Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
Yes, things are that dangerous.
Enough that you would abandon your family? Sam asked out loud, censure in his tone. It was clear that he had not read the note before giving it to Carlisle. He was upset now, looking as if he regretted listening to Alice.
Edwards expression was stiffto Sam it probably looked angry or arrogant, but I could see the shape of pain in the hard planes of his face.
We dont know what she saw, Edward said. Alice is neither unfeeling nor a coward. She just has more information than we do.
We would not, Sam began.
You are bound differently than we are, Edward snapped. We each still have our free will.
Sams chin jerked up, and his eyes looked suddenly flat black.
But you should heed the warning, Edward went on. This is not something you want to involve yourselves in. You can still avoid what Alice saw.
Sam smiled grimly. We dont run away. Behind him, Paul snorted.
Dont get your family slaughtered for pride, Carlisle interjected quietly.
Sam looked at Carlisle with a softer expression. As Edward pointed out, we dont have the same kind of freedom that you have. Renesmee is as much as part of our family now as she is yours. Jacob cannot abandon her, and we cannot abandon him. His eyes flickered to Alices note, and his lips pressed into a thin line.
You dont know her, Edward said.
Do you? Sam asked bluntly.
Carlisle put a hand on Edwards shoulder. We have much to do, son. Whatever Alices decision, we would be foolish not to follow her advice now. Lets go home and get to work.
Edward nodded, his face still rigid with pain. Behind me, I could hear Esmes quiet, tearless sobs.
I didnt know how to cry in this body; I couldnt do anything but stare. There was no feeling yet. Everything seemed unreal, like I was dreaming again after all these months. Having a nightmare.
Thank you, Sam, Carlisle said.
Im sorry, Sam answered. We shouldnt have let her through.
You did the right thing, Carlisle told him. Alice is free to do what she will. I wouldnt deny her that liberty.
Id always thought of the Cullens as a whole, an indivisible unit. Suddenly, I remembered that it had not always been so. Carlisle had created Edward, Esme, Rosalie and Emmett; Edward had created me. We were physically linked by blood and venom. I never thought of Alice and Jasper as separateas adopted into the family. But in truth, Alice had adopted the Cullens. She had shown up with her unconnected past, bringing Jasper with his, and fit herself into the family that was already there. Both she and Jasper had known another life outside the Cullen family. Had she really chosen to lead another new life after shed seen that life with the Cullens was over?
We were doomed, then, werent we? There was no hope at all. Not one ray, one flicker that might have convinced Alice she had a chance at our side.
The bright morning air seemed thicker suddenly, blacker, as if physically darkened by my despair.
Im not going down without a fight, Emmett snarled low under his breath. Alice told us what to do. Lets get it done.
The others nodded with determined expressions, and I realized that they were banking on whatever chance Alice had given us. That they were not going to give in to hopelessness and wait to die.
Yes, we all would fight. What else was there? And apparently we would involve others, because Alice had said so before shed left us. How could we not follow Alices last warning? The wolves, too, would fight with us for Renesmee.
We would fight, they would fight, and we all would die.
I didnt feel the same resolve the others seemed to feel. Alice knew the odds. She was giving us the only chance she could see, but the chance was too slim for her to bet on it.
I felt already beaten as I turned my back on Sams critical face and followed Carlisle toward home.
We ran automatically now, not the same panicked hurry as before. As we neared the river, Esmes head lifted.
There was that other trail. It was fresh.
She nodded forward, toward where she had called Edwards attention on the way here. While we were racing to save Alice
It has to be from earlier in the day. It was just Alice, without Jasper, Edward said lifelessly.
Esmes face puckered, and she nodded.
I drifted to the right, falling a little behind. I was sure Edward was right, but at the same time After all, how had Alices note ended up on a page from my book?
Bella? Edward asked in an emotionless voice as I hesitated.
I want to follow the trail, I told him, smelling the light scent of Alice that led away from her earlier flight path. I was new to this, but it smelled exactly the same to me, just minus the scent of Jasper.
Edwards golden eyes were empty. It probably just leads back to the house.
Then Ill meet you there.
At first I thought he would let me go alone, but then, as I moved a few steps away, his blank eyes flickered to life.
Ill come with you, he said quietly. Well meet you at home, Carlisle.
Carlisle nodded, and the others left. I waited until they were out of sight, and then I looked at Edward questioningly.
I couldnt let you walk away from me, he explained in a low voice. It hurt just to imagine it.
I understood without more explanation than that. I thought of being divided from him now and realized I would have felt the same pain, no matter how short the separation.
There was so little time left to be together.
I held my hand out to him, and he took it.
Lets hurry, he said. Renesmee will be awake.
I nodded, and we were running again.
