when the bass played。
“Hey； Alice；” I shouted over the wailing as I climbed in。 “Where’s your brother？”
She was singing along to the song； her voice an octave higher than the melody； weaving through it with a
complicated harmony。 She nodded at me； ignoring my question as she concentrated on the music。
I shut my door and put my hands over my ears。 She grinned； and turned the volume down until it was just
background。 Then she hit the locks and the gas in the same second。
“What’s going on？” I asked； starting to feel uneasy。 “Where is Edward？”
She shrugged。 “They left early。”
“Oh。” I tried to control the absurd disappointment。 If he left early； that meant he’d be back sooner； I
reminded myself。
“All the boys went； and we’re having a slumber party！” she announced in a trilling； singsong voice。
“A slumber party？” I repeated； the suspicion finally settling in。
“Aren’t you excited？” she crowed。
I met her animated gaze for a long second。
“You’re kidnapping me； aren’t you？”
She laughed and nodded。 “Till Saturday。 Esme cleared it with Charlie； you’re staying with me two nights；
and I will drive you to and from school tomorrow。”
I turned my face to the window； my teeth grinding together。
“Sorry；” Alice said； not sounding in the least bit penitent。 “He paid me off。”
“How？” I hissed through my teeth。
“The Porsche。 It’s exactly like the one I stole in Italy。” She sighed happily。 “I’m not supposed to drive it
around Forks； but if you want； we could see how long it takes to get from here to L。A。 — I bet I could have
you back by midnight。”
I took a deep breath。 “I think I’ll pass；” I sighed； repressing a shudder。
We wound； always too fast； down the long drive。 Alice pulled around to the garage； and I quickly looked
over the cars。 Emmett’s big jeep was there； with a shiny canary yellow Porsche between it and Rosalie’s red
convertible。
Alice hopped out gracefully and went to stroke her hand along the length of her bribe。 “Pretty； isn’t it？”
“Pretty over…the…top；” I grumbled； incredulous。 “He gave you that just for two days of holding me
hostage？”
Alice made a face。
A second later； comprehension came and I gasped in horror。 “It’s for every time he’s gone； isn’t it？”
She nodded。
I slammed my door and stomped toward the house。 She danced along next to me； still unrepentant。
“Alice； don’t you think this is just a little bit controlling？ Just a tiny bit psychotic； maybe？”
“Not really。” She sniffed。 “You don’t seem to grasp how dangerous a young werewolf can be。 Especially
when I can’t see them。 Edward has no way to know if you’re safe。 You shouldn’t be so reckless。”
My voice turned acidic。 “Yes； because a vampire slumber party is the pinnacle of safety conscious
behavior。”
Alice laughed。 “I’ll give you a pedicure and everything；” she promised。
It wasn’t so bad； except for the fact that I was being held against my will。 Esme brought Italian food —
the good stuff； all the way from Port Angeles — and Alice was prepared with my favorite movies。 Even
Rosalie was there； quietly in the background。 Alice did insist on the pedicure； and I wondered if she was
working from a list — maybe something she’d compiled from watching bad sitcoms。
“How late do you want to stay up？” she asked when my toenails were glistening a bloody red。 Her
enthusiasm remained untouched by my mood。
“I don’t want to stay up。 We have school in the morning。”
She pouted。
“Where am I supposed to sleep； anyway？” I measured the couch with my eyes。 It was a little short。
“Can’t you just keep me under surveillance at my house？”
“What kind of a slumber party would that be？” Alice shook her head in exasperation。 “You’re sleeping in
Edward’s room。”
I sighed。 His black leather sofa was longer than this one。 Actually； the gold carpet in his room was
probably thick enough that the floor wouldn’t be half bad either。
“Can I go back to my place to get my things； at least？”
She grinned。 “Already taken care of。”
“Am I allowed to use your phone？”
“Charlie knows where you are。”
“I wasn’t going to call Charlie。” I frowned。 “Apparently； I have some plans to cancel。”
“Oh。” She deliberated。 “I’m not sure about that。”
“Alice！” I whined loudly。 “C’mon！”
“Okay； okay；” she said； flitting from the room。 She was back in half a second； cell phone in hand。 “He
didn’t specifically prohibit this 。 。 。 ；” she murmured to herself as she handed it to me。
I dialed Jacob’s number； hoping he wasn’t out running with his friends tonight。 Luck was with me —
Jacob was the one to answer。
“Hello？”
“Hey； Jake； it’s me。” Alice watched me with expressionless eyes for a second； before she turned and went
to sit between Rosalie and Esme on the sofa。
