《6 the short second life of bree tanner布里·坦纳第二次短暂生命》第34章

Page　140
but　we　will　if　you　can’t　control　yourself。” “How　can　you　stand　it？”　I　asked　him；　almost　begging。　Wasn’t　he　burning；　too？　“I　want　her。”　I　stared　at　her；　desperately　wishing　the　distance　between　us　was　gone。　My　fingers　raked　uselessly　through　the　rocky　dirt。 “You　must　stand　it；”　Carlisle　said　solemnly。　“You　must　exercise　control。　It　is　possible；　and　it　is　the　only　thing　that　will　save　you　now。” If　being　able　to　tolerate　the　human　the　way　these　strange　vampires　did　was　my　only　hope　for　survival；　then　I　was　already　doomed。　I　couldn’t　stand　the　fire。　And　I　was　of　two　minds　about　survival　anyway。　I　didn’t　want　to　die；　I　didn’t　want　pain；　but　what　was　the　point？　Everyone　else　was　dead。　Diego　had　been　dead　for　days。 His　name　was　right　on　my　lips。　I　almost　whispered　it　aloud。　Instead；　I　gripped　my　skull　with　both　hands　and　tried　to　think　about　something　that　wouldn’t　hurt。　Not　the　girl；　and　not　Diego。　It　didn’t　work　very　well。 “Shouldn’t　we　move　away　from　her？”　the　human　whispered　roughly；　breaking　my　concentration。　My　eyes　snapped　back　to　her。　Her　skin　was　so　thin　and　soft。　I　could　see　the　pulse　in　her　neck。 “We　have　to　stay　here；”　said　the　vampire　she　was　clinging　to。　“They　are　ing　to　the　north　end　of　the　clearing　now。” They？　I　glanced　to　the　north；　but　there　was　nothing　but　smoke。　Did　he　mean　Riley　and　my　creator？　I　felt　a　new　thrill　of　panic；　followed　by　a　little　spasm　of　hope。　There　was　no　way　she　and　Riley　could　stand　against　these　vampires　who　had　killed　so　
Page　141
many　of　us；　was　there？　Even　if　the　howly　ones　were　gone；　Jasper　alone　looked　capable　of　dealing　with　the　two　of　them。 Or　did　he　mean　this　mysterious　Volturi？ The　wind　teased　the　girl’s　scent　across　my　face　again；　and　my　thoughts　scattered。　I　glared　at　her　thirstily。 The　girl　met　my　stare；　but　her　expression　was　so　different　from　what　it　should　have　been。　Though　I　could　feel　that　my　lips　were　curled　back　from　my　teeth；　though　I　trembled　with　the　effort　to　stop　myself　from　springing　at　her；　she　did　not　look　afraid　of　me。　Instead　she　seemed　fascinated。　It　almost　looked　like　she　wanted　to　speak　to　me like　she　had　a　question　she　wanted　me　to　answer。 Then　Carlisle　and　Jasper　began　to　back　away　from　the　fireand　me closing　ranks　with　the　others　and　the　human。　They　all　were　staring　past　me　into　the　smoke；　so　whatever　they　were　afraid　of　was　closer　to　me　than　it　was　to　them。　I　huddled　tighter　to　the　smoke　in　spite　of　the　nearby　flames。　Should　I　make　a　run　for　it？　Were　they　distracted　enough　that　I　could　escape？　Where　would　I　go？　To　Fred？　Off　on　my　own？　To　find　Riley　and　make　him　pay　for　what　he’d　done　to　Diego？ As　I　hesitated；　mesmerized　by　that　last　idea；　the　moment　passed。　I　heard　movement　to　the　north　and　knew　I　was　sandwiched　between　the　yelloweyes　and　whatever　was　ing。 “Hmm；”　a　dead　voice　said　from　behind　the　smoke。 In　that　one　syllable　I　knew　exactly　who　it　was；　and　if　I　hadn’t　been　frozen　solid　with　mindless　terror　I　would　have　bolted。 It　was　the　darkcloaks。　
Page　142
