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  was　completely　eliminated。　The　immortal　children　became　unmentionable；　a　taboo。
  〃When　I　lived　with　the　Volturi；　I　met　two　immortal　children；　so　I　know　firsthand　the　appeal　they　had。
  Aro　studied　the　little　ones　for　many　years　after　the　catastrophe　they'd　caused　was　over。　You　know　his
  inquisitive　disposition；　he　was　hopeful　that　they　could　be　tamed。　But　in　the　end；　the　decision　was
  unanimous：　the　immortal　children　could　not　be　allowed　to　exist。〃
  I'd　all　but　forgotten　the　Denali　sisters'　mother　when　the　story　returned　to　her。
  〃It　is　unclear　precisely　what　happened　with　Tanya's　mother；〃　Carlisle　had　said。　〃Tanya；　Kate；　and　irina
  were　entirely　oblivious　until　the　day　the　Volturi　came　for　them；　their　mother　and　her　illegal　creation
  already　their　prisoners。　It　was　ignorance　that　saved　Tanya's　and　her　sisters'　lives。　Aro　touched　them　and
  saw　their　total　innocence；　so　they　were　not　punished　with　their　mother。
  〃None　of　them　had　ever　seen　the　boy　before；　or　dreamed　of　his　existence；　until　the　day　they　watched
  him　burn　in　their　mother's　arms。　I　can　only　guess　that　their　mother　had　kept　her　secret　to　protect　them
  from　this　exact　outcome。　But　why　had　she　created　him　in　the　first　place？　Who　was　he；　and　what　had　he
  meant　to　her　that　would　cause　her　to　cross　this　most　uncrossable　of　lines？　Tanya　and　the　others　never
  received　an　answer　to　any　of　these　questions。　But　they　could　not　doubt　their　mother's　guilt；　and　I　don't
  think　they've　ever　truly　forgiven　her。
  〃Even　with　Aro's　perfect　assurance　that　Tanya；　Kate；　and　Irina　were　innocent；　Caius　wanted　them　to
  burn。　Guilty　by　association。　They　were　lucky　that　Aro　felt　like　being　merciful　that　day。　Tanya　and　her
  sisters　were　pardoned；　but　left　with　unhealing　hearts　and　a　very　healthy　respect　for　the　law___〃
  I'm　not　sure　where　exactly　the　memory　turned　into　a　dream。　One　moment　it　seemed　that　I　was　listening
  to　Carlisle　in　my　memory；　looking　at　his　face；　and　then　a　moment　later　I　was　looking　at　a　gray；　barren
  field　and　smelling
  the　thick　scent　of　burning　incense　in　the　air。　I　was　not　alone　there。
  The　huddle　of　figures　in　the　center　of　the　field；　all　shrouded　in　ashy　cloaks；　should　have　terrified　me
  —they　could　only　be　Volturi；　and　I　was；　against　what　they'd　decreed　at　our　last　meeting；　still　human。　But
  I　knew；　as　I　sometimes　did　in　dreams；　that　I　was　invisible　to　them。
  Scattered　all　around　me　were　smoking　heaps。　I　recognized　the　sweetness　in　the　air　and　did　not　examine
  the　mounds　too　closely。　I　had　no　desire　to　see　the　faces　of　the　vampires　they　had　executed；　half　afraid
  that　I　might　recognize　someone　in　the　smoldering　pyres。
  The　Volturi　soldiers　stood　in　a　circle　around　something　or　someone；　and　I　heard　their　whispery　voices
  raised　in　agitation。　I　edged　closer　to　the　cloaks；　compelled　by　the　dream　to　see　whatever　thing　or　person
  they　were　examining　with　such　intensity。　Creeping　carefully　between　two　of　the　tall　hissing　shrouds；　I
  finally　saw　the　object　of　their　debate；　raised　up　on　a　little　hillock　above　them。
  He　was　beautiful；　adorable；　just　as　Carlisle　had　described。　The　boy　was　a　toddler　still；　maybe　two　years
  of　age。　Light　brown　curls　framed　his　cherubic　face　with　its　round　cheeks　and　full　lips。　And　he　was
  trembling；　his　eyes　closed　as　if　he　was　too　frightened　to　watch　death　coming　closer　every　second。
  I　was　struck　with　such　a　powerful　need　to　save　the　lovely；　terrified　child　that　the　Volturi；　despite　all　their
  devastating　menace；　no　longer　mattered　to　me。　I　shoved　past　them；　not　caring　if　they　realized　my
  presence。　Breaking　free　of　them　altogether；　I　sprinted　toward　the　boy。
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  Only　to　stagger　to　a　halt　as　I　got　a　clear　view　of　the　hillock　that　he　sat　upon。　It　was　not　earth　and　rock；
  but　a　pile　of　human　bodies；　drained　and　lifeless。　Too　late　not　to　see　these　faces。　I　knew　them　all
  —Angela；　Ben；　Jessica；　Mike。。。。　And　directly　beneath　the　adorable　boy　were　the　bodies　of　my　father
  and　my　mother。
  The　child　opened　his　bright；　bloodred　eyes。
  3。　BIG　DAY
  My　own　eyes　flew　open。
  I　lay　shivering　and　gasping　in　my　warm　bed　for　several　minutes；　trying　to　break　free　of　the　dream。　The
  sky　outside　my　window　turned　gray　and　then　pale　pink　while　I　waited　for　my　heart　to　slow。
