6 the short second life of bree tanner布里·坦纳第二次短暂生命-第2章

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d　him　easy；　but　I　wanted　to　see　where　he　was　going；　and　I　didn’t　want　to　have　him　behind　me。　　Diego　didn’t　stop　for　miles；　we　were　almost　to　the　industrial　docks。　I　could　hear　him　muttering　under　his　breath。　　“Idiots！　Like　Riley　wouldn’t　give　us　instructions　for　a　good　reason。　Selfpreservation；　for　example。　Is　an　ounce　of　mon　sense　so　much　to　ask　for？”　　“Hey；”　I　called。　“Are　we　going　to　hunt　anytime　soon？　My　throat’s　on　fire　here。”　　Diego　landed　on　the　edge　of　a　wide　factory　roof　and　spun　
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around。　I　jumped　back　a　few　yards；　on　my　guard；　but　he　didn’t　make　an　aggressive　move　toward　me。　　“Yeah；”　he　said。　“I　just　wanted　some　distance　between　me　and　the　lunatics。”　　He　smiled；　all　friendly；　and　I　stared　at　him。　　This　Diego　guy　wasn’t　like　the　others。　He　was　kind　of…　calm；　I　guess　was　the　word。　Normal。　Not　normal　now；　but　normal　before。　His　eyes　were　a　darker　red　than　mine。　He　must　have　been　around　for　a　while；　like　I’d　heard。　　From　the　street　below　came　the　sounds　of　nighttime　in　a　slummier　part　of　Seattle。　A　few　cars；　music　with　heavy　bass；　a　couple　of　people　walking　with　nervous；　fast　steps；　some　drunk　bum　singing　offkey　in　the　distance。　　“You’re　Bree；　right？”　Diego　asked。　“One　of　the　newbies。”　　I　didn’t　like　that。　Newbie。　Whatever。　“Yeah；　I’m　Bree。　But　I　didn’t　e　in　with　the　last　group。　I’m　almost　three　months　old。”　　“Pretty　slick　for　a　threemonther；”　he　said。　“Not　many　would　have　been　able　to　leave　the　scene　of　the　accident　like　that。”　He　said　it　like　a　pliment；　like　he　was　really　impressed。　　“Didn’t　want　to　mix　it　up　with　Raoul’s　freaks。”　　He　nodded。　“Amen；　sister。　Their　kind　ain’t　nothing　but　bad　news。”　　Weird。　Diego　was　weird。　How　he　sounded　like　a　person　having　a　regular　old　conversation。　No　hostility；　no　suspicion。　Like　he　wasn’t　thinking　about　how　easy　or　hard　it　might　be　to　kill　me　right　now。　He　was　just　talking　to　me。　　“How　long　have　you　been　with　Riley？”　I　asked　curiously。　　“Going　on　eleven　months　now。”　
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　“Wow！　That’s　older　than　Raoul。”　　Diego　rolled　his　eyes　and　spit　venom　over　the　edge　of　the　building。　“Yeah；　I　remember　when　Riley　brought　that　trash　in。　Things　just　kept　getting　worse　after　that。”　　I　was　quiet　for　a　moment；　wondering　if　he　thought　everyone　younger　than　himself　was　trash。　Not　that　I　cared。　I　didn’t　care　what　anybody　thought　anymore。　Didn’t　have　to。　Like　Riley　said；　I　was　a　god　now。　Stronger；　faster；　better。　Nobody　else　counted。　　Then　Diego　whistled　low　under　his　breath。　　“There　we　go。　Just　takes　a　little　brains　and　patience。”　He　pointed　down　and　across　the　street。　　Halfhidden　around　the　edge　of　a　purpleblack　alley；　a　man　was　cussing　at　a　woman　and　slapping　her　while　another　woman　watched　silently。　From　their　clothes；　I　guessed　that　it　was　a　pimp　and　two　of　his　employees。　　This　was　what　Riley　had　told　us　to　do。　Hunt　the　dregs。　Take　the　humans　that　no　one　was　going　to　miss；　the　ones　who　weren’t　headed　home　to　a　waiting　family；　the　ones　who　wouldn’t　be　reported　missing。　　It　was　the　same　way　he　chose　us。　Meals　and　gods；　both　ing　from　the　dregs。　　Unlike　some　of　the　others；　I　still　did　what　Riley　told　me　to　do。　Not　because　I　liked　him。　That　feeling　was　long　gone。　It　was　because　what　he　told　us　sounded　right。　How　did　it　make　sense　to　call　attention　to　the　fact　that　a　bunch　of　new　vampires　were　claiming　Seattle　as　their　hunting　ground？　How　was　that　going　to　help　us？　　I　didn’t　even　believe　in　vampires　before　I　was　one。　So　if　the　
