第29部分(第1/7 頁)

didn't　miss　that　the　step

brought　him　closer　to　me。　In　my　head；　the　voice　responded　with　a　low　snarl。

〃So　how　are　things　working　out　in　Denali？　Carlisle　said　you　were　staying　with

Tanya？〃　My　voice　was　too

high。

The　question　made　him　pause。　〃I　like　Tanya　very　much；〃　he　mused。　〃And　her

sister　Irina　even　more

I've　never　stayed　in　one　place　for　so　long　before；　and　I　enjoy　the　advantages；

the　novelty　of　it。　But；　the

restrictions　are　difficult　I'm　surprised　that　any　of　them　can　keep　it　up　for

long。〃　He　smiled　at　me

conspiratorially。　〃Sometimes　I　cheat。〃

I　couldn't　swallow。　My　foot　started　to　ease　back；　but　I　froze　when　his　red

eyes　flickered　down　to　catch

the　movement。

〃Oh；〃　I　said　in　a　faint　voice。　〃Jasper　has　problems　with　that；　too。〃

〃Don't　move；〃　the　voice　whispered。　I　tried　to　do　what　he　instructed。　It　was

hard；　the　instinct　to　take　flight

was　nearly　uncontrollable。

〃Really？〃　Laurent　seemed　interested。　〃Is　that　why　they　left？〃

〃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