6 the short second life of bree tanner布里·坦纳第二次短暂生命-第15部分

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　third　night　one　more　day　to　go；　and　when　I　thought　about　the　ticking　clock　it　tied　my　empty　stomach　into　knots　Riley　called　all　the　mock　fights　to　a　halt。　　“Round　it　up；　kids；”　he　told　us；　and　everyone　moved　into　a　loose　halfcircle　facing　him。　The　original　gangs　all　stood　close　together；　so　the　practicing　hadn’t　changed　any　of　those　alliances。　Fred　put　the　cards　in　his　back　pocket　and　stood　up。　I　stood　close　to　his　side；　counting　on　his　repulsive　aura　to　hide　me。　　“You’ve　done　well；”　Riley　told　us。　“Tonight；　you　get　a　reward。　Drink　up；　because　tomorrow　you’re　going　to　want　your　strength。　”　　Snarls　of　relief　from　almost　everyone。　　“I　say　want　and　not　need　for　a　reason；”　Riley　went　on。　“I　think　you　guys　have　got　this。　You’ve　stayed　smart　and　worked　hard。　Our　enemies　aren’t　going　to　know　what’s　hit　them！”　　Kristie　and　Raoul　growled；　and　both　of　their　panies　followed　suit　immediately。　I　was　surprised　to　see　it；　but　they　did　look　like　an　army　in　that　moment。　Not　that　they　were　marching　in　formation　or　anything；　but　there　was　just　something　uniform　
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about　the　response。　Like　they　all　were　part　of　one　big　organism。　As　always；　Fred　and　I　were　the　glaring　exceptions；　but　I　thought　only　Riley　was　even　the　slightest　bit　aware　of　usevery　now　and　then　his　eyes　would　scan　across　where　we　were　standing；　almost　like　he　was　checking　to　make　sure　he　still　felt　Fred’s　talent。　And　Riley　didn’t　seem　to　mind　that　we　weren’t　joining　up。　For　now；　anyway。　　“Um；　you　mean　tomorrow　night；　right；　boss？”　Raoul　clarified。　　“Right；”　Riley　said　with　a　strange　little　smile。　It　didn’t　seem　like　anyone　else　noticed　anything　off　in　his　reply　　　except　for　Fred。　He　looked　down　at　me　with　one　eyebrow　raised。　I　shrugged。　　“You　ready　for　your　reward？”　Riley　asked。　　His　little　army　roared　in　response。　　“Tonight　you　get　a　taste　of　what　our　world　will　be　like　when　our　petition　is　out　of　the　picture。　Follow　me！”　　Riley　bounded　away；　Raoul　and　his　team　were　right　on　his　heels。　Kristie’s　group　started　shoving　and　clawing　right　through　the　middle　of　them　to　get　to　the　front。　　“Don’t　make　me　change　my　mind！”　Riley　bellowed　from　the　trees　ahead。　“You　can　all　go　thirsty。　I　don’t　care！”　　Kristie　barked　an　order　and　her　group　sullenly　fell　behind　Raoul’s。　Fred　and　I　waited　until　the　last　of　them　was　out　of　sight。　Then　Fred　did　one　of　those　little　ladies　first　sweeps　with　his　arm。　It　didn’t　feel　like　he　was　afraid　to　have　me　at　his　back；　just　that　he　was　being　polite。　I　started　running　after　the　army。　　The　others　were　already　long　gone；　but　it　was　nothing　to　
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follow　their　smell。　Fred　and　I　ran　in　panionable　silence。　I　wondered　what　he　was　thinking。　Maybe　he　was　only　thirsty。　I　was　burning；　so　he　probably　was；　too。　　We　caught　up　to　the　others　after　about　five　minutes；　but　kept　our　distance。　The　army　was　moving　in　amazing　quiet。　They　were　focused；　and　more…　disciplined。　I　kind　of　wished　that　Riley　had　started　the　training　sooner。　It　was　easier　to　be　around　this　group。　　We　crossed　over　an　empty　twolane　freeway；　another　strip　of　forest；　and　then　we　were　on　a　beach。　The　water　was　smooth；　and　we’d　gone　almost　due　north；　so　this　must　have　been　the　strait。　We　hadn’t　passed　near　any　residences；　and　I　was　sure　that　was　on　purpose。　Thirsty　and　on　edge；　it　wouldn’t　take　too　much　to　dissolve　this　small　measure　of　organization　into　a　screaming　freeforall。　　