《6 the short second life of bree tanner布里·坦纳第二次短暂生命》第32章

I　was　too　sad　miserable　to　my　core。　Diego　was　aways　in　my　mind；　and　I　couldn’t　help　thinking　about　how　he　must　have　died。 I　was　sure　there　was　no　way　he　would　have　voluntarily　told　Riley　our　secrets secrets　that　had　given　me　a　reason　to　trust　Riley　just　enough　until　it　was　too　late。　In　my　head；　I　saw　Riley’s　face　again that　cold；　smooth　expression　that　had　formed　as　he’d　threatened　to　punish　any　of　us　who　wouldn’t　behave。　I　heard　again　his　macabre　and　oddly　detailed　description when　I　take　you　to　her　and　hold　you　as　she　tears　off　your　legs　and　then　slowly；　slowly　burns　off　your　fingers；　ears；　lips；　tongue；　and　every　other　superfluous　appendage　one　by　one。 I　realized　now　that　I’d　been　hearing　the　description　of　Diego’s　death。 That　night；　I’d　been　sure　that　something　had　changed　in　Riley。　Killing　Diego　was　what　had　changed　Riley；　had　hardened　him。　I　believed　only　one　thing　that　Riley　had　ever　told　me：　he　had　valued　Diego　more　than　any　of　the　rest　of　us。　Had　even　been　fond　of　him。　And　yet　he’d　watched　our　creator　hurt　him。　No　doubt　he’d　helped　her。　Killed　Diego　with　her。 I　wondered　how　much　pain　it　would　have　taken　to　make　me　betray　Diego。　I　imagined　it　would　have　taken　quite　a　lot。　And　I　was　sure　it　had　taken　at　least　that　much　to　make　Diego　betray　me。 I　felt　sick。　I　wanted　the　image　of　Diego　screaming　in　agony　out　of　my　head；　but　it　wouldn’t　leave。　
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And　then　there　was　screaming　there　in　the　field。 My　eyelids　fluttered；　but　Jasper　snarled　furiously　and　I　clenched　them　together　at　once。　I’d　seen　nothing　but　heavy　lavender　smoke。 I　heard　shouting　and　a　strange；　savage　howling。　It　was　loud；　and　there　was　a　lot　of　it。　I　couldn’t　imagine　how　a　face　would　have　to　contort　to　create　such　a　noise；　and　the　not　knowing　made　the　sound　more　frightening。　These　yelloweyed　vampires　were　so　different　from　the　rest　of　us。　Or　different　from　me；　I　guess；　since　I　was　the　only　one　left。　Riley　and　our　creator　were　long　gone　by　now。 I　heard　names　called；　Jacob；　Leah；　Sam。　There　were　lots　of　distinct　voices；　though　the　howls　continued。　Of　course　Riley　had　lied　to　us　about　the　number　of　vampires　here；　too。 The　sound　of　the　howling　tapered　off　until　it　was　just　one　voice；　one　agonized；　inhuman　yowling　that　made　me　grit　my　teeth。　I　could　see　Diego’s　face　so　clearly　in　my　mind；　and　the　sound　was　like　him　screaming。 I　heard　Carlisle　talking　over　the　other　voices　and　the　howling。　He　was　begging　to　look　at　something。　“Please　let　me　take　a　look。　Please　let　me　help。”　I　didn’t　hear　anyone　arguing　with　him；　but　for　some　reason　his　tone　made　it　sound　like　he　was　losing　the　dispute。 And　then　the　yowling　reached　a　strident　new　pitch；　and　suddenly　Carlisle　was　saying　“thank　you”　in　a　fervent　voice；　and　under　the　yowl　there　was　the　sound　of　a　lot　of　movement　by　a　lot　of　bodies。　Many　heavy　footsteps　ing　closer。 I　listened　harder　and　heard　something　unexpected　and　
