oul’s。 I didn’t catch Diego’s。 Was I going too fast？ Or was the human’s scent just overpowering me？ Half my head was absorbed in this strangely counterproductive huntsure； we would find the girl； but would we be ready to fight together when we did？ No； we’d be clawing each other apart to get to her。 And then I heard the snarling and screaming and screeching explode from ahead and I knew the fight was happening and I was too late to beat Diego there。 I only ran faster。 Maybe I could still save him。 I smelled the smokethe sweet； thick scent of vampires burning carried back to me on the wind。 The sound of mayhem was louder。 Maybe it was almost done。 Would I find our coven victorious and Diego waiting？ I dashed through a heavy fringe of smoke and found myself out of the forest in a huge grassy field。 I leaped over a rock； only
Page 125
to realize in the instant I flew past it that it was a headless torso。 My eyes raked the field。 There were pieces of vampires everywhere； and a huge bonfire smoking purple into the sunny sky。 Out from under the billowing haze； I could see dazzling； glittering bodies darting and grappling as the sounds of vampires being torn apart went on and on。 I looked for one thing： Diego’s curly black hair。 No one I could see had hair so dark。 There was one huge vampire with brown hair that was almost black； but he was too big； and as I focused I watched him tear Kevin’s head off and pitch it into the fire before leaping on someone else’s back。 Was that Jen？ There was another with straight black hair that was too small to be Diego。 That one was moving so fast I couldn’t tell if it was a boy or a girl。 I scanned quickly again； feeling horribly exposed。 I took in the faces。 There weren’t nearly enough vampires here； even counting those that were down。 I didn’t see any of Kristie’s group。 There must have been a lot of vampires burned already。 Most of the vampires still standing were strangers。 A blond vampire glanced at me； meeting my gaze； and his eyes flashed gold in the sunlight。 We were losing。 Bad。 I started backing toward the trees； not moving fast enough because I was still looking for Diego。 He wasn’t here。 There was no sign he had ever been here。 No trace of his scent； though I could distinguish the smells of most of Raoul’s team and many strangers。 I had made myself look at the pieces； too。 None of them belonged to Diego。 I would have recognized even
Page 126
a finger。 I turned and really ran for the trees； suddenly positive that Diego’s presence here was just another of Riley’s lies。 And if Diego wasn’t here； then he was already dead。 This fell into place for me so easily that I thought I must have known the truth for a while。 Since the moment that Diego had not followed Riley through the basement door。 He’d already been gone。 I was a few feet into the trees when a force like a wrecking ball hit me from behind and threw me to the ground。 An arm slipped under my chin。 “Please！” I sobbed。 And I meant please kill me fast。 The arm hesitated。 I didn’t fight back； though my instincts were urging me to bite and claw and rip the enemy apart。 The saner part of me knew that wasn’t going to work。 Riley had lied about these weak； older vampires； too； and we’d never had a chance。 But even if I’d had a way to beat this one； I wouldn’t have been able to move。 Diego was gone； and that glaring fact killed the fight in me。 Suddenly I was airborne。 I crashed into a tree and crumpled to the ground。 I should have tried to run； but Diego was dead。 I couldn’t get around that。 The blond vampire from the clearing was staring intently at me； his body ready to spring。 He looked very capable； much more experienced than Riley。 But he wasn’t lunging at me。 He wasn’t crazed like Raoul or Kristie。 He was totally in control。 “Please；” I said again； wanting him to get this over with。 “I don’t want to fight。”
Page 127
Though he still held himself ready； his face changed。 He looked at me in a way I didn’t totally get。 There was a lot of knowledge in that face； and something else。 Empathy？ Pity； at least。 “Neither do I； child；” he said in a calm； kind voice。 “We are only defending ourselves。” There was such honesty in his odd yellow eyes that it made me wonder how I had ever believed any of Riley’s stories。 I felt… guilty。 Maybe this coven had never planned to attack us in Seattle。 How could I trust any part of what I’d been told？ “We didn’t know；” I explained； somehow ashamed。 “Riley lied。 I’m sorry。” He listened for a moment； and I realized that the battlefield was quiet。 It was over。 If I’d been in any doubt over who the winner was； that doubt was gone when； a second later； a female vampire with wavy brown hair and yellow eyes hurried to his side。 “Carlisle？” she asked in a confused voice； staring at me。 “She doesn’t want to fight；” he told her。 The woman touched his arm。 He was still tensed to spring。 “She’s so frightened； Carlisle。 Couldn’t we…” The blond； Carlisle； glanced back at her； and then he straightened up a little； though I could see he was still wary。 “We have no wish to harm you；” the woman said to me。 She had a soft； soothing voice。 “We didn’t want to fight any of you。” “I’m sorry；” I whispered again。 I couldn’t make sense of the mess in my head。 Diego was dead； and that was the main thing； the devastating thing。 Other
Page 128
than that； the fight was over； my coven had lost and my enemies had won。 But my dead coven was full of people who would have loved to watch me burn； and my enemies were speaking to me kindly when they had no reason to。 Moreover； I felt safer with these two strangers than I’d ever felt with Raoul and Kristie。 I was relieved that Raoul and Kristie were dead。 It was so confusing。 “Child；” Carlisle said； “will you surrender to us？ If you do not try to harm us； we promise we will not harm you。” And I believed him。 “Yes；” I whispered。 “Yes； I surrender。 I don’t want to hurt anybody。” He held out his hand encouragingly。 “e； child。 Let our family regroup for a moment； then we’ll have some questions for you。 If you answer honestly； you have nothing to fear。” I got up slowly； making no movements that could be considered threatening。 “Carlisle？” a male voice called。 And then another yelloweyed vampire joined us。 Any sort of safety I’d felt with these strangers vanished as soon as I saw him。 He was blond； like the first； but taller and leaner。 His skin was absolutely covered in scars； spaced most thickly together on his neck and jaw。 A few small marks on his arm were fresh； but the rest were not from the brawl today。 He had been in more fights than I could have imagined； and he’d never lost。 His tawny eyes blazed and his stance exuded the barely contained violence of an angry lion。
Page 129
As soon as he saw me he coiled to spring。 “Jasper！” Carlisle warned。 Jasper pulled up short and stared at Carlisle with wide eyes。 “What’s going on？” “She doesn’t want to fight。 She’s surrendered。” The scarred vampire’s brow clouded； and suddenly I felt an unexpected surge of frustration； though I had no idea what I was frustrated with。 “Carlisle； I…” He hesitate