《2 new+moon新月》第114章

lost。〃　
He　closed　his　eyes　and　laid　his　ear　over　my　heart　again。　I　let　my　cheek　press　against　his　hair；　felt　the　
texture　of　it　on　my　skin；　smelled　the　delicious　scent　of　him。　
〃Tracking　wasn"t　a　distraction　then？〃　I　asked；　curious；　and　also　needing　to　distract　myself。　I　was　very　
much　in　danger　of　hoping。　I　wouldn"t　be　able　to　stop　myself　for　long。　My　heart　throbbed；　singing　in　my　
chest。　
〃No。〃　He　sighed。　〃That　was　never　a　distraction。　It　was　an　obligation。〃　
〃What　does　that　mean？〃　
〃It　means　that；　even　though　I　never　expected　any　danger　from　Victoria；　I　wasn"t　going　to　let　her　get　away　
with…　Well；　like　I　said；　I　was　horrible　at　it。　I　traced　her　as　far　as　Texas；　but　then　I　followed　a　false　lead　
down　to　Brazil—and　really　she　came　here。〃　He　groaned。　〃I　wasn"t　even　on　the　right　continent！　And　all　the　
while；　worse　than　my　worst　fears—〃　
〃You　were　hunting　Victoria？〃　I　halfshrieked　as　soon　as　I　could　find　my　voice；　shooting　through　two　
octaves。　
Charlie"s　distant　snores　stuttered；　and　then　picked　up　a　regular　rhythm　again。　
〃Not　well；〃　Edward　answered；　studying　my　outraged　expression　with　a　confused　look。　〃But　I"ll　do　better　
this　time。　She　won"t　be　tainting　perfectly　good　air　by　breathing　in　and　out　for　much　longer。〃　
〃That　is…　out　of　the　question；〃　I　managed　to　choke　out。　Insanity。　Even　if　he　had　Emmett　or　Jasper　help　
him。　Even　if　he　had　Emmett　and　Jasper　help。　It　was　worse　than　my　other　imaginings：　Jacob　Black　
standing　across　a　small　space　from　Victoria"s　vicious　and　feline　figure。　I　couldn"t　bear　to　picture　Edward　
there；　even　though　he　was　so　much　more　durable　than　my　halfhuman　best　friend。　
〃It"s　too　late　for　her。　I　might　have　let　the　other　time　slide；　but　not　now；　not　after—〃　
I　interrupted　him　again；　trying　to　sound　calm。　〃Didn"t　you　just　promise　that　you　weren"t　going　to　leave？〃　I　
asked；　fighting　the　words　as　I　said　them；　nor　letting　them　plant　themselves　in　my　heart。　〃That　isn"t　exactly　
patible　with　an　extended　tracking　expedition；　is　it？〃　
He　frowned。　A　snarl　began　to　build　low　in　his　chest。　〃I　will　keep　my　promise；　Bella。　But　Victoria〃—the　
snarl　became　more　pronounced—〃is　going　to　die。　Soon。〃　
〃Let"s　not　be　hasty；〃　I　said；　trying　to　hide　my　panic。　〃Maybe　she"s　not　ing　back。　Jake"s　pack　probably　
scared　her　off。　There"s　really　no　reason　to　go　looking　for　her。　Besides；　I"ve　got　bigger　problems　than　
Victoria。〃　
Edward"s　eyes　narrowed；　but　he　nodded。　〃It"s　true。　The　werewolves　are　a　problem。〃　
I　snorted。　〃I　wasn"t　talking　about　Jacob。　My　problems　are　a　lot　worse　that　a　handful　of　adolescent　
wolves　getting　themselves　into　trouble。〃　
Edward　looked　as　if　he　were　about　to　say　something；　and　then　thought　better　of　it。　His　teeth　clicked　
together；　and　he　spoke　through　them。　〃Really？〃　he　asked。　〃Then　what　would　be　your　greatest　problem？　
That　would　make　Victoria"s　returning　for　you　seem　like　such　an　inconsequential　matter　in　parison？〃　
〃How　about　the　second　greatest？〃　I　hedged。　
〃All　right；〃　he　agreed；　suspicious。　
