Homosexuality Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Homosexuality - Term Paper Example Does homosexuality cross cultural boundaries with any consistencies? A study of 375 homosexual men in Brazil, Guatemala, Peru, the Philippines, Thailand and the United States consistently found that 25 percent of homosexual men display highly gender atypical behavior, while 50 percent showed marked gender atypical behavior as young children (Whitam, Mathy, 1986). Choice, convoluted or not, or chance, nature or nurture, the controversial topic will be discussed using persuasive arguments from both sides of the issue. There is a great deal of controversy as to whether homosexuality is genetic or environmental in origin. Homosexuals are very much looking for any scientific confirmation that would verify that they were born as homosexuals. But the vested interest that homosexuals have often prevent them from taking a broad view. Many environmental factors can occur early in the development of a child that can lead individuals to believe that they must have been born that way. But even if one has a predisposition towards homosexuality, they are not necessarily homosexual. A predisposition must be added to other factors to produce a homosexual. â€Å"This formula can be illustrated in this way; a predisposition toward homosexuality plus that first homosexual experience multiplied by pleasurable and positive homosexual thoughts to which is added more homosexual experiences multiplied by more pleasurable thoughts equals a homosexual† (Copeland, 2001). When one has a previous predisposition towards homosexuality, is then exposed to homosexual experiences and can pleasurably reflect upon them, a powerful attraction a created that is hard to conquer. So powerful can these experiences and reflections be that one does not need to have developed a predisposition to be drawn into this sort of behavior (Copeland, 2001). There seems to have been a restoration of homosexuality as a psychosis over the past several years within psychiatric and psychological circles. With th e recent conservative swing of society these professionals now seem to feel anger regarding the issue and want to vent their inflexible views on homosexuality. â€Å"Charles Socarides, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine has written many books and articles over the past 25 years reiterating his belief that homosexuality is a disorder. In August 1997, The Washington Post quoted him as saying, ‘Homosexuality is a psychological and psychiatric disorder. It is a purple menace that is threatening the proper design of gender distinctions in society† (Eidenberg, 1998). In a letter to The Wall Street Journal, members of the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, a coalition of therapists who argue that they can cure homosexuality, stated that â€Å"many of the young men who have died of AIDS have sought treatment for their homosexuality and were denied knowledge and hope. Many of them would be alive today if they h ad only been told where to find the help they sought† (Eidenberg, 1998). What they are saying, in effect, is that gay activists are killing their friends and lovers by insisting on acceptance rather than treatment. Yet these sentiments are not shared by everyone. â€Å"Human beings can not choose to be either gay or straight† (Answers, 2003). Sexual orientation materializes for most people in early teenage years without any previous sexual experience. People may choose whether or not to act on their feelings but

Conflict, violence and humanitarianism Case Study

Conflict, violence and humanitarianism - Case Study Example Nevertheless, the government has been trying to implement new laws on victims through compensation It has been in the forefront in fighting the rebel groups. It has been helping in settling the indigenous people who have been replaced by the war (Drake & Hershberg 2006). It has been asking for external help in order to overwhelm the group of rebels. Poor financing from the government has been making it very hard for it to face the guerilla groups. It has been compensating victims of violence in order to overcome extreme poverty. In addition, it has been in the forefront in pushing the government to sign the Victims and Land Restitution Law (Ballentine & Sherman 2003). The initiative aims at compensating four million people. Furthermore, it provides support to the affected people through building heath centers and schools (Fouskas 2007). The body has also been liaising with the private sector in order to encourage the organizations to participate in corporate social responsibility with the aim of improving the lives of the local population which has been mainly affected by the war (Öberg & Strà ¸m 2008). It entered Colombia in 1997. It has been supporting the victims of war through providing basic necessities (Bouvier 2009). In addition, it has been pressuring the government to sign peace deals and compensate the victims. Many of the people have been displaced, an aspect that has increased the demand for aid (Flämig & Leiner

Christianity verses islam Essay Example for Free

Christianity verses islam Essay The attitudes of Christianity and Islam toward merchants and trade are similar yet different. Over time Christian and Islamic attitudes towards the merchants and trade have changed.  The attitudes of Christianity and Islam toward merchants and traders are similar. A way that these two religions attitudes towards their merchants and trade was that they both allowed being treated better under god easier for merchants to achieve if they were honest about what their trade. In the Muslim Qur’an it states â€Å"On the day of judgment, the honest, truthful Muslim merchant will take rank with the martyrs of the faith† (Doc 2). This statement proves that merchants could be treated better under god if they were honest. Also in the Christian Bible, New Testament (Matthew) it states â€Å"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of god† (Doc 1). This means that it is easier for the honest merchants to enter the kingdom of god than the rich upper-class Christians. All in all, the Christian and Islamic attitudes toward the merchants and trade are similar. As well as the attitudes of Christianity and Islam toward merchants and trade being similar they were different. A way that Christianity and Islam attitudes were different was that some Christians thought that if they gave away their money earned to charity they would be able to become closer to God by serving him, but in Islam they only thought that honesty could get you closer to God. In The Life of St. Godric by Reginald it states â€Å"now he had lived sixteen years as a merchant, and began to think of spending on charity, to God’s honor and service† (Doc 3). Although this statement proves the difference it may be bias because it was written by a colleague of a merchant, this could mean that he was experiencing things different than what they were really supposed to be by law. In the Qur’an it states â€Å"On the day of judgment, the honest, truthful Muslim merchant will take rank with the martyrs of the faith† (Doc 2). The statements from these two wr itings together prove that the attitudes towards merchants and trade were different between Christianity and Islam. Over time both Christianity and Islam attitudes towards merchants and trade  changed. Christianity started off with the Christian merchants not bidding with the traders to bidding with the traders. Thomas Aquinas wrote â€Å"the seller must not impose upon the bidder† (Doc 4). And this change was presented when a letter was written placing an order for English wool saying â€Å"with god always before us, we will carry out your bidding† (Doc 6). Both these statements could be bias due to the writer, the first quote from Aquinas could be bias because he was a theologian which means he studied gods and so he could have wrote more about what the bible states and not what actually happened. Then the letter was written by a merchant which means they could have had different experiences with trade than other merchants. Islam started off with their merchants needing to be honest and ended up with their merchants seeking to make profits and gambling, and gambling for more money is not very truthful. The Qur’an it states â€Å"On the day of judgment, the honest, truthful Muslim merchant will take rank with the martyrs of the faith† (Doc 2). Ibn Khaldun a leading Muslim scholar wrote â€Å"We have already stated that traders must buy and sell and seek profits† and he wrote â€Å"they come under the heading of gambling† (Doc 5). All in all both Christianity and Islamic attitudes toward merchants and trade changed over time. In conclusion Christianity and Islam had attitudes toward merchants and trade that were similar and different, and that both religions attitudes changed over time. A document that was not present that would have been helpful would be a document written by Muslim or Christian merchants because the documents that were written by merchants were written by British and Italian merchants.

