6 the short second life of bree tanner布里·坦纳第二次短暂生命-第7章

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er　the　sunbeam；　and　the　room　went　crazy　with　light。　　“C’mon；　let’s　get　out　of　here。”　He　reached　up　and　pulled　himself　toward　the　hole　he’d　cut　to　the　surface。　　You’d　think　I　would　have　been　over　it；　but　I　was　still　nervous　to　follow。　Not　wanting　to　seem　like　a　total　chicken；　I　stayed　close　on　his　heels；　but　I　was　cringing　inside　the　whole　way。　Riley　had　
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really　made　his　point　about　burning　in　the　sun；　in　my　mind　it　was　linked　to　that　horrific　time　of　burning　as　I　became　a　vampire；　and　I　couldn’t　escape　the　instinctive　panic　that　filled　me　every　time　I　thought　of　it。　　Then　Diego　was　out　of　the　hole；　and　I　was　next　to　him　half　a　second　later。　We　stood　on　a　small　patch　of　wild　grass；　only　a　few　feet　from　the　trees　that　covered　the　island。　Behind　us；　it　was　just　a　couple　of　yards　to　a　low　bluff；　and　then　the　water。　Everything　around　us　blazed　in　the　color　and　light　shining　off　of　us。　　“Wow；”　I　muttered。　　Diego　grinned　at　me；　his　face　beautiful　with　light；　and　suddenly；　with　a　deep　lurch　in　my　stomach；　I　realized　that　the　whole　BFF　thing　was　way　off　the　mark。　For　me；　anyway。　It　was　just　that　fast。　　His　grin　softened　a　little　bit　into　just　the　hint　of　a　smile。　His　eyes　were　wide　like　mine。　All　awe　and　lights。　He　touched　my　face；　the　way　he’d　touched　my　hand；　as　if　he　was　trying　to　understand　the　shine。　　“So　pretty；”　he　said。　He　left　his　hand　against　my　cheek。　　I’m　not　sure　how　long　we　stood　there；　smiling　like　total　idiots；　blazing　away　like　glass　torches。　The　inlet　was　empty　of　boats；　which　was　probably　good。　No　way　even　a　mudeyed　human　would　have　missed　us。　Not　that　they　could　have　done　anything　to　us；　but　I　wasn’t　thirsty；　and　all　the　screaming　would　have　ruined　the　mood。　　Eventually　a　thick　cloud　drifted　in　front　of　the　sun。　Suddenly　we　were　just　us　again；　though　still　slightly　luminous。　Not　enough　
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that　anyone　with　eyes　duller　than　a　vampire’s　would　notice。　　As　soon　as　the　shine　was　gone；　my　thoughts　cleared　up　and　I　could　think　about　what　was　ing　next。　But　even　though　Diego　looked　like　his　normal　self　againnot　made　of　blazing　light；　anyway　　I　knew　he　would　never　look　the　same　to　me。　That　tingly　sensation　in　the　pit　of　my　stomach　was　still　there。　I　had　the　feeling　it　might　be　there　permanently。　　“Do　we　tell　Riley？　Do　we　think　he　doesn’t　know？”　I　asked。　　Diego　sighed　and　dropped　his　hand。　“I　don’t　know。　Let’s　think　about　this　while　we　track　them。”　　“We’re　going　to　have　to　be　careful；　tracking　them　in　the　day。　We’re　kind　of　noticeable　in　the　sunlight；　you　know。”　　He　grinned。　“Let’s　be　ninjas。”　　I　nodded。　“Supersecret　ninja　club　sounds　way　cooler　than　the　whole　BFF　thing。”　　“Definitely　better。”　　It　didn’t　take　us　more　than　a　few　seconds　to　find　the　point　from　which　the　whole　gang　had　left　the　island。　That　was　the　easy　part。　Finding　where　they’d　touched　ground　on　the　mainland　was　a　whole　other　problem。　We　briefly　discussed　splitting　up；　then　vetoed　that　idea　unanimously。　Our　logic　was　really　sound　　after　all；　if　one　of　us　found　something；　how　would　we　tell　the　other？　　but　mostly　I　just　didn’t　want　to　leave　him；　and　I　could　see　he　felt　the　same。　Both　of　us　had　been　without　any　kind　of　good　panionship　our　whole　lives；　and　it　was　just　too　sweet　to　waste　a　minute　of　it。　　There　were　so　many　options　as　to　where　they　could　have　gone。　To　the　mainland　of　the　peninsula；　or　to　another　island；　or　
