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motorcycles—he was bigger；
though； and I felt even more like a child now。
Like that other time； he stroked my hair。
〃Sorry I called you a hypocrite；〃 he apologized。
〃Sorry I called you a murderer。〃
He laughed。
I thought of something then； and pulled away from him so that I could see his
face。 My eyebrows
furrowed in anxiety。 〃What about Sam？ And the others？〃
He shook his head； smiling like a huge burden had been removed from his
shoulders。 〃Of course not。
Don't you remember what we call ourselves？〃
The memory was clear—I'd just been thinking of that very day。 〃Protectors？〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃But I don't understand。 What's happening in the woods？ The missing hikers；
the blood？〃
His face was serious； worried at once。 〃We're trying to do our job； Bella。
We're trying to protect them；
but we're always just a little too late。〃
〃Protect them from what？ Is there really a bear out there； too？〃
〃Bella； honey； we only protect people from one thing—our one enemy。 It's the
reason we exist—because
they do。〃
I stared at him blankly for one second before I understood。 Then the blood
drained from my face and a
thin； wordless cry of horror broke through my lips。
He nodded。 〃I thought you； of all people； would reali2e what was really going
on。〃
〃Laurent；〃 I whispered。 〃He's still here。〃
Jacob blinked twice； and cocked his head to one side。 〃Who's Laurent？〃
I tried to sort out the chaos in my head so that I could answer。 〃You know—
you saw him in the
meadow。 You were there〃 The words came out in a wondering tone as it all
sunk in。 〃You were there；
and you kept him from killing me〃
〃Oh； the black…haired leech？〃 He grinned； a tight； fierce grin。 〃Was that his
name？〃
I shuddered。 〃What were you thinking？〃 I whispered。 〃He could have killed you！
Jake； you don't realize
how dangerous—〃
Another laugh interrupted me 〃Bella； one lone vampire isn't much of a problem
for a pack as big as ours。
It was so easy； it was hardly even fun！〃
〃What was so easy？〃
〃Killing the bloodsucker who was going to kill you。 Now； I don't count that
towards the whole murder
thing；〃 he added quickly。 〃Vampires don't count as people。〃
I could only mouth the words。 〃You killed Laurent？〃
He nodded。 〃Well； it was a group effort；〃 he qualified。
〃Laurent is dead？〃 I whispered。
His expression changed。 〃You're not upset about that； are you？ He was going to
kill you—he was going
for the kill； Bella； we were sure of that before we attacked。 You know that；
right？〃
〃I know that。 No； I'm not upset—I'm〃 I had to sit down。 I stumbled back a
step until I felt the
driftwood against my calves； and then sank down onto it。 〃Laurent is dead。
He's not ing back for
me。〃
〃You're not mad？ He wasn't one of your friends or anything； was he？〃
〃My friend？〃 I stared up at him； confused and dizzy with relief。 I started
babbling； my eyes getting moist。
〃No； Jake。 I'm so so relieved。 I thought he was going to find me—I've been
waiting for him every
night； just hoping that he'd stop with me and leave Charlie alone。 I've been
so frightened； Jacob But
how？ He was a vampire！ How did you kill him？ He was so strong； so hard； like
marble〃
He sat down next to me and put one big arm around me fortingly。 〃It's what
we're made for； Bells。
We're strong； too。 I wish you would have told me that you were so afraid。 You
didn't need to be。〃
〃You weren't around；〃 I mumbled； lost in thought。
〃Oh； right。〃
〃Wait； Jake—I thought you knew； though。 Last night； you said it wasn't safe
for you to be in my room。 I
thought you knew that a vampire might be ing。 Isn't that what you were
talking about？〃
He looked confused for a minute； and then he ducked his head。 〃No； that's not
what I meant。〃
〃Then why didn't you think it was safe for you there？〃
He looked at me with guilt…ridden eyes。 〃I didn't say it wasn't safe for me。 I
was thinking of you。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
He looked down and kicked a rock。 〃There's more than one reason I'm not
supposed to be around you；
