understandingly。
I was still turning over the brief ment on the Cullens； and I had a
sudden inspiration。 It was a stupid plan； but I didn't have any better
ideas。 I hoped that young Jacob was as yet inexperienced around girls； so
that he wouldn't see through my suretobepitiful attempts at flirting。
〃Do you want to walk down the beach with me？〃 I asked； trying to imitate
that way Edward had of looking up from underneath his eyelashes。 It
couldn't have nearly the same effect； I was sure； but Jacob jumped up
willingly enough。
As we walked north across the multihued stones toward the driftwood
seawall； the clouds finally closed ranks across the sky； causing the sea
to darken and the temperature to drop。 I shoved my hands deep into the
pockets of my jacket。
〃So you're； what； sixteen？〃 I asked； trying not to look like an idiot as
I fluttered my eyelids the way I'd seen girls do on TV。
〃I just turned fifteen；〃 he confessed； flattered。
〃Really？〃 My face was full of false surprise。 〃I would have thought you
were older。〃
〃I'm tall for my age；〃 he explained。
〃Do you e up to Forks much？〃 I asked archly； as if I was hoping for a
yes。 I sounded idiotic to myself。 I was afraid he would turn on me with
disgust and accuse me of my fraud； but he still seemed flattered。
〃Not too much；〃 he admitted with a frown。 〃But when I get my car finished
I can go up as much as I want — after I get my license；〃 he amended。
〃Who was that other boy Lauren was talking to？ He seemed a little old to
be hanging out with us。〃 I purposefully lumped myself in with the
youngsters； trying to make it clear that I preferred Jacob。
〃That's Sam — he's nieen；〃 he informed me。
〃What was that he was saying about the doctor's family？〃 I asked
innocently。
〃The Cullens？ Oh； they're not supposed to e onto the reservation。〃 He
looked away； out toward James Island； as he confirmed what I'd thought
I'd heard in Sam's voice。
〃Why not？〃
He glanced back at me； biting his lip。 〃Oops。 I'm not supposed to say
anything about that。〃
〃Oh； I won't tell anyone； I'm just curious。〃 I tried to make my smile
alluring； wondering if I was laying it on too thick。
He smiled back； though； looking allured。 Then he lifted one eyebrow and
his voice was even huskier than before。
〃Do you like scary stories？〃 he asked ominously。
〃I love them；〃 I enthused； making an effort to smolder at him。
Jacob strolled to a nearby driftwood tree that had its roots sticking out
like the attenuated legs of a huge； pale spider。 He perched lightly on
one of the twisted roots while I sat beneath him on the body of the tree。
He stared down at the rocks； a smile hovering around the edges of his
broad lips。 I could see he was going to try to make this good。 I focused
on keeping the vital interest I felt out of my eyes。
〃Do you know any of our old stories； about where we came from — the
Quileutes； I mean？〃 he began。
〃Not really；〃 I admitted。
〃Well； there are lots of legends； some of them claiming to date back to
the Flood — supposedly； the ancient Quileutes tied their canoes to the
tops of the tallest trees on the mountain to survive like Noah and the
ark。〃 He smiled； to show me how little stock he put in the histories。
〃Another legend claims that we descended from wolves — and that the
wolves are our brothers still。 It's against tribal law to kill them。
〃Then there are the stories about the cold ones。〃 His voice dropped a
little lower。
〃The cold ones？〃 I asked； not faking my intrigue now。
〃Yes。 There are stories of the cold ones as old as the wolf legends； and
some much more recent。 According to legend； my own greatgrandfather knew
some of them。 He was the one who made the treaty that kept them off our
land。〃 He rolled his eyes。
〃Your greatgrandfather？〃 I encouraged。
〃He was a tribal elder； like my father。 You see； the cold ones are the
natural enemies of the wolf—well； not the wolf； really； but the wolves
that turn into men； like our ancestors。 You would call them werewolves。〃
〃Werewolves have enemies？〃
〃Only one。〃
I stared at him earnestly； hoping to disguise my impatience as admiration。
〃So you see；〃 Jacob continued； 〃the cold ones are traditionally our
enemies。 But this pack that came to our territory during my
greatgrandfather's time was different。 They didn't hunt the way others
of their kind did — they weren't supposed to be dangerous to the tribe。
So my greatgrandfather made a truce with them。 If they would promise to
stay off our lands； we wouldn't expose them to the palefaces。〃 He winked
at me。
〃If they weren't dangerous； then why… ？〃 I tried to understand；
struggling not to let him see how seriously I was considering his ghost
story。
〃There's always a risk for humans to be around the cold ones； even if
they're civilized like this clan was。 You never know when they might get
too hungry to resist。〃 He deliberately worked a thick edge of menace into
his tone。
〃What do you mean； 'civilized'？〃
〃They claimed that they didn't hunt humans。 They supposedly were somehow
able to prey on animals instead。〃
I tried to keep my voice casual。 〃So how does it fit in with the Cullens？
Are they like the cold ones your greatgrandfather met？〃
〃No。〃 He paused dramatically。 〃They are the same ones。〃
He must have thought the expression on my face was fear inspired by his
story。 He smiled； pleased； and continued。
〃There are more of them now； a new female and a new male； but the rest
are the same。 In my greatgrandfather's time they already knew of the
leader； Carlisle。 He'd been here and gone before your people had even
arrived。〃 He was fighting a smile。
〃And what are they？〃 I finally asked。 〃What are the cold ones？〃
He smiled darkly。
〃Blood drinkers；〃 he replied in a chilling voice。 〃Your people call them
vampires。〃
I stared out at the rough surf after he answered； not sure what my face
was exposing。
〃You have goose bumps；〃 he laughed delightedly。
〃You're a good storyteller；〃 I plimented him； still staring into the
waves。
〃Pretty crazy stuff； though； isn't it？ No wonder my dad doesn't want us
to talk about it to anyone。〃
I couldn't control my expression enough to look at him yet。 〃Don't worry；
I won't give you away。〃
〃I guess I just violated the treaty；〃 he laughed。
〃I'll take it to the grave；〃 I promised； and then I shivered。
〃Seriously； though； don't say anything to Charlie。 He was pretty mad at
my dad when he heard that some of us weren't going to the hospital since
Dr。 Cullen started working there。〃
〃I won't； of course not。〃
〃So do you think we're a bunch of superstitious natives or what？〃 he
asked in a playful tone； but with a hint of worry。 I still hadn't looked
away from the ocean。
I turned and smiled at him as normally as I could。
〃No。 I think you're very good at telling scary stories； though。 I still
have goose bumps； see？〃 I held up my arm。
〃Cool。〃 He smiled。
And then the sound of the beach rocks clattering against each other
warned us that someone was approaching。 Our h