who　looked　intently　after　us；　as　if　he　wished　he　could　follow。
  Once　we　were　across　the　river；　we　walked　barely　faster　than　human　speed；　in　no　hurry；　holding　hands。　I
  was　sick　of　being　under　a　deadline；　and　I　just　wanted　to　take　my　time。　Edward　must　have　felt　the　same。
  〃I　have　to　say；　I'm　thoroughly　impressed　with　Jacob　right　now；〃　Edward　told　me。
  〃Thewolves　make　quite　an　impact；　don't　they？〃
  〃That's　not　what　I　mean。　Not　once　today　did　he　think　about　the　fact　that；　according　to　Nahuel；Nessie
  will　befully　matured　in　just　six　and　a　half　years。〃
  I　considered　that　for　a　minute。　〃He　doesn't　see　her　that　way。　He's　not　in　a　hurry　for　her　to　grow　up。He
  just　wants　her　to　be　happy。〃
  〃I　know。　Like　I　said；　impressive。　It　goes　against　the　grain　to　say　so；　but　she　could　do　worse。〃
  I　frowned。　〃I'm　not　going　to　think　about　that　for　approximately　six　and　a　half　more　years。〃
  Edward　laughed　and　then　sighed。　〃Of　course；　itlooks　like　he'll　have　some　competition　to　worry　about
  when　the　time　comes。〃
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  My　frown　deepened。　〃I　noticed。　I'm　grateful　to　Nahuel　for　today；　but　all　the　staring　was　a　little　weird。　I
  don't　care　if　she　is　the　only　half…vampire　he's　not　related　to。〃
  〃Oh；　he　wasn't　staring　at　her—he　was　staring　at　you。〃
  That's　what　it　had　seemed　like。。。　but　that　didn't　make　any　sense。　〃Why　would　he　do　that？〃
  〃Because　you're　alive；〃　he　said　quietly。
  〃You　lost　me。〃
  〃All　his　life；〃　he　explained；〃—and　he's　fifty　years　older　than　I　am—〃
  〃Decrepit；〃　I　interjected。
  Heignored　me。　〃He's　always　thought　of　himself　as　an　evil　creation；　a　murderer　by　nature。　His　sistersall
  killed　their　mothers　as　well；　but　they　thought　nothing　of　it。　Joham　raised　them　to　think　of　the　humans　as
  animals；　while　they
  were　gods。　But　Nahuel　was　taught　by　Huilen；　and　Huilen　loved　her　sister　more　than　anyone　else。　It
  shaped　his　whole　perspective。　And；　in　some　ways；　he　truly　hated　himself。〃
  〃That'sso　sad；〃I　murmured。
  〃And　then　he　saw　the　three　of　us—and　realized　for　the　first　time　that　just　because　he　ishalf　immortal；　it
  doesn't　mean　he　is　inherently　evil。　He　looks　at　me　and　sees。。。　what　his　father　should　have　been。〃
  〃You　are　fairly　ideal　in　every　way；〃　I　agreed。
  He　snorted　and　then　was　serious　again。　〃He　looks　at　you　and　sees　the　life　his　mother　should　have　had。〃
  〃Poor　Nahuel；〃　Imurmured；　and　then　sighed　because　I　knew　I　would　never　be　able　to　think　badly　of　him
  after　this；　no　matter　how　uncomfortable　his　stare　made　me。
  〃Don't　be　sad　for　him。　He's　happy　now。　Today；　he's　finally　begun　to　forgive　himself。〃
  I　smiled　for　Nahuel's　happiness　and　then　thought　that　today　belonged　to　happiness。　Though　Irina's
  sacrifice　wasa　dark　shadow　against　the　white　light；　keeping　the　moment　from　perfection；　the　joy　was
  impossible　to　deny。　The　life　I'd　fought　for　was　safe　again。　My　family　was　reunited。　My　daughter　had　a
  beautiful　future　stretching　out　endlessly　in　front　of　her。　Tomorrow　I　would　go　see　my　father；　he　would　see
  that　the　fear　in　my　eyes　had　been　replaced　with　joy；　and　he　would　be　happy；　too。　Suddenly；　I　was　sure
  that　I　wouldn't　find　him　there　alone。　I　hadn't　been　as　observant　as　I　might　have　been　in　the　last　few
  weeks；　but　in　this　moment　it　was　like　I'd　known　all　along。　Sue　would　be　with　Charlie—thewerewolves'
  mom　with　the　vampire's　dad—and　he　wouldn't　be　alone　anymore。　I　smiled　widely　at　this　new　insight。
  But　most　significant　in　this　tidal　wave　of　happiness　was　the　surest　fact　ofall：　I　was　with　Edward。
  Forever。
  Not　that　I'd　want　to　repeat　the　last　several　weeks；　but　I　had　to　admit　they'd　made　me　appreciate　what　I
  had　more　than　ever。
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  The　cottage　was　a　place　of　perfect　peace　in　the　silver…blue　night。　We　carried　Nessie　to　her　bed　and
  gently　tucked　her　in。　She　smiled　as　she　slept。
  I　took　Aro's　gift　from　around　my　neck　and　tossed　it　lightly　into　the　corner　of　her　room。　She　could　play
  with　it　if　she　wished；　she　liked　sparkly　things。
  Edward　and　I　walked　slowly　to　our　room；　swinging　our　arms　between　us。
  〃A　night　for　celebrations；〃　he　murmured；　and　he　put　his　hand　under　my　chin　to　lift　my　lips　to　his。
