Project management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Project management - Essay Example That is the task of advertising. In order to expand sales and gain profit companies have use advertisement through various means of communication. This economic activity helps to spread the message across the target market for goods or services of the business. At the same time, though advertising can be said to be an element of public relations activities, advertising itself does not always mean public relations. The two concepts, though have much in common, contain many differences as well. Public Relations work for the improvement of company’s image, building public awareness about the company and its activities, as well as effective promotion of certain offers of the company or outstanding features of a product or service. So, public relations refers to â€Å"strategic communication that different types of organizations use for establishing and maintaining symbiotic relationships with relevant publics† (Sriramesh, 2009, p. xxxi). As for advertising, it is currently defined as a communication tool â€Å"directed towards specific target customers in order to carry the message regarding a particular product, service or ideas, meaningfully and persuasively with a view to achieve certain specific objectives such as, to establish brand loyalty, expansion of the existing markets, increased sales volume, etc.† (Kumar & Mittal, 2002, p. 2). ... The country has been admitted to the World Trade Organization (Walters & Samiee, 2003) and, therefore, became an attractive market for many multinational corporations. While the effect of media is suspect of influencing the relationships of different individuals, the targeting of commercial advertising and PR activities toward consumers and strategies employed in order to reach Chinese audience is the primary focus in this study. The fact that media outlets became so widespread in Chinese society serves as the impetus for studying in a more narrow scope the relationship between commercial advertising and PR, and the viewer/consumer in media commercial programming. In addition, the given work aims at analyzing techniques and strategies of advertising agencies used to influence Chinese consumers. Research questions Though Chinese market can be considered relatively new for western companies, it does not experience any lack of attention and is already flooded with foreign companies and, as a result, advertising and PR. However, thought the market is attractive, it has certain peculiarities and unique characteristics that should be considered by entering businesses when trying to become popular in China. Therefore, the given research is trying to clarify the following aspects of public relations and advertising in China: How in particular and to what extent public relations in China differs from advertising and what particular signs make a difference between the two communication activities in the Chinese market. What major communication means, tools and techniques Chinese and multinational companies use in China to effectively deliver the message to the target audience and how effective particular strategies and techniques are.

Future of Tourism in Oman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Future of Tourism in Oman - Essay Example There are many difficulties in the development of this industry, because the locals do not want to exceed the limits of a local tourism promotion and thus they are prevented from a global expansion. Tourism in Oman Oman has many different privileges. First of all, this country makes large investments in ecotourism and first class tourism and tourism in this country can be interested for both Western and Eastern tourists. Oman can assure tourists of the absence of corruption and there are many perspectives for business development in this country. Oman is opening its doors for tourists†¦ The spectators are so much attracted by the new territories and numerous sightseeing that the pleasure of exploring this country transfers the borders of traditional tourism. There is no doubt that Arab hospitality is legendary. People from those countries are full of hospitality and there is no doubt that the Westerners will be greatly impressed by a large number of attractions in this country. There are two million inhabitants in Oman and this is an independent state of the Arab world. Tourists are mainly attracted by â€Å"vast coastline, over a thousand miles long, stretching from the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf to the Yemeni border in the south† (The Seven Stars of the Gulf; Oman: Traditional Terraced Village Scubadiving off the Coast of Fujairah, 2009). Moreover, there are deep historic roots in this country. The Oman museum in Muscat is rather attractive for tourists and there is no doubt that people in this country are proud of their legendary heroes, such as Sindbad the Sailor, for example. There is an evident harmony between the ancient port of Muscat and modernization of this port nowadays. A feeling of cleanness and safety is everywhere. There are different perceptions of the northern and the southern frontiers of Oman. Thus, tourist from different countries can find the places to live and to visit with respect to their own interests (Martin, 200 5). Nevertheless, it should be noted that the most explored part of Oman, which is favorable for tourists is Salalah. Tourist agencies are attracting new tourists speculating on the following things: â€Å"waters are inviting, the sand the softest and silkiest, and the birdlife extraordinary, a visitor's guide cautions you against wandering away "while wearing a sea dress" (Beirman, 2003). Oman provides tourists with different opportunities of having rest. There is an essential technological impact exerted on Oman and the Western tourists can exert a serious negative impact on cultural, moral and social values in Oman (Richards, 1999). On the one hand, in the modern global world such issues as traditional clothes or color of hair can be different even among Omani people. In their hearts and souls these people are religious and they do not have any intention to change their religion or culture. There are many difficulties for Oman and its ability to adapt social and cultural changes with respect to the Western traditions and customs. With this respect, it can be claimed that countries around the world are interested in promotion and support of their interests. In case the residents of one country want to get acquainted with the values of people and nations from another country, there is no doubt that the former should be tolerant to another country and preserve historic uniqueness and dignity of another nation. There is a high cultural

Simplified Soft Decision Decoding of LDPC codes

Simplified Soft Decision Decoding of LDPC codes MARUTHI L N K S GURUMURTHY Abstract LDPC codes gained importance since its re-discovery by Mackay and Neil based on Tanner Graph. This paper presents the implementation of forward error correction soft-input, soft-output decoding process that efficiently decodes the received set of data under low signal-to-noise ratios due to which the errors are reduced and hence transmission time is greatly reduced. The implemented algorithm is less complex and does not require knowledge of signal-to-noise-ratio of the received data-path. INTRODUCTION Error correction coding techniques came into existence after existence of channel capacity theorem by Shannon, the father of information theory in 1948 on reliable communication over noisy transmission channels. Thereafter, many coding techniques were developed for efficient coding techniques, like Hamming, Golay and many other techniques were developed. Though Gallagher in 1962 developed LDPC codes, the method employed was not optimal. Hence it was not reviewed for last 3 decades, until 1992, when a paper â€Å"Near Shannon limit error correcting coding and decoding: turbo codes† presented by Berrou, Glavieux and Thitimajshima changed the trend followed by researchers for the past 5 decades. And now, we are aiming to develop such codes through another strategy. The coding gain provided by this method is much higher when compared to other coding systems. The LDPC codes are becoming more popular because of their reduced power for transmission and less complex logic to achieve l ow BER’s which is very essential for reliable transmission over noisy channels. LDPC CODES Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes are a powerful class of forward error correction codes developed by Gallagher in 1962, practically implemented by MacKay in 1995. Low Density refers to less number of 1’s in the Parity Check Matrix (H) of Block Codes. Block codes are a type of Error Correction Codes which uses a Generator Matrix(G) to produces a Code-word of length n for message(D) of length k, where n-k is the redundancy bits added to make a Code-word of length n, higher the redundancy higher the error correction capability and higher