d had said, with me at the heart, in the safest place.

I tore my attention away from the wild girl to search for the approaching monsters.

There was still nothing to see. I glanced at Edward, and his eyes were locked straight ahead. I tried to follow his gaze, but there was only the smoke  dense, oily smoke twisting low to the ground, rising lazily, undulating against the grass.

It billowed forward, darker in the middle.

Hmm, a dead voice murmured from the mist. I recognized the apathy at once.

Welcome, Jane. Edwards tone was coolly courteous.

The dark shapes came closer, separating themselves from the haze, solidifying. I knew it would be Jane in the front  the darkest cloak, almost black, and the smallest figure by more than two feet. I could just barely make out Janes angelic features in the shade of the cowl.

The four gray-shrouded figures hulking behind her were also somewhat familiar. I was sure I recognized the biggest one, and while I stared, trying to confirm my suspicion, Felix looked up. He let his hood fall back slightly so that I could see him wink at me and smile. Edward was very still at my side, tightly in control.

Janes gaze moved slowly across the luminous faces of the Cullens and then touched on the newborn girl beside the fire; the newborn had her head in her hands again.

I dont understand. Janes voice was toneless, but not quite as uninterested as before.

She has surrendered, Edward explained, answering the confusion in her mind.

Janes dark eyes flashed to his face. Surrendered?

Felix and another shadow exchanged a quick glance.

Edward shrugged. Carlisle gave her the option.

There are no options for those who break the rules, Jane said flatly.

Carlisle spoke then, his voice mild. Thats in your hands. As long as she was willing to halt her attack on us, I saw no need to destroy her. She was never taught.

That is irrelevant, Jane insisted.

As you wish.

Jane stared at Carlisle in consternation. She shook her head infinitesimally, and then composed her features.

Aro hoped that we would get far enough west to see you, Carlisle. He sends his regards.

Carlisle nodded. I would appreciate it if you would convey mine to him.

Of course. Jane smiled. Her face was almost too lovely when it was animated. She looked back toward the smoke. It appears that youve done our work for us today . . . for the most part. Her eyes flickered to the hostage. Just out of professional curiosity, how many were there? They left quite a wake of destruction in Seattle.

Eighteen, including this one, Carlisle answered.

Janes eyes widened, and she looked at the fire again, seeming to reassess the size of it. Felix and the other shadow exchanged a longer glance.

Eighteen? she repeated, her voice sounding unsure for the first time.

All brand-new, Carlisle said dismissively. They were unskilled.

All? Her voice turned sharp. Then who was their creator?

Her name was Victoria, Edward answered, no emotion in his voice.

Was? Jane asked.

Edward inclined his head toward the eastern forest. Janes eyes snapped up and focused on something far in the distance. The other pillar of smoke? I didnt look away to check.

Jane stared to the east for a long moment, and then examined the closer bonfire again.

This Victoria  she was in addition to the eighteen here?

Yes. She had only one other with her. He was not as young as this one here, but no older than a year.

Twenty, Jane breathed. Who dealt with the creator?

I did, Edward told her.

Janes eyes narrowed, and she turned to the girl beside the fire.

You there, she said, her dead voice harsher than before. Your name.

The newborn shot a baleful glare at Jane, her lips pressed tightly together.

Jane smiled back angelically.

The newborn girls answering scream was ear-piercing; her body arched stiffly into a distorted, unnatural position. I looked away, fighting the urge to cover my ears. I gritted my teeth, hoping to control my stomach. The screaming intensified. I tried to concentrate on Edwards face, smooth and unemotional, but that made me remember when it had been Edward under Janes torturing gaze, and I felt sicker. I looked at Alice instead, and Esme next to her. Their faces were as empty as his.

Finally, it was quiet.

Your name, Jane said again, her voice inflectionless.

Bree, the girl gasped.

Jane smiled, and the girl shrieked again. I held my breath until the sound of her agony stopped.

Shell tell you anything you want to know, Edward said through his teeth. You dont have to do that.

Jane looked up, sudden humor in her usually dead eyes. Oh, I know, she said to Edward, grinning at him before she turned back to the young vampire, Bree.

Bree, Jane said, her voice cold again. Is his story true? Were there twenty of you?

The girl lay panting, the side of her face pressed against the earth. She spoke quickly. Nineteen or twenty, maybe more, I dont know! She cringed, terrified that her ignorance might bring on another round of torture. Sara and the one whose name I dont know got in a fight on the way. . . .

And this Victoria  did she create you?

I dont know, she said, flinching again. Riley never said her name. I didnt see that night . . . it was so dark, and it hurt. . . . Bree shuddered. He didnt want us to be able to think of her. He said that our thoughts werent safe. . . .

Janes eyes flickered to Edward, and then back to the girl.

Victoria had planned this well. If she hadnt followed Edward, there would have been no way to know for certain that she was involved. . . .

Tell me about Riley, Jane said. Why did he bring you here?

Riley told us that we had to destroy the strange yellow-eyes here, Bree babbled quickly and willingly. He said it would be easy. He said that the city was theirs, and they were coming to get us. He said once they were gone, all the blood would be ours. He gave us her scent. Bree lifted one hand and stabbed a finger in my direction. He said we would know that we had the right coven, because she would be with them. He said whoever got to her first could have her.

I heard Edwards jaw flex beside me.

It looks like Riley was wrong about the easy part, Jane noted.

Bree nodded, seeming relieved that the conversation had taken this non-painful course. She sat up carefully. I dont know what happened. We split up, but the others never came. And Riley left us, and he didnt come to help like he promised. And then it was so confusing, and everybody was in pieces. She shuddered again. I was afraid. I wanted to run away. That one  she looked at Carlisle  said they wouldnt hurt me if I stopped fighting.

Ah, but that wasnt his gift to offer, young one, Jane murmured, her voice oddly gentle now. Broken rules demand a consequence.

Bree stared at her, not comprehending.

Jane looked at Carlisle. Are you sure you got all of them? The other half that split off?

Carlisles face was very smooth as he nodded. We split up, too.

Jane half-smiled. I cant deny that Im impressed. The big shadows behind her murmured in agreement. Ive never seen a coven escape this magnitude of offensive intact. Do you know what was behind it? It seems like extreme behavior, considering the way you live here. And why was the girl the key? Her eyes rested unwilling on me for one short second.

I shivered.

Victoria held a grudge against Bella, Edward told her, his voice impassive.

Jane laughed  the sound was golden, the bubbling laugh of a happy child. This one seems to bring out bizarrely strong reactions in our kind, she observed, smiling directly at me, her face beatific.

Edward stiffened. I looked at him in time to see his face turning away, back to Jane.

Would you please not do that? he asked in a tight voice.

Jane laughed again lightly. Just checking. No harm done, apparently.

I shivered, deeply grateful that the strange glitch in my system  which had protected me from Jane the las