I LAY FACEDOWN ACROSS THE SLEEPING BAG, WAITING for justice to find me. Maybe an avalanche1 would buryme here. I wished it would. I never wanted to have to see my face in the mirror again.
There was no sound to warn me. Out of nowhere, Edward’s cold hand stroked against my knotted hair. Ishuddered guiltily at his touch.
“Are you all right?” he murmured, his voice anxious.
“No. I want to die.”
“That will never happen. I won’t allow it.”
I groaned2 and then whispered, “You might change your mind about that.”
“Where’s Jacob?”
“He went to fight,” I mumbled3 into the floor.
Jacob had left the little camp joyfully4 — with a cheerful “I’ll be right back” — running full tilt5 for theclearing, already quivering as he prepared to shift to his other self. By now the whole pack knew everything.
Seth Clearwater, pacing outside the tent, was an intimate witness to my disgrace.
Edward was silent for a long moment. “Oh,” he finally said.
The tone of his voice worried me that my avalanche wasn’t coming fast enough. I peeked6 up at him and,sure enough, his eyes were unfocused as he listened to something I’d rather die than have him hear. I droppedmy face back to the floor.
It stunned7 me when Edward chuckled8 reluctantly.
“And I thought I fought dirty,” he said with grudging9 admiration10. “He makes me look like the patron saintof ethics11.” His hand brushed against the part of my cheek that was exposed. “I’m not mad at you, love.
Jacob’s more cunning than I gave him credit for. I do wish you hadn’t asked him, though.”
“Edward,” I whispered to the rough nylon. “I . . . I . . . I’m —”
“Shh,” he hushed me, his fingers soothing12 against my cheek. “That’s not what I meant. It’s just that hewould have kissed you anyway — even if you hadn’t fallen for it — and now I don’t have an excuse to breakhis face. I would have really enjoyed that, too.”
“Fallen for it?” I mumbled almost incomprehensibly.
“Bella, did you really believe he was that noble? That he would go out in a flame of glory just to clear theway for me?”
I raised my head slowly to meet his patient gaze. His expression was soft; his eyes were full ofunderstanding rather than the revulsion I deserved to see.
“Yes, I did believe that,” I muttered, and then looked away. But I didn’t feel any anger at Jacob fortricking me. There wasn’t enough room in my body to contain anything besides the hatred13 I felt toward myself.
Edward laughed softly again. “You’re such a bad liar14, you’ll believe anyone who has the least bit of skill.”
“Why aren’t you angry with me?” I whispered. “Why don’t you hate me? Or haven’t you heard the wholestory yet?”
“I think I got a fairly comprehensive look,” he said in a light, easy voice. “Jacob makes vivid mentalpictures. I feel almost as bad for his pack as I do for myself. Poor Seth was getting nauseated16. But Sam ismaking Jacob focus now.”
I closed my eyes and shook my head in agony. The sharp nylon fibers17 of the tent floor scraped against myskin.
“You’re only human,” he whispered, stroking my hair again.
“That’s the most miserable18 defense19 I’ve ever heard.”
“But you are human, Bella. And, as much as I might wish otherwise, so is he. . . . There are holes in yourlife that I can’t fill. I understand that.”
“But that’s not true. That’s what makes me so horrible. There are no holes.”
“You love him,” he murmured gently.
Every cell in my body ached to deny it.
“I love you more,” I said. It was the best I could do.
“Yes, I know that, too. But . . . when I left you, Bella, I left you bleeding. Jacob was the one to stitch youback up again. That was bound to leave its mark — on both of you. I’m not sure those kinds of stitchesdissolve on their own. I can’t blame either of you for something I made necessary. I may gain forgiveness, butthat doesn’t let me escape the consequences.”
“I should have known you’d find some way to blame yourself. Please stop. I can’t stand it.”
“What would you like me to say?”
“I want you to call me every bad name you can think of, in every language you know. I want you to tell methat you’re disgusted with me and that you’re going to leave so that I can beg and grovel20 on my knees for youto stay.”
“I’m sorry.” He sighed. “I can’t do that.”
“At least stop trying to make me feel better. Let me suffer. I deserve it.”
“No,” he murmured.
I nodded slowly. “You’re right. Keep on being too understanding. That’s probably worse.”
