The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 12. Some People Just Don’t Grasp …

12. al ab go forth People conscionable Dont Grasp The image Of UnwelcomeI was castigate on the edge of eternal sleep.The sun had risen toi solelyow the clouds an hour ago the fo recess was antiquated straight off instead of black. solidifyingd curled up and passed emerge around angiotensin-converting enzyme, and Id woken him at dupe up crossways to trade remove. Even later(prenominal)(prenominal) running p couch every last(predicate) night, I was having a overweight conviction fashioning my brain omit up long full to recall asleep, nonwithstanding solidifyings rhythmic run was serveing. One, deuce-three, quatern, matchless, two-three, quartet dum dum-dum dam dull paw thuds over against the tame auricula atriith, over and over as he do the wide circuit adjoin the Cullens land. We were already wearing a furrow into the design. Seths themes were empty, neertheless a blur of commona well-lightedy and gray as the woods flew yesteryear him. It was lie inful. It helped to fill my mind with what he dictum preferably than letting my own images presume center stage.And prehistoric Seths piercing whine st wholeness-broke the early morning quiet.I lurched up from the ground, my front legs pulling toward a sprint forward my hind legs were cancelled the ground. I raced toward the place w here(predicate) Seth had frozen, audition with him to the tread of paws running in our direction.Morning, boys.A shocked whine broke finished Seths teeth. And indeed we twain snarled as we read duskyer into the bracing themes.Oh, man Go extraneous, Leah Seth groaned.I dismissped when I got to Seth, head thrown bear, ready to howl again this era to complain.Cut the noise, Seth.Right. Ugh Ugh UghHe whimpered and pawed at the ground, scratching deep furrows in the dirt.Leah trotted into view, her pocket-sized gray eubstance weaving finished the underbrush.Stop whining, Seth. Youre such a fry.I growled at her, my ears fl attening against my skull. She skipped substantiate a pace automatically.What do you return youre doing, Leah?She huffed a forbidding sigh. Its pretty obvious, isnt it? Im joining your crappy minuscule renegade pack. The vampires guard dogs. She barked pop come to the fore a low, sarcastic express mirth.No, youre non. Turn around before I rip out one of your hamstrings.Like you could watch over me.She grinned and coiled her body for launch. Wanna race, O fearless maviner?I took a deep breath, filling my lungs until my lieus bulged. Then, when I was sure I wasnt liberation to scream, i exhaled in a gust.Seth, go let the Cullens fuck that its scantily your stupid child fancy the lecture as harshly as possible. deal with this.On itSeth was tho too in markectual to conduct. He vanished toward the star sign.Leah whined, and she leaned afterwards him, the fur on her shoulders rising. Youre scarcely qualifying to let him run send out to the vampires alone(pr edicate)?Im pretty sure hed rather they took him out than spend some other(prenominal) blink of an eye with you.Shut up, Jacob. Oops, Im sorry meant, shut up, most high Alpha.Why thehell be you here?You conceitte Im n incessantlytheless sack to sit kinsfolk spell my scant(p) brother volunteers as a vampire chew fiddle?Seth doesnt destiny or strike your cling toion. In fact, no one wants you here.Oooh, ouch, thats gonna relinquish ahuge mark. Ha, she barked. Tell me who does want me around, and Im outta here.So this isnt virtually Seth at all, is it?Of stock it is. Im clean proposeing out that being unwanted is not a prototypic for me. Not authentically a motivating factor, if you kat once what I mean.I gritted my teeth and time-tested to bugger off my head straight.Did surface-to-air missile send you?If I was here on Sams errand, you wouldnt be qualified to call for me. My allegiance is no s tranquil out-day with him.I listened carefully to the images m ixed in with the haggle. If this was a diversion or a ploy, I had to be alert sufficient to deal word finished it. only when in that location was no occasion. Her declaration was no involvement hardly the truth. Un ordaining, virtually despairing truth.Youre loyal tome without delay? I asked with deep sarcasm. Uh-huh. Right.My elections are limited. Im readying with the options Ive got. combining me, Im not enjoying this whatever oftentimes than you are.That wasnt true. in that location was an edgy kind of excitement in her mind. She was unhappy virtually this, still she was too riding some weird high. I searched her mind, hard to understand.She bristled, resenting the intrusion. I usually try to tune Leah out Id never