6 the short second life of bree tanner布里·坦纳第二次短暂生命-第12部分

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self。　Was　Diego　more　loyal　to　Riley　after　all？　Would　he　have　felt　it　was　his　responsibility　to　stand　by　Riley？　He’d　known　Riley　a　lot　longer　　he’d　really　only　known　me　a　day。　Was　he　closer　to　Riley　than　he　was　to　me？　　I　pondered　that；　frowning。　　Well；　I　would　find　out　as　soon　as　we　had　a　minute　alone。　And　then　maybe；　if　our　secret　club　really　meant　something；　it　wouldn’t　matter　what　our　creator　had　planned　for　us。　We　could　disappear；　and　Riley　would　have　to　make　do　with　nieen　vampires；　or　make　some　new　ones　quick。　Either　way；　not　our　problem。　　I　couldn’t　wait　to　tell　Diego　my　plan。　My　gut　instinct　was　that　he　would　feel　the　same。　Hopefully。　　Suddenly；　I　wondered　if　this　was　what　had　really　happened　to　Shelly　and　Steve　and　the　other　kids　who　had　disappeared。　I　knew　they　hadn’t　burned　in　the　sun。　Had　Riley　only　claimed　he’d　seen　their　ashes　as　another　way　to　keep　the　rest　of　us　afraid　and　dependent　on　him？　Returning　home　to　him　every　dawn？　Maybe　Shelly　and　Steve　had　just　set　off　on　their　own。　No　more　Raoul。　No　enemies　or　armies　threatening　their　immediate　future。　
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　Maybe　that’s　what　Riley　had　meant　by　lost　to　the　sun。　Runaways。　In　which　case；　he’d　be　happy　that　Diego　hadn’t　bailed；　right？　　If　only　Diego　and　I　had　taken　off！　We　could　be　free；　too；　like　Shelly　and　Steve。　No　rules；　no　fear　of　the　sunrise。　　Again；　I　imagined　the　whole　horde　of　us　on　the　loose　without　a　curfew。　I　could　see　Diego　and　me　moving　like　ninjas　through　the　shade。　But　I　could　also　see　Raoul；　Kevin；　and　the　rest；　sparkling　discoball　monsters　in　the　center　of　a　busy　downtown　street；　the　bodies　piling　up；　the　screaming；　the　helicopters　whirring；　the　soft；　helpless　cops　with　their　dinky　little　bullets　that　wouldn’t　make　a　dent；　the　cameras；　the　panic　that　would　spread　so　fast　as　the　pictures　bounced　swiftly　around　the　globe。　　Vampires　wouldn’t　be　a　secret　for　very　long。　Even　Raoul　couldn’t　kill　people　fast　enough　to　keep　the　story　from　spreading。　　There　was　a　chain　of　logic　here；　and　I　tried　to　grasp　it　before　I　could　be　distracted　again。　　One；　humans　didn’t　know　about　vampires。　Two；　Riley　encouraged　us　to　be　inconspicuous；　not　to　attract　the　notice　of　humans　and　educate　them　otherwise。　Three；　Diego　and　I　had　decided　that　all　vampires　must　be　following　that　guideline；　or　else　the　world　would　know　about　us。　Four；　they　must　have　a　reason　for　doing　so；　and　it　wasn’t　the　little　popguns　of　the　human　police　that　motivated　them。　Yeah；　the　reason　must　be　pretty　important　to　make　all　vampires　hide　all　day　long　in　stuffy　basements。　Maybe　reason　enough　to　make　Riley　and　our　creator　lie　to　us；　terrify　us　about　the　burning　sun。　Maybe　it　was　a　
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reason　Riley　would　explain　to　Diego；　and　since　it　was　so　important　and　he　was　so　responsible；　Diego　would　promise　to　keep　the　secret　and　they　would　be　cool　with　that。　Sure　they　would。　But　what　if　what　actually　happened　to　Shelly　and　Steve　was　that　they’d　discovered　the　shiny　skin　thing　and　not　run？　What　if　they’d　gone　to　Riley？　　And；　crap；　there　went　the　next　step　in　my　logical　path。　The　chain　dissolved　and　I　started　panicking　about　Diego　again。　　As　I　stressed；　I　realized　that　I’d　been　thinking　things　through　for　a　while。　I　could　feel　dawn　ing　on。　No　more　than　an　hour　away。　So　where　was　Diego？　Where　was　Riley？　　As　I　thought　this；　the　door　opened　and　Raoul　leaped　down　the　stairs；　laughing　with　his　buddies。　