e

to　lie　with　your　thoughts。　If　you

had　died；　I　would　still　try　to　stop　him。　And　I　would　be　thinking　'she's　alive；

she's　alive'　as　hard　as　I　could。

He　knows　that。〃

I　ground　my　teeth　in　mute　frustration。

〃If　there　were　any　way　to　do　this　without　you；　Bella；　I　wouldn't　be

endangering　you　like　this。　It's　very

wrong　of　me。〃

〃Don't　be　stupid。　I'm　the　last　thing　you　should　be　worrying　about。〃　I　shook　my

head　impatiently。　〃Tell　me

what　you　meant；　about　hating　to　lie　to　Jasper。〃

She　smiled　a　grim　smile。　〃I　promised　him　I　would　get　out　before　they　killed

me；　too。　It's　not　something　I

can　guarantee—not　by　a　long　shot。〃　She　raised　her　eyebrows；　as　if　willing　me

to　take　the　danger　more

seriously。

〃Who　are　these　Volturi？〃　I　demanded　in　a　whisper。　〃What　makes　them　so　much

more　dangerous　than

Emmett；　Jasper；　Rosalie；　and　you？〃　It　was　hard　to　imagine　something　scarier

than　that。

She　took　a　deep　breath；　and　then　abruptly　leveled　a　dark　glance　over　my

shoulder。　I　turned　in　time　to　see

the　man　in　the　aisle　seat　looking　away　as　if　he　wasn't　listening　to　us。　He

appeared　to　be　a　businessman；　in

a　dark　suit　with　a　power　tie　and　a　laptop　on　his　knees。　While　I　stared　at　him

with　irritation；　he　opened　the

puter　and　very　conspicuously　put　headphones　on。

I　leaned　closer　to　Alice。　Her　lips　were　at　my　ears　as　she　breathed　the　story。

〃I　was　surprised　that　you　recognized　the　name；〃　she　said。　〃That　you　understood

so　immediately　what　it

meant—when　I　said　he　was　going　to　Italy。　I　thought　I　would　have　to　explain。

How　much　did　Edward　tell

you？〃

〃He　just　said　they　were　an　o