Import And Export Of Pakistan Commerce Essay

Import And Export Of Pakistan Commerce Essay In todays world no matter how much progressive, successive or superpower a country is, no matter how much investment they made, how much modern technology theyre using in their country still theres not even a single a country who is self sufficient in all his needs without any import from the adjacent or neighboring countries. Who is not in a need to export anything from his country to the out world as he doesnt feel any necessity or required anything from the outer source? Hence every country is in need to import and export some of the things from other countries as thats the way to progress, development and success. These activities are the source of globalization and globalization results in welfare of well being along with fruitful results. Not even a single country is capable to produce or manufacture all the things/commodities by itself. So while producing things countries always look for the source/resources in which they are rich and are helpful in producing things with ease and that are advantageous for them. It produces things in which they are efficient and abundant and then either exchange them with other countries against things which they need or export them against cash and utilize that money as they want. The difference in level of production relatively the equipments that are used for this in different countries like production of things according to taste, requirements, technology factors etc have contributed majorly in import and export around the world and has greatly enhance basis of this activity. The countries are importing and exporting according to their needs and level of progress, development nature like countries that are much developed they export mostly good that are industrial and consumer goods and in exchange acquire primary sort of goods from them. On the other hand countries that are developing they export semi finished/unfinished goods, raw materials etc as they are industrialization base and in place of this import labor, finished goods, technology or services from the countries to run their industry. Now what is left at the end are the countries that have low income they are comparatively in a state of loss but it is a fact that a major contribution in the trade, import and export is by these low income countries that play their part in the economic development as well. On the example of low income countries is Pakistan. The promise and pitfalls of exporting While exporting every country faces and reap some of the advantages for which this activity was performed. Thus we can say that exporting promises some benefits to the exporting country but there are also some disadvantages against exporting activity that has to be faces by the country. Thus in short we can say that a country while doing this must has to keep certain things in consideration that if they are going to have some progress and a success in achieving their task then they also have to suffer some problems with this activity. For example if we take USA its market is very global and is very extensive for almost everything, but inspite of this hugeness it still doesnt facilitate few or more of the entrepreneurs. Who are these entrepreneurs? These are the minds who are interested in more growth. They are in search of place where their business can grow more, have more opportunity to growth and success and thus these minds prefer rest of the world as compared to USA. While doing business in import and export you need to go global obviously and thus this activity ensures some opportunities, benefits along with some drawbacks. Lets consider some of the following; In a country like Pakistan export is very much helpful as it increase the lifetime of a product or offerings by looking out for some new markets The dependence on certain markets that we have developed in some countries can be reduced by going global In a business faces situation of instability, impacts the fluctuations in its performance because of external factors like seasonal, environmental or political factors then its better to export things in new markets. This saves the face to loss moment. Gives an exposure, know-how about different things Going global is a source of fame, recognition and making relation that can be use in the hour of need. Enable them to be competitive, learn how to sustain stress situation and compete. Increase and polish growth potential. Aware us with different opportunities on international level that can be achieved. Similarly there are some pitfalls that we have to face while going globally; While going global and practicing export game one needs to have a very effective strategy which is not easy to plan in this aspect thus have to face failures and problems. Poor market analysis also cause huge problems while going global Ignorance of the difference in cultural is another pitfall thats been faced while exporting thus need to be keen in observing this difference Ignorance of host country language While exporting out things one needs to have a very strong and effective distribution chain. Managing the finance is another important factor that needs focus (John E. Cleek) Regulatory Bodies in Pakistan Some of the regulatory bodies for import and export in Pakistan are; TDAP (Trade Development Authority of Pakistan) EPB (Export Promotion Bureau) Improving Export Performance Exporters who are new they can improve their performance by using different techniques and avoiding pitfalls. There are certain ways in which export performance in Pakistan can be improved and are helpful for the exporters. Urge more investment in trade and try to make liberalized policy Try to control the shortfalls of accounts and reduce tax rate on exports. Built suitable tariffs for international trade. Resolve gas and power supply issues with firm policies Stabilized political environment An International Comparison One of the biggest problem in the way of successful exporting is the lack of knowledge about different countries we are going to deal and thats simply because of the reason that we have difference in our cultures, traditions, environments, requirements, time, language and are far apart from each other. We dont have much of the interaction with each other and lacks information about each other thats why most of the organizations in Pakistan seeks to have hesitation in export with other countries. This situation can simply be resolved by attaining information about other countries or countries we are going to deal with. Information Sources The Pakistani firms can increase their knowledge and awareness of export while doing business in various countries by gathering export information about them through various means. Like the organization of international trade centre (ITC) is a very useful source of providing information about export when were doing with different countries as it deals with exporters, the policy designers and institutions of trade support. To understand the foreign culture, trade aspects and other things organizations like this are very helpful to improve the export performance. Besides other organization include SECP, Chamber of Commerce along with some private organizations. Utilizing Export Management Companies This is another source of improving the export. In Pakistan institutions; like this who are working for the support and purpose of providing valuable information to export companies and their management skills playing their part in improvement. The exporters should gain advantage from their services, knowledge and skills. One of the very famous export management companies working in Pakistan is ITC that provides links and information related to policy formers, export management institutions. Exporting Strategy Exporting strategies are helpful to reduce the risks to export. By carefully manipulating and implementing these strategies they can prove beneficial for exporters. There are few guidelines, strategies and points that can be prove advantageous for the exporting businesses in Pakistan. In order to improve the export performance in Pakistan the skills development should be carefully observed. We are living in a era which exhibits rapid innovational techniques everyday in various fields of life, so expose new ideas and fulfill the demands of seekers in a effective and rapid way every day. To overcome the competitiveness in export skills in different aspects like labor, services, supply, quality etc should be improved. Pakistan has labor/human force that is young and energetic building their skills will obviously results in improved export performance. Try to reduce the cost of doing business especially when we are exporting. The high cost is usually because of two reasons, Unfavorable business environment Inadequacy of infrastructure Effective policies and strategies should be adopted and framed to overcome these problems. Provide a workable business environment that practices cooperation. Trade should be facilitated through trade supportive policies that urge the exporters to export more and more. As compared to other countries the export time taken by Pakistan is much more that shows the attitude of government policies, support and interest in this aspect. This area should be observed carefully and try to efficient the way of exporting by stating new policies. Export and Import Financing This term has to do a lot with import export as it exhibits the attitude when one businesses with someone who is stranger for him. He has to carry out export or import with him but is in a situation of total dis-trust. It creates lack of trust when doing import export. There are some financial devices used in Pakistan and internationally that has