new moon(暮光之城-新月英文版)-第41部分

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motorcycles—he　was　bigger；　
though；　and　I　felt　even　more　like　a　child　now。　
Like　that　other　time；　he　stroked　my　hair。　
〃Sorry　I　called　you　a　hypocrite；〃　he　apologized。　
〃Sorry　I　called　you　a　murderer。〃　
He　laughed。　
I　thought　of　something　then；　and　pulled　away　from　him　so　that　I　could　see　his　
face。　My　eyebrows　
furrowed　in　anxiety。　〃What　about　Sam？　And　the　others？〃　
He　shook　his　head；　smiling　like　a　huge　burden　had　been　removed　from　his　
shoulders。　〃Of　course　not。　
Don't　you　remember　what　we　call　ourselves？〃　
The　memory　was　clear—I'd　just　been　thinking　of　that　very　day。　〃Protectors？〃　
〃Exactly。〃　
〃But　I　don't　understand。　What's　happening　in　the　woods？　The　missing　hikers；　
the　blood？〃　
His　face　was　serious；　worried　at　once。　〃We're　trying　to　do　our　job；　Bella。　
We're　trying　to　protect　them；　
but　we're　always　just　a　little　too　late。〃　
〃Protect　them　from　what？　Is　there　really　a　bear　out　there；　too？〃　
〃Bella；　honey；　we　only　protect　people　from　one　thing—our　one　enemy。　It's　the　
reason　we　exist—because　
they　do。〃　
I　stared　at　him　blankly　for　one　second　before　I　understood。　Then　the　blood　
drained　from　my　face　and　a　
thin；　wordless　cry　of　horror　broke　through　my　lips。　
He　nodded。　〃I　thought　you；　of　all　people；　would　reali2e　what　was　really　going　
on。〃　
〃Laurent；〃　I　whispered。　〃He's　still　here。〃　
Jacob　blinked　twice；　and　cocked　his　head　to　one　side。　〃Who's　Laurent？〃　
I　tried　to　sort　out　the　chaos　in　my　head　so　that　I　could　answer。　〃You　know—
you　saw　him　in　the　
meadow。　You　were　there〃　The　words　came　out　in　a　wondering　tone　as　it　all　
sunk　in。　〃You　were　there；　
and　you　kept　him　from　killing　me〃　
〃Oh；　the　black…haired　leech？〃　He　grinned；　a　tight；　fierce　grin。　〃Was　that　his　
name？〃　
I　shuddered。　〃What　were　you　thinking？〃　I　whispered。　〃He　could　have　killed　you！　
Jake；　you　don't　realize　
how　dangerous—〃　
Another　laugh　interrupted　me　〃Bella；　one　lone　vampire　isn't　much　of　a　problem　
for　a　pack　as　big　as　ours。　
It　was　so　easy；　it　was　hardly　even　fun！〃　
〃What　was　so　easy？〃　
〃Killing　the　bloodsucker　who　was　going　to　kill　you。　Now；　I　don't　count　that　
towards　the　whole　murder　
thing；〃　he　added　quickly。　〃Vampires　don't　count　as　people。〃　
I　could　only　mouth　the　words。　〃You　killed　Laurent？〃　
He　nodded。　〃Well；　it　was　a　group　effort；〃　he　qualified。　
〃Laurent　is　dead？〃　I　whispered。　
His　expression　changed。　〃You're　not　upset　about　that；　are　you？　He　was　going　to　
kill　you—he　was　going　
for　the　kill；　Bella；　we　were　sure　of　that　before　we　attacked。　You　know　that；　
right？〃　
〃I　know　that。　No；　I'm　not　upset—I'm〃　I　had　to　sit　down。　I　stumbled　back　a　
step　until　I　felt　the　
driftwood　against　my　calves；　and　then　sank　down　onto　it。　〃Laurent　is　dead。　
He's　not　ing　back　for　
me。〃　
〃You're　not　mad？　He　wasn't　one　of　your　friends　or　anything；　was　he？〃　
〃My　friend？〃　I　stared　up　at　him；　confused　and　dizzy　with　relief。　I　started　
babbling；　my　eyes　getting　moist。　
〃No；　Jake。　I'm　so　so　relieved。　I　thought　he　was　going　to　find　me—I've　been　
waiting　for　him　every　
night；　just　hoping　that　he'd　stop　with　me　and　leave　Charlie　alone。　I've　been　
so　frightened；　Jacob　But　
how？　He　was　a　vampire！　How　did　you　kill　him？　He　was　so　strong；　so　hard；　like　
marble〃　
He　sat　down　next　to　me　and　put　one　big　arm　around　me　fortingly。　〃It's　what　
we're　made　for；　Bells。　
We're　strong；　too。　I　wish　you　would　have　told　me　that　you　were　so　afraid。　You　
