2 new+moon新月- 第32部分

〃No；〃　I　answered　honestly。　〃Jasper　is　more　careful　at　home。〃　

〃Yes；〃　Laurent　agreed。　〃I　am；　too。〃　

The　step　forward　he　took　now　was　quite　deliberate。　

〃Did　Victoria　ever　find　you？〃　I　asked；　breathless；　desperate　to　distract　him。　It　was　the　first　question　that　
popped　into　my　head；　and　I　regretted　it　as　soon　as　the　words　were　spoken。　Victoria—who　had　hunted　
me　with　James；　and　then　disappeared—was　not　someone　I　wanted　to　think　of　at　this　particular　moment。　

But　the　question　did　stop　him。　

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　hesitating　on　that　step。　〃I　actually　came　here　as　a　favor　to　her。〃　He　made　a　face。　〃She　
won't　be　happy　about　this。〃　

〃About　what？〃　I　said　eagerly；　inviting　him　to　continue。　He　was　glaring　into　the　trees；　away　from　me。　I　
took　advantage　of　his　diversion；　taking　a　furtive　step　back。　

He　looked　back　at　me　and　smiled—the　expression　made　him　look　like　a　blackhaired　angel。　

〃About　me　killing　you；〃　he　answered　in　a　seductive　purr。　

I　staggered　back　another　step。　The　frantic　growling　in　my　head　made　it　hard　to　hear。　

〃She　wanted　to　save　that　part　for　herself；〃　he　went　on　blithely。　〃She's　sort　of…　put　out　with　you；　Bella。〃　

〃Me？〃　I　squeaked。　

He　shook　his　head　and　chuckled。　〃I　know；　it　seems　a　little　backward　to　me；　too。　But　James　was　her　
mate；　and　your　Edward　killed　him。〃　

Even　here；　on　the　point　of　death；　his　name　tore　against　my　unhealed　wounds　like　a　serrated　edge。　

Laurent　was　oblivious　to　my　reaction。　〃She　thought　it　more　appropriate　to　kill　you　than　Edward—fair　
turnabout；　mate　for　mate。　She　asked　me　to　get　the　lay　of　the　land　for　her；　so　to　speak。　I　didn't　imagine　
you　would　be　so　easy　to　get　to。　So　maybe　her　plan　was　flawed—apparently　it　wouldn't　be　the　revenge　
she　imagined；　since　you　must　not　mean　very　much　to　him　if　he　left　you　here　unprotected。〃　

Another　blow；　another　tear　through　my　chest。　

Laurent's　weight　shifted　slightly；　and　I　stumbled　another　step　back。　

He　frowned。　〃I　suppose　she'll　be　angry；　all　the　same。〃　

〃Then　why　not　wait　for　her？〃　I　choked　out。　

A　mischievous　grin　rearranged　his　features。　〃Well；　you've　caught　me　at　a　bad　time；　Bella。　I　didn't　e　
to　this　place　on　Victoria's　mission—I　was　hunting。　I'm　quite　thirsty；　and　you　do　smell…　simply　
mouthwatering。〃　

Laurent　looked　at　me　with　approval；　as　if　he　meant　it　as　a　pliment。　

〃Threaten　him；〃　the　beautiful　delusion　ordered；　his　voice　distorted　with　dread。　

〃He'll　know　it　was　you；〃　I　whispered　obediently。　〃You　won't　get　away　with　this。〃　

〃And　why　not？〃　Laurent's　smile　widened。　He　gazed　around　the　small　opening　in　the　trees。　〃The　scent　will　
wash　away　with　the　next　rain。　No　one　will　find　your　body—you'll　simply　go　missing；　like　so　many；　many　
other　humans。　There's　no　reason　for　Edward　to　think　of　me；　if　he　cares　enough　to　investigate。　This　is　
nothing　personal；　let　me　assure　you；　Bella。　Just　thirst。〃　

〃Beg；〃　my　hallucination　begged。　

〃Please；〃　I　gasped。　

Laurent　shook　his　head；　his　face　kind。　〃Look　at　it　this　way；　Bella。　You're　very　lucky　I　was　the　one　to　find　
you。〃　

〃Am　I？〃　I　mouthed；　faltering　another　step　back。　

Laurent　followed；　lithe　and　graceful。　

〃Yes；〃　he　assured　me。　〃I'll　be　very　quick。　You　won't　feel　a　thing；　I　promise。　Oh；　I'll　lie　to　Victoria　about　
that　later；　naturally；　just　to　placate　her。　But　if　you　knew　what　she　had　planned　for　you；　Bella…〃　He　shook　
his　head　with　a　slow　movement；　almost　as　if　in　disgust。　〃I　swear　you'd　be　thanking　me　for　this。〃　

