《6 the short second life of bree tanner布里·坦纳第二次短暂生命》第20章

pile　of　ashes。　I　did　a　quick　head　count　as　two　more　hunters　hurried　through　the　door。　Twenty　vampires。　Everyone　was　home　except　Diego　and　Riley。　The　
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sun　would　rise　at　any　moment。 The　door　at　the　top　of　the　basement　stairs　creaked　as　someone　opened　it。　I　sprang　to　my　feet。 Riley　entered。　He　shut　the　door　behind　him。　He　walked　down　the　stairs。 No　one　followed。 Before　I　could　process　this；　Riley　roared　out　an　animalistic　shriek　of　rage。　He　was　staring　down　at　the　ashy　remains　on　the　floor；　his　eyes　bulging　in　fury。　Everyone　stood　silent；　immobile。　We’d　all　seen　Riley　lose　his　temper；　but　this　was　something　different。 Riley　spun　and　raked　his　fingers　through　a　blaring　speaker；　then　ripped　it　from　the　wall　and　hurled　it　across　the　room。　Jen　and　Kristie　dodged　out　of　the　way　as　it　exploded　into　the　far　wall；　sending　up　a　cloud　of　pulverized　drywall　dust。　Riley　smashed　the　sound　system　with　his　foot；　and　the　thudding　bass　went　silent。　Then　he　leaped　to　where　Raoul　stood；　and　grabbed　him　by　the　throat。 “I　wasn’t　even　here！”　Raoul　yelled；　looking　afraidI’d　never　seen　that　before。 Riley　growled　hideously　and　threw　Raoul　as　he’d　thrown　the　speaker。　Jen　and　Kristie　jumped　out　of　the　way　again。　Raoul’s　body　crashed　right　through　the　wall；　leaving　an　enormous　hole。 Riley　caught　Kevin　by　the　shoulder　andwith　a　familiar　screech ripped　off　his　right　hand。　Kevin　cried　out　in　pain　and　tried　to　twist　out　of　Riley’s　grip。　Riley　kicked　him　in　the　side。　Another　harsh　shriek　and　Riley　had　the　rest　of　Kevin’s　arm。　He　tore　the　arm　in　half　at　the　elbow　and　threw　the　pieces　hard　into　
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Kevin’s　anguished　face smack；　smack；　smack；　like　a　hammer　striking　stone。 “What　is　wrong　with　you？”　Riley　screamed　at　us。　“Why　are　you　all　so　stupid？”　He　made　a　grab　for　the　blond　SpiderMan　kid；　but　that　kid　leaped　out　of　his　way。　His　jump　left　him　too　close　to　Fred；　and　he　stumbled　back　toward　Riley　again；　gagging。 “Do　any　of　you　have　a　brain？” Riley　smacked　a　kid　named　Dean　into　the　entertainment　center；　shattering　it；　then　caught　another　girl Sara　and　tore　her　left　ear　and　a　handful　of　hair　from　her　head。　She　snarled　in　anguish。 It　became　suddenly　obvious　that　Riley　was　doing　a　very　dangerous　thing。　There　were　a　lot　of　us　in　here。　Already　Raoul　was　back；　with　Kristie　and　Jen usually　his　enemies flanking　him　defensively。　A　few　others　banded　together　in　clusters　around　the　room。 I　wasn’t　sure　if　Riley　was　aware　of　the　threat　or　if　his　rant　came　to　an　end　naturally。　He　took　a　deep　breath。　He　tossed　Sara　her　ear　and　the　hair。　She　recoiled　away　from　him；　licking　the　torn　edge　of　her　ear；　coating　it　with　venom　so　that　it　would　reattach。　There　was　no　remedy　for　the　hair；　though；　Sara　was　going　to　have　a　bald　spot。 “Listen　to　me！”　Riley　said；　quiet　but　fierce。　“All　our　lives　depend　on　you　listening　to　what　I’m　saying　now　and　thinking！　We　are　all　going　to　die。　Every　one　of　us；　you　and　me；　too；　if　you　can’t　act　like　you　have　brains　for　just　a　few　short　days！” This　was　nothing　like　his　usual　lectures　and　pleadings　for　