the Bandwidth. Hence, there is a trade-off between error correction capability and bandwidth. C=D.G The size of the Matrix G is (n, n-k) and the size of the Matrix H is (n-k, n). Usually redundancy is defined by the term â€Å"code rate† which is given by R=k/n This varies from  ½ to 1/6. The Encoder produces a Code-word which satisfy the condition C.HT=0 If R is the received data from the Transmitter then the acknowledgement of the correct data received is given by the Syndrome(S). S=R.HT The value of S obtained by the above calculation determines whether the received data is free from error or not, i.e. if S=0 then the received data is free from error, otherwise the received data has an error. Since this property is very useful to reduce the calculation time if we receive the data correctly as soon as we receive data. The probability that the received data needs to be retransmitted which in the range of 10-6 to 10-8. Encoding the data as required is an easy process, but decoding the data effectively and efficiently is a very hard process. The proposed algorithm uses the basic concept of block codes, i.e. R=C+E Where R=noise corrupted vector C=Code vector transmitted over noisy channel E=Error vector. The receiver does not know C and E; its function is to decode C from R, and the message D from C. PROPOSED ALGORITHM The base for LDPC decoding algorithm proposed is as described by MacKay and Neil in 1997. Following are the steps that briefly describe the algorithm STEP 1: INITIALIZATION Let rj be the received vector, i.e. the data received from the Gaussian channel We calculate the components of the vectors d02( j), and d12( j) as: d02( j)= (rj+1)2 d12( j)= (rj-1)2 j = 1, 2, . . . , n (1) These first soft estimates of the code symbols are used to initialise the algorithm by setting the following coefficients q0ij and q1ij at each symbol node q0ij= d02( j) q1ij= d12( j) j = 1, 2, . . . , n, i = 1, 2. . . , . n-k, (2) To eliminate the effect of zero in the calculation the expressions for the calculations can be reduced as shown below ln(em+en) = max(m,n) + ln(1+ e-|m-n|) log2(2m+2n) = max(m,n) + ln(1+ 2-|m-n|)(3) The tables required for calculations are computed using the above formula. The complexity is greatly reduced and the reliability of the transmission of signal is increased. STEP 2: HORIZONTAL STEP aij= f+(q0ij , q1 ij ) bij= −f−(q0ij , q1ij) if (−q 0ij ) ≠¥ (−q1ij ) sij= 0 else sij= 1 cij= ikik if ik is even r0n,ij= −f+(0, cij ) r1n,ij= f−(0, cij ) if ik is odd r0n,ij= f−(0, cij ) r1n,ij= −f+(0, cij ) STEP 3: VERTICAL STEP q0ij= d02 (j) + 0n,ij q1ij= d12 (j) + 1n,ij STEP 4: DECISION rm0ij=r0n,ij+ q0ij rm1ij=r1n,ij+ q1ij if rm02(j)12(j) then c(j) = 1 else c(j) = 0 The LUT entries used in the proposed algorithm for equation (3) and the exact value obtained will vary as shown in the figure. Comparison of BER performance of (8 * 12) LDPC SSD decoder (10 iterations) Comparison of BER performance of (8 * 12) LDPC SSD decoder (50 iterations) As explained above, for higher precision the number of iterations is increased to obtain the same performance of the exact equation. The obtained results approach towards the complex algorithm developed by Gallagher with simple iterative approach and provides a high coding gain compared to uncoded signal. And it provides higher performance at larger iterations. This algorithm provides even higher performance for large length codes. CONCLUSION In this paper we have described Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes and decoding of these codes using low complexity algorithms. LDPC codes are used now-a-days in communication systems that take advantage of parallelism, good error correction and high through put. This led to the new algorithm which could decode the errors and yet give similar BER performance as the complex algorithms without the knowledge of the channel noise parameters like variance. This new algorithm is based on repeated use of an antilog-sum operation, and has been simulated on the Tanner graph representation of several LDPC codes and this algorithm can be regarded as a generalized form of belief propagation, where the belief propagated is Euclidean distance estimate rather than a probability estimate. The advantages of the new algorithm are that the performance is as good as the complex algorithm provided the value of base of the logarithm is used properly; that knowledge of noise is not required and that in the simplified form the algorithm needs only additions/subtractions, comparisons and two look-up tables avoiding the use of quotients and products operations that are of high complexity in practical implementations especially using FPGA technology. REFERENCES 1] R.G. Gallager, â€Å"Low Density Parity Check Codes†, IRE Trans. Information Theory, IT-8, 21-28 (1962). 2] D.J.C. Mackay and R.M. Neal, â€Å"Near Shannon limit performance of low density parity check codes,† Electronics Letters, vol. 33, pp 457-458 (1997). 3] L. Arnone, C. Gayaso, C. Gonzalez and J. Castineira, â€Å"Sum-Subtract Fixed Point LDPC Decoder,† Latin American Applied Research, vol. 37, pp 17-20 (2007). 4] Castineira Moreira, Farrell P.G.: â€Å"Essentials of error control coding†, Wiley (2006). 5] Castineira Moreira J., Farrell, P.G.: â€Å"Soft-decision SISO decoding of error-control codes†, Proc. 13th Int. Conf. on telecommunications (SENACITEL ’08), Valdivia, Chile, 12-15 November 2008. 6] L. Arnone, Castineira Moreira, Farrell P.G.: â€Å"FPGA implementation of a Euclidean distance metric SISO decoder,† Int. Symposium on communication theory and applications (ISCTA’09), Ambleside, UK, July 2009. 7] P.G. Farrell, L.Arnone, J. Castineira Moreira: â€Å"Euclidean distance soft-input soft-output decoding algorithm for low density parity check codes,† IET comm. Vol.5, Iss. 16, pp. 2364-2370, (2011). 8] J. Castineira Moreira, M. Rabini, C. Gonzalez, C. Gayaso, L. Arnone: â€Å"FPGA implementation of two very low complexity LDPC decoders,† IEEE papers, (2011). 9] Simon Haykin: â€Å"Digital communications†, John Wiley sons (2006). 10] Bernard Sklar, Pabitra K. Ray: â€Å"Digital communications: fundamentals and applications†, 2nd edn. Pearson education (2009). 11] Shu Lin, Daniel J. Costello Jr.: â€Å"Error Control coding†, 2nd edn. Pearson education (2004). 12] Moon T. K.: â€Å"Error correction coding- mathematical methods and algorithms†, Wiley (2005).

Tylenol Essay -- Health, Pain

Acetaminophen is a popular and powerful analgesic that is available over the counter and use worldwide, but is not widely used everywhere in the world. (1) It has been shown to temporally relieve aches, pain associated with common issues such as headache, toothaches, cramps, etc. (1) Acetaminophen can also be used to reduce fever. It has analgesic and antipyretic effects that are very similar to that of aspirin but it lacks the anti-inflammatory effects. (1) The following will explain the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and molecular toxicity of acetaminophen. Pharmacokinetics is the study of how a drug is processed in the body by examining absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion. Pharmacodynamics is the mechanism of the drug at physiological, biochemical and molecular levels in the body. Molecular toxicology is the study of genetic molecules susceptible to external drugs, poisons, pollutants and their interaction with biological systems at a molecular level. For an adult (age 13 and older who are at least 110lbs) the recommended oral dose is 325-1000mg, for a rectal dose it is 650mg, and the total daily dose should not exceed 4000mg.(1) For children, depending on their age and weight, the recommended dose is 40-480mg with no more than 5 doses being administered in one day. (2) For intravenous dosing is very similar to oral dose. The standard recommended intravenous dose is either 1000 mg every six hours or 650 mg every four hours and again no more than 4000mg in 24 hours. (2) Acetaminophen can be administered orally, rectally, or intravenously. Orally acetaminophen is available in tablets/capsules (extended release and regular), chewable tablets, oral granules, and liquid suspensions. Rectally it is adm... ...sired result. This can be viewed by the dose response curve the any drug. Yet, currently there is no dose response curve for acetaminophen in existence for humans and because of this we have been unable to optimize patient therapy without the fear of overdose. (4) In recommended therapeutic doses the drug is tolerated well.(2) Single or repeated doses of acetaminophen do not have any effects on system like the cardiovascular or respiratory. It does not produce gastric irritation or bleeding which may be typical for this type of analgesic. (2) It also has no effect on platelets of uric acid excretion.(2) One may experience skin rashes or have an allergic reaction but that is rare.(2) By looking at the pharmacokinetics is it very easy to overdose or tox out from acetaminophen because the binding potential of the drug is so low and the range of distribution is high.