solved this matter and help to ensure the delivery of goods and payments while doing business across the border. It involves the following financing elements like letter of credit (LC), Bill of lading (BL), drafts. Lack of Trust Lack of trust is a huge hurdle in the way of import export. Firms doing business globally most of the time has to trust someone who is unseen and unknown. So it creates a level of lack of trust between both of them. One feels stress about the completion of his job by the other and other has a feeling about the receiving of payment against his services after completion of work that he may or may not receive his charges after accomplishing the task. Thus both the parties are in a state of confusion and this is because of lack of trust. In order to resolve this problem the concept of third party has been introduced and used here which is trusted by both the parties. The third party involved is bank. Letter of Credit Its a import export financing instrument that helps to carry out the international transaction with trust. It is issued by the bank on request of the importer that he will pay a particular amount of money sanctioned by the importer to the exporter on the delivery of the prescribed items or shipment under the conditions specified. This amount is paid to exporter on the presentation of specific legal documents that ensures that the party is eligible for this sum. Most of the time, this transaction is carried out by banks of importer and exporter on their behalf. In Pakistan majorly this instrument is used by the shipping lines to carry out their every day transactions. Like safemarine, Maersk, Rafey internationals etc Draft Draft is also known as bill of exchange. This financing instrument is used in international trade transaction to facilitate the payments with surety and trust. It its written by the exporter to other party importer that include the information to pay a particular amount of sum on a specific time. It can also be written to agent of exporter. It involves two parties Maker: the person or party who initiate the draft, it is usually exporter Drawee: the person or party to whom draft is send, it is usually importer There are two categories of drafts presented Sight Draft: it is payable on presentation to the drawee Time Draft: it is for a delay in payments Bill of Lading Its the third mode of financing import and export use. It is used by the common carrier for transporting merchandising issued by the exporter. It usually supports three purposes; it serves as a receipt, document of title and contract. Receipt show that the merchandise specified on the document has gained/received by the carrier, the term contract states that the carrier/transporter is oblige and bound to deliver services against the service charges, and the document of title is used to receive the payment/written promise before releasing the merchandise to the importer. Export Assistance The export assistance helps exporter to finance their export activities. Through this they are able to get finance help and also export credit insurance. Export assistance is provided by following bodies. Export-Import Bank The basic purpose of export-import banks is to make financially strong the exporters and importers to facilitate their export and import activities and strengthen the rate of exchange of commodities between countries. Recently the ministry of commerce in Pakistan, Islamabad has announced to establish an EXIM bank in the strategic trade policy framework to boost the exporters and make them competitive. According to director general trade policy Safdar Sohail it is the need of hour to establish such institution that support exports if we need Pakistan to boost its trade with international standards. Export Credit Insurance These are the institutions that have been known to serve the exports as collateral to meet their needs. It usually consists of those private commercial institutions who are working under the supervision of import-export banks to facilitate the exporters. If the importer defaults in his payment then it provides the credit insurance. Countertrade Countertrade is a bit different to trade in a meaning in terms of money, as it refers to the process of carry out trade in terms of good/services or commodities instead of money. We can say that when conventional means of payment are difficult like payment in the form of money is not possible or difficult then this way is structured to carry out international sale in terms of other commodities that are used against money. Types of countertrade There are few types of counter trade which are as follows Barter It is an old system of carrying out transactions when there was no money. Good used to be exchange against goods without involvement of cash. Here those goods are exchanges which have equal value. As it was an old technique it has two problems, One of the parties involved in trade end up to finance other if the goods that are traded are not exchanged simultaneously Commodities that are used may not have a re-sale value, they may be un-useable or unwanted. Counterpurchase Its a sort of transaction that includes two separate simultaneous transactions between the two parties that either involves cash or not Offset Here it involves an extensive arrangement in such a way that seller is needed to assist in or have to make arrangements for the marketing of the goods that produced by the purchasing country. Sometimes it also allow the purchasing country that they can produce a portion of the product in their own country Switch trading It occurs when the counterpurchase of a firm is buying by the third party and then sold them to some other firms that can use them effectively. It involves a change in the destination of goods exported with reference to their destined country Compensations or buybacks It involves the repayment in the form of goods/services that are produced by the technology or instruments provided by the seller of those goods. Pros and Cons of Countertrade Countertrade helps a firm to finance its export deal in the absence of other means It helps those countries who lack adequate foreign currency stock/reserves Attractive to huge multinational enterprises Benefits Helpful to make entry possible in difficult markets Source of companies increase sales Reduce currency exchange problems Enhance sales and reduce credit problems Disadvantages Costs increase Risky when involves commodities Time taking Conclusion The overall discussion simply narrated the importance of exports in Pakistan with imports. It shows the problems we are facing and government needs to have strong policies to overcome these issues if they want to attain a sustainable place in international business marketing. To grow our exports strong policies should be designed by the ministry of commerce and other trade supportive organizations. If trade provides benefits then it also brings some issues and problems it is up to the decision and abilities of the government what they want to have. Import and exports of a country plays a vital role in the economic development of a country thus this fields a hell lot of concentration.

French And English Revolution :: essays research papers

Thousands of revolutions have taken place throughout the course of the history of the world. These revolutions have changed the politics, history, and all other facets of civilization of certain groups. Most revolutions follow a basic set formula of events: a leader is overthrown, radical and extremist groups take control for a period of time, and then the government is eventually restored to it’s original state. Both the English and French Revolutions followed this basic formula with various differences along the way. The English Revolution which took place in the seventeenth century, and the French Revolution, which took place in the late eighteenth century to early nineteenth century, both share many similarities and differences with one another.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One similarity of both revolutions was the causes: financial problems. Both King Charles I and Louis XVI were experiencing debt because of financial problems left behind from previous monarchs. Both kings placed the extreme tax burdens on the already poor peasants which further angered and oppressed them. Both kings had to summon on Parliament and the Estates General to raise revenue. Both monarchs attempted to use force to maintain their power but eventually lost to the liberal people who wanted a reformed government. The extremist period of both the English and French Revolutions consisted of a semi-dictator; Cromwell in England and Robespierre in France, who set up a totalitarian military state. Lastly, both the English and French had to carry out two attempts at establishing a constitutional monarchy in order to finally have a stable, lasting government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In both the English and French Revolutions the monarch was the establishment being revolted against. In the English revolution it was more of the Parliament rebelling against the monarchy whereas in the French Revolution the peasants were the strongest and most motivated factors for change. In both revolutions the legislative body issued some form of a declaration for basic human rights. In England, however, their Bill of Rights was issued at the end of the revolution, while France’s Declaration of the Rights of Man was issued at the beginning of the revolution. Religion was in issue at different times in both the English and French Revolutions. The English Revolution did not incorporate any large territorial expansion and there was barely any outside interference during the Revolutionary period.

