Сумерки

           Hesteppedtowardme,smiling."Beforewebegin..."

           Ifeltacurlofnauseainthepitofmystomachashespoke.ThiswassomethingIhadnotanticipated.

           "Iwouldjustliketorubitin,justalittlebit.Theanswerwasthereallalong,andIwassoafraidEdwardwouldseethatandruinmyfun.Ithappenedonce,oh,agesago.Theoneandonlytimemypreyescapedme.

           "Yousee,thevampirewhowassostupidlyfondofthislittlevictimmadethechoicethatyourEdwardwastooweaktomake.WhentheoldoneknewIwasafterhislittlefriend,hestoleherfromtheasylumwhereheworked-Ineverwillunderstandtheobsessionsomevampiresseemtoformwithyouhumans-andassoonashefreedherhemadehersafe.Shedidn’tevenseemtonoticethepain,poorlittlecreature.She’dbeenstuckinthatblackholeofacellforsolong.Ahundredyearsearlierandshewouldhavebeenburnedatthestakeforhervisions.Inthenineteen-twentiesitwastheasylumandtheshocktreatments.Whensheopenedhereyes,strongwithherfreshyouth,itwaslikeshe’dneverseenthesunbefore.Theoldvampiremadeherastrongnewvampire,andtherewasnoreasonformetotouchherthen."Hesighed."Idestroyedtheoldoneinvengeance."

           "Alice,"Ibreathed,astonished.

           "Yes,yourlittlefriend.Iwassurprisedtoseeherintheclearing.SoIguesshercovenoughttobeabletoderivesomecomfortfromthisexperience.Igetyou,buttheygether.Theonevictimwhoescapedme,quiteanhonor,actually.

           "Andshedidsmellsodelicious.