6 the short second life of bree tanner布里·坦纳第二次短暂生命-第18部分

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　like　last　night。　I　tried　to　slide　into　the　group　without　drawing　attention；　but　I　saw　Riley’s　head　flip　around　once　to　scan　those　trailing　behind。　His　eyes　zeroed　in　on　me；　and　then　
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he　started　running　faster。　Did　he　assume　Fred　was　with　me？　Riley　would　never　see　Fred　again。　　It　wasn’t　five　minutes　later　when　everything　changed。　　Raoul　caught　the　scent。　With　a　wild　growl　he　was　off。　Riley　had　us　so　worked　up　that　it　took　only　the　tiniest　spark　to　set　off　an　explosion。　The　others　near　Raoul　had　the　scent；　too；　and　then　everyone　went　crazy。　Riley’s　harping　on　this　human　had　overshadowed　the　rest　of　his　instructions。　We　were　hunters；　not　an　army。　There　was　no　team。　It　was　a　race　for　blood。　　Even　though　I　knew　there　were　a　lot　of　lies　in　the　story；　I　couldn’t　totally　resist　the　scent。　Running　at　the　back　of　the　pack；　I　had　to　cross　it。　Fresh。　Strong。　The　human　had　been　here　recently；　and　she　smelled　so　sweet。　I　was　strong　with　all　the　blood　we’d　drunk　last　night；　but　it　didn’t　matter。　I　was　thirsty。　It　burned。　　I　ran　after　the　others；　trying　to　keep　my　head　clear。　It　was　all　I　could　do　to　hold　back　a　little；　to　stay　behind　the　others。　The　closest　person　to　me　was　Riley。　He　was…　holding　back；　too？　　He　shouted　orders；　mostly　the　same　thing　repeated。　“Kristie；　go　around！　Move　around！　Split　off！　Kristie；　Jen！　Break　off！”　His　whole　plan　of　the　twopronged　ambush　was　self　destructing　as　we　watched。　　Riley　sped　up　to　the　main　group　and　grabbed　Sara’s　shoulder。　She　snapped　at　him　as　he　hurled　her　to　the　left。　“Go　around！”　he　shouted。　He　caught　the　blond　kid　whose　name　I’d　never　figured　out　and　shoved　him　into　Sara；　who　clearly　wasn’t　happy　with　that。　Kristie　came　out　of　the　hunting　focus　long　enough　to　realize　she　was　supposed　to　be　moving　strategically。　
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She　gave　one　fierce　gaze　after　Raoul　and　then　started　screeching　at　her　team。　　“This　way！　Faster！　We’ll　beat　them　around　and　get　to　her　first！　C’mon！”　　“I’m　spear　point　with　Raoul！”　Riley　shouted　at　her；　turning　away。　　I　hesitated；　still　running　forward。　I　didn’t　want　to　be　part　of　any　“spear　point；”　but　Kristie’s　team　was　already　turning　on　each　other。　Sara　had　the　blond　kid　in　a　headlock。　The　sound　of　his　head　tearing　off　made　my　decision　for　me。　I　sprinted　after　Riley；　wondering　if　Sara　would　pause　to　burn　the　boy　who　liked　to　play　SpiderMan。　　I　caught　up　enough　to　see　Riley　ahead　and　followed　at　a　distance　until　he　got　to　Raoul’s　team。　The　scent　made　it　hard　to　keep　my　mind　on　the　things　that　mattered。　　“Raoul！”　Riley　yelled。　　Raoul　grunted；　not　turning。　He　was　totally　absorbed　by　the　sweet　scent。　　“I’ve　got　to　help　Kristie！　I’ll　meet　you　there！　Keep　your　focus！　”　　I　jerked　to　a　stop；　frozen　with　uncertainty。　　Raoul　kept　on；　not　showing　any　response　to　Riley’s　words。　Riley　slowed　to　a　jog；　then　a　walk。　I　should　have　moved；　but　he　probably　would　have　heard　me　try　to　hide。　He　turned；　a　smile　on　his　face；　and　saw　me。　　“Bree。　I　thought　you　were　with　Kristie。”　　I　didn’t　respond。　　“I　heard　someone　get　hurt　Kristie　needs　me　more　than　
