3 eclipse月食-第25部分
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when things were still 。 。 。 normal; I mean。”
I laughed。 “Of course I remember。 I traded a lifetime of servitude for a box of conversation hearts。 That’s
not something I’m likely to forget。”
He laughed with me。 “That’s right。 Hmm; servitude。 I’ll have to think of something good。” Then he sighed。
“It feels like it was years ago。 Another era。 A happier one。”
I couldn’t agree with him。 This was my happy era now。 But I was surprised to realize how many things I
missed from my own personal dark ages。 I stared through the opening at the murky forest。 The rain had
picked up again; but it was warm in the little garage; sitting next to Jacob。 He was as good as a furnace。
His fingers brushed my hand。 “Things have really changed。”
“Yeah;” I said; and then I reached out and patted the back tire of my bike。 “Charlie used to like me。 I
hope Billy doesn’t say anything about today。 。 。 。” I bit my lip。
“He won’t。 He doesn’t get worked up about things the way Charlie does。 Hey; I never did apologize
officially for that stupid move with the bike。 I’m real sorry about ratting you out to Charlie。 I wish I hadn’t。”
I rolled my eyes。 “Me; too。”
“I’m really; really sorry。”
He looked at me hopefully; his wet; tangled black hair sticking up in every direction around his pleading
face。
“Oh; fine! You’re forgiven。”
“Thanks; Bells!”
We grinned at each other for a second; and then his face clouded over。
“You know that day; when I brought the bike over 。 。 。 I’ve been wanting to ask you something;” he said
slowly。 “But also 。 。 。 not wanting to。”
I held very still — a reaction to stress。 It was a habit I’d picked up from Edward。
“Were you just being stubborn because you were mad at me; or were you really serious?” he whispered。
“About what?” I whispered back; though I was sure I knew what he meant。
He glared at me。 “You know。 When you said it was none of my business 。 。 。 if — if he bit you。” He
cringed visibly at the end。
“Jake 。 。 。” My throat felt swollen。 I couldn’t finish。
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath。 “Were you serious?”
He was trembling just slightly。 His eyes stayed closed。
“Yes;” I whispered。
Jacob inhaled; slow and deep。 “I guess I knew that。”
I stared at his face; waiting for his eyes to open。
“You know what this will mean?” He demanded suddenly。 “You do understand that; don’t you? What will
happen if they break the treaty?”
“We’ll leave first;” I said in a small voice。
His eyes flashed open; their black depths full of anger and pain。 “There wasn’t a geographic limit to the
treaty; Bella。 Our greatgrandfathers only agreed to keep the peace because the Cullens swore that they were
different; that humans weren’t in danger from them。 They promised they would never kill or change anyone
ever again。 If they go back on their word; the treaty is meaningless; and they are no different than any other
vampires。 Once that’s established; when we find them again —”
“But; Jake; didn’t you break the treaty already?” I asked; grasping at straws。 “Wasn’t part of it that you
not tell people about the vampires? And you told me。 So isn’t the treaty sort of moot; anyhow?”
Jacob didn’t like the reminder; the pain in his eyes hardened into animosity。 “Yeah; I broke the treaty —
back before I believed any of it。 And I’m sure they were informed of that。” He glared sourly at my forehead;
not meeting my shamed gaze。 “But it’s not like that gives them a freebie or anything。 There’s no fault for a
fault。 They have only one option if they object to what I did。 The same option we’ll have when they break the
treaty: to attack。 To start the war。”
He made it sound so inevitable。 I shuddered。
“Jake; it doesn’t have to be that way。”
His teeth ground together。 “It is that way。”
The silence after his declaration felt very loud。
“Will you never forgive me; Jacob?” I whispered。 As soon as I said the words; I wished I hadn’t。 I didn’t
want to hear his answer。
“You won’t be Bella anymore;” he told me。 “My friend won’t exist。 There’ll be no one to forgive。”
“That sounds like a no;” I whispered。
We faced each other for an endless moment。
“Is this goodbye then; Jake?”
He blinked rapidly; his fierce expression melting in surprise。 “Why? We still have a few years。 Can’t we be
friends until we’re out of time?”
