《6 the short second life of bree tanner布里·坦纳第二次短暂生命》第17章

then…　what？”　our　creator　
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asked；　strained　and　shrill。 “We　seek　to　know　your　intentions　here。　Specifically；　if　they　involve…　a　certain　local　clan；”　the　cloaked　girl　explained。　“We　wonder　if　they　have　anything　to　do　with　the　mayhem　you’ve　created　here。　Illegally　created。” Diego　and　I　frowned　simultaneously。　None　of　this　made　sense；　but　the　last　part　was　the　weirdest。　What　could　be　illegal　for　vampires？　What　cop；　what　judge；　what　prison　could　have　power　over　us？ “Yes；”　our　creator　hissed。　“My　plans　are　all　about　them。　But　we　can’t　move　yet。　It’s　tricky。”　A　petulant　note　crept　into　her　voice　at　the　end。 “Trust　me；　we　know　the　difficulties　better　than　you。　It　is　remarkable　that　you’ve　managed　to　keep　off　the　radar；　so　to　speak；　for　this　long。　Tell　me”a　hint　of　interest　colored　the　monotone“how　are　you　doing　it？” Our　creator　hesitated；　and　then　spoke　all　in　a　rush。　Almost　as　if　there　had　been　some　silent　intimidation。　“I　haven’t　made　the　decision；”　she　spit　out。　Then　she　added　more　slowly；　unwillingly；　“To　attack。　I’ve　never　decided　to　do　anything　with　them。” “Rough；　but　effective；”　the　cloaked　girl　said。　“Unfortunately；　your　period　of　deliberation　has　e　to　a　close。　You　must　decide now　what　you　will　do　with　your　little　army。”　Both　Diego’s　and　my　eyes　widened　at　that　word。　“Otherwise；　it　will　be　our　duty　to　punish　you　as　the　law　demands。　This　reprieve；　however　short；　troubles　me。　It　is　not　our　way。　I　suggest　you　give　us　what　assurances　you　can…　quickly。”　
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“We’ll　go　at　once！”　Riley　volunteered　anxiously；　and　there　was　a　sharp　hiss。 “We’ll　go　as　soon　as　possible；”　our　creator　amended　furiously。　“There　is　much　to　do。　I　assume　you　wish　us　to　succeed？　Then　I　must　have　a　little　time　to　get　them　trainedinstructed　fed！” There　was　a　short　pause。 “Five　days。　We　will　e　for　you　then。　And　there　is　no　rock　you　can　hide　under　or　speed　at　which　you　can　flee　that　will　save　you。　If　you　have　not　made　your　attack　by　the　time　we　e；　you　will　burn。”　This　was　said　with　no　menace　other　than　an　absolute　certainty。 “And　if　I　have　made　my　attack？”　our　creator　asked；　shaken。 “We’ll　see；”　the　cloaked　girl　answered　in　a　brighter　tone　than　she’d　used　yet。　“I　suppose　that　all　depends　on　how　successful　you　are。　Work　hard　to　please　us。”　The　last　mand　was　given　in　a　flat；　hard　pitch　that　made　me　feel　a　strange　chill　in　the　center　of　my　body。 “Yes；”　our　creator　snarled。 “Yes；”　Riley　echoed　in　a　whisper。 A　second　later　the　cloaked　vampires　were　noiselessly　exiting　the　house。　Neither　Diego　nor　I　so　much　as　took　a　breath　for　five　minutes　after　they’d　disappeared。　Inside　the　house；　our　creator　and　Riley　were　just　as　quiet。　Another　ten　minutes　passed　in　total　stillness。 I　touched　Diego’s　arm。　This　was　our　chance　to　get　out　of　here。　At　the　moment；　I　wasn’t　so　afraid　of　Riley　anymore。　I　wanted　to　get　as　far　away　as　I　could　from　those　darkcloaks。　I　
