4 breaking dawn破晓-第42部分
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others think I fell asleep。 But the whole twoseparatepacks; twoseparatepackminds thing gave mea
lot to sift through。 In the end; I weighed Seth's safety and the; er; other benefits against the idea of
turning traitor and sniffing vampire stink for who knows how long。 You know what I decided。 I
left a note for my mom。 I expect we'll hear it when Sam finds out 。 。。
Leah cocked an ear to the west。
Yeah; I expect we will;I agreed。
So that's everything。 What do we do now?she asked。
She and Seth both looked at me expectantly。
This was exactly the kind of thing I didn't want to have to do。
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guess we just keep an eye out for now。 That's all we can do。 You should probably take a nap;
Leah。
You've had as much sleep as I have。
Thought you were going to do what you were told?
Right。 That's going to get old;she grumbled; and then she yawned。 Well; whatever。 I don't care。
I'll run the border; Jake。 I'm not tired at all。Seth was so glad I hadn't forced them home; he was all but
prancing with excitement。
Sure; sure。 I'm going to go check in with the Cullens。
Seth took off along the new path worn into the damp earth。 Leah looked after him thoughtfully。
Maybe a round or two before I crash。。。。 Hey Seth; wanna see how many times I can lap you?
NO!
Barking out a low chuckle; Leah lunged into the woods after him。
I growled uselessly。 So much for peace and quiet。
Leah was trying—for Leah。 She kept her jibes to a minimum as she raced around the circuit; but it was
impossible not to be aware of her smug mood。 I thought of the whole 〃two's pany〃 saying。 It didn't
really apply; because one was plenty to my mind。 But if there had to be three of us; it was hard to think
of anyone that I wouldn't trade her for。
Paul?she suggested。
Maybe;I allowed。
She laughed to herself; too jittery and hyper to get offended; i wondered how long the buzz from
dodging Sam's pity would last。
That will be my goal then—to be less annoying than Paul。
Yeah; work on that
I changed into my other form when I was a few yards from the lawn。 I hadn't been planning to spend
much time human here。 But I hadn't been planning to have Leah in my head; either。 I pulled on my ragged
shorts and started across the lawn。
The door opened before I got to the steps; and I was surprised to see Carlisle rather than Edward step
outside to meet me—his face looked exhausted and defeated。 For a second; my heart froze。 I faltered to
a stop; unable to speak。
〃Are you all right; Jacob?〃 Carlisle asked。
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〃Is Bella?〃 I choked out。
〃She's。。。 much the same as last night。 Did I startle you? I'm sorry。 Edward said you were ing in your
human form; and I came out to greet you; as he didn't want to leave her。 She's awake。〃
And Edward didn't want to lose any time with her; because he didn't have much time left。 Carlisle didn't
say the words out loud; but he might as well have。
It had been a while since I'd slept—since before my last patrol。 I could really feel that now。 I took a step
forward; sat down on the porch steps; and slumped against the railing。
Moving whisperquiet as only a vampire could; Carlisle took a seat on the same step; against the other
railing。
〃I didn't get a chance to thank you last night; Jacob。 You don't know how much I appreciate your。。。
passion。 I know your goal was to protect Bella; but I owe you the safety of the rest of my family as
well。 Edward told me what you had to do___〃
〃Don't mention it;〃 I muttered。
〃If you prefer。〃
We sat in silence。 I could hear the others in the house。 Emmett; Alice; and Jasper; speaking in low;
serious voices upstairs。 Esme humming tunelessly in another room。 Rosalie and Edward breathing close
by—I couldn't tell which was which; but I could hear the difference in Bella's labored panting。 I could
hear her heart; too。 It seemed。。。 uneven。
It was like fate was out to make me do everything I'd ever sworn I wouldn't in the course of twentyfour
hours。 Here I was; hanging around; waiting for her to die。
I didn't want to listen anymore。 Talking was better than listening。
〃She's family to you?〃 I asked Carlisle。 It had caught my notice before; when he'd said I'd helped the
rest of his family; too。
〃Yes。 Bella is already a daughter to me。 A beloved daughter。〃
〃But you're going to let her die。〃
He was quiet long enough that I looked up。 His face was very; very tired。 I knew how he felt。
〃I can imagine what you think of me for that;〃 he finally said。 〃But i can't ignore her will。 It wouldn't be
right to make such a choice for her; to force her。〃
I wanted to be angry with him; but he was making it hard。 It was like he was throwing my own words
back at me; just scrambled up。 They'd sounded right before; but they couldn't be right now。 Not with
Bella dying。 Still。。。 I remembered how it felt to be broken on the ground under Sam—to have no choice
but be involved in the murder of someone I loved。 It wasn't the same; though。 Sam was wrong。 And
Bella loved things she shouldn't。
〃Do you think there's any chance she'll make it? I mean; as a vampire and all that。 She told me about。。。
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about Esme。〃
Tel say there's an even chance at this point;〃 he answered quietly。 〃I've seen vampire venom work
miracles; but there are conditions that even venom cannot overe。 Her heart is working too hard now;
if it should fail。。。 there won't be anything for me to do。〃
Bella's heartbeat throbbed and faltered; giving an agonizing emphasis to his words。
Maybe the pla had started turning backward。 Maybe that would explain how everything was the
opposite of what it had been yesterday—how I could be hoping for what had once seemed like the very
worst thing in the world。
〃What is that thing doing to her?〃 I whispered。 〃She was so much worse last night。 I saw。。。 the tubes and
all that。 Through the window。〃
〃The fetus isn't patible with her body。 Too strong; for one thing; but she could probably endure that
for a while。 The bigger problem is that it won't allow her to get the sustenance she needs。 Her body is
rejecting every form of nutrition。 I'm trying to feed her intravenously; but she's just not absorbing it。
Everything about her condition is accelerated。 I'm watching her—and not just her; but the fetus as
well—starve to death by the hour。 I can't stop it and I can't slow it down。 I can't figure out what it
wants〃 His weary voice broke at the end。
I felt the same way I had yesterday; when I'd seen the black stains across her stomach—furious; and a
little crazy。
I clenched my hands into fists to control the shaking。 I hated the thing that was hurting her。 It wasn't
enough for the monster to beat her from the inside out。 No; it was starving her; too。 Probably just looking
for something to sink its teeth into—a throat to suck dry。 Since it wasn't big enough to kill anyone else
yet; it settled for sucking Bella's life from her。
I could tell them exactly what it wanted: death and blood; blood and death。
My skin was all hot and prickly。 I breathed slowly in and out; focusing on that to calm myself。
〃I wish I could get a better idea of what exactly it is;〃 Carlisle murmured。 〃The fetus is well protected。 I
haven't been able to produce an ultrasonic image。 I doubt there is any way to get a needle through the
amniotic sac; but Rosalie won't agree to let me try; in any case。〃
〃A needle?〃 I mumbled。 〃What good would that do?〃
〃The more I know about the fetus; the better I can estimate what it will be capable of。 What I wouldn't
give for even a little amniotic fluid。 If I knew even the chromosomal count。。。〃
〃You're losing me; Doc。 Can you dumb it down?〃
He chuckled once—even his laugh sounded exhausted。 〃Okay。 How much biology have you taken? Did
you study chromosomal pairs?〃
〃Think so。 We have twentythree; right?〃