2 new+moon新月- 第42部分

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　found　me　yet—just　luck　and　five　teenage　
werewolves。　I　exhaled　sharply。　No　matter　what　Jacob　said；　the　thought　of　him　ing　anywhere　close　to　
Victoria　was　horrifying。　I　didn't　care　what　he　could　turn　into　when　he　got　mad。　I　could　see　her　in　my　
head；　her　face　wild；　her　hair　like　flames；　deadly；　indestructible…　

But；　according　to　Jacob；　Laurent　was　gone。　Was　that　really　possible？　Edward—I　clutched　automatically　
at　my　chest—had　told　me　how　difficult　it　was　to　kill　a　vampire。　Only　another　vampire　could　do　the　job。　
Yet　Jake　said　this　was　what　werewolves　were　made　for…　

He　said　they　were　keeping　a　special　eye　on　Charlie—that　I　should　trust　the　werewolves　to　keep　my　
father　safe。　How　could　I　trust　that？　None　of　us　were　safe！　Jacob　the　very　least　of　all；　if　he　was　trying　to　
put　himself　between　Victoria　and　Charlie…　between　Victoria　and　me。　

I　felt　like　I　might　be　about　to　throw　up　again。　

A　sharp　rap　on　the　truck's　window　made　me　yelp　in　terror—but　it　was　just　Jacob；　back　already。　I　
unlocked　the　door　with　trembling；　grateful　fingers。　

〃You're　really　scared；　aren't　you？〃　he　asked　as　he　climbed　in。　

I　nodded。　

〃Don't　be。　We'll　take　care　of　you—and　Charlie；　too。　I　promise。〃　

〃The　idea　of　you　finding　Victoria　is　scarier　than　the　idea　of　her　finding　me；〃　I　whispered。　

He　laughed。　〃You've　got　to　have　a　little　more　confidence　in　us　than　that。　It's　insulting。〃　

I　just　shook　my　head。　I'd　seen　too　many　vampires　in　action。　

〃Where　did　you　go　just　now？〃　I　asked。　

He　pursed　his　lips；　and　said　nothing。　

〃What？　Is　it　a　secret？〃　

He　frowned。　〃Not　really。　It's　kind　of　weird；　though。　I　don't　want　to　freak　you　out。〃　

〃I'm　sort　of　used　to　weird　by　this　point；　you　know。〃　I　tried　to　smile　without　much　success。　

Jacob　grinned　back　easily。　〃Guess　you'd　have　to　be。　Okay。　See；　when　we're　wolves；　we　can…　hear　
each　other。〃　

My　eyebrows　pulled　down　in　confusion。　

〃Not　hear　sounds；〃　he　went　on；　〃but　we　can　hear…　thoughts—each　other's　anyway—no　matter　how　far　
away　from　each　other　we　are。　It　really　helps　when　we　hunt；　but　it's　a　big　pain　otherwise。　It's　
embarrassing—having　no　secrets　like　that。　Freaky；　eh？〃　

〃Is　that　what　you　meant　last　night；　when　you　said　you　would　tell　them　you'd　seen　me；　even　though　you　
didn't　want　to？〃　

〃You're　quick。〃　

〃Thanks。〃　

〃You're　also　very　good　with　weird。　I　thought　that　would　bother　you。〃　

〃It's　not…　well；　you're　not　the　first　person　I've　known　who　could　do　that。　So　it　doesn't　seem　so　weird　to　
me。〃　

〃Really？…　Wait—are　you　talking　about　your　bloodsuckers？〃　

〃I　wish　you　wouldn't　call　them　that。〃　

He　laughed。　〃Whatever。　The　Cullens；　then？〃　

〃Just…　just　Edward。〃　I　pulled　one　arm　surreptitiously　around　my　torso。　

Jacob　looked　surprised—unpleasantly　so。　〃I　thought　those　were　just　stories。　I've　heard　legends　about　
vampires　who　could　do…　extra　stuff；　but　I　thought　that　was　just　a　myth。〃　