Gaps in the 24/7 Service Essay

The Service Complain Many companies offer 24/7 customer services. Knowing that customer service exists at any time of the day or any time of the week helps get the business in. Unfortunately, some 24/7 customer services fail to be serious about this. In more than one incident, I have experienced gaps in this kind of service. One time, I ordered a product online. What made me decide to buy that product over others brands was the 24/7-customer service being offered for free by the online company. I needed a 24/7-customer service because if and when the product needed repairs, I was only available during the weekends to have it serviced. The product was delivered on time. The site said that it took two days to deliver it and the product soon arrived my home after two days. I was using the electronic device for a week when it conked out. Problems came up when I called the customer service. First, the customer service lines were busy. It took me an hour to get a hold of someone who was able to take down my complete information and the complaint I had. Second, the company promised me that a service repairman was soon on his way that very same day. I decide to cancel my appointments to accommodate the repairman who never came that same afternoon but instead came in three afternoons after. Third, the repairman soon figured out that my unit needed to be replaced. He took the unit with him without leaving any replacements. Though he promised to bring one the next day, the replacement took a week to arrive while my own unit took two weeks to get repaired. In the end, as service consumer of the product I bought, I became miserable having realized that 24/7-customer service does not really mean quality service. The Cause of the Gap From the experience above, one would get into the core principles of services marketing and how conflicts arise when perceptions do not sum up equally with actual service performance. The client was expecting an immediate clear line with the first few dials he made towards the customer service phone but was frustrated when the call came through after an hour yet. The customer was expecting a service replacement when the repairman got the product that needed repairs. However, a replacement did not come in during the time it was expected to. Christopher Lovelock explains the integration of client expectations, perception of actual service rendered and the actual service performed by the company. These three elements have different characteristics critical to making customer service a marketable element. In this growing global village, a service consumer is most comfortable dealing with companies that are â€Å"24/7†. This kind customer service entices clients to decide on going for the particular company offering the services versus other companies who do not have 24/7 options. Other companies close during weekends and holidays. Other companies are open but only up till a certain number of hours. However, 24/7 companies means that the client can reach a customer care personnel at any time and day of the year. The gap in the experience explained above lies in the perceived service level of the client and the actual service performance. When the client considered 24/7 as the tipping point of his decision, he expected that customer service 24/7 means â€Å"now† kind of service, which includes a host of many other services. The client expects that the 24/7 does not only include taking in complaints, but it also included repairs, diagnoses and replacements. Here lies the problem because the company may have just meant that they were 24/7 in taking in complaints and that alone. Possible Solutions Solutions to customer service problems must be addressed by the company who is primary responsible in explaining to the client the scope of service. In 24/7 customer service, the stakes are higher. Lovelock expounds that the 24/7 kind of customer service is more than something that would entice the clients to buy the product or service. 24/7 means that the company is not only awake every minute. It’s not enough for companies to be stronger than other companies just because they stay awake compared to others. 24/7 may mean to clients that the company is not only awake and ready to take complaints but the whole corporate processes like sales, finance, repair, and delivery are awake and working as well. It is more usual that 24/7 companies have skeletal forces up during the night and weekends and holidays. However, the number of customer service staff during graveyard shifts must be proportionate to the number of possible clients that would be complaining. Another possible solution for this problem is to ensure that lines are open to take in complaints especially from irate clients. Other global companies have outsourced receiving client complaints to address managing the first burst of emotions from irate clients. An imperative in 24/7-customer care service is the clarity of what the 24/7 part is. For the experience above, the client was not cleared by the company that the only part that does not sleep is the taking of the complaint. Furthermore, this would mean that a service repairman is not promised to go to one’s house within the day, nor repair the product within 24 hours from the call. Companies around the globe are slowly addressing service marketing. With technology being more accessible, the difference between products is the kind of after sales service attached to the product being marketed. Companies must evolve into more service oriented rather than maintain old traditional marketing concepts that are product centered. As more and more companies offer 24/7, it is high time that companies and customer understand what 24/7 really means and how one prepares to do 24/7 customer service. References: Hogarth, Jeanne M. ,Marianne A. Hilgert, Jane M. Kolodinsky. 2004. Consumers’ resolution of credit card problems and exit behaviors. Journal of Services Marketing Jan 2004 Volume: 18 Issue: 1 Page: 19 – 34 Emerald Group Publishing Limited http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do?contentType=Article&contentId=856002 Lovelock, Christopher and Jochen Wirtz. 2003 Services Marketing (5th Edition) Prentice Hall; 5 edition Malhotra, Neeru and Avinandan Mukherjee. 2004. The relative influence of organisational commitment and job satisfaction on service quality of customer-contact employees in banking call centres. Journal of Services Marketing May 2004 Volume: 18 Issue: 3 Page: 162 – 174 http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do?contentType=Article&contentId=1509188 Zeithaml, Valarie and Mary Jo Bitner, 2002. Services Marketing. McGraw-Hill/Irwin 3rd ed.

