Eclipse (Twilight, #3)

by Stephenie Meyer

“Suddenly, Royce ripped my jacket from my shoulders—it was a gift from him—popping the brass buttons off. They scattered all over the street.

Show him what you look like, Rose!’ He laughed again and then he tore my hat out of my hair. The pins wrenched my hair from the roots, and I cried out in pain. They seemed to enjoy that—the sound of my pain.…” Rosalie looked at me suddenly, as if she’d forgotten I was there. I was sure my face was as white as hers. Unless it was green.

“I won’t make you listen to the rest,” she said quietly. “They left me in the street, still laughing as they stumbled away. They thought I was dead. They were teasing Royce that he would have to find a new bride. H...

“I waited in the road to die. It was cold, though there was so much pain that I was surprised it bothered me. It started to snow, and I wondered why I wasn’t dying. I was impatient for death to come, to end the pain. It was taking so long.… “Carlisle found me then. He’d smelled the blood, and come to investigate. I remember being vaguely irritated as he worked over me, trying to save my life. I’d never liked Dr. Cullen or his wife and her brother—as Edward pretended to be then. It had upset me that they were...

But suddenly something sharp was cutting me, my throat, my wrists, my ankles. I screamed in shock, thinking he’d brought me there to hurt me more. Then fire started burning through me, and I didn’t care about anything else. I begged him to kill me. When Esme and Edward returned home, I begged them to kill me, too. Carlisle sat with me. He held my hand and said that he was so sorry, promising that it would end. He told me everything, and sometimes I listened. He told me what he was, what I was becoming. I didn’t believe him. He apologized each time I screamed.

What were you thinking, Carlisle?’ Edward said. ‘Rosalie Hale?’” Rosalie imitated Edward’s irritated tone to perfection. “I didn’t like the way he said my name, like there was something wrong with me.

‘Don’t you think she’s just a little recognizable, though? The Kings will have to put up a huge search—not that anyone suspects the fiend,’ he growled. “It pleased me that they seemed to know that Royce was guilty.

What are we going to do with her?’ Edward said disgustedly—or that’s how it sounded to me, at least. “Carlisle sighed. ‘That’s up to her, of course. She may want to go her own way.’

“Shallow as I was, I felt better when I saw my reflection in the mirror the first time. Despite the eyes, I was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.” She laughed at herself for a moment. “It took some time before I began to blame the beauty for what had happened to me—for me to see the curse of it. To wish that I had been… well, not ugly, but normal. Like Vera. So I could have been allowed to marry someone who loved me, and have pretty babies. That’s what I’d really wanted, all along. It still doesn’t seem like too much to have asked for.”

“You know, my record is almost as clean as Carlisle’s,” she told me. “Better than Esme. A thousand times better than Edward. I’ve never tasted human blood,” she announced proudly.

She understood my puzzled expression as I wondered why her record was only almost as clean. “I did murder five humans,” she told me in a complacent tone. “If you can really call them human. But I was very careful not to spill their blood—I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist that, and I didn’t want any part of them in me, you see.

“I saved Royce for last. I hoped that he would hear of his friends’ deaths and understand, know what was coming for him. I hoped the fear would make the end worse for him. I think it worked. He was hiding inside a windowless room behind a door as thick as a bank vault’s, guarded outside by armed men, when I caught up with him. Oops—sev...

“I was overly theatrical. It was kind of childish, really. I wore a wedding dress I’d stolen for the occasion. He screamed when he saw me. He screamed a lot that night. Saving him for last was a good idea—it mad...

Even when we first met Tanya’s clan in Denali—all those females!—Edward never showed the slightest preference. And then he met you.” She looked at me with confused eyes. I was only half paying attention. I was thinking about Edward and Tanya and all those females, and my lips pressed together in a hard line.

“Would you tell me why? Did I do something…” Was she angry that I’d put her family—her Emmett—in danger? Time and time again. James, and now Victoria… “No, you haven’t done anything,” she murmured. “Not yet.” I stared at her, perplexed. “Don’t you see, Bella?” Her voice was suddenly more passionate than before, even while she’d told her unhappy story. “You already have everything. You have a whole life ahead of you—everything I want. And you’re going to just throw it away. Can’t you see that I’d trade everything I have to be you? You have the choice that I didn’t have, and you’re choosing wrong!”

“With the dark curls… the dimples that showed even while he was grimacing in pain… the strange innocence that seemed so out of place on a grown man’s face… he reminded me of Vera’s little Henry. I didn’t want him to die—so much that, even though I hated this life, I was selfish enough to ask Carlisle to change him for me.