〃Is　anything　just　a　myth　anymore？〃　I　asked　him　wryly。　

He　scowled。　〃Guess　not。　Okay；　we're　going　to　meet　Sam　and　the　others　at　the　place　we　go　to　ride　our　
bikes。〃　

I　started　the　truck　and　headed　back　up　the　road。　

〃So　did　you　just　turn　into　a　wolf　now；　to　talk　to　Sam？〃　I　asked；　curious。　

Jacob　nodded；　seeming　embarrassed。　〃I　kept　it　real　short—I　tried　not　to　think　about　you　so　they　
wouldn't　know　what　was　going　on。　I　was　afraid　Sam　would　tell　me　I　couldn't　bring　you。〃　

〃That　wouldn't　have　stopped　me。〃　I　couldn't　get　rid　of　my　perception　of　Sam　as　the　bad　guy。　My　teeth　
clenched　together　whenever　I　heard　his　name。　

〃Well；　it　would　have　stopped　me；〃　Jacob　said；　morose　now。　〃Remember　how　I　couldn't　finish　my　
sentences　last　night？　How　I　couldn't　just　tell　you　the　whole　story？〃　

〃Yeah。　You　looked　like　you　were　choking　on　something。〃　

He　chuckled　darkly。　〃Close　enough。　Sam　told　me　I　couldn't　tell　you。　He's…　the　head　of　the　pack；　you　
know。　He's　the　Alpha。　When　he　tells　us　to　do　something；　or　not　to　do　something—when　he　really　means　
it；　well；　we　can't　just　ignore　him。〃　

〃Weird；〃　I　muttered。　

〃Very；〃　he　agreed。　〃It's　kind　of　a　wolf　thing。〃　

〃Huh〃　was　the　best　response　I　could　think　of。　

〃Yeah；　there's　a　load　of　stuff　like　that—wolf　things。　I'm　still　learning。　I　can't　imagine　what　it　was　like　for　
Sam；　trying　to　deal　with　this　alone。　It　sucks　bad　enough　to　go　through　it　with　a　whole　pack　for　support。〃　

〃Sam　was　alone？〃　

〃Yeah。〃　Jacob's　voice　lowered。　〃When　I…　changed；　it　was　the　most…　horrible；　the　most　terrifying　
thing　I've　ever　been　through—worse　than　anything　I　could　have　imagined。　But　I　wasn't　alone—there　
were　the　voices　there；　in　my　head；　telling　me　what　had　happened　and　what　I　had　to　do。　That　kept　me　
from　losing　my　mind；　I　think。　But　Sam…〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃Sam　had　no　help。〃　

This　was　going　to　take　some　adjusting。　When　Jacob　explained　it　like　that；　it　was　hard　not　to　feel　
passion　for　Sam。　I　had　to　keep　reminding　myself　that　there　was　no　reason　to　hate　him　anymore。　

〃Will　they　be　angry　that　I'm　with　you？〃　I　asked。　

He　made　a　face。　〃Probably。〃　

〃Maybe　I　shouldn't—〃　

〃No；　it's　okay；〃　he　assured　me。　〃You　know　a　ton　of　things　that　can　help　us。　It's　not　like　you're　just　some　
ignorant　human。　You're　like　a…　I　don't　know；　spy　or　something。　You've　been　behind　enemy　lines。〃　

I　frowned　to　myself。　Was　that　what　Jacob　would　want　from　me？　Insider　information　to　help　them　destroy　
their　enemies？　I　wasn't　a　spy；　though。　I　hadn't　been　collecting　that　kind　of　information。　Already；　his　words　
made　me　feel　like　a　traitor。　

But　I　wanted　him　to　stop　Victoria；　didn't　I？　

No。　

I　did　want　Victoria　to　be　stopped；　preferably　before　she　tortured　me　to　death　or　ran　into　Charlie　or　killed　
another　stranger。　I　just　didn't　want　Jacob　to　be　the　one　to　stop　her；　or　rather　to　try。　I　didn't　want　Jacob　
within　a　hundred　miles　of　her。　