He was silent for a moment, and I sensed a charge in the atmosphere, a new urgency.
“It’s getting close,” I stated.
“Yes, a few more minutes now. Just enough time to say one more thing. . . .”
I waited. When he finally spoke21 again, he was whispering. “I can be noble, Bella. I’m not going to makeyou choose between us. Just be happy, and you can have whatever part of me you want, or none at all, ifthat’s better. Don’t let any debt you feel you owe me influence your decision.”
I pushed off the floor, shoving myself up onto my knees.
“Dammit, stop that!” I shouted at him.
His eyes widened in surprise. “No — you don’t understand. I’m not just trying to make you feel better,Bella, I really mean it.”
“I know you do,” I groaned. “What happened to fighting back? Don’t start with the noble self-sacrificenow! Fight!”
“How?” he asked, and his eyes were ancient with their sadness.
I scrambled22 into his lap, throwing my arms around him.
“I don’t care that it’s cold here. I don’t care that I stink23 like a dog right now. Make me forget how awful Iam. Make me forget him. Make me forget my own name. Fight back!”
I didn’t wait for him to decide — or to have the chance to tell me he wasn’t interested in a cruel, faithlessmonster like me. I pulled myself against him and crushed my mouth to his snow-cold lips.
“Careful, love,” he murmured under my urgent kiss.
He gently pushed my face a few inches back. “You don’t have to prove anything to me.”
“I’m not trying to prove something. You said I could have any part of you I wanted. I want this part. Iwant every part.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and strained to reach his lips. He bent26 his head to kissme back, but his cool mouth was hesitant as my impatience27 grew more pronounced. My body was making myintentions clear, giving me away. Inevitably28, his hands moved to restrain me.
“Perhaps this isn’t the best moment for that,” he suggested, too calm for my liking29.
“Why not?” I grumbled30. There was no point in fighting if he was going to be rational; I dropped my arms.
“Firstly, because it is cold.” He reached out to pull the sleeping bag off the floor; he wrapped it around melike a blanket.
“Wrong,” I said. “First, because you are bizarrely moral for a vampire31.”
He chuckled. “All right, I’ll give you that. The cold is second. And thirdly . . . well, you do actually stink,love.”
He wrinkled his nose.
I sighed.
“Fourthly,” he murmured, dropping his face so that he was whispering in my ear. “We will try, Bella. I’llmake good on my promise. But I’d much rather it wasn’t in reaction to Jacob Black.”
I cringed, and buried my face against his shoulder.
“And fifthly . . .”
“This is a very long list,” I muttered.
He laughed. “Yes, but did you want to listen to the fight or not?”
As he spoke, Seth howled stridently outside the tent.
My body stiffened32 to the sound. I didn’t realize my left hand was clenched33 into a fist, nails biting into mybandaged palm, until Edward took it and gently smoothed my fingers out.
“It’s going to be fine, Bella,” he promised. “We’ve got skill, training, and surprise on our side. It will beover very soon. If I didn’t truly believe that, I would be down there now — and you’d be here, chained to atree or something along those lines.”
“Alice is so small,” I moaned.
He chuckled. “That might be a problem . . . if it were possible for someone to catch her.”
Seth started to whimper.
“What’s wrong?” I demanded.
“He’s just angry that he’s stuck here with us. He knows the pack kept him out of the action to protecthim. He’s salivating to join them.”
I scowled34 in Seth’s general direction.
“The newborns have reached the end of the trail — it worked like a charm, Jasper’s a genius — andthey’ve caught the scent35 of the ones in the meadow, so they’re splitting into two groups now, as Alice said,”
Edward murmured, his eyes focused on something far away. “Sam’s taking us around to head off the ambushparty.” He was so intent on what he was hearing that he used the pack plural36.
Suddenly he looked down at me. “Breathe, Bella.”
I struggled to do what he asked. I could hear Seth’s heavy panting just outside the tent wall, and I tried tokeep my lungs on the same even pace, so that I wouldn’t hyperventilate.
“The first group is in the clearing. We can hear the fighting.”
My teeth locked together.
He laughed once. “We can hear Emmett — he’s enjoying himself.”
I made myself take another breath with Seth.
“The second group is getting ready — they aren’t paying attention, they haven’t heard us yet.”
