5 midnigh+sun-第42章
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whether to order； or to wait for Bella。 Jessica was pushing for ordering immediately。
I began flitting through the minds of strangers； looking through their eyes。
Surely； someone must have seen her somewhere。
I got more and more anxious the longer she remained missing。 I hadn't
considered before how difficult she might prove to find once； like now； she was out of
my sight and off her normal paths。 I didn't like it。
The clouds were massing on the horizon； and； in a few more minutes； I would be
free to track her on foot。 It wouldn't take me long then。 It was only the sun that made
me so helpless now。 Just few more minutes； and then the advantage would be mine again
and it would be the human world that was powerless。
Another mind； and another。 So many trivial thoughts。
？think the baby has another ear infection？
Was it six…four…oh or six…oh…four？？
Late again。 I ought to tell him？
Here she comes！ Aha！
There； at last； was her face。 Finally； someone had noticed her！
The relief lasted for only a fraction of a second； and then I read more fully the
thoughts of the man who was gloating over her face in the shadows。
His mind was a stranger to me； and yet； not totally unfamiliar。 I had once hunted
exactly such minds。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
171
〃NO！〃 I roared； and a volley of snarls erupted from my throat。 My foot shoved
the gas pedal to the floor； but where was I going？
I knew the general location of his thoughts； but the knowledge was not specific
enough。 Something； there had to be something—a street sign； a store front； something in
his sight that would give away his location。 But Bella was deep in shadow； and his eyes
were focused only on her frightened expression—enjoying the fear there。
Her face was blurred in his mind by the memory of other faces。 Bella was not his
first victim。
The sound of my growls shook the frame of the car； but did not distract me。
There were no windows in the wall behind her。 Somewhere industrial； away from
the more populated shopping district。 My car squealed around a corner； swerving past
another vehicle； heading in what I hoped was the right direction。 By the time the other
driver honked； the sound was far behind me。
Look at her shaking！ The man chuckled in anticipation。 The fear was the draw
for him—the part he enjoyed。
〃Stay away from me。〃 Her voice was low and steady； not a scream。
〃Don't be like that； sugar。〃
He watched her flinch to a rowdy laugh that came from another direction。 He was
irritated with the noise—Shut up； Jeff！ he thought—but he enjoyed the way she cringed。
It excited him。 He began to imagine her pleas； the way she would beg？
I hadn't realized that there were others with him until I'd heard the loud laughter。
I scanned out from him； desperate for something that I could use。 He was taking the first
step in her direction； flexing his hands。
The minds around him were not the cesspool that his was。 They were all slightly
intoxicated； not one of them realizing how far the man they called Lonnie planned to go
with this。 They were following Lonnie's lead blindly。 He'd promised them a little fun？
One of them glanced down the street； nervous—he didn't want to get caught
harassing the girl—and gave me what I needed。 I recognized the cross street he stared
toward。
I flew under a red light； sliding through a space just wide enough between two
cars in the moving traffic。 Horns blared behind me。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
172
My phone vibrated in my pocket。 I ignored it。
Lonnie moved slowly toward the girl； drawing out the suspense—the moment of
terror that aroused him。 He waited for her scream； preparing to savor it。
But Bella locked her jaw and braced herself。 He was surprised—he'd expected
her to try to run。 Surprised and slightly disappointed。 He liked to chase his prey down；
the adrenaline of the hunt。
Brave； this one。 Maybe better； I guess？more fight in her。
I was a block away。 The monster could hear the roar of my engine now； but he
paid it no attention； too intent on his victim。
I would see how he enjoyed the hunt when he was the prey。 I would see what he
thought of my style of hunting。
In another compartment of my head； I was already sorting through the range of
tortures I'd born witness to in my vigilante days； searching for the most painful of them。
He would suffer for this。 He would writhe in agony。 The others would merely die for
their part； but the monster named Lonnie would beg for death long before I would give
him that gift。
He was in the road； crossing toward her。
I spun sharply around the corner； my headlights washing across the scene and
freezing the rest of them in place。 I could have run down the leader； who leapt out of the
way； but that was too easy a death for him。
I let the car spin out； swinging all the way around so that I was facing back the
way I'd come and the passenger door was closest to Bella。 I threw that open； and she was
already running toward the car。
〃Get in；〃 I snarled。
What the hell？
Knew this was a bad idea！ She's not alone。
Should I run？
Think I'm going to throw up？
Bella jumped through the open door without hesitating； pulling the door shut
behind her。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
173
And then she looked up at me with the most trustful expression I had ever seen on
a human face； and all my violent plans crumbled。
It took much； much less than a second for me to see that I could not leave her in
the car in order to deal with the four men in the street。 What would I tell her； not to
watch？ Ha！ When did she ever do what I asked？ When did she ever do the safe thing？
Would I drag them away； out of her sight； and leave her alone here？ It was a long
shot that another dangerous human would be prowling the streets of Port Angeles tonight；
but it was a long shot that there was even the first！ Like a magnet； she drew all things
dangerous toward herself。 I could not let her out of my sight。
It would feel like part of the same motion to her as I accelerated； taking her away
from her pursuers so quickly that they gaped after my car with uncomprehending
expressions。 She would not recognize my instant of hesitation。 She would assume the
plan was escape from the beginning。
I couldn't even hit him with my car。 That would frighten her。
I wanted his death so savagely that the need for it rang in my ears and clouded my
sight and was a flavor on my tongue。 My muscles were coiled with the urgency； the
craving； the necessity of it。 I had to kill him。 I would peel him slowly apart； piece by
piece； skin from muscle； muscle from bone？
Except that the girl—the only girl in the world—was clinging to her seat with
both hands； staring at me； her eyes still wide and utterly trusting。 Vengeance would have
to wait。
〃Put on your seatbelt；〃 I ordered。 My voice was rough with the hate and
bloodlust。 Not the usual bloodlust。 I would not sully myself by taking any part of that
man inside me。
She locked the seatbelt into place； jumping slightly at the sound it made。 That
little sound made her jump； yet she did not flinch as I tore through the town； ignoring all
traffic guides。 I could feel her eyes on me。 She seemed oddly relaxed。 It didn't make
sense to me—not with what she'd just been through。
〃Are you okay？〃 she asked； her voice rough with stress and fear。
She wanted to know if I was okay？
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
174
I thought about her question for a fraction of a second。 Not long enough for her to
notice the hesitation。 Was I okay？
〃No；〃 I realized； and my tone seethed with rage。
I took her to the same unused drive where I'd spent the afternoon engaged in the
poorest surveillance ever kept。 It was black now under the trees。
I was so furious that my body froze in place there； utterly motionless。 My ice…
locked hands ached to crush her attacker； to grind him into pieces so mangled that his
body could never be identified？。
But that would entail leaving her here alone； unprotected in the dark night。
〃Bella？〃 I asked through my teeth。
〃Yes？〃 she responded huskily。 Sh