What　did　this　mean？　Would　a　new　battle　begin　now？　I　knew　that　the　darkcloaked　vampires　had　wanted　my　creator　to　succeed　in　destroying　these　yelloweyes。　My　creator　had　clearly　failed。　Did　that　mean　they　would　kill　her？　Or　would　they　kill　Carlisle　and　Esme　and　the　rest　here　instead？　If　it　had　been　my　choice；　I　knew　who　I　would　want　destroyed；　and　it　wasn’t　my　captors。 The　darkcloaks　ghosted　through　the　vapor　to　face　the　yelloweyes。　None　of　them　looked　in　my　direction。　I　held　absolutely　still。 There　were　only　four　of　them；　like　last　time。　But　it　didn’t　make　a　difference　that　there　were　seven　of　the　yelloweyes。　I　could　tell　that　they　were　as　wary　of　these　darkcloaks　as　Riley　and　my　creator　had　been。　There　was　something　more　to　them　than　I　could　see；　but　I　could　definitely　feel　it。　These　were　the　punishers；　and　they　didn’t　lose。 “Wele；　Jane；”　said　the　yelloweyed　one　who　held　the　human。 They　knew　each　other。　But　the　redhead’s　voice　was　not　friendlynor　was　it　weak　and　eager　to　please　like　Riley’s　had　been；　or　furiously　terrified　like　my　creator’s。　His　voice　was　simply　cold　and　polite　and　unsurprised。　Were　the　darkcloaks　this　Volturi；　then？ The　small　vampire　who　led　the　darkcloaks Jane；　apparently slowly　scanned　across　the　seven　yelloweyes　and　the　human；　and　then　finally　turned　her　head　toward　me。　I　glimpsed　her　face　for　the　first　time。　She　was　younger　than　me；　but　much　older；　too；　I　guessed。　Her　eyes　were　the　velvet　color　of　
Page　143
dark　red　roses。　Knowing　it　was　too　late　to　escape　notice；　I　put　my　head　down；　covering　it　with　my　hands。　Maybe　if　it　were　clear　that　I　didn’t　want　to　fight；　Jane　would　treat　me　as　Carlisle　had。　I　didn’t　feel　much　hope　of　that；　though。 “I　don’t　understand。”　Jane’s　dead　voice　betrayed　a　hint　of　annoyance。 “She　has　surrendered；”　the　redhead　explained。 “Surrendered？”　Jane　snapped。 I　peeked　up　to　see　the　darkcloaks　exchanging　glances。　The　redhead　had　said　that　he’d　never　seen　anyone　surrender　before。　Maybe　the　darkcloaks　hadn’t；　either。 “Carlisle　gave　her　the　option；”　the　redhead　said。　He　seemed　to　be　the　spokesperson　for　the　yelloweyes；　though　I　thought　Carlisle　might　be　the　leader。 “There　are　no　options　for　those　who　break　the　rules；”　Jane　said；　her　voice　dead　again。 My　bones　felt　like　ice；　but　I　didn’t　feel　panicked　anymore。　It　all　seemed　so　inevitable　now。 Carlisle　answered　Jane　in　a　soft　voice。　“That’s　in　your　hands。　As　long　as　she　was　willing　to　halt　her　attack　on　us；　I　saw　no　need　to　destroy　her。　She　was　never　taught。” Though　his　words　were　neutral；　I　almost　thought　he　was　pleading　for　me。　But；　as　he　had　said；　my　fate　was　not　up　to　him。 “That　is　irrelevant；”　Jane　confirmed。 “As　you　wish。” Jane　was　staring　at　Carlisle　with　an　expression　that　was　half　confusion　and　half　frustration。　She　shook　her　head；　and　her　face　was　unreadable　again。　
Page　144
“Aro　hoped　that　we　would　get　far　enough　west　to　see　you；　Carlisle；”　she　said。　“He　sends　his　regards。” “I　would　appreciate　it　if　you　would　convey　mine　to　him；”　he　answered。 Jane　smiled。　“Of　course。”　Then　she　looked　at　me　again；　with　the　corners　of　her　mouth　still　slightly　holding　the　smile。　“It　appear