5 midnight sun午夜阳光-第31章

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ain　I　would　be　able　to　find　Jessica　s　thoughts　from　a　distance　Jessica　s　thoughts　were　louder　than　Angela　s；　but　once　I　found　the　first；　I　d　be　able　to　hear　the　second。　Then；　when　the　shadows　lengthened；　I　could　get　closer。　For　now；　I　pulled　off　the　road　onto　an　overgrown　driveway　just　outside　the　town　that　appeared　to　be　infrequently　used。　I　knew　the　general　direction　to　search　in　there　was　really　only　one　place　for　dress　shopping　in　Port　Angeles。　It　wasn　t　long　before　I　found　Jessica；　spinning　in　front　of　a　three　way　mirror；　and　I　could　see　Bella　in　her　peripheral　vision；　appraising　the　long　black　dress　she　wore。　Bella　still　looks　pissed。　Ha　ha。　Angela　was　right　Tyler　was　full　of　it。　I　can　t　believe　she　s　so　upset　about　it；　though。　At　least　she　knows　she　has　a　back　up　date　for　the　prom。　What　if　Mike　doesn　t　have　fun　at　the　dance；　and　he　doesn　t　ask　me　out　again？　What　if　he　asks　Bella　to　the　prom？　Would　she　have　asked　Mike　to　the　dance　if　I　hadn　t　said　anything？　Does　he　think　she　s　prettier　than　me？　Does　she　think　she　s　prettier　than　me？　I　think　I　like　the　blue　one　better。　It　really　brings　out　your　eyes。　Jessica　smiled　at　Bella　with　false　warmth；　while　eyeing　her　suspiciously。　Does　she　really　think　that？　Or　does　she　want　me　to　look　like　a　cow　on　Saturday？　I　searched　close　by　for　Angela　ah；　I　was　already　tired　of　listening　to　Jessica。

but　Angela　was　in　the　process　of　changing　dresses；　and　I　skipped　quickly　out　of　her　head　to　give　her　some　privacy。　Well；　there　wasn　t　much　trouble　Bella　could　get　into　in　a　department　store。　I　d　let　them　shop　and　then　catch　up　with　them　when　they　were　done。　It　wouldn　t　be　long　until　it　was　dark　the　clouds　were　beginning　to　return；　drifting　in　from　the　west。　I　could　only　catch　glimpses　of　them　through　the　thick　trees；　but　I　could　see　how　they　would　hurry　the　sunset。　I　weled　them；　craved　them　more　than　I　had　ever　yearned　for　their　shadows　before。　Tomorrow　I　could　sit　beside　Bella　in　school　again；　monopolize　her　attention　at　lunch　again。　I　could　ask　her　all　the　questions　I　d　been　saving　up　So；　she　was　furious　about　Tyler　s　presumption。　I　d　seen　that　in　his　head　that　he　d　meant　it　literally　when　he　d　spoken　of　the　prom；　that　he　was　staking　a　claim。　I　pictured　her　expression　from　that　other　afternoon　the　outraged　disbelief　and　I　laughed。　I　wondered　what　she　would　say　to　him　about　this。　I　wouldn　t　want　to　miss　her　reaction。　The　time　went　slowly　while　I　waited　for　the　shadows　to　lengthen。　I　checked　in　periodically　with　Jessica；　her　mental　voice　was　the　easiest　to　find；　but　I　didn　t　like　to　linger　there　long。　I　saw　the　place　they　were　planning　to　eat。　It　would　be　dark　by　dinner　time　maybe　I　would　coincidentally　choose　the　same　restaurant。　I　touched　the　phone　in　my　pocket；　thinking　of　inviting　Alice　out　to　eat　She　would　love　that；　but　she　would　also　want　to　talk　to　Bella。　I　wasn　t　sure　if　I　was　ready　to　have　Bella　more　involved　with　my　world。　Wasn　t　one　vampire　trouble　enough？　I　checked　in　routinely　with　Jessica　again。　asking　Angela　s　opinion。　She　was　thinking　about　her　jewelry；　Maybe　I　should　take　the　necklace　back。　I　ve　got　one　at　home　that　would　probably　work；　and　I　spent　more　than　I　was　supposed　to　My　mom　is　going　to　freak　out。　What　was　I　thinking？　I　don　t　mind　going　back　to　the　store。　us；　though？　Do　you　think　Bella　will　be　looking　for　What　was　this？　Bella　wasn　t　with　them？　I　stared　through　Jessica　s　eyes　first；　then　switched　to　Angela　s。　They　were　on　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　a　line　of　shops；　just　turning　back　the　other　way。　Bella　was　no　where　in　sight。　Oh；　who　cares　about　Bella？　Jess　thought　impatiently；　before　answering　Angela　s　question。　She　s　fine。　We　ll　get　to　the　restaurant　in　plenty　of　time；　even　if　we　go　back。　Anyway；　I　think　she　wanted　to　be　alone。　I　got　a　brief　glimpse　of　the　bookshop　Jessica　thought　Bella　had　gone　to。　Let　s　hurry；　then；　Angela　said。　I　hope　Bella　doesn　t　think　we　ditched　her。　She　was　so　nice　to　me　in　the　car　before　She　s　really　a　sweet　person。　But　she　s　seemed　kind　of　blue　all　day。　I　wonder　if　it　s　because　of　Edward　Cullen？　I　ll　bet　that　was　why　she　was　asking　about　his　family　I　should　have　been　paying　better　attention。　What　all　had　I　missed　here？　Bella　was　off　wandering　by　herself；　and　she　d　been　asking　about　me　before？　Angela　was　paying　attention　to　Jessica　now　Jessica　was　babbling　about　that　idiot　Mike　and　I　could　get　nothing　more　from　her。　I　judged　the　shadows。　The　sun　would　be　behind　the　clouds　soon　enough。　If　I　stayed　on　the　west　side　of　the　road；　where　the　buildings　would　shade　the　street

