4 breaking dawn破晓- 第99部分

Emmett　was　more　than　willing　to　help；　though　his　teaching　felt　to　me　a　lot　like　revenge　for　all　the　lost　

armwrestling　matches。　If　I　could　still　bruise；　I　would　have　been　purple　from　head　to　toe。　Rose；　Tanya；　
and　Eleazar　all　were　patient　and　supportive。　Their　lessons　reminded　me　of　Jasper's　fighting　instructions　to　



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the　others　last　June；　though　those　memories　were　fuzzy　and　indistinct。　Some　of　the　visitors　found　my　
education　entertaining；　and　some　even　offered　assistance。　The　nomad　Garrett　took　a　few　turns—he　was　
a　surprisingly　good　teacher；　he　interacted　so　easily　with　others　in　general　that　I　wondered　how　he'd　never　
found　a　coven。　I　even　fought　once　with　Zafrina　while　Renesmee　watched　from　Jacob's　arms。　I　learned　
several　tricks；　but　I　never　asked　for　her　help　again。　In　truth；　though　I　liked　Zafrina　very　much　and　I　knew　
she　wouldn't　really　hurt　me；　the　wild　woman　scared　me　to　death。　

I　learned　many　things　from　my　teachers；　but　I　had　the　sense　that　my　knowledge　was　still　impossibly　
basic。　I　had　no　idea　how　many　seconds　I　would　last　against　Alec　and　Jane。　I　only　prayed　that　it　would　be　
long　enough　to　help。　

Every　minute　of　the　day　that　I　wasn't　with　Renesmee　or　learning　to　fight；　I　was　in　the　backyard　working　
with　Kate；　trying　to　push　my　internal　shield　outside　of　my　own　brain　to　protect　someone　else。　Edward　
encouraged　me　in　this　training。　I　knew　he　hoped　I　would　find　a　way　of　contributing　that　satisfied　me　while　
also　keeping　me　out　of　the　line　of　fire。　

It　was　just　so　hard。　There　was　nothing　to　get　a　hold　of；　nothing　solid　to　work　with。　I　had　only　my　raging　
desire　to　be　of　use；　to　be　able　to　keep　Edward；　Renesmee；　and　as　much　of　my　family　as　possible　safe　
with　me。　Over　and　over　I　tried　to　force　the　nebulous　shield　outside　of　myself；　with　only　faint；　sporadic　
success。　It　felt　like　I　was　wrestling　to　stretch　an　invisible　rubber　band—a　band　that　would　change　from　
concrete　tangibility　into　insubstantial　smoke　at　any　random　moment。　

Only　Edward　was　willing　to　be　our　guinea　pig—to　receive　shock　after　shock　from　Kate　while　I　grappled　
inpetently　with　the　insides　of　my　head。　We　worked　for　hours　at　a　time；　and　I　felt　like　I　should　be　
covered　in　sweat　from　the　exertion；　but　of　course　my　perfect　body　didn't　betray　me　that　way。　My　
weariness　was　all　mental。　

It　killed　me　that　it　was　Edward　who　had　to　suffer；　my　arms　wrapped　uselessly　around　him　while　he　
winced　over　and　over　from　Kate's　low〃　setting。　I　tried　as　hard　as　I　could　to　push　my　shield　around　us　
both；　every　now　and　then　I　would　get　it；　and　then　it　would　slip　away　again。　

I　hated　this　practice；　and　I　wished　that　Zafrina　would　help　instead　of　Kate。　Then　all　Edward　would　have　
to　do　was　look　at　Zafrina's　illusions　until　I　could　stop　him　from　seeing　them。　But　Kate　insisted　that　I　
needed　better　motivation—by　which　she　meant　my　hatred　of　watching　Edward's　pain。　I　was　beginning　to　
doubt　her　assertion　from　the　first　day　we'd　met—that　she　wasn't　sadistic　about　the　use　of　her　gift。　She　
seemed　to　be　enjoying　herself　to　me。　