I　paused。　I　wasn"t　sure　I　could　say　the　name。　〃There　are　others　who　are　ing　to　look　for　me；〃　I　
reminded　him　in　a　subdued　whisper。　
He　sighed；　but　the　reaction　was　not　as　strong　as　I　would　have　imagined　after　his　response　to　Victoria。　
〃The　Volturi　are　only　the　second　greatest？〃　
〃You　don"t　seem　that　upset　about　it；〃　I　noted。　
〃Well；　we　have　plenty　of　time　to　think　it　through。　Time　means　something　very　different　to　them　than　it　
does　to　you；　or　even　me。　They　count　years　the　way　you　count　days。　I　wouldn"t　be　surprised　if　you　were　
thirty　before　you　crossed　their　minds　again；〃　he　added　lightly。　
Horror　washed　through　me。　
Thirty。　
So　his　promises　meant　nothing；　in　the　end。　If　I　were　going　to　turn　thirty　someday；　then　he　couldn"t　be　
planning　on　staying　long。　The　harsh　pain　of　this　knowledge　made　me　realize　that　I"d　already　begun　to　
hope；　without　giving　myself　permission　to　do　5。0。　
〃You　don"t　have　to　be　afraid；〃　he　said；　anxious　as　he　watched　the　tears　dew　up　again　on　the　rims　of　my　
eyes。　〃I　won"t　let　them　hurt　you。〃　
〃While　you"re　here。〃　Not　that　I　cared　what　happened　to　me　when　he　left。　
He　took　my　face　between　his　two　stone　hands；　holding　it　tightly　while　his　midnight　eyes　glared　into　mine　
with　the　gravitational　force　of　a　black　hole。　〃I　will　never　leave　you　again。〃　
〃But　you　said　thirty；〃　I　whispered。　The　tears　leaked　over　the　edge。　〃What？　You"re　going　to　stay；　but　let　
me　get　all　old　anyway？　Right。〃　
His　eyes　softened；　while　his　mouth　went　hard。　〃That"s　exactly　what　I"m　going　to　do。　What　choice　have　I？　
I　cannot　be　without　you；　but　I　will　not　destroy　your　soul。〃　
〃Is　this　really…〃　I　tried　to　keep　my　voice　even；　but　this　question　was　too　hard。　I　remembered　his　face　
when　Aro　had　almost　begged　him　to　consider　making　me　immortal。　The　sick　look　there。　Was　this　fixation　
with　keeping　me　human　really　about　my　soul；　or　was　it　because　he　wasn"t　sure　that　he　wanted　me　around　
that　long？　
〃Yes？〃　he　asked；　waiting　for　my　question。　
I　asked　a　different　one。　Almost—but　not　quite—as　hard。　
〃But　what　about　when　I　get　so　old　that　people　think　I"m　your　mother？　Your　grandmother？〃　My　voice　
was　pale　with　revulsion—I　could　see　Gran"s　face　again　in　the　dream　mirror。　
His　whole　face　was　soft　now。　He　brushed　the　tears　from　my　cheek　with　his　lips。　〃That　doesn"t　mean　
anything　to　me；〃　he　breathed　against　my　skin。　〃You　will　always　be　the　most　beautiful　thing　in　my　world。　
Of　course…〃　He　hesitated；　flinching　slightly。　〃If　you　outgrew　me—if　you　wanted　something　more—I　
would　understand　that；　Bella。　I　promise　I　wouldn"t　stand　in　your　way　if　you　wanted　to　leave　me。〃　
His　eyes　were　liquid　onyx　and　utterly　sincere。　He　spoke　as　if　he"d　put　endless　amounts　of　thought　into　this　
asinine　plan。　
〃You　do　realize　that　I"ll　die　eventually；　right？〃　I　demanded。　
He"d　thought　about　this　part；　too。　〃I"ll　follow　after　as　soon　as　I　can。〃　
〃That　is　seriously…〃I　looked　for　the　right　word。　〃Sick。〃　
〃Bella；　it"s　the　only　right　way　left—〃　
〃Let"s　just　back　up　for　a　minute；〃　I　said；　feeling　angry　made　it　so　much　easier　to　be　clear；　decisive。　〃You　
do　remember　the　Volturi；　rig