No allusions； no innuendos—no nothing。〃
His eyes narrowed。 〃Deal。 I win； and it's going to get a lot worse。〃
He heard my breath stop and grinned evilly。 There was no hint of bluff in his eyes。
〃You gonna back down so easy； little sister？〃 Emmett taunted。 〃Not much wild about you； is there？ I bet
that cottage doesn't have a scratch。〃 He laughed。 〃Did Edward tell you how many houses Rose and I
smashed？〃
I gritted my teeth and grabbed his big hand。 〃One； two—〃
〃Three；〃 he grunted； and shoved against my hand。
Nothing happened。
Oh； I could feel the force he was exerting。 My new mind seemed pretty good at all kinds of calculations；
and so I could tell that if he wasn't meeting any resistance； his hand would have pounded right through the
Page 306
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html
rock without difficulty。 The pressure increased； and I wondered randomly if a cement truck doing forty
miles an hour down a sharp decline would have similar power。 Fifty miles an hour？ Sixty？ Probably
more。
It wasn't enough to move me。 His hand shoved against mine with crushing force； but it wasn't unpleasant。
It felt kind of good in a weird way。 I'd been so very careful since the last time I woke up； trying so hard
not to break things。 It was a strange relief to use my muscles。 To let the strength flow rather than
struggling to restrain it。
Emmett grunted； his forehead creased and his whole body strained in one rigid line toward the obstacle
of my unmoving hand。 I let him sweat—figuratively—for a moment while I enjoyed the sensation of the
crazy force running through my arm。
A few seconds； though； and I was a little bored with it。 I flexed； Emmett lost an inch。
I laughed。 Emmett snarled harshly through his teeth。
〃Just keep your mouth shut；〃 I reminded him； and then I smashed his hand into the boulder。 A deafening
crack echoed off the trees。 The rock shuddered； and a piece—about an eighth of the mass—broke off at
an invisible fault line and crashed to the ground。 It fell on Emmett's foot； and I snickered。 I could hear
Jacob's and Edward's muffled laughter。
Emmett kicked the rock fragment across the river。 It sliced a young maple in half before thudding into
the base of a big fir； which swayed and then fell into another tree。
〃Rematch。 Tomorrow。〃
〃It's not going to wear off that fast；〃 I told him。 〃Maybe you ought to give it a month。〃
Emmett growled； flashing his teeth。 〃Tomorrow。〃
〃Hey； whatever makes you happy； big brother。〃
As he turned to stalk away； Emmett punched the granite； shattering off an avalanche of shards and
powder。 It was kind of neat； in a childish way。
Fascinated by the undeniable proof that I was stronger than the strongest vampire I'd ever known； I
placed my hand； fingers spread wide； against the rock。 Then I dug my fingers slowly into the stone；
crushing rather than digging； the consistency reminded me of hard cheese。 I ended up with a handful of
gravel。
〃Cool；〃 I mumbled。
With a grin stretching my face； I whirled in a sudden circle and karatechopped the rock with the side of
my hand。 The stone shrieked and groaned and—with a big poof of dust—split in two。
I started giggling。
I didn't pay much attention to the chuckles behind me while I punched and kicked the rest of the boulder
into fragments。 I was having too much fun； snickering away the whole time。 It wasn't until I heard a new
little giggle； a highpitched peal of bells； that I turned away from my silly game。
Page 307
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html
〃Did she just laugh？〃
Everyone was staring at Renesmee with the same dumbstruck expression that must have been on my
face。
〃Yes；〃 Edward said。
〃Who wasnt laughing？〃 Jake muttered； rolling his eyes。
〃Tell me you didn't let go a bit on your first run； dog；〃 Edward teased； no antagonism in his voice at all。
〃That's different；〃 Jacob said； and I watched in surprise as he mockpunched Edward's shoulder。
〃Bella's supposed to be a grownup。 Married and a mom and all that。 Shouldn't there be more dignity？〃
Renesmee frowned； and touched Edward's face。
〃What does she want？〃 I asked。
〃Less dignity；〃 Edward said with a grin。 〃She was having almost as much fun watching you enjoy yourself
as I was。〃
〃Am I funny？〃 I asked Renesmee； darting back and reaching for her at the same time that she reached
for me。 I took her out of Edward's arms and offered her the shard of rock in my hand。 〃You want to
try？〃
She smiled her glittering smile and took the stone in both hands。 She squeezed； a little dent forming
between her eyebrows as she concentrated。
There was a tiny grinding sound； and a bit of dust。 She frowned； and held the chunk up to me。
Til get it；〃 I said； pinching the stone into sand。
She clapped and laughed； the delicious sound of it made us all join in。
The sun suddenly burst through the clouds； shooting long beams of ruby and gold across the ten of us；
and I was immediately lost in the beauty of my skin in the light of the sunset。 Dazed by it。