Edward growled.
“They’re talking about you.” His teeth clenched together. “They’re supposed to make sure you don’tescape. . . . Nice move, Leah! Mmm, she’s quite fast,” he murmured in approval. “One of the newbornscaught our scent, and Leah took him down before he could even turn. Sam’s helping39 her finish him off. Pauland Jacob got another one, but the others are on the defensive40 now. They have no idea what to make of us.
Both sides are feinting. . . . No, let Sam lead. Stay out of the way,” he muttered. “Separate them — don’t letthem protect each other’s backs.”
“That’s better, drive them toward the clearing,” Edward approved. His body was shifting unconsciously ashe watched, tensing for moves he would have made. His hands still held mine; I twisted my fingers through his.
At least he wasn’t down there.
The sudden absence of sound was the only warning.
The deep rush of Seth’s breathing cut off, and — as I’d paced my breaths with his — I noticed.
I stopped breathing, too — too frightened to even make mylungs work as I realized that Edward hadfrozen into a block of ice beside me.
Oh, no. No. No.
Who had been lost? Theirs or ours? Mine, all mine. What was my loss?
So quickly that I wasn’t exactly sure how it happened, I was on my feet and the tent was collapsing42 inragged shreds43 around me. Had Edward ripped our way out? Why?
I blinked, shocked, into the brilliant light. Seth was all I could see, right beside us, his face only six inchesfrom Edward’s. They stared at each other with absolute concentration for one infinite second. The sunshattered off Edward’s skin and sent sparkles dancing across Seth’s fur.
And then Edward whispered urgently, “Go, Seth!”
The huge wolf wheeled and disappeared into the forest shadows.
Had two entire seconds passed? It felt like hours. I was terrified to the point of nausea15 by the knowledgethat something horrible had gone awry44 in the clearing. I opened my mouth to demand that Edward take methere, and do it now. They needed him, and they needed me. If I had to bleed to save them, I would do it. Iwould die to do it, like the third wife. I had no silver dagger45 in my hand, but I would find a way —Before I could get the first syllable46 out, I felt as if I was being flung through the air. But Edward’s handsnever let go of me — I was only being moved, so quickly that the sensation was like falling sideways.
I found myself with my back pressed against the sheer cliff face. Edward stood in front of me, holding aposture that I knew at once.
Relief washed through my mind at the same time that my stomach dropped through the soles of my feet.
I’d misunderstood.
Relief — nothing had gone wrong in the clearing.
Horror — the crisis was here.
Edward held a defensive position — half-crouched47, his arms extended slightly — that I recognized withsickening certainty. The rock at my back could have been the ancient brick walls of the Italian alley49 where hehad stood between me and the black-cloaked Volturi warriors50.
Something was coming for us.
“Who?” I whispered.
The words came through his teeth in a snarl51 that was louder than I expected. Too loud. It meant that it wasfar too late to hide. We were trapped, and it didn’t matter who heard his answer.
“Victoria,” he said, spitting the word, making it a curse. “She’s not alone. She crossed my scent, followingthe newborns in to watch — she never meant to fight with them. She made a spur-of-the-moment decision tofind me, guessing that you would be wherever I was. She was right. You were right. It was always Victoria.”
She was close enough that he could hear her thoughts.
Relief again. If it had been the Volturi, we were both dead. But with Victoria, it didn’t have to be both.
Edward could survive this. He was a good fighter, as good as Jasper. If she didn’t bring too many others, hecould fight his way out, back to his family. Edward was faster than anyone. He could make it.
I was so glad he’d sent Seth away. Of course, there was no one Seth could run to for help. Victoria hadtimed her decision perfectly52. But at least Seth was safe; I couldn’t see the huge sandy wolf in my head when Ithought his name — just the gangly fifteen-year-old boy.
Edward’s body shifted — only infinitesimally, but it told me where to look. I stared at the black shadowsof the forest.
It was like having my nightmares walk forward to greet me.
Two vampires53 edged slowly into the small opening of our camp, eyes intent, missing nothing. Theyglistened like diamonds in the sun.
I could barely look at the blond boy — yes, he was just a boy, though he was muscular and tall, maybemy age when he was changed. His eyes — a more vivid red than I had ever seen before — could not holdmine. Though he was closest to Edward, the nearest danger, I could not watch him.