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Raoul；”　he　explained　quickly。　　“Are　you…　leaving　us？”　　Riley’s　face　changed。　It　was　like　I　could　see　his　shifting　tactics　written　on　his　features。　His　eyes　widened；　suddenly　anxious。　　“I’m　worried；　Bree。　I　told　you　that　she　was　going　to　meet　us；　to　help　us；　but　I　haven’t　crossed　her　trail。　Something’s　wrong。　I　need　to　find　her。”　　“But　there’s　no　way　you　can　find　her　before　Raoul　gets　to　the　yelloweyes；”　I　pointed　out。　　“I　have　to　find　out　what’s　going　on。”　He　sounded　genuinely　desperate。　“I　need　her。　I　wasn’t　supposed　to　do　this　alone！”　　“But　the　others…”　　“Bree；　I　have　to　go　find　her！　Now！　There　are　enough　of　you　to　overwhelm　the　yelloweyes。　I’ll　get　back　to　you　as　soon　as　I　can。”　　He　sounded　so　sincere。　I　hesitated；　glancing　back　the　way　we　had　e。　Fred　would　be　halfway　to　Vancouver　by　now。　Riley　hadn’t　even　asked　about　him。　Maybe　Fred’s　talent　was　still　in　effect。　　“Diego’s　down　there；　Bree；”　Riley　said　urgently。　“He’ll　be　part　of　the　first　attack。　Didn’t　you　catch　his　scent　back　there？　Did　you　not　get　close　enough？”　　I　shook　my　head；　totally　confused。　“Diego　was　there？”　　“He’s　with　Raoul　by　now。　If　you　hurry；　you　can　help　him　get　out　alive。”　　We　stared　at　each　other　for　a　long　second；　and　then　I　looked　south　after　Raoul’s　path。　
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　“Good　girl；”　Riley　said。　“I’ll　go　find　her　and　we’ll　be　back　to　help　clean　up。　You　guys　have　got　this！　It　might　be　over　by　the　time　you　get　there！”　　He　took　off　in　a　direction　perpendicular　to　our　original　path。　I　clenched　my　teeth　at　how　sure　he　seemed　of　his　way。　Lying　to　the　end。　　But　it　didn’t　feel　like　I　had　a　choice。　I　headed　south　in　a　flat　out　sprint　again。　I　had　to　go　get　Diego。　Drag　him　away　if　it　came　to　that。　We　could　catch　up　with　Fred。　Or　take　off　on　our　own。　We　needed　to　run。　I　would　tell　Diego　how　Riley　had　lied。　He　would　see　that　Riley　had　no　intention　of　helping　us　fight　the　battle　he’d　set　up。　There　was　no　reason　to　help　him　anymore。　　I　found　the　human’s　scent　and　then　Raoul’s。　I　didn’t　catch　Diego’s。　Was　I　going　too　fast？　Or　was　the　human’s　scent　just　overpowering　me？　Half　my　head　was　absorbed　in　this　strangely　counterproductive　huntsure；　we　would　find　the　girl；　but　would　we　be　ready　to　fight　together　when　we　did？　No；　we’d　be　clawing　each　other　apart　to　get　to　her。　　And　then　I　heard　the　snarling　and　screaming　and　screeching　explode　from　ahead　and　I　knew　the　fight　was　happening　and　I　was　too　late　to　beat　Diego　there。　I　only　ran　faster。　Maybe　I　could　still　save　him。　　I　smelled　the　smokethe　sweet；　thick　scent　of　vampires　burning　carried　back　to　me　on　the　wind。　The　sound　of　mayhem　was　louder。　Maybe　it　was　almost　done。　Would　I　find　our　coven　victorious　and　Diego　waiting？　　I　dashed　through　a　heavy　fringe　of　smoke　and　found　myself　out　of　the　forest　in　a　huge　grassy　field。　I　leaped　over　a　rock；　only　
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to　realize　in　the　instant　I　flew　past　it　that　it　was　a　headless　torso。　　My　eyes　raked　the　field。　There　were　pieces　of　vampires　everywhere；　and　a　huge　bonfire　smoking　purple　into　the　sunny　sky。　Out　from　under　the　billowing　haze；　I　could　see　dazzling；　glittering　bodies　darting　and　grappling　as　the　sounds　of　vampires　being　torn　apart　went　on　and　on。　　I　looked　for　one　thing：　Diego’s　curly　black　hair。　No　one　I　could　see　had　hair　so　dark。　There　was　one　huge　vampire　with　brown　hair　that　was　almost　black；　but　he　was　too　big；　and　as　I　focused　I　watched　him　tear　Kevin’s　head　off　and　pitch　it　into　the　fire　before　leaping　on　someone　else’s　back。　Was　that　Jen？　There　was　another　with　straight　black　hair　that　was　too　small　to　be　Diego。　That　one　was　moving　so　fast　I　couldn’t　tell　if　it　was　a　boy　or　a　girl。　　I　scanned　quickly　again；　feeling　horribly　exposed。　