6 the short second life of bree tanner布里·坦纳第二次短暂生命-第3部分

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mans　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　between　us。　　Diego　got　a　weird　expression　on　his　face；　and　then　he　shot　to　the　surface　like　a　bullet。　　I　darted　up　after　him；　confused。　When　I　broke　through　to　the　air；　he　was　almost　choking　on　his　laughter。　　“What？”　　He　couldn’t　answer　me　for　a　minute。　Finally　he　blurted　out；　“Worst　high　five　ever。”　　I　sniffed；　irritated。　“Couldn’t　be　sure　you　weren’t　just　going　to　rip　my　arm　off　or　something。”　　Diego　snorted。　“I　wouldn’t　do　that。”　
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　“Anyone　else　would；”　I　countered。　　“True；　that；”　he　agreed；　suddenly　not　as　amused。　“You　up　for　a　little　more　hunting？”　　“Do　you　have　to　ask？”　　We　came　out　of　the　water　under　a　bridge　and　lucked　right　into　two　homeless　guys　sleeping　in　ancient；　filthy　sleeping　bags　on　top　of　a　shared　mattress　of　old　newspapers。　Neither　one　of　them　woke　up。　Their　blood　was　soured　by　alcohol；　but　still　better　than　nothing。　We　buried　them　in　the　sound；　too；　under　a　different　rock。　　“Well；　I’m　good　for　a　few　weeks；”　Diego　said　when　we　were　out　of　the　water　again；　dripping　on　the　end　of　another　empty　dock。　　I　sighed。　“I　guess　that’s　the　easier　part；　right？　I’ll　be　burning　again　in　a　couple　of　days。　And　then　Riley　will　probably　send　me　out　with　more　of　Raoul’s　mutants　again。”　　“I　can　e　with　you；　if　you　want。　Riley　pretty　much　lets　me　do　what　I　want。”　　I　thought　about　the　offer；　suspicious　for　a　second。　But　Diego　really　didn’t　seem　like　any　of　the　others。　I　felt　different　with　him。　Like　I　didn’t　need　to　watch　my　back　so　much。　　“I’d　like　that；”　I　admitted。　It　felt　off　to　say　this。　Too　vulnerable　or　something。　　But　Diego　just　said　“cool”　and　smiled　at　me。　　“So　how　e　Riley　gives　you　such　a　long　leash？”　I　asked；　wondering　about　the　relationship　there。　The　more　time　I　spent　with　Diego；　the　less　I　could　picture　him　being　in　tight　with　Riley。　Diego　was　so…　friendly。　Nothing　like　Riley。　But　maybe　it　was　an　
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oppositesattract　thing。　　“Riley　knows　he　can　trust　me　to　clean　up　my　messes。　Speaking　of　which；　do　you　mind　running　a　quick　errand？”　　I　was　starting　to　be　entertained　by　this　strange　boy。　Curious　about　him。　I　wanted　to　see　what　he　would　do。　　“Sure；”　I　said。　　He　bounded　across　the　dock　toward　the　road　that　ran　along　the　waterfront。　I　followed　after。　I　caught　the　scent　of　a　few　humans；　but　I　knew　it　was　too　dark　and　we　were　too　fast　for　them　to　see　us。　　He　chose　to　travel　across　rooftops　again。　After　a　few　jumps；　I　recognized　both　our　scents。　He　was　retracing　our　earlier　path。　　And　then　we　were　back　to　that　first　alley；　where　Kevin　and　the　other　guy　had　gotten　stupid　with　the　car。　　“Unbelievable；”　Diego　growled。　　Kevin　and　Co。　had　just　left；　it　appeared。　Two　other　cars　were　stacked　on　top　of　the　first；　and　a　handful　of　bystanders　had　been　added　to　the　body　count。　The　cops　weren’t　here　yetbecause　anyone　who　might　have　reported　the　mayhem　was　already　dead。　　“Help　me　sort　this　out？”　Diego　asked。　　“Okay。”　　We　dropped　down；　and　Diego　quickly　threw　the　cars　into　a　new　arrangement；　so　that　it　sort　of　looked　like　they’d　hit　each　other　rather　than　been　piled　up　by　a　giant　tantrumthrowing　baby。　I　grabbed　the　two　dry；　lifeless　bodies　abandoned　on　the　pavement　and　stuffed　them　under　the　apparent　site　of　impact。　　“Bad　accident；”　I　mented。　
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　Diego　grinned。　He　took　a　lighter　out　of　a　ziplock　from　his　pocket　and　started　igniting　the　clothes　of　the　victims。　I　grabbed　my　own　lighter　　Riley　reissued　these　when　we　went　hunting；　Kevin　should　have　used　his　　　and　got　to　work　on　the　upholstery。　The　bodies；　dried　out　and　laced　with　flammable　venom；　blazed　up　quickly。　　“Get　back；”　Diego　warned；　and　I　saw　that　he　had　the　first　car’s　gas　hatch　open　and　the　lid　screwed　off　the　tank。　I　jumped　up　the　closest　wall；　perching　a　story　above　to　watch。　He　took　a　few　steps　back　and　lit　a　match。　With　perfect　aim；　he　tossed　it　into　the　small　hole。　In　the　same　second；　he　leaped　up　beside　me。　　The　boom　of　the　explosion　shook　the　whole　street。　Lights　started　going　on　around　the　corner。　　“Well　done；”　I　said。　　“Thanks　for　your　help。　Back　to　Riley’s？”　　I　frowned。　Riley’