“I know you’re frustrated that he’s keeping you locked up like this, but don’t give him too bad a time when he gets back.

He loves you more than you know. It terrifies him to be away from you.”

“Tonight we’ll go out to Olympia or something,” she promised. “That would be fun, right?” “Why don’t you just lock me in the basement,” I suggested, “and forget the sugar coating?” Alice frowned. “He’s going to take the Porsche back. I’m not doing a very good job. You’re supposed to be having fun.” “It’s not your fault,” I muttered. I couldn’t believe I actually felt guilty. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

Mike’s question was cut short as a loud, growling roar erupted from behind us in the parking lot. Everyone on the sidewalk turned to look, staring in disbelief as the noisy black motorcycle screeched to a stop on the edge of the concrete, the engine still snarling. Jacob waved to me urgently. “Run, Bella!” he yelled over the engine’s roar. I was frozen for a second before I understood.

How far would Alice go to restrain me in public? “I got really sick and went home, okay?” I said to Mike, my voice filled with sudden excitement.

Jacob revved his engine, grinning. I jumped on the back of his seat, wrapping my arms tightly around his waist. I caught sight of Alice, frozen at the edge of the cafeteria, her eyes sparking with fury, her lip curled back over her teeth. I shot her one pleading glance. Then we were racing across the blacktop so fast that my stomach got lost somewhere behind me.

“We made it,” he shouted. “Not bad for a prison break, eh?” “Good thinking, Jake.” “I remembered what you said about the psychic leech not being about to predict what I’m going to do. I’m glad you didn’t think of this—she wouldn’t have let you go to school.”

“So what’s the latest pack scandal?” I asked lightly. Jacob skidded to a halt, and he stared down at me with shocked eyes. “What? That was a joke.” “Oh.” He looked away. I waited for him to start walking again, but he seemed lost in thought. “Is there a scandal?” I wondered.

“Quil imprinted. That’s three now. The rest of us are starting to get worried. Maybe it’s more common than the stories say.…” He frowned, and then turned to stare at me. He gazed into my eyes without speaking, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. “What are you staring at?” I asked, feeling self-conscious. He sighed. “Nothing.”

“Would you please stop guessing? You’re way off. Emily doesn’t mind that part, it’s just, well, a little early.” “What do you mean early?” Jacob appraised me with narrowed eyes. “Try not to be judgmental, okay?” I nodded cautiously. “Claire is two,” Jacob told me.

“Quil… imprinted… with a two-year-old?” I was finally able to ask. “It happens.” Jacob shrugged. He bent to grab another rock and sent it flying out into the bay. “Or so the stories say.” “But she’s a baby,” I protested. He looked at me with dark amusement. “Quil’s not getting any older,” he reminded me, a bit of acid in his tone. “He’ll just have to be patient for a few decades.”

“It’s so hard to describe. It’s not like love at first sight, really. It’s more like… gravity moves. When you see her, suddenly it’s not the earth holding you here anymore. She does. And nothing matters more than her. And you would do anything for her, be anything for her.… You become whatever she needs you to be, whether that’s a protector, or a lover, or a friend, or a brother.

“Doesn’t Claire get a choice here?” “Of course. But why wouldn’t she choose him, in the end? He’ll be her perfect match. Like he was designed for her alone.”

“No, I haven’t,” he said in a low voice. He looked at my face with suddenly piercing eyes. “But I’ll never see anyone else, Bella. I only see you. Even when I close my eyes and try to see something else. Ask Quil or Embry. It drives them all crazy.”

Jacob grinned my grin, and he was suddenly the Jacob I missed the most, sunny and warm.

“It feels like it was years ago. Another era. A happier one.”

“About what?” I whispered back, though I was sure I knew what he meant. He glared at me. “You know. When you said it was none of my business… if—if he bit you.” He cringed visibly at the end. “Jake…” My throat felt swollen. I couldn’t finish. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Were you serious?” He was trembling just slightly. His eyes stayed closed. “Yes,” I whispered. Jacob inhaled, slow and deep. “I guess I knew that.”

“Will you never forgive me, Jacob?” I whispered. As soon as I said the words, I wished I hadn’t. I didn’t want to hear his answer. “You won’t be Bella anymore,” he told me. “My friend won’t exist. There’ll be no one to forgive.” “That sounds like a no,” I whispered.