The Eight Miracle Signs in John

The Eight Miracle Signs in John Jesus performed eight particular miracles in the Gospel of John that revealed His deity. These miracles are unique to study because they all serve towards showing us that Jesus is Divine. They also show different aspects of Jesus’ divinity. Seemingly these miracles were purposeful in their intent towards showing those present with Jesus, and millions that have followed, aspects of Jesus’ power and mission. These miracles serve as a witness to all of us of Jesus’ authority. They also provide comfort when we reflect on the fact that nature, spirit and life all are in His control and hand.Jesus turned the water into wine in John 2:1-11. This was the first visible manifestation of God in Christ. It is interesting that it happened at a wedding. Jesus shows that life with Him happens in our normal day to day activities. It was not performed in a temple or tabernacle, but rather among friends. It was Mary the mother of Jesus who encourage d the miracle to happen. This might show us that God uses our relationships to pull out of us the treasures God puts in us. This miracle shows us that Jesus has power over creation. He takes water and makes it wine. It obeys Him.The water itself is under the control of Christ. One can not help but reflect in the fact that Jesus was present in creation. [1] This miracle is reminiscent of the creation story. In the beginning God moved over the deep. He created out of water. Jesus now initiates His ministry with a miracle with water. The second sign miracle was the healing of the nobleman’s son in John 4:46-54. A man came and called out to Jesus while He was in Cana of Galilee. The man had a son that was sick. This man obviously loved His son. The nobleman asked Jesus to speak a word of healing.The nobleman had enough faith that he felt like a visit was unnecessary. This miracle proved Christ’s authority over space. Space did not limit Jesus. He has all power in heaven an d earth. As it was on that day, it is now. Christ reaches anywhere. The third sign miracle concerns the healing of a lame man in John 5:1-9. The lame man had been unable to pursue healing or help for years. Jesus came by on the Sabbath and asked if the man wanted to made whole. Jesus then told the man to rise and pick his bed up and walk. Under the healing authority of Jesus, the man did.The religious people were furious. The Sabbath had been violated by this lame man picking up his bed! This miracle might represent Jesus divine authority in a few way. Maybe it hints that Jesus is primary over religion and tradition. It definitely shows that Jesus has power over time. Christ knows when and what to do. God knows when to move. The fourth sign in the feeding of the five-thousand in John 6:1-14. A massive group traveled to hear Jesus speak. They walked just to hear Him. The problem is that there was no food for all of these people.The disciple Andrew found a young boy’s lunch and brought it to Jesus. Jesus blessed it and broke it and started to pass it out. Everyone ate. There were even leftovers. This miracle shows that Jesus has power to provide. Even in the food arena. Dr. Towns mentions that it shows that God uses what we give Him and does His work to provide. [2] God has all power and He can provide anything we need. This miracle speaks deeper to the events to come when Christ will be blessed, broken and then passed out to feed the souls of men. The fifth sign comes when Jesus walks on the water in John 6:15-21.There had been a wonderful day of miracles and words from Jesus, but now it is night and Christ has told His disciples to go to the other side of the lake by boat. Huge winds and waves came against the boat in the middle of the night. Jesus, however was walking on the water when the disciples spotted Him. Jesus calmed everything and took them immediately to the other side. This miracle shows God’s power of natural laws. The winds and stor ms obey His voice. The water held Jesus like a sidewalk holds us. All because He has all power. He also caused the entire ship to be transported to the other side.Jesus has all power over natural laws. The sixth miracle sign is the healing of the blind man in John 9:1-12. Jesus and the disciples were walking and passed a blind man. This man, the writer tells us, was blind from birth. In fact, there is some perplexing on behalf of the disciples on wether this is the man’s fault or his parent’s due to sin. Jesus makes clay and tells the man to wash his eyes and the man is healed. This miracle shows God’s power over physical laws. Jesus has all power over physical laws. He heals the blind man’s old eyes much like He made the first man’s eyes.Adam was made from the dust and now Christ makes this man’s eyes â€Å"new† by using dust, spit and authority with power. It shows Christ’s power then and now. The seventh sign miracle was Laz arus being raised from the dead in John 11:1-44. Lazarus was a friend and had been dead for four days. Jesus seemed to purposefully wait until the time of Lazarus’ death and burial. Many of Jesus friends are there. Mary and Martha have partial faith. One believes Jesus could have changed it if He had arrived earlier, and the other believes Jesus can perform it at the Resurrection.Jesus, however, shows that He has power now. All things are under His control. He shows them that He is able, presently, to perform what they wish He could have done in the past and hope He can do in the future. This miracle shows the power of Christ over death. He has power over death itself and the grave. This sign shows that Jesus has the power to give life as a gift. [3] The eighth sign miracle was the amazing catch of fish in John 21:1-11. After Jesus’ resurrection He visited the shore while the disciples were fishing. They had been having trouble all night and had not been able to catch anything.Jesus advised the disciples to try the other side of the boat. The result was a miraculous catch of fish. This miracle showed complete power. It showed that all of the other miracles were fulfilled and found in Jesus. This miracle showed that He was over all things. This is also the miracle that follows the resurrection of Jesus. This miracle was proof, then and now, that Jesus had risen with full power. He shows power over death and nature. He is truly the Son of God. All of these show that Christ has all power. He holds all things and all things are for Him.Jesus deity is proven by the resurrection, but these sign miracles reveal different aspects of His deity. Because of this He can identify with us and provide for us. When we trust in Him it is not our life but His life through us. [4] These precious truths and stories bolster our faith in Christ. Jesus has power over creation. We serve a God that calms storms with His voice. Sicknesses and diseases listen to His will. Time can not change Him or stop Him. Jesus is not limited by space. He can provide anything we need. And the final enemy death was overcome by our Savior. All things are His and we are in His hand.Bibliography John 1:3 Towns, Elmer. The Gospel of John: Believe and Live. (Ed. Mel and Ed Hindson Couch. Chattanooga: AMG Publishers), 2002. Morris, Leon. Jesus is the Christ. (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, 1989). 40 Towns, Elmer. Theology for Today. (Cengage Learning: 2008). 244 ———————– [1] John 1:3 [2] Towns, Elmer. The Gospel of John: Believe and Live. (Ed. Mel and Ed Hindson Couch. Chattanooga: AMG Publishers), 2002. [3] Morris, Leon. Jesus is the Christ. (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, 1989). 40 [4] Towns, Elmer. Theology for Today. (Cengage Learning: 2008). 244

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 11. LEGENDS