  When　I　was　fully　back　to　the　reality　of　my　messy；　familiar　room；　I　was　a　little　annoyed　with　myself。　What
  a　dream　to　have　the　night　before　my　wedding！　That's　what　I　got　for　obsessing　over　disturbing　stories　in
  the　middle　of　the　night。
  Eager　to　shake　off　the　nightmare；　I　got　dressed　and　headed　down　to　the　kitchen　long　before　I　needed　to。
  First　I　cleaned　the　already　tidy　rooms；　and　then　when　Charlie　was　up　I　made　him　pancakes。　I　was　much
  too　keyed　up　to　have　any　interest　in　eating　breakfast　myself—I　sat　bouncing　in　my　seat　while　he　ate。
  〃You're　picking　up　Mr。　Weber　at　three　o'clock；〃　I　reminded　him。
  〃I　don't　have　that　much　to　do　today　besides　bring　the　minister；　Bells。　I'm　not　likely　to　forget　my　only
  job。〃　Charlie　had　taken　the　entire　day　off　for　the　wedding；　and　he　was　definitely　at　loose　ends。　Now　and
  then；　his　eyes　flickered　furtively　to　the　closet　under　the　stairs；　where　he　kept　his　fishing　gear。
  〃That's　not　your　only　job。　You　also　have　to　be　dressed　and　presentable。〃
  He　scowled　into　his　cereal　bowl　and　muttered　the　words　〃monkey　suit〃　under　his　breath。
  There　was　a　brisk　tapping　on　the　front　door。
  〃You　think　you　have　it　bad；〃　I　said；　grimacing　as　I　rose。　〃Alice　will　be　working　on　me　all　day　long。〃
  Charlie　nodded　thoughtfully；　conceding　that　he　did　have　the　lesser　ordeal。　I　ducked　in　to　kiss　the　top　of
  his　head　as　I　passed—he　blushed　and　harrumphed　—and　then　continued　on　to　get　the　door　for　my　best
  girlfriend　and　soon…to…be　sister。
  Alice's　short　black　hair　was　not　in　its　usual　spiky　do—it　was　smoothed　into　sleek　pin　curls　around　her
  pixie　face；　which　wore　a　contrastingly　businesslike　expression。　She　dragged　me　from　the　house　with
  barely　a　〃Hey；　Charlie〃
  called　over　her　shoulder。
  Alice　appraised　me　as　I　got　into　her　Porsche。
  〃Oh；　hell；　look　at　your　eyes！〃　She　tsked　in　reproach。　〃What　did　you　do？　Stay　up　all　night？〃
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  〃Almost。〃
  She　glowered。　〃I've　only　allotted　so　much　time　to　make　you　stunning；　Bella—you　might　have　taken
  better　care　of　my　raw　material。〃
  〃No　one　expects　me　to　be　stunning。　I　think　the　bigger　problem　is　that　I　might　fall　asleep　during　the
  ceremony　and　not　be　able　to　say　1　do'　at　the　right　part；　and　then　Edward　will　make　his　escape。〃
  She　laughed。　〃I'll　throw　my　bouquet　at　you　when　it　gets　close。〃
  〃Thanks。〃
  〃At　least　you'll　have　plenty　of　time　to　sleep　on　the　plane　tomorrow。〃
  I　raised　one　eyebrow。　Tomorrow；　I　mused。　If　we　were　heading　out　tonight　after　the　reception；　and　we
  would　still　be　on　a　plane　tomorrow。。。　well；　we　weren't　going　to　Boise；　Idaho。　Edward　hadn't　dropped　a
  single　hint。　I　wasn't　too　stressed　about　the　mystery；　but　it　was　strange　not　knowing　where　I　would　be
  sleeping　tomorrow　night。　Or　hopefully　not　sleeping　。。。
  Alice　realized　that　she'd　given　something　away；　and　she　frowned。
  〃You're　all　packed　and　ready；〃　she　said　to　distract　me。
  It　worked。　〃Alice；　I　wish　you　would　let　me　pack　my　own　things！〃
  〃It　would　have　given　too　much　away。〃
  〃And　denied　you　an　opportunity　to　shop。〃
  〃You'll　be　my　sister　officially　in　ten　short　hours。。。　it's　about　time　to　get　over　this　aversion　to　new　clothes。〃
  I　glowered　groggily　out　the　windshield　until　we　were　almost　to　the　house。
  〃Is　he　back　yet？〃　I　asked。
  〃Don't　worry；　he'll　be　there　before　the　music　starts。　But　you　don't　get　to　see　him；　no　matter　when　he　gets
  back。　We're　doing　this　the　traditional　way。〃
  I　snorted。　〃Traditional！〃
  〃Okay；　aside　from　the　bride　and　groom。〃
  〃You　know　he's　already　peeked。〃
  〃Oh　no—that's　why　I'm　the　only　one　who's　seen　you　in　the　dress。　I've　been　very　careful　to　not　think
  about　it　when　he's　around。〃
  〃Well；〃　I　said　as　we　turned　into　the　drive；　〃I　see　you　got　to　reuse　your　graduation　decorations。〃　Three
  miles　of　drive　were　once　again　wrapped　in　hundreds　of　thousands　of　twinkle　lights。　This　time；　she'd
  added　white　satin　bows。
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  〃Waste　not；　want　not。　Enjoy　this；　because　you　don't　get　to　see　the　inside　decorations　until　it's　time。〃　She
  pulled　into　the　cavernous　garage　north　of　the　main　house；　Emmett's　big　Jeep　was　still　gone。
  〃Since　when　is　the　bride　not　allowed　to　see　the　decorations？〃　I　protested。
  〃Since　she　put　me　in　charge。　I　want　you　to　get　the　full　impact