*by Stephenie Meyer*
TWILIGHT - chapter 19 - GOODBYES
I was staring back at Alice's headlights when the truck shuddered and a dark shadow sprung up outside the window.
16 My bloodcurdling scream lasted a fraction of a secondo before Edward's hand clamped down on my mouth.
"It's Emmett!"
He released my mouth, and wound his arm around my waist.
"It's okay, Bella," he promised. "You're going to be safe."
We raced through the quiet town toward the north highway.
"I didn't realize te were still so bored with small-town life," he detto conversationally, and I knew he was trying to distract me. "It seemed like te were adjusting fairly well - especially recently. Maybe I was just fattering myself that I was making life più interesting for you."
"I wasn't being nice," I confessed, ignoring his attempt at diversion, looking down at my knees. "That was the same thing my mom detto when she left him. te could say I was hitting below the belt."
"Don't worry. He'll forgive you." He smiled a little, though it didn't touch his eyes.
I stared at him desperately, and he saw the naked panic in my eyes.
"Bella, it's going to be all right."
"But it won't be all right when I'm not with you," I whispered.
"We'll be together again in a few a days," he said, tightening his arm around me. "Don't forget that this was your idea."
"It was the best idea - of course it was mine."
His answering smile was bleak and disappeared immediately.
"Why did this happen?" I asked, my voice catching. "Why me?"
He stared blackly at the road ahead. "It was my fault - I was a fool to expose te like that." The rage in his voice was directed internally.
"That's not what I meant," I insisted. "I was there, big deal. It didn't bother the other two. Why did this James decide to kill me? There're are people all over the place, why me?"
He hesitated, thinking before he answered.
"I got a good look at his mind tonight," he began in a low voice. "I'm not sure if there's anything I could have done to avoid this, once he saw you. It is partially your fault." His voice was wry. "If te didn't smell so appallingly luscious, he might not have bothered. But when I defended you... well, that made it a lot worse. He's not used to being thwarted, no matter how insignificant the object. He thinks of himself as a hunter and nothing else. His existence is consumed with tracking, and a challenge is all he asks of life. Suddenly we've presented him with a beautiful challenge - a large clan of strong fighters all bent of protecting the one vulnerable element. te wouldn't believe how euphoric he is now. It's his preferito game, and we've just made it his most exciting game ever." His tone was full of disgust.
He paused a moment.
"But if I had stood by, he would have killed te right then," he detto with hopeless frustration.
"I thought... I didn't smell the same to the others... as I do to you," I detto hesitantly.
"You don't. But that doesn't mean that te aren't still a temptation to every one of them. If te had appealed to the tracker - o any of them - the same way te appeal to me, it would have been a fight right there."
I shuddered.
"I don't think I have any choice but to kill him now," he muttered. "Carlisle won't like it."
I could hear the tires attraversare, croce the bridge, though I couldn't see the river in the dark. I knew we were getting close. I had to ask him now.
"How can te kill a vampire?"
He glanced at me with unreadable eyes and his voice was suddenly harsh. "The only way to be sure is to tear him to shreds, and then burn the pieces."
"And the other two will fight with him?"
"The woman will. I'm not sure about Laurent. They don't have a very strong bond - he's only with them for convenience. He was embarrassed da James in the meadow...."
"But James and the woman - they'll try to kill you?" I asked, my voice raw.
"Bella, don't te dare waste time worrying about me. Your only concern is keeping yourself sicuro, cassetta di sicurezza and - please, please - trying not to be reckless."
"Is he still following?"
"Yes. He won't attack the house, though. Not tonight."
He turned off onto the invisible drive, with Alice following behind.
We drove right up to the house. The lights inside were bright, but they did little to alleviate the blackness of the encroaching forest. Emmett had my door open before the truck was stopped; he pulled me out of the seat, tucked me like a football into his vast chest, and ran me through the door.
We burst into the large white room, Edward and Alice at our sides. All of them were there; they were already on their feet at the sound of our approach. Laurent stood in their midst. I could hear low growls rumble deep in Emmett's throat as he set me down successivo to Edward.
"He's tracking us," Edward announced, glaring balefully at Laurent.
Laurent's face was unhappy. "I was afraid of that."
Alice danced to Jasper's side and whispered in his ear; her lips quivered with the speed of her silent speech. They flew up the stairs together. Rosalie watched them, and then moved quickly to Emmett's side. Her beautiful eyes were intense and - when they flickered unwillingly to my face - furious.
"What will he do?" Carlisle asked Laurent in chilling tones.
"I'm sorry," he answered. "I was afraid, when your boy there defended her, that it would set him off."
"Can te stop him?"
Laurent shook his head. "Nothing stops James when he gets started."
"We'll stop him," Emmett promised. There was no doubt what he meant.
"You can't bring him down. I've never seen anything like him in my three hundred years. He's absolutely lethal. That's why I joined his coven."
