseball clearing。 It was the same place where； more than a year ago； that first lighthearted
evening with the Cullens had been interrupted by James and his coven。 It felt strange to be here again — as if
this gathering wouldn’t be plete until James and Laurent and Victoria joined us。 But James and Laurent
were never ing back。 That pattern wouldn’t be repeated。 Maybe all the patterns were broken。
Yes； someone had broken out of their pattern。 Was it possible that the Volturi were the flexible ones in
this equation？
I doubted it。
Victoria had always seemed like a force of nature to me — like a hurricane moving toward the coast in a
straight line — unavoidable； implacable； but predictable。 Maybe it was wrong to limit her that way。 She had to
be capable of adaptation。
“You know what I think？” I asked Edward。
He laughed。 “No。”
I almost smiled。
“What do you think？”
“I think it’s all connected。 Not just the two； but all three。”
“You’ve lost me。”
“Three bad things have happened since you came back。” I ticked them off on my fingers。 “The newborns
in Seattle。 The stranger in my room。 And — first of all — Victoria came to look for me。”
His eyes narrowed as he thought about it。 “Why do you think so？”
“Because I agree with Jasper — the Volturi love their rules。 They would probably do a better job
anyway。” And I’d be dead if they wanted me dead； I added mentally。 “Remember when you were tracking
Victoria last year？”
“Yes。” He frowned。 “I wasn’t very good at it。”
“Alice said you were in Texas。 Did you follow her there？”
His eyebrows pulled together。 “Yes。 Hmm 。 。 。”
“See — she could have gotten the idea there。 But she doesn’t know what she’s doing； so the newborns
are all out of control。”
He started shaking his head。 “Only Aro knows exactly how Alice’s visions work。”
“Aro would know best； but wouldn’t Tanya and Irina and the rest of your friends in Denali know enough？
Laurent lived with them for so long。 And if he was still friendly enough with Victoria to be doing favors for her；
why wouldn’t he also tell her everything he knew？”
Edward frowned。 “It wasn’t Victoria in your room。”
“She can’t make new friends？ Think about it； Edward。 If it is Victoria doing this in Seattle； she’s made a
lot of new friends。 She’s created them。”
He considered it； his forehead creased in concentration。
“Hmm；” he finally said。 “It’s possible。 I still think the Volturi are most likely 。 。 。 But your theory — there’s
something there。 Victoria’s personality。 Your theory suits her personality perfectly。 She’s shown a remarkable
gift for selfpreservation from the start — maybe it’s a talent of hers。 In any case； this plot would put her in no
danger at all from us； if she sits safely behind and lets the newborns wreak their havoc here。 And maybe little
danger from the Volturi； either。 Perhaps she’s counting on us to win； in the end； though certainly not without
heavy casualties of our own。 But no survivors from her little army to bear witness against her。 In fact；” he
continued； thinking it through； “if there were survivors； I’d bet she’d be planning to destroy them herself。 。 。 。
Hmm。 Still； she’d have to have at least one friend who was a bit more mature。 No freshmade newborn left
your father alive。 。 。 。”
He frowned into space for a long moment； and then suddenly smiled at me； ing back from his reverie。
“Definitely possible。 Regardless； we’ve got to be prepared for anything until we know for sure。 You’re very
perceptive today；” he added。 “It’s impressive。”
I sighed。 “Maybe I’m just reacting to this place。 It makes me feel like she’s close by 。 。 。 like she sees me
now。”
His jaw muscles tensed at the idea。 “She’ll never touch you； Bella；” he said。
In spite of his words； his eyes swept carefully across the dark trees。 While he searched their shadows； the
strangest expression crossed his face。 His lips pulled back over his teeth and his eyes shone with an odd light
— a wild； fierce kind of hope。
“Yet； what I wouldn’t give to have her that close；” he murmured。 “Victoria； and anyone else who’s ever
thought of hurting you。 To have the chance to end this myself。 To finish it with my own hands this time。”
I shuddered at the ferocious longing in his voice； and clenched his fingers more tightly with mine； wishing I
was strong enough to lock our hands together permanently。
We were almost to his family； and I noticed for the first time that Alice did not look as optimistic as the
others。 She stood a little aside； watching Jasper stretching his arms as if he were warming up to exercise； her
lips pushed out in a pout。
“Is something wrong with Alice？” I whispered。
Edward chuckled； himself again。 “T