Edward ignored his reaction and caught me in a tight hug。
“Thank you；” Edward said over my head。 His tone was unmistakably sincere。 “That was quicker than I
expected； and I truly appreciate it。”
I twisted to see Jacob’s response。
Jacob merely shrugged； all the friendliness wiped clean from his face。 “Get her inside。 This is going to be
bad — my hair’s standing up on my scalp。 Is that tent secure？”
“I all but welded it to the rock。”
“Good。”
Jacob looked up at the sky — now black with the storm； sprinkled with the swirling bits of snow。 His
nostrils flared。
“I’m going to change；” he said。 “I want to know what’s going on back home。”
He hung his jacket on a low； stubby branch； and walked into the murky forest without a backward glance。
22。 FIRE AND ICE
THE WIND SHOOK THE TENT AGAIN； AND I SHOOK WITH IT。
The temperature was dropping。 I could feel it through the down bag； through my jacket。 I was fully
dressed； my hiking boots still laced into place。 It didn’t make any difference。 How could it be so cold？ How
could it keep getting colder？ It had to bottom out sometime； didn’t it？
“Wwwwwwhat tttttime is it？” I forced the words through my rattling teeth。
“Two；” Edward answered。
Edward sat as far from me as possible in the cramped space； afraid to even breathe on me when I was
already so cold。 It was too dark to see his face； but his voice was wild with worry； indecision； and frustration。
“Maybe 。 。 。”
“No； I’m ffffffine； rrrreally。 I don’t wwwwant to ggo outside。”
He’d tried to talk me into making a run for it a dozen times already； but I was terrified of leaving my
shelter。 If it was this cold in here； protected from the raging wind； I could imagine how bad it would be if we
were running through it。
And it would waste all our efforts this afternoon。 Would we have enough time to reset ourselves when the
storm was over？ What if it didn’t end？ It made no sense to move now。 I could shiver my way through one
night。
I was worried that the trail I had laid would be lost； but he promised that it would still be plain to the
ing monsters。
“What can I do？” he almost begged。
I just shook my head。
Out in the snow； Jacob whined unhappily。
“Gggget out of hhhere；” I ordered； again。
“He’s just worried about you；” Edward translated。 “He’s fine。 His body is equipped to deal with this。”
“Hhhhhh。” I wanted to say that he should still leave； but I couldn’t get it past my teeth。 I nearly bit my
tongue off trying。 At least Jacob did seem to be well equipped for the snow； better even than the others in his
pack with his thicker； longer； shaggy russet fur。 I wondered why that was。
Jacob whimpered； a highpitched； grating sound of plaint。
“What do you want me to do？” Edward growled； too anxious to bother with politeness anymore。 “Carry
her through that？ I don’t see you making yourself useful。 Why don’t you go fetch a space heater or
something？”
“I’m okkkkkkkay；” I protested。 Judging from Edward’s groan and the muted growl outside the tent；
I hadn’t convinced anyone。 The wind rocked the tent roughly； and I shuddered in harmony with it。
A sudden howl ripped through the roar of the wind； and I covered my ears against the noise。 Edward
scowled。
“That was hardly necessary；” he muttered。 “And that’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard；” he called more
loudly。
“Better than anything you’ve e up with；” Jacob answered； his human voice startling me。 “Go fetch a
space heater；” he grumbled。 “I’m not a St。 Bernard。”
I heard the sound of the zipper around the tent door pulling swiftly down。
Jacob slid through the smallest opening he could manage； while the arctic air flowed in around him； a few
flecks of snow falling to the floor of the tent。 I shivered so hard it was a convulsion。
“I don’t like this；” Edward hissed as Jake zipped the tent door shut。 “Just give her the coat and get out。”
My eyes were adjusted enough to see shapes — Jacob was carrying the parka that had been hanging on a
tree next to the tent。
I tried to ask what they were talking about； but all that came out of my mouth was； “Wwwwww；” as
the shivering made me stutter uncontrollably。
“The parka’s for tomorrow — she’s too cold to warm it up by herself。 It’s frozen。” He dropped it by the
door。 “You said she needed a space heater； and here I am。” Jacob held his arms as wide as the tent allowed。
As usual； when he’d been running around as a wolf； he’d only thrown on the bare essentials — just a pair of
sweats； no shirt； no shoes。
“JJJJJake； you’ll ffffreezzzze；” I tried to plain。
“Not me；” he said cheerfully。 “I run at a toasty oneoheight point nine these days。 I’ll have you sweating
in no time。”
Edward snarled； but Jacob didn’t even look at him。 Instead； he crawled to my side and started unzipping
my sleeping bag。
Edward’s hand was suddenly hard on his shoulder； restraining； snow white against the dark skin。 Jacob’s
jaw clenched； his nostrils flaring； his body recoiling from the cold touch。 The long muscles in his arms flexed
automatically。
“Get your hand off of me；” he growled through his teeth。
“Keep your hands off of her；” Edward answered blackly。
“Ddddon’t fffffight；” I pleaded。 Another tremor rocked through me。 It felt like my teeth were going
to shatter； they were slamming together so hard。
“I’m sure she’ll thank you for this when her toes turn black and drop off；” Jacob snapped。
Edward hesitated； then his hand fell away and he slid back to his position in the corner。
His voice was flat and frightening。 “Watch yourself。”
Jacob chuckled。
“Scoot over； Bella；” he said； zipping the sleeping bag open farther。
I stared at him in outrage。 No wonder Edward was reacting this way。
“Nnnnn；” I tried to protest。
“Don’t be stupid；” he said； exasperated。 “Don’t you like having ten toes？”
He crammed his body into the nonexistent space； forcing the zipper up behind himself。
And then I couldn’t object — I didn’t want to anymore。 He was so warm。 His arms constricted around
me； holding me snugly against his bare chest。 The heat was irresistible； like air after being underwater for too
long。 He cringed when I pressed my icy fingers eagerly against his skin。
“Jeez； you’re freezing； Bella；” he plained。
“Sssssorry；” I stuttered。
“Try to relax；” he suggested as another shiver rippled through me violently。 “You’ll be warm in a minute。
Of course； you’d warm up faster if you took your clothes off。”
Edward growled sharply。
“That’s just a simple fact；” Jacob defended himself。 “Survival oneohone。”
“Cccut it out； Jake；” I said angrily； though my body refused to even try to pull away from him。 “Nnn
nobody really nnnnneeds all ten ttttoes。”
“Don’t worry about the bloodsucker；” Jacob suggested； and his tone was smug。 “He’s just jealous。”
“Of course I am。” Edward’s voice was velvet again； under control； a musical murmur in the darkness。
“You don’t have the faintest idea how much I wish I could do what you’re doing for her； mongrel。”
“Those are the breaks；” Jacob said lightly； but th