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control。　He　definitely　had　everyone’s　attention。 “It’s　time　for　you　to　grow　up　and　take　responsibility　for　yourselves。　Do　you　think　you　get　to　live　like　this　for　free？　That　all　the　blood　in　Seattle　doesn’t　have　a　price？” The　little　clusters　of　vampires　no　longer　seemed　threatening。　Everyone　was　wideeyed；　some　exchanging　mystified　glances。　I　saw　Fred’s　head　turn　toward　me　in　my　peripheral　vision；　but　I　didn’t　meet　his　gaze。　My　attention　was　focused　on　two　things：　Riley；　just　in　case　he　started　to　attack　again；　and　the　door。　The　door　that　was　still　closed。 “Are　you　listening　now？　Really　listening？”　Riley　paused；　but　no　one　nodded。　The　room　was　very　still。　“Let　me　explain　to　you　the　precarious　situation　we　are　all　in。　I’ll　try　to　keep　it　simple　for　the　slowest　ones。　Raoul；　Kristie；　e　here。” He　motioned　to　the　leaders　of　the　two　largest　gangs；　allied　for　this　brief　moment　against　him。　Neither　of　them　moved　toward　him。　They　braced　themselves；　Kristie　baring　her　teeth。 I　expected　Riley　to　soften；　to　apologize。　To　placate　them　and　then　persuade　them　to　do　what　he　wanted。　But　this　was　a　different　Riley。 “Fine；”　he　snapped。　“We’re　going　to　need　leaders　if　we’re　going　to　survive；　but　apparently　neither　of　you　is　up　to　the　task。　I　thought　you　had　aptitude。　I　was　wrong。　Kevin；　Jen；　please　join　me　as　the　heads　of　this　team。” Kevin　looked　up　in　surprise。　He　had　just　finished　putting　his　arm　back　together。　Though　his　expression　was　wary；　it　was　also　unmistakably　flattered。　He　slowly　got　to　his　feet。　Jen　looked　at　Kristie　as　if　waiting　for　permission。　Raoul　ground　his　teeth　
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together。 The　door　at　the　top　of　the　stairs　did　not　open。 “Are　you　not　able；　either？”　Riley　asked；　irritated。 Kevin　took　a　step　toward　Riley；　but　then　Raoul　rushed　him；　leaping　across　the　long　room　in　two　low　bounds。　He　shoved　Kevin　against　the　wall　without　a　word　and　then　stood　by　Riley’s　right　shoulder。 Riley　permitted　himself　a　tiny　smile。　The　manipulation　wasn’t　subtle；　but　it　was　effective。 “Kristie　or　Jen；　who　will　lead　us？”　Riley　asked　with　a　hint　of　amusement　in　his　voice。 Jen　was　still　waiting　for　a　sign　from　Kristie　as　to　what　she　should　do。　Kristie　glowered　at　Jen　for　an　instant；　then　flipped　her　sandy　hair　out　of　her　face　and　darted　to　stand　on　Riley’s　other　side。 “That　took　too　long　to　decide；”　Riley　said　seriously。　“We　don’t　have　the　luxury　of　time。　We　don’t　get　to　fool　around　anymore。　I’ve　let　you　all　do　pretty　much　whatever　you　feel　like；　but　that　ends　tonight。” He　looked　around　the　room；　meeting　everyone’s　eyes；　making　sure　we　were　listening。　I　held　his　gaze　for　only　a　second　when　it　was　my　turn；　and　then　my　eyes　flipped　back　to　the　door。　I　corrected　instantly；　but　his　glare　had　moved　on。　I　wondered　if　he’d　noticed　my　slip。　Or　had　he　seen　me　at　all；　here　beside　Fred？ “We　have　an　enemy；”　Riley　announced。　He　let　that　sink　in　for　a　moment。　I　could　tell　the　idea　was　shocking　to　several　of　the　vampires　in　the　basement。　The　enemy　was　Raoul or　if　you　
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were　with　Raoul；　the　enemy　was　Kristie。　The　enemy　was　here；　because　the　whole　world　was　he