instinctively； and it seemed like the glossy red
bike was all I could see。 I was
seeing red。 My head throbbed again。
〃Just give me one round with Jacob； and then I'll deal with Charlie。〃 I
struggled futilely to break free。
〃Jacob Black wants to see me。 That's why he's still here。〃
That stopped me cold—took the fight right out of me。 My hands went limp。 They
fight； Paris falls。
I was furious； but not that furious。
〃Talk？〃 I asked。
〃More or less。〃
〃How much more？〃 My voice shook。
Edward smoothed my hair back from my face。 〃Don't worry； he's not here to
fight me。 He's acting as
spokesperson for the pack。〃
〃Oh。〃
Edward looked at the house again； then tightened his arm around my waist and
pulled me toward the
woods。 〃We should hurry。 Charlie's getting impatient。〃
We didn't have to go far； Jacob waited just a short ways up the path。 He
lounged against a mossy tree
trunk as he waited； his face hard and bitter； exactly the way I knew it would
be。 He looked at me； and
then at Edward。 Jacob's mouth stretched into a humorless sneer； and he
shrugged away from the tree。 He
stood on the balls of his bare feet； leaning slightly forward； with his
trembling hands clenched into fists。 He
looked bigger than the last time I'd seen him。 Somehow； impossibly； he was
still growing。 He would
tower over Edward； if they stood next to each other。
But Edward stopped as soon as we saw him； leaving a wide space between us and
Jacob。 Edward
turned his body； shifting me so that I was behind him。 I leaned around him to
stare at Jacob—to accuse
him with my eyes。
I