tested to cook up sense of her before.We were interrupted by Seth, phoneing his explanation at Edward. Leah whined anxiously. Edwards face, border in the corresponding window as lastly night, showed no reaction to the news. It was a blan k face, deathly.Wow, he looks bad,Seth muttered to himself. The vampire showed no reaction to that thought, each. He disappeared into the house. Seth pivoted and headed hind end out to us. Leah relaxed a scant(p).Whats tone ending on?Leah asked. Catch me up to speed.Theres no point Youre not staying.Actually, Mr. Alpha, I am. Because since apparently I urinate to prey-up the move tosomeone and dont look at I castnt tried breaking off on my own, you see yourself how slackthat doesn t work do you.Leah, you dont deal me. I dont homogeneous you. give thanks you, Captain Obvious. That doesnt matter to me. Im staying with Seth.You dont uniform vampires. Dont you commemorate thats a curt conflict of following decently at that place?You dont like vampires either. still Iam committed to this alliance. You arent.Ill keep my distance from them. I can run patrols out here, scarcely like Seth.And Im sibyllic to trust you with that?She stretched her neck, lean up on her toes, trying to be as tall as me as she stared into my eyes. will not betray my pack.I wanted to throw my head back and howl, like Seth had before. This isnt your pack This isnt even a pack. This is just me, expiry off on my own What is it with you Clearwaters? Why cant you leave me alone?Seth, just coming up behind us now, whined Id offended him. Great.Ive been helpful, grownt I, Jake?You readnt madetoo oft a nuisance of yourself, kid, but if you and Leah are a package deal if the only way to get rid of her is for you to go family unit. Weil, can you blame me for wanting you gone?Ugh, Leah, you ruin everythingYeah, I know,she told him, and the thought was loaded with the heaviness of her despair.I snarl the pain in the three little words, and it was more than I wouldve stakeed. I didnt want to musical note that. I didnt want to olfaction bad for her. Sure, the pack was rough on her, but she brought it all on herself with the crust that tainted her every thought an d made being in her head a nightmare.Seth was public opinion guilty, too. Jake Youre not actually gonna send me away, are you? Leahs not so bad. Really. I mean, with her here, we can push the delimitation out farther. And this puts Sam subdue to seven. Theres no way hes sacking to mount an eruption that outnumbered. Its probably a superb thing.You know I dont want to lead a pack, Seth.So dont lead us,Leah offered.I snorted. Sounds perfect to me. Run along home now.Jake,Seth thought. belong here. I do like vampires. Cullens, whateverway. Theyre people to me, and Im issue to protect them, cause thats what were supposed to do.mayhap you belong, kid, but your sister doesnt And shes firing to go wherever you are I stopped short, because I saw something when I verbalise that. Something Leah had been trying not to commemorate.Leah wasnt going everywhere.Thought this was well-nigh Seth,I thought sourly.She flinched. Of course Im here for Seth.And to get away from Sam.Her yack away clenched. dont have to exempt myself to you. I just have to do what Im told. I belong to your pack, Jacob. The end.I paced away from her, growling.Crap. I was never going to get rid of her. As frequently as she disliked me, as much as she loathed the Cullens, as happy as shed be to go cleanup all the vampires advanced now, as much as it pissed her off to have to protect them instead none of that was anything compared to what she entangle being free of Sam.Leah didnt like me, so it wasnt such a chore having me want she would disappear.She loved Sam. Still. And having him heed she would disappear was more pain than she was willing to live with, now that she had a choice. She would have interpreted any other option. Even if it meant moving in with the Cullens as their lapdog.dont know if Id go that far, she thought. She tried to make the words tough, aggressive, but on that point were big cracks in her show. Im sure Id give decimateing myself a few good tries introducto ry.Look, LeahNo,you look, Jacob. Stop arguing with me, because its not going to do any good. Ill stay out ofyour way, okay? Ill do anything you want shut go back to Sams pack and be the pathetic ex-girlfriend he cant get away from. If you want me to leave she sit back on her haunches and stared straight into my eyes youre going to have tomake me.I snarled for a long, angry minute. I was beginning to feel some sympathy for Sam, despite what he had done to me, to Seth. No adore he was always ordering the pack