Because, a few feet to the side and a few feet back, Victoria was staring at me.
Her orange hair was brighter than I’d remembered, more like a flame. There was no wind here, but thefire around her face seemed to shimmer54 slightly, as if it were alive.
Her eyes were black with thirst. She did not smile, as she always had in my nightmares — her lips werepressed into a tight line. There was a striking feline55 quality to the way she held her coiled body, a lionesswaiting for an opening to spring. Her restless, wild gaze flickered57 between Edward and me, but never restedon him for more than a half-second. She could not keep her eyes from my face any more than I could keepmine from hers.
Tension rolled off of her, nearly visible in the air. I could feel the desire, the all-consuming passion that heldher in its grip. Almost as if I could hear her thoughts, too, I knew what she was thinking.
She was so close to what she wanted — the focus of her whole existence for more than a year now wasjust so close.
My death.
Her plan was as obvious as it was practical. The big blond boy would attack Edward. As soon as Edwardwas sufficiently59 distracted, Victoria would finish me.
It would be quick — she had no time for games here — but it would be thorough. Something that it wouldbe impossible to recover from. Something that even vampire venom60 could not repair.
She’d have to stop my heart. Perhaps a hand shoved through my chest, crushing it. Something along thoselines.
My heart beat furiously, loudly, as if to make her target more obvious.
An immense distance away, from far across the black forest, a wolf’s howl echoed in the still air. WithSeth gone, there was no way to interpret the sound.
The blond boy looked at Victoria from the corner of his eye, waiting on her command.
He was young in more ways than one. I guessed from his brilliant crimson61 irises62 that he couldn’t have beena vampire for very long. He would be strong, but inept63. Edward would know how to fight him. Edward wouldsurvive.
Victoria jerked her chin toward Edward, wordlessly ordering the boy forward.
“Riley,” Edward said in a soft, pleading voice.
The blond boy froze, his red eyes widening.
“She’s lying to you, Riley,” Edward told him. “Listen to me. She’s lying to you just like she lied to theothers who are dying now in the clearing. You know that she’s lied to them, that she had you lie to them, thatneither of you were ever going to help them. Is it so hard to believe that she’s lied to you, too?”
Confusion swept across Riley’s face.
Edward shifted a few inches to the side, and Riley automatically compensated64 with an adjustment of hisown.
“She doesn’t love you, Riley.” Edward’s soft voice was compelling, almost hypnotic. “She never has. Sheloved someone named James, and you’re no more than a tool to her.”
When he said James’s name, Victoria’s lips pulled back in a teeth-baring grimace65. Her eyes stayed lockedon me.
Riley cast a frantic66 glance in her direction.
“Riley?” Edward said.
Riley automatically refocused on Edward.
“She knows that I will kill you, Riley. She wants you to die so that she doesn’t have to keep up thepretense anymore. Yes — you’ve seen that, haven’t you? You’ve read the reluctance67 in her eyes, suspected afalse note in her promises. You were right. She’s never wanted you. Every kiss, every touch was a lie.”
Edward moved again, moved a few inches toward the boy, a few inches away from me.
Victoria’s gaze zeroed in on the gap between us. It would take her less than a second to kill me — sheonly needed the tiniest margin68 of opportunity.
Slower this time, Riley repositioned himself.
“You don’t have to die,” Edward promised, his eyes holding the boy’s. “There are other ways to live thanthe way she’s shown you. It’s not all lies and blood, Riley. You can walk away right now. You don’t have todie for her lies.”
Edward slid his feet forward and to the side. There was a foot of space between us now. Riley circled toofar, overcompensating this time. Victoria leaned forward onto the balls of her feet.
“Last chance, Riley,” Edward whispered.
Riley’s face was desperate as he looked to Victoria for answers.
“He’s the liar, Riley,” Victoria said, and my mouth fell open in shock at the sound of her voice. “I told youabout their mind tricks. You know I love only you.”
Her voice was not the strong, wild, catlike growl25 I would have put with her face and stance. It was soft, itwas high — a babyish, soprano tinkling69. The kind of voice that went with blond curls and pink bubble gum. Itmade no sense coming through her bared, glistening70 teeth.
