6 the short second life of bree tanner布里·坦纳第二次短暂生命-第22章

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ouldn’t　physically　take　revenge　on　this　monster；　but　I　could　tell　the　yelloweyes　everything　with　my　thoughts。　I　hoped。　　I　nodded；　agreeing　with　Jane’s　little　joke；　and　sat　up　because　I　wanted　the　mind　reader’s　attention；　whoever　that　was。　I　continued　with　the　version　of　the　story　that　any　other　member　of　my　coven　would　have　been　able　to　give。　I　pretended　I　was　Kevin。　Dumb　as　a　bag　of　rocks　and　totally　ignorant。　　“I　don’t　know　what　happened。”　That　part　was　true。　The　mess　on　the　battlefield　was　still　a　mystery。　I’d　never　seen　any　of　Kristie’s　group。　Did　the　secret　howler　vampires　get　them？　I　would　keep　that　secret　for　the　yelloweyes。　“We　split　up；　but　the　others　never　came。　And　Riley　left　us；　and　he　didn’t　e　to　help　like　he　promised。　And　then　it　was　so　confusing；　and　everybody　was　in　pieces。”　I　flinched　at　the　memory　of　the　torso　I’d　hurdled。　“I　was　afraid。　I　wanted　to　run　away。”　I　nodded　at　Carlisle。　“That　
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one　said　they　wouldn’t　hurt　me　if　I　stopped　fighting。”　　This　wasn’t　betraying　Carlisle　in　any　way。　He’d　already　told　Jane　as　much。　　“Ah；　but　that　wasn’t　his　gift　to　offer；　young　one；”　Jane　said。　She　sounded　like　she　was　enjoying　herself。　“Broken　rules　demand　a　consequence。”　　Still　pretending　I　was　Kevin；　I　just　stared　at　her　as　if　I　were　too　stupid　to　understand。　　Jane　looked　at　Carlisle。　“Are　you　sure　you　got　all　of　them？　The　other　half　that　split　off？”　　Carlisle　nodded。　“We　split　up；　too。”　　So　it　was　the　howlers　that　got　Kristie。　I　hoped　that；　whatever　else　they　were；　the　howlers　were　really；　really　terrifying。　Kristie　deserved　that。　　“I　can’t　deny　that　I’m　impressed；”　Jane　said；　sounding　sincere；　and　I　thought　that　this　was　probably　the　truth。　Jane　had　been　hopeful　that　Victoria’s　army　would　do　some　damage　here；　and　we’d　clearly　failed。　　“Yes；”　the　three　vampires　behind　Jane　all　agreed　quietly。　　“I’ve　never　seen　a　coven　escape　this　magnitude　of　offensive　intact；”　Jane　continued。　“Do　you　know　what　was　behind　it？　It　seems　like　extreme　behavior；　considering　the　way　you　live　here。　And　why　was　the　girl　the　key？”　Her　eyes　flicked　to　the　human　for　just　a　moment。　　“Victoria　held　a　grudge　against　Bella；”　the　redhead　told　her。　　So　the　strategy　finally　made　sense。　Riley　just　wanted　the　girl　dead　and　didn’t　care　how　many　of　us　died　to　get　it　done。　　Jane　laughed　happily。　“This　one”　　and　she　smiled　at　the　
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human　the　way　she’d　smiled　at　me　“seems　to　bring　out　bizarrely　strong　reactions　in　our　kind。”　　Nothing　happened　to　the　girl。　Maybe　Jane　didn’t　want　to　hurt　her。　Or　maybe　her　horrible　talent　only　worked　on　vampires。　　“Would　you　please　not　do　that？”　the　redhead　asked　in　a　controlled　but　furious　voice。　　Jane　laughed　again。　“Just　checking。　No　harm　done；　apparently。”　　I　tried　to　keep　my　expression　Kevinish　and　not　betray　my　interest。　So　Jane　couldn’t　hurt　this　girl　the　way　she’d　hurt　me；　and　this　was　not　a　normal　thing　for　Jane。　Though　Jane　was　laughing　about　it；　I　could　tell　it　was　driving　her　crazy。　Was　this　why　the　human　girl　was　tolerated　by　the　yelloweyes？　But　if　she　was　special　in　some　way；　why　didn’t　they　just　change　her　into　a　vampire？　　“Well；　it　appears　that　there’s　not　much　left　for　us　to　do；”　Jane　said；　her　voice　a　dead　monotone　again。　“Odd。　We’re　not　used　to　being　rendered　unnecessary。　It’s　too　bad　we　missed　the　fight。　It　sounds　like　it　would　have　been　entertaining　to　watch。”　　“Yes；”　the　redhead　retorted。　“And　you　were　so　close。　It’s　a　shame　you　didn’t　arrive　just　a　half　hour　earlier。　Perhaps　then　you　could　have　fulfilled　your　purpose　here。”　　I　fought　a　smile。　So　the　redhead　was　the　mind　reader；　and　he’d　heard　everything　I’d　wanted　him　to　hear。　Jane　wasn’t　getting　away　with　anything。　　Jane　stared　back　at　the　mind　reader　with　a　blank　expression。　“Yes。　Quite　a　pity　how　things　turned　out；　isn’t　it？”　　The　mind　reader　nodded；　and　I　wondered　what　he　was　
