按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
e talking at once。 It s just a hum a buzzing of voices in the background。 Until I focus on one voice； and then what they re thinking is clear。 Most of the time I tune it all out it can be very distracting。 And then it s easier to seem normal； I grimaced when I m not accidentally answering someone s thoughts rather than their words。 Why do you think you can t hear me？ she wondered。 I gave her another truth and another analogy。 I don t know； I admitted。 The only guess I have is that maybe your mind doesn t work the same way the rest of theirs do。 Like your thoughts are on the AM frequency and I m only getting FM。 I realized that she would not like this analogy。 had me smiling。 She didn t disappoint。 The anticipation of her reaction I m a My mind doesn t work right？ she asked； her voice rising with chagrin。 freak？ Ah； the irony again。 I hear voices in my mind and you re worried that you re the freak。 I laughed。 She understood all the small things； and yet the big ones she got backwards。 Always the wrong instincts Bella was gnawing on her lip； and the crease between her eyes was etched deep。 Don t worry； I reassured her。 It s just a theory And there was a more important theory to be discussed。 I was anxious to get it over with。 Each passing second was beginning to feel more and more like borrowed time。 Which brings us back to you； I said； divided in two； both anxious and reluctant。 She sighed； still chewing her lip I worried that she would hurt herself。 She stared into my eyes； her face troubled。 Aren t we past all the evasions now？ I asked quietly。 She looked down； struggling with some internal dilemma。 Suddenly； she stiffened and her eyes flew wide open。 Fear flashed across her face for the first time。 Holy crow！ she gasped。
I panicked。 What had she seen？ How had I frightened her？ Then she shouted； Slow down！ What s wrong？ I didn t understand where her terror was ing from。 You re going a hundred miles an hour！ she yelled at me。 She flashed a look out the window； and recoiled from the dark trees racing past us。 This little thing； just a bit of speed； had her shouting in fear？ I rolled my eyes。 Relax； Bella。 Are you trying to kill us？ she demanded； her voice high and tight。 We re not going to crash； I promised her。 She sucked in a sharp breath； and then spoke in a slightly more level tone。 are you in such a hurry？ I always drive like this。 I met her gaze； amused by her shocked expression。 Keep your eyes on the road！ she shouted。 I ve never been in an accident； Bella。 I ve never even gotten a ticket。 I grinned at her and touched my forehead。 It made it even more ical the absurdity of being able to joke with her about something so secret and strange。 Built in radar detector。 Very funny； she said sarcastically； her voice more frightened than angry。 Charlie s a cop； remember？ I was raised to abide by traffic laws。 Besides； if you turn us into a Volvo pretzel around a tree trunk； you can probably just walk away。 Probably； I repeated； and than laughed without humor。 Yes； we would fare quite differently in a car accident。 She was right to be afraid； despite my driving abilities But you can t。 With a sigh； I let the car drift to a crawl。 She eyed the speedometer。 Almost。 I hate driving slow； I muttered； but let the Happy？ Why Was this still too fast for her？ needle slide another notch down。 This is slow？ she asked。 Enough mentary on my driving； I said impatiently。 How many times had she dodged my question now？ Three times？ Four？ Were her speculations that horrific？ I had to know immediately。 I m still waiting for your latest theory。 She bit her lip again； and her expression became upset； almost pained。 I reigned in my impatience and softened my voice。 I didn t want her to be
distressed。 I won t laugh； I promised； wishing that it was only embarrassment that made her unwilling to talk。 I m more afraid that you ll be angry with me； she whispered。 I forced my voice to stay even。 Pretty much； yeah。 She looked down； refusing to meet my eyes。 Go ahead； I encouraged。 Her voice was small。 I don t know how to start。 I remembered her words before dinner。 The seconds passed。 Is it that bad？ Why don t you start at the beginning？ You said you didn t e up with this on your own。 No； she agreed； and then was silent again。 I thought about things that might have inspired her。 book？ A movie？ What got you started a I should have looked through her collections when she was out of the house。 I had no idea if Bram Stoker or Anne Rice was there in her stack of worn paperbacks No； she said again。 It was Saturday； at the beach。 I hadn t expected that。 The local gossip about us had never strayed into anything too bizarre or too precise。 Was there a new rumor I d missed？ Bella peeked up from her hands and saw the surprise on my face。 I ran into an old family friend Jacob Black； she went on。 have been friends since I was a baby。 His dad and Charlie Jacob Black the name was not familiar； and yet it reminded me of something some time； long ago I stared out of the windshield； flipping through memories to find the connection。 His dad is one of the Quileute elders； she said。 Jacob Black。 Ephraim Black。 A descendant； no doubt。 It was as bad as it could get。 She knew the truth。 My mind was flying through the ramifications as the car flew around the dark curves in the road； my body rigid with anguish motionless except for the small； automatic actions it took to steer the car。 She knew the truth。 But if she d learned the truth Saturday then she d known it all evening long and yet
We went for a walk； she went on。 And he was telling me about some old legends trying to scare me； I think。 He told me one She stopped short； but there was no need for her qualms now； I knew what she was going to say。 The only mystery left was why she was here with me now。 Go on； I said。 About vampires； she breathed； the words less than a whisper。 Somehow； it was even worse than knowing that she knew； hearing her speak the word aloud。 I flinched at the sound of it； and then controlled myself again。 And you immediately thought of me？ I asked。 No。 He mentioned your family。 How ironic that it would be Ephraim s own progeny that would violate the treaty he d vowed to uphold。 A grandson； or grea