1 twilight暮色-第68章

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Thanksgiving；　and　I　was　twelve。　We'd　gone　to　see　my　grandmother　in　
California；　the　last　year　before　she　died。　We　went　to　the　beach　one　day；　
and　I'd　leaned　too　far　over　the　edge　of　the　pier。　She'd　seen　my　feet　
flailing；　trying　to　reclaim　my　balance。　〃Bella？　Bella？〃　she'd　called　to　
me　in　fear。　

And　then　the　TV　screen　was　blue。　

I　turned　slowly。　He　was　standing　very　still　by　the　back　exit；　so　still　I　
hadn't　noticed　him　at　first。　In　his　hand　was　a　remote　control。　We　stared　
at　each　other　for　a　long　moment；　and　then　he　smiled。　

He　walked　toward　me；　quite　close；　and　then　passed　me　to　put　the　remote　
down　next　to　the　VCR。　I　turned　carefully　to　watch　him。　

〃Sorry　about　that；　Bella；　but　isn't　it　better　that　your　mother　didn't　
really　have　to　be　involved　in　all　this？〃　His　voice　was　courteous；　kind。　

And　suddenly　it　hit　me。　My　mother　was　safe。　She　was　still　in　Florida。　
She'd　never　gotten　my　message。　She'd　never　been　terrified　by　the　dark　red　
eyes　in　the　abnormally　pale　face　before　me。　She　was　safe。　

〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　my　voice　saturated　with　relief。　

〃You　don't　sound　angry　that　I　tricked　you。〃　

〃I'm　not。〃　My　sudden　high　made　me　brave。　What　did　it　matter　now？　It　would　
soon　be　over。　Charlie　and　Mom　would　never　be　harmed；　would　never　have　to　
fear。　I　felt　almost　giddy。　Some　analytical　part　of　my　mind　warned　me　that　
I　was　dangerously　close　to　snapping　from　the　stress。　

〃How　odd。　You　really　mean　it。〃　His　dark　eyes　assessed　me　with　interest。　
The　irises　were　nearly　black；　just　a　hint　of　ruby　around　the　edges。　
Thirsty。　〃I　will　give　your　strange　coven　this　much；　you　humans　can　be　
quite　interesting。　I　guess　I　can　see　the　draw　of　observing　you。　It's　
amazing　—　some　of　you　seem　to　have　no　sense　of　your　own　selfinterest　at　
all。〃　

He　was　standing　a　few　feet　away　from　me；　arms　folded；　looking　at　me　
curiously。　There　was　no　menace　in　his　face　or　stance。　He　was　so　very　
averagelooking；　nothing　remarkable　about　his　face　or　body　at　all。　Just　
the　white　skin；　the　circled　eyes　I'd　grown　so　used　to。　He　wore　a　pale　
blue；　longsleeved　shirt　and　faded　blue　jeans。　

〃I　suppose　you're　going　to　tell　me　that　your　boyfriend　will　avenge　you？〃　
he　asked；　hopefully　it　seemed　to　me。　

〃No；　I　don't　think　so。　At　least；　I　asked　him　not　to。〃　

〃And　what　was　his　reply　to　that？〃　

〃I　don't　know。〃　It　was　strangely　easy　to　converse　with　this　genteel　
hunter。　〃I　left　him　a　letter。〃　

〃How　romantic；　a　last　letter。　And　do　you　think　he　will　honor　it？〃　His　
voice　was　just　a　little　harder　now；　a　hint　of　sarcasm　marring　his　polite　
tone。　

〃I　hope　so。〃　

〃Hmmm。　Well；　our　hopes　differ　then。　You　see；　this　was　all　just　a　little　
too　easy；　too　quick。　To　be　quite　honest；　I'm　disappointed。　I　expected　a　
much　greater　challenge。　And；　after　all；　I　only　needed　a　little　luck。〃　