〃Hey；〃　Edward　said　cheerfully；　trying　to　hide　any　evidence　of　distress　in　his　voice。　Anything　to　keep　me　
from　fighting　practice。　〃That　one　barely　stung。　Good　job；　Bella。〃　

I　took　a　deep　breath；　trying　to　grasp　exactly　what　I'd　done　right；　i　tested　the　elastic　band；　struggling　to　
force　it　to　remain　solid　as　I　stretched　it　away　from　me。　

〃Again；　Kate；〃　I　grunted　through　my　clenched　teeth。　

Kate　pressed　her　palm　to　Edward's　shoulder。　

He　sighed　in　relief。　〃Nothing　that　time。〃　

She　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃That　wasn't　low；　either。〃　




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〃Good；〃　I　huffed。　

〃Get　ready；〃　she　told　me；　and　reached　out　to　Edward　again。　

This　time　he　shuddered；　and　a　low　breath　hissed　between　his　teeth。　

〃Sorry！　Sorry！　Sorry！〃　I　chanted；　biting　my　lip。　Why　couldn't　I　get　this　right？　

〃You're　doing　an　amazing　job；　Bella；〃　Edward　said；　pulling　me　tight　against　him。　〃You've　really　only　been　
working　at　this　for　a　few　days　and　you're　already　projecting　sporadically。　Kate；　tell　her　how　well　she's　
doing。〃　

Kate　pursed　her　lips。　〃I　don't　know。　She's　obviously　got　tremendous　ability；　and　we're　only　beginning　to　
touch　it。　She　can　do　better；　I'm　sure。　She's　just　lacking　incentive。〃　

I　stared　at　her　in　disbelief；　my　lips　automatically　curling　back　from　my　teeth。　How　could　she　think　I　
lacked　motivation　with　her　shocking　Edward　right　here　in　front　of　me？　

I　heard　murmurs　from　the　audience　that　had　grown　steadily　as　I　practiced—only　Eleazar；　Carmen；　and　
Tanya　at　first；　but　then　Garrett　had　wandered　over；　then　Benjamin　and　Tia；　Siobhan　and　Maggie；　and　
now　even　Alistair　was　peering　down　from　a　window　on　the　third　story。　The　spectators　agreed　with　
Edward；　they　thought　I　was　already　doing　well。　

〃Kate。。。；〃　Edward　said　in　a　warning　voice　as　some　new　course　of　action　occurred　to　her；　but　she　was　
already　in　motion。　She　darted　along　the　curve　of　the　river　to　where　Zafrina；　Senna；　and　Renesmee　were　
walking　slowly；　Renesmee's　hand　in　Zafrina's　as　they　traded　pictures　back　and　forth。　Jacob　shadowed　
them　from　a　few　feet　behind。　

〃Nessie；〃　Kate　said—the　newers　had　quickly　picked　up　the　irritating　nickname；　〃would　you　like　to　
e　help　your　mother？〃　

〃No；〃　I　halfsnarled。　

Edward　hugged　me　reassuringly。　I　shook　him　off　just　as　Renesmee　flitted　across　the　yard　to　me；　with　
Kate；　Zafrina；　and　Senna　right　behind　her。　

〃Absolutely　not；　Kate；〃　I　hissed。　

Renesmee　reached　for　me；　and　I　opened　my　arms　automatically。　She　curled　into　me；　pressing　her　head　
into　the　hollow　beneath　my　shoulder。　

〃But　Momma；　I　want　to　help；〃　she　said　in　a　determined　voice。　Her　hand　rested　against　my　neck；　
reinforcing　her　desire　with　images　of　the　two　of　us　together；　a　team。　

〃No；〃　I　said；　quickly　backing　away。　Kate　had　taken　a　deliberate　step　in　my　direction；　her　hand　stretched　
toward　us。　