I　stared　at　him　in　horror。　

He　sniffed　at　the　breeze　that　blew　threads　of　my　hair　in　his　direction。　〃Mouthwatering；〃　he　repeated；　

inhaling　deeply。　

I　tensed　for　the　spring；　my　eyes　squinting　as　I　cringed　away；　and　the　sound　of　Edward's　furious　roar　
echoed　distantly　in　the　back　of　my　head。　His　name　burst　through　all　the　walls　I'd　built　to　contain　it。　
Edward；　Edward；　Edward。　I　was　going　to　die。　It　shouldn't　matter　if　I　thought　of　him　now。　Edward；　I　
love　you。　

Through　my　narrowed　eyes；　I　watched　as　Laurent　paused　in　the　act　of　inhaling　and　whipped　his　head　
abruptly　to　the　left。　I　was　afraid　to　look　away　from　him；　to　follow　his　glance；　though　he　hardly　needed　a　
distraction　or　any　other　trick　to　overpower　me。　I　was　too　amazed　to　feel　relief　when　he　started　slowly　
backing　away　from　me。　

〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　he　said；　his　voice　so　low　that　I　barely　heard　it。　

I　had　to　look　then。　My　eyes　scanned　the　meadow；　searching　for　the　interruption　that　had　extended　my　life　
by　a　few　seconds。　At　first　I　saw　nothing；　and　my　gaze　flickered　back　to　Laurent。　He　was　retreating　more　
quickly　now；　his　eyes　boring　into　the　forest。　

Then　I　saw　it；　a　huge　black　shape　eased　out　of　the　trees；　quiet　as　a　shadow；　and　stalked　deliberately　
toward　the　vampire。　It　was　enormous—as　tall　as　a　horse；　but　thicker；　much　more　muscular。　The　long　
muzzle　grimaced；　revealing　a　line　of　daggerlike　incisors。　A　grisly　snarl　rolled　out　from　between　the　teeth；　
rumbling　across　the　clearing　like　a　prolonged　crack　of　thunder。　

The　bear。　Only；　it　wasn't　a　bear　at　all。　Still；　this　gigantic　black　monster　had　to　be　the　creature　causing　all　
the　alarm。　From　a　distance；　anyone　would　assume　it　was　a　bear。　What　else　could　be　so　vast；　so　
powerfully　built？　

I　wished　I　were　lucky　enough　to　see　it　from　a　distance。　Instead；　it　padded　silently　through　the　grass　a　
mere　ten　feet　from　where　I　stood。　

〃Don't　move　an　inch；〃　Edward's　voice　whispered。　

I　stared　at　the　monstrous　creature；　my　mind　boggling　as　I　tried　to　put　a　name　to　it。　There　was　a　distinctly　
canine　cast　to　the　shape　of　it；　the　way　it　moved。　I　could　only　think　of　one　possibility；　locked　in　horror　as　I　
was。　Yet　I'd　never　imagined　that　a　wolf　could　get　so　big。　

Another　growl　rumbled　in　its　throat；　and　I　shuddered　away　from　the　sound。　

Laurent　was　backing　toward　the　edge　of　the　trees；　and；　under　the　freezing　terror；　confusion　swept　
through　me。　Why　was　Laurent　retreating？　Granted；　the　wolf　was　monstrous　in　size；　but　it　was　just　an　
animal。　What　reason　would　a　vampire　have　for　fearing　an　animal？　And　Laurent　was　afraid。　His　eyes　were　
wide　with　horror；　just　like　mine。　

As　if　in　answer　to　my　question；　suddenly　the　mammoth　wolf　was　not　alone。　Flanking　it　on　either　side；　
another　two　gigantic　beasts　prowled　silently　into　the　meadow。　One　was　a　deep　gray；　the　other　brown；　
neither　one　quite　as　tall　as　the　first。　The　gray　wolf　came　through　the　trees　only　a　few　feet　from　me；　its　
eyes　locked　on　Laurent。　

Before　I　could　even　react；　two　more　wolves　followed；　lined　up　in　a　V；　like　geese　flying　south。　Which　
meant　that　the　rusty　brown　monster　that　shrugged　through　the　brush　last　was　close　enough　for　me　to　
touch。　

