暮色-第77部分

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all　for　him；　of　course。　You're　simply　a　human；　who　unfortunately　was　in　
the　wrong　place；　at　the　wrong　time；　and　indisputably　running　with　the　
wrong　crowd；　I　might　add。〃　

He　stepped　toward　me；　smiling。　〃Before　we　begin…〃　

I　felt　a　curl　of　nausea　in　the　pit　of　my　stomach　as　he　spoke。　This　was　
something　I　had　not　anticipated。　

〃I　would　just　like　to　rub　it　in；　just　a　little　bit。　The　answer　was　there　
all　along；　and　I　was　so　afraid　Edward　would　see　that　and　ruin　my　fun。　It　
happened　once；　oh；　ages　ago。　The　one　and　only　time　my　prey　escaped　me。　

〃You　see；　the　vampire　who　was　so　stupidly　fond　of　this　little　victim　made　
the　choice　that　your　Edward　was　too　weak　to　make。　When　the　old　one　knew　I　
was　after　his　little　friend；　he　stole　her　from　the　asylum　where　he　worked　
—　I　never　will　understand　the　obsession　some　vampires　seem　to　form　with　
you　humans　—　and　as　soon　as　he　freed　her　he　made　her　safe。　She　didn't　
even　seem　to　notice　the　pain；　poor　little　creature。　She'd　been　stuck　in　
that　black　hole　of　a　cell　for　so　long。　A　hundred　years　earlier　and　she　
would　have　been　burned　at　the　stake　for　her　visions。　In　the　
nieentwenties　it　was　the　asylum　and　the　shock　treatments。　When　she　
opened　her　eyes；　strong　with　her　fresh　youth；　it　was　like　she'd　never　
seen　the　sun　before。　The　old　vampire　made　her　a　strong　new　vampire；　and　
there　was　no　reason　for　me　to　touch　her　then。〃　He　sighed。　〃I　destroyed　
the　old　one　in　vengeance。〃　

〃Alice；〃　I　breathed；　astonished。　

〃Yes；　your　little　friend。　I　was　surprised　to　see　her　in　the　clearing。　So　
I　guess　her　coven　ought　to　be　able　to　derive　some　fort　from　this　
experience。　I　get　you；　but　they　get　her。　The　one　victim　who　escaped　me；　
quite　an　honor；　actually。　

〃And　she　did　smell　so　delicious。　I　still　regret　that　I　never　got　to　
taste…　She　smelled　even　better　than　you　do。　Sorry　—　I　don't　mean　to　be　
offensive。　You　have　a　very　nice　smell。　Floral；　somehow…〃　

He　took　another　step　toward　me；　till　he　was　just　inches　away。　He　lifted　a　
lock　of　my　hair　and　sniffed　at　it　delicately。　Then　he　gently　patted　the　
strand　back　into　place；　and　I　felt　his　cool　fingertips　against　my　throat。　
He　reached　up　to　stroke　my　cheek　once　quickly　with　his　thumb；　his　face　
curious。　I　wanted　so　badly　to　run；　but　I　was　frozen。　I　couldn't　even　
flinch　away。　

〃No；〃　he　murmured　to　himself　as　he　dropped　his　hand；　〃I　don't　
understand。〃　He　sighed。　〃Well；　I　suppose　we　should　get　on　with　it。　And　
then　I　can　call　your　friends　and　tell　them　where　to　find　you；　and　my　
little　message。〃　

I　was　definitely　sick　now。　There　was　pain　ing；　I　could　see　it　in　his　
eyes。　It　wouldn't　be　enough　for　him　to　win；　to　feed　and　go。　There　would　
be　no　quick　end　like　I'd　been　counting　on。　My　knees　began　to　shake；　and　I　
was　afraid　I　was　going　to　fall。　

He　stepped　back；　and　began　to　circle；　casually；　as　if　he　were　trying　to　
get　a　better　view　of　a　statue　in　a　museum。　His　face　was　still　open　and　
friendly　as　he　decided　where　to　start。　

Then　he　slumped　forward；　into　a　crouch　I　recognized；　and　his　pleasant　
smile　slowly　widened；　grew；　till　it　wasn't　a　smile　at　all　but　a　
contortion　of　teeth；　exposed　and　glistening。　

I　couldn't　help　myself—　I　tried　to　run。　As　useless　as　I　knew　it　would　be；　
as　weak　as　my　knees　already　were；　panic　took　over　and　I　bolted　for　the　
emergency　door。　

He　was　in　front　of　me　in　a　flash。　I　didn't　see　if　he　used　his　hand　or　his　
foot；　it　was　too　fast。　A　crushing　blow　struck　my　chest　—　I　felt　myself　
flying　backward；　and　then　heard　the　crunch　as　my　head　bashed　into　the　
mirrors。　The　glass　buckled；　some　of　the　pieces　shattering　and　splintering　
on　the　floor　beside　me。　

I　was　too　stunned　to　feel　the　pain。　I　couldn't　breathe　yet。　

He　walked　toward　me　slowly。　

〃That's　a　very　nice　effect；〃　he　said；　examining　the　mess　of　glass；　his　
voice　friendly　again。　〃I　thought　this　room　would　be　visually　dramatic　for　
my　little　film。　That's　why　I　picked　this　place　to　meet　you。　It's　perfect；　
isn't　it？〃　

I　ignored　him；　scrambling　on　my　hands　and　knees；　crawling　toward　the　
other　door。　

