lower into her crouch； a lioness again； and stalked deliberately forward。
Victoria was no inexperienced； instinct…driven newborn。 She was lethal。 Even I could tell the difference
between her and Riley； and I knew that Seth wouldn’t have lasted so long if he’d been fighting this vampire。
Edward shifted； too； as they closed on each other； and it was lion versus lioness。
The dance increased in tempo。
It was like Alice and Jasper in the meadow； a blurred spiraling of movement； only this dance was not as
perfectly choreographed。 Sharp crunches and crackings reverberated off the cliff face whenever someone
slipped in their formation。 But they were moving too fast for me to see who was making the mistakes。 。 。 。
Riley was distracted by the violent ballet； his eyes anxious for his partner。 Seth struck； crunching off
another small piece of the vampire。 Riley bellowed and launched a massive backhanded blow that caught Seth
full in his broad chest。 Seth’s huge body soared ten feet and crashed into the rocky wall over my head with a
force that seemed to shake the whole peak。 I heard the breath whoosh from his lungs； and I ducked out of the
way as he rebounded off the stone and collapsed on the ground a few feet in front of me。
A low whimper escaped through Seth’s teeth。
Sharp fragments of gray stone showered down on my head； scratching my exposed skin。 A jagged spike
of rock rolled down my right arm and I caught it reflexively。 My fingers clenched around the long shard as my
own survival instincts kicked in； since there was no chance of flight； my body — not caring how ineffectual the
gesture was — prepared for a fight。
Adrenaline jolted through my veins。 I knew the brace was cutting into my palm。 I knew the crack in my
knuckle was protesting。 I knew it； but I could not feel the pain。
Behind Riley； all I could see was the twisting flame of Victoria’s hair and a blur of white。 The increasingly
frequent metallic snaps and tears； the gasps and shocked hissings； made it clear that the dance was turning
deadly for someone。
But which someone？
Riley lurched toward me； his red eyes brilliant with fury。 He glared at the limp mountain of sand…colored
fur between us； and his hands — mangled； broken hands — curled into talons。 His mouth opened； widened；
his teeth glistening； as he prepared to rip out Seth’s throat。
A second kick of adrenaline hit like an electric shock； and everything was suddenly very clear。
Both fights were too close。 Seth was about to lose his； and I had no idea if Edward was winning or losing。
They needed help。 A distraction。 Something to give them an edge。
My hand gripped the stone spike so tightly that a support in the brace snapped。
Was I strong enough？ Was I brave enough？ How hard could I shove the rough stone into my body？
Would this buy Seth enough time to get back on his feet？ Would he heal fast enough for my sacrifice to do him
any good？
I raked the point of the shard up my arm； yanking my thick sweater back to expose the skin； and then
pressed the sharp tip to the crease at my elbow。 I already had a long scar there from my last birthday。 That
night； my flowing blood had been enough to catch every vampire’s attention； to freeze them all in place for an
instant。 I prayed it would work that way again。 I steeled myself and sucked in one deep breath。
Victoria was distracted by the sound of my gasp。 Her eyes； holding still for one tiny portion of a second；
met mine。 Fury and curiosity mingled strangely in her expression。
I wasn’t sure how I heard the low sound with all the other noises echoing off the stone wall and hammering
inside my head。 My own heartbeat should have been enough to drown it out。 But； in the split second that I
stared into Victoria’s eyes； I thought I heard a familiar； exasperated sigh。
In that same short second； the dance broke violently apart。 It happened so quickly that it was over before
I could follow the sequence of events。 I tried to catch up in my head。
Victoria had flown out of the blurred formation and smashed into a tall spruce about halfway up the tree。
She dropped back to the earth already crouched to spring。
Simultaneously； Edward — all but invisible with speed — had twisted backward and caught the
unsuspecting Riley by the arm。 It had looked like Edward planted his foot against Riley’s back； and heaved —
The little campsite was filled with Riley’s piercing shriek of agony。
At the same time； Seth leaped to his feet； cutting off most of my view。
But I could still see Victoria。 And； though she looked oddly deformed — as if she were unable to
straighten up completely — I could see the smile I’d been dreaming of flash across her wild face。
She coiled and sprang。
Something small and white whistled through the air and collided with her mid…flight。 The impact sounded
like an explosion； and it threw her against another tree — this one snapped in half。 She landed on her feet
