Bella:

By now, my heart raced fast against my ribcage. I knew that this would either be the death of me or the beginning of a new alliance, where I would outsmart a bunch of vampires to win whatever war they had created.

"How do we know you were not sent here to spy on us?" the lady sitting asked, and I chuckled, but she snapped her hand, causing my lips to shut, and my throat felt like I was being strangled by an unknown force.

"Got it. No jokes," I said as she loosened ...