Riley’s jaw71 tightened72, and he squared his shoulders. His eyes emptied — there was no more confusion, nomore suspicion. There was no thought at all. He tensed himself to attack.
Victoria’s body seemed to be trembling, she was so tightly wound. Her fingers were ready claws, waitingfor Edward to move just one more inch away from me.
The snarl came from none of them.
A mammoth73 tan shape flew through the center of the opening, throwing Riley to the ground.
“No!” Victoria cried, her baby voice shrill74 with disbelief.
A yard and a half in front of me, the huge wolf ripped and tore at the blond vampire beneath him.
Something white and hard smacked75 into the rocks by my feet. I cringed away from it.
Victoria did not spare one glance for the boy she’d just pledged her love to. Her eyes were still on me,filled with a disappointment so ferocious76 that she looked deranged77.
“No,” she said again, through her teeth, as Edward started to move toward her, blocking her path to me.
Riley was on his feet again, looking misshapen and haggard, but he was able to fling a vicious kick intoSeth’s shoulder. I heard the bone crunch78. Seth backed off and started to circle, limping. Riley had his armsout, ready, though he seemed to be missing part of one hand. . . .
Only a few yards away from that fight, Edward and Victoria were dancing.
Not quite circling, because Edward was not allowing her to position herself closer to me. She sashayedback, moving from side to side, trying to find a hole in his defense. He shadowed her footwork lithely79, stalkingher with perfect concentration. He began to move just a fraction of a second before she moved, reading herintentions in her thoughts.
Seth lunged at Riley from the side, and something tore with a hideous80, grating screech81. Another heavywhite chunk82 flew into the forest with a thud. Riley roared in fury, and Seth skipped back — amazingly light onhis feet for his size — as Riley took a swipe at him with one mangled83 hand.
Victoria was weaving through the tree trunks at the far end of the little opening now. She was torn, her feetpulling her toward safety while her eyes yearned84 toward me as if I were a magnet, reeling her in. I could seethe85 burning desire to kill warring with her survival instinct.
Edward could see that, too.
“Don’t go, Victoria,” he murmured in that same hypnotic tone as before. “You’ll never get another chancelike this.”
She showed her teeth and hissed86 at him, but she seemed unable to move farther away from me.
“You can always run later,” Edward purred. “Plenty of time for that. It’s what you do, isn’t it? It’s whyJames kept you around. Useful, if you like to play deadly games. A partner with an uncanny instinct forescaping. He shouldn’t have left you — he could have used your skills when we caught up to him in Phoenix87.”
A snarl ripped from between her lips.
“That’s all you ever were to him, though. Silly to waste so much energy avenging88 someone who had lessaffection for you than a hunter for his mount. You were never more than a convenience to him. I would know.”
Edward’s lips pulled up on one side as he tapped his temple.
With a strangled screech, Victoria darted89 out of the trees again, feinting to the side. Edward responded,and the dance began again.
Just then, Riley’s fist caught Seth’s flank, and a low yelp90 coughed out of Seth’s throat. Seth backed away,his shoulders twitching91 as if he were trying to shake off the pain.
Please, I wanted to plead with Riley, but I couldn’t find the muscles to make my mouth open, to pull theair up from my lungs. Please, he’s just a child!
Why hadn’t Seth run away? Why didn’t he run now?
Riley was closing the distance between them again, driving Seth toward the cliff face beside me. Victoriawas suddenly interested in her partner’s fate. I could see her, from the corner of her eyes, judge the distancebetween Riley and me. Seth snapped at Riley, forcing him back again, and Victoria hissed.
Seth wasn’t limping anymore. His circling took him within inches of Edward; his tail brushed Edward’sback, and Victoria’s eyes bulged92.
“No, he won’t turn on me,” Edward said, answering the question in Victoria’s head. He used herdistraction to slide closer. “You provided us with a common enemy. You allied94 us.”
She clenched her teeth, trying to keep her focus on Edward alone.
“Look more closely, Victoria,” he murmured, pulling at the threads of her concentration. “Is he really somuch like the monster James tracked across Siberia?”
Her eyes popped wide open, and then began flickering95 wildly from Edward to Seth to me, around andaround. “Not the same?” she snarled96 in her little girl’s soprano. “Impossible!”
“Nothing is impossible,” Edward murmured, voice velvet97 soft as he moved another inch closer to her.
