rushed the spirit from him before he could jump out of the stolen body.

 The people rejoiced when they understood what had happened. Taha Aki quickly set everything right,
working again with his people and giving the young wives back to their families. The only change he kept
in place was the end of the spirit travels. He knew that it was too dangerous now that the idea of stealing
a life was there. The spirit warriors were no more.

From that point on, Taha Aki was more than either wolf or man. They called him Taha Aki the Great
Wolf, or Taha Aki the Spirit Man. He led the tribe for many, many years, for he did not age. When
danger threatened, he would resume his wolf-self to fight or frighten the enemy. The people dwelt in
peace. Taha Aki fathered many sons, and some of these found that, after they had reached the age of
manhood, they, too, could transform into wolves. The wolves were all different, because they were spirit
wolves and reflected the man they were inside.

So thats why Sam is all black, Quil muttered under his breath, grinning. Black heart, black fur.

 I was so involved in the story, it was a shock to come back to the present, to the circle around the dying
fire. With another shock, I realized that the circle was made up of Taha Akis great  to however many
degrees  grandsons.

 The fire threw a volley of sparks into the sky, and they shivered and danced, making shapes that were
almost decipherable.

And your chocolate fur reflects what? Sam whispered back to Quil. Howsweet you are?

 Billy ignored their jibes. Some of the sons became warriors with Taha Aki, and they no longer aged.
Others, who did not like the transformation, refused to join the pack of wolf-men. These began to age
again, and the tribe discovered that the wolf-men could grow old like anyone else if they gave up their
spirit wolves. Taha Aki had lived the span of three old mens lives. He had married a third wife after the
deaths of the first two, and found in her his true spirit wife. Though he had loved the others, this was
something else. He decided to give up his spirit wolf so that he would die when she did.

That is how the magic came to us, but it is not the end of the story. . . .

 He looked at Old Quil Ateara, who shifted in his chair, straightening his frail shoulders. Billy took a drink
from a bottle of water and wiped his forehead. Emilys pen never hesitated as she scribbled furiously on
the paper.

 That was the story of the spirit warriors, Old Quil began in a thin tenor voice. This is the story of the
third wifes sacrifice.

 Many years after Taha Aki gave up his spirit wolf, when he was an old man, trouble began in the north,
with the Makahs. Several young women of their tribe had disappeared, and they blamed it on the
neighboring wolves, who they feared and mistrusted. The wolf-men could still read each others thoughts
while in their wolf forms, just like their ancestors had while in their spirit forms. They knew that none of
their number was to blame. Taha Aki tried to pacify the Makah chief, but there was too much fear. Taha
Aki did not want to have a war on his hands. He was no longer a warrior to lead his people. He charged
his oldest wolf-son, Taha Wi, with finding the true culprit before hostilities began.

 Taha Wi led the five other wolves in his pack on a search through the mountains, looking for any
evidence of the missing Makahs. They came across something they had never encountered before  a
strange, sweet scent in the forest that burned their noses to the point of pain.

 I shrank a little closer to Jacobs side. I saw the corner of his mouth twitch with humor, and his arm
tightened around me.

 They did not know what creature would leave such a scent, but they followed it, Old Quil continued.
His quavering voice did not have the majesty of Billys, but it had a strange, fierce edge of urgency about
it. My pulse jumped as his words came faster.
 They found faint traces of human scent, and human blood, along the trail. They were sure this was the
enemy they were searching for.

The journey took them so far north that Taha Wi sent half the pack, the younger ones, back to the
harbor to report to Taha Aki.

Taha Wi and his two brothers did not return.

 The younger brothers searched for their elders, but found only silence. Taha Aki mourned for his sons.
He wished to avenge his sons death, but he was old. He went to the Makah chief in his mourning clothes
and told him everything that had happened. The Makah chief believed his grief, and tensions ended
between the tribes.

A year later, two Makah maidens disappeared from their homes on the same night. The Makahs called
on the Quileute wolves at once, who found the same sweet stink all through the Makah village. The
wolves went on the hunt again.

 Only one came back. He was Yaha Uta, the oldest son of Taka Akis third wife, and the youngest in
the pack. He brought something with him that had never been seen in all the days of the Quileutes  a
strange, cold, stony corpse that he carried in pieces. All who were of Taha Akis blood, even those who
had never been wolves, could smell the piercing smell of the dead creature. This was the enemy of the
Makahs.

