The Twilight Saga Collection
Page 81
“Just give me one round with Jacob, and then I’ll deal with Charlie.” I struggled futilely to break free.
“Jacob Black wants to see me. That’s why he’s still here.”
That stopped me cold—took the fight right out of me. My hands went limp. They fight; Paris falls.
I was furious, but not that furious.
“Talk?” I asked.
“More or less.”
“How much more?” My voice shook.
Edward smoothed my hair back from my face. “Don’t worry, he’s not here to fight me. He’s acting as...spokesperson for the pack.”
“Oh.”
Edward looked at the house again, then tightened his arm around my waist and pulled me toward the woods. “We should hurry. Charlie’s getting impatient.”
We didn’t have to go far; Jacob waited just a short ways up the path. He lounged against a mossy tree trunk as he waited, his face hard and bitter, exactly the way I knew it would be. He looked at me, and then at Edward. Jacob’s mouth stretched into a humorless sneer, and he shrugged away from the tree. He stood on the balls of his bare feet, leaning slightly forward, with his trembling hands clenched into fists. He looked bigger than the last time I’d seen him. Somehow, impossibly, he was still growing. He would tower over Edward, if they stood next to each other.
But Edward stopped as soon as we saw him, leaving a wide space between us and Jacob. Edward turned his body, shifting me so that I was behind him. I leaned around him to stare at Jacob—to accuse him with my eyes.
I would have thought that seeing his resentful, cynical expression would only make me angrier. Instead, it reminded me of the last time I’d seen him, with tears in his eyes. My fury weakened, faltered, as I stared at Jacob. It had been so long since I’d seen him—I hated that our reunion had to be like this.
“Bella,” Jacob said as a greeting, nodding once toward me without looking away from Edward.
“Why?” I whispered, trying to hide the sound of the lump in my throat. “How could you do this to me, Jacob?”
The sneer vanished, but his face stayed hard and rigid. “It’s for the best.”
“What is that supposed to mean? Do you want Charlie to strangle me? Or did you want him to have a heart attack, like Harry? No matter how mad you are at me, how could you do this to him?”
Jacob winced, and his eyebrows pulled together, but he didn’t answer.
“He didn’t want to hurt anyone—he just wanted to get you grounded, so that you wouldn’t be allowed to spend time with me,” Edward murmured, explaining the thoughts Jacob wouldn’t say.
Jacob’s eyes sparked with hate as he glowered at Edward again.
“Aw, Jake!” I groaned. “I’m already grounded! Why do you think I haven’t been down to La Push to kick your butt for avoiding my phone calls?”
Jacob’s eyes flashed back to me, confused for the first time. “That’s why?” he asked, and then locked his jaw, like he was sorry he’d said anything.
“He thought I wouldn’t let you, not Charlie,” Edward explained again.
“Stop that,” Jacob snapped.
Edward didn’t answer.
Jacob shuddered once, and then gritted his teeth as hard as his fists. “Bella wasn’t exaggerating about your... abilities,” he said through his teeth. “So you must already know why I’m here.”
“Yes,” Edward agreed in a soft voice. “But, before you begin, I need to say something.”
Jacob waited, clenching and unclenching his hands as he tried to control the shivers rolling down his arms.
“Thank you,” Edward said, and his voice throbbed with the depth of his sincerity. “I will never be able to tell you how grateful I am. I will owe you for the rest of my... existence.”
Jacob stared at him blankly, his shudders stilled by surprise. He exchanged a quick glance with me, but my face was just as mystified.
“For keeping Bella alive,” Edward clarified, his voice rough and fervent. “When I...didn’t.”
“Edward—,” I started to say, but he held one hand up, his eyes on Jacob.
Understanding washed over Jacob’s face before the hard mask returned. “I didn’t do it for your benefit.”
“I know. But that doesn’t erase the gratitude I feel. I thought you should know. If there’s ever anything in my power to do for you...”
Jacob raised one black brow.
Edward shook his head. “That’s not in my power.”
“Whose, then?” Jacob growled.
Edward looked down at me. “Hers. I’m a quick learner, Jacob Black, and I don’t make the same mistake twice. I’m here until she orders me away.”
I was immersed momentarily in his golden gaze. It wasn’t hard to understand what I’d missed in the conversation. The only thing that Jacob would want from Edward would be his absence.
“Never,” I whispered, still locked in Edward’s eyes.
Jacob made a gagging sound.
I unwillingly broke free from Edward’s gaze to frown at Jacob. “Was there something else you needed, Jacob? You wanted me in trouble—mission accomplished. Charlie might just send me to military school. But that won’t keep me away from Edward. There’s nothing that can do that. What more do you want?”
Jacob kept his eyes on Edward. “I just needed to remind your bloodsucking friends of a few key points in the treaty they agreed to. The treaty that is the only thing stopping me from ripping his throat out right this minute.”
“We haven’t forgotten,” Edward said at the same time that I demanded, “What key points?”
Jacob still glowered at Edward, but he answered me. “The treaty is quite specific. If any of them bite a human, the truce is over. Bite, not kill,” he emphasized. Finally, he looked at me. His eyes were cold.