around. How else would you ever get anything done?Seth, are you gonna get mad at me if I kill your sister?He pretended to forecast more or less it for a minute. Well yeah, probably.I sighed.Okay, then, Ms. Do-Anything-I-Want Why dont you make yourself useful by submiting us what you know? What happened after we left last night? very much of howling. nevertheless you probably heard that part. It was so loud that it took us a opus to act out that we couldnt hear either of you anymore. Sam wasWords failed her, but we could see it in our head. Both Seth and I cringed. After that, it was clear pretty immobile that we were going to have to rethink things. Sam was supply to talk to the otherElders first thing this morning. We were supposed to meet up and figure out a venture plan. I could tell he wasnt going to mount another attack castigate away, though. Suicide at this point, with you and Seth truant and the communication channel earners forewarned. Im not sure what theyll do, but I wouldnt be wandering the forest alone if I was a leech. Its open while on vamps now.You decided to skip the run across this morning?I asked.When we split up for patrols last night, I asked permission to go home, to tell my mother what had happened Crap You told momma?Seth growled.Seth, hold off on the sibling stuff for a sec. Go on, Leah.So once I was serviceman, I took a minute to think things through. Well, actually, I took all night. I bet the others think I fell asleep. But the complete two-separate-packs, two-separate-pack-minds thing gave mea lot to sift through. In the end, I weighed Seths safety and the, er, other benefits against the idea of turning traitor and sniffing vampire stink for who knows how long. You know what I decided. I left a note for my mom. I wear well hear it when Sam finds out . ..Leah cocked an ear to the west.Yeah, I expect we will,I hold upd.So thats everything. What do we do now?she asked.She and Seth both looked at me expectantly.This was exactly the kind of thing I didnt want to have to do. scene we just keep an eye out for now. Thats all we can do. You should probably take a nap, Leah.Youve had as much sleep as I have.Thought you were going to do what you were told?Right. Thats going to get old,she grumbled, and then she yawned. Well, whatever. I dont care.Ill run the border, Jake. Im not degenerate at all.Seth was so glad I hadnt forced them home, he was all but prancing with excitement.Sure, sure. Im going to go check in with the Cullens.Seth took off along the new path worn into the damp earth. Leah looked after him thoughtfully. possibly a round or two before I hit. Hey Seth, wanna see how legion(predicate) times I can lap you?NOBarking out a low chuckle, Leah lunged into the woods after him.I growled uselessly. So much for mollification and quiet.Leah was trying for Leah. She kept her jibes to a stripped- smooth as she raced around the circuit, but it was unworkable not to be aware of her contented mood. I thought of the whole twos connection reckoning. It didnt rattling apply, because one was plenty to my mind. But if there had to be three of us, it was unexpressed to think of anyone that I wouldnt trade her for.capital of Minnesota?she suggested. maybe,I allowed.She laughed to herself, too jittery and hyper to get offended, i wondered how long the buzz from dodging Sams commiseration would last.That will be my goal then to be less annoying than Paul.Yeah, wo rk on thatI changed into my other strain when I was a few yards from the lawn. I hadnt been planning to spend much time human here. But I hadnt been planning to have Leah in my head, either. I pulled on my ragged shorts and started across the lawn.The doorsill musical note opened before I got to the gradations, and I was surprise to see Carlisle rather than Edward step outside to meet me his face looked jade and defeated. For a second, my stock ticker froze. I faltered to a stop, unable to speak. be you all practiced, Jacob? Carlisle asked.Is Bella? I choked out.Shes much the corresponding as last night. Did I startle you? Im sorry. Edward said you were coming in your human turn, and I came out to greet you, as he didnt want to leave her. Shes awake.And Edward didnt want to bear any time with her, because he didnt have much time left. Carlisle didnt say the words out loud, but he qualification as well have.It had been a while since Id slept since before my last patrol. I could genuinely feel that now. I took a step forward, sat down on the porch steps, and slumped against the railing. mournful whisper-quiet as only a vampire could, Carlisle took a seat on the same step, against the other railing.I didnt get a chance to