 Yaha Uta described what had happened: he and his brothers had found the creature, who looked like a
man but was hard as a granite rock, with the two Makah daughters. One girl was already dead, white
and bloodless on the ground. The other was in the creatures arms, his mouth at her throat. She may have
been alive when they came upon the hideous scene, but the creature quickly snapped her neck and
tossed her lifeless body to the ground when they approached. His white lips were covered in her blood,
and his eyes glowed red.

 Yaha Uta described the fierce strength and speed of the creature. One of his brothers quickly became a
victim when he underestimated that strength. The creature ripped him apart like a doll. Yaha Uta and his
other brother were more wary. They worked together, coming at the creature from the sides,
outmaneuvering it. They had to reach the very limits of their wolf strength and speed, something that had
never been tested before. The creature was hard as stone and cold as ice. They found that only their
teeth could damage it. They began to rip small pieces of the creature apart while it fought them.

But the creature learned quickly, and soon was matching their maneuvers. It got its hands on Yaha
Utas brother. Yaha Uta found an opening on the creatures throat, and he lunged. His teeth tore the
head off the creature, but the hands continued to mangle his brother.

 Yaha Uta ripped the creature into unrecognizable chunks, tearing pieces apart in a desperate attempt to
save his brother. He was too late, but, in the end, the creature was destroyed.

 Or so they thought. Yaha Uta laid the reeking remains out to be examined by the elders. One severed
hand lay beside a piece of the creatures granite arm. The two pieces touched when the elders poked
them with sticks, and the hand reached out towards the arm piece, trying to reassemble itself.

 Horrified, the elders set fire to the remains. A great cloud of choking, vile smoke polluted the air. When
there was nothing but ashes, they separated the ashes into many small bags and spread them far and wide
 some in the ocean, some in the forest, some in the cliff caverns. Taha Aki wore one bag around his
neck, so he would be warned if the creature ever tried to put himself together again.

 Old Quil paused and looked at Billy. Billy pulled out a leather thong from around his neck. Hanging from
the end was a small bag, blackened with age. A few people gasped. I might have been one of them.

They called it The Cold One, the Blood Drinker, and lived in fear that it was not alone. They only had
one wolf protector left, young Yaha Uta.

They did not have long to wait. The creature had a mate, another blood drinker, who came to the
Quileutes seeking revenge.

 The stories say that the Cold Woman was the most beautiful thing human eyes had ever seen. She
looked like the goddess of the dawn when she entered the village that morning; the sun was shining for
once, and it glittered off her white skin and lit the golden hair that flowed down to her knees. Her face
was magical in its beauty, her eyes black in her white face. Some fell to their knees to worship her.

She asked something in a high, piercing voice, in a language no one had ever heard. The people were
dumbfounded, not knowing how to answer her. There was none of Taha Akis blood among the
witnesses but one small boy. He clung to his mother and screamed that the smell was hurting his nose.
One of the elders, on his way to council, heard the boy and realized what had come among them. He
yelled for the people to run. She killed him first.

There were twenty witnesses to the Cold Womans approach. Two survived, only because she grew
distracted by the blood, and paused to sate her thirst. They ran to Taha Aki, who sat in counsel with the
other elders, his sons, and his third wife.

Yaha Uta transformed into his spirit wolf as soon as he heard the news. He went to destroy the blood
drinker alone. Taha Aki, his third wife, his sons, and his elders followed behind him.

At first they could not find the creature, only the evidence of her attack. Bodies lay broken, a few
drained of blood, strewn across the road where shed appeared. Then they heard the screams and
hurried to the harbor.

 A handful of the Quileutes had run to the ships for refuge. She swam after them like a shark, and broke
the bow of their boat with her incredible strength. When the ship sank, she caught those trying to swim
away and broke them, too.

 She saw the great wolf on the shore, and she forgot the fleeing swimmers. She swam so fast she was a
blur and came, dripping and glorious, to stand before Yaha Uta. She pointed at him with one white finger
and asked another incomprehensible question. Yaha Uta waited.

It was a close fight. She was not the warrior her mate had been. But Yaha Uta was alone  there was
no one to distract her fury from him.

 When Yaha Uta lost, Taha Aki screamed in defiance. He limped forward and shifted into an ancient,
white-muzzled wolf. The wolf was old, but this was Taha Aki the Spirit Man, and his rage made him
strong. The fight began again.

