spring。 He vanished—launching himself out my window too swiftly for my eyes to follow。
Outside； there was a muted thud； and I heard Emmett curse。
〃You'd better not make him late；〃 I murmured； knowing they could hear。
And then Jaspers face was peering in my window； his honey hair silver in the weak moonlight that
worked through the clouds。
〃Don't worry； Bella。 We'll get him home in plenty of time。〃
I was suddenly very calm； and my qualms all seemed unimportant。 Jasper was； in his own way； just as
talented
as Alice with her uncannily accurate predictions。 Jasper's medium was moods rather than the future； and
it was impossible to resist feeling the way he wanted you to feel。
I sat up awkwardly； still tangled in my blanket。 〃Jasper？ What do vampires do for bachelor parties？
You're not taking him to a strip club； are you？〃
〃Don't tell her anything！〃 Emmett growled from below。 There was another thud； and Edward laughed
quietly。
〃Relax；〃 Jasper told me—and I did。 〃We Cullens have our own version。 Just a few mountain lions； a
couple of grizzly bears。 Pretty much an ordinary night out。〃
I wondered if I would ever be able to sound so cavalier about the 〃vegetarian〃 vampire diet。
〃Thanks； Jasper。〃
He winked and dropped from sight。
It was completely silent outside。 Charlie's muffled snores droned through the walls。
I lay back against my pillow； sleepy now。 I stared at the walls of my little room； bleached pale in the
moonlight； from under heavy lids。
My last night in my room。 My last night as Isabella Swan。 Tomorrow night； I would be Bella Cullen。
Though the whole marriage ordeal was a thorn in my side； I had to admit that I liked the sound of that。
I let my mind wander idly for a moment； expecting sleep to take me。 But； after a few minutes； I found
myself more alert； anxiety creeping back into my stomach； twisting it into uncomfortable positions。 The
bed seemed too soft； too warm without Edward in it。 Jasper was far away； and all the peaceful； relaxed
feelings were gone with him。
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It was going to be a very long day tomorrow。
I was aware that most of my fears were stupid—I just had to get over myself。 Attention was an
inevitable part of life。 I couldn't always blend in with the scenery。 However； I did have a few specific
worries that were completely valid。
First there was the wedding dress's train。 Alice clearly had let her artistic sense overpower practicalities
on that one。 Maneuvering the Cullens' staircase in heels and a train sounded impossible。 I should have
practiced。
Then there was the guest list。
Tanya's family； the Denali clan； would be arriving sometime before the ceremony。
It would be touchy to have Tanya's family in the same room with our guests from the Quileute
reservation； Jacob's father and the Clearwaters。 The Denalis were no fans of the werewolves。 In fact；
Tanya's sister irina was not coming to the wedding at all。 She still nursed a vendetta against the
werewolves for killing her friend Laurent （just as he was about to kill me）。 Thanks to that grudge； the
Denalis had abandoned Edward's family in their worst hour of need。 It had been the unlikely alliance with
the Quileute wolves that had saved all our lives when the horde of newborn vampires had attacked___
Edward had promised me it wouldn't be dangerous to have the Denalis near the Quileutes。 Tanya and all
herfamily—besides Irina—felt horribly guilty for that defection。 A truce with the werewolves was a small
price to make up some of that debt； a price they were prepared to pay。
That was the big problem； but there was a small problem； too： my fragile self…esteem。
I'd never seen Tanya before； but I was sure that meeting her wouldn't be a pleasant experience for my
ego。 Once upon a time； before I was born probably； she'd made her play for Edward—not that I blamed
her or anyone else for wanting him。 Still； she would be beautiful at the very least and magnificent at best。
Though Edward clearly—if inconceivably—preferred me； I wouldn't be able to help making
comparisons。
I had grumbled a little until Edward； who knew my weaknesses； made me feel guilty。
〃We're the closest thing they have to family； Bella；'7he'd reminded me。 〃They still feel like orphans； you
know； even after all this time。〃
So I'd conceded； hiding my frown。
Tanya had a big family now； almost as big as the Cullens。 There were five of them； Tanya； Kate； and
Irina had been joined by Carmen and Eleazar much the same way the Cullens had been joined by Alice
and Jasper； all of them bonded by their desire to live more compassionately than normal vampires did。
For all the company； though； Tanya and her sisters were still alone in one way。 Still in mourning。 Because
a very long time ago； they'd had a mother； too。
I could imagine the hole that loss would leave； even after a thousand years； I tried to visualize the Cullen
family without their creator； their center； and their guide—their father； Carlisle。 I couldn't see it。
Carlisle had explained Tanya's history during one of the many nights I'd stayed late at the Cullens' home；
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learning as much as I could； preparing as much as was possible for the future I'd chosen。 Tanya's
mother's story was one among many； a cautionary tale illustrating just one of the rules I would need to be
aware of when I joined the immortal world。 Only one rule； actually—one law that broke down into a
thousand different facets： Keep the secret。
Keeping the secret meant a lot of things—living inconspicuously like the Cullens； moving on before
humans could suspect they weren't aging。 Or keeping clear of humans altogether—except at
mealtime—the way nomads like James and Victoria had lived； the way Jasper's friends； Peter and
Charlotte； still lived。 It meant keeping control of whatever new vampires you created； like Jasper had
done when he'd lived with Maria。 Like Victoria had failed to do with her newborns。
And it meant not creating some things in the first place； because some creations were uncontrollable。
〃I don't know Tanya's mother's name；〃 Carlisle had admitted； his golden eyes； almost the exact shade of
his fair hair； sad with remembering Tanya's pain。 〃They never speak of her if they can avoid it； never think
ofherwillingly。
〃The woman who created Tanya； Kate； and Irina—who loved them； I believe—lived many years before
I was born； during a time of plague in our world； the plague of the immortal children。
〃What they were thinking； those ancient ones； I can't begin to understand。 They created vampires out of
humans who were barely more than infants。〃
I'd had to swallow back the bile that rose in my throat as I'd pictured what he was describing。
〃They were very beautiful；〃 Carlisle had explained quickly； seeing my reaction。 〃So endearing； so
enchanting； you can't imagine。 You had but to be near them to love them； it was an automatic thing。
〃However； they could not be taught。 They were frozen at whatever level of development they'd achieved
before
being bitten。 Adorable two…year…olds with dimples and lisps that could destroy half a village in one of
their tantrums。 If they hungered； they fed； and no words of warning could restrain them。 Humans saw
them； stories circulated； fear spread like fire in dry brush___
〃Tanya's mother created such a child。 As with the other ancients； i cannot fathom her reasons。〃 He'd
taken a deep； steadying breath。 〃The Volturi became involved； of course。〃
I'd flinched as I always did at that name； but of course the legion of Italian vampires—royalty in their
own estimation—was central to this story。 There couldn't be a law if there was no punishment； there
couldn't be a punishment if there was no one to deliver it。 The ancients Aro； Caius； and Marcus ruled the
Volturi forces； I'd only met them once； but in that brief encounter； it seemed to me that Aro； with his
powerful mind…reading gift—one touch； and he knew every thought a mind had ever held—was the true
leader。
〃The Volturi studied the immortal children； at home in Volterra and all around the world。 Caius decided
the young ones were incapable of protecting our secret。 And so they had to be destroyed。
〃I told you they were loveable。 Well； covens fought to the last man—were utterly decimated—to protect
them。 The carnage was not as widespread as the southern wars on this continent； but more devastating in
its own way。 Long…established covens； old traditions； friends。。。 Much was lost。 In the end； the practice
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