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Embry； it dangled in limp
strips from his hand。
〃Totally shredded；〃 Jared said。 〃Billy said this was the last pair he could
afford—guess Jacob's going
barefoot now。〃
〃This one survived；〃 Embry said； holding up a white sneaker。 〃Jake can hop；〃
he added with a laugh。
Jared started collecting various pieces of fabric from the dirt。 〃Get Sam's
shoes； will you？ All the rest of
this is headed for the trash。〃
Embry grabbed the shoes and then jogged into the trees where Sam had
disappeared。 He was back in a
few seconds with a pair of cut…off jeans draped over his arm。 Jared gathered
the torn remnants of
Jacob's and Paul's clothes and wadded them into a ball。 Suddenly； he seemed to
remember me。
He looked at me carefully； assessing。
〃Hey； you're not going to faint or puke or anything？〃 he demanded。
〃I don't think so；〃 I gasped。
〃You don't look so good。 Maybe you should sit down。〃
〃Okay；〃 I mumbled。 For the second time in one morning； I put my head between
my knees。
〃Jake should have warned us；〃 Embry plained。
〃He shouldn't have brought his girlfriend into this。 What did he expect？〃
〃Well； the wolf's out of the bag now。〃 Embry sighed。 〃Way to go； Jake。〃
I raised my head to glare at the two boys who seemed to be taking this all so
lightly。 〃Aren't you worried
about them at 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 into the bed。 As
soon as his door was
closed； Embry muttered to me； 〃Don't throw up； okay？ I've only got a ten； and
if Paul got his teeth into
Jacob〃
〃Okay；〃 I whispered。
Embry drove us back toward the village。
〃Hey； how did Jake get around the injunction anyway？〃
〃The what？〃
〃Er； the order。 You know； to not spill the beans。 How did he tell you about
this？〃
〃Oh； that；〃 I said； remembering Jacob trying to choke out the truth to me last
night。 〃He didn't。 I guessed
right。〃
Embry pursed his lips； looking surprised。 〃Hmm。 S'pose that would work。〃
〃Where are we going？〃 I asked。
〃Emily's house。 She's Sam's girlfriend no； fiancee； now； I guess。 They'll
meet us back there after Sam
gives it to them for what just happened。 And after Paul and Jake scrounge up
some new clothes； if Paul
even has any left。〃
〃Does Emily know about ？〃
〃Yeah。 And hey； don't stare at her。 That bugs Sam。〃
I frowned at him。 〃Why would I stare？〃
Embry looked unfortable。 〃Like you saw just now； hanging out around
werewolves has its risks。〃 He
changed the subject quickly。 〃Hey； are you okay about the whole thing with the
black…haired
bloodsucker in the meadow？ It didn't look like he was a friend of yours； but。
。〃 Embry shrugged。
〃No； he wasn't my friend。〃
〃That's good。 We didn't want to start anything； break the treaty； you know。〃
〃Oh； yeah； Jake told me about the treaty once； a long time ago。 Why would
killing Laurent break the
treaty？〃
〃Laurent；〃 he repeated； snorting； like he was amused the vampire had had a
name。 〃Well； we were
technically on Cullen turf。 We're not allowed to attack any of them； the
Cullens； at least； off our
land—unless they break the treaty first。 We didn't know if the black…haired
one was a relative of theirs or
something。 Looked like you knew him。〃
〃How would they go about breaking the treaty？〃
〃If they bite a human。 Jake wasn't so keen on the idea of letting it go that
far。〃
〃Oh。 Um； thanks。 I'm glad you didn't wait。〃
〃Our pleasure。〃 He sounded like he meant that in a literal sense。
Embry drove past the easternmost house on the highway before turning off onto
a narrow dirt road。
〃Your truck is slow；〃 he noted。
〃Sorry。〃
At the end of the lane was a tiny house that had once been gray。 There was
only one narrow window
beside the weathered blue door； but the window box under it was filled with
bright orange and yellow
