《6 the short second life of bree tanner布里·坦纳第二次短暂生命》第28章

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　
Page　116
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。　
Page　117
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　
Page　118
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　
Page　119
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