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 24. SNAP DECISION

I LAY FACEDOWN ACROSS THE SLEEPING BAG, WAITING for justice to find me. Maybe an avalanche would bury me here. I wished it would. I never wanted to have to see my face in the mirror again. There was no sound to warn me. Out of nowhere, Edward's cold hand stroked against my knotted hair. I shuddered guiltily at his touch. â€Å"Are you all right?† he murmured, his voice anxious. â€Å"No. I want to die.† â€Å"That will never happen. I won't allow it.† I groaned and then whispered, â€Å"You might change your mind about that.† â€Å"Where's Jacob?† â€Å"He went to fight,† I mumbled into the floor. Jacob had left the little camp joyfully – with a cheerful â€Å"I'll be right back† – running full tilt for the clearing, already quivering as he prepared to shift to his other self. By now the whole pack knew everything. Seth Clearwater, pacing outside the tent, was an intimate witness to my disgrace. Edward was silent for a long moment. â€Å"Oh,† he finally said. The tone of his voice worried me that my avalanche wasn't coming fast enough. I peeked up at him and, sure enough, his eyes were unfocused as he listened to something I'd rather die than have him hear. I dropped my face back to the floor. It stunned me when Edward chuckled reluctantly. â€Å"And I thought I fought dirty,† he said with grudging admiration. â€Å"He makes me look like the patron saint of ethics.† His hand brushed against the part of my cheek that was exposed. â€Å"I'm not mad at you, love. Jacob's more cunning than I gave him credit for. I do wish you hadn't asked him, though.† â€Å"Edward,† I whispered to the rough nylon. â€Å"I . . . I . . . I'm -â€Å" â€Å"Shh,† he hushed me, his fingers soothing against my cheek. â€Å"That's not what I meant. It's just that he would have kissed you anyway – even if you hadn't fallen for it – and now I don't have an excuse to break his face. I would have really enjoyed that, too.† â€Å"Fallen for it?† I mumbled almost incomprehensibly. â€Å"Bella, did you really believe he was that noble? That he would go out in a flame of glory just to clear the way for me?† I raised my head slowly to meet his patient gaze. His expression was soft; his eyes were full of understanding rather than the revulsion I deserved to see. â€Å"Yes, I did believe that,† I muttered, and then looked away. But I didn't feel any anger at Jacob for tricking me. There wasn't enough room in my body to contain anything besides the hatred I felt toward myself. Edward laughed softly again. â€Å"You're such a bad liar, you'll believe anyone who has the least bit of skill.† â€Å"Why aren't you angry with me?† I whispered. â€Å"Why don't you hate me? Or haven't you heard the whole story yet?† â€Å"I think I got a fairly comprehensive look,† he said in a light, easy voice. â€Å"Jacob makes vivid mental pictures. I feel almost as bad for his pack as I do for myself. Poor Seth was getting nauseated. But Sam is making Jacob focus now.† I closed my eyes and shook my head in agony. The sharp nylon fibers of the tent floor scraped against my skin. â€Å"You're only human,† he whispered, stroking my hair again. â€Å"That's the most miserable defense I've ever heard.† â€Å"But you are human, Bella. And, as much as I might wish otherwise, so is he. . . . There are holes in your life that I can't fill. I understand that.† â€Å"But that's not true. That's what makes me so horrible. There are no holes.† â€Å"You love him,† he murmured gently. Every cell in my body ached to deny it. â€Å"I love you more,† I said. It was the best I could do. â€Å"Yes, I know that, too. But . . . when I left you, Bella, I left you bleeding. Jacob was the one to stitch you back up again. That was bound to leave its mark – on both of you. I'm not sure those kinds of stitches dissolve on their own. I can't blame either of you for something I made necessary. I may gain forgiveness, but that doesn't let me escape the consequences.† â€Å"I should have known you'd find some way to blame yourself. Please stop. I can't stand it.† â€Å"What would you like me to say?† â€Å"I want you to call me every bad name you can think of, in every language you know. I want you to tell me that you're disgusted with me and that you're going to leave so that I can beg and grovel on my knees for you to stay.† â€Å"I'm sorry.† He sighed. â€Å"I can't do that.† â€Å"At least stop trying to make me feel better. Let me suffer. I deserve it.† â€Å"No,† he murmured. I nodded slowly. â€Å"You're right. Keep on being too understanding. That's probably worse.† He was silent for a moment, and I sensed a charge in the atmosphere, a new urgency. â€Å"It's getting close,† I stated. â€Å"Yes, a few more minutes now. Just enough time to say one more thing. . . .† I waited. When he finally spoke again, he was whispering. â€Å"I can be noble, Bella. I'm not going to make you choose between us. Just be happy, and you can have whatever part of me you want, or none at all, if that's better. Don't let any debt you feel you owe me influence your decision.† I pushed off the floor, shoving myself up onto my knees. â€Å"Dammit, stop that!† I shouted at him. His eyes widened in surprise. â€Å"No – you don't understand. I'm not just trying to make you feel better, Bella, I really mean it.† â€Å"I know you do,† I groaned. â€Å"What happened to fighting back? Don't start with the noble self-sacrifice now! Fight!† â€Å"How?† he asked, and his eyes were ancient with their sadness. I scrambled into his lap, throwing my arms around him. â€Å"I don't care that it's cold here. I don't care that I stink like a dog right now. Make me forget how awful I am. Make me forget him. Make me forget my own name. Fight back!† I didn't wait for him to decide – or to have the chance to tell me he wasn't interested in a cruel, faithless monster like me. I pulled myself against him and crushed my mouth to his snow-cold lips. â€Å"Careful, love,† he murmured under my urgent kiss. â€Å"No,† I growled. He gently pushed my face a few inches back. â€Å"You don't have to prove anything to me.† â€Å"I'm not trying to prove something. You said I could have any part of you I wanted. I want this part. I want every part.† I wrapped my arms around his neck and strained to reach his lips. He bent his head to kiss me back, but his cool mouth was hesitant as my impatience grew more pronounced. My body was making my intentions clear, giving me away. Inevitably, his hands moved to restrain me. â€Å"Perhaps this isn't the best moment for that,† he suggested, too calm for my liking. â€Å"Why not?† I grumbled. There was no point in fighting if he was going to be rational; I dropped my arms. â€Å"Firstly, because it is cold.† He reached out to pull the sleeping bag off the floor; he wrapped it around me like a blanket. â€Å"Wrong,† I said. â€Å"First, because you are bizarrely moral for a vampire.† He chuckled. â€Å"All right, I'll give you that. The cold is second. And thirdly . . . well, you do actually stink, love.† He wrinkled his nose. I sighed. â€Å"Fourthly,† he murmured, dropping his face so that he was whispering in my ear. â€Å"We will try, Bella. I'll make good on my promise. But I'd much rather it wasn't in reaction to Jacob Black.† I cringed, and buried my face against his shoulder. â€Å"And fifthly . . .† â€Å"This is a very long list,† I muttered. He laughed. â€Å"Yes, but did you want to listen to the fight or not?† As he spoke, Seth howled stridently outside the tent. My body stiffened to the sound. I didn't realize my left hand was clenched into a fist, nails biting into my bandaged palm, until Edward took it and gently smoothed my fingers out. â€Å"It's going to be fine, Bella,† he promised. â€Å"We've got skill, training, and surprise on our side. It will be over very soon. If I didn't truly believe that, I would be down there now – and you'd be here, chained to a tree or something along those lines.