Renesmee stroked the smooth diamondbright facets； then laid her arm next to mine。 Her skin had just a
faint luminosity； subtle and mysterious。 Nothing that would keep her inside on a sunny day like my
glowing sparkle。 She touched my face； thinking of the difference and feeling disgruntled。
〃You're the prettiest；〃 I assured her。
Tm not sure I can agree to that；〃 Edward said； and when I turned to answer him； the sunlight on his face
stunned me into silence。
Jacob had his hand in front of his face； pretending to shield his eyes from the glare。 〃Freaky Bella；〃 he
mented。
〃What an amazing creature she is；〃 Edward murmured； almost in agreement； as if Jacob's ment was
Page 308
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html
meant as a pliment。 He was both dazzling and dazzled。
It was a strange feeling—not surprising； I supposed； since everything felt strange now—this being a
natural at something。 As a human； I'd never been best at anything。 I was okay at dealing with Renee； but
probably lots of people could have done better； Phil seemed to be holding his own。 I was a good
student； but never the top of the class。 Obviously； I could be counted out of anything athletic。 Not artistic
or musical； no particular talents to brag of。 Nobody ever gave away a trophy for reading books。 After
eighteen years of mediocrity； I was pretty used to being average。 I realized now that I'd long ago given up
any aspirations of shining at anything。 I just did the best with what I had； never quite fitting into my world。
So this was really different。 I was amazing now—to them and to myself。 It was like I had been born to
be a vampire。 The idea made me want to laugh； but it also made me want to sing。 I had found my true
place in the world； the place I fit； the place I shined。
27。 TRAVEL PLANS
i took mythology a lot more seriously since I'd bee a vampire。
Often； when I looked back over my first three months as an immortal； I imagined how the thread of my
life might look in the Fates' loom—who knew but that it actually existed？ I was sure my thread must have
changed color； I thought it had probably started out as a nice beige； something supportive and
nonconfrontational； something that would look good in the background。 Now it felt like it must be bright
crimson； or maybe glistening gold。
The tapestry of family and friends that wove together around me was a beautiful； glowing thing； full of
their bright； plementary colors。
I was surprised by some of the threads I got to include in my life。 The werewolves； with their deep；
woodsy colors； were not something I'd expected； Jacob； of course； and Seth； too。 But my old friends
Quil and Embry became part of the fabric as they joined Jacob's pack； and even Sam and Emily were
cordial。 The tensions between our families eased； mostly due to Renesmee。 She was easy to love。
Sue and Leah Clearwater were interlaced into our life； too—two more I had not anticipated。
Sue seemed to have taken it on herself to smooth Charlie's transition into the world of makebelieve。
She came with him to the Cullens' most days； though she never seemed truly fortable here the way
her son and most of Jake's pack did。 She did not speak often； she just hovered protectively near Charlie。
She was always the first person he looked to when Renesmee did something disturbingly advanced
—which was often。 In answer； Sue would eye Seth meaningfully as if to say； Yeah； tell me about it。
Leah was even less fortable than Sue and was the only part of our recently extended family who
was openly hostile to the merger。 However； she and Jacob had a new camaraderie that kept her close to
us all。 I asked him about it once—hesitantly； I didn't want to pry； but the relationship was so different
from the way it used to be that it made me curious。 He shrugged and told me it was a pack thing。 She
was his secondinmand now； his 〃beta；〃 as
I'd called it once long ago。
〃I figured as long as I was going to do this Alpha thing for real；〃 Jacob explained； 〃I'd better nail down
the formalities。〃
Page 309
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html
The new responsibility made Leah feel the need to check in with him often； and since he was always with
Renesmee。。。
Leah was not happy to be near us； but she was the exception。 Happiness was the main ponent in my
life now； the dominant pattern in the tapestry。 So much so that my relationship with Jasper was now much
closer than I'd ever dreamed it would be。
At first I was really annoyed； though。
〃Yeesh！〃 I plained to Edward one night after we'd put Renesmee in her wroughtiron crib。 〃If I
haven't killed Charlie or Sue yet； it's probably not going to happen。 I wish Jasper would stop hovering all
the time！〃
〃No one doubts you； Bella； not in the slightest；〃 he assured me。 〃You know how Jasper is—he can't
resist a good emotional climate。 You're so happy all the time； love； he gravita