â€Å"ARE YOU GONNA EAT THAT HOT DOG?† PAUL ASKED JAcob, his eyes locked on the last remnant of the huge meal the werewolves had consumed. Jacob leaned back against my knees and toyed with the hot dog he had spitted on a straightened wire hanger; the flames at the edge of the bonfire licked along its blistered skin. He heaved a sigh and patted his stomach. It was somehow still flat, though I'd lost count of how many hot dogs he'd eaten after his tenth. Not to mention the super-sized bag of chips or the two-liter bottle of root beer. â€Å"I guess,† Jake said slowly. â€Å"I'm so full I'm about to puke, but I think I can force it down. I won't enjoy it at all, though.† He sighed again sadly. Despite the fact that Paul had eaten at least as much as Jacob, he glowered and his hands balled up into fists. â€Å"Sheesh.† Jacob laughed. â€Å"Kidding, Paul. Here.† He flipped the homemade skewer across the circle. I expected it to land hot-dog-first in the sand, but Paul caught it neatly on the right end without difficulty. Hanging out with no one but extremely dexterous people all the time was going to give me a complex. â€Å"Thanks, man,† Paul said, already over his brief fit of temper. The fire crackled, settling lower toward the sand. Sparks blew up in a sudden puff of brilliant orange against the black sky. Funny, I hadn't noticed that the sun had set. For the first time, I wondered how late it had gotten. I'd lost track of time completely. It was easier being with my Quileute friends than I'd expected. While Jacob and I had dropped off my bike at the garage – and he had admitted ruefully that the helmet was a good idea that he should have thought of himself – I'd started to worry about showing up with him at the bonfire, wondering if the werewolves would consider me a traitor now. Would they be angry with Jacob for inviting me? Would I ruin the party? But when Jacob had towed me out of the forest to the clifftop meeting place – where the fire already roared brighter than the cloud-obscured sun – it had all been very casual and light. â€Å"Hey, vampire girl!† Embry had greeted me loudly. Quil had jumped up to give me a high five and kiss me on the cheek. Emily had squeezed my hand when we'd sat on the cool stone ground beside her and Sam. Other than a few teasing complaints – mostly by Paul – about keeping the bloodsucker stench downwind, I was treated like someone who belonged. It wasn't just kids in attendance, either. Billy was here, his wheelchair stationed at what seemed the natural head of the circle. Beside him on a folding lawn chair, looking quite brittle, was Quil's ancient, white-haired grandfather, Old Quil. Sue Clearwater, widow of Charlie's friend Harry, had a chair on his other side; her two children, Leah and Seth, were also there, sitting on the ground like the rest of us. This surprised me, but all three were clearly in on the secret now. From the way Billy and Old Quil spoke to Sue, it sounded to me like she'd taken Harry's place on the council. Did that make her children automatic members of La Push's most secret society? I wondered how horrible it was for Leah to sit across the circle from Sam and Emily. Her lovely face betrayed no emotion, but she never looked away from the flames. Looking at the perfection of Leah's features, I couldn't help but compare them to Emily's ruined face. What did Leah think of Emily's scars, now that she knew the truth behind them? Did it seem like justice in her eyes? Little Seth Clearwater wasn't so little anymore. With his huge, happy grin and his long, gangly build, he reminded me very much of a younger Jacob. The resemblance made me smile, and then sigh. Was Seth doomed to have his life change as drastically as the rest of these boys? Was that future why he and his family were allowed to be here? The whole pack was there: Sam with his Emily, Paul, Embry, Quil, and Jared with Kim, the girl he'd imprinted upon. My first impression of Kim was that she was a nice girl, a little shy, and a little plain. She had a wide face, mostly cheekbones, with eyes too small to balance them out. Her nose and mouth were both too broad for traditional beauty. Her flat black hair was thin and wispy in the wind that never seemed to let up atop the cliff. That was my first impression. But after a few hours of watching Jared watch Kim, I could no longer find anything plain about the girl. The way he stared at her! It was like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. Like a collector finding an undiscovered Da Vinci, like a mother looking into the face of her newborn child. His wondering eyes made me see new things about her – how her skin looked like russet-colored silk in the firelight, how the shape of her lips was a perfect double curve, how white her teeth were against them, how long her eyelashes were, brushing her cheek when she looked down. Kim's skin sometimes darkened when she met Jared's awed gaze, and her eyes would drop as if in embarrassment, but she had a hard time keeping her eyes away from his for any length of time. Watching them, I felt like I better understood what Jacob had told me about imprinting before – it's hard to resist that level of commitment and adoration. Kim was nodding off now against Jared's chest, his arms around her. I imagined she would be very warm there. â€Å"It's getting late,† I murmured to Jacob. â€Å"Don't start that yet,† Jacob whispered back – though certainly half the group here had hearing sensitive enough to hear us anyway. â€Å"The best part is coming.† â€Å"What's the best part? You swallowing an entire cow whole?† Jacob chuckled his low, throaty laugh. â€Å"No. That's the finale. We didn't meet just to eat through a week's worth of food. This is technically a council meeting. It's Quil's first time, and he hasn't heard the stories yet. Well, he's heard them, but thiswill be the first time he knows they're true. That tends to make a guy pay closer attention. Kim and Seth and Leah are all first-timers, too.† â€Å"Stories?† Jacob scooted back beside me, where I rested against a low ridge of rock. He put his arm over my shoulder and spoke even lower into my ear. â€Å"The histories we always thought were legends,† he said. â€Å"The stories of how we came to be. The first is the story of the spirit warriors.† It was almost as if Jacob's soft whisper was the introduction. The atmosphere changed abruptly around the low-burning fire. Paul and Embry sat up straighter. Jared nudged Kim and then pulled her gently upright. Emily produced a spiral-bound notebook and a pen, looking exactly like a student set for an important lecture. Sam twisted just slightly beside her – so that he was facing the same direction as Old Quil, who was on his other side – and suddenly I realized that the elders of the council here were not three, but four in number. Leah Clearwater, her face still a beautiful and emotionless mask, closed her eyes – not like she was tired, but as if to help her concentration. Her brother leaned in toward the elders eagerly. The fire crackled, sending another explosion of sparks glittering up against the night. Billy cleared his throat, and, with no more introduction than his son's whisper, began telling the story in his rich, deep voice. The words poured out with precision, as if he knew them by heart, but also with feeling and a subtle rhythm. Like poetry performed by its author. â€Å"The Quileutes have been a small people from the beginning,† Billy said. â€Å"And we are a small people still, but we have never disappeared. This is because there has always been magic in our blood. It wasn't always the magic of shape-shifting – that came later. First, we were spirit warriors.