Bella。 I wasn't supposed to tell you our secret； for one thing； but the other
part is that it's not safe for you。
If I get too mad too upset you might get hurt。〃
I thought about that carefully。 〃When you were mad before when I was yelling
at you and you were
shaking ？〃
〃Yeah。〃 His face dropped even lower。 〃That was pretty stupid of me。 I have to
keep a better hold on
myself。 I swore I wasn't going to get mad； no matter what you said to me。 But
I just got so upser that I
was going to lose you that you couldn't deal with what I am〃
〃What would happen if you got too mad？〃 I whispered。
〃I'd turn into a wolf；〃 he whispered back。
〃You don't need a full moon。〃
He rolled his eyes。 〃Hollywood's version doesn't get much right。〃 Then he
sighed； and was serious again。
〃You don't need to be so stressed out； Bells。 We're going to take care of
this。 And we're keeping a
special eye on Charlie and the others—we won't let anything happen to him。
Trust me on that。〃
Something very； very obvious； something I should have grasped at once—but I'd
been so distracted by
the idea of Jacob and his friends fighting with Laurent； that I'd pletely
missed it at the time—occurred
to me only then； when Jacob used the present tense again。
We're going to take care of this。
It wasn't over。
〃Laurent is dead；〃 I gasped； and my entire body went ice cold。
〃Bella？〃 Jacob asked anxiously； touching my ashen cheek。
〃If Laurent died a week ago then someone else is killing people now。〃
Jacob nodded； his teeth clenched together； and he spoke through them。 〃There
were two of them。 We
thought his mate would want to fight us—in our stories； they usually get
pretty pissed off if you kill their
mate—but she just keeps running away； and then ing back again。 If we could
figure out what she
was after； it would be easier to take her down。 But she makes no sense。 She
keeps dancing around the
edges； like she's testing our defenses； looking for a way in—but in where？
Where does she want to go？
Sam thinks she's trying to separate us； so she'll have a better chance〃
His voice faded until it sounded like it was ing through a long tunnel； I
couldn't make out the
individual words anymore。 My forehead dewed with sweat and my stomach rolled
like I had the stomach
flu again。 Exactly like I had the flu。
I turned away from him quickly； and leaned over the tree trunk。 My body
convulsed with useless heaves；
my empty stomach contracting with horrified nausea； though there was nothing
in it to expel。
Victoria was here。 Looking for me。 Killing strangers in the woods。 The woods
where Charlie was
searching
My head spun sickeningly。
Jacob's hands caught my shoulders—kept me from sliding forward onto the
rocks。 I could feel his hot
breath on my cheek。 〃Bella！ What's wrong？〃
〃Victoria；〃 I gasped as soon as I could catch my breath around the nauseous
spasms。
In my head； Edward snarled in fury at the name。
I felt Jacob pull me up from my slump。 He draped me awkwardly across his lap；
laying my limp head
against his shoulder。 He struggled to balance me； to keep me from sagging
over； one way or the other He
brushed the sweaty hair back from my face。
〃Who？〃 Jacob asked。 〃Can you hear me； Bella？ Bella？〃
〃She wasn't Laurent's mate；〃 I moaned into his shoulder。 〃They were just old
friends〃
〃Do you need some water？ A doctor？ Tell me what to do；〃 he demanded； frantic。
〃I'm not sick—I'm scared；〃 I explained in a whisper。 The word scared didn't
really seem to cover it。
Jacob patted my back。 〃Scaled of this Victoria？〃 I nodded； shuddering。
〃Victoria is the red…haired
female？〃 I trembled again； and whimpered； 〃Yes。〃
〃How do you know she wasn't his mate？〃
〃Laurent told me James was her mate；〃 I explained； automatically flexing the
hand with the scar。
He pulled my face around； holding it steady in his big hand。 He stared
intently into my eyes。 〃Did he tell
you anything else； Bella？ This is important。 Do you know what she wants？〃
〃Of course；〃 I whispered。 〃She wants me。〃 His eyes flipped wide； then narrowed
into slits。 〃Why？〃 he
demanded。
〃Edwa