I　took　in　the　faces。　There　weren’t　nearly　enough　vampires　here；　even　counting　those　that　were　down。　I　didn’t　see　any　of　Kristie’s　group。　There　must　have　been　a　lot　of　vampires　burned　already。　Most　of　the　vampires　still　standing　were　strangers。　A　blond　vampire　glanced　at　me；　meeting　my　gaze；　and　his　eyes　flashed　gold　in　the　sunlight。　　We　were　losing。　Bad。　　I　started　backing　toward　the　trees；　not　moving　fast　enough　because　I　was　still　looking　for　Diego。　He　wasn’t　here。　There　was　no　sign　he　had　ever　been　here。　No　trace　of　his　scent；　though　I　could　distinguish　the　smells　of　most　of　Raoul’s　team　and　many　strangers。　I　had　made　myself　look　at　the　pieces；　too。　None　of　them　belonged　to　Diego。　I　would　have　recognized　even　
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a　finger。　　I　turned　and　really　ran　for　the　trees；　suddenly　positive　that　Diego’s　presence　here　was　just　another　of　Riley’s　lies。　　And　if　Diego　wasn’t　here；　then　he　was　already　dead。　This　fell　into　place　for　me　so　easily　that　I　thought　I　must　have　known　the　truth　for　a　while。　Since　the　moment　that　Diego　had　not　followed　Riley　through　the　basement　door。　He’d　already　been　gone。　　I　was　a　few　feet　into　the　trees　when　a　force　like　a　wrecking　ball　hit　me　from　behind　and　threw　me　to　the　ground。　An　arm　slipped　under　my　chin。　　“Please！”　I　sobbed。　And　I　meant　please　kill　me　fast。　　The　arm　hesitated。　I　didn’t　fight　back；　though　my　instincts　were　urging　me　to　bite　and　claw　and　rip　the　enemy　apart。　The　saner　part　of　me　knew　that　wasn’t　going　to　work。　Riley　had　lied　about　these　weak；　older　vampires；　too；　and　we’d　never　had　a　chance。　But　even　if　I’d　had　a　way　to　beat　this　one；　I　wouldn’t　have　been　able　to　move。　Diego　was　gone；　and　that　glaring　fact　killed　the　fight　in　me。　　Suddenly　I　was　airborne。　I　crashed　into　a　tree　and　crumpled　to　the　ground。　I　should　have　tried　to　run；　but　Diego　was　dead。　I　couldn’t　get　around　that。　　The　blond　vampire　from　the　clearing　was　staring　intently　at　me；　his　body　ready　to　spring。　He　looked　very　capable；　much　more　experienced　than　Riley。　But　he　wasn’t　lunging　at　me。　He　wasn’t　crazed　like　Raoul　or　Kristie。　He　was　totally　in　control。　　“Please；”　I　said　again；　wanting　him　to　get　this　over　with。　“I　don’t　want　to　fight。”　
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　Though　he　still　held　himself　ready；　his　face　changed。　He　looked　at　me　in　a　way　I　didn’t　totally　get。　There　was　a　lot　of　knowledge　in　that　face；　and　something　else。　Empathy？　Pity；　at　least。　　“Neither　do　I；　child；”　he　said　in　a　calm；　kind　voice。　“We　are　only　defending　ourselves。”　　There　was　such　honesty　in　his　odd　yellow　eyes　that　it　made　me　wonder　how　I　had　ever　believed　any　of　Riley’s　stories。　I　felt…　guilty。　Maybe　this　coven　had　never　planned　to　attack　us　in　Seattle。　How　could　I　trust　any　part　of　what　I’d　been　told？　　“We　didn’t　know；”　I　explained；　somehow　ashamed。　“Riley　lied。　I’m　sorry。”　　He　listened　for　a　moment；　and　I　realized　that　the　battlefield　was　quiet。　It　was　over。　　If　I’d　been　in　any　doubt　over　who　the　winner　was；　that　doubt　was　gone　when；　a　second　later；　a　female　vampire　with　wavy　brown　hair　and　yellow　eyes　hurried　to　his　side。　　“Carlisle？”　she　asked　in　a　confused　voice；　staring　at　me。　　“She　doesn’t　want　to　fight；”　he　told　her。　　The　woman　touched　his　arm。　He　was　still　tensed　to　spring。　“She’s　so　frightened；　Carlisle。　Couldn’t　we…”　　The　blond；　Carlisle；　glanced　back　at　her；　and　then　he　straightened　up　a　little；　though　I　could　see　he　was　still　wary。　　“We　have　no　wish　to　harm　you；”　the　woman　said　to　me。　She　had　a　soft；