《6 the short second life of bree tanner布里·坦纳第二次短暂生命》第24章

t　busy　darting　back　and　forth　to　catch　limbs　and　get　them　back　to　their　owners　quickly。　He　kept　his　temper　well；　and　he’d　been　smart　enough　to　find　all　the　lighters　this　time。　I　would　have　bet　that　this　would　spin　out　of　control；　that　we’d　lose　at　least　a　couple　of　coven　members　with　Raoul　and　Kristie　skirmishing　head　to　head　for　days　on　end。　But　Riley　had　better　control　of　them　than　I　had　thought　possible。 Still；　it　was　mostly　repetition。　I　noticed　Riley　saying　the　same　things　over　and　over　and　over　again。　Work　together；　watch　your　back；　don’t　go　at　her　headon；　work　together；　watch　your　back；　don’t　go　at　him　headon；　work　together；　watch　your　back；　don’t　go　at　her　headon。　It　was　kind　of　ridiculous；　really；　and　made　the　group　seem　exceptionally　stupid。　But　I　was　sure　I　would　have　been　just　as　stupid　if　I’d　been　in　the　thick　of　the　fight　with　them　rather　than　watching　calmly　from　the　sidelines　with　Fred。 It　reminded　me　in　a　way　of　how　Riley　had　drilled　into　us　our　fear　of　the　sun。　Constant　repetition。 Still；　it　was　so　dull　that　after　about　ten　hours　that　first　day；　Fred　produced　a　deck　of　cards　and　started　playing　solitaire。　That　was　more　interesting　than　watching　the　same　mistakes　over　and　over　again；　so　I　mostly　watched　him。 After　about　another　twelve　hours we　were　inside　again　I　nudged　Fred　to　point　out　a　red　five　that　he　could　move　over。　He　nodded　and　made　the　change。　After　that　hand；　he　dealt　out　the　cards　to　both　of　us；　and　we　played　rummy。　We　never　spoke；　but　Fred　smiled　a　few　times。　No　one　ever　looked　our　way　or　asked　
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us　to　join　in。 There　were　no　hunting　breaks；　and　as　time　went　on；　this　got　harder　and　harder　to　ignore。　Fights　broke　out　more　regularly　and　with　less　provocation。　Riley’s　mands　got　more　shrill；　and　he　tore　off　two　arms　himself。　I　tried　to　forget　the　burning　thirst　as　much　as　possible　after　all；　Riley　must　have　been　getting　thirsty；　too；　so　this　couldn’t　last　forever but　mostly　thirst　was　the　only　thing　on　my　mind。　Fred　was　looking　pretty　strained。 Early　into　the　third　night　one　more　day　to　go；　and　when　I　thought　about　the　ticking　clock　it　tied　my　empty　stomach　into　knots　Riley　called　all　the　mock　fights　to　a　halt。 “Round　it　up；　kids；”　he　told　us；　and　everyone　moved　into　a　loose　halfcircle　facing　him。　The　original　gangs　all　stood　close　together；　so　the　practicing　hadn’t　changed　any　of　those　alliances。　Fred　put　the　cards　in　his　back　pocket　and　stood　up。　I　stood　close　to　his　side；　counting　on　his　repulsive　aura　to　hide　me。 “You’ve　done　well；”　Riley　told　us。　“Tonight；　you　get　a　reward。　Drink　up；　because　tomorrow　you’re　going　to　want　your　strength。　” Snarls　of　relief　from　almost　everyone。 “I　say　want　and　not　need　for　a　reason；”　Riley　went　on。　“I　think　you　guys　have　got　this。　You’ve　stayed　smart　and　worked　hard。　Our　enemies　aren’t　going　to　know　what’s　hit　them！” Kristie　and　Raoul　growled；　and　both　of　their　panies　followed　suit　immediately。　I　was　surprised　to　see　it；　but　they　did　look　like　an　army　in　that　moment。　Not　that　they　were　marching　in　formation　or　anything；　but　there　was　just　something　uniform　
