—to　the　very　center　of　the　universe。
  I　could　see　that　now—how　the　universe　swirled　around　this　one　point。　I'd　never　seen　the　symmetry　of
  the　universe　before；　but　now　it　was　plain。
  The　gravity　of　the　earth　no　longer　tied　me　to　the　place　where　I　stood。
  It　was　the　baby　girl　in　the　blond　vampire's　arms　that　held　me　here　now。
  Renesmee。
  From　upstairs；　there　was　a　new　sound。　The　only　sound　that　could　touch　me　in　this　endless　instant。　A
  frantic　pounding；　a　racing　beat。。。
  A　changing　heart。
  BOOK　THREE
  bella
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  CONTENTS
  PREFACE
  19。　BURNING
  20。　NEW
  21。FIRST　HUNT
  22。　PROMISED
  23。　MEMORIES
  24。　SURPRISE
  25。　FAVOR
  26。　SHINY
  27。　TRAVEL　PLANS
  28。　THE　FUTURE
  29。　DEFECTION
  30。　IRRESISTIBLE
  31。　TALENTED
  32。　COMPANY
  33。　FORGERY
  34。　DECLARED
  35。　DEADLINE
  36。　BLOODLUST
  37。　CONTRIVANCES
  38。　POWER
  39。　THE　HAPPILY　EVER　AFTER
  Personal　affection　is　a　luxury　you　can　have　only　after　all　your　enemies　are　eliminated。　Until　then；
  everyone　you　love　is
  a　hostage；　sapping　your　courage　and　corrupting　your　judgment
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  Orson　Scott　Card　Empire
  PREFACE
  No　longer　just　a　nightmare；　the　line　of　black　advanced　on　us　through　the　icy　mist　stirred　up　by　their　feet。
  We're　going　to　die；I　thought　in　panic。　I　was　desperate　for　the　precious　one　I　guarded；　but　even　to　think
  of　that　was　a　lapse　in　attention　I　could　not　afford。
  They　ghosted　closer；　their　dark　robes　billowing　slightly　with　the　movement。　I　saw　their　hands　curl　into
  bone…colored　claws。　They　drifted　apart；　angling　to　come　at　us　from　all　sides。　We　were　outnumbered。　It
  was　over。
  And　then；　like　a　burst　of　light　from　a　flash；　the　whole　scene　was　different。　Yet　nothing　changed—the
  Volturi　still　stalked　toward　us；　poised　to　kill。　All　that　really　changed　was　how　the　picture　looked　to　me。
  Suddenly；　I　was　hungry　for　it。　I　wanfed　them　to　charge。　The　panic　changed　to　bloodlust　as　I　crouched
  forward；　a　smile　on　my　face；　and　a　growl　ripped　through　my　bared　teeth。
  19。　BURNING
  The　pain　was　bewildering。
  Exactly　that—I　was　bewildered。　I　couldn't　understand；　couldn't　make　sense　of　what　was　happening。
  My　body　tried　to　reject　the　pain；　and　I　was　sucked　again　and　again　into　a　blackness　that　cut　out　whole
  seconds　or　maybe　even　minutes　of　the　agony；　making　it　that　much　harder　to　keep　up　with　reality。
  I　tried　to　separate　them。
  Non…reality　was　black；　and　it　didn't　hurt　so　much。
  Reality　was　red；　and　it　felt　like　I　was　being　sawed　in　half；　hit　by　a　bus；　punched　by　a　prize　fighter；
  trampled　by　bulls；　and　submerged　in　acid；　all　at　the　same　time。
  Reality　was　feeling　my　body　twist　and　flip　when　I　couldn't　possibly　move　because　of　the　pain。
  Reality　was　knowing　there　was　something　so　much　more　important　than　all　this　torture；　and　not　being
  able　to　remember　what　it　was。
  Reality　had　come　on　so　fast。
  One　moment；　everything　was　as　it　should　have　been。　Surrounded　by　people　I　loved。　Smiles。　Somehow；
  unlikely　as　it　was；　it　seemed　like　I　was　about　to　get　everything　I'd　been　fighting　for。
  And　then　one　tiny；　inconsequential　thing　had　gone　wrong。
  I'd　watched　as　my　cup　tilted；　dark　blood　spilling　out　and　staining　the　perfect　white；　and　I'd　lurched
  toward　the　accident　reflexively。　I'd　seen　the　other；　faster　hands；　but　my　body　had　continued　to　reach；　to
  stretch___
  Inside　me；　something　had　yanked　the　opposite　direction。
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  Ripping。　Breaking。　Agony。
  The　darkness　had　taken　over；　and　then　washed　away　to　a　wave　of　torture。　I　couldn't　breathe—I　had
  drowned　once　before；　and　this　was　different；　it　was　too　hot　in　my　throat。
  Pieces　of　me　shattering；　snapping；　slicing　apart___
  More　blackness。
  Voices；　this　time；　shouting；　as　the　pain　came　back。
  'The　placenta　must　have　detached！〃
  Something　sharper　than　knives　ripped　through　me—the　words；　making　sense　in　spite　of　the　other
  tortures。　Detached　placenta　—I　knew　what　that　meant。　It　meant　that　my　baby　was　dying　inside　me。
  〃Get　him　out！〃　I　screamed　to　Edward。　Why　hadn't　he　done　it　yet？　〃He　can't　breathe！　Do　it　now！〃