He　was　over　me　at　once；　his　foot　stepping　down　hard　on　my　leg。　I　heard　
the　sickening　snap　before　I　felt　it。　But　then　I　did　feel　it；　and　I　
couldn't　hold　back　my　scream　of　agony。　I　twisted　up　to　reach　for　my　leg；　
and　he　was　standing　over　me；　smiling。　

〃Would　you　like　to　rethink　your　last　request？〃　he　asked　pleasantly。　His　
toe　nudged　my　broken　leg　and　I　heard　a　piercing　scream。　With　a　shock；　I　
realized　it　was　mine。　

〃Wouldn't　you　rather　have　Edward　try　to　find　me？〃　he　prompted。　

〃No！〃　I　croaked。　〃No；　Edward；　don't—〃　And　then　something　smashed　into　my　
face；　throwing　me　back　into　the　broken　mirrors。　

Over　the　pain　of　my　leg；　I　felt　the　sharp　rip　across　my　scalp　where　the　
glass　cut　into　it。　And　then　the　warm　wetness　began　to　spread　through　my　
hair　with　alarming　speed。　I　could　feel　it　soaking　the　shoulder　of　my　
shirt；　hear　it　dripping　on　the　wood　below。　The　smell　of　it　twisted　my　
stomach。　

Through　the　nausea　and　dizziness　I　saw　something　that　gave　me　a　sudden；　
final　shred　of　hope。　His　eyes；　merely　intent　before；　now　burned　with　an　
uncontrollable　need。　The　blood　—　spreading　crimson　across　my　white　shirt；　
pooling　rapidly　on　the　floor　—　was　driving　him　mad　with　thirst。　No　matter　
his　original　intentions；　he　couldn't　draw　this　out　much　longer。　

Let　it　be　quick　now；　was　all　I　could　hope　as　the　flow　of　blood　from　my　
head　sucked　my　consciousness　away　with　it。　My　eyes　were　closing。　

I　heard；　as　if　from　underwater；　the　final　growl　of　the　hunter。　I　could　
see；　through　the　long　tunnels　my　eyes　had　bee；　his　dark　shape　ing　
toward　me。　With　my　last　effort；　my　hand　instinctively　raised　to　protect　
my　face。　My　eyes　closed；　and　I　drifted。　

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23。　THE　ANGEL　




As　I　drifted；　I　dreamed。　

Where　I　floated；　under　the　dark　water；　I　heard　the　happiest　sound　my　mind　
could　conjure　up　—　as　beautiful；　as　uplifting；　as　it　was　ghastly。　It　was　
another　snarl；　a　deeper；　wilder　roar　that　rang　with　fury。　

I　was　brought　back；　almost　to　the　surface；　by　a　sharp　pain　slashing　my　

upraised　hand；　but　I　couldn't　find　my　way　back　far　enough　to　open　my　eyes。　

And　then　I　knew　I　was　dead。　

Because；　through　the　heavy　water；　I　heard　the　sound　of　an　angel　calling　
my　name；　calling　me　to　the　only　heaven　I　wanted。　

〃Oh　no；　Bella；　no！〃　the　angel's　voice　cried　in　horror。　

Behind　that　longedfor　sound　was　another　noise　—　an　awful　tumult　that　my　
mind　shied　away　from。　A　vicious　bass　growling；　a　shocking　snapping　sound；　
and　a　high　keening；　suddenly　breaking　off…　

I　tried　to　concentrate　on　the　angel's　voice　instead。　

〃Bella；　please！　Bella；　listen　to　me；　please；　please；　Bella；　please！〃　he　
begged。　

Yes；　I　wanted　to　say。　Anything。　But　I　couldn't　find　my　lips。　

〃Carlisle！〃　the　angel　called；　agony　in　his　perfect　voice。　〃Bella；　Bella；　
no；　oh　please；　no；　no！〃　And　the　angel　was　sobbing　tearless；　broken　sobs。　

The　angel　shouldn't　weep；　it　was　wrong。　I　tried　to　find　him；　to　tell　him　
everything　was　fine；　but　the　water　was　so　deep；　it　was　pressing　on　me；　
and　I　couldn't　breathe。　

There　was　a　point　of　pressure　against　my　head。　It　hurt。　Then；　as　that　
pain　broke　through　the　darkness　to　me；　other　pains　came；　stronger　pains。　
I　cried　out；　gasping；　breaking　through　the　dark　pool。　

〃Bella！〃　the　angel　cried。　

〃She's　lost　some　blood；　but　the　head　wound　isn't　deep；〃　a　calm　voice　
informed　me。　〃Watch　out　for　her　leg；　it's　broken。〃　

A　howl　of　rage　strangled　on　the　angel's　lips。　

I　felt　a　sharp　stab　in　my　side。　This　couldn't　be　heaven；　could　it？　There　
was　too　much　pain　for　that。　

〃Some　ribs；　too；　I　think；〃　the　methodical　voice　continued。　

But　the　sharp　pains　were　fading。　There　was　a　new　pain；　a　scalding　pain　in　
my　hand　that　was　overshadowing　everything　else。　

Someone　was　burning　me。　

〃Edward。〃　I　tried　to　tell　him；　but　my　voice　was　so　heavy　and　slow。　I　
couldn't　understand　myself。　

〃Bella；　you're　going　to　be　fine。　Can　you　hear　me；　Bella？　I　love　you。〃　

〃Edward；〃　I　tried　again。　My　voice　was　a　little　clearer。　

〃Yes；　I'm　here。〃　

〃It　hu