It was probably a silly thing, to waste the time away from Renesmee just for curiositys sake. But the note bothered me. Alice could have carved the note into a boulder or tree trunk if she lacked writing utensils. She could have stolen a pad of Post-its from any of the houses by the highway. Why my book? When did she get it?
Sure enough, the trail led back to the cottage by a circuitous route that stayed far clear of the Cullens house and the wolves in the nearby woods. Edwards brows tightened in confusion as it became obvious where the trail led.
He tried to reason it out. She left Jasper to wait for her and came here?
We were almost to the cottage now, and I felt uneasy. I was glad to have Edwards hand in mine, but I also felt as if I should be here alone. Tearing out the page and carrying it back to Jasper was such an odd thing for Alice to do. It felt like there was a message in her actionone I didnt understand at all. But it was my book, so the message must be for me. If it were something she wanted Edward to know, wouldnt she have pulled a page from one of his books ?
Give me just a minute, I said, pulling my hand free as we got to the door.
His forehead creased. Bella?
Please? Thirty seconds.
I didnt wait for him to answer. I darted through the door, pulling it shut behind me. I went straight to the bookshelf. Alices scent was freshless than a day old. A fire that I had not set burned low but hot in the fireplace. I yanked The Merchant of Venice off the shelf and flipped it open to the title page.
There, next to the feathered edge left by the torn page, under the words The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, was a note.
Destroy this.
Below that was a name and an address in Seattle.
When Edward came through the door after only thirteen seconds rather than thirty, I was watching the book burn.
Whats going on, Bella?
She was here. She ripped a page out of my book to write her note on.
Why?
I dont know why.
Why are you burning it?
II I frowned, letting all my frustration and pain show on my face. I did not know what Alice was trying to tell me, only that shed gone to great lengths to keep it from anyone but me. The one person whose mind Edward could not read. So she must want to keep him in the dark, and it was probably for a good reason. It seemed appro
We dont know what shes doing, he said quietly.
I stared into the flames. I was the only person in the world who could lie to Edward. Was that what Alice wanted from me? Her last request?
When we were on the plane to Italy, I whisperedthis was not a lie, except perhaps in contexton our way to rescue you she lied to Jasper so that he wouldnt come after us. She knew that if he faced the Volturi, he would die. She was willing to die herself rather than put him in danger. Willing for me to die, too. Willing for you to die.
Edward didnt answer.
She has her priorities, I said. It made my still heart ache to realize that my explanation did not feel like a lie in any way.
I dont believe it, Edward said. He didnt say it like he was arguing with mehe said it like he was arguing with himself. Maybe it was just Jasper in danger. Her plan would work for the rest of us, but hed be lost if he stayed. Maybe . . .
She could have told us that. Sent him away.
But would Jasper have gone? Maybe shes lying to him again.
Maybe, I pretended to agree. We should go home. Theres no time.
Edward took my hand, and we ran.
Alices note did not make me hopeful. If there were any way to avoid the coming slaughter, Alice would have stayed. I couldnt see another possibility. So it was something else she was giving me. Not a way to escape. But what else would she think that I wanted? Maybe a way to salvage something? Was there anything I could still save?
Carlisle and the others had not been idle in our absence. Wed been separated from them for all of five minutes, and they were already prepared to leave. In the corner, Jacob was human again, with Renesmee on his lap, both of them watching us with wide eyes.
Rosalie had traded her silk wrap dress for a sturdy-looking pair of jeans, running shoes, and a button-down shirt made of the thick weave that backpackers used for long trips. Esme was dressed similarly. There was a globe on the coffee table, but they were done looking at it, just waiting for us.
The atmosphere was more positive now than before; it felt good to them to be in action. Their hopes were pinned on Alices instructions.
I looked at the globe and wondered where we were headed first.
Were to stay here? Edward asked, looking at Carlisle. He didnt sound happy.
Alice said that we would have to show people Renesmee, and we would have to be careful about it, Carlisle said. Well send whomever we can find back here to youEdward, youll be the best at fielding that particular minefield.
Edward gave one sharp nod, still not happy. Theres a lot of ground to cover.
Were splitting up, Emmett answered. Rose and I are hunting for nomads.
Youll have your hands full here, Carlisle said. Tanyas family will be here in the morning, and they have no idea why. First, you have to persuade them not to react the way Irina did. Second, youve got to find out what Alice meant about Eleazar. Then, after all that, will they stay to witness for us? It will start again as the others comeif we can persuade anyone to come in the first place. Carlisle sighed. Your job may well be the hardest. Well be back to help as soon as we can.
Carlisle put his hand on Edwards shoulder for a second and then kissed my forehead. Esme hugged us both, and Emmett punched us both on the arm. Rosalie forced a hard smile for Edward and me, blew a kiss to Renesmee, and then gave Jacob a parting grimace.
Good luck, Edward told them.
And to you, Carlisle said. Well all need it.