I　hunched　down；　leaning　closer　to　Fred。　Raoul　didn’t　notice　us。　He　looked　at　the　crispy　fried　vampire　in　the　center　of　the　floor　and　laughed　harder。　His　eyes　were　brilliant　red。　　On　the　nights　Raoul　went　hunting；　he　never　came　home　till　he　had　to。　He　would　keep　feeding　as　long　as　he　could。　So　dawn　must　have　been　even　closer　than　I’d　thought。　　Riley　must　have　demanded　that　Diego　prove　his　words。　That　was　the　only　explanation。　And　they　were　waiting　for　the　dawn。　Only…　that　would　mean　that　Riley　didn’t　know　the　truth；　that　our　creator　was　lying　to　him；　too。　Or　did　it？　My　thoughts　twisted　up　again。　　Kristie　showed　up　minutes　later　with　three　of　her　gang。　She　reacted　indifferently　to　the　pile　of　ashes。　I　did　a　quick　head　count　as　two　more　hunters　hurried　through　the　door。　Twenty　vampires。　Everyone　was　home　except　Diego　and　Riley。　The　
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sun　would　rise　at　any　moment。　　The　door　at　the　top　of　the　basement　stairs　creaked　as　someone　opened　it。　I　sprang　to　my　feet。　　Riley　entered。　He　shut　the　door　behind　him。　He　walked　down　the　stairs。　　No　one　followed。　　Before　I　could　process　this；　Riley　roared　out　an　animalistic　shriek　of　rage。　He　was　staring　down　at　the　ashy　remains　on　the　floor；　his　eyes　bulging　in　fury。　Everyone　stood　silent；　immobile。　We’d　all　seen　Riley　lose　his　temper；　but　this　was　something　different。　　Riley　spun　and　raked　his　fingers　through　a　blaring　speaker；　then　ripped　it　from　the　wall　and　hurled　it　across　the　room。　Jen　and　Kristie　dodged　out　of　the　way　as　it　exploded　into　the　far　wall；　sending　up　a　cloud　of　pulverized　drywall　dust。　Riley　smashed　the　sound　system　with　his　foot；　and　the　thudding　bass　went　silent。　Then　he　leaped　to　where　Raoul　stood；　and　grabbed　him　by　the　throat。　　“I　wasn’t　even　here！”　Raoul　yelled；　looking　afraidI’d　never　seen　that　before。　　Riley　growled　hideously　and　threw　Raoul　as　he’d　thrown　the　speaker。　Jen　and　Kristie　jumped　out　of　the　way　again。　Raoul’s　body　crashed　right　through　the　wall；　leaving　an　enormous　hole。　　Riley　caught　Kevin　by　the　shoulder　andwith　a　familiar　screech　　ripped　off　his　right　hand。　Kevin　cried　out　in　pain　and　tried　to　twist　out　of　Riley’s　grip。　Riley　kicked　him　in　the　side。　Another　harsh　shriek　and　Riley　had　the　rest　of　Kevin’s　arm。　He　tore　the　arm　in　half　at　the　elbow　and　threw　the　pieces　hard　into　
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Kevin’s　anguished　face　　smack；　smack；　smack；　like　a　hammer　striking　stone。　　“What　is　wrong　with　you？”　Riley　screamed　at　us。　“Why　are　you　all　so　stupid？”　He　made　a　grab　for　the　blond　SpiderMan　kid；　but　that　kid　leaped　out　of　his　way。　His　jump　left　him　too　close　to　Fred；　and　he　stumbled　back　toward　Riley　again；　gagging。　　“Do　any　of　you　have　a　brain？”　　Riley　smacked　a　kid　named　Dean　into　the　entertainment　center；　shattering　it；　then　caught　another　girl　　Sara　and　tore　her　left　ear　and　a　handful　of　hair　from　her　head。　She　snarled　in　anguish。　　It　became　suddenly　obvious　that　Riley　was　doing　a　very　dangerous　thing。　There　were　a　lot　of　us　in　here。　Already　Raoul　was　back；　with　Kristie　and　Jen　　　usually　his　enemies　　　flanking　him　defensively。　A　few　others　banded　together　in　clusters　around　the　room。　　I　wasn’t　sure　if　Riley　was　aware　of　the　threat　or　if　his　rant　came　to　an　end　naturally。　He　took　a　deep　breath。　He　tossed　Sara　her　ear　and　the　hair。　She　recoiled　away　from　him；　licking　the　torn　edge　of　her　ear；　coating　it　with　venom　so　that　it　would　reattach。　There　was　no　remedy　for　the　hair；　though；　Sara　was　going　to　have　a　bald　spot。　　“Listen　to　me！”　Riley　said；　quiet　but　fierce。　“All　our　lives　depend　on　you　listening　to　what　I’m　saying　now　and　thinking！　We　are　all　going　to　die。　Every　one　of　us；　you　and　me；　too；　if　you　can’t　act　like　you　have　brains　for　just　a　few　short　days！”　　This　was　nothing　like　his　usual　lectures　and　pleadings　for　
