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[科幻]宿主-第38部分
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presence。 My muscles twitched in anticipation of her direction。 My lips trembled； trying to open。 I leaned
forward toward the boy in the hall； my body reaching because my arms would not。
Melanie had learned many things the few times I’d ceded or lost my mand to her； and I truly had to
struggle against her—so hard that fresh sweat beaded on my brow。 But I was not dying in the desert
now。 Nor was I weak and dizzy and taken off guard by the appearance of someone I’d given up for lost；
I’d known this moment might e。 My body was resilient； quick to heal—I was strong again。 The
strength of my body gave strength to my control； to my determination。
I drove her from my limbs； chased her from every hold she’d found； thrust her back into the recesses of
my mind； and chained her there。
Her surrender was sudden and total。Aaah； she sighed； and it was almost a moan of pain。
I felt strangely guilty as soon as I’d won。
I’d already known that she was more to me than a resistant host who made life unnecessarily difficult。
We’d bee panions； even confidantes during our past weeks together—ever since the Seeker
had united us against a mon enemy。 In the desert； with Kyle’s knife over my head； I’d been glad that
if Ihad to die I would not be the one to kill Melanie； even then； she was more than a body to me。 But
now it seemed like something beyond that。 I regretted causing her pain。
It was necessary； though； and she didn’t seem to grasp that。 Any word we said wrong； any poorly
considered action would mean a quick execution。 Her reactions were too wild and emotional。 She would
get us into trouble。
You have to trust me now；I told her。I’m just trying to keep us alive。 I know you don’t want to
believe your humans could hurt us…
But it’s Jamie；she whispered。 She yearned for the boy with an emotion so strong that it weakened my
knees again。
I tried to look at him impartially—this sullen…faced teenager slumped against the tunnel wall with his arms
folded tightly across his chest。 I tried to see him as a stranger and plan my response； or lack of response；
accordingly。 I tried； but I failed。 He was Jamie； he was beautiful； and my arms—mine； not
Melanie’s—longed to hold him。 Tears filled my eyes and trickled down my face。 I could only hope they
were invisible in the dim light。
“Jeb；” Jamie said—a gruff greeting。 His eyes passed swiftly over me and away。
His voice was so deep！ Could he really be so old？ I realized with a double pang of guilt that I’d just
missed his fourteenth birthday。 Melanie showed me the day； and I saw that it was the same day as the
first dream with Jamie。 She’d struggled so hard all through the waking hours to keep her pain to herself；
to cloud her memories in order to protect the boy； that he’d e out in her dream。 And I’d e…mailed the
Seeker。
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。
“Whatcha doing here； kid？” Jeb demanded。
“Why didn’t you tell me？” Jamie demanded back。
Jeb went silent。
“Was that Jared’s idea？” Jamie pressed。
Jeb sighed。 “Okay； so you know。 What good does that do you； eh？ We only wanted to —”
“To protect me？” he interrupted； surly。
When did he get so bitter？ Was it my fault？ Of course it was。
Melanie began sobbing in my head。 It was distracting； loud—it made Jeb and Jamie’s voices sound
farther away。
“Fine； Jamie。 So you don’t need protecting。 What do you want？”
This quick capitulation seemed to throw Jamie off。 His eyes darted between Jeb’s face and mine while
he struggled to e up with a request。
“I—I want to talk with her… with it；” he finally said。 His voice was higher when he was unsure。
“She doesn’t say much；” Jeb told him； “but you’re wele to try； kid。”
Jeb pried my fingers off his arm。 When he was free； he turned his back to the nearest wall； leaning into it
as he eased himself to the floor。 He settled in there； fidgeting until he found a fortable position。 The
gun stayed balanced in the cradle of his lap。 Jeb’s head lolled back against the wall； and his eyes closed。
In seconds； he looked like he was asleep。
I stood where he’d left me； trying to keep my eyes off Jamie’s face and failing。
Jamie was surprised again by Jeb’s easy acquiescence。 He watched the old man recline on the floor with
wide eyes that made him look younger。 After a few minutes of perfect stillness from Jeb； Jamie looked
back up at me； and his eyes tightened。
The way he stared at me—angry； trying hard to be brave and grown…up； but also showing the fear and
pain so clearly in his dark eyes—had Melanie sobbing louder and my knees shaking。 Rather than take a
chance with another collapse； I moved slowly to the tunnel wall across from Jeb and slid down to the
floor。 I curled up around my bent legs； trying to be as small as possible。
Jamie watched me with cautious eyes and then took four slow steps forward until he stood over me。 His