I watched them leave, wishing I could feel whatever hope bolstered them, and wishing I could be alone with the computer for just a few seconds. I had to figure out who this J. Jenks person was and why Alice had gone to such lengths to give his name to only me.
Renesmee twisted in Jacobs arms to touch his cheek.
I dont know if Carlisles friends will come. I hope so. Sounds like were a little outnumbered right now, Jacob murmured to Renesmee.
So she knew. Renesmee already understood only too clearly what was going on. The whole imprinted-werewolf-gives-the-object-of-his-imprinting-whatever-she-wants thing was getting old pretty fast. Wasnt shielding her more important than answering her questions?
I looked carefully at her face. She did not look frightened, only anxious and very serious as she conversed with Jacob in her silent way.
No, we cant help; weve got to stay here, he went on. People are coming to see you, not the scenery.
Renesmee frowned at him.
No, I dont have to go anywhere, he said to her. Then he looked at Edward, his face stunned by the realization that he might be wrong. Do I?
Edward hesitated.
Spit it out, Jacob said, his voice raw with tension. He was right at his breaking point, just like the rest of us.
The vampires who are coming to help us are not the same as we are, Edward said. Tanyas family is the only one besides ours with a reverence for human life, and even they dont think much of werewolves. I think it might be safer
I can take care of myself, Jacob interrupted.
Safer for Renesmee, Edward continued, if the choice to believe our story about her is not tainted by an association with werewolves.
Some friends. Theyd turn on you just because of who you hang out with now?
I think they would mostly be tolerant under normal circumstances. But you need to understandaccepting Nessie will not be a simple thing for any of them. Why make it even the slightest bit harder?
Carlisle had explained the laws about immortal children to Jacob last night. The immortal children were really that bad? he asked.
You cant imagine the depth of the scars theyve left in the collective vampire psyche.
Edward . . . It was still odd to hear Jacob use Edwards name without bitterness.
I know, Jake. I know how hard it is to be away from her. Well play it by ear see how they react to her. In any case, Nessie is going to have to be incognito off and on in the next few weeks. Shell need to stay at the cottage until the right moment for us to introduce her. As long as you keep a safe distance from the main house . . .
I can do that. Company in the morning, huh?
Yes. The closest of our friends. In this particular case, its probably better if we get things out in the open as soon as possible. You can stay here. Tanya knows about you. Shes even met Seth.
Right.
You should tell Sam whats going on. There might be strangers in the woods soon.
Good point. Though I owe him some silence after last night.
Listening to Alice is usually the right thing.
Jacobs teeth ground together, and I could see that he shared Sams feelings about what Alice and Jasper had done.
While they were talking, I wandered toward the back windows, trying to look distracted and anxious. Not a difficult thing to do. I leaned my head against the wall that curved away from the living room toward the dining room, right next to one of the computer desks. I ran my fingers against the keys while staring into the forest, trying to make it look like an absentminded thing. Did vampires ever do things absentmindedly? I didnt think anyone was paying particular attention to me, but I didnt turn to make sure. The monitor glowed to life. I stroked my fingers across the keys again. Then I drummed them very quietly on the wooden desktop, just to make it seem random. Another stroke across the keys.
I scanned the screen in my peripheral vision.
No J. Jenks, but there was a Jason Jenks. A lawyer. I brushed the keyboard, trying to keep a rhythm, like the preoccupied stroking of a cat youd all but forgotten on your lap. Jason Jenks had a fancy website for his firm, but the address on the homepage was wrong. In Seattle, but in a different zip code. I noted the phone number and then stroked the keyboard in rhythm. This time I searched the address, but nothing at all came up, as if the address didnt exist. I wanted to look at a map, but I decided I was pushing my luck. One more brush, to delete the history. . . .
I continued staring out the window and brushed the wood a few times. I heard light footsteps crossing th
Renesmee reached for me, and I held my arms open. She launched herself into them, smelling strongly of werewolf, and nestled her head against my neck.
I didnt know if I could stand this. As much as I feared for my life, for Edwards, for the rest of my familys, it was not the same as the gut-wrenching terror I felt for my daughter. There had to be a way to save her, even if that was the only thing I could do.
Suddenly, I knew that this was all I wanted anymore. The rest I would bear if I had to, but not her life being forfeited. Not that.
She was the one thing I simply had to save.
Would Alice have known how I would feel?
Renesmees hand touched my cheek lightly.
She showed me my own face, Edwards, Jacobs, Rosalies, Esmes, Carlisles, Alices, Jaspers, flipping through all our familys faces faster and faster. Seth and Leah. Charlie, Sue, and Billy. Over and over again. Worrying, like the rest of us were. She was only worrying, though. Jake had kept the worst from her as far as I could tell. The part about how we had no hope, how we all were going to die in a months time.