〃Stay　away　from　us；　Kate；〃　I　warned　her。　

〃No。〃　She　began　stalking　forward。　She　smiled　like　a　hunter　cornering　her　prey。　




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I　shifted　Renesmee　so　that　she　was　clinging　to　my　back；　still　backing　away　at　a　pace　that　matched　
Kate's。　Now　my　hands　were　free；　and　if　Kate　wanted　to　keep　her　hands　attached　to　her　wrists；　she'd　
better　keep　her　distance。　

Kate　probably　didn't　understand；　never　having　known　for　herself　the　passion　of　a　mother　for　her　child。　
She　must　

not　have　realized　just　how　far　past　too　far　she'd　already　gone。　I　was　so　furious　that　my　vision　took　on　a　
strange　reddish　tint；　and　my　tongue　tasted　like　burning　metal。　The　strength　I　usually　worked　to　keep　
restrained　flowed　through　my　muscles；　and　I　knew　I　could　crush　her　into　diamondhard　rubble　if　she　
pushed　me　to　it。　

The　rage　brought　every　aspect　of　my　being　into　sharper　focus。　I　could　even　feel　the　elasticity　of　my　
shield　more　exactly　now—feel　that　it　was　not　a　band　so　much　as　a　layer；　a　thin　film　that　covered　me　from　
head　to　toe。　With　the　anger　rippling　through　my　body；　I　had　a　better　sense　of　it；　a　tighter　hold　on　it。　I　
stretched　it　around　myself；　out　from　myself；　swaddling　Renesmee　pletely　inside　it；　just　in　case　Kate　
got　past　my　guard。　

Kate　took　another　calculated　step　forward；　and　a　vicious　snarl　ripped　up　my　throat　and　through　my　
clenched　teeth。　

〃Be　careful；　Kate；〃　Edward　cautioned。　

Kate　took　another　step；　and　then　made　a　mistake　even　someone　as　inexpert　as　I　could　recognize。　Just　a　
short　leap　away　from　me；　she　looked　away；　turning　her　attention　from　me　to　Edward。　

Renesmee　was　secure　on　my　back；　I　coiled　to　spring。　

〃Can　you　hear　anything　from　Nessie？〃　Kate　asked　him；　her　voice　calm　and　easy。　

Edward　darted　into　the　space　between　us；　blocking　my　line　to　Kate。　

〃No；　nothing　at　all；〃　he　answered。　〃Now　give　Bella　some　space　to　calm　down；　Kate。　You　shouldn't　goad　
her　like　that。　I　know　she　doesn't　seem　her　age；　but　she's　only　a　few　months　old。〃　

〃We　don't　have　time　to　do　this　gently；　Edward。　We're　going　to　have　to　push　her。　We　only　have　a　few　
weeks；　and　she's　got　the　potential　to—〃　

〃Back　off　for　a　minute；　Kate。〃　

Kate　frowned　but　took　Edward's　warning　more　seriously　than　she'd　taken　mine。　

Renesmee's　hand　was　on　my　neck；　she　was　remembering　Kate's　attack；　showing　me　that　no　harm　was　
meant；　that　Daddy　was　in　on　it。。。。　

This　did　not　pacify　me。　The　spectrum　of　light　I　saw　still　seemed　tainted　with　crimson。　But　I　was　in　better　
control　of　myself；　and　I　could　see　the　wisdom　of　Kate's　words。　The　anger　helped　me。　I　would　learn　
faster　under　pressure。　

That　didn't　mean　I　liked　it。　




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〃Kate；〃　I　growled。　I　rested　my　hand　on　the　small　of　Edward's　back。　I　could　still　feel　my　shield　like　a　
strong；　flexible　sheet　around　Renesmee　and　me。　I　pushed　it　farther；　forcing　it　around　Edward。　There　was　
no　sign　of　a　flaw　in　the　stretchy　fabric；　no　threat　of　a　tear。　I　panted　with　the　effort；　and　my　words　came