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understandingly。　

I　was　still　turning　over　the　brief　ment　on　the　Cullens；　and　I　had　a　
sudden　inspiration。　It　was　a　stupid　plan；　but　I　didn't　have　any　better　
ideas。　I　hoped　that　young　Jacob　was　as　yet　inexperienced　around　girls；　so　
that　he　wouldn't　see　through　my　suretobepitiful　attempts　at　flirting。　

〃Do　you　want　to　walk　down　the　beach　with　me？〃　I　asked；　trying　to　imitate　
that　way　Edward　had　of　looking　up　from　underneath　his　eyelashes。　It　
couldn't　have　nearly　the　same　effect；　I　was　sure；　but　Jacob　jumped　up　
willingly　enough。　

As　we　walked　north　across　the　multihued　stones　toward　the　driftwood　
seawall；　the　clouds　finally　closed　ranks　across　the　sky；　causing　the　sea　
to　darken　and　the　temperature　to　drop。　I　shoved　my　hands　deep　into　the　
pockets　of　my　jacket。　

〃So　you're；　what；　sixteen？〃　I　asked；　trying　not　to　look　like　an　idiot　as　
I　fluttered　my　eyelids　the　way　I'd　seen　girls　do　on　TV。　

〃I　just　turned　fifteen；〃　he　confessed；　flattered。　

〃Really？〃　My　face　was　full　of　false　surprise。　〃I　would　have　thought　you　
were　older。〃　

〃I'm　tall　for　my　age；〃　he　explained。　

〃Do　you　e　up　to　Forks　much？〃　I　asked　archly；　as　if　I　was　hoping　for　a　
yes。　I　sounded　idiotic　to　myself。　I　was　afraid　he　would　turn　on　me　with　
disgust　and　accuse　me　of　my　fraud；　but　he　still　seemed　flattered。　

〃Not　too　much；〃　he　admitted　with　a　frown。　〃But　when　I　get　my　car　finished　
I　can　go　up　as　much　as　I　want　—　after　I　get　my　license；〃　he　amended。　

〃Who　was　that　other　boy　Lauren　was　talking　to？　He　seemed　a　little　old　to　
be　hanging　out　with　us。〃　I　purposefully　lumped　myself　in　with　the　
youngsters；　trying　to　make　it　clear　that　I　preferred　Jacob。　

〃That's　Sam　—　he's　nieen；〃　he　informed　me。　

〃What　was　that　he　was　saying　about　the　doctor's　family？〃　I　asked　
innocently。　

〃The　Cullens？　Oh；　they're　not　supposed　to　e　onto　the　reservation。〃　He　
looked　away；　out　toward　James　Island；　as　he　confirmed　what　I'd　thought　
I'd　heard　in　Sam's　voice。　

〃Why　not？〃　

He　glanced　back　at　me；　biting　his　lip。　〃Oops。　I'm　not　supposed　to　say　
anything　about　that。〃　

〃Oh；　I　won't　tell　anyone；　I'm　just　curious。〃　I　tried　to　make　my　smile　
alluring；　wondering　if　I　was　laying　it　on　too　thick。　

He　smiled　back；　though；　looking　allured。　Then　he　lifted　one　eyebrow　and　
his　voice　was　even　huskier　than　before。　

〃Do　you　like　scary　stories？〃　he　asked　ominously。　

〃I　love　them；〃　I　enthused；　making　an　effort　to　smolder　at　him。　

Jacob　strolled　to　a　nearby　driftwood　tree　that　had　its　roots　sticking　out　
like　the　attenuated　legs　of　a　huge；　pale　spider。　He　perched　lightly　on　
one　of　the　twisted　roots　while　I　sat　beneath　him　on　the　body　of　the　tree。　
He　stared　down　at　the　rocks；　a　smile　hovering　around　the　edges　of　his　
broad　lips。　I　could　see　he　was　going　to　try　to　make　this　good。　I　focused　
on　keeping　the　vital　interest　I　felt　out　of　my　eyes。　

〃Do　you　know　any　of　our　old　stories；　about　where　we　came　from　—　the　
Quileutes；　I　mean？〃　he　began。　

〃Not　really；〃　I　admitted。　

〃Well；　there　are　lots　of　legends；　some　of　them　claiming　to　date　back　to　
the　Flood　—　supposedly；　the　ancient　Quileutes　tied　their　canoes　to　the　
tops　of　the　tallest　trees　on　the　mountain　to　survive　like　Noah　and　the　
ark。〃　He　smiled；　to　show　me　how　little　stock　he　put　in　the　histories。　
〃Another　legend　claims　that　we　descended　from　wolves　—　and　that　the　
wolves　are　our　brothers　still。　It's　against　tribal　law　to　kill　them。　

〃Then　there　are　the　stories　about　the　cold　ones。〃　His　voice　dropped　a　
little　lower。　

〃The　cold　ones？〃　I　asked；　not　faking　my　intrigue　now。　

〃Yes。　There　are　stories　of　the　cold　ones　as　old　as　the　wolf　legends；　and　
some　much　more　recent。　According　to　legend；　my　own　greatgrandfather　knew　
some　of　them。　He　was　the　one　who　made　the　treaty　that　kept　them　off　our　
land。〃　He　rolled　his　eyes。　

〃Your　greatgrandfather？〃　I　encouraged。　

〃He　was　a　tribal　elder；　like　my　father。　You　see；　the　cold　ones　are　the　
natural　enemies　of　the　wolf—well；　not　the　wolf；　really；　but　the　wolves　
that　turn　into　men；　like　our　ancestors。　You　would　call　them　werewolves。〃　

