urge of frustration； though I had no idea what I was frustrated with。 “Carlisle； I…” He hesitated； then continued； “I’m sorry； but that’s not possible。 We can’t have any of these newborns associated with us when the Volturi e。 Do you realize the danger that would put us in？” I didn’t understand exactly what he was saying； but I got enough。 He wanted to kill me。 “Jasper； she’s only a child；” the woman protested。 “We can’t just murder her in cold blood！” It was strange to hear her speak like we both were people； like murder was a bad thing。 An avoidable thing。 “It’s our family on the line here； Esme。 We can’t afford to have them think we broke this rule。” The woman； Esme； walked between me and the one who wanted to kill me。 Inprehensibly； she turned her back to me。 “No。 I won’t stand for it。” Carlisle shot me an anxious glance。 I could see that he cared a lot for this woman。 I would have looked the same way at anyone behind Diego’s back。 I tried to appear as docile as I felt。 “Jasper； I think we have to take the chance；” he said slowly。
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“We are not the Volturi。 We follow their rules； but we do not take lives lightly。 We will explain。” “They might think we created our own newborns in defense。” “But we didn’t。 And even had we； there was no indiscretion here； only in Seattle。 There is no law against creating vampires if you control them。” “This is too dangerous。” Carlisle touched Jasper’s shoulder tentatively。 “Jasper。 We cannot kill this child。” Jasper glowered at the man with the kind eyes； and I was suddenly angry。 Surely he wouldn’t hurt this gentle vampire or the woman he loved。 Then Jasper sighed； and I knew it was okay。 My anger evaporated。 “I don’t like this；” he said； but he was calmer。 “At least let me take charge of her。 You two don’t know how to deal with someone who’s been running wild so long。” “Of course； Jasper；” the woman said。 “But be kind。” Jasper rolled his eyes。 “We need to be with the others。 Alice said we don’t have long。” Carlisle nodded。 He held his hand out to Esme； and they headed past Jasper back toward the open field。 “You there；” Jasper said to me； his face a glower again。 “e with us。 Don’t make one rash move or I will take you down。” I felt angry again as he glared at me； and a small part of me wanted to snarl and show my teeth； but I had a feeling he was looking for just that kind of excuse。 Jasper paused as if he’d just thought of something。 “Close
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your eyes；” he manded。 I hesitated。 Had he decided to kill me after all？ “Do it！” I gritted my teeth and shut my eyes。 I felt twice as helpless as I had before。 “Follow the sound of my voice and don’t open your eyes。 You look； you lose； got it？” I nodded； wondering what he didn’t want me to see。 I felt some relief that he was bothering to protect a secret。 There was no reason to do so if he was just going to kill me。 “This way。” I walked slowly after him； careful to give him no excuses。 He was considerate in the way he led； not walking me into any trees； at least。 I could hear the way the sound changed when we were in the open； the feel of the wind was different； too； and the smell of my coven burning was stronger。 I could feel the warmth of the sun on my face； and the insides of my eyelids were brighter as I sparkled。 He led me closer and closer to the muffled crackle of the flames； so close that I could feel the smoke brush my skin。 I knew he could have killed me at any time； but the nearness of the fire still made me nervous。 “Sit here。 Eyes closed。” The ground was warm from the sun and the fire。 I kept very still and tried to concentrate on looking harmless； but I could feel his glare on me； and it made me agitated。 Though I was not mad at these vampires； who I truly believed had only been defending themselves； I felt the oddest stirrings of fury。 It was
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almost outside myself； as if it were some leftover echo from the battle that had just taken place。 The anger didn’t make me stupid； though； because I was too sad miserable to my core。 Diego was aways in my mind； and I couldn’t help thinking about how he must have died。 I was sure there was no way he would have voluntarily told Riley our secrets secrets that had given me a reason to trust Riley just enough until it was too late。 In my head； I saw Riley’s face again that cold； smooth expression that had formed as he’d threatened to punish any of us who wouldn’t behave。 I heard again his macabre and oddly detailed description when I take you to her and hold you as she tears off your legs and then slowly； slowly burns off your fingers； ears； lips； tongue； and every other superfluous appendage one by one。 I realized now that I’d been hearing the description of Diego’s death。 That night； I’d been sure that something had changed in Riley。 Killing Diego was what had changed Riley； had hardened him。 I believed only one thing that Riley had ever told me： he had valued Diego more than any of the rest of us。 Had even been fond of him。 And yet he’d watched our creator hurt him。 No doubt he’d helped her。 Killed Diego with her。 I wondered how much pain it would have taken to make me betray Diego。 I imagined it would have taken quite a lot。 And I was sure it had taken at least that much to make Diego betray me。 I felt sick。 I wanted the image of Diego screaming in agony out of my head； but it wouldn’t leave。
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And then there was screaming there in the field。 My eyelids fluttered； but Jasper snarled furiously and I clenched them together at once。 I’d seen nothing but heavy lavender smoke。 I heard shouting and a strange； savage howling。 It was loud； and there was a lot of it。 I couldn’t imagine how a face would have to contort to create such a noise； and the not knowing made the sound more frightening。 These yelloweyed vampires were so different from the rest of us。 Or different from me； I guess； since I was the only one left。 Riley and our creator were long gone by now。 I heard names called； Jacob； Leah； Sam。 There were lots of distinct voices； though the howls continued。 Of course Riley had lied to us about the number of vampires here； too。 The sound of the howling tapered off until it was just one voice； one agonized； inhuman yowling that made me grit my teeth。 I could see Diego’s face so clearly in my mind； and the sound was like him screaming。 I heard Carlisle talking over the other voices and the howling。 He was begging to look at something。 “Please let me take a look。 Please let me help。” I didn’t hear anyone arguing with him； but for some reason his tone made it sound like he was losing the dispute。 And then the yowling reached a strident new pitch； and suddenly Carlisle was saying “thank you” in a fervent voice； and under the yowl there was the sound of a lot of movement by a lot of bodies。 Many heavy footsteps ing closer。 I listened harder and heard something unexpected and
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impossible。 Along with some heavy breathing and I’ve never heard anyone in my coven breathe like that there were dozens of deep thumping noises。 Almost like… heartbeats。 But definitely not human hearts。 I knew that particular sound w