† â€Å"Alice is so small,† I moaned. He chuckled. â€Å"That might be a problem . . . if it were possible for someone to catch her.† Seth started to whimper. â€Å"What's wrong?† I demanded. â€Å"He's just angry that he's stuck here with us. He knows the pack kept him out of the action to protect him. He's salivating to join them.† I scowled in Seth's general direction. â€Å"The newborns have reached the end of the trail – it worked like a charm, Jasper's a genius – and they've caught the scent of the ones in the meadow, so they're splitting into two groups now, as Alice said,† Edward murmured, his eyes focused on something far away. â€Å"Sam's taking us around to head off the ambush party.† He was so intent on what he was hearing that he used the pack plural. Suddenly he looked down at me. â€Å"Breathe, Bella.† I struggled to do what he asked. I could hear Seth's heavy panting just outside the tent wall, and I tried to keep my lungs on the same even pace, so that I wouldn't hyperventilate. â€Å"The first group is in the clearing. We can hear the fighting.† My teeth locked together. He laughed once. â€Å"We can hear Emmett – he's enjoying himself.† I made myself take another breath with Seth. â€Å"The second group is getting ready – they aren't paying attention, they haven't heard us yet.† Edward growled. â€Å"What?† I gasped. â€Å"They're talking about you.† His teeth clenched together. â€Å"They're supposed to make sure you don't escape. . . . Nice move, Leah! Mmm, she's quite fast,† he murmured in approval. â€Å"One of the newborns caught our scent, and Leah took him down before he could even turn. Sam's helping her finish him off. Paul and Jacob got another one, but the others are on the defensive now. They have no idea what to make of us. Both sides are feinting. . . . No, let Sam lead. Stay out of the way,† he muttered. â€Å"Separate them – don't let them protect each other's backs.† Seth whined. â€Å"That's better, drive them toward the clearing,† Edward approved. His body was shifting unconsciously as he watched, tensing for moves he would have made. His hands still held mine; I twisted my fingers through his. At least he wasn't down there. The sudden absence of sound was the only warning. The deep rush of Seth's breathing cut off, and – as I'd paced my breaths with his – I noticed. I stopped breathing, too – too frightened to even make mylungs work as I realized that Edward had frozen into a block of ice beside me. Oh, no. No. No. Who had been lost? Theirs or ours? Mine, all mine. What was my loss? So quickly that I wasn't exactly sure how it happened, I was on my feet and the tent was collapsing in ragged shreds around me. Had Edward ripped our way out? Why? I blinked, shocked, into the brilliant light. Seth was all I could see, right beside us, his face only six inches from Edward's. They stared at each other with absolute concentration for one infinite second. The sun shattered off Edward's skin and sent sparkles dancing across Seth's fur. And then Edward whispered urgently, â€Å"Go, Seth!† The huge wolf wheeled and disappeared into the forest shadows. Had two entire seconds passed? It felt like hours. I was terrified to the point of nausea by the knowledge that something horrible had gone awry in the clearing. I opened my mouth to demand that Edward take me there, and do it now. They needed him, and they needed me. If I had to bleed to save them, I would do it. I would die to do it, like the third wife. I had no silver dagger in my hand, but I would find a way – Before I could get the first syllable out, I felt as if I was being flung through the air. But Edward's hands never let go of me – I was only being moved, so quickly that the sensation was like falling sideways. I found myself with my back pressed against the sheer cliff face. Edward stood in front of me, holding a posture that I knew at once. Relief washed through my mind at the same time that my stomach dropped through the soles of my feet. I'd misunderstood. Relief – nothing had gone wrong in the clearing. Horror – the crisis was here. Edward held a defensive position – half-crouched, his arms extended slightly – that I recognized with sickening certainty. The rock at my back could have been the ancient brick walls of the Italian alley where he had stood between me and the black-cloaked Volturi warriors. Something was coming for us. â€Å"Who?† I whispered. The words came through his teeth in a snarl that was louder than I expected. Too loud. It meant that it was far too late to hide. We were trapped, and it didn't matter who heard his answer. â€Å"Victoria,† he said, spitting the word, making it a curse. â€Å"She's not alone. She crossed my scent, following the newborns in to watch – she never meant to fight with them. She made a spur-of-the-moment decision to find me, guessing that you would be wherever I was. She was right. You were right. It was always Victoria.† She was close enough that he could hear her thoughts. Relief again. If it had been the Volturi, we were both dead. But with Victoria, it didn't have to be both. Edward could survive this. He was a good fighter, as good as Jasper. If she didn't bring too many others, he could fight his way out, back to his family. Edward was faster than anyone. He could make it. I was so glad he'd sent Seth away. Of course, there was no one Seth could run to for help. Victoria had timed her decision perfectly. But at least Seth was safe; I couldn't see the huge sandy wolf in my head when I thought his name – just the gangly fifteen-year-old boy. Edward's body shifted – only infinitesimally, but it told me where to look. I stared at the black shadows of the forest. It was like having my nightmares walk forward to greet me. Two vampires edged slowly into the small opening of our camp, eyes intent, missing nothing. They glistened like diamonds in the sun. I could barely look at the blond boy – yes, he was just a boy, though he was muscular and tall, maybe my age when he was changed. His eyes – a more vivid red than I had ever seen before – could not hold mine. Though he was closest to Edward, the nearest danger, I could not watch him. Because, a few feet to the side and a few feet back, Victoria was staring at me. Her orange hair was brighter than I'd remembered, more like a flame. There was no wind here, but the fire around her face seemed to shimmer slightly, as if it were alive. Her eyes were black with thirst. She did not smile, as she always had in my nightmares – her lips were pressed into a tight line. There was a striking feline quality to the way she held her coiled body, a lioness waiting for an opening to spring. Her restless, wild gaze flickered between Edward and me, but never rested on him for more than a half-second. She could not keep her eyes from my face any more than I could keep mine from hers. Tension rolled off of her, nearly visible in the air. I could feel the desire, the all-consuming passion that held her in its grip. Almost as if I could hear her thoughts, too, I knew what she was thinking. She was so close to what she wanted – the focus of her whole existence for more than a year now was just so close. My death. Her plan was as obvious as it was practical. The big blond boy would attack Edward. As soon as Edward was sufficiently distracted, Victoria would finish me. It would be quick – she had no time for games here – but it would be thorough. Something that it would be impossible to recover from. Something that even vampire venom could not repair. She'd have to stop my heart. Perhaps a hand shoved through my chest, crushing it. Something along those lines. My heart beat furiously, loudly, as if to make her target more obvious. An immense distance away, from far across the black forest, a wolf's howl echoed in the still air. With Seth gone, there was no way to interpret the sound. The blond boy looked at Victoria from the corner of his eye, waiting on her command. He was young in more ways than one. I guessed from his brilliant crimson irises that he couldn't have been a vampire for very long. He would be strong, but inept. Edward would know how to fight him. Edward would survive. Victoria jerked her chin toward Edward, wordlessly ordering the boy forward. â€Å"Riley,† Edward said in a soft, pleading voice. The blond boy froze, his red eyes widening. â€Å"She's lying to you, Riley,† Edward told him. â€Å"Listen to me. She's lying to you just like she lied to the others who are dying now in the clearing. You know that she's lied to them, that she had you lie to them, that neither of you were ever going to help them. Is it so hard to believe that she's lied to you, too?