The Twilight Saga Collection part 2(69)

Edward laughed. “It’s the thought that counts,” he reminded me. “You can give the tickets to someone else.”

Inspiration came swiftly. “Angela and Ben,” I decided at once. “At least that will get them out of town.”

He touched my cheek. “You can’t evacuate everyone,” he said in a gentle voice. “Hiding you is just a precaution. I told you — we’ll have no problem now. There won’t be enough of them to keep us entertained.”

“But what about keeping her in La Push?” Jacob interjected, impatient.

“She’s been back and forth too much,” Edward said. “She’s left trails all over the place. Alice only sees very young vampires coming on the hunt, but obviously someone created them. There is someone more experienced behind this. Whoever he” — Edward paused to look at me — “or she is, this could all be a distraction. Alice will see if he decides to look himself, but we could be very busy at the time that decision is made. Maybe someone is counting on that. I can’t leave her somewhere she’s been frequently. She has to be hard to find, just in case. It’s a very long shot, but I’m not taking chances.”

I stared at Edward as he explained, my forehead creasing. He patted my arm.

“Just being overcautious,” he promised.

Jacob gestured to the deep forest east of us, to the vast expanse of the Olympic Mountains.

“So hide her here,” he suggested. “There’s a million possibilities — places either one of us could be in just a few minutes if there’s a need.”

Edward shook his head. “Her scent is too strong and, combined with mine, especially distinct. Even if I carried her, it would leave a trail. Our trace is all over the range, but in conjunction with Bella’s scent, it would catch their attention. We’re not sure exactly which path they’ll take, because they don’t know yet. If they crossed her scent before they found us . . .”

Both of them grimaced at the same time, their eyebrows pulling together.

“You see the difficulties.”

“There has to be a way to make it work,” Jacob muttered. He glared toward the forest, pursing his lips.

I swayed on my feet. Edward put his arm around my waist, pulling me closer and supporting my weight.

“I need to get you home — you’re exhausted. And Charlie will be waking up soon. . . .”

“Wait a sec,” Jacob said, wheeling back to us, his eyes bright. “My scent disgusts you, right?”

“Hmm, not bad.” Edward was two steps ahead. “It’s possible.” He turned toward his family. “Jasper?” he called.

Jasper looked up curiously. He walked over with Alice a half step behind. Her face was frustrated again.

“Okay, Jacob.” Edward nodded at him.

Jacob turned toward me with a strange mixture of emotion on his face. He was clearly excited by whatever this new plan of his was, but he was also still uneasy so close to his enemy allies. And then it was my turn to be wary as he held his arms out toward me.

Edward took a deep breath.

“We’re going to see if I can confuse the scent enough to hide your trail,” Jacob explained.

I stared at his open arms suspiciously.

“You’re going to have to let him carry you, Bella,” Edward told me. His voice was calm, but I could hear the subdued distaste.

I frowned.

Jacob rolled his eyes, impatient, and reached down to yank me up into his arms.

“Don’t be such a baby,” he muttered.

But his eyes flickered to Edward, just like mine did. Edward’s face was composed and smooth. He spoke to Jasper.

“Bella’s scent is so much more potent to me — I thought it would be a fairer test if someone else tried.”

Jacob turned away from them and paced swiftly into the woods. I didn’t say anything as the dark closed around us. I was pouting, uncomfortable in Jacob’s arms. It felt too intimate to me — surely he didn’t need to hold me quite so tightly — and I couldn’t help but wonder what it felt like to him. It reminded me of my last afternoon in La Push, and I didn’t want to think about that. I folded my arms, annoyed when the brace on my hand intensified the memory.

We didn’t go far; he made a wide arc and came back into the clearing from a different direction, maybe half a football field away from our original departure point. Edward was there alone and Jacob headed toward him.

“You can put me down now.”

“I don’t want to take a chance of messing up the experiment.” His walk slowed and his arms tightened.

“You are so annoying,” I muttered.

“Thanks.”