marigolds； giving the whole place a cheerful look。
Embry opened the truck door and inhaled。 〃Mmm； Emily's cooking。〃
Jared jumped out of the back of the truck and headed for the door； but Embry
stopped him with one
hand on his chest。 He looked at me meaningfully； and cleared his throat。
〃I don't have my wallet on me；〃 Jared said。
〃That's okay。 I won't forget。〃
They climbed up the one step and entered the house without knocking。 I
followed timidly after them。
The front room； like Billy's house； was mostly kitchen。 A young woman with
satiny copper skin and long；
straight； crow…black hair was standing at the counter by the sink； popping big
muffins out of a tin and
placing them on a paper plate。 For one second； I thought the reason Embry had
told me not to stare was
because the girl was so beautiful。
And then she asked 〃You guys hungry？〃 in a melodic voice； and she turned to
face us full on； a smile on
half of her face。
The right side of her face was scarred from hairline to chin by three thick；
red lines； livid in color though
they were long healed。 One line pulled down the corner of her dark； almond…
shaped right eye； another
twisted the right side of her mouth into a permanent grimace。
Thankful for Embry's warning； I quickly turned my eyes to the muffins in her
hands。 They smelled
wonderful—like fresh blueberries。
〃Oh；〃 Emily said； surprised。 〃Who's this？〃
I looked up； trying to focus on the left half of her face。
〃Bella Swan；〃 Jared told her； shrugging。 Apparently； I'd been a topic of
conversation before。 〃Who else？〃
〃Leave it to Jacob to find a way around；〃 Emily murmured。 She stared at me；
and neither half of her
once…beautiful face was friendly。 〃So； you're the vampire girl。〃
I stiffened。 〃Yes。 Are you the wolf girl？〃
She laughed； as did Embry and Jared。 The left half of her face warmed。 〃I
guess I am。〃 She turned to
Jared。 〃Where's Sam？〃
〃Bella； er； surprised Paul this morning。〃
Emily rolled her good eye。 〃Ah； Paul；〃 she sighed。 〃Do you think they'll be
long？ I was just about to start
the eggs。〃
〃Don't worry；〃 Embry told her。 〃If they're late； we won't let anything go to
waste。〃
Emily chuckled； and then opened the refrigerator。 〃No doubt；〃 she agreed。
〃Bella； are you hungry？ Go
ahead and help yourself to a muffin。〃
〃Thanks。〃 I took one from the plate and started nibbling around the edges。 It
was delicious； and it felt
good in my tender stomach。 Embry picked up his third and shoved it into his
mouth whole。
〃Save some for your brothers；〃 Emily chastised him； hitting him on the head
with a wooden spoon。 The
word surprised me； but the others thought nothing of it。
〃Pig；〃 Jared mented。
I leaned against the counter and watched the three of them banter like a
family。 Emily's kitchen was a
friendly place； bright with white cupboards and pale wooden floorboards。 On
the little round table； a
cracked blue…and…white china pitcher was overflowing with wildflowers。 Embry
and Jared seemed
entirely at ease here。
Emily was mixing a humongous batch of eggs； several dozen； in a big yellow
bowl。 She had the sleeves of
her lavender shirt pushed up； and I could see that the scars extended all the
way down her arm to the
back of her right hand。 Hanging out with werewolves truly did have its risks；
just as Embry had said。
The front door opened； and Sam stepped through。
〃Emily；〃 he said； and so much love saturated his voice that I felt
embarrassed； intrusive； as I watched him
cross the room in one stride and take her face in his wide hands。 He leaned
down and kissed the dark
scars on her right cheek before he kissed her lips。
〃Hey； none of that；〃 Jared plained。 〃I'm eating。〃
〃Then shut up and eat；〃 Sam suggested； kissing Emily's ruined mouth again。
〃Ugh；〃 Embry groaned。
This was worse than any romantic