〃You're　silly。　Hunting　vampires　is　fun。　It's　the　best　part　of　this　whole

mess。〃

I　shook　my　head。　〃If　I'm　silly；　then　you're　dangerously　unbalanced。〃

He　chuckled。　〃Get　some　rest；　Bella；　honey。　You　look　exhausted。〃

〃I'lltry。〃

Charlie　honked　his　horn　impatiently。

〃See　you　tomorrow；〃　Jacob　said。　〃e　down　first　thing。〃

〃Iwill。〃

Charlie　followed　me　home。　I　paid　scant　attention　to　the　lights　in　my　rearview

mirror。　Instead；　I　wondered

where　Sam　and　Jared　and　Embry　and　Paul　were；　out　running　in　the　night。　I

wondered　if　Jacob　had　joined

them　yet。

When　we　got　home；　I　hurried　for　the　stairs；　but　Charlie　was　right　behind　me。

〃What's　going　on；　Bella？〃　he　demanded　before　I　could　escape。　〃I　thought　Jacob

was　part　of　a　gang　and

you　two　were　fighting。〃

〃We　made　up。〃

〃And　the　gang？〃

〃I　don't　know—who　can　understand　teenage　boys？　They're　a　mystery。　But　I　met

Sam　Uley　and　his

fiancee；　Emily。　The　seemed　pretty　nice　to　me。〃　I　shrugged。　〃Must　have　all　been

a　misunderstanding。〃

His　face　changed。　〃I　hadn't　heard　that　he　and　Emily　had　made　it　official。

That's　nice。　Poor　girl。〃

〃Do　you　know　what　happened　to　her？〃

〃Mauled　by　a　bear；　up　north；　during　salmon　spawning　season—horrible　accident

It　was　more　than　a　year

ago　now。　I　heard　Sam　was　really　messed　up　over　it。〃

〃That's　horrible；〃　I　echoed。　More　than　a　year　ago。　I'd　bet　that　meant　it　had

happened　when　there　was　just

one　werewolf　in　La　Push。　I　shuddered　at　the　thought　of　how　Sam　must　have　felt

every　time　he　looked　at

Emily's　face。

That　night；　I　lay　awake　for　a　long　time　trying　to　sort　through　the　day。　I