〃Werewolves　have　enemies？〃　

〃Only　one。〃　

I　stared　at　him　earnestly；　hoping　to　disguise　my　impatience　as　admiration。　

〃So　you　see；〃　Jacob　continued；　〃the　cold　ones　are　traditionally　our　
enemies。　But　this　pack　that　came　to　our　territory　during　my　
greatgrandfather's　time　was　different。　They　didn't　hunt　the　way　others　
of　their　kind　did　—　they　weren't　supposed　to　be　dangerous　to　the　tribe。　
So　my　greatgrandfather　made　a　truce　with　them。　If　they　would　promise　to　
stay　off　our　lands；　we　wouldn't　expose　them　to　the　palefaces。〃　He　winked　
at　me。　

〃If　they　weren't　dangerous；　then　why…　？〃　I　tried　to　understand；　
struggling　not　to　let　him　see　how　seriously　I　was　considering　his　ghost　
story。　

〃There's　always　a　risk　for　humans　to　be　around　the　cold　ones；　even　if　
they're　civilized　like　this　clan　was。　You　never　know　when　they　might　get　
too　hungry　to　resist。〃　He　deliberately　worked　a　thick　edge　of　menace　into　
his　tone。　

〃What　do　you　mean；　'civilized'？〃　

〃They　claimed　that　they　didn't　hunt　humans。　They　supposedly　were　somehow　
able　to　prey　on　animals　instead。〃　

I　tried　to　keep　my　voice　casual。　〃So　how　does　it　fit　in　with　the　Cullens？　
Are　they　like　the　cold　ones　your　greatgrandfather　met？〃　

〃No。〃　He　paused　dramatically。　〃They　are　the　same　ones。〃　

He　must　have　thought　the　expression　on　my　face　was　fear　inspired　by　his　
story。　He　smiled；　pleased；　and　continued。　

〃There　are　more　of　them　now；　a　new　female　and　a　new　male；　but　the　rest　
are　the　same。　In　my　greatgrandfather's　time　they　already　knew　of　the　
leader；　Carlisle。　He'd　been　here　and　gone　before　your　people　had　even　
arrived。〃　He　was　fighting　a　smile。　

〃And　what　are　they？〃　I　finally　asked。　〃What　are　the　cold　ones？〃　

He　smiled　darkly。　

〃Blood　drinkers；〃　he　replied　in　a　chilling　voice。　〃Your　people　call　them　
vampires。〃　

I　stared　out　at　the　rough　surf　after　he　answered；　not　sure　what　my　face　

was　exposing。　

〃You　have　goose　bumps；〃　he　laughed　delightedly。　

〃You're　a　good　storyteller；〃　I　plimented　him；　still　staring　into　the　
waves。　

〃Pretty　crazy　stuff；　though；　isn't　it？　No　wonder　my　dad　doesn't　want　us　
to　talk　about　it　to　anyone。〃　

I　couldn't　control　my　expression　enough　to　look　at　him　yet。　〃Don't　worry；　
I　won't　give　you　away。〃　

〃I　guess　I　just　violated　the　treaty；〃　he　laughed。　

〃I'll　take　it　to　the　grave；〃　I　promised；　and　then　I　shivered。　

〃Seriously；　though；　don't　say　anything　to　Charlie。　He　was　pretty　mad　at　
my　dad　when　he　heard　that　some　of　us　weren't　going　to　the　hospital　since　
Dr。　Cullen　started　working　there。〃　

〃I　won't；　of　course　not。〃　

〃So　do　you　think　we're　a　bunch　of　superstitious　natives　or　what？〃　he　
asked　in　a　playful　tone；　but　with　a　hint　of　worry。　I　still　hadn't　looked　
away　from　the　ocean。　

I　turned　and　smiled　at　him　as　normally　as　I　could。　

〃No。　I　think　you're　very　good　at　telling　scary　stories；　though。　I　still　
have　goose　bumps；　see？〃　I　held　up　my　arm。　

〃Cool。〃　He　smiled。　

And　then　the　sound　of　the　beach　rocks　clattering　against　each　other　
warned　us　that　someone　was　approaching。　Our　heads　snapped　up　at　the　same　
time　to　see　Mike　and　Jessica　about　fifty　yards　away；　walking　toward　us。　

〃There　you　are；　Bella；〃　Mike　called　in　relief；　waving　his　arm　over　his　
head。　

〃Is　that　your　boyfriend？〃　Jacob　asked；　alerted　by　the　jealous　edge　in　
Mike's　voice。　I　was　surprised　it　was　so　obvious。　

〃No；　definitely　not；〃　I　whispered。　I　was　tremendously　grateful　to　Jacob；　
and　eager　to　make　him　as　happy　as　possible。　I　winked　at　him；　carefully　
turning　away　from　Mike　to　do　so。　He　smiled；　elated　by　my　inept　flirting。　

〃So　when　I　get　my　license…〃　he　began。　

〃You　should　e　see　me　in　Forks。　We　could　hang　out　sometime。〃　I　felt　
guilty　as　I　said　this；　knowing　that　I'd　used　him。　But　I　really　did　like　
Jacob。　He　was　someone　I　could　easily　be　friends　with。　

Mike　had　reached　us　now；　with　Jessica　still　a　few　paces　back。　I　could　see　
his　eyes　appraising　Jacob；　and　looking　satisfied　at　his　obvious　youth。　

〃Where　have　you　been？〃　he　asked；　though　the　answer　was　right　in　front　of　
him。　

〃Jacob