It only took me a second to grasp the distinction, and then my face was as cold as his.
“That’s none of your business.”
“The hell it—” was all he managed to choke out.
I didn’t expect my hasty words to bring on such a strong response. Despite the warning he’d come to give, he must not have known. He must have thought the warning was just a precaution. He hadn’t realized—or didn’t want to believe—that I had already made my choice. That I was really intending to become a member of the Cullen family.
My answer sent Jacob into near convulsions. He pressed his fists hard against his temples, closing his eyes tight and curling in on himself as he tried to control the spasms. His face turned sallow green under the russet skin.
“Jake? You okay?” I asked anxiously.
I took a half-step toward him, then Edward caught me and yanked me back behind his own body. “Careful! He’s not under control,” he warned me.
But Jacob was already somewhat himself again; only his arms were shaking now. He scowled at Edward with pure hate. “Ugh. I would never hurt her.”
Neither Edward or I missed the inflection, or the accusation it contained. A low hiss escaped Edward’s lips. Jacob clenched his fists reflexively.
“BELLA!” Charlie’s roar echoed from the direction of the house. “YOU GET IN THIS HOUSE THIS INSTANT!”
All of us froze, listening to the silence that followed.
I was the first to speak; my voice trembled. “Crap.”
Jacob’s furious expression faltered. “I am sorry about that,” he muttered. “I had to do what I could—I had to try....”
“Thanks.” The tremor in my voice ruined the sarcasm. I stared up the path, half-expecting Charlie to come barreling through the wet ferns like an enraged bull. I would be the red flag in that scenario.
“Just one more thing,” Edward said to me, and then he looked at Jacob. “We’ve found no trace of Victoria on our side of the line—have you?”
He knew the answer as soon as Jacob thought it, but Jacob spoke the answer anyway. “The last time was while Bella was...away. We let her think she was slipping through—we were tightening the circle, getting ready to ambush her�
��”
Ice shot down my spine.
“But then she took off like a bat out of hell. Near as we can tell, she caught your little female’s scent and bailed. She hasn’t come near our lands since.”
Edward nodded. “When she comes back, she’s not your problem anymore. We’ll—”
“She killed on our turf,” Jacob hissed. “She’s ours!”
“No—,” I began to protest both declarations.
“BELLA! I SEE HIS CAR AND I KNOW YOU’RE OUT THERE! IF YOU AREN’T INSIDE THIS HOUSE IN ONE MINUTE...!” Charlie didn’t bother to finish his threat.
“Let’s go,” Edward said.
I looked back at Jacob, torn. Would I see him again?
“Sorry,” he whispered so low that I had to read his lips to understand. “’Bye, Bells.”
“You promised,” I reminded him desperately. “Still friends, right?”
Jacob shook his head slowly, and the lump in my throat nearly strangled me.
“You know how hard I’ve tried to keep that promise, but...I can’t see how to keep trying. Not now . . .” He struggled to keep his hard mask in place, but it wavered, and then disappeared. “Miss you,” he mouthed. One of his hands reached toward me, his fingers outstretched, like he wished they were long enough to cross the distance between us.
“Me, too,” I choked out. My hand reached toward his across the wide space.
Like we were connected, the echo of his pain twisted inside me. His pain, my pain.
“Jake . . .” I took a step toward him. I wanted to wrap my arms around his waist and erase the expression of misery on his face.
Edward pulled me back again, his arms restraining instead of defending.
“It’s okay,” I promised him, looking up to read his face with trust in my eyes. He would understand.
His eyes were unreadable, his face expressionless. Cold. “No, it’s not.”
“Let her go,” Jacob snarled, furious again. “She wants to!” He took two long strides forward. A glint of anticipation flashed in his eyes. His chest seemed to swell as it shuddered.
Edward pushed me behind himself, wheeling to face Jacob.
“No! Edward—!”
“ISABELLA SWAN!”
“Come on! Charlie’s mad!” My voice was panicked, but not because of Charlie now. “Hurry!”
I tugged on him and he relaxed a little. He pulled me back slowly, always keeping his eyes on Jacob as were treated.
Jacob watched us with a dark scowl on his bitter face. The anticipation drained from his eyes, and then, just before the forest came between us, his face suddenly crumpled in pain.
I knew that last glimpse of his face would haunt me until I saw him smile again.
And right there I vowed that I would see him smile, and soon. I would find a way to keep my friend.
Edward kept his arm tight around my waist, holding me close. That was the only thing that held the tears inside my eyes.
I had some serious problems.
My best friend counted me with his enemies.
Victoria was still on the loose, putting everyone I loved in danger.
If I didn’t become a vampire soon, the Volturi would kill me.
And now it seemed that if I did, the Quileute werewolves would try to do the job themselves—along with trying to kill my future family. I didn’t think they had any chance really, but would my best friend get himself killed in the attempt?
Very serious problems. So why did they all suddenly seem insignificant when we broke through the last of the trees and I caught sight of the expression on Charlie’s purple face?
Edward squeezed me gently. “I’m here.”
