the bike or something； what would you do？”
He hesitated； obviously trying to find the right answer。 I knew the truth： he’d find some way to save me
before I crashed。
Then he smiled。 It looked effortless； except for the tiny defensive tightening of his eyes。
“This is something you do with Jacob。 I see that now。”
“It’s just that； well； I don’t slow him down so much； you know。 I could try； I guess。 。 。 。”
I eyed the silver motorcycle doubtfully。
“Don’t worry about it；” Edward said； and then he laughed lightly。 “I saw Jasper admiring it。 Perhaps it’s
time he discovered a new way to travel。 After all； Alice has her Porsche now。”
“Edward； I —”
He interrupted me with a quick kiss。 “I said not to worry。 But would you do something for me？”
“Whatever you need；” I promised quickly。
He dropped my face and leaned over the far side of the big motorcycle； retrieving something he had
stashed there。
He came back with one object that was black and shapeless； and another that was red and easily
identifiable。
“Please？” he asked； flashing the crooked smile that always destroyed my resistance。
I took the red helmet； weighing it in my hands。 “I’ll look stupid。”
“No； you’ll look smart。 Smart enough not to get yourself hurt。” He threw the black thing； whatever it was；
over his arm and then took my face in his hands。 “There are things between my hands right now that I can’t
live without。 You could take care of them。”
“Okay； fine。 What’s that other thing？” I asked suspiciously。
He laughed and shook out some kind of padded jacket。 “It’s a riding jacket。 I hear road rash is quite
uncomfortable； not that I would know myself。”
He held it out for me。 With a deep sigh； I flipped my hair back and stuffed the helmet on my head。 Then I
shoved my arms through the sleeves of the jacket。 He zipped me in； a smile playing around the corners of his
lips； and took a step back。
I felt bulky。
“Be honest； how hideous do I look？”
He took another step back and pursed his lips。
“That bad； huh？” I muttered。
“No； no； Bella。 Actually 。 。 。” he seemed to be struggling for the right word。 “You look 。 。 。 sexy。”
I laughed out loud。 “Right。”
“Very sexy； really。”
“You are just saying that so that I’ll wear it；” I said。 “But that’s okay。 You’re right； it’s smarter。”
He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me against his chest。 “You’re silly。 I suppose that’s part of
your charm。 Though； I’ll admit it； this helmet does have its drawbacks。”
And then he pulled the helmet off so that he could kiss me。
As Edward drove me toward La Push a little while later； I realized that this unprecedented situation felt oddly
familiar。 It took me a moment of thought to pinpoint the source of the déjà vu。
“You know what this reminds me of？” I asked。 “It’s just like when I was a kid and Renée would pass me
off to Charlie for the summer。 I feel like a seven…year…old。”
Edward laughed。
I didn’t mention it out loud； but the biggest difference between the two circumstances was that Renée and
Charlie had been on better terms。
About halfway to La Push； we rounded the corner and found Jacob leaning against the side of the red
Volkswagen he’d built for himself out of scraps。 Jacob’s carefully neutral expression dissolved into a smile
when I waved from the front seat。
Edward parked the Volvo thirty yards away。
“Call me whenever you’re ready to come home；” he said。 “And I’ll be here。”
“I won’t be out late；” I promised。
Edward pulled the bike and my new gear out of the trunk of his car — I’d been quite impressed that it had
all fit。 But it wasn’t so hard to manage when you were strong enough to juggle full…sized vans； let alone small
motorcycles。
Jacob watched； making no move to approach； his smile gone and his dark eyes indecipherable。
I tucked the helmet under my arm and threw the jacket across the seat。
“Do you have it all？” Edward asked。
“No problem；” I assured him。
He sighed and leaned toward me。 I turned my face up for a goodbye peck； but Edward took me by
surprise； fastening his arms tightly around me and kissing me with as much enthusiasm as he had in the garage
— before long； I was gasping for air。
Edward laughed quietly at something； and then let me go。
“Goodbye；” he said。 “I really do like the jacket。”
As I turned away from him； I thought I saw a flash of something in his eyes that I wasn’t supposed to see。
I couldn’t tell for sure what it was exactly。 Worry； maybe。 For a second I thought it was panic。 But I was
probably just making something out of nothing； as usual。
I could feel his eyes on my back as I pushed my bike toward the invisible vampire…werewolf treaty line to
meet Jacob。
“What’s all that？” Jacob called to me； his voice wary； scrutinizing the motorcycle with an enigmatic
expression。
“I thought I should put this back where it belongs；” I told him。
