instinctively；　and　it　seemed　like　the　glossy　red

bike　was　all　I　could　see。　I　was

seeing　red。　My　head　throbbed　again。

〃Just　give　me　one　round　with　Jacob；　and　then　I'll　deal　with　Charlie。〃　I

struggled　futilely　to　break　free。

〃Jacob　Black　wants　to　see　me。　That's　why　he's　still　here。〃

That　stopped　me　cold—took　the　fight　right　out　of　me。　My　hands　went　limp。　They

fight；　Paris　falls。

I　was　furious；　but　not　that　furious。

〃Talk？〃　I　asked。

〃More　or　less。〃

〃How　much　more？〃　My　voice　shook。

Edward　smoothed　my　hair　back　from　my　face。　〃Don't　worry；　he's　not　here　to

fight　me。　He's　acting　as

spokesperson　for　the　pack。〃

〃Oh。〃

Edward　looked　at　the　house　again；　then　tightened　his　arm　around　my　waist　and

pulled　me　toward　the

woods。　〃We　should　hurry。　Charlie's　getting　impatient。〃

We　didn't　have　to　go　far；　Jacob　waited　just　a　short　ways　up　the　path。　He

lounged　against　a　mossy　tree

trunk　as　he　waited；　his　face　hard　and　bitter；　exactly　the　way　I　knew　it　would

be。　He　looked　at　me；　and

then　at　Edward。　Jacob's　mouth　stretched　into　a　humorless　sneer；　and　he

shrugged　away　from　the　tree。　He

stood　on　the　balls　of　his　bare　feet；　leaning　slightly　forward；　with　his

trembling　hands　clenched　into　fists。　He

looked　bigger　than　the　last　time　I'd　seen　him。　Somehow；　impossibly；　he　was

still　growing。　He　would

tower　over　Edward；　if　they　stood　next　to　each　other。

But　Edward　stopped　as　soon　as　we　saw　him；　leaving　a　wide　space　between　us　and

Jacob。　Edward

turned　his　body；　shifting　me　so　that　I　was　behind　him。　I　leaned　around　him　to

stare　at　Jacob—to　accuse

him　with　my　eyes。

I