Сумерки

           Thisisbetweenyouandme.Alice,asafriend,I’mbeggingyou."Andwewerefriendsnow,somehow-asshemusthaveknownwewouldbeallalong.

           Shelookedatmewithhersplendid,wiseeyes...choosing.

           "I’lltellyouthemechanicsofit,"shesaidfinally,"butIdon’trememberitmyself,andI’veneverdoneitorseenitdone,sokeepinmindthatIcanonlytellyouthetheory."

           Iwaited.

           "Aspredators,wehaveaglutofweaponsinourphysicalarsenal-much,muchmorethanreallynecessary.Thestrength,thespeed,theacutesenses,nottomentionthoseofuslikeEdward,Jasper,andI,whohaveextrasensesaswell.Andthen,likeacarnivorousflower,wearephysicallyattractivetoourprey."

           Iwasverystill,rememberinghowpointedlyEdwardhaddemonstratedthesameconceptformeinthemeadow.

           Shesmiledawide,ominoussmile."Wehaveanotherfairlysuperfluousweapon.We’realsovenomous,"shesaid,herteethglistening."Thevenomdoesn’tkill-it’smerelyincapacitating.Itworksslowly,spreadingthroughthebloodstream,sothat,oncebitten,ourpreyisintoomuchphysicalpaintoescapeus.Mostlysuperfluous,asIsaid.Ifwe’rethatclose,thepreydoesn’tescape.Ofcourse,therearealwaysexceptions.Carlisle,forexample."

           "So...ifthevenomislefttospread..."Imurmured.

           "Ittakesafewdaysforthetransformationtobecomplete,dependingonhowmuchvenomisinthebloodstream,howclosethevenomenterstotheheart.