glance flitted to Jeb； who hadn’t moved or opened his eyes； and then Jamie knelt down at my side。 His
face was suddenly intense； and it made him look more adult than any expression yet。 My heart throbbed
for the sad man in the little boy’s face。
“You’re not Melanie；” he said in a low voice。
I shrugged。 I didn’t know what my face looked like； but I could imagine。
“Who did this to you？” he pressed。 With a hesitant finger； he almost touched the side of my neck。 I held
still； feeling no urge to cringe away fromthis hand。
“Aunt Maggie； Jared； and Ian；” Jeb listed off in a bored voice。 We both jumped at the sound。 Jeb hadn’t
moved； and his eyes were still closed。 He looked so peaceful； as if he had answered Jamie’s question in
his sleep。
Jamie waited for a moment； then turned back to me with the same intense expression。
“You’re not Melanie； but you know all her memories and stuff； right？”
I nodded again。
“Do you know who I am？”
I tried to swallow the words； but they slipped through my lips。 “You’re Jamie。” I couldn’t help how my
voice wrapped around the name like a caress。
He blinked； startled that I had broken my silence。 Then he nodded。 “Right；” he whispered back。
We both looked at Jeb； who remained still； and back at each other。
“Then you remember what happened to her？” he asked。
I winced； and then nodded slowly。
“I want to know；” he whispered。
I shook my head。
“I want to know；” Jamie repeated。 His lips trembled。 “I’m not a kid。 Tell me。”
“It’s not… pleasant；” I breathed； unable to stop myself。 It was very hard to deny this boy what he
wanted。
His straight black eyebrows pulled together and up in the middle over his wide eyes。 “Please；” he
whispered。
I glanced at Jeb。 I thought that maybe he was peeking from between his lashes now； but I couldn’t be
My voice was soft as breathing。 “Someone saw her go into a place that was off…limits。 They knew
something was wrong。 They called the Seekers。”
He flinched at the title。
“The Seekers tried to get her to surrender。 She ran from them。 When they had her cornered； she jumped
into an open elevator shaft。”
I recoiled from the memory of pain； and Jamie’s face went white under his tan。
“She didn’t die？” he whispered。
“No。 We have very skilled Healers。 They mended her quickly。 Then they put me in her。 They hoped I
would be able to tell them how she had survived so long。” I had not meant to say so much； my mouth
snapped shut。 Jamie didn’t seem to notice my slip； but Jeb’s eyes opened slowly and fixed on my face。
No other part of him moved； and Jamie didn’t see the change。
“Why didn’t you let her die？” he asked。 He had to swallow hard； a sob was threatening in his voice。 This
was all the more painful to hear because it was not the sound a child makes； frightened of the unknown；
but the fully prehending agony of an adult。 It was so hard not to reach out and put my hand on his
cheek。 I wanted to hug him to me and beg him not to be sad。 I curled my hands into fists and tried to
concentrate on his question。 Jeb’s eyes flickered to my hands and back to my face。
“I wasn’t in on the decision；” I murmured。 “I was still in a hibernation tank in deep space when that
happened。”
Jamie blinked again in surprise。 My answer was nothing he’d expected； and I could see him struggling
with some new emotion。 I glanced at Jeb； his eyes were bright with curiosity。
The same curiosity； though more wary； won out with Jamie。 “Where were you ing from？” he asked。
In spite of myself； I smiled at his unwilling interest。 “Far away。 Another planet。”
“What was —” he started to ask； but he was interrupted by another question。
“What the hell？” Jared shouted at us； frozen with fury in the act of rounding the corner at the end of the
tunnel。 “Damn it； Jeb！ We agreed not to —”
Jamie wrenched himself upright。 “Jeb didn’t bring me here。 Butyou should have。”
Jeb sighed and got slowly to his feet。 As he did so； the gun rolled from his lap onto the floor。 It stopped
only a few inches from me。 I scooted away； unfortable。
Jared had a different reaction。 He lunged toward me； closing the length of the hallway in a few running
strides。 I cowered into the wall and covered my face with my arms。 Peeking around my elbow； I
watched him jerk the gun up from the floor。
“Are you trying to get us killed？” he almost screamed at Jeb； shoving the gun into the old man’s chest。
“Shut up； Jeb； just shut up！”
“Leave him alone；” Jamie shouted。 “He didn’t do anything wrong。”
“You！” Jared shouted back； turning on the slim； angry figure。 “You get out of herenow； or sohelp me！”
Jamie balled his fists and stood his ground。
Jared’s fists came up； too。
I was rooted in place with shock。 How could they scream at each other this way？ They were family； the
bonds between them stronger than any blood tie。 Jared wouldn’t hit Jamie—he couldn’t！ I wanted to do
something； but I didn’t know what to do。 Anything that brought me to their attention would only make