I　waited　in　silence。　

〃When　Victoria　couldn't　get　to　your　father；　I　had　her　find　out　more　about　
you。　There　was　no　sense　in　running　all　over　the　pla　chasing　you　down　
when　I　could　fortably　wait　for　you　in　a　place　of　my　choosing。　So；　
after　I　talked　to　Victoria；　I　decided　to　e　to　Phoenix　to　pay　your　
mother　a　visit。　I'd　heard　you　say　you　were　going　home。　At　first；　I　never　
dreamed　you　meant　it。　But　then　I　wondered。　Humans　can　be　very　
predictable；　they　like　to　be　somewhere　familiar；　somewhere　safe。　And　
wouldn't　it　be　the　perfect　ploy；　to　go　to　the　last　place　you　should　be　
when　you're　hiding　—　the　place　that　you　said　you'd　be。　

〃But　of　course　I　wasn't　sure；　it　was　just　a　hunch。　I　usually　get　a　
feeling　about　the　prey　that　I'm　hunting；　a　sixth　sense；　if　you　will。　I　
listened　to　your　message　when　I　got　to　your　mother's　house；　but　of　course　
I　couldn't　be　sure　where　you'd　called　from。　It　was　very　useful　to　have　
your　number；　but　you　could　have　been　in　Antarctica　for　all　I　knew；　and　
the　game　wouldn't　work　unless　you　were　close　by。　

〃Then　your　boyfriend　got　on　a　plane　to　Phoenix。　Victoria　was　monitoring　
them　for　me；　naturally；　in　a　game　with　this　many　players；　I　couldn't　be　
working　alone。　And　so　they　told　me　what　I'd　hoped；　that　you　were　here　
after　all。　I　was　prepared；　I'd　already　been　through　your　charming　home　
movies。　And　then　it　was　simply　a　matter　of　the　bluff。　

〃Very　easy；　you　know；　not　really　up　to　my　standards。　So；　you　see；　I'm　
hoping　you're　wrong　about　your　boyfriend。　Edward；　isn't　it？〃　

I　didn't　answer。　The　bravado　was　wearing　off。　I　sensed　that　he　was　ing　
to　the　end　of　his　gloat。　It　wasn't　meant　for　me　anyway。　There　was　no　
glory　in　beating　me；　a　weak　human。　

〃Would　you　mind；　very　much；　if　I　left　a　little　letter　of　my　own　for　your　

Edward？〃　

He　took　a　step　back　and　touched　a　palmsized　digital　video　camera　
balanced　carefully　on　top　of　the　stereo。　A　small　red　light　indicated　that　
it　was　already　running。　He　adjusted　it　a　few　times；　widened　the　frame。　I　
stared　at　him　in　horror。　

〃I'm　sorry；　but　I　just　don't　think　he'll　be　able　to　resist　hunting　me　
after　he　watches　this。　And　I　wouldn't　want　him　to　miss　anything。　It　was　
all　for　him；　of　course。　You're　simply　a　human；　who　unfortunately　was　in　
the　wrong　place；　at　the　wrong　time；　and　indisputably　running　with　the　
wrong　crowd；　I　might　add。〃　

He　stepped　toward　me；　smiling。　〃Before　we　begin…〃　

I　felt　a　curl　of　nausea　in　the　pit　of　my　stomach　as　he　spoke。　This　was　
something　I　had　not　anticipated。　

〃I　would　just　like　to　rub　it　in；　just　a　little　bit。　The　answer　was　there　
all　along；　and　I　was　so　afraid　Edward　would　see　that　and　ruin　my　fun。　It　
happened　once；　oh；　ages　ago。　The　one　and　only　time　my　prey　escaped　me。　

〃You　see；　the　vampire　who　was　so　stupidly　fond　of　this　little　victim　made　
the　choice　that　your　Edward　was　too　weak　to　make。　When　the　old　one　knew　I　
was　after　his　little　friend；　he　stole　her　from　the　asylum　where　he　worked　
—　I　never　will　understand　the　obsession　some　vampires　seem　to　form　with　
you　humans　—　and　as　soon　as　he　freed　her　he　made　her　safe。　She　didn't　
even　seem　to　notice　the　pain；　poor　little　creature。　She'd　been　stuck　in　
that　black　hole　of　a　cell　for　so　long。　A　hundred　years　earlier　and　she　
would　have　been　burned　at　the　stake　for　her　visions。　In　the　
nieentwenties　it　was　the　asylum　and　the　shock　treatments。　When　she　
opened　her　eyes；　strong　with　her　fresh　youth；　it　was　like　she'd　never　
seen　the　sun　before。　The　old　vampire　made　her　a　strong　new　vampire；　and　
there　was　no　reason　for　me　to　touch　her　then。〃　He　sighed。　〃I　destroyed　
the　old　one　in　vengeance。〃　

