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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　twoyearolds　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　mindreading　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。　Longestablished　covens；　old　traditions；　friends。。。　Much　was　lost。　In　the　end；　the　practice　



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was　pletely　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　oute。　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；　pelled　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　ing　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。　
Fir