Let’s Re-Read Eclipse Together! Chapter 10

Welcome to the ‘Eclipse’ Community Re-Read! Join us by reading a chapter every Monday & Friday.  I’ll post a thread for each chapter in the book, counting down the days until the official release of the film on June 30th. So, dig out your old or new copy of Eclipse, read the chapter and then come back here, and discuss anything you find of interest that you might have missed the first time around.

Chapter 10: Scent

 Edward continued to look confused for one short moment, and then, abruptly he was rigid. “When did you notice your things were missing?”  “When I got back from the fake slumber party. Why?” “I don’t think Alice took anything. Not your clothes, or your pillow. The things that were taken, these were things you’d worn…and touched…and slept on?”  “Yes. What is it Edward?” His expression was strained. “Things with your scent.”  “Oh!” We stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment.  “My visitor.”  “He was gathering traces…evidence. To prove that he’d found you?”  “Why?” I whispered. “I don’t know. But, Bella, I swear I will find out.  I will.”

This chapter starts off with Edward and Bella preparing for Jacob’s arrival, to do his sniff test of Bella’s room. Bella tells Edward it’s not necessary for him to leave, just because Jacob will be present. Edward leaves anyway, and Jacob arrives, in natural Jacob Black fashion…half naked!

• Pg. 215 “Come in Jake!”  “Should you really leave your door unlocked like that? Oh, sorry.” I slopped myself with dishwater when he’d startled me. “I’m not worried about anyone who would be deterred by a locked door.” “Good point,” he agreed.  I turned to look at him, eyeing him critically. “Is it really so impossible to wear clothes, Jacob?”  Once again, Jacob was bare-chested, wearing nothing but a pair of old cut-off jeans.  Secretly, I wondered if he was just so proud of his new muscles that he couldn’t stand to cover them up.  I had to admit, they were impressive.
• Pg. 217  Jacob and his biceps, along with his 8-pack, comes back down to the Swan kitchen. After doing his check of Bella’s room, he has a few questions for her. “Whew!” “Yeesh, Jake cut that out!”  “Sorry.  Here-I’ll make it up to you. You wash, I’ll rinse and dry.”  “Fine.”  “Well the scent was easy enough to catch.  By the way, your room reeks.”  “I’ll buy some air freshener.”  He laughed. “Can I ask you something? I’m not trying to be a jerk or anything-I’m honestly curious.” Jacob assured me. “What’s it like-having a vampire for a boyfriend?” I rolled my eyes. “It’s the best.” “I’m serious. The idea doesn’t bother you-it never creeps you out?” “Never.”  He was silent as he reached for the bowl in my hands. I peeked up at his face-he was frowning, his lower lip jutting out. “Anything else?” “Well…I was wondering…do you…y’know, kiss him?” I laughed. “Yes.” He shuttered. “Ugh.”  “To each her own.” “You don’t worry about the fangs?” I smacked his arm, splashing him with dishwater. “Shut up Jacob! You know he doesn’t have fangs!” “Close enough. Can I ask another one?” he asked softly when I passed the knife to him. “Just curious, again.”

• Pg. 219 After Jacob’s temper gets the best of him, and he accidentally cuts himself, we learn of Jacob’s super fast healing power! “You said a few weeks…When, exactly?” “Graduation.” “So soon,” he breathed, his eyes closing. It didn’t sound like a question. It sounded like a lament. The muscles in his arms tightened and his shoulders were stiff. “OW!” he shouted; it had gotten so still in the room that I jumped a foot in the air at his outburst. His right hand had curled into a tense fist around the blade of the knife-he unclenched his hand and the knife clattered onto the counter. Across his palm was a long, deep gash. The blood streamed down his fingers and dripped to the floor. “Damn it! Ouch!” he complained. My head spun and my stomach rolled. I clung to the countertop with one hand, took a deep breath through my mouth, and forced myself to get a grip so that I could take care of him. He ignored the dish towel I pushed at him. He put his hand under the faucet and let the water wash over the wound. The water ran red. My head whirled. “Bella,” he said. “What?” “You look like you’re going to pass out, and you’re biting your lip off. Stop it. Relax. Breath. I’m fine.”  Bella semi-recovers from her bout with Jacob’s blood, just enough to take him to the E.R. but it’s unnecessary.  He unwound the towel and, when I reached out to take the cloth, he laid his hand in mine. It took me a few seconds. I even flipped his hand over, though I was sure he’d cut his palm. I turned his hand back up, finally realizing that the angry pink, puckered line was all that was left of his wound. “But…you were bleeding…so much.” “I heal fast.”  He screwed his mouth up into half a smile and thumped his fist once against his chest. “Werewolf, remember?”
• Pg. 222  Jacob says ‘Sure, sure’ again! Edward is waiting outside the Swan residence, and Jacob get’s his queue to go, but not without some last minute Jacob humor. “Can I ask you something, Bella? What’s it-like having a werewolf for a best friend?” The question caught me off guard. I laughed out loud. “Does it creep you out?” he pressed before I could answer. “No. When the werewolf is being nice, it’s the best.” He grinned widely, his teeth bright against his russet skin. “Thanks, Bella.” he said, and then he grabbed my hand and wrenched me into one of his bone-crushing hugs. “Ugh. Your hair stinks worse than your room.” “Sorry.” “One of the many hazards of socializing with vampires,” Jacob said. “It makes you smell bad. A minor hazard, comparatively.”

