Midnight Sun (The Twilight Saga #5) - Stephenie Meyer Page 0,250

me with a different kind of fear than before, almost as though she was concerned the task would fall to her. Of course, I could never be sure with Bella.

I made no attempt to soften the realities. “The only way to be sure is to tear him to shreds, and then burn the pieces.”

“And the other two will fight with him?”

“The woman will.” If she could control her terror, that is. “I’m not sure about Laurent. They don’t have a very strong bond—he’s only with them for convenience. He was embarrassed by James in the meadow.” Not to mention that James had made plans to kill Laurent. Perhaps I’d tip him off; that was sure to shift alliances.

“But James and the woman—they’ll try to kill you?” she whispered, her voice distorted by pain.

And then I understood. Of course she was panicking about the wrong thing as usual.

“Bella, don’t you dare waste time worrying about me,” I hissed. “Your only concern is keeping yourself safe and—please, please—trying not to be reckless.”

She ignored that. “Is he still following?”

“Yes. He won’t attack the house, though. Not tonight.”

Not while we were together. Was our splitting up exactly what the tracker wanted? But I remembered what Alice saw happening if we tried to guard Bella here. I had no love for Mike Newton, but neither he nor anyone else in Forks was an acceptable sacrifice.

I turned off onto the drive, dully noting that there was no sense of relief in reaching my home. There was no space out of harm’s way while the tracker lived.

Emmett was still riled. I wished I could tell him the tracker’s location to ease his agitation, but I couldn’t risk being overheard. The tracker had guessed that we had extra abilities—it would only help him if we gave clues as to what they were.

I noticed his thoughts drifting to the edges of my hearing just as Alice chimed in.

He meets the female now, on the other side of the river. They split up again and watch. She takes the mountainside; he takes the trees.

The extra distance didn’t make me feel any better.

Emmett’s overzealous bodyguard mindset was operating at full steam by this point. As we rolled up to the house, he leaped from the truck bed and paced to the passenger side. He wrenched the door open and reached for Bella.

“Gently,” I reminded him almost silently.

I know.

I could have stopped him. This wasn’t necessary. But then, was any precaution too much at this point? If I’d been more cautious, we wouldn’t be in this predicament.

It did feel safer in a strange way to see Emmett, massive and indestructible, cradling Bella in his colossal arms—she was barely visible behind them. He ducked through the front door before a second had passed. Alice and I were at his sides instantly.

The rest of my family was gathered in the living room, all on their feet, and in the middle of their circle, Laurent.

His thoughts were frightened, apologetic. The fear was only heightened when Emmett set Bella carefully on her feet beside me and took a deliberate step forward, a bass growl building in his chest. Laurent took a quick half step back.

Carlisle gave Emmett a warning look, and he settled back on his heels. Esme stood close to Carlisle’s side, her eyes flashing from my face to Bella’s and then back again. Rosalie was also staring at Bella, glaring at Bella, but I ignored her as best I could. I had more important things to deal with.

I waited until Laurent’s eyes flickered to me.

“He’s tracking us,” I told him, prompting the thoughts I wanted to hear.

Of course he’s tracking the human. And he’ll find her. “I was afraid of that,” he said aloud.

I need to get out of the way, his thoughts continued. James can’t think I’ve chosen another side. The last thing I need is him looking for me afterward. Laurent suppressed a shudder. Perhaps I could tell him I’m just gathering info. His face, though, when he divided from us in the woods… Better to disappear while he’s caught up in this hunt.

My teeth were grinding again. Laurent eyed me nervously.

He knew James well enough to understand the rupture he’d caused in the clearing. Though I felt no desire to do him favors, I knew he’d be grateful enough when James was dead.

“Come, my love,” I heard Alice whisper in Jasper’s ear. I hadn’t noticed him especially as we came in; he was still camouflaging himself. Jasper didn’t question Alice now,