《5 midnight sun午夜阳光》第52章

s　the　street；　heading　south。　There　wasn　t　really　much　in　that　direction。　Was　she　lost？　Well；　that　possibility　didn　t　sound　entirely　out　of　character。　I　got　back　in　the　car　and　drove　slowly　through　the　streets；　looking　for　her。　I　stepped　out　into　a　few　other　patches　of　shadow；　but　I　only　caught　her　scent　once　more；　and　the　direction　of　it　confused　me。　Where　was　she　trying　to　go？　I　drove　back　and　forth　between　the　bookstore　and　the　restaurant　a　few　times；　hoping　to　see　her　on　her　way。　Jessica　and　Angela　were　already　there；　trying　to　decide　whether　to　order；　or　to　wait　for　Bella。　Jessica　was　pushing　for　ordering　immediately。　I　began　flitting　through　the　minds　of　strangers；　looking　through　their　eyes。　Surely；　someone　must　have　seen　her　somewhere。　I　got　more　and　more　anxious　the　longer　she　remained　missing。　I　hadn　t　considered　before　how　difficult　she　might　prove　to　find　once；　like　now；　she　was　out　of　my　sight　and　off　her　normal　paths。　I　didn　t　like　it。　The　clouds　were　massing　on　the　horizon；　and；　in　a　few　more　minutes；　I　would　be　free　to　track　her　on　foot。　It　wouldn　t　take　me　long　then。　It　was　only　the　sun　that　made　me　so　helpless　now。　Just　few　more　minutes；　and　then　the　advantage　would
be　mine　again　and　it　would　be　the　human　world　that　was　powerless。　Another　mind；　and　another。　So　many　trivial　thoughts。　。。think　the　baby　has　another　ear　infection　Was　it　sixfouroh　or　sixohfour　？　Late　again。　I　ought　to　tell　him　Aha！　Finally；　someone　had　noticed　her！　Here　she　es！　There；　at　last；　was　her　face。　The　relief　lasted　for　only　a　fraction　of　a　second；　and　then　I　read　more　fully　the　thoughts　of　the　man　who　was　gloating　over　her　face　in　the　shadows。　His　mind　was　a　stranger　to　me；　and　yet；　not　totally　unfamiliar。　exactly　such　minds。　NO！　I　roared；　and　a　volley　of　snarls　erupted　from　my　throat。　gas　pedal　to　the　floor；　but　where　was　I　going？　I　had　once　hunted　My　foot　shoved　the　I　knew　the　general　location　of　his　thoughts；　but　the　knowledge　was　not　specific　enough。　Something；　there　had　to　be　something　a　street　sign；　a　store　front；　something　in　his　sight　that　would　give　away　his　location。　But　Bella　was　deep　in　shadow；　and　his　eyes　were　focused　only　on　her　frightened　expression　enjoying　the　fear　there。　Her　face　was　blurred　in　his　mind　by　the　memory　of　other　faces。　first　victim。　Bella　was　not　his　The　sound　of　my　growls　shook　the　frame　of　the　car；　but　did　not　distract　me。　There　were　no　windows　in　the　wall　behind　her。　Somewhere　industrial；　away　from　the　more　populated　shopping　district。　My　car　squealed　around　a　corner；　swerving　past　another　vehicle；　heading　in　what　I　hoped　was　the　right　direction。　By　the　time　the　other　driver　honked；　the　sound　was　far　behind　me。　Look　at　her　shaking！　The　man　chuckled　in　anticipation。　him　the　part　he　enjoyed。　Stay　away　from　me。　The　fear　was　the　draw　for　Her　voice　was　low　and　steady；　not　a　scream。　Don　t　be　like　that；　sugar。　He　watched　her　flinch　to　a　rowdy　laugh　that　came　from　another　direction。　He　was　irritated　with　the　noise　Shut　up；　Jeff！　he　thought　but　he　enjoyed　the　way　she　cringed。　It　excited　him。　