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back　to　the　outskirts　of　Seattle；　or　north　to　Canada。　Whenever　we　pulled　down　or　burned　down　one　of　our　houses；　Riley　was　always　prepared　he　always　seemed　to　know　exactly　where　to　go　next。　He　must　have　planned　ahead　for　that　stuff；　but　he　didn’t　let　any　of　us　in　on　the　plan。　　They　could　have　been　anywhere。　　Ducking　in　and　out　of　the　water　to　avoid　boats　and　people　really　slowed　us　down。　We　spent　all　day　with　no　luck；　but　neither　of　us　minded。　We　were　having　the　most　fun　we’d　ever　had。　　It　was　such　a　strange　day。　Instead　of　sitting　miserably　in　the　darkness　trying　to　tune　out　the　mayhem　and　swallow　my　disgust　at　my　hiding　place；　I　was　playing　ninja　with　my　new　best　friend；　or　maybe　something　more。　We　laughed　a　lot　while　we　moved　through　the　patches　of　shade；　throwing　rocks　at　each　other　like　they　were　Chinese　stars。　　Then　the　sun　set；　and　suddenly　I　was　stressed。　Would　Riley　look　for　us？　Would　he　assume　we　were　fried？　Did　he　know　better？　　We　started　moving　faster。　A　lot　faster。　We’d　already　circled　all　the　nearby　islands；　so　now　we　concentrated　on　the　mainland。　About　an　hour　after　sundown；　I　caught　a　familiar　scent；　and　within　seconds　we　were　on　their　trail。　Once　we　found　the　path　of　the　smell；　it　was　as　easy　as　following　a　herd　of　elephants　through　fresh　snow。　　We　talked　about　what　to　do；　more　serious　now　as　we　ran。　　“I　don’t　think　we　should　tell　Riley；”　I　said。　“Let’s　say　we　spent　all　day　in　your　cave　before　we　went　looking　for　them。”　As　I　spoke；　my　paranoia　started　to　grow。　“Better　yet；　let’s　tell　them　
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your　cave　was　filled　with　water。　We　couldn’t　even　talk。”　　“You　think　Riley’s　a　bad　dude；　don’t　you？”　he　asked　quietly　after　a　minute。　As　he　spoke；　he　took　my　hand。　　“I　don’t　know。　But　I’d　rather　act　like　he　was；　just　in　case。”　I　hesitated；　then　said；　“You　don’t　want　to　think　he’s　bad。”　　“No；”　Diego　admitted。　“He’s　kind　of　my　friend。　I　mean；　not　like　you’re　my　friend。”　He　squeezed　my　fingers。　“But　more　than　anyone　else。　I　don’t　want　to　think…”　Diego　didn’t　finish　his　sentence。　　I　squeezed　his　fingers　back。　“Maybe　he’s　totally　decent。　Our　being　careful　doesn’t　change　who　he　is。”　　“True。　Okay；　the　underwater　cave　story　it　is。　At　least　at　first…　I　could　talk　to　him　about　the　sun　later。　I’d　rather　do　it　during　the　day；　anyway；　when　I　can　prove　what　I’m　claiming　right　away。　And　just　in　case　he　already　knows；　but　there’s　some　good　reason　why　he　told　us　something　else；　I　should　tell　him　when　we’re　alone。　Grab　him　at　dawn；　when　he’s　ing　back　from　wherever　it　is　he　goes…。”　　I　noticed　a　ton　of　I’s　rather　than　we’s　going　on　in　Diego’s　little　speech；　and　it　bothered　me。　But　at　the　same　time；　I　didn’t　want　much　to　do　with　educating　Riley。　I　didn’t　have　the　same　faith　in　him　Diego　did。　　“Ninja　attack　at　dawn！”　I　said　to　make　him　laugh。　It　worked。　We　started　joking　again　as　we　tracked　our　herd　of　vampires；　but　I　could　tell　he　was　thinking　serious　stuff　under　the　teasing；　just　like　I　was。　　And　I　only　got　more　anxious　as　we　ran。　Because　we　were　running　fast；　and　there　was　no　way　we　had　the　wrong　trail；　but　it　
