t　all？〃　I　demanded。

Embry　blinked　once　in　surprise　〃Worried？　Why？〃

〃They　could　hurt　each　other！〃

Embry　and　Jared　guffawed。

〃I　hope　Paul　gets　a　mouthful　of　him；〃　Jared　said。　〃Teach　him　a　lesson。〃

I　blanched。

〃Yeah；　right！〃　Embry　disagreed。　〃Did　you　see　Jake？　Even　Sam　couldn't　have

phased　on　the　fly　like　that。

He　saw　Paul　losing　it；　and　it　took　him；　what；　half　a　second　to　attack？　The

boy's　got　a　gift。〃

〃Paul's　been　fighting　longer。　I'll　bet　you　ten　bucks　he　leaves　a　mark。〃

〃You're　on。　Jake's　a　natural。　Paul　doesn't　have　a　prayer。〃

They　shook　hands；　grinning。

I　tried　to　fort　myself　with　their　lack　of　concern；　but　I　couldn't　drive　the

brutal　image　of　the　fighting

werewolves　from　my　head。　My　stomach　churned；　sore　and　empty；　my　head　ached

with　worry。

〃Let's　go　see　Emily。　You　know　she'll　have　food　waiting。〃　Embry　looked　down　at

me。　〃Mind　giving　us　a

ride？〃

〃No　problem；〃　I　choked。

Jared　raised　one　eyebrow。　〃Maybe　you'd　better　drive；　Embry。　She　still　looks

like　she　might　hurl。〃

〃Good　idea。　Where　are　the　keys？〃　Embry　asked　me。

〃Ignition。〃

Embry　opened　the　passenger…side　door。　〃In　you　go；〃　he　said　cheerfully；　hauling

me　up　from　the　ground

with　one　hand　and　stuffing　me　into　my　seat。　He　appraised　the　available　space。

〃You'll　have　to　ride　in　the

back；〃　he　told　Jared。

〃That's　fine。　I　got　a　weak　stomach。　I　don't　want　to　be　in　there　when　she

blows。〃

〃I　bet　she's　tougher　than　that。　She　runs　with　vampires。〃

〃Five　bucks？〃　Jared　asked。

〃Done。　I　feel　guilty；　taking　your　money　like　this。〃

Embry　got　in　and　started　the　engine　while　Jared　leapt　agilely　in