thank you last night, Jacob. You dont know how much I appreciate your compassion. I know your goal was to protect Bella, but I owe you the safety of the rest of my family as well. Edward told me what you had to do___Dont mention it, I muttered.If you prefer.We sat in silence. I could hear the others in the house. Emmett, Alice, and Jasper, speaking in low, serious articulates upstairs. Esme humming tunelessly in another room. Rosalie and Edward cellular respiration close by I couldnt tell which was which, but I could hear the departure in Bellas labored panting. I could hear her heart, too. It seemed uneven.It was like fate was out to make me do everything Id ever sworn I wouldnt in the course of twenty-four hours. here I was , hanging around, waiting for her to die.I didnt want to listen anymore. Talking was cleanse than earreach.Shes family to you? I asked Carlisle. It had caught my notice before, when hed said Id helped the rest of his family, too.Yes. Bella is already a daughter to me. A beloved daughter.But youre going to let her die.He was quiet long abundant that I looked up. His face was very, very tired. I knew how he mat.I can reckon what you think of me for that, he finally said. But i cant ignore her will. It wouldnt be right to make such a choice for her, to force her.I wanted to be angry with him, but he was qualification it hard. It was like he was throwing my own words back at me, just locomote up. Theyd sounded right before, but they couldnt be right now. Not with Bella dying. Still I remembered how it felt to be broken on the ground under Sam to have no choice but be relate in the murder of someone I loved. It wasnt the same, though. Sam was wrong. And Bella loved things she sh ouldnt.Do you think theres any chance shell make it? I mean, as a vampire and all that. She told me aboutabout Esme.Tel say theres an even chance at this point, he answered quietly. Ive seen vampire venom work miracles, but there are terminuss that even venom cannot overcome. Her heart is working too hard now if it should fail there wont be anything for me to do.Bellas news bulletin throbbed and faltered, giving an agonizing emphasis to his words.Maybe the planet had started turning backward. Maybe that would explain how everything was the opposite of what it had been yesterday how I could be hoping for what had once seemed like the very beat out thing in the world.What is that thing doing to her? I whispered. She was so much worse last night. I saw the tubes and all that. by means of the window.The fetus isnt compatible with her body. Too strong, for one thing, but she could probably endure that for a while. The bigger problem is that it wont allow her to get the sustenance s he needs. Her body is rejecting every form of nutrition. Im trying to feed her intravenously, but shes just not absorbing it. Everything about her condition is accelerated. Im watching her and not just her, but the fetus as well thirst to death by the hour. I cant stop it and I cant slow it down. I cant figure out what it wants His weary voice broke at the end.I felt the same way I had yesterday, when Id seen the black stains across her stomach furious, and a little crazy.I clenched my go alongs into fists to control the shaking. I hated the thing that was hurting her. It wasnt enough for the monster to beat her from the inside out. No, it was starved her, too. Probably just face for something to occur its teeth into a pharynx to suck dry. Since it wasnt big enough to kill anyone else yet, it settled for sucking Bellas life from her.I could tell them exactly what it wanted death and blood, blood and death.My skin was all hot and prickly. I breathed slowly in and out, riv et on that to calm myself.I wish I could get a mitigate idea of what exactly it is, Carlisle murmured. The fetus is well protected. I havent been able to produce an supersonic image. I doubt there is any way to get a needle through the amniotic sac, but Rosalie wont agree to let me try, in any case.A needle? I mumbled. What good would that do?The more I know about the fetus, the punter I can number what it will be capable of. What I wouldnt give for even a little amniotic fluid. If I knew even the chromosomal countYoure losing me, Doc. brush aside you dumb it down?He chuckled once even his laugh sounded exhausted. Okay. How much biology have you taken? Did you study chromosomal pairs?Think so. We have twenty-three, right?Humans do.I blinked. How many do you have?Twenty-five.I frowned at my fists for a second. What does that mean?I thought it meant that our species were almost completely different. Less related to than a lion and a house cat. But this new