out the petition was there； besides their own； ours is the largest coven they’ve ever found。 。 。 。”
I stared at his face in horror。 He’d never told me this； but I guessed I knew why。 I could see it in my head
now； Aro’s dream。 Edward and Alice in black； flowing robes； drifting along at Aro’s side with their eyes cold
and bloodred。 。 。 。
Carlisle interrupted my waking nightmare。 “They’re too mitted to their mission。 They would never
break the rules themselves。 It goes against everything they’ve worked for。”
“They’ll clean up afterward。 A double betrayal；” Edward said in a grim voice。 “No harm done。”
Jasper leaned forward； shaking his head。 “No； Carlisle is right。 The Volturi do not break rules。 Besides；
it’s much too sloppy。 This 。 。 。 person； this threat — they have no idea what they’re doing。 A firsttimer； I’d
swear to it。 I cannot believe the Volturi are involved。 But they will be。”
They all stared at each other； frozen with stress。
“Then let’s go；” Emmett almost roared。 “What are we waiting for？”
Carlisle and Edward exchanged a long glance。 Edward nodded once。
“We’ll need you to teach us； Jasper；” Carlisle finally said。 “How to destroy them。” Carlisle’s jaw was
hard； but I could see the pain in his eyes as he said the words。 No one hated violence more than Carlisle。
There was something bothering me； and I couldn’t put my finger on it。 I was numb； horrified； deathly
afraid。 And yet； under that； I could feel that I was missing something important。 Something that would make
some sense out of the chaos。 That would explain it。
“We’re going to need help；” Jasper said。 “Do you think Tanya’s family would be willing 。 。 。 ？ Another five
mature vampires would make an enormous difference。 And then Kate and Eleazar would be especially
advantageous on our side。 It would be almost easy； with their aid。”
“We’ll ask；” Carlisle answered。
Jasper held out a cell phone。 “We need to hurry。”
I’d never seen Carlisle’s innate calm so shaken。 He took the phone； and paced toward the windows。 He
dialed a number； held the phone to his ear； and laid the other hand against the glass。 He stared out into the
foggy morning with a pained and ambivalent expression。
Edward took my hand and pulled me to the white loveseat。 I sat beside him； staring at his face while he
stared at Carlisle。
Carlisle’s voice was low and quick； difficult to hear。 I heard him greet Tanya； and then he raced through
the situation too fast for me to understand much； though I could tell that the Alaskan vampires were not
ignorant of what was going on in Seattle。
Then something changed in Carlisle’s voice。
“Oh；” he said； his voice sharper in surprise。 “We didn’t realize 。 。 。 that Irina felt that way。”
Edward groaned at my side and closed his eyes。 “Damn it。 Damn Laurent to the deepest pit of hell where
he belongs。”
“Laurent？” I whispered； the blood emptying from my face； but Edward didn’t respond； focused on
Carlisle’s thoughts。
My short encounter with Laurent early this spring was not something that had faded or dimmed in my
mind。 I still remembered every word he’d said before Jacob and his pack had interrupted。
I actually came here as a favor to her。 。 。 。
Victoria。 Laurent had been her first maneuver — she’d sent him to observe； to see how hard it might be to
get to me。 He hadn’t survived the wolves to report back。
Though he’d kept up his old ties with Victoria after James’s death； he’d also formed new ties and new
relationships。 He’d gone to live with Tanya’s family in Alaska — Tanya the strawberry blonde — the closest
friends the Cullens had in the vampire world； practically extended family。 Laurent had been with them for
almost a year previous to his death。
Carlisle was still talking； his voice not quite pleading。 Persuasive； but with an edge。 Then the edge abruptly
won out over the persuasion。
“There’s no question of that；” Carlisle said in a stern voice。 “We have a truce。 They haven’t broken it； and
neither will we。 I’m sorry to hear that。 。 。 。 Of course。 We’ll just have to do our best alone。”
Carlisle shut the phone without waiting for an answer。 He continued to stare out into the fog。
“What’s the problem？” Emmett murmured to Edward。
“Irina was more involved with our friend Laurent than we knew。 She’s holding a grudge against the wolves
for destroying him to save Bella。 She wants —” He paused； looking down at me。
“Go on；” I said as evenly as I could。
His eyes tightened。 “She wants revenge。 To take down the pack。 They would trade their help for our
permission。”
“No！” I gasped。
“Don’t worry；” he told me in a flat voice。 “Carlisle would never agree to it。” He hesitated； then sighed。
“Nor would I。 Laurent had it ing” — this was almost a growl — “and I still owe the wolves for that。”
“This isn’t good；” Jasper said。 “It’s too even a fight。 We’d have the upper hand in skill； but not numbers。
We’d win； but at what price？” His tense eyes flashed to Alice’s face and away。