again； crouched and ready； but Edward was already in place。 Relief swelled in my heart when I saw that he
stood straight and perfect。
Victoria kicked something aside with a flick of her bare foot — the missile that had crippled her attack。 It
rolled toward me； and I realized what it was。
My stomach lurched。
The fingers were still twitching； grasping at blades of grass； Riley’s arm began to drag itself mindlessly
across the ground。
Seth was circling Riley again； and now Riley was retreating。 He backed away from the advancing
werewolf； his face rigid with pain。 He raised his one arm defensively。
Seth rushed Riley； and the vampire was clearly off…balance。 I saw Seth sink his teeth into Riley’s shoulder
and tear； jumping back again。
With an earsplitting metallic screech； Riley lost his other arm。
Seth shook his head； flinging the arm into the woods。 The broken hissing noise that came through Seth’s
teeth sounded like snickering。
Riley screamed out a tortured plea。 “Victoria！”
Victoria did not even flinch to the sound of her name。 Her eyes did not flicker once toward her partner。
Seth launched himself forward with the force of a wrecking ball。 The thrust carried both Seth and Riley
into the trees； where the metallic screeching was matched by Riley’s screams。 Screams that abruptly cut off；
while the sounds of rock being ripped to shreds continued。
Though she spared Riley no farewell glance； Victoria seemed to realize that she was on her own。 She
began to back away from Edward； frenzied disappointment blazing in her eyes。 She threw me one short；
agonized stare of longing； and then she started to retreat faster。
“No；” Edward crooned； his voice seductive。 “Stay just a little longer。”
She wheeled and flew toward the refuge of the forest like an arrow from a bow。
But Edward was faster — a bullet from a gun。
He caught her unprotected back at the edge of the trees and； with one last； simple step； the dance was
over。
Edward’s mouth brushed once across her neck； like a caress。 The squealing clamor coming from Seth’s
efforts covered every other noise； so there was no discernible sound to make the image one of violence。 He
could have been kissing her。
And then the fiery tangle of hair was no longer connected to the rest of her body。 The shivering orange
waves fell to the ground； and bounced once before rolling toward the trees。
25。 MIRROR
I FORCED MYEYES — FROZEN WIDE OPEN WITH SHOCK — to move； so that I could not examine too closely
the oval object wrapped in tendrils of shivering； fiery hair。
Edward was in motion again。 Swift and coolly businesslike； he dismembered the headless corpse。
I could not go to him — I could not make my feet respond； they were bolted to the stone beneath them。
But I scrutinized his every action minutely； looking for any evidence that he had been harmed。 My heart
slowed to a healthier rhythm when I found nothing。 He was lithe and graceful as ever。 I couldn’t even see a
tear in his clothes。
He did not look at me — where I stood frozen to the cliff wall； horrified — while he piled the quivering；
twitching limbs and then covered them with dry pine needles。 He still did not meet my shocked gaze as he
darted into the forest after Seth。
I didn’t have time to recover before both he and Seth were back； Edward with his arms full of Riley。 Seth
was carrying a large chunk — the torso — in his mouth。 They added their burden to the pile； and Edward
pulled a silver rectangle from his pocket。 He flipped open the butane lighter and held the flame to the dry
tinder。 It caught at once； long tongues of orange fire licked rapidly across the pyre。
“Get every piece；” Edward said in a low aside to Seth。
Together； the vampire and the werewolf scoured the campsite； occasionally tossing small lumps of white
stone into the blaze。 Seth handled the pieces with his teeth。 My brain wasn’t working well enough for me to
understand why he didn’t change back to a form with hands。
Edward kept his eyes on his work。
And then they were done； and the raging fire was sending a pillar of choking purple toward the sky。 The
thick smoke curled up slowly； looking more solid than it should； it smelled like burning incense； and the scent
was uncomfortable。 It was heavy； too strong。
Seth made that snickering sound again； deep in his chest。
A smile flickered across Edward’s tense face。
Edward stretched out his arm； his hand curled into a fist。 Seth grinned； revealing the long row of dagger
teeth； and bumped his nose against Edward’s hand。
“Nice teamwork；” Edward murmured。
Seth coughed a laugh。
Then Edward took a deep breath； and turned slowly to face me。
I did not understand his expression。 His eyes were as wary as if I were another enemy — more than wary；
they were afraid。 Yet he’d shown no fear at all when he’d faced Victoria and Riley。 。 。 。 My mind was stuck；
stunned and useless as my body。 I stared at him；