was only visible in the long patch of bluish brightness from the
headlights。 The forest along both sides of the road was like a black wall
— as hard as a wall of steel if we veered off the road at this speed。
〃Relax； Bella。〃 He rolled his eyes； still not slowing。
〃Are you trying to kill us？〃 I demanded。
〃We're not going to crash。〃
I tried to modulate my voice。 〃Why are you in such a hurry？〃
〃I always drive like this。〃 He turned to smile crookedly at me。
〃Keep your eyes on the road！〃
〃I've never been in an accident； Bella — I've never even gotten a
ticket。〃 He grinned and tapped his forehead。 〃Builtin radar detector。〃
〃Very funny。〃 I fumed。 〃Charlie's a cop； remember？ I was raised to abide
by traffic laws。 Besides； if you turn us into a Volvo pretzel around a
tree trunk； you can probably just walk away。〃
〃Probably；〃 he agreed with a short； hard laugh。 〃But you can't。〃 He
sighed； and I watched with relief as the needle gradually drifted toward
eighty。 〃Happy？〃
〃Almost。〃
〃I hate driving slow；〃 he muttered。
〃This is slow？〃
〃Enough mentary on my driving；〃 he snapped。 〃I'm still waiting for
your latest theory。〃
I bit my lip。 He looked down at me； his honey eyes unexpectedly gentle。
〃I won't laugh；〃 he promised。
〃I'm more afraid that you'll be angry with me。〃
〃Is it that bad？〃
〃Pretty much； yeah。〃
He waited。 I was looking down at my hands； so I couldn't see his
expression。
〃Go ahead。〃 His voice was calm。
〃I don't know how to start；〃 I admitted。
〃Why don't you start at the beginning… you said you didn't e up with
this on your own。〃
〃No。〃
〃What got you started — a book？ A movie？〃 he probed。
〃No — it was Saturday； at the beach。〃 I risked a glance up at his face。
He looked puzzled。
〃I ran into an old family friend —Jacob Black；〃 I continued。 〃His dad and
Charlie have been friends since I was a baby。〃
He still looked confused。
〃His dad is one of the Quileute elders。〃 I watched him carefully。 His
confused expression froze in place。 〃We went for a walk —〃 I edited all
my scheming out of the story 〃— and he was telling me some old legends —
trying to scare me； I think。 He told me one…〃 I hesitated。
〃Go on；〃 he said。
〃About vampires。〃 I realized I was whispering。 I couldn't look at his
face now。 But I saw his knuckles tighten convulsively on the wheel。
〃And you immediately thought of me？〃 Still calm。
〃No。 He… mentioned your family。〃
He was silent； staring at the road。
I was worried suddenly； worried about protecting Jacob。
〃He just thought it was a silly superstition；〃 I said quickly。 〃He didn't
expect me to think anything of it。〃 It didn't seem like enough； I had to
confess。 〃It was my fault； I forced him to tell me。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Lauren said something about you — she was trying to provoke me。 And an
older boy from the tribe said your family didn't e to the reservation；
only it sounded like he meant something different。 So I got Jacob alone
and I tricked it out of him；〃 I admitted； hanging my head。
He startled me by laughing。 I glared up at him。 He was laughing； but his
eyes were fierce； staring ahead。
〃Tricked him how？〃 he asked。
〃I tried to flirt — it worked better than I thought it would。〃 Disbelief
colored my tone as I remembered。
〃I'd like to have seen that。〃 He chuckled darkly。 〃And you accused me of
dazzling people — poor Jacob Black。〃
I blushed and looked out my window into the night。
〃What did you do then？〃 he asked after a minute。
〃I did some research on the Inter。〃
〃And did that convince you？〃 His voice sounded barely interested。 But his
hands were clamped hard onto the steering wheel。
〃No。 Nothing fit。 Most of it was kind of silly。 And then…〃 I stopped。
〃What？〃
〃I decided it didn't matter；〃 I whispered。
〃It didn't matter？〃 His tone made me look up — I had finally broken
through his carefully posed mask。 His face was incredulous； with just
a hint of the anger I'd feared。
〃No；〃 I said softly。 〃It doesn't matter to me what you are。〃
A hard； mocking edge entered his voice。 〃You don't care if I'm a monster？
If I'm not human！〃
〃No。〃
He was silent； staring straight ahead again。 His face was bleak and cold。
〃You're angry；〃 I sighed。 〃I shouldn't have said anything。〃
〃No；〃 he said； but his tone was as hard as his face。 〃I'd rather know
what you're thinking — even if what you're thinking is insane。〃
〃So I'm wrong again？〃 I challenged。
〃That's not what I was referring to。 'It doesn't matter'！〃 he quoted；
gritting his teeth together。
〃I'm right？〃 I gasped。
〃Does it matter？〃
I took a deep breath。
〃Not really。〃 I paused。 〃But I am curious。〃 My voice； at least； was
posed。
He was suddenly resigned。 〃What are you curious about？〃
〃How old are you？〃
〃Seventeen；〃 he answered promptly。
〃And how long have you been seventeen？〃
His lips twitched as he stared at the road。 〃A while；〃 he admitted at
last。
〃Okay。〃 I smiled； pleased that he was still being honest with me。 He
stared down at me with watchful eyes； much as he had before； when he was
worried I would go into shock。 I smiled wider in encouragement； and he
frowned。
〃Don't laugh — but how can you e out during the daytime？〃
He laughed anyway。 〃Myth。〃
〃Burned by the sun？〃
〃Myth。〃
〃Sleeping in coffins？〃
〃Myth。〃 He hesitated for a moment； and a peculiar tone entered his voice。
〃I can't sleep。〃
It took me a minute to absorb that。 〃At all？〃
〃Never；〃 he said； his voice nearly inaudible。 He turned to look at me
with a wistful expression。 The golden eyes held mine； and I lost my train
of thought。 I stared at him until he looked away。
〃You haven't asked me the most important question yet。〃 His voice was
hard now； and when he looked at me again his eyes were cold。
I blinked； still dazed。 〃Which one is that？〃
〃You aren't concerned about my diet？〃 he asked sarcastically。
〃Oh；〃 I murmured； 〃that。〃
〃Yes； that。〃 His voice was bleak。 〃Don't you want to know if I drink
blood？〃
I flinched。 〃Well； Jacob said something about that。〃
〃What did Jacob say？〃 he asked flatly。
〃He said you didn't… hunt people。 He said your family wasn't supposed to
be dangerous because you only hunted animals。〃
〃He said we weren't dangerous？〃 His voice was deeply skeptical。
〃Not exactly。 He said you weren't supposed to be dangerous。 But the
Quileutes still didn't want you on their land； just in case。〃
He looked forward； but I couldn't tell if he was watching the road or not。
〃So was he right？ About not hunting people？〃 I tried to keep my voice as
even as possible。
〃The Quileutes have a long memory；〃 he whispered。
I took it as a confirmation。
〃Don't let that make you placent； though；〃 he warned me。 〃They're
right to keep their distance from us。 We are still dangerous。〃
〃I don't understand。〃
〃We try；〃 he explained slowly。 〃We're usually very good at what we do。
Sometimes we make mistakes。 Me； for example； allowing myself to be alone
with you。〃
〃This is a mistake？〃 I heard t