9. Target

Chapter Synopsis

(The Destroying Angel is continually lucking out by getting short chapters.)

Today, Bella is dropped off at home post fake sleep-over with Alice Cullen. Claude lets her know that Jacob has called quite a few times, and Bella chooses to ignore it since he was such an jerk-face before. Being the domesticated girl that she is, Bella heads upstairs to tidy up her room and do some laundry. She discovers that her pillow is missing, as well as some socks and a red blouse and some of her dirty laundry. Claude was busy watching the game and swears up and down he didn’t do a lick of laundry while she was gone. Bella assumes that Alice must have tidied up when she came to gather a few of Bella’s things, and Bella is very embarrassed that Alice would clean up her dirty, old, mortal room.

Interrupting her thought process is the doorbell — Eddie-kins has arrived!! Our little immortal friend realizes straight away that *someone* (read: of the vampy sort) has been there, and, as soon as Bella answers the door, Edward shoots around the house to scope out the situation. But he’s unable to recognize the scent. He guesses the Volturi paid a visit, and gives Emmett a call, telling him to keep an eye out while he takes Bella to see Carlizzle and talk to Alice.

Alice says she didn’t see anything coming for Bella — not Victoria or the Volturi or anything else. This does not make Edward happy, and he gets pissy with Alice for being completely inadequate. Esme deducts that, because Alice didn’t have a vision, whoever came after Bella was not trying to hurt her.  Carlizzle, in all of his fatherly glory, points out that the Volturi may have just been checking up on whether or not Bella was still human and kickin’ it with the Cullens. (Check and Check.) Bella is still freaked out because she’s very worried about Claude — she could care less about herself until she’s a vampire.

The car ride from the Cullens’ back to Bella’s is rather tense because she’s still being pissy despite being guaranteed personal guards in the form of the Cullens. Jacob has called a few more times while Bella was gone, and she finally returns his call, forgiving him for being so harsh earlier. Their cute and friendly chatter is cut short when Edward asks to talk to Jacob. *Gasp.* The two cryptically agree on what’s going to be done with Bella and Claude, leaving Bella’s opinion and wishes out of the equation. However, the two seem to be quite civil with one another — which gets Bella all sorts of excited. Wolfy and Vampy are SO excited that they may even discuss REWRITING the treaty!!!

In the end, Bella may be going to stay at La Push where the wolf pack can protect her while the Cullens seek out Victoria or whoever poked around in Bella’s room. And Charlie will chill there with Billy, completely unaware of what is going on, as usual. Jacob is about to head over to Bella’s place to get a scent of her “visitor” so that he can help with the tracking.

Best Worst Lines

“’That’s not very attractive behavior, Bella,’ he said. ‘Forgiveness is divine.’”

 Things That Really Irk Us

Almost fifteen pages of discussing WHO the intruder could be, and then deciding that it wasn’t the Volturi or Victoria. *Enter new ‘plot’ line.* Oh wait, we’re getting ahead of ourselves. We’re sure Bella just misplaced some things and that’s the end of that.

Jacob and Edward have begun to get friendly. BOO! We want Jacob to rip pretty Eddie’s face off!

Bella is so worried about leaving Claude, but what does she think she’s going to have to do when she is turned? She whines and complains about abandoning him against her will, but she’s going to leave him in a few months anyway, since she might want to eat him and all of that.

Final Thoughts

Let the nothingness continue. We just can’t hold on to our seats much longer — the suspense is killing us!

Go to Chapter 10.