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about　the　response。　Like　they　all　were　part　of　one　big　organism。　As　always；　Fred　and　I　were　the　glaring　exceptions；　but　I　thought　only　Riley　was　even　the　slightest　bit　aware　of　usevery　now　and　then　his　eyes　would　scan　across　where　we　were　standing；　almost　like　he　was　checking　to　make　sure　he　still　felt　Fred’s　talent。　And　Riley　didn’t　seem　to　mind　that　we　weren’t　joining　up。　For　now；　anyway。 “Um；　you　mean　tomorrow　night；　right；　boss？”　Raoul　clarified。 “Right；”　Riley　said　with　a　strange　little　smile。　It　didn’t　seem　like　anyone　else　noticed　anything　off　in　his　reply except　for　Fred。　He　looked　down　at　me　with　one　eyebrow　raised。　I　shrugged。 “You　ready　for　your　reward？”　Riley　asked。 His　little　army　roared　in　response。 “Tonight　you　get　a　taste　of　what　our　world　will　be　like　when　our　petition　is　out　of　the　picture。　Follow　me！” Riley　bounded　away；　Raoul　and　his　team　were　right　on　his　heels。　Kristie’s　group　started　shoving　and　clawing　right　through　the　middle　of　them　to　get　to　the　front。 “Don’t　make　me　change　my　mind！”　Riley　bellowed　from　the　trees　ahead。　“You　can　all　go　thirsty。　I　don’t　care！” Kristie　barked　an　order　and　her　group　sullenly　fell　behind　Raoul’s。　Fred　and　I　waited　until　the　last　of　them　was　out　of　sight。　Then　Fred　did　one　of　those　little　ladies　first　sweeps　with　his　arm。　It　didn’t　feel　like　he　was　afraid　to　have　me　at　his　back；　just　that　he　was　being　polite。　I　started　running　after　the　army。 The　others　were　already　long　gone；　but　it　was　nothing　to　
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follow　their　smell。　Fred　and　I　ran　in　panionable　silence。　I　wondered　what　he　was　thinking。　Maybe　he　was　only　thirsty。　I　was　burning；　so　he　probably　was；　too。 We　caught　up　to　the　others　after　about　five　minutes；　but　kept　our　distance。　The　army　was　moving　in　amazing　quiet。　They　were　focused；　and　more…　disciplined。　I　kind　of　wished　that　Riley　had　started　the　training　sooner。　It　was　easier　to　be　around　this　group。 We　crossed　over　an　empty　twolane　freeway；　another　strip　of　forest；　and　then　we　were　on　a　beach。　The　water　was　smooth；　and　we’d　gone　almost　due　north；　so　this　must　have　been　the　strait。　We　hadn’t　passed　near　any　residences；　and　I　was　sure　that　was　on　purpose。　Thirsty　and　on　edge；　it　wouldn’t　take　too　much　to　dissolve　this　small　measure　of　organization　into　a　screaming　freeforall。 We’d　never　hunted　all　together　before；　and　I　was　pretty　sure　that　it　was　not　a　good　idea　now。　I　remembered　Kevin　and　the　SpiderMan　kid　fighting　over　the　woman　in　the　car　that　first　night　I’d　talked　to　Diego。　Riley　had　better　have　a　whole　lot　of　bodies　for　us　or　people　were　going　to　start　tearing　each　other　up　to　get　the　most　blood。 Riley　paused　at　the　water’s　edge。 “Don’t　hold　back；”　he　told　us。　“I　want　you　well　fed　and　strongat　your　peak。　Now…　let’s　go　have　some　fun。” He　dove　smoothly　into　the　surf。　The　others　were　growling　excitedly　as　they　submerged；　too。　Fred　and　I　followed　more　closely　than　before　because　we　couldn’t　follow　their　scent　under　water。　But　I　could　feel　that　Fred　was　hesitant ready　to　bolt　if　
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this　was　something　other　th