We’d　never　hunted　all　together　before；　and　I　was　pretty　sure　that　it　was　not　a　good　idea　now。　I　remembered　Kevin　and　the　SpiderMan　kid　fighting　over　the　woman　in　the　car　that　first　night　I’d　talked　to　Diego。　Riley　had　better　have　a　whole　lot　of　bodies　for　us　or　people　were　going　to　start　tearing　each　other　up　to　get　the　most　blood。　　Riley　paused　at　the　water’s　edge。　　“Don’t　hold　back；”　he　told　us。　“I　want　you　well　fed　and　strongat　your　peak。　Now…　let’s　go　have　some　fun。”　　He　dove　smoothly　into　the　surf。　The　others　were　growling　excitedly　as　they　submerged；　too。　Fred　and　I　followed　more　closely　than　before　because　we　couldn’t　follow　their　scent　under　water。　But　I　could　feel　that　Fred　was　hesitant　　　ready　to　bolt　if　
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this　was　something　other　than　an　allyoucaneat　smorgasbord。　It　seemed　like　he　didn’t　trust　Riley　any　more　than　I　did。　　We　didn’t　swim　long；　and　then　we　saw　the　others　kicking　upward。　Fred　and　I　surfaced　last；　and　Riley　started　talking　as　soon　as　our　heads　were　out　of　the　water；　like　he’d　been　waiting　for　us。　He　must　have　been　more　aware　of　Fred　than　the　others　were。　　“There　she　is；”　he　said；　waving　toward　a　large　ferry　chugging　south；　probably　making　the　last　muter　run　of　the　night　down　from　Canada。　“Give　me　a　minute。　When　the　power　goes　out；　she’s　all　yours。”　　There　was　an　excited　murmur。　Someone　giggled。　Riley　was　off　like　a　shot；　and　seconds　later　we　saw　him　fly　up　the　side　of　the　big　boat。　He　headed　straight　for　the　control　tower　on　top　of　the　ship。　Silencing　the　radio　was　my　bet。　He　could　say　all　he　wanted　about　these　enemies　being　our　reason　for　caution；　but　I　was　sure　there　was　more　to　it　than　that。　Humans　weren’t　supposed　to　know　about　vampires。　At　least；　not　for　very　long。　Just　long　enough　for　us　to　kill　them。　　Riley　kicked　a　big　plateglass　window　out　of　his　way　and　disappeared　into　the　tower。　Five　seconds　later；　the　lights　went　out。　　I　realized　Raoul　was　already　gone。　He　must　have　submerged　so　we　wouldn’t　hear　him　swimming　after　Riley。　Everyone　else　took　off；　and　the　water　churned　as　if　an　enormous　school　of　barracuda　were　attacking。　　Fred　and　I　swam　at　a　relatively　leisurely　pace　behind　them。　In　a　funny　way；　it　was　like　we　were　some　old　married　couple。　
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We　never　talked；　but　we　still　did　things　at　exactly　the　same　time。　　We　got　to　the　boat　about　three　seconds　later；　and　already　the　air　was　full　of　shrieks　and　the　warm　scent　of　blood。　The　smell　made　me　realize　exactly　how　thirsty　I　was；　but　that　was　the　last　thing　I　realized。　My　brain　shut　down　pletely。　There　was　nothing　but　fiery　pain　in　my　throat　and　the　delicious　bloodblood　everywhere　promising　to　put　that　fire　out。　　When　it　was　over　and　there　wasn’t　a　heart　left　beating　on　the　whole　ship；　I　wasn’t　sure　how　many　people　I’d　personally　killed。　More　than　triple　the　number　I’d　ever　had　on　a　hunting　trip　before；　easy。　I　felt　hot　and　flushed。　I’d　drunk　long　past　the　point　at　which　my　thirst　was　totally　slaked；　just　for　the　taste　of　the　blood。　Most　of　the　blood　on　the　ferry　was　clean　and　lusciousthese　passengers　had　not　been　dregs。　Though　I　hadn’t　held　back；　I　was　probably　at　the　low　end　of　the　kill　count。　Raoul　was　so　surrounded　by　mangled　bodies　that　they　actually　made　a　little　hill。　He　sat　on　top　of　his　pile　of　the　dead　and　laughed　loudly　to　himself。　　He　wasn’t　the　only　one　laughing。　The　dark　boat　was　full　of　sounds　of　delight。　I　heard　Kristie　say；　“That　was　amazing　　　three　cheers　for　Riley！”　Some　of　her　crowd　put　up　a　raucous　chorus　of　hurrahs　like　a　bunch　of　happy　drunks。　　Jen　and　Kevin　swung　onto　the　view　deck；　dripping　wet。　“Got　’em　all；　boss；”　Jen　called　to　Riley。　So　some　people　must　have　tried　to　swim　for　it。　I　hadn’t　noticed。　　I　looked　around　for　Fred。　It　took　me　a　while　to　find　him。　I　finally　realized　that　I　couldn’t　look　directly　at　the　back　corner　by　the　vending　machines；　and　I　headed　that　way。　At　first　I　felt　like　