He　began　to　imagine　her　pleas；　the　way　she　would　beg　I　hadn　t　realized　that　there　were　others　with　him　until　I　d　heard　the　loud　laughter。　I　scanned　out　from　him；　desperate　for　something　that　I　could　use。　the　first　step　in　her　direction；　flexing　his　hands。　He　was　taking　The　minds　around　him　were　not　the　cesspool　that　his　was。　They　were　all　slightly　intoxicated；　not　one　of　them　realizing　how　far　the　man　they　called　Lonnie　planned　to　go　with　this。　They　were　following　Lonnie　s　lead　blindly。　He　d　promised　them　a
little　fun　One　of　them　glanced　down　the　street；　nervous　he　didn　t　want　to　get　caught　harassing　the　girl　and　gave　me　what　I　needed。　I　recognized　the　cross　street　he　stared　toward。　I　flew　under　a　red　light；　sliding　through　a　space　just　wide　enough　between　two　cars　in　the　moving　traffic。　Horns　blared　behind　me。　My　phone　vibrated　in　my　pocket。　I　ignored　it。　Lonnie　moved　slowly　toward　the　girl；　drawing　out　the　suspense　the　moment　of　terror　that　aroused　him。　He　waited　for　her　scream；　preparing　to　savor　it。　But　Bella　locked　her　jaw　and　braced　herself。　He　was　surprised　he　d　expected　her　to　try　to　run。　Surprised　and　slightly　disappointed。　He　liked　to　chase　his　prey　down；　the　adrenaline　of　the　hunt。　Brave；　this　one。　Maybe　better；　I　guess　more　fight　in　her。　I　was　a　block　away。　The　monster　could　hear　the　roar　of　my　engine　now；　but　he　paid　it　no　attention；　too　intent　on　his　victim。　I　would　see　how　he　enjoyed　the　hunt　when　he　was　the　prey。　thought　of　my　style　of　hunting。　I　would　see　what　he　In　another　partment　of　my　head；　I　was　already　sorting　through　the　range　of　tortures　I　d　born　witness　to　in　my　vigilante　days；　searching　for　the　most　painful　of　them。　He　would　suffer　for　this。　He　would　writhe　in　agony。　The　others　would　merely　die　for　their　part；　but　the　monster　named　Lonnie　would　beg　for　death　long　before　I　would　give　him　that　gift。　He　was　in　the　road；　crossing　toward　her。　I　spun　sharply　around　the　corner；　my　headlights　washing　across　the　scene　and　freezing　the　rest　of　them　in　place。　I　could　have　run　down　the　leader；　who　leapt　out　of　the　way；　but　that　was　too　easy　a　death　for　him。　I　let　the　car　spin　out；　swinging　all　the　way　around　so　that　I　was　facing　back　the　way　I　d　e　and　the　passenger　door　was　closest　to　Bella。　I　threw　that　open；　and　she　was　already　running　toward　the　car。　Get　in；　I　snarled。　What　the　hell？　Knew　this　was　a　bad　idea！　Should　I　run？　Think　I　m　going　to　throw　up　Bella　jumped　through　the　open　door　without　hesitating；　pulling　the　door　shut　behind　her。　And　then　she　looked　up　at　me　with　the　most　trustful　expression　I　had　ever　seen　on　a　human　face；　and　all　my　violent　plans　crumbled。　She　s　not　alone。
It　took　much；　much　less　than　a　second　for　me　to　see　that　I　could　not　leave　her　in　the　car　in　order　to　deal　with　the　four　men　in　the　street。　What　would　I　tell　her；　not　to　watch？　Ha！　When　did　she　ever　do　what　I　asked？　When　did　she　ever　do　the　safe　thing？　Would　I　drag　them　away；　out　of　her　sight；　and　leave　her　alone　here？　It　was　a　long　shot　that　another　dangerous　human　would　be　prowling　the　streets　of　Port　Angeles　tonight；　but　it　was　a　long　shot　that　there　was　even　the　first！　Like　a　mag；　she　drew　all　things　dangerous　tow