them angrier。
For once； Melanie was calmer than I was。He can’t hurt Jamie； she thought confidently。It’s not
possible。
I looked at them； facing off like enemies； and panicked。
We should never have e here。 See how unhappy we’ve made them；I moaned。
“You shouldn’t have tried to keep this a secret from me；” Jamie said between his teeth。 “And you
shouldn’t have hurt her。” One of his hands unclenched and flew out to point at my face。
Jared spit on the floor。 “That’s not Melanie。 She’s never ing back； Jamie。”
“That’s her face；” Jamie insisted。 “And her neck。 Don’t the bruises therebother you？”
Jared dropped his hands。 He closed his eyes and took a deep breath。 “You will either leave right now；
Jamie； and give me some space； or I willmake you leave。 I am not bluffing。 I can’t deal with any more
right now； okay？ I’m at my limit。 So can we please have this conversation later？” He opened his eyes
again； they were full of pain。
Jamie looked at him； and the anger drained slowly from his face。 “Sorry；” he muttered after a moment。
“I’ll go… but I’m not promising that I won’t e back。”
“I can’t think about that now。 Go。 Please。”
Jamie shrugged。 He threw one more searching look at me； and then he left； his quick； long stride making
me ache again for the time I’d missed。
Jared looked at Jeb。 “You； too；” he said in a flat voice。
Jeb rolled his eyes。 “I don’t think you’ve had a long enough break； to be honest。 I’ll keep an eye on —”
“Go。”
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。
“Jeb？” Jared called after him。
“Yeah？”
“If I asked you to shoot it right now； would you do it？”
Jeb kept walking slowly； not looking at us； but his words were clear。 “I’d have to。 I follow my own
rules。 So don’t ask me unless you really mean it。”
He disappeared into the dark。
Jared watched him go。 Before he could turn his glower on me； I ducked into my unfortable
sanctuary and curled up in the back corner。
CHAPTER 18
Bored
Ispent the rest of the day； with one brief exception； in total silence。
That exception occurred when Jeb brought food for both Jared and me several hours later。 As he set the
tray inside the entrance to my tiny cave； he smiled at me apologetically。
“Thank you；” I whispered。
“You’re wele；” he told me。
I heard Jared grunt； irritated by our small exchange。
That was the only sound Jared made all day。 I was sure he was out there； but there was never so much
as an audible breath to confirm that conviction。
It was a very long day—very cramped and very dull。 I tried every position I could imagine； but I could
never quite manage to get all of me stretched out fortably at once。 The small of my back began a
steady throbbing。
Melanie and I thought a lot about Jamie。 Mostly we worried that we had damaged him by ing here；
that we were injuring him now。 What was a kept promise in parison with that？
Time lost meaning。 It could have been sunset； it could have been dawn—I had no references here；
buried in the earth。 Melanie and I ran out of topics for discussion。 We flipped through our joint memories
apathetically； like switching TV channels without stopping to watch anything in particular。 I napped once
but could not fall soundly asleep because I was so unfortable。
When Jeb finally came back； I could have kissed his leathery face。 He leaned into my cell with a grin
stretching his cheeks。
“’Bout time for another walk？” he asked me。
“I’ll do it；” Jared growled。 “Give me the gun。”
I hesitated； crouched awkwardly in the mouth of my cave； until Jeb nodded at me。
“Go ahead；” he told me。
I climbed out； stiff and unsteady； and took Jeb’s offered hand to balance myself。 Jared made a sound of
revulsion and turned his face away。 He was holding the gun tightly； his knuckles white over the barrel。 I
didn’t like to see it in his hands。 It bothered me more than it did with Jeb。
Jared didn’t make allowances for me the way Jeb had。 He stalked off into the black tunnel without
pausing for me to catch up。
It was hard—he didn’t make much noise and he didn’t guide me； so I had to walk with one hand in front
of my face and one hand on the wall； trying not to run into the rock。 I fell twice on the uneven floor。
Though he did not help me； he did wait till he could hear that I was on my feet again to continue。 Once；
hurrying through a straighter section of the tube； I got too close and my searching hand touched his back；
traced across the shape of his shoulders； before I realized that I hadn’t reached another wall。 He jumped
ahead； jerking out from under my fingers with an angry hiss。
“Sorry；” I whispered； feeling my cheeks turn warm in the darkness。
He didn’t respond； but sped his pace so that following was even more difficult。
I was confused when； finally； some light appeared ahead of me。 Had we taken a different route？ This
was not the white brilliance of the biggest cavern。 It was muted； pale and silvery。 But the narrow crevice
we�
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