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the
thick； purpleblack smoke； hovering like a disease against the bright grass。 Jasper stood closest to the solid
seeming haze； in its shadow so that his skin did not glitter brilliantly in the sun the way the others did。 He had
his back to me； his shoulders tense； his arms slightly extended。 There was something there； in his shadow。
Something he crouched over with wary intensity。 。 。 。
I was too numb to feel more than a mild shock when I realized what it was。
There were eight vampires in the clearing。
The girl was curled into a small ball beside the flames； her arms wrapped around her legs。 She was very
young。 Younger than me — she looked maybe fifteen； darkhaired and slight。 Her eyes were focused on me；
and the irises were a shocking； brilliant red。 Much brighter than Riley’s； almost glowing。 They wheeled wildly；
out of control。
Edward saw my bewildered expression。
“She surrendered；” he told me quietly。 “That’s one I’ve never seen before。 Only Carlisle would think of
offering。 Jasper doesn’t approve。”
I couldn’t tear my gaze away from the scene beside the fire。 Jasper was rubbing absently at his left
forearm。
“Is Jasper all right？” I whispered。
“He’s fine。 The venom stings。”
“He was bitten？” I asked； horrified。
“He was trying to be everywhere at once。 Trying to make sure Alice had nothing to do； actually。” Edward
shook his head。 “Alice doesn’t need anyone’s help。”
Alice grimaced toward her true love。 “Overprotective fool。”
The young female suddenly threw her head back like an animal and wailed shrilly。
Jasper growled at her and she cringed back； but her fingers dug into the ground like claws and her head
whipped back and forth in anguish。 Jasper took a step toward her； slipping deeper into his crouch。 Edward
moved with overdone casualness； turning our bodies so that he was between the girl and me。 I peeked around
his arm to watch the thrashing girl and Jasper。
Carlisle was at Jasper’s side in an instant。 He put a restraining hand on his most recent son’s arm。
“Have you changed your mind； young one？” Carlisle asked； calm as ever。 “We don’t want to destroy you；
but we will if you can’t control yourself。”
“How can you stand it？” the girl groaned in a high； clear voice。 “I want her。” Her bright crimson irises
focused on Edward； through him； beyond him to me； and her nails ripped through the hard soil again。
“You must stand it；” Carlisle told her gravely。 “You must exercise control。 It is possible； and it is the only
thing that will save you now。”
The girl clutched her dirtencrusted hands around her head； yowling quietly。
“Shouldn’t we move away from her？” I whispered； tugging on Edward’s arm。 The girl’s lips pulled back
over her teeth when she heard my voice； her expression one of torment。
“We have to stay here；” Edward murmured。 “They are ing to the north end of the clearing now。”
My heart burst into a sprint as I scanned the clearing； but I couldn’t see anything past the thick pall of
smoke。
After a second of fruitless searching； my gaze crept back to the young female vampire。 She was still
watching me； her eyes halfmad。
I met the girl’s stare for a long moment。 Chinlength dark hair framed her face； which was alabaster pale。
It was hard to tell if her features were beautiful； twisted as they were by rage and thirst。 The feral red eyes
were dominant — hard to look away from。 She glared at me viciously； shuddering and writhing every few
seconds。
I stared at her； mesmerized； wondering if I were looking into a mirror of my future。
Then Carlisle and Jasper began to back toward the rest of us。 Emmett； Rosalie； and Esme all converged
hastily around where Edward stood with Alice and me。 A united front； as Edward had said； with me at the
heart； in the safest place。
I tore my attention away from the wild girl to search for the approaching monsters。
There was stillnothing to see。 I glanced at Edward； and his eyes were locked straight ahead。 I tried to
follow his gaze； but there was only the smoke — dense； oily smoke twisting low to the ground； rising lazily；
undulating against the grass。
It billowed forward； darker in the middle。
“Hmm；” a dead voice murmured from the mist。 I recognized the apathy at once。
“Wele； Jane。” Edward’s tone was coolly courteous。
The dark shapes came closer； separating themselves from the haze； solidifying。 I knew it would be Jane in
the front — the darkest cloak； almost black； and the smallest figure by more than two feet。 I could just barely
make out Jane’s angelic features in the shade of the cowl。
The four grayshrouded figures hulking behind her were also somewhat familiar。 I was sure I recognized
the biggest one； and while I stared； trying to confirm my suspicion； Felix looked up。 He let his hood fall back
slightly so that I could see him wink at me and smile。 Edward was very still at my side； tightly in control。
Jane’s gaze moved slowly across the luminous faces of the Cullens and then touched on the newborn girl
beside the fire； the newborn had her head in her hands again。
“I don’t understand。” Jane’s voice was toneless； but not quite as uninterested as before。
“She has surrendered；” Edward explained； answering the confusion in her mind。
Jane’s dark eyes flashed to his face。 “Surrendered？”
Felix and another shadow exchanged a quick glance。
Edward shrugged。 “Carlisle gave her the option。”
“There are no options for those who break the rules；” Jane said flatly。
Carlisle spoke then； his voice mild。 “That’s in your hands。 As long as she was willing to halt her attack on
us； I saw no need to destroy her。 She was never taught。”
“That is irrelevant；” Jane insisted。
“As you wish。”
Jane stared at Carlisle in consternation。 She shook her head infinitesimally； and then posed her
features。
“Aro hoped that we would get far enough west to see you； Carlisle。 He sends his regards。”
Carlisle nodded。 “I would appreciate it if you would convey mine to him。”
“Of course。” Jane smiled。 Her face was almost too lovely when it was animated。 She looked back toward
the smoke。 “It appears that you’ve done our work for us today 。 。 。 for the most part。” Her eyes flickered to
the hostage。 “Just out of professional curiosity； how many were there？ They left quite a wake of destruction in
Seattle。”
“Eighteen； including this one；” Carlisle answered。
Jane’s eyes widened； and she looked at the fire again； seeming to reassess the size of it。 Felix and the
other shadow exchanged a longer glance。
“Eighteen？” she repeated； her voice sounding unsure for the first time。
“All brandnew；” Carlisle said dismissively。 “They were unskilled。”
“All？” Her voice turned sharp。 “Then who was their creator？”
“Her name was Victoria；” Edward answered； no emotion in his voice。
“Was？” Jane asked。
Edward inclined his head toward the eastern forest。 Jane’s eyes snapped up and focused on something far
in the distance。 The other pillar of smoke？ I didn’t look away to check。
Jane stared to the east for a long moment； and then examined the closer bonfire again。
“This Victoria — she was in addition to the eighteen here？”
“Yes。 She had only one other with her。 He was not as young as this one here； but no older than a year。”
“Twenty；” Jane breathed。 “Who dealt with the creator？”
“I did；” Edward told her。
Jane’s eyes narrowed； and she turned to the girl beside the fire。
“You there；” she said； her dead voice harsher than before。 “Your name。”
The newborn shot a baleful glare at Jane； her lips pressed tightly together。
Jane smiled back angelically。
The newborn girl’s answering scream was earpiercing； her body arched stiffly into a distorted； unnatural
position。 I looked away； fighting the urge to cover my ears。 I gritted my teeth； hoping to control my stomach。
The screaming intensified。 I tried to concentrate on Edward’s face； smooth and unemotional； but that made me
remember when it had been Edward under Jane’s torturing gaze； and I felt sicker。 I looked at Alice instead；
and Esme next to her。 Their faces were as empty as his。
Final