ng noises。 Almost like… heartbeats。 But definitely not human hearts。 I knew that particular sound well。 I sniffed hard； but the wind was blowing from the other direction； and I could only smell the smoke。 Without a warning sound； something touched me； clapped down firmly on either side of my head。 My eyes started open in panic as I lurched up； straining to jerk free of this hold； and instantly met Jasper’s warning gaze about two inches from my face。 “Stop it；” he snapped； yanking me back down on my butt。 I could only just hear him； and I realized that his hands were sealed tight against my head； covering my ears entirely。 “Close your eyes；” he instructed again； probably at a normal volume； but it was hushed for me。 I struggled to calm myself and shut my eyes again。 There were things they didn’t want me to hear； either。 I could live with thatif it meant I could live。 For a second I saw Fred’s face behind my eyelids。 He had said he would wait for one day。 I wondered if he would keep his word。 I wished I could tell him the truth about the yelloweyes； and how much more there seemed to be that we didn’t know。 This whole world that we really knew nothing about。 It would be interesting to explore that world。 Particularly with someone who could make me invisible and safe。 But Diego was gone。 He wouldn’t be ing to find Fred with me。 That made imagining the future faintly repugnant。
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I could still hear some of what was going on； but just the howling and a few voices。 Whatever those weird thumping sounds had been； they were too muted now for me to examine them。 I did make out the words when； a few minutes later； Carlisle said； “You have to…” his voice was too low for a second； and then“… from here now。 If we could help we would； but we cannot leave。” There was a growl； but it was oddly unmenacing。 The yowling became a low whine that disappeared slowly； as if it was moving away from me。 It was quiet for a few minutes。 I heard some low voices； Carlisle and Esme among them； but also some I didn’t know。 I wished I could smell something the blindness bined with the muted sound left me straining for some source of sensory information。 But all I could smell was the horribly sweet smoke。 There was one voice； higher and clearer than the others； that I could hear most easily。 “Another five minutes；” I heard whoever it was say。 I was sure it was a girl who was speaking。 “And Bella will open her eyes in thirtyseven seconds。 I wouldn’t doubt that she can hear us now。” I tried to make sense of this。 Was someone else being forced to keep her eyes shut； like me？ Or did she think my name was Bella？ I hadn’t told anyone my name。 I struggled again to smell something。 More mumbling。 I thought that one voice sounded offI couldn’t hear any ring to it at all。 But I couldn’t be sure with
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Jasper’s hands so securely over my ears。 “Three minutes；” the high； clear voice said。 Jasper’s hands left my head。 “You’d better open your eyes now；” he told me from a few steps away。 The way he said this frightened me。 I looked around myself quickly； searching for the danger hinted at in his tone。 One whole field of my vision was obscured by the dark smoke。 Close by； Jasper was frowning。 His teeth were gritted together and he was looking at me with an expression that was almost… frightened。 Not like he was scared of me； but like he was scared because of me。 I remembered what he’d said before； about my putting them in danger with something called a Volturi。 I wondered what a Volturi was。 I couldn’t imagine what this scarredup； dangerous vampire would be afraid of。 Behind Jasper； four vampires were spaced out in a loose line with their backs to me。 One was Esme。 With her were a tall blonde woman； a tiny blackhaired girl； and a darkhaired male vampire so big that he was scary just to look atthe one I’d seen kill Kevin。 For an instant I imagined that vampire getting a hold on Raoul。 It was a strangely pleasant picture。 There were three more vampires behind the big one。 I couldn’t see exactly what they were doing with him in the way。 Carlisle was kneeling on the ground； and next to him was a male vampire with dark red hair。 Lying flat on the ground was another figure； but I couldn’t see much of that one； only jeans and small brown boots。 It was either a female or a young male。 I wondered if they were putting the vampire back together。
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So eight yelloweyes total； plus all that howling before； whatever strange kind of vampire that had been； there had been at least eight more voices involved。 Sixteen； maybe more。 More than twice as many as Riley had told us to expect。 I found myself fiercely hoping that those blackcloaked vampires would catch up to Riley； and that they would make him suffer。 The vampire on the ground started to get slowly to her feetmoving awkwardly； almost like she was some clumsy human。 The breeze shifted； blowing the smoke across me and Jasper。 For a moment； everything was invisible except for him。 Though I was not as blind as before； I suddenly felt much more anxious； for some reason。 It was like I could feel the anxiety bleeding out of the vampire next to me。 The light wind gusted back in the next second； and I could see and smell everything。 Jasper hissed at me furiously and shoved me out of my crouch and back onto the ground。 It was herthe human I’d been hunting just a few minutes ago。 The scent my whole body had been focused toward。 The sweet； wet scent of the most delicious blood I’d ever tracked。 My mouth and throat felt like they were on fire。 I tried wildly to hold on to my reasonto focus on the fact that Jasper was just waiting for me to jump up again so that he could kill me but only part of me could do it。 I felt like I was about to pull into two halves trying to keep myself here。 The human named Bella stared at me with stunned brown eyes。 Looking at her made it worse。 I could see the blood
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flushing through her thin skin。 I tried to look anywhere else； but my eyes kept circling back to her。 The redhead spoke to her in a low voice。 “She surrendered。 That’s one I’ve never seen before。 Only Carlisle would think of offering。 Jasper doesn’t approve。” Carlisle must have explained to that one when my ears were covered。 The vampire had both his arms around the human girl； and she had both hands pressed to his chest。 Her throat was just inches from his mouth； but she didn’t look frightened of him at all。 And he didn’t look like he was hunting。 I had tried to wrap my head around the idea of a coven with a pet human； but this was not close to what I had imagined。 If she’d been a vampire； I would have guessed that they were together。 “Is Jasper all right？” the human whispered。 “He’s fine。 The venom stings；” the vampire said。 “He was bitten？” she asked； sounding shocked by the idea。 Who was this girl？ Why did the vampires allow her to be with them？ Why hadn’t they killed her yet？ Why did she seem so fortable with them； like they didn’t scare her？ She seemed like she was a part of this world； and yet she didn’t understand its realities。 Of course Jasper was bitten。 He’d just foughtand destroyedmy entire coven。 Did th