“Except what you want. You’ll never touch her.”
She shook her head, fast and jerky, fighting his diversions, and tried to duck around him, but he was inplace to block her as soon as she’d thought of the plan. Her face contorted in frustration98, and then she shiftedlower into her crouch48, a lioness again, and stalked deliberately99 forward.
Victoria was no inexperienced, instinct-driven newborn. She was lethal100. Even I could tell the differencebetween her and Riley, and I knew that Seth wouldn’t have lasted so long if he’d been fighting this vampire.
Edward shifted, too, as they closed on each other, and it was lion versus101 lioness.
The dance increased in tempo103.
It was like Alice and Jasper in the meadow, a blurred104 spiraling of movement, only this dance was not asperfectly choreographed106. Sharp crunches107 and crackings reverberated108 off the cliff face whenever someoneslipped in their formation. But they were moving too fast for me to see who was making the mistakes. . . .
Riley was distracted by the violent ballet, his eyes anxious for his partner. Seth struck, crunching109 offanother small piece of the vampire. Riley bellowed110 and launched a massive backhanded blow that caught Sethfull in his broad chest. Seth’s huge body soared ten feet and crashed into the rocky wall over my head with aforce that seemed to shake the whole peak. I heard the breath whoosh111 from his lungs, and I ducked out of theway as he rebounded112 off the stone and collapsed113 on the ground a few feet in front of me.
A low whimper escaped through Seth’s teeth.
Sharp fragments of gray stone showered down on my head, scratching my exposed skin. A jagged spikeof rock rolled down my right arm and I caught it reflexively. My fingers clenched around the long shard115 as myown survival instincts kicked in; since there was no chance of flight, my body — not caring how ineffectual thegesture was — prepared for a fight.
Adrenaline jolted116 through my veins117. I knew the brace118 was cutting into my palm. I knew the crack in myknuckle was protesting. I knew it, but I could not feel the pain.
Behind Riley, all I could see was the twisting flame of Victoria’s hair and a blur105 of white. The increasinglyfrequent metallic119 snaps and tears, the gasps120 and shocked hissings, made it clear that the dance was turningdeadly for someone.
But which someone?
Riley lurched toward me, his red eyes brilliant with fury. He glared at the limp mountain of sand-coloredfur between us, and his hands — mangled, broken hands — curled into talons122. His mouth opened, widened,his teeth glistening, as he prepared to rip out Seth’s throat.
A second kick of adrenaline hit like an electric shock, and everything was suddenly very clear.
Both fights were too close. Seth was about to lose his, and I had no idea if Edward was winning or losing.
They needed help. A distraction93. Something to give them an edge.
My hand gripped the stone spike114 so tightly that a support in the brace snapped.
Was I strong enough? Was I brave enough? How hard could I shove the rough stone into my body?
Would this buy Seth enough time to get back on his feet? Would he heal fast enough for my sacrifice to do himany good?
I raked the point of the shard up my arm, yanking my thick sweater back to expose the skin, and thenpressed the sharp tip to the crease102 at my elbow. I already had a long scar there from my last birthday. Thatnight, my flowing blood had been enough to catch every vampire’s attention, to freeze them all in place for aninstant. I prayed it would work that way again. I steeled myself and sucked in one deep breath.
Victoria was distracted by the sound of my gasp37. Her eyes, holding still for one tiny portion of a second,met mine. Fury and curiosity mingled123 strangely in her expression.
I wasn’t sure how I heard the low sound with all the other noises echoing off the stone wall and hammeringinside my head. My own heartbeat should have been enough to drown it out. But, in the split second that Istared into Victoria’s eyes, I thought I heard a familiar, exasperated124 sigh.
In that same short second, the dance broke violently apart. It happened so quickly that it was over beforeI could follow the sequence of events. I tried to catch up in my head.
Victoria had flown out of the blurred formation and smashed into a tall spruce about halfway125 up the tree.
She dropped back to the earth already crouched to spring.
Simultaneously, Edward — all but invisible with speed — had twisted backward and caught theunsuspecting Riley by the arm. It had looked like Edward planted his foot against Riley’s back, and heaved —The little campsite was filled with Riley’s piercing shriek126 of agony.