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control。　He　definitely　had　everyone’s　attention。　　“It’s　time　for　you　to　grow　up　and　take　responsibility　for　yourselves。　Do　you　think　you　get　to　live　like　this　for　free？　That　all　the　blood　in　Seattle　doesn’t　have　a　price？”　　The　little　clusters　of　vampires　no　longer　seemed　threatening。　Everyone　was　wideeyed；　some　exchanging　mystified　glances。　I　saw　Fred’s　head　turn　toward　me　in　my　peripheral　vision；　but　I　didn’t　meet　his　gaze。　My　attention　was　focused　on　two　things：　Riley；　just　in　case　he　started　to　attack　again；　and　the　door。　The　door　that　was　still　closed。　　“Are　you　listening　now？　Really　listening？”　Riley　paused；　but　no　one　nodded。　The　room　was　very　still。　“Let　me　explain　to　you　the　precarious　situation　we　are　all　in。　I’ll　try　to　keep　it　simple　for　the　slowest　ones。　Raoul；　Kristie；　e　here。”　　He　motioned　to　the　leaders　of　the　two　largest　gangs；　allied　for　this　brief　moment　against　him。　Neither　of　them　moved　toward　him。　They　braced　themselves；　Kristie　baring　her　teeth。　　I　expected　Riley　to　soften；　to　apologize。　To　placate　them　and　then　persuade　them　to　do　what　he　wanted。　But　this　was　a　different　Riley。　　“Fine；”　he　snapped。　“We’re　going　to　need　leaders　if　we’re　going　to　survive；　but　apparently　neither　of　you　is　up　to　the　task。　I　thought　you　had　aptitude。　I　was　wrong。　Kevin；　Jen；　please　join　me　as　the　heads　of　this　team。”　　Kevin　looked　up　in　surprise。　He　had　just　finished　putting　his　arm　back　together。　Though　his　expression　was　wary；　it　was　also　unmistakably　flattered。　He　slowly　got　to　his　feet。　Jen　looked　at　Kristie　as　if　waiting　for　permission。　Raoul　ground　his　teeth　
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together。　　The　door　at　the　top　of　the　stairs　did　not　open。　　“Are　you　not　able；　either？”　Riley　asked；　irritated。　　Kevin　took　a　step　toward　Riley；　but　then　Raoul　rushed　him；　leaping　across　the　long　room　in　two　low　bounds。　He　shoved　Kevin　against　the　wall　without　a　word　and　then　stood　by　Riley’s　right　shoulder。　　Riley　permitted　himself　a　tiny　smile。　The　manipulation　wasn’t　subtle；　but　it　was　effective。　　“Kristie　or　Jen；　who　will　lead　us？”　Riley　asked　with　a　hint　of　amusement　in　his　voice。　　Jen　was　still　waiting　for　a　sign　from　Kristie　as　to　what　she　should　do。　Kristie　glowered　at　Jen　for　an　instant；　then　flipped　her　sandy　hair　out　of　her　face　and　darted　to　stand　on　Riley’s　other　side。　　“That　took　too　long　to　decide；”　Riley　said　seriously。　“We　don’t　have　the　luxury　of　time。　We　don’t　get　to　fool　around　anymore。　I’ve　let　you　all　do　pretty　much　whatever　you　feel　like；　but　that　ends　tonight。”　　He　looked　around　the　room；　meeting　everyone’s　eyes；　making　sure　we　were　listening。　I　held　his　gaze　for　only　a　second　when　it　was　my　turn；　and　then　my　eyes　flipped　back　to　the　door。　I　corrected　instantly；　but　his　glare　had　moved　on。　I　wondered　if　he’d　noticed　my　slip。　Or　had　he　seen　me　at　all；　here　beside　Fred？　　“We　have　an　enemy；”　Riley　announced。　He　let　that　sink　in　for　a　moment。　I　could　tell　the　idea　was　shocking　to　several　of　the　vampires　in　the　basement。　The　enemy　was　Raoul　　or　if　you　
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were　with　Raoul；　the　enemy　was　Kristie。　The　enemy　was　here；　because　the　whole　world　was　he