† Confusion swept across Riley's face. Edward shifted a few inches to the side, and Riley automatically compensated with an adjustment of his own. â€Å"She doesn't love you, Riley.† Edward's soft voice was compelling, almost hypnotic. â€Å"She never has. She loved someone named James, and you're no more than a tool to her.† When he said James's name, Victoria's lips pulled back in a teeth-baring grimace. Her eyes stayed locked on me. Riley cast a frantic glance in her direction. â€Å"Riley?† Edward said. Riley automatically refocused on Edward. â€Å"She knows that I will kill you, Riley. She wants you to die so that she doesn't have to keep up the pretense anymore. Yes – you've seen that, haven't you? You've read the reluctance in her eyes, suspected a false note in her promises. You were right. She's never wanted you. Every kiss, every touch was a lie.† Edward moved again, moved a few inches toward the boy, a few inches away from me. Victoria's gaze zeroed in on the gap between us. It would take her less than a second to kill me – she only needed the tiniest margin of opportunity. Slower this time, Riley repositioned himself. â€Å"You don't have to die,† Edward promised, his eyes holding the boy's. â€Å"There are other ways to live than the way she's shown you. It's not all lies and blood, Riley. You can walk away right now. You don't have to die for her lies.† Edward slid his feet forward and to the side. There was a foot of space between us now. Riley circled too far, overcompensating this time. Victoria leaned forward onto the balls of her feet. â€Å"Last chance, Riley,† Edward whispered. Riley's face was desperate as he looked to Victoria for answers. â€Å"He's the liar, Riley,† Victoria said, and my mouth fell open in shock at the sound of her voice. â€Å"I told you about their mind tricks. You know I love only you.† Her voice was not the strong, wild, catlike growl I would have put with her face and stance. It was soft, it was high – a babyish, soprano tinkling. The kind of voice that went with blond curls and pink bubble gum. It made no sense coming through her bared, glistening teeth. Riley's jaw tightened, and he squared his shoulders. His eyes emptied – there was no more confusion, no more suspicion. There was no thought at all. He tensed himself to attack. Victoria's body seemed to be trembling, she was so tightly wound. Her fingers were ready claws, waiting for Edward to move just one more inch away from me. The snarl came from none of them. A mammoth tan shape flew through the center of the opening, throwing Riley to the ground. â€Å"No!† Victoria cried, her baby voice shrill with disbelief. A yard and a half in front of me, the huge wolf ripped and tore at the blond vampire beneath him. Something white and hard smacked into the rocks by my feet. I cringed away from it. Victoria did not spare one glance for the boy she'd just pledged her love to. Her eyes were still on me, filled with a disappointment so ferocious that she looked deranged. â€Å"No,† she said again, through her teeth, as Edward started to move toward her, blocking her path to me. Riley was on his feet again, looking misshapen and haggard, but he was able to fling a vicious kick into Seth's shoulder. I heard the bone crunch. Seth backed off and started to circle, limping. Riley had his arms out, ready, though he seemed to be missing part of one hand. . . . Only a few yards away from that fight, Edward and Victoria were dancing. Not quite circling, because Edward was not allowing her to position herself closer to me. She sashayed back, moving from side to side, trying to find a hole in his defense. He shadowed her footwork lithely, stalking her with perfect concentration. He began to move just a fraction of a second before she moved, reading her intentions in her thoughts. Seth lunged at Riley from the side, and something tore with a hideous, grating screech. Another heavy white chunk flew into the forest with a thud. Riley roared in fury, and Seth skipped back – amazingly light on his feet for his size – as Riley took a swipe at him with one mangled hand. Victoria was weaving through the tree trunks at the far end of the little opening now. She was torn, her feet pulling her toward safety while her eyes yearned toward me as if I were a magnet, reeling her in. I could see the burning desire to kill warring with her survival instinct. Edward could see that, too. â€Å"Don't go, Victoria,† he murmured in that same hypnotic tone as before. â€Å"You'll never get another chance like this.† She showed her teeth and hissed at him, but she seemed unable to move farther away from me. â€Å"You can always run later,† Edward purred. â€Å"Plenty of time for that. It's what you do, isn't it? It's why James kept you around. Useful, if you like to play deadly games. A partner with an uncanny instinct for escaping. He shouldn't have left you – he could have used your skills when we caught up to him in Phoenix.† A snarl ripped from between her lips. â€Å"That's all you ever were to him, though. Silly to waste so much energy avenging someone who had less affection for you than a hunter for his mount. You were never more than a convenience to him. I would know.† Edward's lips pulled up on one side as he tapped his temple. With a strangled screech, Victoria darted out of the trees again, feinting to the side. Edward responded, and the dance began again. Just then, Riley's fist caught Seth's flank, and a low yelp coughed out of Seth's throat. Seth backed away, his shoulders twitching as if he were trying to shake off the pain. Please, I wanted to plead with Riley, but I couldn't find the muscles to make my mouth open, to pull the air up from my lungs. Please, he's just a child! Why hadn't Seth run away? Why didn't he run now? Riley was closing the distance between them again, driving Seth toward the cliff face beside me. Victoria was suddenly interested in her partner's fate. I could see her, from the corner of her eyes, judge the distance between Riley and me. Seth snapped at Riley, forcing him back again, and Victoria hissed. Seth wasn't limping anymore. His circling took him within inches of Edward; his tail brushed Edward's back, and Victoria's eyes bulged. â€Å"No, he won't turn on me,† Edward said, answering the question in Victoria's head. He used her distraction to slide closer. â€Å"You provided us with a common enemy. You allied us.† She clenched her teeth, trying to keep her focus on Edward alone. â€Å"Look more closely, Victoria,† he murmured, pulling at the threads of her concentration. â€Å"Is he really so much like the monster James tracked across Siberia?