At the same time, Seth leaped to his feet, cutting off most of my view.
But I could still see Victoria. And, though she looked oddly deformed127 — as if she were unable tostraighten up completely — I could see the smile I’d been dreaming of flash across her wild face.
She coiled and sprang.
Something small and white whistled through the air and collided with her mid-flight. The impact soundedlike an explosion, and it threw her against another tree — this one snapped in half. She landed on her feetagain, crouched and ready, but Edward was already in place. Relief swelled128 in my heart when I saw that hestood straight and perfect.
Victoria kicked something aside with a flick56 of her bare foot — the missile that had crippled her attack. Itrolled toward me, and I realized what it was.
My stomach lurched.
The fingers were still twitching; grasping at blades of grass, Riley’s arm began to drag itself mindlesslyacross the ground.
Seth was circling Riley again, and now Riley was retreating. He backed away from the advancingwerewolf, his face rigid129 with pain. He raised his one arm defensively.
Seth rushed Riley, and the vampire was clearly off-balance. I saw Seth sink his teeth into Riley’s shoulderand tear, jumping back again.
With an earsplitting metallic screech, Riley lost his other arm.
Seth shook his head, flinging the arm into the woods. The broken hissing121 noise that came through Seth’steeth sounded like snickering.
Riley screamed out a tortured plea. “Victoria!”
Victoria did not even flinch130 to the sound of her name. Her eyes did not flicker58 once toward her partner.
Seth launched himself forward with the force of a wrecking131 ball. The thrust carried both Seth and Rileyinto the trees, where the metallic screeching132 was matched by Riley’s screams. Screams that abruptly133 cut off,while the sounds of rock being ripped to shreds continued.
Though she spared Riley no farewell glance, Victoria seemed to realize that she was on her own. Shebegan to back away from Edward, frenzied134 disappointment blazing in her eyes. She threw me one short,agonized stare of longing135, and then she started to retreat faster.
“No,” Edward crooned, his voice seductive. “Stay just a little longer.”
She wheeled and flew toward the refuge of the forest like an arrow from a bow.
But Edward was faster — a bullet from a gun.
He caught her unprotected back at the edge of the trees and, with one last, simple step, the dance wasover.
Edward’s mouth brushed once across her neck, like a caress136. The squealing137 clamor coming from Seth’sefforts covered every other noise, so there was no discernible sound to make the image one of violence. Hecould have been kissing her.
And then the fiery138 tangle139 of hair was no longer connected to the rest of her body. The shivering orangewaves fell to the ground, and bounced once before rolling toward the trees.
收听单词发音 |
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avalanche
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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5
tilt
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| v.(使)倾侧；(使)倾斜；n.倾侧；倾斜 | |
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peeked
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| v.很快地看( peek的过去式和过去分词 )；偷看；窥视；微露出 | |
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stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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8
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
grudging
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| adj.勉强的，吝啬的 | |
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10
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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ethics
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| n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准 | |
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12
soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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13
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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14
liar
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| n.说谎的人 | |
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15
nausea
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| n.作呕，恶心；极端的憎恶(或厌恶) | |
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nauseated
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| adj.作呕的，厌恶的v.使恶心，作呕( nauseate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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17
fibers
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| 光纤( fiber的名词复数 )； （织物的）质地； 纤维，纤维物质 | |
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18
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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19
defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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20
grovel
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| vi.卑躬屈膝，奴颜婢膝 | |
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21
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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22
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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23
stink
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| vi.发出恶臭；糟透，招人厌恶；n.恶臭 | |
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24
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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25
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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26
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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27
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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28
inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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29
liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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30
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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31
vampire
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| n.吸血鬼 | |
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32
stiffened
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| 加强的 | |
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33
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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35
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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36
plural
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| n.复数；复数形式；adj.复数的 | |
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37
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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38
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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39
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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40
defensive
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| adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的 | |
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41
whined
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| v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨 | |
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42
collapsing
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| 压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂 | |
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43
shreds
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| v.撕碎，切碎( shred的第三人称单数 )；用撕毁机撕毁（文件） | |
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44
awry
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| adj.扭曲的，错的 | |
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45
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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46
syllable
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| n.音节；vt.分音节 | |
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47
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
crouch
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| v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏 | |
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49
alley
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| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
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50
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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51
snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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52
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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53
vampires
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| n.吸血鬼( vampire的名词复数 )；吸血蝠；高利贷者；（舞台上的）活板门 | |
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54
shimmer
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| v./n.发微光，发闪光；微光 | |
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55
feline
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| adj.猫科的 | |
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56
flick
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| n.快速的轻打，轻打声，弹开；v.轻弹，轻轻拂去，忽然摇动 | |
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57
flickered
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| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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58
flicker
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| vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现 | |
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59
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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60
venom
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| n.毒液，恶毒，痛恨 | |
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61
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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62
irises
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| n.虹( iris的名词复数 )；虹膜；虹彩；鸢尾（花） | |
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63
inept
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| adj.不恰当的，荒谬的，拙劣的 | |
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64
compensated