Taha Akis third wife had just seen her son die before her. Now her husband fought, and she had no
hope that he could win. Shed heard every word the witnesses to the slaughter had told the council.
Shed heard the story of Yaha Utas first victory, and knew that his brothers diversion had saved him.
The third wife grabbed a knife from the belt of one of the sons who stood beside her. They were all
young sons, not yet men, and she knew they would die when their father failed.

 The third wife ran toward the Cold Woman with the dagger raised high. The Cold Woman smiled,
barely distracted from her fight with the old wolf. She had no fear of the weak human woman or the knife
that would not even scratch her skin, and she was about to deliver the death blow to Taha Aki.

And then the third wife did something the Cold Woman did not expect. She fell to her knees at the
blood drinkers feet and plunged the knife into her own heart.

 Blood spurted through the third wifes fingers and splashed against the Cold Woman. The blood
drinker could not resist the lure of the fresh blood leaving the third wifes body. Instinctively, she turned
to the dying woman, for one second entirely consumed by thirst.

Taha Akis teeth closed around her neck.

 That was not the end of the fight, but Taha Aki was not alone now. Watching their mother die, two
young sons felt such rage that they sprang forth as their spirit wolves, though they were not yet men. With
their father, they finished the creature.

 Taha Aki never rejoined the tribe. He never changed back to a man again. He lay for one day beside
the body of the third wife, growling whenever anyone tried to touch her, and then he went into the forest
and never returned.

 Trouble with the cold ones was rare from that time on. Taha Akis sons guarded the tribe until their
sons were old enough to take their places. There were never more than three wolves at a time. It was
enough. Occasionally a blood drinker would come through these lands, but they were taken by surprise,
not expecting the wolves. Sometimes a wolf would die, but never were they decimated again like that first
time. Theyd learned how to fight the cold ones, and they passed the knowledge on, wolf mind to wolf
mind, spirit to spirit, father to son.

Time passed, and the descendants of Taha Aki no longer became wolves when they reached manhood.
Only in a great while, if a cold one was near, would the wolves return. The cold ones always came in
ones and twos, and the pack stayed small.

 A bigger coven came, and your own great-grandfathers prepared to fight them off. But the leader
spoke to Ephraim Black as if he were a man, and promised not to harm the Quileutes. His strange yellow
eyes gave some proof to his claim that they were not the same as other blood drinkers. The wolves were
outnumbered; there was no need for the cold ones to offer a treaty when they could have won the fight.
Ephraim accepted. Theyve stayed true to their side, though their presence does tend to draw in others.

 And their numbers have forced a larger pack than the tribe has ever seen, Old Quil said, and for one
moment his black eyes, all but buried in the wrinkles of skin folded around them, seemed to rest on me.
Except, of course, in Taha Akis time, he said, and then he sighed. And so the sons of our tribe again
carry the burden and share the sacrifice their fathers endured before them.

 All was silent for a long moment. The living descendants of magic and legend stared at one another
across the fire with sadness in their eyes. All but one.

Burden, he scoffed in a low voice. I think its cool. Quils full lower lip pouted out a little bit.
Across the dying fire, Seth Clearwater  his eyes wide with adulation for the fraternity of tribal
protectors  nodded his agreement.

 Billy chuckled, low and long, and the magic seemed to fade into the glowing embers. Suddenly, it was
just a circle of friends again. Jared flicked a small stone at Quil, and everyone laughed when it made him
jump. Low conversations murmured around us, teasing and casual.

Leah Clearwaters eyes did not open. I thought I saw something sparkling on her cheek like a tear, but
when I looked back a moment later it was gone.

Neither Jacob nor I spoke. He was so still beside me, his breath so deep and even, that I thought he
might be close to sleep.

 My mind was a thousand years away. I was not thinking of Yaha Uta or the other wolves, or the
beautiful Cold Woman  I could pictureher only too easily. No, I was thinking of someone outside the
magic altogether. I was trying to imagine the face of the unnamed woman who had saved the entire tribe,
the third wife.

Just a human woman, with no special gifts or powers. Physically weaker and slower than any of the
monsters in the story. But she had been the key, the solution. Shed saved her husband, her young sons,
her tribe.

I wish theyd remembered her name. . . .

