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pet of theirs？〃 His eyes
were innocent of any intended offense。
I smiled wryly。 〃Something like that。〃
〃Hmm；〃 he said； thoughtful again。
At that precise moment； I realized why he looked the same—too much the same。
After Carlisle told us
that Laurent had stayed with Tanya's family； I'd begun to picture him； on the
rare occasions that I thought
of him at all； with the same golden eyes that the Cullens—I forced the name
out； wincing—had。 That
all good vampires had。
I took an involuntary step back； and his curious； dark red eyes followed the
movement。
〃Do they visit often？〃 he asked； still casual； but his weight shifted toward
me。
〃Lie；〃 the beautiful velvet voice whispered anxiously from my memory。
I started at the sound of his voice； but it should not have surprised me。 Was
I nor in the worst danger
imaginable？ The motorcycle was safe as kittens next to this。
I did what the voice said to do。
〃Now and again。〃 I tried to make my voice light； relaxed。 〃The time seems
longer to me； I imagine。 You
know how they get distracted〃 I was beginning to babble。 I had to work to
shut myself up。
〃Hmm；〃 he said again。 〃The house smelled like it had been vacant for a while
〃
〃You must lie better than that； Bella；〃 the voice urged。
I tried。 〃I'll have to mention to Carlisle that you stopped by。 He'll be sorry
they missed your visit。〃 I
pretended to deliberate for a second。 〃But I probably shouldn't mention it to
Edward； I suppose—〃 I
barely managed to say his name； and it twisted my expression on the way out；
ruining my bluff 〃—he has
such a temper well； I'm sure you remember。 He's still touchy about the whole
James thing。〃 I rolled my
eyes and waved one hand dismissively； like it was all ancient history； but
there was an edge of hysteria to
my voice。 I wondered if he would recognize what it was。
〃Is he really？〃 Laurent asked pleasantly skeptically。
I kept my reply short； so that my voice wouldn't betray my panic。 〃Mm…hmm。〃
Laurent took a casual step to the side； gazing around at the little meadow。 I
didn't miss that the step
brought him closer to me。 In my head； the voice responded with a low snarl。
〃So how are things working out in Denali？ Carlisle said you were staying with
Tanya？〃 My voice was too
high。
The question made him pause。 〃I like Tanya very much；〃 he mused。 〃And her
sister Irina even more
I've never stayed in one place for so long before； and I enjoy the advantages；
the novelty of it。 But； the
restrictions are difficult I'm surprised that any of them can keep it up for
long。〃 He smiled at me
conspiratorially。 〃Sometimes I cheat。〃
I couldn't swallow。 My foot started to ease back； but I froze when his red
eyes flickered down to catch
the movement。
〃Oh；〃 I said in a faint voice。 〃Jasper has problems with that； too。〃
〃Don't move；〃 the voice whispered。 I tried to do what he instructed。 It was
hard； the instinct to take flight
was nearly uncontrollable。
〃Really？〃 Laurent seemed interested。 〃Is that why they left？〃
〃No；〃 I answered honestly。 〃Jasper is more careful at home。〃
〃Yes；〃 Laurent agreed。 〃I am； too。〃
The step forward he took now was quite deliberate。
〃Did Victoria ever find you？〃 I asked； breathless； desperate to distract him。
It was the first question that
popped into my head； and I regretted it as soon as the words were spoken。
Victoria—who had hunted
me with James； and then disappeared—was not someone I wanted to think of at
this particular moment。
But the question did stop him。
〃Yes；〃 he said； hesitating on that step。 〃I actually came here as a favor to
her。〃 He made a face。 〃She
won't be happy about this。〃
〃About what？〃 I said eagerly； inviting him to continue。 He was glaring into
the trees； away from me。 I
took advantage of his diversion； taking a furtive step back。
He looked back at me and smiled—the expression made him look like a black…
haired angel。
〃About me killing you；〃 he answered in a seductive purr。
I staggered back another step。 The frantic growling in my head made it hard to
hear。
〃She wanted to save that part for herself；〃 he went on blithely。 〃She's sort
of put out with you； Bella。〃
〃Me？〃 I squeaked。
He shook his head and chuckled。 〃I know； it seems a little backward to me；
too。 But James was her
mate； and your Edward killed him。〃
Even here； on the point of death； his name tore against my unhealed wounds
like a serrated edge。
Laurent was oblivious to my reaction。 〃She thought it more appropriate to kill
you than Edward—fair
