ing　opposable　thumbs。　And　if　Laurent　came　here

Or　Victoria。

I　lay　down　on　my　bed；　but　I　was　shaking　too　hard　to　hope　for　sleep。　I　curled

into　a　cramped　ball　under

my　quilt；　and　faced　the　horrifying　facts。

There　was　nothing　I　could　do。　There　were　no　precautions　I　could　take。　There

was　no　place　I　could　hide。

There　was　no　one　who　could　help　me。

I　realized；　with　a　nauseous　roll　of　my　stomach；　that　the　situation　was　worse

than　even　that。　Because　all

those　facts　applied　to　Charlie；　too。　My　father；　sleeping　one　room　away　from

me；　was　just　a　hairsbreadth

off　the　heart　of　the　target　that　was　centered　on　me。　My　scent　would　lead　them

here；　whether　I　was　here

or　not。

The　tremors　rocked　me　until　my　teeth　chattered。

To　calm　myself；　I　fantasized　the　impossible：　I　imagined　the　big　wolves

catching　up　to　Laurent　in　the

woods　and　massacring　the　indestructible　immortal　the　way　they　would　any　normal

person。　Despite　the

absurdity　of　such　a　vision；　the　idea　forted　me。　If　the　wolves　got　him；　then

he　couldn't　tell　Victoria　I

was　here　all　alone。　If　he　didn't　return；　maybe　she'd　think　the　Cullens　were

still　protecting　me。　If　only　the

wolves　could　win　such　a　fight

My　good　vampires　were　never　ing　back；　how　soothing　it　was　to　imagine　that

the　other　kind　could

also　disappear。

I　squeezed　my　eyes　tight　together　and　waited　for　unconsciousness—almost　eager

for　my　nightmare　to

start。　Better　that　than　the　pale；　beautiful　face　that　smiled　at　me　now　from

behind　my　lids。

In　my　imagination；　Victoria's　eyes　were　black　with　thirst；　bright　with

anticipation；　and　her　lips　curled　back