Well, the last few chapters have been completely bonkers. Let’s hope these aren’t so bad.
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Chapter 9. Target
This chapter is mostly Bella and the Cullens talking about whatever is hunting Bella. I can’t remember if I mentioned it or not, but a few chapters back it appeared that someone was breaking in to Bella’s room and possibly stalking her. (Well, a person not on the approved list, anyway.) There’s a lot of technobabbl-ish talk about Alices precognition and why it isn’t more helpful. Aspiring writers take note: if an entire conversation takes place about why the plot device isn’t working properly, you’ve become too dependent on it.
Bella gets Edward’s permission to spend time with Jacob. Nice of her stalker boyfriend to give her a night off every now and then.
Chapter 10. Scent
Jacob comes over to investigate Bella’s stalker. They talk about Bella and vampires, just like every other conversation they have in the series. At least this time he isn’t a jerk about it. Nothing much else happens.
Chapter 11. Legends
Bella attends a Quileute council meeting. We get the story of how some of the Quileutes became vampires, and I’m told that Stephenie Meyer made this up out of whole cloth. Nothing important happens in this chapter.
Chapter 12. Time
The chapter opens with Alice doing a mock fortune-telling, much to Edward’s annoyance. I appreciated the brief flicker of humor. Alice informs Bella that she’ll be throwing a graduation party for Bella. Can you guess Bella’s response?
"Okay, Alice. I'll be there. And I'll hate every minute of it. Promise."
I knew you could.
Edward picks up that Bella is getting cold feet, so to speak, about becoming a vampire so soon. Edward wants to give her more time, but she tries to persuade him she’s fine with it. There is one more thing weighing on her mind, though:
"I'm not that girl, Edward. The one who gets married right out of high school like some small-town hick who got knocked up by her boyfriend! Do you know what people would think? Do you realize what century this is? People don't just get married at eighteen! Not smart people, not responsible, mature people! I wasn't going to be that girl! That's not who I am..."
Becoming a creature who drinks human blood? Totally fine. Getting married right out of high school? Why, that just isn’t done!
Hey, remember that rash of mysterious killings mentioned in the first chapter? They’re getting worse. We’re treated to an in-universe newspaper article about the killings. Police are totally baffled, of course, because only in the Deafula universe cops automatically assume vampires are involved.
The chapter ends with Jasper telling Bella his backstory for some reason.
Chapter 13. Newborn
It turns out Jasper had been a major in the Confederate army when he was turned into a vampire. Interestingly, it looks like vampire coffins with up to twenty individuals have been known to exist. Also, vampire killings are sometimes blamed on plagues, at least according to Jasper. I doubt it, since a corpse missing all its blood doesn’t much look like death by cholera, but whatever. He talks about his time in a vampire army, and he explains that he thinks the killings in Seattle are probably caused by an army of new vampires abandoned by their creator. The Cullens decided that they need to put a stop to this, and they begin making plans to hunt the army down. They wonder whether someone is getting ready to take them on with the army and also wonder why the Volturi are taking so long to act. I’m wondering why they don’t just send the Volturi the newspaper clipping; it’s their job, after all, and the Cullens are still on good terms with them. The smart thing to do would be to vampirize Bella, call up Aro and have him send a few of his guys down to help, but of course no one thinks of this.
Oh, and I’m calling it right now: Victoria is responsible for the newbie vampires.
Edward says the Volturi are waiting because they want the Cullens to take casualties from the vampires. His reasoning? The Cullens are the “largest coven they’ve ever found.” Well, that’s a great theory Edward, except it’s utter rubbish. Were you listening to Jasper a few minutes ago? Remember the part where he was talking about coffins with twenty or more members? The Cullens are small time compared to what the Volturi have already dealt with.
Carlisle calls up the Alaska vampires for help. They agree to help if the Cullens will let them take out the werewolves. So much for that. (Me, I’d probably refuse and then call them back after Bella left, but no, Carlisle is a bit too sympathetic for that.)