Something shook my arm.

Cmon, Bells, Jacob said in my ear. Were here.

 I blinked, confused because the fire seemed to have disappeared. I glared into the unexpected darkness,
trying to make sense of my surroundings. It took me a minute to realize that I was no longer on the cliff.
Jacob and I were alone. I was still under his arm, but I wasnt on the ground anymore.

How did I get in Jacobs car?

Oh, crap! I gasped as I realized that I had fallen asleep. How late is it? Dang it, wheres that stupid
phone? I patted my pockets, frantic and coming up empty.

Easy. Its not even midnight yet. And I already called him for you. Look  hes waiting there.

Midnight? I repeated stupidly, still disoriented. I stared into the darkness, and my heartbeat picked up
when my eyes made out the shape of the Volvo, thirty yards away. I reached for the door handle.

Here, Jacob said, and he put a small shape into my other hand. The phone.

You called Edward for me?

My eyes were adjusted enough to see the bright gleam of Jacobs smile. I figured if I played nice, Id
get more time with you.

Thanks, Jake, I said, touched. Really, thank you. And thanks for inviting me tonight. That was . . .
Words failed me. Wow. That was something else.

And you didnt even stay up to watch me swallow a cow. He laughed. No, Im glad you liked it. It
was . . . nice for me. Having you there.

There was a movement in the dark distance  something pale ghosting against the black trees. Pacing?

Yeah, hes not so patient, is he? Jacob said, noticing my distraction. Go ahead. But come back soon,
okay?

 Sure, Jake, I promised, cracking the car door open. Cold air washed across my legs and made me
shiver.

Sleep tight, Bells. Dont worry about anything  Ill be watching out for you tonight.

I paused, one foot on the ground. No, Jake. Get some rest, Ill be fine.

Sure, sure, he said, but he sounded more patronizing than agreeing.

Night, Jake. Thanks.

Night, Bella, he whispered as I hurried into the darkness.

Edward caught me at the boundary line.

Bella, he said, relief strong in his voice; his arms wound tightly around me.

Hi. Sorry Im so late. I fell asleep and 

 I know. Jacob explained. He started toward the car, and I staggered woodenly at his side. Are you
tired? I could carry you.

Im fine.

Lets get you home and in bed. Did you have a nice time?

Yeah  it was amazing, Edward. I wish you could have come. I cant even explain it. Jakes dad told
us the old legends and it was like . . . like magic.

Youll have to tell me about it. After youve slept.

I wont get it right, I said, and then I yawned hugely.

Edward chuckled. He opened my door for me, lifted me in, and buckled my seat belt around me.

 Bright lights flashed on and swept across us. I waved toward Jacobs headlights, but I didnt know if he
saw the gesture.

 That night  after Id gotten past Charlie, who didnt give me as much trouble as Id expected because
Jacob had called him, too  instead of collapsing in bed right away, I leaned out the open window while
I waited for Edward to come back. The night was surprisingly cold, almost wintry. I hadnt noticed it at
all on the windy cliffs; I imagined that had less to do with the fire than it did with sitting next to Jacob.

Icy droplets spattered against my face as the rain began to fall.

It was too dark to see much besides the black triangles of the spruces leaning and shaking with the wind.
But I strained my eyes anyway, searching for other shapes in the storm. A pale silhouette, moving like a
ghost through the black . . . or maybe the shadowy outline of an enormous wolf. . . . My eyes were too
weak.

Then there was a movement in the night, right beside me. Edward slid through my open window, his
hands colder than the rain.

Is Jacob out there? I asked, shivering as Edward pulled me into the circle of his arm.

Yes . . . somewhere. And Esmes on her way home.

I sighed. Its so cold and wet. This is silly. I shivered again.

He chuckled. Its only cold toyou, Bella.

 It was cold in my dream that night, too, maybe because I slept in Edwards arms. But I dreamt I was
outside in the storm, the wind whipping my hair in my face and blinding my eyes. I stood on the rocky
crescent of First Beach, trying to understand the quickly moving shapes I could only dimly see in the
darkness at the shores edge. At first, there was nothing but a flash of white and black, darting toward
each other and dancing away. And then, as if the moon had suddenly broken from the clouds, I could see
everything.

Rosalie, her hair swinging wet and golden down to the back of her knees, was lunging at an enormous
wolf  its muzzle shot through with silver  that I instinctively recognized as Billy Black.