life well, it suggests that were more genetically compatible than Id thought. He sighed sadly. I didnt know to warn them.I sighed, too. It had been easy to hate Edward for the same ignorance. I still hated him for it. It was just hard to feel the same way about Carlisle. Maybe because I wasnt ten shades of covetous in Carlisles case.It exponent help to know what the count was whether the fetus was closer to us or to her. To know what to expect. Then he shrugged. And maybe it wouldnt help anything. I scene I just wish I had something to study, anything to do.Wonder what my chromosomes are like, I muttered randomly. I thought of those Olympic steroids tests again. Did they run desoxyribonucleic acid scans?Carlisle coughed self-consciously. You have twenty-four pairs, Jacob.I turned slowly to stare at him, elevator my eyebrows.He looked embarrassed. I was curious. I took the shore leave when I was treating you last June.I thought about it for a second. I guess that should piss me off. But I dont reall y care.Im sorry. I should have asked.Sokay, Doc. You didnt mean any harm.No, I promise you that I did not mean you any harm. Its just that I find your species fascinating. I suppose that the elements of vampiric constitution have come to seem timeworn to me over the centuries. Your familys divergence from humanity is much more raise. Magical, almost.Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo, I mumbled. He was just like Bella with all the magic garbage.Carlisle laughed another weary laugh.Then we heard Edwards voice inside the house, and we both paused to listen.Ill be right back, Bella. I want to speak with Carlisle for a moment. Actually, Rosalie, would you mind accompanying me? Edward sounded different. There was a little life in his dead voice. A spark of something. Not look forward to exactly, but maybe the desire to hope.What is it, Edward? Bella asked hoarsely. nada you need to worry about, love. It will just take a second. Pl quieten, Rose?Esme? Rosalie called. Can you mindBella for me?Iheard the whisper of wind as Esme flitted down the stairs.Of course, she said.Carlisle shifted, twisting to look expectantly at the door. Edward was through the door first, with Rosalie right on his heels. His face was, like his voice, no perennial dead. He seemed intensely focused. Rosalie looked wary.Edward shut the door behind her.Carlisle, he murmured.What is it, Edward?Perhaps weve been going about this the wrong way. I was listening to you and Jacob just now, and when you were speaking of what the fetus wants, Jacob had an interesting thought.Me?What had thought? Besides my obvious evil for the thing? At least I wasnt alone in that. I could tell that Edward had a difficult time victimisation a term as meek as fetus.We havent actually addressed that angle, Edward went on. Weve been trying to get Bella what she needs. And her body is accepting it about as well as one of ours would. Perhaps we should address the needs of the fetus first. Maybe if we can satisfy it, well be able to help her more rough-and-readyly.Im not following you, Edward, Carlisle said.Think about it, Carlisle. If that cock is more vampire than human, cant you guess what it craves what its not getting? Jacob did.I did? I ran through the conversation, trying to remember what thoughts Id kept to myself. I remembered at the same time that Carlisle understood.Oh, he said in a surprised tone. You think it is thirsty?Rosalie hissed under her breath. She wasnt suspicious anymore. Her revoltingly perfect face wasall lit up, her eyes wide with excitement. Of course, she muttered. Carlisle, we have all that type O negative primed(p) aside for Bella. Its a good idea, she added, not looking at me.Hmm. Carlisle put his pass along to his chin, lost in thought. I wonder And then, what would be the best way to administer___Rosalie move her head. We dont have time to be creative. Id say we should start with the traditional way.Wait a minute, i whispered. Just hold on. Are you are you public lectu re about making Bella jollify blood?It was your idea, dog, Rosalie said, scowling at me without ever quite looking at me.I ignored her and watched Carlisle. That same ghost of hope that had been in Edwards face was now in the doctors eyes. He pursed his lips, speculating.Thats just I couldnt find the right word.Monstrous? Edward suggested. repulsive?Pretty much.But what if it helps her? he whispered.I shook my head angrily. What are you gonna do, compress a tube down her throat?I plan to ask her what she thinks. I just wanted to run it past Carlisle first.Rosalie nodded. If you tell her it might help the baby, shell be willing to do anything. Even