outside my mind was vulnerable—open to the things Jasper； Alice； and Benjamin could do。 Maybe
Demetri's talent worked a little differently； too。
And then I had a thought that brought me up short。 The halfdrained elk dropped from my hands to the
stony ground。 Snowflakes vaporized a few inches from the warm body with tiny sizzling sounds。 I stared
blankly at my bloody hands。
Edward saw my reaction and hurried to my side； leaving his own kill undrained。
〃What's wrong？〃 he asked in a low voice； his eyes sweeping the forest around us； looking for whatever
had triggered my behavior。
〃Renesmee；〃 I choked。
〃She's just through those trees；〃 he reassured me。 〃I can hear both her thoughts and Jacob's。 She's fine。〃
〃That's not what I meant；〃 I said。 〃I was thinking about my shield—you really think it's worth something；
that it will help somehow。 I know the others are hoping that I'll be able to shield Zafrina and Benjamin；
even if I can only keep it up for a few seconds at a time。 What if that's a mistake？ What if your trust in
me is the reason that we fail？〃
My voice was edging toward hysteria； though I had enough control to keep it low。 I didn't want to upset
Renesmee。
〃Bella； what brought this on？ Of course； it s wonderful that you can protect yourself； but you're not
responsible for saving anyone。 Don't distress yourself needlessly。〃
〃But what if I can't protect anything？〃 I whispered in gasps。 〃This thing I do； it's faulty； it's erratic！
There's no rhyme or reason to it。 Maybe it will do nothing against Alec at all。〃
〃Shh；〃 he hushed me。 〃Don't panic。 And don't worry about Alec。 What he does is no different than what
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Jane or Zafrina does。 It's just an illusion—he can't get inside your head any more than I can。〃
〃But Renesmee does！〃 I hissed frantically through my teeth。 〃It seemed so natural； I never questioned it
before。 It's always been just part of who she is。 But she puts her thoughts right into my head just like she
does with everyone else。 My shield has holes； Edward！〃
I stared at him desperately； waiting for him to acknowledge my terrible revelation。 His lips were pursed；
as if he was trying to decide how to phrase something。 His expression was perfectly relaxed。
〃You thought of this a long time ago； didn't you？〃 I demanded； feeling like an idiot for my months of
overlooking the obvious。
He nodded； a faint smile pulling up one corner of his mouth。 〃The first time she touched you。〃
I sighed at my own stupidity； but his calm had mellowed me some。 〃And this doesn't bother you？ You
don't see it as a problem？〃
〃I have two theories； one more likely than the other。〃
〃Give me the least likely first。〃
〃Well； she's your daughter；〃 he pointed out。 〃Geically half you。 I used to tease you about how your
mind was on a different frequency than the rest of ours。 Perhaps she runs on the same。〃
This didn't work for me。 〃But you hear her mind just fine。 Everyone hears her mind。 And what if Alec
runs on a different frequency？ What if—？〃
He put a finger to my lips。 〃I've considered that。 Which is why I think this next theory is much more
likely。〃
I gritted my teeth and waited。
〃Do you remember what Carlisle said to me about her； right after she showed you that first memory？〃
Of course I remembered。 〃He said； It's an interesting twist。 Like she's doing the exact opposite of what
you can。'〃
〃Yes。 And so I wondered。 Maybe she took your talent and flipped it； too。〃
I considered that。
〃You keep everyone out；〃 he began。
〃And no one keeps her out？〃 I finished hesitantly。
〃That's my theory；〃 he said。 〃And if she can get into your head； I doubt there's a shield on the pla who
could keep her at bay。 That will help。 From what we've seen； no one can doubt the truth of her thoughts
once they've allowed her to show them。 And I think no one can keep her from showing them； if she gets
close enough。 If Aro allows her to explain___〃
I shuddered to think of Renesmee so close to Aro's greedy； milky eyes。
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〃Well；〃 he said； rubbing my tight shoulders。 〃At least there's nothing that can stop him from seeing the
truth。〃
〃But is the truth enough to stop him？〃 I murmured。
For that； Edward had no answer。
35。 DEADLINE
〃Headed out？〃 Edward asked； his tone nonchalant。 There was a sort of forced posure about his
expression。 He hugged Renesmee just a little bit tighter to his chest。
〃Yes； a few lastminute things。。。；〃 I responded just as casually。
He smiled my favorite smile。 〃Hurry back to me。〃
〃Always。〃
I took his Volvo again； wondering if he'd read the odometer after my last errand。 How much had he
pieced together？ That I had a secret； absolutely。 Would he have deduced the reason why I didn't confide
in him？ Did he guess that Aro might soon know everything he knew？ I thought Edward could have e
to that conclusion； which explained why he had demanded no reasons from me。 I guessed he was trying