 I broke into a run, but found myself moving in the frustrating slow motion of dreamers. I tried to scream
to them, to tell them to stop, but my voice was stolen by the wind, and I could make no sound. I waved
my arms, hoping to catch their attention. Something flashed in my hand, and I noticed for the first time
that my right hand wasnt empty.

I held a long, sharp blade, ancient and silver, crusted in dried, blackened blood.

 I cringed away from the knife, and my eyes snapped open to the quiet darkness of my bedroom. The
first thing I realized was that I was not alone, and I turned to bury my face in Edwards chest, knowing
the sweet scent of his skin would chase the nightmare away more effectively than anything else.

 Did I wake you? he whispered. There was the sound of paper, the ruffling of pages, and a faintthump
as something light fell to the wooden floor.

No, I mumbled, sighing in contentment as his arms tightened around me. I had a bad dream.

Do you want to tell me about it?

I shook my head. Too tired. Maybe in the morning, if I remember.

I felt a silent laugh shake through him.
In the morning, he agreed.

What were you reading? I muttered, not really awake at all.

Wuthering Heights,he said.

I frowned sleepily. I thought you didnt like that book.

 You left it out, he murmured, his soft voice lulling me toward unconsciousness. Besides . . . the more
time I spend with you, the more human emotions seem comprehensible to me. Im discovering that I can
sympathize with Heathcliff in ways I didnt think possible before.

Mmm, I sighed.

He said something else, something low, but I was already asleep.

The next morning dawned pearl gray and still. Edward asked me about my dream, but I couldnt get a
handle on it. I only remembered that I was cold, and that I was glad he was there when I woke up. He
kissed me, long enough to get my pulse racing, and then headed home to change and get his car.

I dressed quickly, low on options. Whoever had ransacked my hamper had critically impaired my
wardrobe. If it wasnt so frightening, it would be seriously annoying.

 As I was about to head down for breakfast, I noticed my battered copy ofWuthering Heights lying
open on the floor where Edward had dropped it in the night, holding his place the way the damaged
binding always held mine.

I picked it up curiously, trying to remember what hed said. Something about feeling sympathy for
Heathcliff, of all people. That couldnt be right; I must have dreamed that part.

 Three words on the open page caught my eye, and I bent my head to read the paragraph more closely.
It was Heathcliff speaking, and I knew the passage well.


 And there you see the distinction between our feelings: had he been in my place and I in his,
though I hated him with a hatred that turned my life to gall, I never would have raised a hand
against him. You may look incredulous, if you please! I never would have banished him from her
society as long as she desired his. The moment her regard ceased, I would have torn his heart out,
and drank his blood! But, till then  if you dont believe me, you dont know me  till then, I
would have died by inches before I touched a single hair of his head!


The three words that had caught my eye were drank his blood.

I shuddered.

Yes, surely I must have dreamt that Edward said anything positive about Heathcliff. And this page was
probably not the page hed been reading. The book could have fallen open to any page.
12. TIME

IHAVE FORESEEN . . . , ALICE BEGAN IN AN OMINOUStone.

Edward threw an elbow toward her ribs, which she neatly dodged.

 Fine, she grumbled. Edward is making me do this. But Idid foresee that you would be more difficult if
I surprised you.

 We were walking to the car after school, and I was completely clueless as to what she was talking
about.

In English? I requested.

Dont be a baby about this. No tantrums.

Now Im scared.

So youre  I meanwere  having a graduation party. Its no big thing. Nothing to freak out over.
But I saw that youwould freak out if I tried to make it a surprise party  she danced out of the way as
Edward reached over to muss her hair  and Edward said I had to tell you. But its nothing. Promise.

I sighed heavily. Is there any point in arguing?

None at all.

Okay, Alice. Ill be there. And Ill hate every minute of it. Promise.

Thats the spirit! By the way, I love my gift. You shouldnt have.

Alice, I didnt!

Oh, I know that. But you will.

I racked my brains in panic, trying to remember what Id ever decided to get her for graduation that she
might have seen.

Amazing, Edward muttered. How can someone so tiny be so annoying?

Alice laughed. Its a talent.

 Couldnt you have waited a few weeks to tell me about this? I asked petulantly. Now Ill just be
stressed that much longer.

Alice frowned at me.

Bella, she said slowl