† Never before had I recognized the ring of majesty that was in Billy Black's voice, though I realized now that this authority had always been there. Emily's pen sprinted across the sheets of paper as she tried to keep up with him. â€Å"In the beginning, the tribe settled in this harbor and became skilled ship builders and fishermen. But the tribe was small, and the harbor was rich in fish. There were others who coveted our land, and we were too small to hold it. A larger tribe moved against us, and we took to our ships to escape them. â€Å"Kaheleha was not the first spirit warrior, but we do not remember the stories that came before his. We do not remember who was the first to discover this power, or how it had been used before this crisis. Kaheleha was the first great Spirit Chief in our history. In this emergency, Kaheleha used the magic to defend our land. â€Å"He and all his warriors left the ship – not their bodies, but their spirits. Their women watched over the bodies and the waves, and the men took their spirits back to our harbor. â€Å"They could not physically touch the enemy tribe, but they had other ways. The stories tell us that they could blow fierce winds into their enemy's camps; they could make a great screaming in the wind that terrified their foes. The stories also tell us that the animals could see the spirit warriors and understand them; the animals would do their bidding. â€Å"Kaheleha took his spirit army and wreaked havoc on the intruders. This invading tribe had packs of big, thick-furred dogs that they used to pull their sleds in the frozen north. The spirit warriors turned the dogs against their masters and then brought a mighty infestation of bats up from the cliff caverns. They used the screaming wind to aid the dogs in confusing the men. The dogs and bats won. The survivors scattered, calling our harbor a cursed place. The dogs ran wild when the spirit warriors released them. The Quileutes returned to their bodies and their wives, victorious. â€Å"The other nearby tribes, the Hohs and the Makahs, made treaties with the Quileutes. They wanted nothing to do with our magic. We lived in peace with them. When an enemy came against us, the spirit warriors would drive them off. â€Å"Generations passed. Then came the last great Spirit Chief, Taha Aki. He was known for his wisdom, and for being a man of peace. The people lived well and content in his care. â€Å"But there was one man, Utlapa, who was not content.† A low hiss ran around the fire. I was too slow to see where it came from. Billy ignored it and went on with the legend. â€Å"Utlapa was one of Chief Taha Aki's strongest spirit warriors – a powerful man, but a grasping man, too. He thought the people should use their magic to expand their lands, to enslave the Hohs and the Makahs and build an empire. â€Å"Now, when the warriors were their spirit selves, they knew each other's thoughts. Taha Aki saw what Utlapa dreamed, and was angry with Utlapa. Utlapa was commanded to leave the people, and never use his spirit self again. Utlapa was a strong man, but the chief's warriors outnumbered him. He had no choice but to leave. The furious outcast hid in the forest nearby, waiting for a chance to get revenge against the chief. â€Å"Even in times of peace, the Spirit Chief was vigilantin protecting his people. Often, he would go to a sacred, secret place in the mountains. He would leave his body behind and sweep down through the forests and along the coast, making sure no threat approached. â€Å"One day when Taha Aki left to perform this duty, Utlapa followed. At first, Utlapa simply planned to kill the chief, but this plan had its drawbacks. Surely the spirit warriors would seek to destroy him, and they could follow faster than he could escape. As he hid in the rocks and watched the chief prepare to leave his body, another plan occurred to him. â€Å"Taha Aki left his body in the secret place and flew with the winds to keep watch over his people. Utlapa waited until he was sure the chief had traveled some distance with his spirit self. â€Å"Taha Aki knew it the instant that Utlapa had joined him in the spirit world, and he also knew Utlapa's murderous plan. He raced back to his secret place, but even the winds weren't fast enough to save him. When he returned, his body was already gone. Utlapa's body lay abandoned, but Utlapa had not left Taha Aki with an escape – he had cut his own body's throat with Taha Aki's hands. â€Å"Taha Aki followed his body down the mountain. He screamed at Utlapa, but Utlapa ignored him as if he were mere wind. â€Å"Taha Aki watched with despair as Utlapa took his place as chief of the Quileutes. For a few weeks, Utlapa did nothing but make sure that everyone believed he was Taha Aki. Then the changes began – Utlapa's first edict was to forbid any warrior to enter the spirit world. He claimed that he'd had a vision of danger, but really he was afraid. He knew that Taha Aki would be waiting for the chance to tell his story. Utlapa was also afraid to enter the spirit world himself, knowing Taha Aki would quickly claim his body. So his dreams of conquest with a spirit warrior army were impossible, and he sought to content himself with ruling over the tribe. He became a burden – seeking privileges that Taha Aki had never requested, refusing to work alongside his warriors, taking a young second wife and then a third, though Taha Aki's wife lived on – something unheard of in the tribe. Taha Aki watched in helpless fury. â€Å"Eventually, Taha Aki tried to kill his body to save the tribe from Utlapa's excesses. He brought a fierce wolf down from the mountains, but Utlapa hid behind his warriors. When the wolf killed a young man who was protecting the false chief, Taha Aki felt horrible grief. He ordered the wolf away. â€Å"All the stories tell us that it was no easy thing to be a spirit warrior. It was more frightening than exhilarating to be freed from one's body. This is why they only used their magic in times of need. The chief's solitary journeys to keep watch were a burden and a sacrifice. Being bodiless was disorienting, uncomfortable, horrifying. Taha Aki had been away from his body for so long at this point that he was in agony. He felt he was doomed – never to cross over to the final land where his ancestors waited, stuck in this torturous nothingness forever. â€Å"The great wolf followed Taha Aki's spirit as he twisted and writhed in agony through the woods. The wolf was very large for its kind, and beautiful. Taha Aki was suddenly jealous of the dumb animal. At least it had a body. At least it had a life. Even life as an animal would be better than this horrible empty consciousness. â€Å"And then Taha Aki had the idea that changed us all. He asked the great wolf to make room for him, to share. The wolf complied. Taka Aki entered the wolf's body with relief and gratitude. It was not his human body, but it was better than the void of the spirit world. â€Å"As one, the man and the wolf returned to the village on the harbor. The people ran in fear, shouting for the warriors to come. The warriors ran to meet the wolf with their spears. Utlapa, of course, stayed safely hidden. â€Å"Taha Aki did not attack his warriors. He retreated slowly from them, speaking with his eyes and trying to yelp the songs of his people. The warriors began to realize that the wolf was no ordinary animal, that there was a spirit influencing it. One older warrior, a man name Yut, decided to disobey the false chief's order and try to communicate with the wolf. â€Å"As soon as Yut crossed to the spirit world, Taha Aki left the wolf – the animal waited tamely for his return – to speak to him. Yut gathered the truth in an instant, and welcomed his true chief home. â€Å"At this time, Utlapa came to see if the wolf had been defeated. When he saw Yut lyinglifeless on the ground, surrounded by protective warriors, he realized what was happening. He drew his knife and raced forward to kill Yut before he could return to his body. â€Å"‘Traitor,' he screamed, and the warriors did not know what to do. The chief had forbidden spirit journeys, and it was the chief's decision how to punish those who disobeyed. â€Å"Yut jumped back into his body, but Utlapa had his knife at his throat and a hand covering his mouth. Taha Aki's body was strong, and Yut was weak with age. Yut could not say even one word to warn the others before Utlapa silenced him forever. â€Å"Taha Aki watched as Yut's spirit slipped away to the final lands that were barred to Taha Aki for all eternity. He felt a great rage, more powerful than anything he'd felt before. He entered the big wolf again, meaning to rip Utlapa's throat out. But, as he joined the wolf, the greatest magic happened. â€Å"Taha Aki's anger was the anger of a man. The love he had for his people and the hatred he had for