“Hi； Bella；” Jacob said； suddenly cautious。 “What’s up？”
“Nothing good。 I can’t come over Saturday after all。”
It was silent for a minute。 “Stupid bloodsucker；” he finally muttered。 “I thought he was leaving。 Can’t you
have a life when he’s gone？ Or does he lock you in a coffin？”
I laughed。
“I don’t think that’s funny。”
“I’m only laughing because you’re close；” I told him。 “But he’s going to be here Saturday； so it doesn’t
matter。”
“Will he be feeding there in Forks； then？” Jacob asked cuttingly。
“No。” I didn’t let myself get irritated with him。 I wasn’t that far from being as angry as he was。 “He left
early。”
“Oh。 Well； hey； come over now； then；” he said with sudden enthusiasm。 “It’s not that late。 Or I’ll come up
to Charlie’s。”
“I wish。 I’m not at Charlie’s；” I said sourly。 “I’m kind of being held prisoner。”
He was silent as that sunk in； and then he growled。 “We’ll come and get you；” he promised in a flat voice；
slipping automatically into a plural。
A chill slid down my spine； but I answered in a light and teasing voice。 “Tempting。 I have been tortured —
Alice painted my toenails。”
“I’m serious。”
“Don’t be。 They’re just trying to keep me safe。”
He growled again。
“I know it’s silly； but their hearts are in the right place。”
“Their hearts！” he scoffed。
“Sorry about Saturday；” I apologized。 “I’ve got to hit the sack” — the couch； I corrected mentally — “but
I’ll call you again soon。”
“Are you sure they’ll let you？” he asked in a scathing tone。
“Not completely。” I sighed。 “’Night； Jake。”
“See you around。”
Alice was abruptly at my side； her hand held out for the phone； but I was already dialing。 She saw the
number。
“I don’t think he’ll have his phone on him；” she said。
“I’ll leave a message。”
The phone rang four times； followed by a beep。 There was no greeting。
“You are in trouble；” I said slowly； emphasizing each word。 “Enormous trouble。 Angry grizzly bears are
going to look tame next to what is waiting for you at home。”
I snapped the phone shut and placed it in her waiting hand。 “I’m done。”
She grinned。 “This hostage stuff is fun。”
“I’m going to sleep now；” I announced； heading for the stairs。 Alice tagged along。
“Alice；” I sighed。 “I’m not going to sneak out。 You would know if I was planning to； and you’d catch me if
I tried。”
“I’m just going to show you where your things are；” she said innocently。
Edward’s room was at the farthest end of the third floor hallway； hard to mistake even when the huge
house had been less familiar。 But when I switched the light on； I paused in confusion。 Had I picked the wrong
door？
Alice giggled。
It was the same room； I realized quickly； the furniture had just been rearranged。 The couch was pushed to
the north wall and the stereo shoved up against the vast shelves of CDs — to make room for the colossal bed
that now dominated the central space。
The southern wall of glass reflected the scene back like a mirror； making it look twice as bad。
It matched。 The coverlet was a dull gold； just lighter than the walls； the frame was black； made of
intricately patterned wrought iron。 Sculpted metal roses wound in vines up the tall posts and formed a bowery
lattice overhead。 My pajamas were folded neatly on the foot of the bed； my bag of toiletries to one side。
“What the hell is all this？” I spluttered。
“You didn’t really think he would make you sleep on the couch； did you？”
I mumbled unintelligibly as I stalked forward to snatch my things off the bed。
“I’ll give you some privacy；” Alice laughed。 “See you in the morning。”
After my teeth were brushed and I was dressed； I grabbed a puffy feather pillow off the huge bed and
dragged the gold cover to the couch。 I knew I was being silly； but I didn’t care。 Porsches as bribes and king…
sized beds in houses where nobody slept — it was beyond irritating。 I flipped off the lights and curled up on
the sofa； wondering if I was too annoyed to sleep。
In the dark； the glass wall was no longer a black mirror； doubling the room。 The light of the moon
brightened the clouds outside the window。 As my eyes adjusted； I could see the diffused glow highlighting the
tops of the trees； and glinting off a small slice of the river。 I watched the silver light； waiting for my eyes to get
heavy。
There was a light knock on the door。
“What； Alice？” I hissed。 I was on the defensive； imagining her amusement when she saw my makeshift
bed。
“It’s me；” Rosalie said softly； opening the door enough that I could see the silver glow touch her perfect
face。 “Can I come in？”
7。 UNHAPPY ENDING
ROSALIE HESITATED IN THE DOORWAY； HER BREATHTAKing face unsure。
“Of course；” I replied； my voice an octave high with surprise。 “Come on in。”