〃You　don't　want　to　hear　that。〃

〃The　hell　I　don't！〃　I　snapped。　〃I　want　to　know；　and　I　want　to　know　now。〃

〃You're　wrong；〃　he　snapped　back。

〃Don't　you　dare　tell　me　I'm　wrong—I'm　not　the　one　who　got　brainwashed！　Tell

me　now　whose　fault　this

all　is；　if　it's　not　your　precious　Sam！〃

〃You　asked　for　it；〃　he　growled　at　me；　eyes　glinting　hard。　〃If　you　want　to

blame　someone；　why　don't　you

point　your　finger　at　those　filthy；　reeking　bloodsuckers　that　you　love　so

much？〃

My　mouth　fell　open　and　my　breath　came　out　with　a　whooshing　sound。　I　was　frozen

in　place；　stabbed

through　with　his　double…edged　words。　The　pain　twisted　in　familiar　patterns

through　my　body；　the　jagged

hole　ripping　me　open　from　the　inside　out；　but　it　was　second　place；　background

music　to　the　chaos　of　my

thoughts。　I　couldn't　believe　that　I'd　heard　him　correctly。　There　was　no　trace

of　indecision　in　his　face。　Only

fury。

My　mouth　still　hung　wide。

〃I　told　you　that　you　didn't　want　to　hear　it；〃　he　said。

〃I　don't　understand　who　you　mean；〃　I　whispered。

He　raised　one　eyebrow　in　disbelief。　〃I　think　you　understand　exactly　who　I

mean。　You're　not　going　to

make　me　say　it；　are　you？　I　don't　like　hurting　you。〃

〃I　don't　understand　who　you　mean；〃　I　repeated　mechanically。

〃The　Cullens；〃　he　said　slowly；　drawing　out　the　word；　scrutinizing　my　face　as

he　spoke　it。　〃I　saw　that—I

can　see　in　your　eyes　what　it　does　to　you　when　I　say　their　name。〃

I　shook　my　head　back　and　forth　in　denial；　trying　to　clear　it　at　the　same　time。

How　did　he　know　this？　And

how　did　it　have　anything　to　do　with　Sam's　cult？　Was　it　a　gang　of　vampire…

ha