their oppressor were too vast for the wolf's body, too human. The wolf shuddered, and – before the eyes of the shocked warriors and Utlapa – transformed into a man. â€Å"The new man did not look like Taha Aki's body. He was far more glorious. He was the flesh interpretation of Taha Aki's spirit. The warriors recognized him at once, though, for they had flown with Taha Aki's spirit. â€Å"Utlapa tried to run, but Taha Aki had the strength of the wolf in his new body. He caught the thief and crushed the spirit from him before he could jump out of the stolen body. â€Å"The people rejoiced when they understood what had happened. Taha Aki quickly set everything right, working again with his people and giving the young wives back to their families. The only change he kept in place was the end of the spirit travels. He knew that it was too dangerous now that the idea of stealing a life was there. The spirit warriors were no more. â€Å"From that point on, Taha Aki was more than either wolf or man. They called him Taha Aki the Great Wolf, or Taha Aki the Spirit Man. He led the tribe for many, many years, for he did not age. When danger threatened, he would resume his wolf-self to fight or frighten the enemy. The people dwelt in peace. Taha Aki fathered many sons, and some of these found that, after they had reached the age of manhood, they, too, could transform into wolves. The wolves were all different, because they were spirit wolves and reflected the man they were inside.† â€Å"So that's why Sam is all black,† Quil muttered under his breath, grinning. â€Å"Black heart, black fur.† I was so involved in the story, it was a shock to come back to the present, to the circle around the dying fire. With another shock, I realized that the circle was made up of Taha Aki's great – to however many degrees – grandsons. The fire threw a volley of sparks into the sky, and they shivered and danced, making shapes that were almost decipherable. â€Å"And your chocolate fur reflects what?† Sam whispered back to Quil. â€Å"How sweet you are?† Billy ignored their jibes. â€Å"Some of the sons became warriors with Taha Aki, and they no longer aged. Others, who did not like the transformation, refused to join the pack of wolf-men. These began to age again, and the tribe discovered that the wolf-men could grow old like anyone else if they gave up their spirit wolves. Taha Aki had lived the span of three old men's lives. He had married a third wife after the deaths of the first two, and found in her his true spirit wife. Though he had loved the others, this was something else. He decided to give up his spirit wolf so that he would die when she did. â€Å"That is how the magic came to us, but it is not the end of the story. . . .† He looked at Old Quil Ateara, who shifted in his chair, straightening his frail shoulders. Billy took a drink from a bottle of water and wiped his forehead. Emily's pen never hesitated as she scribbled furiously on the paper. â€Å"That was the story of the spirit warriors,† Old Quil began in a thin tenor voice. â€Å"This is the story of the third wife's sacrifice. â€Å"Many years after Taha Aki gave up his spirit wolf, when he was an old man, trouble began in the north, with the Makahs. Several young women of their tribe had disappeared, and they blamed it on the neighboring wolves, who they feared and mistrusted. The wolf-men could still read each other's thoughts while in their wolf forms, just like their ancestors had while in their spirit forms. They knew that none of their number was to blame. Taha Aki tried to pacify the Makah chief, but there was too much fear. Taha Aki did not want to have a war on his hands. He was no longer a warrior to lead his people. He charged his oldest wolf-son, Taha Wi, with finding the true culprit before hostilities began. â€Å"Taha Wi led the five other wolves in his pack on a search through the mountains, looking for any evidence of the missing Makahs. They came across something they had never encountered before – a strange, sweet scent in the forest that burned their noses to the point of pain.† I shrank a little closer to Jacob's side. I saw the corner of his mouth twitch with humor, and his arm tightened around me. â€Å"They did not know what creature would leave such a scent, but they followed it,† Old Quil continued. His quavering voice did not have the majesty of Billy's, but it had a strange, fierce edge of urgency about it. My pulse jumped as his words came faster. â€Å"They found faint traces of human scent, and human blood, along the trail. They were sure this was the enemy they were searching for. â€Å"The journey took them so far north that Taha Wi sent half the pack, the younger ones, back to the harbor to report to Taha Aki. â€Å"Taha Wi and his two brothers did not return. â€Å"The younger brothers searched for their elders, but found only silence. Taha Aki mourned for his sons. He wished to avenge his sons' death, but he was old. He went to the Makah chief in his mourning clothes and told him everything that had happened. The Makah chief believed his grief, and tensions ended between the tribes. â€Å"A year later, two Makah maidens disappeared from their homes on the same night. The Makahs called on the Quileute wolves at once, who found the same sweet stink all through the Makah village. The wolves went on the hunt again. â€Å"Only one came back. He was Yaha Uta, the oldest son of Taka Aki's third wife, and the youngest in the pack. He brought something with him that had never been seen in all the days of the Quileutes – a strange, cold, stony corpse that he carried in pieces. All who were of Taha Aki's blood, even those who had never been wolves, could smell the piercing smell of the dead creature. This was the enemy of the Makahs. â€Å"Yaha Uta described what had happened: he and his brothers had found the creature, who looked like a man but was hard as a granite rock, with the two Makah daughters. One girl was already dead, white and bloodless on the ground. The other was in the creature's arms, his mouth at her throat. She may have been alive when they came upon the hideous scene, but the creature quickly snapped her neck and tossed her lifeless body to the ground when they approached. His white lips were covered in her blood, and his eyes glowed red. â€Å"Yaha Uta described the fierce strength and speed of the creature. One of his brothers quickly became a victim when he underestimated that strength. The creature ripped him apart like a doll. Yaha Uta and his other brother were more wary. They worked together, coming at the creature from the sides, outmaneuvering it. They had to reach the very limits of their wolf strength and speed, something that had never been tested before. The creature was hard as stone and cold as ice. They found that only their teeth could damage it. They began to rip small pieces of the creature apart while it fought them. â€Å"But the creature learned quickly, and soon was matching their maneuvers. It got its hands on Yaha Uta's brother. Yaha Uta found an opening on the creature's throat, and he lunged. His teeth tore the head off the creature, but the hands continued to mangle his brother. â€Å"Yaha Uta ripped the creature into unrecognizable chunks, tearing pieces apart in a desperate attempt to save his brother. He was too late, but, in the end, the creature was destroyed. â€Å"Or so they thought. Yaha Uta laid the reeking remains out to be examined by the elders. One severed hand lay beside a piece of the creature's granite arm. The two pieces touched when the elders poked them with sticks, and the hand reached out towards the arm piece, trying to reassemble itself. â€Å"Horrified, the elders set fire to the remains. A great cloud of choking, vile smoke polluted the air. When there was nothing but ashes, they separated the ashes into many small bags and spread them far and wide – some in the ocean, some in the forest, some in the cliff caverns. Taha Aki wore one bag around his neck, so he would be warned if the creature ever tried to put himself together again.