I drew in a deep breath.
That was true. Edward was here, with his arms around me.
I could face anything as long as that was true.
I squared my shoulders and walked forward to meet my fate, with my destiny solidly at my side.
New Moon Discussion Questions
1. Why is it important that vampires can’t use their powers on Bella? Do you feel that this will hold true if she is bitten?
2. Discuss the dilemma that Bella faces having strong feelings for two very distinct enemies.
3. If Bella were to join Edward in the vampire world, what role might Charlie play in her life? Would he be in more danger, or would the Cullens feel a stronger obligation to protect him? And how would his role as “Chief” Swan be affected by her decisions?
4. Compare and contrast the traits of Jacob’s pack versus the Cullens and even the “Nomads.” How do those differences help and hurt them when they are up against each other?
5. Edward believes that there is no afterlife for vampires because they have lost their souls. Carlisle believes that his life can have purpose and has faith that there is a reason for it. What do you believe based on what you have read? Is there a different fate for the vampires who hunt humans versus the ones who abstain?
6. Throughout the novel, Bella often puts herself and those around her in danger. Would you characterize these actions as selfish? Why or why not? What impact is she having on Charlie? On Jacob? On her friends?
7. Despite his pack’s disapproval, Jacob still finds ways to help Bella. How will this affect his relationship with and status in the pack? Will he ever be able to convince them of the reasons why he needs to be around her?
8. Is Edward’s decision to leave the right one? And how do you feel about how he handles the situation—especially convincing Bella that he doesn’t love her? What else could he have done?
9. Bella and Jacob become fast friends, and while Bella needs him emotionally, she also discovers that being with Jacob helps her hear Edward’s voice again. Has Jake been able to help her heal or does he stand in the way, without even knowing? What will become of their relationship? Will being a sworn enemy to her Edward affect it?
10. Stephenie Meyer has noted that each of the novels in the Twilight Saga pays homage to other literary classics. For New Moon, she has said Romeo & Juliet was the key inspiration. Beyond the main characters and the theme of forbidden love, what other similarities did you notice between the stories? What are the differences, and how are they handled?
Acknowledgments
So much love and thanks to my husband and sons for their continuing understanding and sacrifice in support of my writing. At least I’m not the only one to benefit—I’m sure many local restaurants are grateful that I don’t cook anymore.
Thank you, Mom, for being my best friend and letting me talk your ear off through all the rough spots. Thanks, also, for being so insanely creative and intelligent, and bequeathing a small portion of both into my genetic makeup.
Thanks to all my siblings, Emily, Heidi, Paul, Seth, and Jacob, for letting me borrow your names. I hope I didn’t do anything with them that makes you wish you hadn’t.
A special thanks to my brother Paul for the motorcycle riding lesson—you have a true gift for teaching.
I can’t thank my brother Seth enough for all the hard work and genius he put into the creation of www.stepheniemeyer.com. I’m so grateful for the effort he continues to expend as my Webmaster. Check’s in the mail, kid. This time, I mean it.
Thanks again to my brother Jacob for his ongoing expert advice on all my automotive choices.
A big thank you to my agent, Jodi Reamer, for her continued guidance and assistance in my career. And also for enduring my craziness with a smile when I know she’d like to use some of her ninja moves on me instead.
Love, kisses, and gratitude to my publicist, the beautiful Elizabeth Eulberg, for making my touring experience less a chore and more a pajama party, for aiding and abetting my cyber-stalkery, for convincing those exclusive snobs in the EEC (Elizabeth Eulberg Club) to let me in, and, oh yeah, also for getting me on the New York Times bestseller’s list.
A huge vat of thanks to everyone at Little, Brown and Company for their support and their belief in the potential of my stories.
And, finall
y, thank you to the talented musicians who inspire me, particularly the band Muse—there are emotions, scenes, and plot threads in this novel that were born from Muse songs and would not exist without their genius. Also Linkin Park, Travis, Elbow, Coldplay, Marjorie Fair, My Chemical Romance, Brand New, The Strokes, Armor for Sleep, The Arcade Fire, and The Fray have all been instrumental in staving off the writer’s block.
Copyright
Copyright © 2007 by Stephenie Meyer
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Little, Brown and Company
Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Visit our website at www.HachetteBookGroup.com
First eBook Edition: September 2007
ISBN: 978-0-316-00818-1
ECLIPSE
Cover
Copyright
Dedication
Fire and Ice
PREFACE
1. ULTIMATUM
2. EVASION
3. MOTIVES
4. NATURE
5. IMPRINT
6. SWITZERLAND
7. UNHAPPY ENDING
8. TEMPER
9. TARGET
10. SCENT
11. LEGENDS
12. TIME
13. NEWBORN
14. DECLARATION
15. WAGER
16. EPOCH
17. ALLIANCE
18. INSTRUCTION
19. SELFISH
20. COMPROMISE
21. TRAILS
22. FIRE AND ICE
23. MONSTER
24. SNAP DECISION
25. MIRROR
26. ETHICS
27. NEEDS
EPILOGUE — CHOICE