nd its realities。 Of course Jasper was bitten。 He’d just foughtand destroyedmy entire coven。 Did this girl even know what we were？ Ugh； the burn in my throat was impossible！ I tried not to think about washing it away with her blood； but the wind was blowing her smell right in my face！ It was too late to keep my head I had scented the prey I was hunting； and nothing could change
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that now。 “He was trying to be everywhere at once；” the redhead told the human。 “Trying to make sure Alice had nothing to do； actually。” He shook his head as he looked at the tiny black haired girl。 “Alice doesn’t need anyone’s help。” The vampire named Alice shot a glare at Jasper。 “Overprotective fool；” she said in her clear soprano voice。 Jasper met her stare with a half smile； seeming to forget for a second that I existed。 I could barely fight the instinct that wanted me to make use of his lapse and spring at the human girl。 It would take less than an instant and then her warm bloodblood I could hear pumping through her heart would quench the burn。 She was so close The vampire with the dark red hair met my eyes with a fierce warning glare； and I knew I would die if I tried for the girl； but the agony in my throat made me feel like I would die if I didn’t。 It hurt so much that I screamed out loud in frustration。 Jasper snarled at me； and I tried to keep myself from moving； but it felt like the scent of her blood was a giant hand yanking me off the ground。 I had never tried to stop myself from feeding once I had mitted to a hunt。 I dug my hands into the ground looking for something to hold on to but finding nothing。 Jasper leaned into a crouch； and even knowing I was two seconds from death； I couldn’t focus my thirsty thoughts。 And then Carlisle was right there； his hand on Jasper’s arm。 He looked at me with kind； calm eyes。 “Have you changed your mind； young one？” he asked me。 “We don’t want to destroy you；
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but we will if you can’t control yourself。” “How can you stand it？” I asked him； almost begging。 Wasn’t he burning； too？ “I want her。” I stared at her； desperately wishing the distance between us was gone。 My fingers raked uselessly through the rocky dirt。 “You must stand it；” Carlisle said solemnly。 “You must exercise control。 It is possible； and it is the only thing that will save you now。” If being able to tolerate the human the way these strange vampires did was my only hope for survival； then I was already doomed。 I couldn’t stand the fire。 And I was of two minds about survival anyway。 I didn’t want to die； I didn’t want pain； but what was the point？ Everyone else was dead。 Diego had been dead for days。 His name was right on my lips。 I almost whispered it aloud。 Instead； I gripped my skull with both hands and tried to think about something that wouldn’t hurt。 Not the girl； and not Diego。 It didn’t work very well。 “Shouldn’t we move away from her？” the human whispered roughly； breaking my concentration。 My eyes snapped back to her。 Her skin was so thin and soft。 I could see the pulse in her neck。 “We have to stay here；” said the vampire she was clinging to。 “They are ing to the north end of the clearing now。” They？ I glanced to the north； but there was nothing but smoke。 Did he mean Riley and my creator？ I felt a new thrill of panic； followed by a little spasm of hope。 There was no way she and Riley could stand against these vampires who had killed so
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many of us； was there？ Even if the howly ones were gone； Jasper alone looked capable of dealing with the two of them。 Or did he mean this mysterious Volturi？ The wind teased the girl’s scent across my face again； and my thoughts scattered。 I glared at her thirstily。 The girl met my stare； but her expression was so different from what it should have been。 Though I could feel that my lips were curled back from my teeth； though I trembled with the effort to stop myself from springing at her； she did not look afraid of me。 Instead she seemed fascinated。 It almost looked like she wanted to speak to me like she had a question she wanted me to answer。 Then Carlisle and Jasper began to back away from the fireand me closing ranks with the others and the human。 They all were staring past me into the smoke； so whatever they were afraid of was closer to me than it was to them。 I huddled tighter to the smoke in spite of the nearby flames。 Should I make a run for it？ Were they distracted enough that I could escape？ Where would I go？ To Fred？ Off on my own？ To find Riley and make him pay for what he’d done to Diego？ As I hesitated； mesmerized by that last idea； the moment passed。 I heard movement to the north and knew I was sandwiched between the yelloweyes and whatever was ing。 “Hmm；” a dead voice said from behind the smoke。 In that one syllable I knew exactly who it was； and if I hadn’t been frozen solid with mindless terror I would have bolted。 It was the darkcloaks。
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What did this mean？ Would a new battle begin now？ I knew that the darkcloaked vampires had wanted my creator to succeed in destroying these yelloweyes。 My creator had clearly failed。 Did that mean they would kill her？ Or would they kill Carlisle and Esme and the rest here instead？ If it had been my choice； I knew who I would want destroyed； and it wasn’t my captors。 The darkcloaks ghosted through the vapor to face the yelloweyes。 None of them looked in my direction。 I held absolutely still。 There were only four of them； like last time。 But it didn’t make a difference that there were seven of the yelloweyes。 I could tell that they were as wary of these darkcloaks as Riley and my creator had been。 There was something more to them than I could see； but I could definitely feel it。 These were the punishers； and they didn’t lose。 “Wele； Jane；” said the yelloweyed one who held the human。 They knew each other。 But the redhead’s voice was not friendlynor was it weak and eager to please like Riley’s had been； or furiously terrified like my creator’s。 His voice was simply cold and polite and unsurprised。 Were the darkcloaks this Volturi； then？ The small vampire who led the darkcloaks Jane； apparently slowly scanned across the seven yelloweyes and the human； and then finally turned her head toward me。 I glimpsed her face for the first time。 She was younger than me； but much older； too； I guessed。 Her eyes were the velvet color of
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dark red roses。 Knowing it was too late to escape notice； I put my head down； covering it with my hands。 Maybe if it were clear that I didn’t want to fight； Jane would treat me as Carlisle had。 I didn’t feel much hope of that； though。 “I don’t understand。” Jane’s dead voice betrayed a hint of annoyance。 “She has surrendered；” the redhead explained。 “Surrendered？” Jane snapped。 I peeked up to see the darkcloaks exchanging glances。 The redhead had said that he’d never seen anyone surrender before。 Maybe the darkcloaks hadn’t； either。 “Carlisle gave her the option；” the redhead said。 He seemed to be the spokesperson for the yelloweyes； though I thought Carlisle might be the leader。 “There are no options for those who break the rules；” Jane said； her voice de