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hearing　in　Jane’s　head。　　Jane　turned　her　blank　face　to　me　now。　There　was　nothing　in　her　eyes；　but　I　could　feel　that　my　time　had　run　out。　She’d　gotten　what　she　needed　from　me。　She　didn’t　know　that　I’d　also　given　the　mind　reader　everything　I　could。　And　protected　his　coven’s　secrets；　too。　I　owed　him　that。　He’d　punished　Riley　and　Victoria　for　me。　　I　glanced　at　him　from　the　corner　of　my　eye　and　thought；　Thanks。　　“Felix？”　Jane　said　lazily。　　“Wait；”　the　mind　reader　said　loudly。　　He　turned　to　Carlisle　and　spoke　quickly。　“We　could　explain　the　rules　to　the　young　one。　She　doesn’t　seem　unwilling　to　learn。　She　didn’t　know　what　she　was　doing。”　　“Of　course；”　Carlisle　said　eagerly；　looking　at　Jane。　“We　would　certainly　be　prepared　to　take　responsibility　for　Bree。”　　Jane’s　face　looked　like　she　wasn’t　sure　if　they　were　joking；　but　if　they　were　joking；　they　were　funnier　than　she’d　given　them　credit　for。　　Me；　I　was　touched　to　the　core。　These　vampires　were　strangers；　but　they’d　gone　out　on　this　dangerous　limb　for　me。　I　already　knew　it　wasn’t　going　to　work；　but　still。　　“We　don’t　make　exceptions；”　Jane　told　them；　amused。　“And　we　don’t　give　second　chances。　It’s　bad　for　our　reputation。”　　It　was　like　she　was　discussing　someone　else。　I　didn’t　care　that　she　was　talking　about　killing　me。　I　knew　the　yelloweyes　couldn’t　stop　her。　She　was　the　vampire　police。　But　even　though　the　vampire　cops　were　dirty　　really　dirty　　　at　least　the　yellow　
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eyes　knew　it　now。　　“Which　reminds　me…；”　Jane　went　on；　her　eyes　locking　on　the　human　girl　again　and　her　smile　widening。　“Caius　will　be　so　interested　to　hear　that　you’re　still　human；　Bella。　Perhaps　he’ll　decide　to　visit。”　　Still　human。　So　they　were　going　to　change　the　girl。　I　wondered　what　they　were　waiting　for。　　“The　date　is　set；”　said　the　little　vampire　with　the　short　black　hair　and　the　clear　voice。　“Perhaps　we’ll　e　to　visit　you　in　a　few　months。”　　Jane’s　smile　disappeared　like　someone　had　wiped　it　off。　She　shrugged　without　looking　at　the　blackhaired　vampire；　and　I　got　the　feeling　that　as　much　as　she　might　have　hated　the　human　girl；　she　hated　this　small　vampire　ten　times　as　much。　　Jane　turned　back　to　Carlisle　with　the　same　vacant　expression　as　before。　“It　was　nice　to　meet　you；　Carlisle　　I’d　thought　Aro　was　exaggerating。　Well；　until　we　meet　again…”　　This　would　be　it；　then。　I　still　didn’t　feel　afraid。　My　only　regret　was　that　I　couldn’t　tell　Fred　more　about　all　of　this。　He　was　going　almost　totally　blind　into　this　world　full　of　dangerous　politics　and　dirty　cops　and　secret　covens。　But　Fred　was　smart　and　careful　and　talented。　What　could　they　do　to　him　if　they　couldn’t　even　see　him？　Maybe　the　yelloweyes　would　meet　Fred　someday。　Be　nice　to　him；　please；　I　thought　at　the　mind　reader。　　“Take　care　of　that；　Felix；”　Jane　said　indifferently；　nodding　at　me。　“I　want　to　go　home。”　　“Don’t　watch；”　the　redheaded　mind　reader　whispered。　　I　closed　my　eyes。　
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　AcknowledgmentsAs　always；　I　am　very　grateful　to　all　the　people　who　　　made　this　book　possible：　my　boys；　Gabe；　Seth；　and　　　Eli；　my　husband；　Pan　　ho；　my　parents；　Stephen　and　　　Candy；　my　very　supportive　girlfriends　Jen　H。；　Jen　L。；Meghan；　Ni　　；　and　Shelly；　my　ninja　agent；　Jodi　　Reamer；　my　“baffy；”　Shannon　Hale；　all　my　friends　and　mentors　at　Little；　Brown；　most　espe　　ially　David　Young；Asya　Mu　　hni　　k；　Megan　Tingley；　Elizabeth　Eulberg；　　Gail　Doobinin；　Andrew　Smith；　and　Tina　M　　Intyre；　and；　　saving　the　best　for　last；　my　readers。You’re　the　best　audien　e　anyone　　　ould　have。Thank　you！