† Old Quil paused and looked at Billy. Billy pulled out a leather thong from around his neck. Hanging from the end was a small bag, blackened with age. A few people gasped. I might have been one of them. â€Å"They called it The Cold One, the Blood Drinker, and lived in fear that it was not alone. They only had one wolf protector left, young Yaha Uta. â€Å"They did not have long to wait. The creature had a mate, another blood drinker, who came to the Quileutes seeking revenge. â€Å"The stories say that the Cold Woman was the most beautiful thing human eyes had ever seen. She looked like the goddess of the dawn when she entered the village that morning; the sun was shining for once, and it glittered off her white skin and lit the golden hair that flowed down to her knees. Her face was magical in its beauty, her eyes black in her white face. Some fell to their knees to worship her. â€Å"She asked something in a high, piercing voice, in a language no one had ever heard. The people were dumbfounded, not knowing how to answer her. There was none of Taha Aki's blood among the witnesses but one small boy. He clung to his mother and screamed that the smell was hurting his nose. One of the elders, on his way to council, heard the boy and realized what had come among them. He yelled for the people to run. She killed him first. â€Å"There were twenty witnesses to the Cold Woman's approach. Two survived, only because she grew distracted by the blood, and paused to sate her thirst. They ran to Taha Aki, who sat in counsel with the other elders, his sons, and his third wife. â€Å"Yaha Uta transformed into his spirit wolf as soon as he heard the news. He went to destroy the blood drinker alone. Taha Aki, his third wife, his sons, and his elders followed behind him. â€Å"At first they could not find the creature, only the evidence of her attack. Bodies lay broken, a few drained of blood, strewn across the road where she'd appeared. Then they heard the screams and hurried to the harbor. â€Å"A handful of the Quileutes had run to the ships for refuge. She swam after them like a shark, and broke the bow of their boat with her incredible strength. When the ship sank, she caught those trying to swim away and broke them, too. â€Å"She saw the great wolf on the shore, and she forgot the fleeing swimmers. She swam so fast she was a blur and came, dripping and glorious, to stand before Yaha Uta. She pointed at him with one white finger and asked another incomprehensible question. Yaha Uta waited. â€Å"It was a close fight. She was not the warrior her mate had been. But Yaha Uta was alone – there was no one to distract her fury from him. â€Å"When Yaha Uta lost, Taha Aki screamed in defiance. He limped forward and shifted into an ancient, white-muzzled wolf. The wolf was old, but this was Taha Aki the Spirit Man, and his rage made him strong. The fight began again. â€Å"Taha Aki's third wife had just seen her son die before her. Now her husband fought, and she had no hope that he could win. She'd heard every word the witnesses to the slaughter had told the council. She'd heard the story of Yaha Uta's first victory, and knew that his brother's diversion had saved him. â€Å"The third wife grabbed a knife from the belt of one of the sons who stood beside her. They were all young sons, not yet men, and she knew they would die when their father failed. â€Å"The third wife ran toward the Cold Woman with the dagger raised high. The Cold Woman smiled, barely distracted from her fight with the old wolf. She had no fear of the weak human woman or the knife that would not even scratch her skin, and she was about to deliver the death blow to Taha Aki. â€Å"And then the third wife did something the Cold Woman did not expect. She fell to her knees at the blood drinker's feet and plunged the knife into her own heart. â€Å"Blood spurted through the third wife's fingers and splashed against the Cold Woman. The blood drinker could not resist the lure of the fresh blood leaving the third wife's body. Instinctively, she turned to the dying woman, for one second entirely consumed by thirst. â€Å"Taha Aki's teeth closed around her neck. â€Å"That was not the end of the fight, but Taha Aki was not alone now. Watching their mother die, two young sons felt such rage that they sprang forth as their spirit wolves, though they were not yet men. With their father, they finished the creature. â€Å"Taha Aki never rejoined the tribe. He never changed back to a man again. He lay for one day beside the body of the third wife, growling whenever anyone tried to touch her, and then he went into the forest and never returned. â€Å"Trouble with the cold ones was rare from that time on. Taha Aki's sons guarded the tribe until their sons were old enough to take their places. There were never more than three wolves at a time. It was enough. Occasionally a blood drinker would come through these lands, but they were taken by surprise, not expecting the wolves. Sometimes a wolf would die, but never were they decimated again like that first time. They'd learned how to fight the cold ones, and they passed the knowledge on, wolf mind to wolf mind, spirit to spirit, father to son. â€Å"Time passed, and the descendants of Taha Aki no longer became wolves when they reached manhood. Only in a great while, if a cold one was near, would the wolves return. The cold ones always came in ones and twos, and the pack stayed small. â€Å"A bigger coven came, and your own great-grandfathers prepared to fight them off. But the leader spoke to Ephraim Black as if he were a man, and promised not to harm the Quileutes. His strange yellow eyes gave some proof to his claim that they were not the same as other blood drinkers. The wolves were outnumbered; there was no need for the cold ones to offer a treaty when they could have won the fight. Ephraim accepted. They've stayed true to their side, though their presence does tend to draw in others. â€Å"And their numbers have forced a larger pack than the tribe has ever seen,† Old Quil said, and for one moment his black eyes, all but buried in the wrinkles of skin folded around them, seemed to rest on me. â€Å"Except, of course, in Taha Aki's time,† he said, and then he sighed. â€Å"And so the sons of our tribe again carry the burden and share the sacrifice their fathers endured before them.† All was silent for a long moment. The living descendants of magic and legend stared at one another across the fire with sadness in their eyes. All but one. â€Å"Burden,† he scoffed in a low voice. â€Å"I think it's cool.† Quil's full lower lip pouted out a little bit. Across the dying fire, Seth Clearwater – his eyes wide with adulation for the fraternity of tribal protectors – nodded his agreement. Billy chuckled, low and long, and the magic seemed to fade into the glowing embers. Suddenly, it was just a circle of friends again. Jared flicked a small stone at Quil, and everyone laughed when it made him jump. Low conversations murmured around us, teasing and casual. Leah Clearwater's eyes did not open. I thought I saw something sparkling on her cheek like a tear, but when I looked back a moment later it was gone. Neither Jacob nor I spoke. He was so still beside me, his breath so deep and even, that I thought he might be close to sleep. My mind was a thousand years away. I was not thinking of Yaha Uta or the other wolves, or the beautiful Cold Woman – I could picture her only too easily. No, I was thinking of someone outside the magic altogether. I was trying to imagine the face of the unnamed woman who had saved the entire tribe, the third wife. Just a human woman, with no special gifts or powers. Physically weaker and slower than any of the monsters in the story. But she had been the key, the solution. She'd saved her husband, her young sons, her tribe. I wish they'd remembered her name. . . . Something shook my arm. â€Å"C'mon, Bells,† Jacob said in my ear. â€Å"We're here.† I blinked, confused because the fire seemed to have disappeared. I glared into the unexpected darkness, trying to make sense of my surroundings. It took me a minute to realize that I was no longer on the cliff. Jacob and I were alone. I was still under his arm, but I wasn't on the ground anymore. How did I get in Jacob's car? â€Å"Oh, crap!