“Years? No; Jake; not years。” I shook my head; and laughed once without humor。 “Weeks is more
accurate。”
I was not expecting his reaction。
He was suddenly on his feet; and there was a loud pop as the soda can exploded in his hand。 Soda flew
everywhere; soaking me; like it was spraying from a hose。
“Jake!” I started to plain; but I fell silent when I realized that his whole body was quivering with anger。
He glared at me wildly; a growling sound building in his chest。
I froze in place; too shocked to remember how to move。
The shaking rolled through him; getting faster; until it looked like he was vibrating。 His shape blurred。 。 。 。
And then Jacob gritted his teeth together; and the growling stopped。 He squeezed his eyes tight in
concentration; the quivering slowed until only his hands were shaking。
“Weeks;” Jacob said in a flat monotone。
I couldn’t respond; I was still frozen。
He opened his eyes。 They were beyond fury now。
“He’s going to change you into a filthy bloodsucker in just a few weeks!” Jacob hissed through his teeth。
Too stunned to take offense at his words; I just nodded mutely。
His face turned green under the russet skin。
“Of course; Jake;” I whispered after a long minute of silence。 “He’s seventeen; Jacob。 And I get closer to
nieen every day。 Besides; what’s the point in waiting? He’s all I want。 What else can I do?”
I’d meant that as a rhetorical question。
His words cracked like snaps of a whip。 “Anything。 Anything else。 You’d be better off dead。 I’d rather
you were。”
I recoiled like he’d slapped me。 It hurt worse than if he had。
And then; as the pain shot through me; my own temper burst into flame。
“Maybe you’ll get lucky;” I said bleakly; lurching to my feet。 “Maybe I’ll get hit by a truck on my way
back。”
I grabbed my motorcycle and pushed it out into the rain。 He didn’t move as I passed him。 As soon as I
was on the small; muddy path; I climbed on and kicked the bike to life。 The rear tire spit a fountain of mud
toward the garage; and I hoped that it hit him。
I got absolutely soaked as I sped across the slick highway toward the Cullens’ house。 The wind felt like it
was freezing the rain against my skin; and my teeth were chattering before I was halfway there。
Motorcycles were too impractical for Washington。 I would sell the stupid thing first chance I got。
I walked the bike into the Cullens’ cavernous garage and was unsurprised to find Alice waiting for me;
perched lightly on the hood of her Porsche。 Alice stroked the glossy yellow paint。
“I haven’t even had a chance to drive it。” She sighed。
“Sorry;” I spit through my rattling teeth。
“You look like you could use a hot shower;” she said; offhand; as she sprang lightly to her feet。
“Yep。”
She pursed her lips; taking in my expression carefully。 “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Nope。”
She nodded in assent; but her eyes were raging with curiosity。
“Do you want to go to Olympia tonight?”
“Not really。 Can’t I go home?”
She grimaced。
“Never mind; Alice;” I said。 “I’ll stay if it makes things easier for you。”
“Thanks;” she sighed in relief。
I went to bed early that night; curling up on his sofa again。
It was still dark when I woke。 I was groggy; but I knew it wasn’t near morning yet。 My eyes closed; and I
stretched; rolling over。 It took me a second before I realized that the movement should have dumped me onto
the floor。 And that I was much too fortable。
I rolled back over; trying to see。 It was darker than last night — the clouds were too thick for the moon to
shine through。
“Sorry;” he murmured so softly that his voice was part of the darkness。 “I didn’t mean to wake you。”
I tensed; waiting for the fury — both his and mine — but it was only quiet and calm in the darkness of his
room。 I could almost taste the sweetness of reunion in the air; a separate fragrance from the perfume of his
breath; the emptiness when we were apart left its own bitter aftertaste; something I didn’t consciously notice
until it was removed。
There was no friction in the space between us。 The stillness was peaceful — not like the calm before the
tempest; but like a clear night untouched by even the dream of a storm。
And I didn’t care that I was supposed to be angry with him。 I didn’t care that I was supposed to be angry
with everyone。 I reached out for him; found his hands in the darkness; and pulled myself closer to him。 His
arms encircled me; cradling me to his chest。 My lips searched; hunting along his throat; to his chin; till I finally
found his lips。
Edward kissed me softly for a moment; and then he chuckled。
“I was all braced for the wrath that was going to put grizzlies to shame; and this is what I get? I should
infuriate you more often。”
“Give me a minute to work up to it;” I teased; kissing him again。
“I’ll wait as long as you want;” he whispered against my lips。 His fingers knotted in my hair。
My breath was being uneven。 “Maybe in the morning。”
“Whatever you prefer。”
“Wele home;” I said while his cold lips pressed under my jaw。 “I’m glad you came back。”
“That’s a very good thing。”
“Mmm;” I agreed; tightening my arms around his neck。
His hand curved around my elbow; moving slowly down my arm; across my ribs and over my waist;
tracing along my hip and down my leg; around my knee。 He paused there; his hand curling around my calf。 He
pulled my leg up suddenly; hitching it around his hip。
I stopped breathing。 This wasn’t the kind of thing he usually allowed。 Despite his cold hands; I felt
suddenly warm。 His lips moved in the hollow at the base of my throat。
“Not to bring on the ire prematurely;” he whispered; “but do you mind telling me what it is about this b