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rest　of　the　world　didn’t　believe　in　vampires；　then　the　rest　of　the　vampires　must　be　hunting　smart；　the　way　Riley　said　to　do　it。　They　probably　had　a　good　reason。　　And　like　Diego’d　said；　hunting　smart　just　took　a　little　brains　and　patience。　　Of　course；　we　all　slipped　up　a　lot；　and　Riley　would　read　the　papers　and　groan　and　yell　at　us　and　break　stuff　　like　Raoul’s　favorite　videogame　system。　Then　Raoul　would　get　mad　and　take　somebody　else　apart　and　burn　him　up。　Then　Riley　would　be　pissed　off　and　he’d　do　another　search　to　confiscate　all　the　lighters　and　matches。　A　few　rounds　of　this；　and　then　Riley　would　bring　home　another　handful　of　vampirized　dregs　kids　to　replace　the　ones　he’d　lost。　It　was　an　endless　cycle。　　Diego　inhaled　through　his　nose　　　a　big；　long　pull　and　I　watched　his　body　change。　He　crouched　on　the　roof；　one　hand　gripping　the　edge。　All　that　strange　friendliness　disappeared；　and　he　was　a　hunter。　　That　was　something　I　recognized；　something　I　was　fortable　with　because　I　understood　it。　　I　turned　off　my　brain。　It　was　time　to　hunt。　I　took　a　deep　breath；　drawing　in　the　scent　of　the　blood　inside　the　humans　below。　They　weren’t　the　only　humans　around；　but　they　were　the　closest。　Who　you　were　going　to　hunt　was　the　kind　of　decision　you　had　to　make　before　you　scented　your　prey。　It　was　too　late　now　to　choose　anything。　　Diego　dropped　from　the　roof　edge；　out　of　sight。　The　sound　of　his　landing　was　too　low　to　catch　the　attention　of　the　crying　prostitute；　the　zonedout　prostitute；　or　the　angry　pimp。　
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　A　low　growl　ripped　from　between　my　teeth。　Mine。　The　blood　was　mine。　The　fire　in　my　throat　flared　and　I　couldn’t　think　of　anything　else。　　I　flipped　myself　off　the　roof；　spinning　across　the　street　so　that　I　landed　right　next　to　the　crying　blonde。　I　could　feel　Diego　close　behind　me；　so　I　growled　a　warning　at　him　while　I　caught　the　surprised　girl　by　the　hair。　I　yanked　her　to　the　alley　wall；　putting　my　back　against　it。　Defensive；　just　in　case。　　Then　I　forgot　all　about　Diego；　because　I　could　feel　the　heat　under　her　skin；　hear　the　sound　of　her　pulse　thudding　close　to　the　surface。　　She　opened　her　mouth　to　scream；　but　my　teeth　crushed　her　windpipe　before　a　sound　could　e　out。　There　was　just　the　gurgle　of　air　and　blood　in　her　lungs；　and　the　low　moans　I　could　not　control。　　The　blood　was　warm　and　sweet。　It　quenched　the　fire　in　my　throat；　calmed　the　nagging；　itching　emptiness　in　my　stomach。　I　sucked　and　gulped；　only　vaguely　aware　of　anything　else。　　I　heard　the　same　noise　from　Diegohe　had　the　man。　The　other　woman　was　unconscious　on　the　ground。　Neither　had　made　any　noise。　Diego　was　good。　　The　problem　with　humans　was　that　they　just　never　had　enough　blood　in　them。　It　seemed　like　only　seconds　later　the　girl　ran　dry。　I　rattled　her　limp　body　in　frustration。　Already　my　throat　was　beginning　to　burn　again。　　I　threw　the　spent　body　to　the　ground　and　crouched　against　the　wall；　wondering　if　I　could　grab　the　unconscious　girl　and　make　off　with　her　before　Diego　could　catch　up　to　me。　
