changed the subject quickly。 〃Hey； are you okay about the whole thing with the
black…haired
bloodsucker in the meadow？ It didn't look like he was a friend of yours； but。
。〃 Embry shrugged。
〃No； he wasn't my friend。〃
〃That's good。 We didn't want to start anything； break the treaty； you know。〃
〃Oh； yeah； Jake told me about the treaty once； a long time ago。 Why would
killing Laurent break the
treaty？〃
〃Laurent；〃 he repeated； snorting； like he was amused the vampire had had a
name。 〃Well； we were
technically on Cullen turf。 We're not allowed to attack any of them； the
Cullens； at least； off our
land—unless they break the treaty first。 We didn't know if the black…haired
one was a relative of theirs or
something。 Looked like you knew him。〃
〃How would they go about breaking the treaty？〃
〃If they bite a human。 Jake wasn't so keen on the idea of letting it go that
far。〃
〃Oh。 Um； thanks。 I'm glad you didn't wait。〃
〃Our pleasure。〃 He sounded like he meant that in a literal sense。
Embry drove past the easternmost house on the highway before turning off onto
a narrow dirt road。
〃Your truck is slow；〃 he noted。
〃Sorry。〃
At the end of the lane was a tiny house that had once been gray。 There was
only one narrow window
beside the weathered blue door； but the window box under it was filled with
bright orange and yellow
marigolds； giving the whole place a cheerful look。
Embry opened the truck door and inhaled。 〃Mmm； Emily's cooking。〃
Jared jumped out of the back of the truck and headed for the door； but Embry
stopped him with one
hand on his chest。 He looked at me meaningfully； and cleared his throat。
〃I don't have my wallet on me；〃 Jared said。
〃That's okay。 I won't forget。〃
They climbed up the one step and entered the house without knocking。 I
followed timidly after them。
The front room； like Billy's house； was mostly kitchen。 A young woman with
satiny copper skin and long；
straight； crow…black hair was standing at the counter by the sink； popping big
muffins out of a tin and
placing them on a paper plate。 For one second； I thought the reason Embry had
told me not to stare was
because the girl was so beautiful。
And then she asked 〃You guys hungry？〃 in a melodic voice； and she turned to
face us full on； a smile on
half of her face。
The right side of her face was scarred from hairline to chin by three thick；
red lines； livid in color though
they were long healed。 One line pulled down the corner of her dark； almond…
shaped right eye； another
twisted the right side of her mouth into a permanent grimace。
Thankful for Embry's warning； I quickly turned my eyes to the muffins in her
hands。 They smelled
wonderful—like fresh blueberries。
〃Oh；〃 Emily said； surprised。 〃Who's this？〃
I looked up； trying to focus on the left half of her face。
〃Bella Swan；〃 Jared told her； shrugging。 Apparently； I'd been a topic of
conversation before。 〃Who else？〃
〃Leave it to Jacob to find a way around；〃 Emily murmured。 She stared at me；
and neither half of her
once…beautiful face was friendly。 〃So； you're the vampire girl。〃
I stiffened。 〃Yes。 Are you the wolf girl？〃
She laughed； as did Embry and Jared。 The left half of her face warmed。 〃I
guess I am。〃 She turned to
Jared。 〃Where's Sam？〃
〃Bella； er； surprised Paul this morning。〃
Emily rolled her good eye。 〃Ah； Paul；〃 she sighed。 〃Do you think they'll be
long？ I was just about to start
the eggs。〃
〃Don't worry；〃 Embry told her。 〃If they're late； we won't let anything go to
waste。〃
Emily chuckled； and then opened the refrigerator。 〃No doubt；〃 she agreed。
〃Bella； are you hungry？ Go
ahead and help yourself to a muffin。〃
〃Thanks。〃 I took one from the plate and started nibbling around the edges。 It
was delicious； and it felt
good in my tender stomach。 Embry picked up his third and shoved it into his
mouth whole。
〃Save some for your brothers；〃 Emily chastised him； hitting him on the head
with a wooden spoon。 The
word surprised me； but the others thought nothing of it。
〃Pig；〃 Jared mented。
I leaned against the counter and watched the three of them banter like a
family。 Emily's kitchen was a
friendly place； bright with white cupboards and pale wooden floorboards。 On
the little round table； a
cracked blue…and…white china pitcher was overflowing with wildflowers。 Embry
and Jared seemed
entirely at ease here。
Emily was mixing a humongous batch of eggs； several dozen； in a big yellow
bowl。 She had the sleeves of
her lavender shirt pushed up； and I could see that the scars extended all the
way down her arm to the
back of her right hand。 Hanging out with werewolves truly did have its risks；
just as Embry had said。
The front door opened； and Sam stepped through。
〃Emily；〃 he said； and so much love saturated his voice that I felt
embarrassed； intrusive； as I watched him
cross the room in one stride and take her face in his wide hands。 He leaned
down and kissed the dark
scars on her right cheek before he kissed her lips。
〃Hey； none of that；〃 Jared plained。 〃I'm eating。〃
〃Then shut up and eat；〃 Sam suggested； kissing Emily's ruined mouth again。
〃Ugh；〃 Embry groaned。
This was worse than any romantic movie； this was so real that it sang out loud
with joy and life and true
love。 I put my muffin down and folded my arms across my empty chest。 I stared
at the flowers； trying to
ignore the utter peace of their moment； and the wretched throbbing of my
wounds。
I was grateful for the distraction when Jacob and Paul came through the door；
and then shocked when I
saw that they were laughing。 While I watched； Paul punched Jacob on the
shoulder and Jacob went for a
kidney jab in return。 They laughed again。 They both appeared to be in one
piece。
Jacob scanned the room； his eyes stopping when he found me leaning； awkward
and out of place； against
the counter in the far corner of the kitchen。
〃Hey； Bells；〃 he greeted me cheerfully。 He grabbed two muffins as he passed
the table and came to stand
beside me。 〃Sorry about before；〃 he muttered under his breath。 〃How are you
holding up。'〃
〃Don't worry； I'm okay。 Good muffins。〃 I picked mine back up and started
nibbhrg again。 My chest felt
better as soon as Jacob was beside me。
〃Oh； man！〃 Jared wailed； interrupting us。
I looked up； and he and Embry were examining a fading pink line on Paul's
forearm。 Embry was grinning；
exultant。
〃Fifteen dollars；〃 he crowed。
〃Did you do that？〃 I whispered to Jacob； remembering the bet。
〃I barely touched him。 He'll be perfect by sundown。〃
〃By sundown？〃 I looked at the line on Paul's arm。 Odd； but it looked weeks
old。
〃Wolf thing；〃 Jacob whispered。
I nodded； trying to not look weirded out。
〃You okay？〃 I asked him under my breath。
〃Not a scratch on me。〃 His expression was smug。
〃Hey； guys；〃 Sam said in a loud voice； interrupting all the conversations
going on in the small room。 Emily
was at the stove； scraping the egg mixture around a big skillet； but Sam still
had one hand touching the
small of her back； an unconscious gesture。 〃Jacob has information for us。〃
Paul looked unsurprised。 Jacob must have expla