He pondered that for one short second； and then his wide smile stretched across his face。
I knew the exact point that I was in werewolf territory because Jacob shoved away from his car and loped
quickly over to me； closing the distance in three long strides。 He took the bike from me； balanced it on the
kickstand； and grabbed me up in another vice…tight hug。
I heard the Volvo’s engine growl； and I struggled to get free。
“Cut it out； Jake！” I gasped breathlessly。
He laughed and set me down。 I turned to wave goodbye； but the silver car was already disappearing
around the curve in the road。
“Nice；” I commented； allowing some acid to leak into my voice。
His eyes widened in false innocence。 “What？”
“He’s being pretty dang pleasant about this； you don’t need to push your luck。”
He laughed again； louder than before — he found what I’d said very funny indeed。 I tried to see the joke
as he walked around the Rabbit to hold my door open for me。
“Bella；” he finally said — still chuckling — as he shut the door behind me； “you can’t push what you don’t
have。”
11。 LEGENDS
“ARE YOU GONNA EAT THAT HOT DOG？” PAUL ASKED JAcob； his eyes locked on the last remnant of the huge
meal the werewolves had consumed。
Jacob leaned back against my knees and toyed with the hot dog he had spitted on a straightened wire
hanger； the flames at the edge of the bonfire licked along its blistered skin。 He heaved a sigh and patted his
stomach。 It was somehow still flat； though I’d lost count of how many hot dogs he’d eaten after his tenth。 Not
to mention the super…sized bag of chips or the two…liter bottle of root beer。
“I guess；” Jake said slowly。 “I’m so full I’m about to puke； but I think I can force it down。 I won’t enjoy it
at all； though。” He sighed again sadly。
Despite the fact that Paul had eaten at least as much as Jacob； he glowered and his hands balled up into
fists。
“Sheesh。” Jacob laughed。 “Kidding； Paul。 Here。”
He flipped the homemade skewer across the circle。 I expected it to land hot…dog…first in the sand； but Paul
caught it neatly on the right end without difficulty。
Hanging out with no one but extremely dexterous people all the time was going to give me a complex。
“Thanks； man；” Paul said； already over his brief fit of temper。
The fire crackled； settling lower toward the sand。 Sparks blew up in a sudden puff of brilliant orange
against the black sky。 Funny； I hadn’t noticed that the sun had set。 For the first time； I wondered how late it
had gotten。 I’d lost track of time completely。
It was easier being with my Quileute friends than I’d expected。
While Jacob and I had dropped off my bike at the garage — and he had admitted ruefully that the helmet
was a good idea that he should have thought of himself — I’d started to worry about showing up with him at
the bonfire； wondering if the werewolves would consider me a traitor now。 Would they be angry with Jacob
for inviting me？ Would I ruin the party？
But when Jacob had towed me out of the forest to the clifftop meeting place — where the fire already
roared brighter than the cloud…obscured sun — it had all been very casual and light。
“Hey； vampire girl！” Embry had greeted me loudly。 Quil had jumped up to give me a high five and kiss me
on the cheek。 Emily had squeezed my hand when we’d sat on the cool stone ground beside her and Sam。
Other than a few teasing complaints — mostly by Paul — about keeping the bloodsucker stench
downwind； I was treated like someone who belonged。
It wasn’t just kids in attendance； either。 Billy was here； his wheelchair stationed at what seemed the natural
head of the circle。 Beside him on a folding lawn chair； looking quite brittle； was Quil’s ancient； white…haired
grandfather； Old Quil。 Sue Clearwater； widow of Charlie’s friend Harry； had a chair on his other side； her two
children； Leah and Seth； were also there； sitting on the ground like the rest of us。 This surprised me； but all
three were clearly in on the secret now。 From the way Billy and Old Quil spoke to Sue； it sounded to me like
she’d taken Harry’s place on the council。 Did that make her children automatic members of La Push’s most
secret society？
I wondered how horrible it was for Leah to sit across the circle from Sam and Emily。 Her lovely face
betrayed no emotion； but she never looked away from the flames。 Looking at the perfection of Leah’s
features； I couldn’t help but compare them to Emily’s ruined face。 What did Leah think of Emily’s scars； now
that she knew the truth behind them？ Did it seem like justice in her eyes？
Little Seth Clearwater wasn’t so little anymore。 With his huge； happy grin and his long； gangly build； he
reminded me very much of a younger Jacob。 The resemblance made me smile； and then sigh。 Was Seth
doomed to have his life change as drastically