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impossible。　Along　with　some　heavy　breathing and　I’ve　never　heard　anyone　in　my　coven　breathe　like　that　there　were　dozens　of　deep　thumping　noises。　Almost　like…　heartbeats。　But　definitely　not　human　hearts。　I　knew　that　particular　sound　well。　I　sniffed　hard；　but　the　wind　was　blowing　from　the　other　direction；　and　I　could　only　smell　the　smoke。 Without　a　warning　sound；　something　touched　me；　clapped　down　firmly　on　either　side　of　my　head。 My　eyes　started　open　in　panic　as　I　lurched　up；　straining　to　jerk　free　of　this　hold；　and　instantly　met　Jasper’s　warning　gaze　about　two　inches　from　my　face。 “Stop　it；”　he　snapped；　yanking　me　back　down　on　my　butt。　I　could　only　just　hear　him；　and　I　realized　that　his　hands　were　sealed　tight　against　my　head；　covering　my　ears　entirely。 “Close　your　eyes；”　he　instructed　again；　probably　at　a　normal　volume；　but　it　was　hushed　for　me。 I　struggled　to　calm　myself　and　shut　my　eyes　again。　There　were　things　they　didn’t　want　me　to　hear；　either。　I　could　live　with　thatif　it　meant　I　could　live。 For　a　second　I　saw　Fred’s　face　behind　my　eyelids。　He　had　said　he　would　wait　for　one　day。　I　wondered　if　he　would　keep　his　word。　I　wished　I　could　tell　him　the　truth　about　the　yelloweyes；　and　how　much　more　there　seemed　to　be　that　we　didn’t　know。　This　whole　world　that　we　really　knew　nothing　about。 It　would　be　interesting　to　explore　that　world。　Particularly　with　someone　who　could　make　me　invisible　and　safe。 But　Diego　was　gone。　He　wouldn’t　be　ing　to　find　Fred　with　me。　That　made　imagining　the　future　faintly　repugnant。　
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I　could　still　hear　some　of　what　was　going　on；　but　just　the　howling　and　a　few　voices。　Whatever　those　weird　thumping　sounds　had　been；　they　were　too　muted　now　for　me　to　examine　them。 I　did　make　out　the　words　when；　a　few　minutes　later；　Carlisle　said；　“You　have　to…”　his　voice　was　too　low　for　a　second；　and　then“…　from　here　now。　If　we　could　help　we　would；　but　we　cannot　leave。” There　was　a　growl；　but　it　was　oddly　unmenacing。　The　yowling　became　a　low　whine　that　disappeared　slowly；　as　if　it　was　moving　away　from　me。 It　was　quiet　for　a　few　minutes。　I　heard　some　low　voices；　Carlisle　and　Esme　among　them；　but　also　some　I　didn’t　know。　I　wished　I　could　smell　something the　blindness　bined　with　the　muted　sound　left　me　straining　for　some　source　of　sensory　information。　But　all　I　could　smell　was　the　horribly　sweet　smoke。 There　was　one　voice；　higher　and　clearer　than　the　others；　that　I　could　hear　most　easily。 “Another　five　minutes；”　I　heard　whoever　it　was　say。　I　was　sure　it　was　a　girl　who　was　speaking。　“And　Bella　will　open　her　eyes　in　thirtyseven　seconds。　I　wouldn’t　doubt　that　she　can　hear　us　now。” I　tried　to　make　sense　of　this。　Was　someone　else　being　forced　to　keep　her　eyes　shut；　like　me？　Or　did　she　think　my　name　was　Bella？　I　hadn’t　told　anyone　my　name。　I　struggled　again　to　smell　something。 More　mumbling。　I　thought　that　one　voice　sounded　offI　couldn’t　hear　any　ring　to　it　at　all。　But　I　couldn’t　be　sure　with　
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Jasper’s　hands　so　securely　over　my　ears。 “Three　minutes；”　the　high；　clear　voice　said。 Jasper’s　hands　left　my　head。 “You’d　better　open　your　eyes　now；”　he　told　me　from　a　few　steps　away。　The　way　he　said　this　frightened　me。　I　looked　around　myself　quickly；　searching　for　the　danger　hinted　at