He blinked rapidly, his fierce expression melting in surprise. “Why? We still have a few years. Can’t we be friends until we’re out of time?” “Years? No, Jake, not years.” I shook my head, and laughed once without humor. “Weeks is more accurate.” I was not expecting his reaction. He was suddenly on his feet, and there was a loud pop as the soda can exploded in his hand. Soda flew everywhere, soaking me, like it was spraying from a hose.

“Jake!” I started to complain, but I fell silent when I realized that his whole body was quivering with anger. He glared at me wildly, a growling sound building in his chest. I froze in place, too shocked to remember how to move. The shaking rolled through him, getting faster, until it looked like he was vibrating. His shape blurred.… And then Jacob gritted his teeth together, and the growling stopped. He squeezed his eyes tight in concentration; the quivering slowed until only his hands were shaking.

His words cracked like snaps of a whip. “Anything. Anything else. You’d be better off dead. I’d rather you were.”

I recoiled like he’d slapped me. It hurt worse than if he had.

walked the bike into the Cullens’ cavernous garage and was unsurprised to find Alice waiting for me, perched lightly on the hood of her Porsche. Alice stroked the glossy yellow paint. “I haven’t even had a chance to drive it.” She sighed. “Sorry,” I spit through my rattling teeth.

I went to bed early that night, curling up on his sofa again. It was still dark when I woke. I was groggy, but I knew it wasn’t near morning yet. My eyes closed, and I stretched, rolling over. It took me a second before I realized that the movement should have dumped me onto the floor. And that I was much too comfortable.

“Sorry,” he murmured so softly that his voice was part of the darkness. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“I was all braced for the wrath that was going to put grizzlies to shame, and this is what I get? I should infuriate you more often.” “Give me a minute to work up to it,” I teased, kissing him again. “I’ll wait as long as you want,” he whispered against my lips. His fingers knotted in my hair. My breath was becoming uneven. “Maybe in the morning.” “Whatever you prefer.” “Welcome home,” I said while his cold lips pressed under my jaw. “I’m glad you came back.”

“Not to bring on the ire prematurely,” he whispered, “but do you mind telling me what it is about this bed that you object to?”

Before I could answer, before I could even concentrate enough to make sense of his words, he rolled to the side, pulling me on top of him. He held my face in his hands, angling it up so that his mouth could reach my throat. My breathing was too loud—it was almost embarrassing, but I couldn’t care quite enough to be ashamed. “The bed?” he asked again. “I think it’s nice.” “It’s unnecessary,” I managed to gasp.

lips shaped themselves around his. Slowly this time, he rolled till he hovered over me. He held himself carefully so that I felt none of his weight, but I could feel the cool marble of his body press against mine. My heart was hammering so loudly that it was hard to hear his quiet laughter. “That’s debatable,” he disagreed. “This would be difficult on a couch.” Cold as ice, his tongue lightly traced the shape of my lips. My head was spinning—the air was coming too fast and shallow. “Did you change your mind?” I asked breathlessly. Maybe he’d rethought all his careful rules. Maybe there was more significance to this bed than I’d originally guessed. My heart pounded almost painfully as I waited for his answer. Edward sighed, rolling back so that we were on our sides again. “Don’t be r...

“I like danger,” I insisted. “I know.” There was a sour edge to his voice, and I realized that he would have seen the motorcycle in the garage.

“I’ll tell you what’s dangerous,” I said quickly, before he could move to a new topic of discussion. “I’m going to spontaneously combust one of these days—and you’ll have no one but yourself to blame.” He started to push me away. “What are you doing?” I objected, clinging to him. “Protecting you from combustion. If this is too much for you.…” “I can handle it,” I insisted. He let me worm myself back into the circle of his arms.

“Actually, it was very, very nice.” He took a deep breath. “Aren’t you tired? I should let you sleep.” “No, I’m not. I don’t mind if you want to give me the wrong impression again.” “That’s probably a bad idea. You’re not the only one who gets carried away.” “Yes, I am,” I grumbled. He chuckled. “You have no idea, Bella. It doesn’t help that you are so eager to undermine my self-control, either.”

“Okay,” I said easily. He was already forgiven. “But slumber parties do have their advantages.…” I curled myself closer to him, pressing my lips into the indentation over his collarbone. “You can hold me hostage any time you want.” “Mmm,” he sighed. “I may take you up on that.” “So is it my turn now?”

“I decided that you were right. My problem before was more about my… prejudice against werewolves than anything else. I’m going to try to be more reasonable and trust your judgment. If you say it’s safe, then I’ll believe you.” “Wow.” “And… most importantly… I’m not willing to let this drive a wedge between us.”