turnabout； mate for mate。 She asked me to get the lay of the land for her； so
to speak。 I didn't imagine
you would be so easy to get to。 So maybe her plan was flawed—apparently it
wouldn't be the revenge
she imagined； since you must not mean very much to him if he left you here
unprotected。〃
Another blow； another tear through my chest。
Laurent's weight shifted slightly； and I stumbled another step back。
He frowned。 〃I suppose she'll be angry； all the same。〃
〃Then why not wait for her？〃 I choked out。
A mischievous grin rearranged his features。 〃Well； you've caught me at a bad
time； Bella。 I didn't e
to this place on Victoria's mission—I was hunting。 I'm quite thirsty； and you
do smell simply
mouthwatering。〃
Laurent looked at me with approval； as if he meant it as a pliment。
〃Threaten him；〃 the beautiful delusion ordered； his voice distorted with
dread。
〃He'll know it was you；〃 I whispered obediently。 〃You won't get away with
this。〃
〃And why not？〃 Laurent's smile widened。 He gazed around the small opening in
the trees。 〃The scent will
wash away with the next rain。 No one will find your body—you'll simply go
missing； like so many； many
other humans。 There's no reason for Edward to think of me； if he cares enough
to investigate。 This is
nothing personal； let me assure you； Bella。 Just thirst。〃
〃Beg；〃 my hallucination begged。
〃Please；〃 I gasped。
Laurent shook his head； his face kind。 〃Look at it this way； Bella。 You're
very lucky I was the one to find
you。〃
〃Am I？〃 I mouthed； faltering another step back。
Laurent followed； lithe and graceful。
〃Yes；〃 he assured me。 〃I'll be very quick。 You won't feel a thing； I promise。
Oh； I'll lie to Victoria about
that later； naturally； just to placate her。 But if you knew what she had
planned for you； Bella〃 He shook
his head with a slow movement； almost as if in disgust。 〃I swear you'd be
thanking me for this。〃
I stared at him in horror。
He sniffed at the breeze that blew threads of my hair in his direction。
〃Mouthwatering；〃 he repeated；
inhaling deeply。
I tensed for the spring； my eyes squinting as I cringed away； and the sound of
Edward's furious roar
echoed distantly in the back of my head。 His name burst through all the walls
I'd built to contain it。
Edward； Edward； Edward。 I was going to die。 It shouldn't matter if I thought
of him now。 Edward； I
love you。
Through my narrowed eyes； I watched as Laurent paused in the act of inhaling
and whipped his head
abruptly to the left。 I was afraid to look away from him； to follow his
glance； though he hardly needed a
distraction or any other trick to overpower me。 I was too amazed to feel
relief when he started slowly
backing away from me。
〃I don't believe it；〃 he said； his voice so low that I barely heard it。
I had to look then。 My eyes scanned the meadow； searching for the interruption
that had extended my life
by a few seconds。 At first I saw nothing； and my gaze flickered back to
Laurent。 He was retreating more
quickly now； his eyes boring into the forest。
Then I saw it； a huge black shape eased out of the trees； quiet as a shadow；
and stalked deliberately
toward the vampire。 It was enormous—as tall as a horse； but thicker； much
more muscular。 The long
muzzle grimaced； revealing a line of dagger…like incisors。 A grisly snarl
rolled out from between the teeth；
rumbling across the clearing like a prolonged crack of thunder。
The bear。 Only； it wasn't a bear at all。 Still； this gigantic black monster
had to be the creature causing all
the alarm。 From a distance； anyone would assume it was a bear。 What else could
be so vast； so
powerfully built？
I wished I were lucky enough to see it from a distance。 Instead； it padded
silently through the grass a
mere ten feet from where I stood。
〃Don't move an inch；〃 Edward's voice whispered。
I stared at the monstrous creature； my mind boggling as I tried to put a name
to it。 There was a distinctly
canine cast to the shape of it； the way it moved。 I could only think of one
possibility； locked in horror as I
was。 Yet I'd never imagined that a wolf could get so big。
Another growl rumbled in its throat； and I shuddered away from the sound。
Laurent was backing toward the edge of the trees； and； under the freezing
terror； confusion swept
through me。 Why was Laurent retreating？ Granted； the wolf was monstrous in
size； but it was just an
animal。 What reason would a vampire have for fearing an animal？ And Laurent
was afraid。 His eyes were
wide with horror； just like mine。
As if in answer to my question； suddenly the mammoth wo