6 the short second life of bree tanner布里·坦纳第二次短暂生命-第19部分
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alled down。 “Whoa。 I’m all… shiny。 This is crazy！” He laughed。 “Well done； Kevin；” Riley said loudly。 That did it for Raoul。 He gritted his teeth and marched up the stairs。 He didn’t move fast； but soon he was up there sparkling and laughing with Kevin。 Even from then on； the process took longer than I would have predicted。 It was still a onebyone thing。 Riley got impatient。 It was more threats than encouragement now。 Fred shot me a look that said； You knew this Yes； I mouthed。 He nodded and started up the stairs。 There were still about
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ten people； mostly Kristie’s group； huddled against the wall。 I went with Fred。 Better to e out right in the middle。 Let Riley read into that what he would。 We could see the shining； discoball vampires in the front yard； staring at their hands and each other’s faces with rapt expressions。 Fred moved into the light without slowing； which I thought was pretty brave； all things considered。 Kristie was a better example of how well Riley had indoctrinated us。 She clung to what she knew regardless of the evidence in front of her。 Fred and I stood a little space from the others。 He examined himself carefully； then looked me over； then stared at the others。 It struck me that Fred； though really quiet； was very observant and almost scientific in the way he examined evidence。 He’d been evaluating Riley’s words and actions all along。 How much had he figured out？ Riley had to force Kristie up the stairs； and her gang came with her。 Finally we all were out in the sun； most people enjoying how very pretty they were。 Riley rounded everyone up for one more quick practice session mostly； I thought； to get them to focus again。 It took them a minute； but everyone started to realize that this was it； and they got quieter and more fierce。 I could see that the idea of a real fightof being not only allowed but encouraged to rip and burn was almost as exciting as hunting。 It appealed to people like Raoul and Jen and Sara。 Riley focused on a strategy he’d been trying to drill into them for the last few daysonce we’d pinpointed the yellow eyes’ scent； we were going to divide in two and flank them。
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Raoul would charge them headon while Kristie attacked from the side。 The plan suited both their styles； though I wasn’t sure if they were going to be able to follow this strategy in the heat of the hunt。 When Riley called everyone together after an hour of practice； Fred immediately started walking backward toward the north； Riley had the others facing south。 I stayed close； though I had no idea what he was doing。 Fred stopped when we were a good hundred yards away； in the shade of the spruce trees on the fringe of the forest。 No one watched us move away。 Fred was eyeing Riley； as if waiting to see if he would notice our retreat。 Riley began speaking。 “We leave now。 You’re strong and you’re ready。 And you’re thirsty for it； aren’t you？ You can feel the burn。 You’re ready for dessert。” He was right。 All that blood hadn’t slowed the return of the thirst at all。 In fact； I wasn’t sure； but I thought it might be ing back faster and harder than usual。 Maybe overfeeding was counterproductive in some ways。 “The yelloweyes are ing in slowly from the south； feeding along the way； trying to get stronger；” Riley said。 “She’s been monitoring them； so I know where to find them。 She’s going to meet us there； with Diego” he cast a significant glance toward where I’d just been standing； and then a quick frown that disappeared just as quickly “and we will hit them like a tsunami。 We will overwhelm them easily。 And then we will celebrate。” He smiled。 “Someone’s going to get a jump on the celebration。 Raoul give me that。” Riley held out his hand
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imperiously。 Raoul reluctantly tossed him the bag with the shirt。 It seemed like Raoul was trying to lay claim to the girl by hogging her scent。 “Take another whiff； everybody。 Let’s get focused！” Focused on the girl？ Or the fight？ Riley himself walked the shirt around this time； almost like he wanted to make sure everyone was thirsty。 And I could see from the reactions that； like me； the burn was back for them all。 The scent of the shirt made them scowl and snarl。 It wasn’t necessary to give us the scent again； we forgot nothing。 So this was probably just a test。 Just thinking about the girl’s scent had venom pooling in my mouth。 “Are you with me？” Riley bellowed。 Everyone screamed his or her assent。 “Let’s take them down； kids！” It was like the barracuda again； only on land this time。 Fred didn’t move； so I stayed with him； though I knew I was wasting time I needed。 If I were going to get to Diego and pull him away before the fighting could start； I would need to be near the front of the attack。 I looked after them anxiously。 I was still younger than most of them faster。 “Riley won’t be able to think of me for about twenty minutes or so；” Fred told me； his voice casual and familiar； like we’d had a million conversations in the past。 “I’ve been gauging the time。 Even a good distance away； he’ll feel sick if he tries to remember me。” “Really？ That’s cool。” Fred smiled。 “I’ve been practicing； keeping track of the
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effects。 I can make myself totally invisible now。 No one can look at me if I don’t want them to。” “I’ve noticed；” I said； then paused and guessed； “You’re not going？” Fred shook his head。 “Of course not。 It’s obvious we’re not being told what we need to know。 I’m not going to be Riley’s pawn。” So Fred had figured it out on his own。 “I was going to take off sooner； but then I wanted to talk to you before I left； and there hasn’t been a chance till now。” “I wanted to talk to you； too；” I said。 “I thought you should know that Riley’s been lying about the sun。 This fourday thing is a total crock。 I think Shelly and Steve and the others figured it out； too。 And there’s a lot more politics going on with this fight than he’s told us。 More than one set of enemies。” I said it fast； feeling with terrible urgency the movement of the sun； the time passing。 I had to get to Diego。 “I’m not surprised；” Fred said calmly。 “And I’m out。 I’m going to explore on my own； see the world。 Or I was going on my own； but then I thought maybe you might want to e； too。 You’d be pretty safe with me。 No one will be able to follow us。” I hesitated for a second。 The idea of safety was hard to resist in that exact moment。 “I’ve got to get Diego；” I said； shaking my head。 He nodded thoughtfully。 “I get it。 You know； if you’re willing to vouch for him； you can bring him along。 Seems like sometimes numbers e in handy。” “Yes；” I agreed fervently； remembering how vulnerable I’d felt
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in the tree alone with Diego as the four cloaks had advanced。 He raised an eyebrow at my tone。 “Riley is lying about at least one more important thing；” I explained。 “Be careful。 We aren’t supposed to let humans know about us。 There are some kind of freaky vampires who stop covens when they get too obvious。 I’ve seen them； and you don’t want them to find you。 Just keep out of sight in the day； and hunt smart。” I looked south anxiously。 “I have to hurry！” He was processing my revelations solemnly。 “Okay。 Catch up to me if you want。 I’d like to hear more。 I’ll wait for you in Vancouver for one day。 I know the city。 I’ll leave you a trail in…” He thought for a second and then chuckled once。 “Riley Park。 You can follow it to me。 But after twentyfour hours I’m taking off。” “I’ll get Diego and catch up to you。” “Good luck； Bree。” “Thanks； Fred！ Good luck to you； too。 I’ll see you！” I was already running。 “I hope so；” I heard him say behind me。 I sprinted after the scent of the others； flying along the ground faster than I’d ever run before。 I was lucky that they must have paused for something for Riley to yell at them； I was guessing because I caught them sooner than I should have。 Or maybe Riley had remembered Fred and stopped to look for us。 They were running at a steady pace when I reached them； semi disciplined 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 h