† I gasped as I realized that I had fallen asleep. â€Å"How late is it? Dang it, where's that stupid phone?† I patted my pockets, frantic and coming up empty. â€Å"Easy. It's not even midnight yet. And I already called him for you. Look – he's waiting there.† â€Å"Midnight?† I repeated stupidly, still disoriented. I stared into the darkness, and my heartbeat picked up when my eyes made out the shape of the Volvo, thirty yards away. I reached for the door handle. â€Å"Here,† Jacob said, and he put a small shape into my other hand. The phone. â€Å"You called Edward for me?† My eyes were adjusted enough to see the bright gleam of Jacob's smile. â€Å"I figured if I played nice, I'd get more time with you.† â€Å"Thanks, Jake,† I said, touched. â€Å"Really, thank you. And thanks forinviting me tonight. That was . . .† Words failed me. â€Å"Wow. That was something else.† â€Å"And you didn't even stay up to watch me swallow a cow.† He laughed. â€Å"No, I'm glad you liked it. It was . . . nice for me. Having you there.† There was a movement in the dark distance – something pale ghosting against the black trees. Pacing? â€Å"Yeah, he's not so patient, is he?† Jacob said, noticing my distraction. â€Å"Go ahead. But come back soon, okay?† â€Å"Sure, Jake,† I promised, cracking the car door open. Cold air washed across my legs and made me shiver. â€Å"Sleep tight, Bells. Don't worry about anything – I'll be watching out for you tonight.† I paused, one foot on the ground. â€Å"No, Jake. Get some rest, I'll be fine.† â€Å"Sure, sure,† he said, but he sounded more patronizing than agreeing. â€Å"‘Night, Jake. Thanks.† â€Å"‘Night, Bella,† he whispered as I hurried into the darkness. Edward caught me at the boundary line. â€Å"Bella,† he said, relief strong in his voice; his arms wound tightly around me. â€Å"Hi. Sorry I'm so late. I fell asleep and -â€Å" â€Å"I know. Jacob explained.† He started toward the car, and I staggered woodenly at his side. â€Å"Are you tired? I could carry you.† â€Å"I'm fine.† â€Å"Let's get you home and in bed. Did you have a nice time?† â€Å"Yeah – it was amazing, Edward. I wish you could have come. I can't even explain it. Jake's dad told us the old legends and it was like . . . like magic.† â€Å"You'll have to tell me about it. After you've slept.† â€Å"I won't get it right,† I said, and then I yawned hugely. Edward chuckled. He opened my door for me, lifted me in, and buckled my seat belt around me. Bright lights flashed on and swept across us. I waved toward Jacob's headlights, but I didn't know if he saw the gesture. That night – after I'd gotten past Charlie, who didn't give me as much trouble as I'd expected because Jacob had called him, too – instead of collapsing in bed right away, I leaned out the open window while I waited for Edward to come back. The night was surprisingly cold, almost wintry. I hadn't noticed it at all on the windy cliffs; I imagined that had less to do with the fire than it did with sitting next to Jacob. Icy droplets spattered against my face as the rain began to fall. It was too dark to see much besides the black triangles of the spruces leaning and shaking with the wind. But I strained my eyes anyway, searching for other shapes in the storm. A pale silhouette, moving like a ghost through the black . . . or maybe the shadowy outline of an enormous wolf. . . . My eyes were too weak. Then there was a movement in the night, right beside me. Edward slid through my open window, his hands colder than the rain. â€Å"Is Jacob out there?† I asked, shivering as Edward pulled me into the circle of his arm. â€Å"Yes . . . somewhere. And Esme's on her way home.† I sighed. â€Å"It's so cold and wet. This is silly.† I shivered again. He chuckled. â€Å"It's only cold to you, Bella.† It was cold in my dream that night, too, maybe because I slept in Edward's arms. But I dreamt I was outside in the storm, the wind whipping my hair in my face and blinding my eyes. I stood on the rocky crescent of First Beach, trying to understand the quickly moving shapes I could only dimly see in the darkness at the shore's edge. At first, there was nothing but a flash of white and black, darting toward each other and dancing away. And then, as if the moon had suddenly broken from the clouds, I could see everything. Rosalie, her hair swinging wet and golden down to the back of her knees, was lunging at an enormous wolf – its muzzle shot through with silver – that I instinctively recognized as Billy Black. I broke into a run, but found myself moving in the frustrating slow motion of dreamers. I tried to scream to them, to tell them to stop, but my voice was stolen by the wind, and I could make no sound. I waved my arms, hoping to catch their attention. Something flashed in my hand, and I noticed for the first time that my right hand wasn't empty. I held a long, sharp blade, ancient and silver, crusted in dried, blackened blood. I cringed away from the knife, and my eyes snapped open to the quiet darkness of my bedroom. The first thing I realized was that I was not alone, and I turned to bury my face in Edward's chest, knowing the sweet scent of his skin would chase the nightmare away more effectively than anything else. â€Å"Did I wake you?† he whispered. There was the sound of paper, the ruffling of pages, and a faint thump as something light fell to the wooden floor. â€Å"No,† I mumbled, sighing in contentment as his arms tightened around me. â€Å"I had a bad dream.† â€Å"Do you want to tell me about it?† I shook my head. â€Å"Too tired. Maybe in the morning, if I remember.† I felt a silent laugh shake through him. â€Å"In the morning,† he agreed. â€Å"What were you reading?† I muttered, not really awake at all. â€Å"Wuthering Heights,† he said. I frowned sleepily. â€Å"I thought you didn't like that book.† â€Å"You left it out,† he murmured, his soft voice lulling me toward unconsciousness. â€Å"Besides . . . the more time I spend with you, the more human emotions seem comprehensible to me. I'm discovering that I can sympathize with Heathcliff in ways I didn't think possible before.† â€Å"Mmm,† I sighed. He said something else, something low, but I was already asleep. The next morning dawned pearl gray and still. Edward asked me about my dream, but I couldn't get a handle on it. I only remembered that I was cold, and that I was glad he was there when I woke up. He kissed me, long enough to get my pulse racing, and then headed home to change and get his car. I dressed quickly, low on options. Whoever had ransacked my hamper had critically impaired my wardrobe. If it wasn't so frightening, it would be seriously annoying. As I was about to head down for breakfast, I noticed my battered copy of Wuthering Heights lying open on the floor where Edward had dropped it in the night, holding his place the way the damaged binding always held mine. I picked it up curiously, trying to remember what he'd said. Something about feeling sympathy for Heathcliff, of all people. That couldn't be right; I must have dreamed that part. Three words on the open page caught my eye, and I bent my head to read the paragraph more closely. It was Heathcliff speaking, and I knew the passage well. And there you see the distinction between our feelings: had he been in my place and I in his, though I hated him with a hatred that turned my life to gall, I never would have raised a hand against him. You may look incredulous, if you please! I never would have banished him from her society as long as she desired his. The moment her regard ceased, I would have torn his heart out, and drank his blood! But, till then – if you don't believe me, you don't know me – till then, I would have died by inches before I touched a single hair of his head! The three words that had caught my eye were â€Å"drank his blood.† I shuddered. Yes, surely I must have dreamt that Edward said anything positive about Heathcliff. And this page was probably not the page he'd been reading. The book could have fallen open to any page.