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the　rocking　ferry　was　making　me　seasick；　but　then　I　got　close　enough　that　the　feeling　faded　and　I　could　see　Fred　standing　by　the　window。　He　smiled　at　me　quickly；　and　then　looked　over　my　head。　I　followed　his　gaze　and　saw　that　he　was　watching　Riley。　I　got　the　feeling　that　he’d　been　doing　this　for　some　time。　　“Okay；　kids；”　Riley　said。　“You’ve　had　a　taste　of　the　sweet　life；　but　now　we’ve　got　work　to　do！”　　They　all　roared　enthusiastically。　　“I’ve　got　three　last　things　to　tell　you　and　one　of　those　things　involves　a　little　dessert　so　let’s　sink　this　scow　and　get　home！”　　With　laughter　mixed　in　with　the　snarls；　the　army　went　to　work　dismantling　the　boat。　Fred　and　I　bailed　out　the　window　and　watched　the　demo　from　a　short　distance。　It　didn’t　take　long　for　the　ferry　to　crumple　in　the　middle　with　a　loud　groan　of　metal。　The　midsection　went　down　first；　with　both　the　bow　and　the　stern　twisting　up　to　point　to　the　sky。　They　sank　one　at　a　time；　the　stern　beating　the　bow　by　a　few　seconds。　The　school　of　barracuda　headed　toward　us。　Fred　and　I　started　swimming　for　shore。　　We　ran　home　with　the　others　　though　keeping　our　distance。　A　couple　of　times　Fred　looked　at　me　like　he　had　something　he　wanted　to　say；　but　each　time　he　seemed　to　change　his　mind。　　Back　at　the　house；　Riley　let　the　celebratory　mood　wind　down。　Even　after　a　few　hours　had　passed；　he　still　had　his　hands　full　trying　to　get　everyone　serious　again。　For　once　it　wasn’t　a　fight　he　was　trying　to　defuse；　just　high　spirits。　If　Riley’s　promises　were　false；　as　I　thought；　he　was　going　to　have　an　issue　when　the　ambush　was　over。　Now　that　all　these　vampires　had　really　feasted；　they　weren’t　going　to　go　back　to　any　measure　of　
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restraint　very　easily。　For　tonight；　though；　Riley　was　a　hero。　　Finally　　　a　while　after　I　would　have　guessed　that　the　sun　was　up　outside　　everyone　was　quiet　and　paying　attention。　From　their　faces；　it　seemed　they　were　ready　to　hear　just　about　anything　he　had　to　say。　　Riley　stood　halfway　up　the　stairs；　his　face　serious。　　“Three　things；”　he　began。　“First；　we　want　to　be　sure　we　get　the　right　coven。　If　we　accidentally　run　across　another　clan　and　slaughter　them；　we’ll　tip　our　hand。　We　want　our　enemies　overconfident　and　unprepared。　There　are　two　things　that　mark　this　coven；　and　they’re　pretty　hard　to　miss。　One；　they　look　differentthey　have　yellow　eyes。”　　There　was　a　murmur　of　confusion。　　“Yellow？”　Raoul　repeated　in　a　disgusted　tone。　　“There’s　a　lot　of　the　vampire　world　out　there　that　you　haven’t　encountered　yet。　I　told　you　these　vampires　were　old。　Their　eyes　are　weaker　than　ours　yellowed　with　age。　Another　advantage　to　our　side。”　He　nodded　to　himself　as　if　to　say；　one　down。　“But　other　old　vampires　exist；　so　there　is　another　way　that　we’ll　know　them　for　sure…　and　this　is　where　the　dessert　I　mentioned　es　into　play。”　Riley　smiled　slyly　and　waited　a　beat。　“This　is　going　to　be　hard　to　process；”　he　warned。　“I　don’t　understand　it；　but　I’ve　seen　it