didn't　need　to　be。〃　
〃You　weren't　around；〃　I　mumbled；　lost　in　thought。　
〃Oh；　right。〃　
〃Wait；　Jake—I　thought　you　knew；　though。　Last　night；　you　said　it　wasn't　safe　
for　you　to　be　in　my　room。　I　
thought　you　knew　that　a　vampire　might　be　ing。　Isn't　that　what　you　were　
talking　about？〃　
He　looked　confused　for　a　minute；　and　then　he　ducked　his　head。　〃No；　that's　not　
what　I　meant。〃　
〃Then　why　didn't　you　think　it　was　safe　for　you　there？〃　
He　looked　at　me　with　guilt…ridden　eyes。　〃I　didn't　say　it　wasn't　safe　for　me。　I　
was　thinking　of　you。〃　
〃What　do　you　mean？〃　
He　looked　down　and　kicked　a　rock。　〃There's　more　than　one　reason　I'm　not　
supposed　to　be　around　you；　
Bella。　I　wasn't　supposed　to　tell　you　our　secret；　for　one　thing；　but　the　other　
part　is　that　it's　not　safe　for　you。　
If　I　get　too　mad　too　upset　you　might　get　hurt。〃　
I　thought　about　that　carefully。　〃When　you　were　mad　before　when　I　was　yelling　
at　you　and　you　were　
shaking　？〃　
〃Yeah。〃　His　face　dropped　even　lower。　〃That　was　pretty　stupid　of　me。　I　have　to　
keep　a　better　hold　on　
myself。　I　swore　I　wasn't　going　to　get　mad；　no　matter　what　you　said　to　me。　But
　I　just　got　so　upser　that　I　
was　going　to　lose　you　that　you　couldn't　deal　with　what　I　am〃　
〃What　would　happen　if　you　got　too　mad？〃　I　whispered。　
〃I'd　turn　into　a　wolf；〃　he　whispered　back。　
〃You　don't　need　a　full　moon。〃　
He　rolled　his　eyes。　〃Hollywood's　version　doesn't　get　much　right。〃　Then　he　
sighed；　and　was　serious　again。　
〃You　don't　need　to　be　so　stressed　out；　Bells。　We're　going　to　take　care　of　
this。　And　we're　keeping　a　
special　eye　on　Charlie　and　the　others—we　won't　let　anything　happen　to　him。　
Trust　me　on　that。〃　
Something　very；　very　obvious；　something　I　should　have　grasped　at　once—but　I'd　
been　so　distracted　by　
the　idea　of　Jacob　and　his　friends　fighting　with　Laurent；　that　I'd　pletely　
missed　it　at　the　time—occurred　
to　me　only　then；　when　Jacob　used　the　present　tense　again。　
We're　going　to　take　care　of　this。　
It　wasn't　over。　
〃Laurent　is　dead；〃　I　gasped；　and　my　entire　body　went　ice　cold。　
〃Bella？〃　Jacob　asked　anxiously；　touching　my　ashen　cheek。　
〃If　Laurent　died　a　week　ago　then　someone　else　is　killing　people　now。〃　
Jacob　nodded；　his　teeth　clenched　together；　and　he　spoke　through　them。　〃There　
were　two　of　them。　We　
thought　his　mate　would　want　to　fight　us—in　our　stories；　they　usually　get　
pretty　pissed　off　if　you　kill　their　
mate—but　she　just　keeps　running　away；　and　then　ing　back　again。　If　we　could　
figure　out　what　she　
was　after；　it　would　be　easier　to　take　her　down。　But　she　makes　no　sense。　She　
keeps　dancing　around　the　
edges；　like　she's　testing　our　defenses；　looking　for　a　way　in—but　in　where？　
Where　does　she　want　to　go？　
Sam　thinks　she's　trying　to　separate　us；　so　she'll　have　a　better　chance〃　
His　voice　faded　until　it　sounded　like　it　was　ing　through　a　long　tunnel；　I　
couldn't　make　out　the　
individual　words　anymore。　My　forehead　dewed　with　sweat　and　my　stomach　rolled　
like　I　had　the　stomach　
flu　again。　Exactly　like　I　had　the　flu。　
I　turned　away　from　him　quickly；　and　leaned　over　the　tree　trunk。　My　body　
convulsed　with　useless　heaves；　
my　empty　stomach　contracting　with　horrified　nausea；　though　there　was　nothing　
in　it　to　expel。　
Victoria　was　here。　Looking　for　me。　Killing　strangers　in　the　woods。　The　woods　
where　Charlie　was　
searching　
My　head　spun　sickeningly。　
Jacob's　hands　caught　my　shoulders—kept　me　from　sliding　forward　onto　the　