• Pg. 223-232 Before leaving, Jacob invited Bella up to the Quileute reservation for a bonfire later on that evening. Of course Bella declines, but says she will clear it with Edward first. Jacob throws in the ‘add Charlie’ card for good measure, and insists that it’s a safe bet for both of them to be at La Push since things are a bit sketchy at the Swan house. Edward arrives with Bella’s mail, which consists of her Dartmouth college response letter. Bella had no idea Edward even sent in an application to the school in Bella’s name. Of course she declines to open it, and insists it’s a waste of money since she will be made immortal. Bella remembers to tell Edward to ask Alice if she moved any of Bella’s items around in her room on Thursday. Edward swears Alice didn’t take anything. The pair deduces that whoever was in Bella’s room took the items, to get a heavily concentrated whiff of her scent, and Edward goes bonkers! Carlisle calls Edward before he gets the chance to call him, but it’s about another situation. Dreary boring Forks, has become the happening place to be, with non-stop action apparently. Edward grabs the Seattle Times and notices the headline: Murder Epidemic Continues-Police Have No New Leads. Edward fears the Volturi will step in and clean house, similar to their cleaning spree a few years ago. Edward assumes the murders are being committed by a gang of newborns, and feels Jasper will be more than helpful if need be. Always eavesdropping, Edward insists that Bella go to the bonfire at La Push, while he and the others get down to business.
• Pg. 233  While walking her bike into the Cullen garage, Bella notices a shiny object. Next to my little antique motorcycle, overshadowing it, was another vehicle. To call this vehicle a motorcycle hardly seemed fair, since it didn’t seem to belong to the same family as my suddenly shabby-looking bike. It was big and sleek and silver and-even totally motionless-it looked fast. “What’s that?” “Nothing,” Edward murmured. “It doesn’t look like nothing.” “Well, I didn’t know if you were going to forgive your friend, or he you, and I wondered if you would still want to ride your bike anyway. It sounded like it was something that you enjoyed. I thought I could go with you, if you wished.” I stared at the beautiful machine. Beside it, my bike looked like a broken tricycle. I felt a sudden wave of sadness when I realized that this was not a bad analogy for the way I probably looked next to Edward.  Sidebar- do you feel Bella has self esteem issues? “I wouldn’t be able to keep up with you,” I whispered. Edward put his hand under my chin and pulled my face around so that he could see it straight on. With one finger, he tried to push the corner of my mouth up. “I’d keep pace with you, Bella.”  This is where I just melted!!!

• Pg. 234 Edward comes to the realization that riding bikes, is a sport that Bella and Jacob enjoy together and decides to give his new bike to Jasper, who has been eyeing it from day one. I kind of feel bad for Edward. I think she kind of hurt his feelings. Let’s be real, Bella has all the fun with Jacob, and with Edward it’s survival of the fittest. It’s such a loving gesture that he would even consider buying this bike even though Bella is soo prone to life threatening idiocy, lol!
• This chapter ends with Edward being a bit turned on by Bella in her new hot gal riding jacket and helmet. “Be honest, how do I look?” He took another step back and pursed his lips. “That bad huh?” “No, no, Bella. Actually…you look…sexy.” I laughed out loud. “Right.” “Very sexy, really.”  Edward then escorts Bella to the boundary line of La Push to meet Jacob. There Edward must mark his territory and plant a big wet kiss on Bella in front of Jacob Black. Jacob in turn grabs Bella and gives her his signature vice-grip hug and this ticks Edward right off and he and his Volvo speed off into the sunset.

I must say, all this male testosterone is fabulous! I love how human Jacob and human- like Edward can be at times! So how do you feel about the little truce taking place? Do you prefer the fighting? I like the truce when both sides play fair. These darn newborns are getting on my last nerves!  On Monday its Quileute time! For all the wolf lovers, I’ll make sure to go into plenty of detail and make it worth your while.

Category: Eclipse Re-Read