His coven, I thought, of course. The mostra of leadership in the clearing was merely that, a show.
Laurent was shaking his head. He glanced at me, perplexed, and back to Carlisle. "Are te sure it's worth it?"
Edward's enraged roar filled the room; Laurent cringed back.
Carlisle looked gravely at Laurent. "I'm afraid you're going to have to make a choice."
Laurent understood. He deliberated for a moment. His eyes took in every face, and finally swept the bright room.
"I'm intrigued da the life you've created here. But I won't get in the middle of this. I orso none of te any enmity, but I won't go up against James. I think I will head north - to that clan in Denali." He hesitated. "Don't underestimate James. He's got a brilliant mind and unparalleled senses. He's every bit as comfortable in the human world as te seem to be, and he won't come at te head on.... I'm sorry for what's been unleashed here. Truly sorry." He bowed his head, but I saw him flicker another puzzled look at me.
"Go in peace," was Carlisle's formal answer.
TWILIGHT - chapter 19 - GOODBYES
I was staring back at Alice's headlights when the truck shuddered and a dark shadow sprung up outside the window.
16 My bloodcurdling scream lasted a fraction of a secondo before Edward's hand clamped down on my mouth.
"It's Emmett!"
He released my mouth, and wound his arm around my waist.
"It's okay, Bella," he promised. "You're going to be safe."
We raced through the quiet town toward the north highway.
"I didn't realize te were still so bored with small-town life," he detto conversationally, and I knew he was trying to distract me. "It seemed like te were adjusting fairly well - especially recently. Maybe I was just fattering myself that I was making life più interesting for you."
"I wasn't being nice," I confessed, ignoring his attempt at diversion, looking down at my knees. "That was the same thing my mom detto when she left him. te could say I was hitting below the belt."
"Don't worry. He'll forgive you." He smiled a little, though it didn't touch his eyes.
I stared at him desperately, and he saw the naked panic in my eyes.
"Bella, it's going to be all right."
"But it won't be all right when I'm not with you," I whispered.
"We'll be together again in a few a days," he said, tightening his arm around me. "Don't forget that this was your idea."
"It was the best idea - of course it was mine."
His answering smile was bleak and disappeared immediately.
"Why did this happen?" I asked, my voice catching. "Why me?"
He stared blackly at the road ahead. "It was my fault - I was a fool to expose te like that." The rage in his voice was directed internally.
"That's not what I meant," I insisted. "I was there, big deal. It didn't bother the other two. Why did this James decide to kill me? There're are people all over the place, why me?"
He hesitated, thinking before he answered.
"I got a good look at his mind tonight," he began in a low voice. "I'm not sure if there's anything I could have done to avoid this, once he saw you. It is partially your fault." His voice was wry. "If te didn't smell so appallingly luscious, he might not have bothered. But when I defended you... well, that made it a lot worse. He's not used to being thwarted, no matter how insignificant the object. He thinks of himself as a hunter and nothing else. His existence is consumed with tracking, and a challenge is all he asks of life. Suddenly we've presented him with a beautiful challenge - a large clan of strong fighters all bent of protecting the one vulnerable element. te wouldn't believe how euphoric he is now. It's his preferito game, and we've just made it his most exciting game ever." His tone was full of disgust.
He paused a moment.
"But if I had stood by, he would have killed te right then," he detto with hopeless frustration.
"I thought... I didn't smell the same to the others... as I do to you," I detto hesitantly.
"You don't. But that doesn't mean that te aren't still a temptation to every one of them. If te had appealed to the tracker - o any of them - the same way te appeal to me, it would have been a fight right there."
I shuddered.
"I don't think I have any choice but to kill him now," he muttered. "Carlisle won't like it."
I could hear the tires attraversare, croce the bridge, though I couldn't see the river in the dark. I knew we were getting close. I had to ask him now.
"How can te kill a vampire?"
He glanced at me with unreadable eyes and his voice was suddenly harsh. "The only way to be sure is to tear him to shreds, and then burn the pieces."
"And the other two will fight with him?"
"The woman will. I'm not sure about Laurent. They don't have a very strong bond - he's only with them for convenience. He was embarrassed da James in the meadow...."
"But James and the woman - they'll try to kill you?" I asked, my voice raw.
"Bella, don't te dare waste time worrying about me. Your only concern is keeping yourself sicuro, cassetta di sicurezza and - please, please - trying not to be reckless."
"Is he still following?"
"Yes. He won't attack the house, though. Not tonight."
He turned off onto the invisible drive, with Alice following behind.
We drove right up to the house. The lights inside were bright, but they did little to alleviate the blackness of the encroaching forest. Emmett had my door open before the truck was stopped; he pulled me out of the seat, tucked me like a football into his vast chest, and ran me through the door.