  〃The　morphine—〃
  He　wanted　to　wait；　to　give　me　painkillers；　while　our　baby　was　dying？！
  〃No！　Now—；〃　I　choked；　unable　to　finish。
  Black　spots　covered　the　light　in　the　room　as　a　cold　point　of　new　pain　stabbed　icily　into　my　stomach。　It
  felt　wrong—I　struggled　automatically　to　protect　my　womb；　my　baby；　my　little　Edward　Jacob；　but　I　was
  weak。　My　lungs　ached；　oxygen　burned　away。
  The　pain　faded　away　again；　though　I　clung　to　it　now。　My　baby；　my　baby；　dying___
  How　long　had　passed？　Seconds　or　minutes？　The　pain　was　gone。　Numb。　I　couldn't　feel。　I　still　couldn't
  see；　either；　but　I　could　hear。　There　was　air　in　my　lungs　again；　scraping　in　rough　bubbles　up　and　down　my
  throat。
  〃You　stay　with　me　now；　Bella！　Do　you　hear　me？　Stay！　You're　not　leaving　me。　Keep　your　heart　beating！〃
  Jacob？　Jacob；　still　here；　still　trying　to　save　me。
  Of　course；I　wanted　to　tell　him。　Of　course　I　would　keep　my　heart　beating。　Hadn't　I　promised　them　both？
  I　tried　to　feel　my　heart；　to　find　it；　but　I　was　so　lost　inside　my　own　body。　I　couldn't　feel　the　things　I　should；
  and　nothing　felt　in　the　right　place。　I　blinked　and　I　found　my　eyes。　I　could　see　the　light。　Not　what　I　was
  looking　for；　but　better　than　nothing。
  As　my　eyes　struggled　to　adjust；　Edward　whispered；　〃Renesmee。〃
  Renesmee？
  Not　the　pale　and　perfect　son　of　my　imagination？　I　felt　a　moment　of　shock。　And　then　a　flood　of　warmth。
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  Renesmee。
  I　willed　my　lips　to　move；　willed　the　bubbles　of　air　to　turn　into　whispers　on　my　tongue。　I　forced　my　numb
  hands　to　reach。
  〃Let　me。。。　Give　her　to　me。〃
  The　light　danced；　shattering　off　Edward's　crystal　hands。　The　sparkles　were　tinged　with　red；　with　the
  blood　that　covered　his　skin。　And　more　red　in　his　hands。　Something　small　and　struggling；　dripping　with
  blood。　He　touched　the　warm　body　to　my　weak　arms；　almost　like　I　was　holding　her。　Her　wet　skin　was　hot
  —as　hot　as　Jacob's。
  My　eyes　focused；　suddenly　everything　was　absolutely　clear。
  Renesmee　did　not　cry；　but　she　breathed　in　quick；　startled　pants。　Her　eyes　were　open；　her　expression　so
  shocked　it　was　almost　funny。　The　little；　perfectly　round　head　was　covered　in　a　thick　layer　of　matted；
  bloody　curls。　Her
  irises　were　a　familiar—but　astonishing—chocolate　brown。　Under　the　blood；　her　skin　looked　pale；　a
  creamy　ivory。　All　besides　her　cheeks；　which　flamed　with　color。
  Her　tiny　face　was　so　absolutely　perfect　that　it　stunned　me。　She　was　even　more　beautiful　than　her　father。
  Unbelievable。　Impossible。
  〃Renesmee；〃　I　whispered。　〃So。。。　beautiful。〃
  The　impossible　face　suddenly　smiled—a　wide；　deliberate　smile。　Behind　the　shell…pink　lips　was　a　full
  complement　of　snowy　milk　teeth。
  She　leaned　her　head　down；　against　my　chest；　burrowing　against　the　warmth。　Her　skin　was　warm　and
  silky；　but　it　didn't　give　the　way　mine　did。
  Then　there　was　pain　again—just　one　warm　slash　of　it。　I　gasped。
  And　she　was　gone。　My　angel…faced　baby　was　nowhere。　I　couldn't　see　or　feel　her。
  No！I　wanted　to　shout。　Give　her　back　to　me！
  But　the　weakness　was　too　much。　My　arms　felt　like　empty　rubber　hoses　for　a　moment；　and　then　they　felt
  like　nothing　at　all。　I　couldn't　feel　them。　I　couldn't　feel　me。
  The　blackness　rushed　over　my　eyes　more　solidly　than　before。　Like　a　thick　blindfold；　firm　and　fast。
  Covering　not　just　my　eyes　but　also　my　self　with　a　crushing　weight。　It　was　exhausting　to　push　against　it。　I
  knew　it　would　be　so　much　easier　to　give　in。　To　let　the　blackness　push　me　down；　down；　down　to　a　place
  where　there　was　no　pain　and　no　weariness　and　no　worry　and　no　fear。
  If　it　had　only　been　for　myself；　I　wouldn't　have　been　able　to　struggle　very　long。　I　was　only　human；　with　no
  more　than　human　strength。　I'd　been　trying　to　keep　up　with　the　supernatural　for　too　long；　like　Jacob　had
  said。
  But　this　wasn't　just　about　me。
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  If　I　did　the　easy　thing　now；　let　the　black　nothingness　erase　me；　I　would　hurt　them。
  Edward。　Edward。　My　life　and　his　were　twisted　into　a　single　strand。　Cut　one；　and　you　cut　both。　If　he
  were　gone；　I　would　not　be　able　to　live　through　t