ndering why you stabbed him. Not that I object. With his chin, he gestured to the knife on the counter.

Dang! I thought I got everything.

I pulled away from him and ran to put the knife in the sink before I doused it with bleach.

I didnt stab him, I explained as I worked. He forgot he had a knife in his hand.

Edward chuckled. Thats not nearly as fun as the way I imagined it.

Be nice.

He took a big envelope from his jacket pocket and tossed it on the counter. I got your mail.

Anything good?

Ithink so.

My eyes narrowed suspiciously at his tone. I went to investigate.

Hed folded the legal-sized envelope in half. I smoothed it open, surprised at the weight of the expensive paper, and read the return address.

Dartmouth? Is this a joke?

Im sure its an acceptance. It looks exactly like mine.

Good grief, Edward  what did youdo ?

I sent in your application, thats all.

I may not be Dartmouth material, but Im not stupid enough to believethat .

Dartmouth seems to think that youre Dartmouth material.

I took a deep breath and counted slowly to ten. Thats very generous of them, I finally said. However, accepted or not, there is still the minor matter of tuition. I cant afford it, and Im not letting you throw away enough money to buy yourself another sports car just so that I can pretend to go to Dartmouth next year.

I dont need another sports car. And you dont have to pretend anything, he murmured. One year of college wouldnt kill you. Maybe youd even like it. Just think about it, Bella. Imagine how excited Charlie and Rene would be. . . .

His velvet voice painted the picture in my head before I could block it. Of course Charlie would explode with pride  no one in the town of Forks would be able to escape the fallout from his excitement. And Rene would be hysterical with joy at my triumph  though shed swear she wasnt at all surprised. . . .

I tried to shake the image out of my head. Edward. Im worried about living through graduation, let alone this summer or next fall.

His arms wrapped around me again. No one is going to hurt you. You have all the time in the world.

I sighed. Im mailing the contents of my bank account to Alaska tomorrow. Its all the alibi I need. Its far enough away that Charlie wont expect a visit until Christmas at the earliest. And Im sure Ill think of some excuse by then. You know, I teased halfheartedly, this whole secrecy and deception thing is kind of a pain.

Edwards expression hardened. It gets easier. After a few decades, everyone you know is dead. Problem solved.

I flinched.

Sorry, that was harsh.

I stared down at the big white envelope, not seeing it. But still true.

If I get this resolved, whatever it is were dealing with, will you pleaseconsider waiting?

Nope.

Always so stubborn.

Yep.

The washing machine thumped and stuttered to a halt.

Stupid piece of junk, I muttered as I pulled away from him. I moved the one small towel that had unbalanced the otherwise empty machine, and started it again.

This reminds me, I said. Could you ask Alice what she did with my stuff when she cleaned my room? I cant find it anywhere.

He looked at me with confused eyes. Alice cleaned your room?

Yeah, I guess thats what she was doing. When she came to get my pajamas and pillow and stuff to hold me hostage. I glowered at him briefly. She picked up everything that was lying around, my shirts, my socks, and I dont know where she put them.

Edward continued to look confused for one short moment, and then, abruptly, he was rigid.

When did you notice your things were missing?

When I got back from the fake slumber party. Why?

I dont think Alice took anything. Not your clothes, or your pillow. The things that were taken, these were things youd worn . . . and touched . . . and slept on?

Yes. What is it, Edward?

His expression was strained. Things with your scent.

Oh!

We stared into each others eyes for a long moment.

My visitor, I muttered.

He was gathering traces . . . evidence. To prove that hed found you?

Why? I whispered.

I dont know. But, Bella, I swear Iwill find out. I will.

I know you will, I said, laying my head against his chest. Leaning there, I felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

He pulled out his phone and glanced at the number. Just the person I need to talk to, he murmured, and then he flipped it open. Carlisle, I  He broke off and listened, his face taut with concentration for a few minutes. Ill check it out. Listen . . .

He explained about my missing things, but from the side I was hearing, it sounded like Carlisle had no insights for us.

Maybe Ill go . . . , Edward said, trailing off as his eyes drifted toward me. Maybe not. Dont let Emmett go alone, you know how he gets. At least ask Alice keep an eye on things. Well figure this out later.

He snapped the phone shut. Wheres the paper? he asked me.

Um, Im not sure. Why?

I need to see something. Did Charlie already throw it out?

Maybe. . . .

Edward disappeared.

He was back in half a second, new diamonds in his hair, a wet newspaper in his hands. He spread it out on the table, his eyes scanning quickly across the headlines. He leaned in, intent on something he was reading, one finger tracing passages that interested him most.

Carlisles right . . . yes . . . very sloppy. Young and crazed? Or a death wish? he muttered to himself.

I went to peek over his shoulder.

The headline of theSeattle Times read: Murder Epidemic Continues  Police Have No New Leads.

It was almost the same story Charlie had been complaining about a few weeks ago  the big-city violence that was pushing Seattle up the national murder hot-spot list. It wasnt exactly the same story, though. The numbers were a lot higher.

Its getting worse, I murmured.

He frowned. Altogether out of control. This cant be the work of justone newborn vampire. Whats going on? Its as if theyve never heard of the Volturi. Which is possible, I guess. No one has explained the rules to them . . . so who is creating them, then?

The Volturi? I repeated, shuddering.

This is exactly the kind of thing they routinely wipe out  immortals who threaten to expose us. They just cleaned up a mess like this a few years ago in Atlanta, and it hadnt gotten nearly this bad. They will intervene soon, very soon, unless we can find some way to calm the situation. Id really rather they didnt come to Seattle just now. As long as theyre this close . . . they might decide to check on you.

I shuddered again. What can we do?

We need to know more before we can decide that. Perhaps if we can talk to these young ones, explain the rules, it can be resolved peacefully. He frowned, like he didnt think the chances of that were good. Well wait until Alice has an idea of whats going on. . . . We dont want to step in until its absolutely necessary. After all, its not our responsibility. But its good we have Jasper, he added, almost to himself. If we are dealing with newborns, hell be helpful.

Jasper? Why?

Edward smiled darkly. Jasper is sort of an expert on young vampires.

What do you mean, an expert?

Youll have to ask him  the story is involved.

What a mess, I mumbled.

It does feel that way, doesnt it? Like its coming at us from all sides these days. He sighed. Do you ever think that your life might be easier if you werent in love with me?

Maybe. It wouldnt be much of a life, though.

For me, he amended quietly. And now, I suppose, he continued with a wry smile, you have something you want to ask me?

I stared at him blankly. I do?

Or maybe not. He grinned. I was rather under the impression that youd promised to ask my permission to go to some kind of werewolf soire tonight.

Eavesdropping again?

He grinned. Just a bit, at the very end.

Well, I wasnt going to ask you anyway. I figured you had enough to stress about.