I　gave　an　involuntary　gasp　and　jumped　back—which　was　the　stupidest　thing　I　could　have　done。　I　froze　
again；　waiting　for　the　wolves　to　turn　on　me；　the　much　weaker　of　the　available　prey。　I　wished　briefly　that　

Laurent　would　get　on　with　it　and　crush　the　wolf　pack—it　should　be　so　simple　for　him。　I　guessed　that；　
between　the　two　choices　before　me；　being　eaten　by　wolves　was　almost　certainly　the　worse　option。　

The　wolf　closest　to　me；　the　reddish　brown　one；　turned　its　head　slightly　at　the　sound　of　my　gasp。　

The　wolf's　eyes　were　dark；　nearly　black。　It　gazed　at　me　for　a　fraction　of　a　second；　the　deep　eyes　seeming　
too　intelligent　for　a　wild　animal。　

As　it　stared　at　me；　I　suddenly　thought　of　Jacob—again；　with　gratitude。　At　least　I'd　e　here　alone；　to　
this　fairytale　meadow　filled　with　dark　monsters。　At　least　Jacob　wasn't　going　to　die；　too。　At　least　I　
wouldn't　have　his　death　on　my　hands。　

Then　another　low　growl　from　the　leader　caused　the　russet　wolf　to　whip　his　head　around；　back　toward　
Laurent。　

Laurent　was　staring　at　the　pack　of　monster　wolves　with　unconcealed　shock　and　fear。　The　first　I　could　
understand。　But　I　was　stunned　when；　without　warning；　he　spun　and　disappeared　into　the　trees。　

He　ran　away。　

The　wolves　were　after　him　in　a　second；　sprinting　across　the　open　grass　with　a　few　powerful　bounds；　
snarling　and　snapping　so　loudly　that　my　hands　flew　up　instinctively　to　cover　my　ears。　The　sound　faded　
with　surprising　swiftness　once　they　disappeared　into　the　woods。　

And　then　I　was　alone　again。　

My　knees　buckled　under　me；　and　I　fell　onto　my　hands；　sobs　building　in　my　throat。　

I　knew　I　needed　to　leave；　and　leave　now。　How　long　would　the　wolves　chase　Laurent　before　they　
doubled　back　for　me？　Or　would　Laurent　turn　on　them？　Would　he　be　the　one　that　came　looking？　

I　couldn't　move　at　first；　though；　my　arms　and　legs　were　shaking；　and　I　didn't　know　how　to　get　back　to　
my　feet。　

My　mind　couldn't　move　past　the　fear；　the　horror　or　the　confusion。　I　didn't　understand　what　I'd　just　
witnessed。　

A　vampire　should　not　have　run　from　overgrown　dogs　like　that。　What　good　would　their　teeth　be　against　
his　granite　skin？　

And　the　wolves　should　have　given　Laurent　a　wide　berth。　Even　if　their　extraordinary　size　had　taught　them　
to　fear　nothing；　it　still　made　no　sense　that　they　would　pursue　him。　I　doubted　his　icy　marble　skin　would　
smell　anything　like　food。　Why　would　they　pass　up　something　warmblooded　and　weak　like　me　to　chase　
after　Laurent？　

I　couldn't　make　it　add　up。　

A　cold　breeze　whipped　through　the　meadow；　swaying　the　grass　like　something　was　moving　through　it。　

I　scrambled　to　my　feet；　backing　away　even　though　the　wind　brushed　harmlessly　past　me。　Stumbling　in　
panic；　I　turned　and　ran　headlong　into　the　trees。　

The　next　few　hours　were　agony。　It　took　me　three　times　as　long　to　escape　the　trees　as　it　had　to　get　to　the　
meadow。　

At　first　I　paid　no　attention　to　where　I　was　headed；　focused　only　on　what　I　was　running　from　By　the　time　I　
collected　myself　enough　to　remember　the　pass；　I　was　deep　in　the　unfamiliar　and　menacing　forest。　My　
hands　were　shaking　so　violently　that　I　had　to　set　the　pass　on　the　muddy　ground　to　be　able　to　read　it。　
Every　few　minutes　I　would　stop　to　put　the　pass　dowr　and　check　that　I　was　still　heading　northwest；　
hearing—when　the　sounds　weren't　hidden　behind　the　frantic　squelching　of　my　footsteps—the　quiet　
whisper　of　unseen　things　moving　in　the　leaves。　

The　call　of　a　jaybird　made　me　leap　back　and　fall　into　a　thick　stand　of　young　spruce；　scraping　up　my　arms　
and　tang