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| 补偿，报酬( compensate的过去式和过去分词 )； 给（某人）赔偿（或赔款） | |
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65
grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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66
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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67
reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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68
margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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69
tinkling
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| n.丁当作响声 | |
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70
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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71
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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72
tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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73
mammoth
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| n.长毛象；adj.长毛象似的，巨大的 | |
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74
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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75
smacked
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| 拍，打，掴( smack的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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76
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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77
deranged
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| adj.疯狂的 | |
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78
crunch
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| n.关键时刻；艰难局面；v.发出碎裂声 | |
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79
lithely
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| adv.柔软地，易变地 | |
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80
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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81
screech
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| n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音 | |
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82
chunk
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| n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量） | |
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83
mangled
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| vt.乱砍（mangle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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84
yearned
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| 渴望，切盼，向往( yearn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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85
seethe
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| vi.拥挤，云集；发怒，激动，骚动 | |
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86
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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87
phoenix
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| n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生 | |
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88
avenging
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| adj.报仇的，复仇的v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的现在分词 )；为…报复 | |
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89
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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90
yelp
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| vi.狗吠 | |
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91
twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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92
bulged
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| 凸出( bulge的过去式和过去分词 )； 充满； 塞满（某物） | |
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93
distraction
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| n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐 | |
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94
allied
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| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
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95
flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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96
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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97
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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98
frustration
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| n.挫折，失败，失效，落空 | |
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99
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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100
lethal
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| adj.致死的；毁灭性的 | |
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101
versus
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| prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下 | |
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102
crease
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| n.折缝，褶痕，皱褶；v.(使)起皱 | |
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103
tempo
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| n.(音乐的)速度；节奏，行进速度 | |
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104
blurred
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| v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离 | |
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105
blur
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| n.模糊不清的事物；vt.使模糊，使看不清楚 | |
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106
choreographed
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| v.设计舞蹈动作( choreograph的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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107
crunches
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| n.（突发的）不足( crunch的名词复数 )；需要做出重要决策的困难时刻；紧要关头；嘎吱的响声v.嘎吱嘎吱地咬嚼( crunch的第三人称单数 )；嘎吱作响；（快速大量地）处理信息；数字捣弄 | |
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108
reverberated
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| 回响，回荡( reverberate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射 | |
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109
crunching
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| v.嘎吱嘎吱地咬嚼( crunch的现在分词 )；嘎吱作响；（快速大量地）处理信息；数字捣弄 | |
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110
bellowed
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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111
whoosh
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| v.飞快地移动，呼 | |
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112
rebounded
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| 弹回( rebound的过去式和过去分词 )； 反弹； 产生反作用； 未能奏效 | |
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113
collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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114
spike
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| n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效 | |
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115
shard
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| n.（陶瓷器、瓦等的）破片，碎片 | |
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116
jolted
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| （使）摇动， （使）震惊( jolt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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117
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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118
brace
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| n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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119
metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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120
gasps
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| v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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121
hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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122
talons
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| n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部 | |
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123
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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124
exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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125
halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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126
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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127
deformed
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| adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的 | |
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128
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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129
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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130
flinch
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| v.畏缩，退缩 | |
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131
wrecking
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| 破坏 | |
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132
screeching
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的现在分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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133
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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134
frenzied
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| a.激怒的；疯狂的 | |
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135
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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136
caress
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| vt./n.爱抚，抚摸 | |
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137
squealing
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的现在分词 ) | |
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138
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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139
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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