rocks。　I　could　feel　his　hot　
breath　on　my　cheek。　〃Bella！　What's　wrong？〃　
〃Victoria；〃　I　gasped　as　soon　as　I　could　catch　my　breath　around　the　nauseous　
spasms。　
In　my　head；　Edward　snarled　in　fury　at　the　name。　
I　felt　Jacob　pull　me　up　from　my　slump。　He　draped　me　awkwardly　across　his　lap；　
laying　my　limp　head　
against　his　shoulder。　He　struggled　to　balance　me；　to　keep　me　from　sagging　
over；　one　way　or　the　other　He　
brushed　the　sweaty　hair　back　from　my　face。　
〃Who？〃　Jacob　asked。　〃Can　you　hear　me；　Bella？　Bella？〃　
〃She　wasn't　Laurent's　mate；〃　I　moaned　into　his　shoulder。　〃They　were　just　old　
friends〃　
〃Do　you　need　some　water？　A　doctor？　Tell　me　what　to　do；〃　he　demanded；　frantic。　
〃I'm　not　sick—I'm　scared；〃　I　explained　in　a　whisper。　The　word　scared　didn't　
really　seem　to　cover　it。　
Jacob　patted　my　back。　〃Scaled　of　this　Victoria？〃　I　nodded；　shuddering。　
〃Victoria　is　the　red…haired　
female？〃　I　trembled　again；　and　whimpered；　〃Yes。〃　
〃How　do　you　know　she　wasn't　his　mate？〃　
〃Laurent　told　me　James　was　her　mate；〃　I　explained；　automatically　flexing　the　
hand　with　the　scar。　
He　pulled　my　face　around；　holding　it　steady　in　his　big　hand。　He　stared　
intently　into　my　eyes。　〃Did　he　tell　
you　anything　else；　Bella？　This　is　important。　Do　you　know　what　she　wants？〃　
〃Of　course；〃　I　whispered。　〃She　wants　me。〃　His　eyes　flipped　wide；　then　narrowed　
into　slits。　〃Why？〃　he　
demanded。　
〃Edward　killed　James；〃　I　whispered。　Jacob　held　me　so　tightly　that　there　was　no　
need　for　me　to　clutch　at　
the　hole—he　kept　me　in　one　piece。　〃She　did　get　pissed　off。　But　Laurent　said　
she　thought　it　was　fairer　
to　kill　me　than　Edward。　Mate　for　mate。　She　didn't　know—still　doesn't　know；　I　
guess—that　that〃　I　
swallowed　hard。　〃That　things　aren't　like　that　with　us　anymore。　Not　for　Edward；　
anyway。〃　
Jacob　was　distracted　by　that；　his　face　torn　between　several　different　
expressions。　〃Is　that　what　
happened？　Why　the　Cullens　left？〃　
〃I'm　nothing　but　a　human；　after　all。　Nothing　special；〃　I　explained；　shrugging　
weakly。　
Something　like　a　growl—not　a　real　growl；　just　a　human　approximation—rumbled　
in　Jacob's　chest　under　
my　ear。　〃If　that　idiot　bloodsucker　is　honestly　stupid　enough—〃　
〃Please；〃　I　moaned。　〃Please。　Don't。〃　
Jacob　hesitated；　then　nodded　once。　
〃This　is　important；〃　he　said　again；　his　face　all　business　now。　〃This　is　
exactly　what　we　needed　to　know。　
We've　got　to　tell　the　others　right　away。〃　
He　stood；　pulling　me　to　my　feet。　He　kept　two　hands　on　my　waist　until　he　was　
sure　I　wasn't　going　to　fall。　
〃I'm　okay；〃　I　lied。　
He　traded　his　hold　on　my　waist　for　one　of　my　hands。　〃Let's　go。〃　
He　pulled　me　back　toward　the　truck。　
〃Where　are　we　going？〃　I　asked。　
〃I'm　not　sure　yet；〃　he　admitted。　〃I'll　call　a　meeting。　Hey；　wait　here　for　just　
a　minute；　okay？〃　He　leaned　me　
against　the　side　of　the　truck　and　released　my　hand。　
〃Where　are　you　going？〃　
〃I'll　be　right　back；〃　he　promised。　Then　he　turned　and　sprinted　through　the　
parking　lot；　across　the　road；　
and　into　the　bordering　forest。　He　flitted　into　the　trees；　swift　and　sleek　as　a　
deer。　
〃Jacob！〃　I　yelled　after　him　hoarsely；　but　he　was　already　gone。　
It　was　not　a　good　time　to　be　left　alone。　Seconds　after　Jacob　was　out　of　sight；　
I　was　hyperventilating。　I　
dragged　myself　into　the　cab　of　the　truck；　and　mashed　the　locks　down　at　once。　
It　didn't　make　me　feel　any　
better。　
Victoria　was　already　hunting　me。　It　was　just　luck　that　she　hadn't　fou