Eclipse (Twilight #3)(65)

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 picture her 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. She'd saved her husband, her young sons, her tribe.

I wish they'd remembered her name. . . .

Something shook my arm.

"C'mon, Bells," Jacob said in my ear. "We're 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 wasn't on the ground anymore.

How did I get in Jacob's car?

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

"Easy. It's not even midnight yet. And I already called him for you. Look - he's 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 Jacob's smile. "I figured if I played nice, I'd get more time with you."

"Thanks, Jake," I said, touched. "Really, thank you. And thanks forinviting me tonight. That was . . ."

Words failed me. "Wow. That was something else."

"And you didn't even stay up to watch me swallow a cow." He laughed. "No, I'm 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, he's 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. Don't worry about anything - I'll be watching out for you tonight."

I paused, one foot on the ground. "No, Jake. Get some rest, I'll 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 I'm 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."

"I'm fine."

"Let's get you home and in bed. Did you have a nice time?"

"Yeah - it was amazing, Edward. I wish you could have come. I can't even explain it. Jake's dad told us the old legends and it was like . . . like magic."

"You'll have to tell me about it. After you've slept."

"I won't 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 Jacob's headlights, but I didn't know if he saw the gesture. That night - after I'd gotten past Charlie, who didn't give me as much trouble as I'd 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 hadn't 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 Esme's on her way home."

I sighed. "It's so cold and wet. This is silly." I shivered again.

He chuckled. "It's only cold to you, Bella."

It was cold in my dream that night, too, maybe because I slept in Edward's 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 shore's 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.