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　Diego　was　already　finished　with　the　man。　He　looked　at　me　with　an　expression　that　I　could　only　describe　as…　sympathetic。　But　I　could　have　been　dead　wrong。　I　couldn’t　remember　anyone　ever　giving　me　sympathy　before；　so　I　wasn’t　positive　what　it　looked　like。　　“Go　for　it；”　he　told　me；　nodding　to　the　limp　girl　on　the　ground。　　“Are　you　kidding　me？”　　“Naw；　I’m　good　for　now。　We’ve　got　time　to　hunt　some　more　tonight。”　　Watching　him　carefully　for　some　sign　of　a　trick；　I　darted　forward　and　snagged　the　girl。　Diego　made　no　move　to　stop　me。　He　turned　away　slightly　and　looked　up　at　the　black　sky。　　I　sank　my　teeth　into　her　neck；　keeping　my　eyes　on　him。　This　one　was　even　better　than　the　last。　Her　blood　was　entirely　clean。　The　blonde　girl’s　blood　had　the　bitter　aftertaste　that　came　with　drugs　I　was　so　used　to　that；　I’d　barely　noticed。　It　was　rare　for　me　to　get　really　clean　blood；　because　I　followed　the　dregs　rule。　Diego　seemed　to　follow　the　rules；　too。　He　must　have　smelled　what　he　was　giving　up。　　Why　had　he　done　it？　　When　the　second　body　was　empty；　my　throat　felt　better。　There　was　a　lot　of　blood　in　my　system。　I　probably　wouldn’t　really　burn　for　a　few　days。　　Diego　was　still　waiting；　whistling　quietly　through　his　teeth。　When　I　let　the　body　fall　to　the　ground　with　a　thud；　he　turned　back　to　me　and　smiled。　　“Um；　thanks；”　I　said。　　He　nodded。　“You　looked　like　you　needed　it　more　than　me。　I　
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remember　how　hard　it　is　in　the　beginning。”　　“Does　it　get　easier？”　　He　shrugged。　“In　some　ways。”　　We　looked　at　each　other　for　a　second。　　“Why　don’t　we　dump　these　bodies　in　the　sound？”　he　suggested。　　I　bent　down；　grabbed　the　dead　blonde；　and　slung　her　limp　body　over　my　shoulder。　I　was　about　to　get　the　other　one；　but　Diego　was　there　before　me；　the　pimp　already　on　his　back。　　“I　got　it；”　he　said。　　I　followed　him　up　the　alley　wall；　and　then　we　swung　across　the　girders　under　the　freeway。　The　lights　from　the　cars　below　didn’t　touch　us。　I　thought　how　stupid　people　were；　how　oblivious；　and　I　was　glad　I　wasn’t　one　of　the　clueless。　　Hidden　in　the　darkness；　we　made　our　way　to　an　empty　dock；　closed　for　the　night。　Diego　didn’t　hesitate　at　the　end　of　the　concrete；　he　just　jumped　right　over　the　edge　with　his　bulky　burden　and　disappeared　into　the　water。　I　slid　in　after　him。　　He　swam　as　sleek　and　quick　as　a　shark；　shooting　deeper　and　farther　out　into　the　black　sound。　He　stopped　suddenly　when　he　found　what　he　was　looking　for　　　a　huge；　slimecovered　boulder　on　the　ocean　floor；　sea　stars　and　garbage　clinging　to　its　sides。　We　had　to　be　more　than　a　hundred　feet　deep　to　a　human；　it　would　have　seemed　pitchblack　here。　Diego　let　go　of　his　bodies。　They　swayed　slowly　in　the　current　beside　him　while　he　shoved　his　hand　into　the　mucky　sand　at　the　base　of　the　rock。　After　a　second　he　found　a　hold　and　ripped　the　boulder　up　from　its　resting　spot。　The　weight　of　it　drove　him　waistdeep　into　the　
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dark　seafloor。　　He　looked　up　and　nodded　to　me。　　I　swam　down　to　him；　hooking　his　bodies　with　one　hand　on　my　way。　I　shoved　the　blonde　into　the　black　hole　under　the　rock；　then　pushed　the　second　girl　and　the　pimp　in　after　her。　I　kicked　them　lightly　to　make　sure　they　were　in；　and　then　got　out　of　the　way。　Diego　let　the　boulder　fall。　It　wobbled　a　little；　adjusting　to　the　newly　uneven　foundation。　He　kicked　his　way　out　of　the　muck；　swam　to　the　top　of　the　boulder；　and　then　pushed　it　down；　grinding　the　obstructions　flat　underneath。　　He　swam　back　a　few　yards　to　view　his　work。　　Perfect；　I　mouthed。　These　three　bodies　would　never　resurface。　Riley　would　never　hear　a　story　about　them　on　the　news。　　He　grinned　and　held　up　his　hand。　　It　took　me　a　minute　to　understand　that　he　was　looking　for　a　high　five。　Hesitantly；　I　swam　forward；　tapped　my　palm　to　his；　then　kicked　away；　putting　some　distance　betw