† Her eyes popped wide open, and then began flickering wildly from Edward to Seth to me, around and around. â€Å"Not the same?† she snarled in her little girl's soprano. â€Å"Impossible!† â€Å"Nothing is impossible,† Edward murmured, voice velvet soft as he moved another inch closer to her. â€Å"Except what you want. You'll never touch her.† She shook her head, fast and jerky, fighting his diversions, and tried to duck around him, but he was in place to block her as soon as she'd thought of the plan. Her face contorted in frustration, and then she shifted lower into her crouch, a lioness again, and stalked deliberately forward. Victoria was no inexperienced, instinct-driven newborn. She was lethal. Even I could tell the difference between her and Riley, and I knew that Seth wouldn't have lasted so long if he'd been fighting this vampire. Edward shifted, too, as they closed on each other, and it was lion versus lioness. The dance increased in tempo. It was like Alice and Jasper in the meadow, a blurred spiraling of movement, only this dance was not as perfectly choreographed. Sharp crunches and crackings reverberated off the cliff face whenever someone slipped in their formation. But they were moving too fast for me to see who was making the mistakes. . . . Riley was distracted by the violent ballet, his eyes anxious for his partner. Seth struck, crunching off another small piece of the vampire. Riley bellowed and launched a massive backhanded blow that caught Seth full in his broad chest. Seth's huge body soared ten feet and crashed into the rocky wall over my head with a force that seemed to shake the whole peak. I heard the breath whoosh from his lungs, and I ducked out of the way as he rebounded off the stone and collapsed on the ground a few feet in front of me. A low whimper escaped through Seth's teeth. Sharp fragments of gray stone showered down on my head, scratching my exposed skin. A jagged spike of rock rolled down my right arm and I caught it reflexively. My fingers clenched around the long shard as my own survival instincts kicked in; since there was no chance of flight, my body – not caring how ineffectual the gesture was – prepared for a fight. Adrenaline jolted through my veins. I knew the brace was cutting into my palm. I knew the crack in my knuckle was protesting. I knew it, but I could not feel the pain. Behind Riley, all I could see was the twisting flame of Victoria's hair and a blur of white. The increasingly frequent metallic snaps and tears, the gasps and shocked hissings, made it clear that the dance was turning deadly for someone. But which someone? Riley lurched toward me, his red eyes brilliant with fury. He glared at the limp mountain of sand-colored fur between us, and his hands – mangled, broken hands – curled into talons. His mouth opened, widened, his teeth glistening, as he prepared to rip out Seth's throat. A second kick of adrenaline hit like an electric shock, and everything was suddenly very clear. Both fights were too close. Seth was about to lose his, and I had no idea if Edward was winning or losing. They needed help. A distraction. Something to give them an edge. My hand gripped the stone spike so tightly that a support in the brace snapped. Was I strong enough? Was I brave enough? How hard could I shove the rough stone into my body? Would this buy Seth enough time to get back on his feet? Would he heal fast enough for my sacrifice to do him any good? I raked the point of the shard up my arm, yanking my thick sweater back to expose the skin, and then pressed the sharp tip to the crease at my elbow. I already had a long scar there from my last birthday. That night, my flowing blood had been enough to catch every vampire's attention, to freeze them all in place for an instant. I prayed it would work that way again. I steeled myself and sucked in one deep breath. Victoria was distracted by the sound of my gasp. Her eyes, holding still for one tiny portion of a second, met mine. Fury and curiosity mingled strangely in her expression. I wasn't sure how I heard the low sound with all the other noises echoing off the stone wall and hammering inside my head. My own heartbeat should have been enough to drown it out. But, in the split second that I stared into Victoria's eyes, I thought I heard a familiar, exasperated sigh. In that same short second, the dance broke violently apart. It happened so quickly that it was over before I could follow the sequence of events. I tried to catch up in my head. Victoria had flown out of the blurred formation and smashed into a tall spruce about halfway up the tree. She dropped back to the earth already crouched to spring. Simultaneously, Edward – all but invisible with speed – had twisted backward and caught the unsuspecting Riley by the arm. It had looked like Edward planted his foot against Riley's back, and heaved – The little campsite was filled with Riley's piercing shriek of agony. At the same time, Seth leaped to his feet, cutting off most of my view. But I could still see Victoria. And, though she looked oddly deformed – as if she were unable to straighten up completely – I could see the smile I'd been dreaming of flash across her wild face. She coiled and sprang. Something small and white whistled through the air and collided with her mid-flight. The impact sounded like an explosion, and it threw her against another tree – this one snapped in half. She landed on her feet again, crouched and ready, but Edward was already in place. Relief swelled in my heart when I saw that he stood straight and perfect. Victoria kicked something aside with a flick of her bare foot – the missile that had crippled her attack. It rolled toward me, and I realized what it was. My stomach lurched. The fingers were still twitching; grasping at blades of grass, Riley's arm began to drag itself mindlessly across the ground. Seth was circling Riley again, and now Riley was retreating. He backed away from the advancing werewolf, his face rigid with pain. He raised his one arm defensively. Seth rushed Riley, and the vampire was clearly off-balance. I saw Seth sink his teeth into Riley's shoulder and tear, jumping back again. With an earsplitting metallic screech, Riley lost his other arm. Seth shook his head, flinging the arm into the woods. The broken hissing noise that came through Seth's teeth sounded like snickering. Riley screamed out a tortured plea. â€Å"Victoria!† Victoria did not even flinch to the sound of her name. Her eyes did not flicker once toward her partner. Seth launched himself forward with the force of a wrecking ball. The thrust carried both Seth and Riley into the trees, where the metallic screeching was matched by Riley's screams. Screams that abruptly cut off, while the sounds of rock being ripped to shreds continued. Though she spared Riley no farewell glance, Victoria seemed to realize that she was on her own. She began to back away from Edward, frenzied disappointment blazing in her eyes. She threw me one short, agonized stare of longing, and then she started to retreat faster. â€Å"No,† Edward crooned, his voice seductive. â€Å"Stay just a little longer.† She wheeled and flew toward the refuge of the forest like an arrow from a bow. But Edward was faster – a bullet from a gun. He caught her unprotected back at the edge of the trees and, with one last, simple step, the dance was over. Edward's mouth brushed once across her neck, like a caress. The squealing clamor coming from Seth's efforts covered every other noise, so there was no discernible sound to make the image one of violence. He could have been kissing her. And then the fiery tangle of hair was no longer connected to the rest of her body. The shivering orange waves fell to the ground, and bounced once before rolling toward the trees.