3 eclipse月食-第65部分

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Jacob　disappeared。　

　　18。　INSTRUCTION　


“THAT　HAD　TO　BE　THE　LONGEST　PARTY　IN　THE　HISTORY　of　the　world；”　I　plained　on　the　way　home。　
Edward　didn’t　seem　to　disagree。　“It’s　over　now；”　he　said；　rubbing　my　arm　soothingly。　
Because　I　was　the　only　one　who　needed　soothing。　Edward　was　fine　now　—　all　the　Cullens　were　fine。　
They’d　all　reassured　me；　Alice　reaching　up　to　pat　my　head　as　I　left；　eyeing　Jasper　meaningfully　until　a　flood　
of　peace　swirled　around　me；　Esme　kissing　my　forehead　and　promising　me　everything　was　all　right；　Emmett　
laughing　boisterously　and　asking　why　I　was　the　only　one　who　was　allowed　to　fight　with　werewolves。　。　。　。　
Jacob’s　solution　had　them　all　relaxed；　almost　euphoric　after　the　long　weeks　of　stress。　Doubt　had　been　
replaced　with　confidence。　The　party　had　ended　on　a　note　of　true　celebration。　
Not　for　me。　
Bad　enough　—　horrible　—　that　the　Cullens　would　fight　for　me。　It　was　already　too　much　that　I　would　have　
to　allow　that。　It　already　felt　like　more　than　I　could　bear。　
Not　Jacob；　too。　Not　his　foolish；　eager　brothers　—　most　of　them　even　younger　than　I　was。　They　were　just　
oversized；　overmuscled　children；　and　they　looked　forward　to　this　like　it　was　piic　on　the　beach。　I　could　not　
have　them　in　danger；　too。　My　nerves　felt　frayed　and　exposed。　I　didn’t　know　how　much　longer　I　could　restrain　
the　urge　to　scream　out　loud。　
I　whispered　now；　to　keep　my　voice　under　control。　“You’re　taking　me　with　you　tonight。”　
“Bella；　you’re　worn　out。”　
“You　think　I　could　sleep？”　
He　frowned。　“This　is　an　experiment。　I’m　not　sure　if　it　will　be　possible　for　us　all　to　。　。　。　cooperate。　I　don’t　
want　you　in　the　middle　of　that。”　
As　if　that　didn’t　make　me　all　the　more　anxious　to　go。　“If　you　won’t　take　me；　then　I’ll　call　Jacob。”　
His　eyes　tightened。　That　was　a　low　blow；　and　I　knew　it。　But　there　was　no　way　I　was　being　left　behind。　
He　didn’t　answer；　we　were　at　Charlie’s　house　now。　The　front　light　was　on。　
“See　you　upstairs；”　I　muttered。　
I　tiptoed　in　the　front　door。　Charlie　was　asleep　in　the　living　room；　overflowing　the　toosmall　sofa；　and　
snoring　so　loudly　I　could　have　ripped　a　chainsaw　to　life　and　it　wouldn’t　have　wakened　him。　
I　shook　his　shoulder　vigorously。　
“Dad！　Charlie！”　
He　grumbled；　eyes　still　closed。　
“I’m　home　now　—　you’re　going　to　hurt　your　back　sleeping　like　that。　C’mon；　time　to　move。”　
It　took　a　few　more　shakes；　and　his　eyes　never　did　open　all　the　way；　but　I　managed　to　get　himoff　the　
couch。　I　helped　him　up　to　his　bed；　where　he　collapsed　on　top　of　the　covers；　fully　dressed；　and　started　snoring　
again。　
He　wasn’t　going　to　be　looking　for　me　anytime　soon。　
Edward　waited　in　my　room　while　I　washed　my　face　and　changed　into　jeans　and　a　flannel　shirt。　He　
watched　me　unhappily　from　the　rocking　chair　as　I　hung　the　outfit　Alice　had　given　me　in　my　closet。　
“e　here；”　I　said；　taking　his　hand　and　pulling　him　to　my　bed。　
I　pushed　him　down　on　the　bed　and　then　curled　up　against　his　chest。　Maybe　he　was　right　and　I　was　tired　
enough　to　sleep。　I　wasn’t　going　to　let　him　sneak　off　without　me。　
He　tucked　my　quilt　in　around　me；　and　then　held　me　close。　
“Please　relax。”　
“Sure。”　
“This　is　going　to　work；　Bella。　I　can　feel　it。”　
My　teeth　locked　together。　
He　was　still　radiating　relief。　Nobody　but　me　cared　if　Jacob　and　his　friends　got　hurt。　Not　even　Jacob　and　
his　friends。　Especially　not　them。　
He　could　tell　I　was　about　to　lose　it。　“Listen　to　me；　Bella。　This　is　going　to　be　easy。　The　newborns　will　be　