I wanted to scream out loud as I grasped what Jasper meant。
We would win； but we would lose。 Some wouldn’t survive。
I looked around the room at their faces — Jasper； Alice； Emmett； Rose； Esme； Carlisle 。 。 。 Edward —
the faces of my family。
14。 DECLARATION
“YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS；” I SAID WEDNESDAY AFTERnoon。 “You’ve pletely lost your mind！”
“Say whatever you like about me；” Alice answered。 “The party is still on。”
I stared at her； my eyes so wide with disbelief it felt like they might fall out and land on my lunch tray。
“Oh； calm down； Bella！ There’s no reason not to go through with it。 Besides； the invitations are already
sent。”
“But 。 。 。 the 。 。 。 you 。 。 。 I 。 。 。 insane！” I spluttered。
“You’ve already bought my present；” she reminded me。 “You don’t have to do anything but show up。”
I made an effort to calm myself。 “With everything that is going on right now； a party is hardly appropriate。”
“Graduation is what’s going on right now； and a party is so appropriate it’s almost passé。”
“Alice！”
She sighed； and tried to be serious。 “There are a few things we need to get in order now； and that’s going
to take a little time。 As long as we’re sitting here waiting； we might as well memorate the good stuff。
You’re only going to graduate from high school — for the first time — once。 You don’t get to be human
again； Bella。 This is a onceinalifetime shot。”
Edward； silent through our little argument； flashed her a warning look。 She stuck out her tongue at him。
She was right — her soft voice would never carry over the babble of the cafeteria。 And no one would
understand the meaning behind her words in any case。
“What few things do we need to get in order？” I asked； refusing to be sidetracked。
Edward answered in a low voice。 “Jasper thinks we could use some help。 Tanya’s family isn’t the only
choice we have。 Carlisle’s trying to track down a few old friends； and Jasper is looking up Peter and
Charlotte。 He’s considering talking to Maria 。 。 。 but no one really wants to involve the southerners。”
Alice shuddered delicately。
“It shouldn’t be too hard to convince them to help；” he continued。 “Nobody wants a visit from Italy。”
“But these friends — they’re not going to be 。 。 。 vegetarians； right？” I protested； using the Cullens’
tongueincheek nickname for themselves。
“No；” Edward answered； suddenly expressionless。
“Here？ In Forks？”
“They’re friends；” Alice reassured me。 “Everything’s going to be fine。 Don’t worry。 And then； Jasper has
to teach us a few courses on newborn elimination。 。 。 。”
Edward’s eyes brightened at that； and a brief smile flashed across his face。 My stomach suddenly felt like
it was full of sharp little splinters of ice。
“When are you going？” I asked in a hollow voice。 I couldn’t stand this — the idea that someone might not
e back。 What if it was Emmett； so brave and thoughtless that he was never the least bit cautious？ Or
Esme； so sweet and motherly that I couldn’t even imagine her in a fight？ Or Alice； so tiny； so fragilelooking？
Or 。 。 。 but I couldn’t even think the name； consider the possibility。
“A week；” Edward said casually。 “That ought to give us enough time。”
The icy splinters twisted unfortably in my stomach。 I was suddenly nauseated。
“You look kind of green； Bella；” Alice mented。
Edward put his arm around me and pulled me tightly against his side。 “It’s going to be fine； Bella。 Trust
me。”
Sure； I thought to myself。 Trust him。 He wasn’t the one who was going to have to sit behind and wonder
whether or not the core of his existence was going to e home。
And then it occurred to me。 Maybe I didn’t need to sit behind。 A week was more than enough time。
“You’re looking for help；” I said slowly。
“Yes。” Alice’s head cocked to the side as she processed the change in my tone。
I looked only at her as I answered。 My voice was just slightly louder than a whisper。 “I could help。”
Edward’s body was suddenly rigid； his arm too tight around me。 He exhaled； and the sound was a hiss。
But it was Alice； still calm； who answered。 “That really wouldn’t be helpful。”
“Why not？” I argued； I could hear the desperation in my voice。 “Eight is better than seven。 There’s more
than enough time。”
“There’s not enough time to make you helpful； Bella；” she disagreed coolly。 “Do you remember how
Jasper described the young ones？ You’d be no good in a fight。 You wouldn’t be able to control your instincts；
and that would make you an easy target。 And then Edward would get hurt trying to protect you。” She folded
her arms across her chest； pleased with her unassailable logic。
And I knew she was right； when she put it like that。 I slumped in my seat； my sudden hope defeated。
Beside me； Edward relaxed。
He whispered the reminder in my ear。 “Not because you’re afraid。”
“Oh；” Alice said； and a blank look crossed her face。 Then her expression became surly。 “I hate last
minute cancellations。 So that puts the party attendance list down to sixtyfive。