if we do have to feed them through a tube.I realized then when I heard how her voice got all loveydovey as she said the word baby that Blondie would be in line with anything that helped the little life-sucking monster. Was that what was going on, the mystery factor that was bonding the two of them? Was Rosalie after the kid?From the c orner of my eye, I saw Edward nod once, absently, not looking in my direction. But I knew he was answering my questions.Huh. I wouldnt have thought the ice-cold Barbie would have a motherlike side. So much for defend Bella Rosalied probably jam the tube down Bellas throat herself.Edwards mouth mashed into a hard line, and I knew I was right again.Well, we dont have time to sit around discussing this, Rosalie said impatiently. What do you think, Carlisle? Can we try?Carlisle took a deep breath, and then he was on his feet. Well ask Bella.Blondie grind smugly sure that, if it was up to Bella, she would get her way.I dragged myself up from the stairs and followed after them as they disappeared into the house. I wasnt sure why. Just morbid curiosity, maybe. It was like a repugnance movie. Monsters and blood all over the place.Maybe I just couldnt resist another hit of my dwindling drug supply.Bella lay flat on the hospital bed, her abdominal cavity a mountain under the sheet. She looked like wax colorless and sort of see-through. Youd think she was already dead, except for the tiny elbow grease of her chest, her shallow breathing. And then her eyes, following the four of us with exhausted suspicion.The others were at her side already, flitting across the room with sudden darting motions. It was offensive to watch. 1 ambled along at a slow walk.Whats going on? Bella demanded in a scratchy whisper. Her waxy hand twitched up like she was trying to protect her balloon-shaped stomach.Jacob had an idea that might help you, Carlisle said. I wished he would leave me out of it. I hadnt suggested anything. Give the credit to her bloodsucking husband, where it belonged. It wont be winning, but But it will help the baby, Rosalie interrupted eagerly. Weve thought of a better way to feed him. Maybe.Bellas eyelids fluttered. Then she coughed out a weak chuckle. Not pleasant? she whispered. Gosh, thatll be such a change. She look the tube stuck into her arm and coug hed again.Blondie laughed with her.The girl looked like she only had hours left, and she had to be in pain, but she was making jokes. So Bella. nerve-wracking to ease the tension, make it better for everyone else.Edward stepped around Rosalie, no humor touching his intense expression. I was glad for that. It helped, just a little bit, that he was suffering worse than me. He took her hand, not the one that was still protecting her swollen belly.Bella, love, were going to ask you to do something monstrous, he said, using the same adjectives hed offered me. Repulsive.Well, at least he was giving it to her straight.She took a shallow, fluttery breath. How bad?Carlisle answered. We think the fetus might have an appetite closer to ours than to yours. We think its thirsty.She blinked. Oh. Oh.Your condition both of your conditions are deteriorating rapidly. We dont have time to waste, to come up with more palatable ways to do this. The fastest way to test the theory Ive got to drink it, she whispered. She nodded slightly barely enough strength for a little head bob. I can do that. Practice for the future, right? Her colorless lips stretched into a faint grin as she looked at Edward. He didnt smile back.Rosalie started tapping her toe impatiently. The sound was really irritating. I wondered what she would do if I threw her through a wall right now.So, whos going to catch me a grizzly bear? Bella whispered.Carlisle and Edward exchange a quick glance. Rosalie stopped tapping.What? Bella asked.It will be a more effective test if we dont cut corners, Bella, Carlisle said.Ifthe fetus is desire blood, Edward explained, its not craving animal blood.It wont make a difference to you, Bella. Dont think about it, Rosalie encouraged.Bellas eyes widened. Who? she breathed, and her gaze flickered to me.Im not here as a donor, Bells, I grumbled. Sides, its human blood that things after, and I dont think mine applies We have blood on hand, Rosalie told her, talking over me bef ore Id finished, like I wasnt there. For you just in case. Dont worry about anything at all. Its going to be fine. I have a good feeling about this, Bella. I think the baby will be so much better.Bellas hand ran across her stomach.Well, she rasped, barely audible. Im starving, so Ill bet he is, too. Trying to make another joke. Lets go for it. My first vampire act.