from　the　fading　light　I　started　to　feel　anxious　as　I　drove　through　the　sparse　traffic　into　the　center　of　the　town。　This　wasn　t　something　I　had　considered　Bella　taking　off　on　her　own　and　I　had　no　idea　how　to　find　her。　I　should　have　considered　it。　I　knew　Port　Angeles　well；　I　drove　straight　to　the　bookstore　in　Jessica　s　head；　hoping　my　search　would　be　short；　but　doubting　it　would　be　so　easy。　When　did　Bella　ever　make　it　easy？　Sure　enough；　the　little　shop　was　empty　except　for　the　anachronistically　dressed　woman　behind　the　counter。　This　didn　t　look　like　the　kind　of　place　Bella　would　be　interested　in　too　new　age　for　a　practical　person。　I　wondered　if　she　d　even　bothered　to　go　in？　There　was　a　patch　of　shade　I　could　park　in　It　made　a　dark　pathway　right　up　to　the　overhang　of　the　shop。　I　really　shouldn　t。　Wandering　around　in　the　sunlight　hours　was　not　safe。　What　if　a　passing　car　threw　the　sun　s　reflection　into　the　shade　at　just　the　wrong　moment？　But　I　didn　t　know　how　else　to　look　for　Bella！　I　parked　and　got　out；　keeping　to　the　deepest　side　of　the　shadow。　I　strode　quickly　into　the　store；　noting　the　faint　trace　of　Bella　s　scent　in　the　air。　She　had　been　here；　on　the　sidewalk；　but　there　was　no　hint　of　her　fragrance　inside　the　shop。　Wele！　door。　Can　I　help　the　saleswoman　began　to　say；　but　I　was　already　out　the　I　followed　Bella　s　scent　as　far　as　the　shade　would　allow；　stopping　when　I　got　to　the　edge　of　the　sunlight。　How　powerless　it　made　me　feel　fenced　in　by　the　line　between　dark　and　light　that　stretched　across　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　me。　So　limited。　I　could　only　guess　that　she　d　continued　across　the　street；　heading　south。　There　wasn　t　really　much　in　that　direction。　Was　she　lost？　Well；　that　possibility　didn　t　sound　entirely　out　of　character。　I　got　back　in　the　car　and　drove　slowly　through　the　streets；　looking　for　her。　I　stepped　out　into　a　few　other　patches　of　shadow；　but　I　only　caught　her　scent　once　more；　and　the　direction　of　it　confused　me。　Where　was　she　trying　to　go？　I　drove　back　and　forth　between　the　bookstore　and　the　restaurant　a　few　times；　hoping　to　see　her　on　her　way。　Jessica　and　Angela　were　already　there；　trying　to　decide　whether　to　order；　or　to　wait　for　Bella。　Jessica　was　pushing　for　ordering　immediately。　I　began　flitting　through　the　minds　of　strangers；　looking　through　their　eyes。　Surely；　someone　must　have　seen　her　somewhere。　I　got　more　and　more　anxious　the　longer　she　remained　missing。　I　hadn　t　considered　before　how　difficult　she　might　prove　to　find　once；　like　now；　she　was　out　of　my　sight　and　off　her　normal　paths。　I　didn　t　like　it。　The　clouds　were　massing　on　the　horizon；　and；　in　a　few　more　minutes；　I　would　be　free　to　track　her　on　foot。　It　wouldn　t　take　me　long　then。　It　was　only　the　sun　that　made　me　so　helpless　now。　Just　few　more　minutes；　and　then　the　advantage　would