〃Like　the　stuff　about　the　mindreading　bloodsucker；〃　he　continued；　oblivious　to　my　reverie。　〃That's　the　
kind　of　thing　we　need　to　know　about。　That　really　sucks　that　those　stories　are　true。　It　makes　everything　
more　plicated。　Hey；　do　you　think　this　Victoria　can　do　anything　special？〃　

〃I　don't　think　so；〃　I　hesitated；　and　then　sighed。　〃He　would　have　mentioned　it。〃　

〃He？　Oh；　you　mean　Edward—oops；　sorry。　I　forgot。　You　don't　like　to　say　his　name。　Or　hear　it。〃　

I　squeezed　my　midsection；　trying　to　ignore　the　throbbing　around　the　edges　of　my　chest。　〃Not　really；　no。〃　

〃Sorry。〃　

〃How　do　you　know　me　so　well；　Jacob？　Sometimes　it's　like　you　can　read　my　mind。〃　

〃Naw。　I　just　pay　attention。〃　

We　were　on　the　little　dirt　road　where　Jacob　had　first　taught　me　to　ride　the　motorcycle。　

〃This　good？〃　I　asked。　

〃Sure；　sure。〃　

I　pulled　over　and　cut　the　engine。　

〃You're　still　pretty　unhappy；　aren't　you？〃　he　murmured。　

I　nodded；　staring　unseeingly　into　the　gloomy　forest。　

〃Did　you　ever　think…　that　maybe…　you're　better　off？〃　

I　inhaled　slowly；　and　then　let　my　breath　out。　〃No。〃　

〃'Cause　he　wasn't　the　best—〃　

〃Please；　Jacob；〃　I　interrupted；　begging　in　a　whisper。　〃Could　we　please　not　talk　about　this？　I　can't　stand　
it。〃　

〃Okay。〃　He　took　a　deep　breath。　〃I'm　sorry　I　said　anything。〃　

〃Don't　feel　bad。　If　things　were　different；　it　would　be　nice　to　finally　be　able　to　talk　to　someone　about　it。〃　

He　nodded。　〃Yeah；　I　had　a　hard　time　keeping　a　secret　from　you　for　two　weeks。　It　must　be　hell　to　not　be　
able　to　talk　to　anyone。〃　

〃Hell；〃　I　agreed。　

Jacob　sucked　in　a　sharp　breath。　〃They're　here。　Let's　go。〃　

〃Are　you　sure？〃　I　asked　while　he　popped　his　door　open。　〃Maybe　I　shouldn't　be　here。〃　

〃They'll　deal　with　it；〃　he　said；　and　then　he　grinned。　〃Who's　afraid　of　the　big；　bad　wolf？〃　

〃Ha　ha；〃　I　said。　But　I　got　out　of　the　truck；　hurrying　around　the　front　end　to　stand　close　beside　Jacob。　I　
remembered　only　too　clearly　the　giant　monsters　in　the　meadow。　My　hands　were　trembling　like　Jacob's　
had　been　before；　but　with　fear　rather　than　rage。　

Jake　took　my　hand　and　squeezed　it。　〃Here　we　go。〃　

14。　FAMILY　




I　COWERED　INTO　JACOB'S　SIDE；　MY　EYES　SCANNING　the　forest　for　the　other　werewolves。　
When　they　appeared；　striding　out　from　between　the　trees；　they　weren't　what　I　was　expecting。　I'd　gotten　
the　image　of　the　wolves　stuck　in　my　head。　These　were　just　four　really　big　halfnaked　boys。　

Again；　they　reminded　me　of　brothers；　quadruplets。　Something　about　the　way　they　moved　almost　in　
synchronization　to　stand　across　the　road　from　us；　the　way　they　all　had　the　same　long；　round　muscles　
under　the　same　redbrown　skin；　the　same　cropped　black　hair；　and　the　way　their　expressions　altered　at　
exactly　the　same　moment。　

They　started　out　curious　and　cautious。　When　they　saw　me　there；　halfhidden　beside　Jacob；　they　all　
became　furious　in　the　same　second。　

Sam　was　still　the　biggest；　though　Jacob　was　getting　close　to　catchi