〃Alice；〃　I　breathed；　astonished。　

〃Yes；　your　little　friend。　I　was　surprised　to　see　her　in　the　clearing。　So　
I　guess　her　coven　ought　to　be　able　to　derive　some　fort　from　this　
experience。　I　get　you；　but　they　get　her。　The　one　victim　who　escaped　me；　
quite　an　honor；　actually。　

〃And　she　did　smell　so　delicious。　I　still　regret　that　I　never　got　to　
taste…　She　smelled　even　better　than　you　do。　Sorry　—　I　don't　mean　to　be　
offensive。　You　have　a　very　nice　smell。　Floral；　somehow…〃　

He　took　another　step　toward　me；　till　he　was　just　inches　away。　He　lifted　a　
lock　of　my　hair　and　sniffed　at　it　delicately。　Then　he　gently　patted　the　
strand　back　into　place；　and　I　felt　his　cool　fingertips　against　my　throat。　
He　reached　up　to　stroke　my　cheek　once　quickly　with　his　thumb；　his　face　
curious。　I　wanted　so　badly　to　run；　but　I　was　frozen。　I　couldn't　even　
flinch　away。　

〃No；〃　he　murmured　to　himself　as　he　dropped　his　hand；　〃I　don't　
understand。〃　He　sighed。　〃Well；　I　suppose　we　should　get　on　with　it。　And　
then　I　can　call　your　friends　and　tell　them　where　to　find　you；　and　my　
little　message。〃　

I　was　definitely　sick　now。　There　was　pain　ing；　I　could　see　it　in　his　
eyes。　It　wouldn't　be　enough　for　him　to　win；　to　feed　and　go。　There　would　
be　no　quick　end　like　I'd　been　counting　on。　My　knees　began　to　shake；　and　I　
was　afraid　I　was　going　to　fall。　

He　stepped　back；　and　began　to　circle；　casually；　as　if　he　were　trying　to　
get　a　better　view　of　a　statue　in　a　museum。　His　face　was　still　open　and　
friendly　as　he　decided　where　to　start。　

Then　he　slumped　forward；　into　a　crouch　I　recognized；　and　his　pleasant　
smile　slowly　widened；　grew；　till　it　wasn't　a　smile　at　all　but　a　
contortion　of　teeth；　exposed　and　glistening。　

I　couldn't　help　myself—　I　tried　to　run。　As　useless　as　I　knew　it　would　be；　
as　weak　as　my　knees　already　were；　panic　took　over　and　I　bolted　for　the　
emergency　door。　

He　was　in　front　of　me　in　a　flash。　I　didn't　see　if　he　used　his　hand　or　his　
foot；　it　was　too　fast。　A　crushing　blow　struck　my　chest　—　I　felt　myself　
flying　backward；　and　then　heard　the　crunch　as　my　head　bashed　into　the　
mirrors。　The　glass　buckled；　some　of　the　pieces　shattering　and　splintering　
on　the　floor　beside　me。　

I　was　too　stunned　to　feel　the　pain。　I　couldn't　breathe　yet。　

He　walked　toward　me　slowly。　

〃That's　a　very　nice　effect；〃　he　said；　examining　the　mess　of　glass；　his　
voice　friendly　again。　〃I　thought　this　room　would　be　visually　dramatic　for　
my　little　film。　That's　why　I　picked　this　place　to　meet　you。　It's　perfect；　
isn't　it？〃　

I　ignored　him；　scrambling　on　my　hands　and　knees；　crawling　toward　the　
other　door。　

He　was　over　me　at　once；　his　foot　stepping　down　hard　on　my　leg。　I　heard　
the　sickening　snap　before　I　felt　it。　But