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was　taking　too　long。　We　were　really　getting　away　from　the　coast；　up　and　over　the　closest　mountains；　off　into　new　territory。　This　wasn’t　the　normal　pattern。　　Every　house　we’d　borrowed；　whether　it　was　up　a　mountain　or　on　an　island　or　hidden　on　a　big　farm；　had　a　few　things　in　mon。　The　dead　owners；　the　remote　locale；　and　one　other　thing。　They　all　were　sort　of　focused　on　Seattle。　Oriented　around　the　big　city　like　orbiting　moons。　Seattle　was　always　the　hub；　always　the　target。　　We　were　out　of　orbit　now；　and　it　felt　wrong。　Maybe　it　meant　nothing；　maybe　it　was　just　that　so　many　things　were　changing　today。　All　the　truths　I’d　accepted　had　been　turned　upside　down　and　I　wasn’t　in　the　mood　for　any　other　upheavals。　Why　couldn’t　Riley　have　just　picked　someplace　normal？　　“Funny　they’re　this　far　out；”　Diego　murmured；　and　I　could　hear　the　edge　in　his　voice。　　“Or　scary；”　I　muttered。　　He　squeezed　my　hand。　“It’s　cool。　The　ninja　club　can　handle　anything。”　　“You　got　a　secret　handshake　yet？”　　“Working　on　it；”　he　promised。　　Something　started　to　bug　me。　It　was　like　I　could　feel　this　strange　blind　spot　　　I　knew　there　was　something　I　wasn’t　seeing；　but　I　couldn’t　put　my　finger　on　it。　Something　obvious…　　And　then；　about　sixty　miles　farther　west　than　our　usual　perimeter；　we　found　the　house。　It　was　impossible　to　mistake　the　noise。　The　boom　boom　boom　of　the　bass；　the　videogame　soundtrack；　the　snarling。　Totally　our　crowd。　
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　I　pulled　my　hand　free；　and　Diego　looked　at　me。　　“Hey；　I　don’t　even　know　you；”　I　said　in　a　joking　tone。　“I　haven’t　had　one　conversation　with　you；　what　with　all　that　water　we　sat　in　all　day。　You　could　be　a　ninja　or　a　vampire　for　all　I　know。”　　He　grinned。　“Same　goes　for　you；　stranger。”　Then　low　and　fast；　“Just　do　the　same　things　you　did　yesterday。　Tomorrow　night　we’ll　get　out　together。　Maybe　do　some　reconnaissance；　figure　out　more　of　what’s　going　on。”　　“Sounds　like　a　plan。　Mum’s　the　word。”　　He　ducked　close　and　kissed　me　just　a　peck；　but　right　on　the　lips。　The　shock　of　it　zinged　through　my　whole　body。　Then　he　said；　“Let’s　do　this；”　and　headed　down　the　side　of　the　mountain　toward　the　source　of　the　raucous　noise　without　looking　back。　Already　playing　the　part。　　A　little　stunned；　I　followed　from　a　few　yards　behind；　remembering　to　put　the　distance　between　us　that　I　would　put　between　myself　and　anyone　else。　　The　house　was　a　big；　log　cabin–style　affair；　tucked　into　a　hollow　in　the　pines　with　no　sign　of　any　neighbors　for　miles　around。　All　the　windows　were　black；　as　if　the　place　were　empty；　but　the　whole　frame　was　trembling　from　the　heavy　bass　in　the　basement。　　Diego　went　in　first；　and　I　tried　to　move　behind　him　like　he　was　Kevin　or　Raoul。　Hesitant；　protecting　my　space。　He　found　the　stairs　and　charged　down　with　a　confident　tread。　　“Trying　to　lose　me；　losers？”　he　asked。　　“Oh；　hey；　Diego’s　alive；”　I　heard　Kevin　answer　with　a　distinct　
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lack　of　enthusiasm。　　“No　thanks　to　you；”　Diego　said　as　I　slipped　into　the　dark　basement。　The　only　light　came　from　the　various　TV　screens；　but　it　was　way　more　than　any　of　us　needed。　I　hurried　back　to　where　Fred　had　a　whole　couch　to　himself；　glad　that　it　was　right　for　me　to　look　anxious　because　there　was　no　way　to　hide　it。　I　swallowed　hard　as　the　revulsion　hit；　and　curled　up　in　my　usual　spot　on　the　floor　behind　the　couch。　Once　I　was　down；　Fred’s　repellent　power　seemed　to　ease　up。　Or　maybe　I　was　just　getting　used　to　it。　　The　basement　was　more　than　half　empty　since　it　was　the　middle　of　the　night。　All　the　kids　in　here　had　eyes　the　same　as　mine　bright；　recently　fed　red。　　“Took　me　a　while　to　clean　up　your　stupid　mess；”　Diego　told　Kevin。　“It　was　almost　dawn　by　the　time　I　got　to　what　was　left　of　the　house。　Had　to　sit　in　a　cave　filled　with　water　all　day。”