We burst into the large white room, Edward and Alice at our sides. All of them were there; they were already on their feet at the sound of our approach. Laurent stood in their midst. I could hear low growls rumble deep in Emmett's throat as he set me down successivo to Edward.
"He's tracking us," Edward announced, glaring balefully at Laurent.
Laurent's face was unhappy. "I was afraid of that."
Alice danced to Jasper's side and whispered in his ear; her lips quivered with the speed of her silent speech. They flew up the stairs together. Rosalie watched them, and then moved quickly to Emmett's side. Her beautiful eyes were intense and - when they flickered unwillingly to my face - furious.
"What will he do?" Carlisle asked Laurent in chilling tones.
"I'm sorry," he answered. "I was afraid, when your boy there defended her, that it would set him off."
"Can te stop him?"
Laurent shook his head. "Nothing stops James when he gets started."
"We'll stop him," Emmett promised. There was no doubt what he meant.
"You can't bring him down. I've never seen anything like him in my three hundred years. He's absolutely lethal. That's why I joined his coven."
His coven, I thought, of course. The mostra of leadership in the clearing was merely that, a show.
Laurent was shaking his head. He glanced at me, perplexed, and back to Carlisle. "Are te sure it's worth it?"
Edward's enraged roar filled the room; Laurent cringed back.
Carlisle looked gravely at Laurent. "I'm afraid you're going to have to make a choice."
Laurent understood. He deliberated for a moment. His eyes took in every face, and finally swept the bright room.
"I'm intrigued da the life you've created here. But I won't get in the middle of this. I orso none of te any enmity, but I won't go up against James. I think I will head north - to that clan in Denali." He hesitated. "Don't underestimate James. He's got a brilliant mind and unparalleled senses. He's every bit as comfortable in the human world as te seem to be, and he won't come at te head on.... I'm sorry for what's been unleashed here. Truly sorry." He bowed his head, but I saw him flicker another puzzled look at me.
"Go in peace," was Carlisle's formal answer.
I promise to remember Bella Each time I trip for no reason.
And I promise to remember Edward Whenever I covet something.
I promise to obey traffic laws For Charlies sake of course
And I promise to remember Jacob When I see a smile that lights up my whole day
I promise to remember Carlisle
Whenever I am in the Emergency Room
And I promise to remember Emmett Every time there's a huge boom
I promise to to remember Rose Whenever I see something that holds pure beauty
And I promise to remember Alice When I'm at a mall and a cute outfit spots me
I promise to remember Nessie When I see my child for the first time and tell it i Amore it
And I promise to remember Esme When someone tells me they care
I promise to remember Jasper Whenever I see someone constantly in pain =)
And I promise to remember the Volturi When someone speaks of dominating the world
I swear i will Amore Twilight everyday of my life for the rest of my life
And I promise to remember Edward Whenever I covet something.
I promise to obey traffic laws For Charlies sake of course
And I promise to remember Jacob When I see a smile that lights up my whole day
I promise to remember Carlisle
Whenever I am in the Emergency Room
And I promise to remember Emmett Every time there's a huge boom
I promise to to remember Rose Whenever I see something that holds pure beauty
And I promise to remember Alice When I'm at a mall and a cute outfit spots me
I promise to remember Nessie When I see my child for the first time and tell it i Amore it
And I promise to remember Esme When someone tells me they care
I promise to remember Jasper Whenever I see someone constantly in pain =)
And I promise to remember the Volturi When someone speaks of dominating the world
I swear i will Amore Twilight everyday of my life for the rest of my life
On her website, Stephenie Meyer detto that this is the Musica playlist that she envisioned for Twilight. She also detto that she would always listen to these songs WHILE Scrivere Twilight!=
1. "Why Does it Always Rain on Me?" — Travis
2. "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" [video edit] — My Chemical Romance
3. "Creep" [radio edit] — Radiohead
4. "In My Place" — Coldplay
5. "By Myself" — Linkin Park
6. "Dreaming" — OMD
7. "Please Forgive Me" — David Gray
8. "Here With Me" — Dido
9. "With You" [reanimation remix] — Linkin Park
10. "Time is Running Out" — Muse
11. "Dreams" — The Cranberries
12. "Tremble for My Beloved" — Collective Soul
13. "Lullaby (Goodnight, My Angel)" — Billy Joel
There te have it! :D
1. "Why Does it Always Rain on Me?" — Travis
2. "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" [video edit] — My Chemical Romance
3. "Creep" [radio edit] — Radiohead
4. "In My Place" — Coldplay
5. "By Myself" — Linkin Park
6. "Dreaming" — OMD
7. "Please Forgive Me" — David Gray
8. "Here With Me" — Dido
9. "With You" [reanimation remix] — Linkin Park
10. "Time is Running Out" — Muse
11. "Dreams" — The Cranberries
12. "Tremble for My Beloved" — Collective Soul
13. "Lullaby (Goodnight, My Angel)" — Billy Joel
There te have it! :D