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wanted　the　safety　of　numbers　waiting　back　in　the　log　cabin；　and　I　figured　that　was　exactly　how　our　creator　felt；　too。　Why　she’d　made　so　many　of　us　in　the　first　place。　There　were　some　things　out　there　scarier　than　I’d　imagined。 Diego　hesitated；　still　listening；　and　a　second　later　his　patience　was　rewarded。 “Well；”　she　whispered　inside　the　house；　“now　they　know。” Was　she　talking　about　the　cloaks　or　the　mysterious　clan？　Which　one　was　the　enemy　she’d　mentioned　before　the　drama？ “That　doesn’t　matter。　We　outnumber” “Any　warning　matters！”　she　growled；　cutting　him　off。　“There　is　so　much　to　do。　Only　five　days！”　She　groaned。　“No　more　messing　around。　You　start　tonight。” “I　won’t　fail　you！”　Riley　promised。 Crap。　Diego　and　I　moved　at　the　same　time；　leaping　from　our　perch　into　the　next　tree　over；　flying　back　the　way　we’d　e。　Riley　was　in　a　hurry　now；　and　if　he　found　Diego’s　trail　after　all　that　had　just　passed　with　the　cloaks；　and　no　Diego　there　at　the　end　of　it… “I’ve　got　to　get　back　and　be　waiting；”　Diego　whispered　to　me　as　we　raced。　“Lucky　it’s　not　in　view　of　the　house！　Don’t　want　him　to　know　I　heard。” “We　should　talk　to　him　together。” “Too　late　for　that。　He’d　notice　that　your　scent　wasn’t　on　the　trail。　Looks　suspicious。” “Diego…”　He’d　trapped　me　into　sitting　this　one　out。 We　were　back　to　the　spot　where　he’d　joined　me。　He　spoke　in　a　rushed　whisper。　
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“Stick　to　the　plan；　Bree。　I’ll　tell　him　what　I　planned　to　tell　him。　It’s　not　close　to　dawn；　but　that’s　just　how　it　has　to　be。　If　he　doesn’t　believe　me…”　Diego　shrugged。　“He’s　got　bigger　things　to　worry　about　than　me　having　an　overactive　imagination。　Maybe　he’ll　be　more　likely　to　listen　now looks　like　we　need　all　the　help　we　can　get；　and　being　able　to　move　around　in　the　day　can’t　hurt。” “Diego…；”　I　repeated；　not　knowing　what　else　to　say。 He　looked　into　my　eyes；　and　I　waited　for　his　lips　to　twitch　into　that　easy　smile；　for　him　to　make　some　joke　about　ninjas　or　BFFs。 He　didn’t。　Instead；　he　leaned　in　slowly；　never　moving　his　eyes　from　mine；　and　kissed　me。　His　smooth　lips　pressed　against　mine　for　one　long　second　while　we　stared　at　each　other。 Then　he　leaned　away　and　sighed。　“Get　home；　hide　behind　Fred；　and　act　clueless。　I’ll　be　right　behind　you。” “Be　careful。” I　grabbed　his　hand　and　squeezed　it　hard；　then　let　go。　Riley　had　spoken　of　Diego　affectionately。　I　would　have　to　hope　that　affection　was　real。　There　wasn’t　another　choice。 Diego　disappeared　into　the　trees；　quiet　as　a　rustling　breeze。　I　didn’t　waste　time　looking　after　him。　I　sprinted　through　the　branches　in　a　direct　line　back　to　the　house。　I　hoped　my　eyes　were　still　bright　enough　from　last　night’s　meal　to　explain　my　absence。　Just　a　quick　hunt。　Got　lucky found　a　lone　hiker。　Nothing　out　of　the　ordinary。 The　sound　of　the　thudding　music　that　greeted　my　approach　was　acpanied　by　the　unmistakable　sweet；　smoky　scent　of　a　
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burning　vampire。　My　panic　went　into　overdrive。　I　could　just　as　easily　die　inside　the　house　as　outside。　But　there　was　no　other　way。　I　didn’t　slow；　just　rushed　down　the　stairs　straight　to　the　corner　where　I　could　barely　make　out　Freaky　Fred　standing。　Looking　for　something　to　do？　Tired　of　sitting？　I　had　no　idea　what　he