be　mine　again　and　it　would　be　the　human　world　that　was　powerless。　Another　mind；　and　another。　So　many　trivial　thoughts。　。。think　the　baby　has　another　ear　infection　Was　it　sixfouroh　or　sixohfour　？　Late　again。　I　ought　to　tell　him　Aha！　Finally；　someone　had　noticed　her！　Here　she　es！　There；　at　last；　was　her　face。　The　relief　lasted　for　only　a　fraction　of　a　second；　and　then　I　read　more　fully　the　thoughts　of　the　man　who　was　gloating　over　her　face　in　the　shadows。　His　mind　was　a　stranger　to　me；　and　yet；　not　totally　unfamiliar。　exactly　such　minds。　NO！　I　roared；　and　a　volley　of　snarls　erupted　from　my　throat。　gas　pedal　to　the　floor；　but　where　was　I　going？　I　had　once　hunted　My　foot　shoved　the　I　knew　the　general　location　of　his　thoughts；　but　the　knowledge　was　not　specific　enough。　Something；　there　had　to　be　something　a　street　sign；　a　store　front；　something　in　his　sight　that　would　give　away　his　location。　But　Bella　was　deep　in　shadow；　and　his　eyes　were　focused　only　on　her　frightened　expression　enjoying　the　fear　there。　Her　face　was　blurred　in　his　mind　by　the　memory　of　other　faces。　first　victim。　Bella　was　not　his　The　sound　of　my　growls　shook　the　frame　of　the　car；　but　did　not　distract　me。　There　were　no　windows　in　the　wall　behind　her。　Somewhere　industrial；　away　from　the　more　populated　shopping　district。　My　car　squealed　around　a　corner；　swerving　past　another　vehicle；　heading　in　what　I　hoped　was　the　right　direction。　By　the　time　the　other　driver　honked；　the　sound　was　far　behind　me。　Look　at　her　shaking！　The　man　chuckled　in　anticipation。　him　the　part　he　enjoyed。　Stay　away　from　me。　The　fear　was　the　draw　for　Her　voice　was　low　and　steady；　not　a　scream。　Don　t　be　like　that；　sugar。　He　watched　her　flinch　to　a　rowdy　laugh　that　came　from　another　direction。　He　was　irritated　with　the　noise　Shut　up；　Jeff！　he　thought　but　he　enjoyed　the　way　she　cringed。　It　excited　him。　He　began　to　imagine　her　pleas；　the　way　she　would　beg　I　hadn　t　realized　that　there　were　others　with　him　until　I　d　heard　the　loud　laughter。　I　scanned　out　from　him；　desperate　for　something　that　I　could　use。　the　first　step　in　her　direction；　flexing　his　hands。　He　was　taking　The　minds　around　him　were　not　the　cesspool　that　his　was。　They　were　all　slightly　intoxicated；　not　one　of　them　realizing　how　far　the　man　they　called　Lonnie　planned　to　go　with　this。　They　were　following　Lonnie　s　lead　blindly。　He　d　promised　them　a

little　fun　One　of　them　glanced　down　the　street；　nervous　he　didn　t　want　to　get　caught　harassing　the　girl　and　gave　me　what　I　needed。　I　recognized　the　cross　street　he　stared　toward。　I　flew　under　a　red　light；　sliding　through　a　space　just　wide　enough　between　two　cars　in　the　moving　traffic。　Horns　blared　behind　me。　My　phone　vibrated　in　my　pocket。　I　ignored　it。　Lonnie　moved　slowly　toward　the　girl；　drawing　out　the　suspense　the　moment　of　terror　that　aroused　him。　He　waited　for　her　scream；　preparing　to　savor　it。　But　Bella　locked　her　jaw　and　braced　herself。　He　was　surprised　he　d　expected　her　to　try　to　run。　Surprised　and