  〃Wait；〃　I　hesitated；　pulling　away。
  He　looked　at　me　in　confusion。　As　a　general　rule；　I　didn't　pull　away。　Okay；　it　was　more　than　a　general
  rule。　This　was　a　first。
  〃I　want　to　try　something；〃　I　informed　him；　smiling　slightly　at　his　bewildered　expression。
  I　put　my　hands　on　both　sides　of　his　face　and　closed　my　eyes　in　concentration。
  I　hadn't　done　very　well　with　this　when　Zafrina　had　tried　to　teach　me　before；　but　I　knew　my　shield　better
  now。　I　understood　the　part　that　fought　against　separation　from　me；　the　automatic　instinct　to　preserve　self
  aboveall　else。
  Itstill　wasn't　anywhere　near　as　easy　as　shielding　other　people　along　with　myself。　I　felt　the　elastic　recoil
  again　as
  my　shield　fought　to　protect　me。　I　had　to　strain　to　push　it　entirely　away　from　me；　it　took　all　of　my　focus。
  〃Bella！〃　Edward　whispered　in　shock。
  I　knew　it　was　working　then；　so　I　concentrated　even　harder；　dredging　up　the　specific　memories　I'd　saved
  for　this　moment；　letting　them　flood　my　mind；　and　hopefully　his　as　well。
  Some　of　the　memories　were　not　clear—dim　human　memories；　seen　through　weak　eyes　and　heard
  through　weak　ears：　the　first　time　I'd　seen　his　face。。。　the　way　it　felt　when　he'd　held　me　in　the　meadow。。。　the
  sound　of　his　voice　through　the　darkness　of　my　faltering　consciousness　when　he'd　saved　me　from　James。。。
  his　face　as　he　waited　under　a　canopy　of　flowers　to　marry　me。。。　every　precious　moment　from　the　island。。。
  his　cold　hands　touching　our　baby　through　my　skin。。。
  And　the　sharp　memories；　perfectly　recalled：　his　face　when　I'd　opened　my　eyes　to　my　new　life；　to　the
  endless　dawn　of　immortality。。。　that　first　kiss。。。　that　first　night。。。
  His　lips；　suddenly　fierce　against　mine；　broke　my　concentration。
  With　a　gasp；　I　lost　my　grip　on　the　struggling　weight　I　was　holding　away　from　myself。　It　snapped　back
  like　stressed　elastic；　protecting　my　thoughts　once　again。
  〃Oops；　lost　it！〃　I　sighed。
  〃I　heard　you；〃　he　breathed。　〃How？　How　did　you　do　that？〃
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  〃Zafrina's　idea。　We　practiced　with　it　a　few　times。〃
  He　was　dazed。　He　blinked　twice　and　shook　his　head。
  〃Now　you　know；〃　I　said　lightly；　and　shrugged。　〃No　one's　ever　loved　anyone　as　much　as　I　love　you。〃
  〃You're　almost　right。〃　He　smiled；　his　eyes　still　a　little　wider　than　usual。　〃I　know　of　just　one　exception。〃
  〃Liar。〃
  He　started　to　kiss　me　again；　but　then　stopped　abruptly。
  〃Can　you　do　it　again？〃　he　wondered。
  I　grimaced。　〃It's　very　difficult。〃
  He　waited；　his　expression　eager。
  〃I　can't　keep　it　up　if　I'm　even　the　slightest　bit　distracted；〃　I　warned　him。
  〃I'll　be　good；〃　he　promised。
  I　pursed　my　lips；　my　eyes　narrowing。　Then　I　smiled。
  I　pressed　my　hands　to　his　face　again；　hefted　the　shield　right　out　of　my　mind；　and　then　started　in　where　I'd
  left　off—with　the　crystal…clear　memory　of　the　first　night　of　my　new　life。。。　lingering　on　the　details。
  I　laughed　breathlessly　when　his　urgent　kiss　interrupted　my　efforts　again。
  〃Damn　it；〃　he　growled；　kissing　hungrily　down　the　edge　of　my　jaw。
  〃We　have　plenty　of　time　to　work　on　it；〃　I　reminded　him。
  〃Forever　and　forever　and　forever；〃　he　murmured。
  〃That　sounds　exactly　right　to　me。〃
  And　then　we　continued　blissfully　into　this　small　but　perfect　piece　of　our　forever。
  the　end
  VAMPIRE　INDEX
  Alphabeticallyby　coven
  *　vampire　possesses　a　quantifiable　supernatural　talent
  —　bonded　pair　（oldest　listed　first）
  struckdeceased　before　beginning　of　this　novel
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  The　Amazon　Coven
  Kachiri　SennaZafrina*
  The　Denali　Coven
  Eleazar*—　Carmen
  Kate*
  Tanya　VasHW
  The　Egyptian　Coven
  Amun—　Kebi
  Benjamin*—　Tia
  The　Irish　Coven
  Maggie*　Siobhan*—　Liam
  The　Olympic　Coven
  Carlisle—　Esme　Edward*　—　Bella*　Jasper*　—　Alice*　Renesmee*　Rosalie　—　Emmett
  The　Romanian　Coven
  Stefan
  Vladimir
  The　Volturi　Coven
  Aro*—　Sulpicia　Caius　—　Athenodora　Marcus*　—Didym　e*
  The　Volturi　Guard　（partial）
  Alec*
  Chelsea*—　Afton*
  Corin*
  Demetri*
  Felix
  Heidi*
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  Jane*
  Renata*
  Santiago
  The　American　Nomads　（Pa