pletely　taken　by　surprise。　They’ll　have　no　more　idea　that　werewolves　even　exist　than　you　did。　I’ve　seen　
how　they　act　in　a　group；　the　way　Jasper　remembers。　I　truly　believe　that　the　wolves’　hunting　techniques　will　
work　flawlessly　against　them。　And　with　them　divided　and　confused；　there　won’t　be　enough　for　the　rest　of　us　to　
do。　Someone　may　have　to　sit　out；”　he　teased。　
“Piece　of　cake；”　I　mumbled　tonelessly　against　his　chest。　
“Shhh；”　he　stroked　my　cheek。　“You’ll　see。　Don’t　worry　now。”　
He　started　humming　my　lullaby；　but；　for　once；　it　didn’t　calm　me。　
People　—　well；　vampires　and　werewolves　really；　but　still　—　people　I　loved　were　going　to　get　hurt。　Hurt　
because　of　me。　Again。　I　wished　my　bad　luck　would　focus　a　little　more　carefully。　I　felt　likeyelling　up　at　the　
empty　sky：　It’s　me　you　want　—　over　here！　Just　me！　
I　tried　to　think　of　a　way　that　I　could　do　exactly　that　—　force　my　bad　luck　to　focus　on　me。　It　wouldn’t　be　
easy。　I　would　have　to　wait；　bide　my　time。　。　。　。　
I　did　not　fall　asleep。　The　minutes　passed　quickly；　to　my　surprise；　and　I　was　still　alert　and　tense　when　
Edward　pulled　us　both　up　into　a　sitting　position。　
“Are　you　sure　you　don’t　want　to　stay　and　sleep？”　
I　gave　him　a　sour　look。　
He　sighed；　and　scooped　me　up　in　his　arms　before　he　jumped　from　my　window。　
He　raced　through　the　black；　quiet　forest　with　me　on　his　back；　and　even　in　his　run　I　could　feel　the　elation。　
He　ran　the　way　he　did　when　it　was　just　us；　just　for　enjoyment；　just　for　the　feel　of　the　wind　in　his　hair。　It　was　the　
kind　of　thing　that；　during　less　anxious　times；　would　have　made　me　happy。　
When　we　got　to　the　big　open　field；　his　family　was　there；　talking　casually；　relaxed。　Emmett’s　booming　laugh　
echoed　through　the　wide　space　now　and　then。　Edward　set　me　down　and　we　walked　hand　in　hand　toward　
them。　
It　took　me　a　minute；　because　it　was　so　dark　with　the　moon　hidden　behind　the　clouds；　but　I　realized　that　
we　were　in　the　baseball　clearing。　It　was　the　same　place　where；　more　than　a　year　ago；　that　first　lighthearted　
evening　with　the　Cullens　had　been　interrupted　by　James　and　his　coven。　It　felt　strange　to　be　here　again　—　as　if　
this　gathering　wouldn’t　be　plete　until　James　and　Laurent　and　Victoria　joined　us。　But　James　and　Laurent　
were　never　ing　back。　That　pattern　wouldn’t　be　repeated。　Maybe　all　the　patterns　were　broken。　
Yes；　someone　had　broken　out　of　their　pattern。　Was　it　possible　that　the　Volturi　were　the　flexible　ones　in　
this　equation？　
I　doubted　it。　
Victoria　had　always　seemed　like　a　force　of　nature　to　me　—　like　a　hurricane　moving　toward　the　coast　in　a　
straight　line　—　unavoidable；　implacable；　but　predictable。　Maybe　it　was　wrong　to　limit　her　that　way。　She　had　to　
be　capable　of　adaptation。　
“You　know　what　I　think？”　I　asked　Edward。　
He　laughed。　“No。”　
I　almost　smiled。　
“What　do　you　think？”　
“I　think　it’s　all　connected。　Not　just　the　two；　but　all　three。”　
“You’ve　lost　me。”　
“Three　bad　things　have　happened　since　you　came　back。”　I　ticked　them　off　on　my　fingers。　“The　newborns　
in　Seattle。　The　stranger　in　my　room。　And　—　first　of　all　—　Victoria　came　to　look　for　me。”　
His　eyes　narrowed　as　he　thought　about　it。　“Why　do　you　think　so？”　
“Because　I　agree　with　Jasper　—　the　Volturi　love　their　rules。　They　would　probably　do　a　better　job　
anyway。”　And　I’d　be　dead　if　they　wanted　me　dead；　I　added　mentally。　“Remember　when　you　were　tracking　
Victoria　last　year？”　
“Yes。”　He　frowned。　“I　wasn’t　very　good　at　it。”　
“Alice　said　you　were　in　Texas。　Did　you　follow　her　there？”　
His　eyebrows　pulled　together。　“Yes。　Hmm　。　。　。”　
“See　—　she　could　have　gotten　the　idea　there。　But　she　doesn’t　know　what　she’s　doing；　so　the　newborns　
are　all　out　of　control。”　
He　started　shaking　his　head。　“Only　Aro　knows　exactly　how　Alice’s　visions　work。”　

“Aro　would　know　best；　but　wouldn’t　Tanya　and　Irina　and　the　rest　of　your　friends　in　Denali　know　enough？　
Laurent　lived　with　them　for　so　long。　And　if　he　was　still　friendly　enough　with　Victoria　to　be　doing　favors　for　her；　
why　wouldn’t　he　also　tell　her　everything　he　knew？”　
Edward　frowned。　“It　wasn’t　Victoria　in　your　room。”　
“She　can’t　make　new　friends？　Think　about　it；　Edward。　If　it　is　Victoria　doing　this　in　Seattle；　she’s　made　a　
lot　of　new　friends。　She’s　created　them。”　
He　considered　it；　his　forehead　creased　in　concentration。　
“Hmm；”　he　finally　said。　“It’s　possible。　I　still　think　the　Volturi　are　most　likely　。　。　。　But　your　theory　—　there’s　
something　there。　Victoria’s　personality。　Your　theory　suits　her　personality　perfectly。　She’s　shown　a　remarkable　
gift　for　selfpreservation　from　the　start　—　maybe　it’s　a　talent　of　hers。　In　any　case；　this　plot　would　put　her　in