not to speculate too much； trying to keep my behavior off his mind。 Had he put this together with my odd
performance the morning after Alice left； burning my book in the fire？ I didn't know if he could have
made that leap。
It was a dreary afternoon； already dark as dusk。 I sped through the gloom； my eyes on the heavy
clouds。 Would it snow tonight？ Enough to layer the ground and create the scene from Alice's vision？
Edward estimated that we had about two more days。 Then we would set ourselves in the clearing；
drawing the Volturi to our chosen place。
As I headed through the darkening forest； I considered my last trip to Seattle。 I thought I knew Alice's
purpose in sending me to the dilapidated drop point where J。 Jenks referred his shadier clients。 If I'd
gone to one of his other； more legitimate offices； would I have ever known what to ask for？ if I'd met him
as Jason Jenks or Jason Scott； legitimate lawyer； would I ever have unearthed J。 Jenks； purveyor of
illegal documents？ I'd had to go the route that made it clear I was up to no good。 That was my clue。
It was black when I pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant a few minutes early； ignoring the eager
valets by the entrance。 I popped in my contacts and then went to wait for J inside the restaurant。 Though
I was in a hurry to be
done with this depressing necessity and back with my family； J seemed careful to keep himself untainted
by his baser associations； i had a feeling a handoff in the dark parking lot would offend his sensibilities。
I gave the name Jenks at the podium； and the obsequious maftre d' led me upstairs to a small private
room with a fire crackling in a stone hearth。 He took the calflength ivory trench coat I'd worn to disguise
the fact that I was wearing Alice's idea of appropriate attire； and gasped quietly at my oyster satin
cocktail dress。 I couldn't help being a little flattered； I still wasn't used to being beautiful to everyone
rather than just Edward。 The mattre d' stuttered halfformed pliments as he backed unsteadily from
the room。
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I stood by the fire to wait； holding my fingers close to the flame to warm them a little before the
inevitable handshake。 Not that J wasn't obviously aware that there was something up with the Cullens；
but it was still a good habit to practice。
For one half second； I wondered what it would feel like to put my hand in the fire。 What it would feel
like when I burned___
J's entrance distracted my morbidity。 The maftre d' took his coat； too； and it was evident that I was not
the only one who had dressed up for this meeting。
〃I'm so sorry I'm late；〃 J said as soon as we were alone。
〃No； you're exactly on time。〃
He held out his hand； and as we shook I could feel that his fingers were still quite noticeably warmer than
mine。 It didn't seem to bother him。
〃You look stunning； if I may be so bold； Mrs。 Cullen。〃
〃Thank you； J。 Please； call me Bella。〃
〃I must say； it's a different experience working with you than it is with Mr。 Jasper。 Much less。。。
unsettling。〃 He smiled hesitantly。
〃Really？ I've always found Jasper to have a very soothing presence。〃
His eyebrows pulled together。 〃Is that so？〃 he murmured politely while clearly still in disagreement。 How
odd。 What had Jasper done to this man？
〃Have you known Jasper long？〃
He sighed； looking unfortable。 〃I've been working with Mr。 Jasper for more than twenty years； and
my old partner knew him for fifteen years before that。。。。 He never changes。〃 J cringed delicately。
〃Yeah； Jasper's kind of funny that way。〃
J shook his head as if he could shake away the disturbing thoughts。 〃Won't you have a seat； Bella？〃
〃Actually； I'm in a bit of a hurry。 I've got a long drive home。〃 As I spoke； I took the thick white envelope
with his bonus from my bag and handed it to him。
〃Oh；〃 he said； a little catch of disappointment in his voice。 He tucked the envelope into an inside pocket
of his jacket without bothering to check the amount。 〃I was hoping we could speak for just a moment。〃
〃About？〃 I asked curiously。
〃Well； let me get you your items first。 I want to make sure you're satisfied。〃
He turned； placed his briefcase on the table； and popped the latches。 He took out a legalsized manila
envelope。
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Though I had no idea what I should be looking for； I opened the envelope and gave the contents a
cursory glance。 J had flipped Jacob's picture and changed the coloring so that it wasn't immediately
evident that it was the same picture on both his passport and driver's license。 Both looked perfectly
sound to me； but that meant little。 I glanced at the picture on Vanessa Wolfe's passport for a fraction of a
second； and then looked away quickly； a lump rising in my throat。
〃Thank you；〃 I told him。
His eyes narrowed slightly； and I f