Chapter 50: A Typical Newborn
As they set off, Renée could hardly believe how much her life had changed in such a short amount of time. What had started as the trip of a lifetime had led to meeting the man of her dreams, and soon, she would be transforming into a vampire—of all things. She glanced over at Jean Paul, sitting beside her, and clasped his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. How strange it would be in just a few days when this same squeeze might actually cause him discomfort. The thought made her chuckle softly.
She turned to the back seat and smiled at Bella, wondering what kind of vampire she would become. Would she still have the same interests? Everything was about to change so drastically, but Renée felt a sense of peace knowing she would be fine. With Jean Paul by her side, she had all she needed. And Bella—though she might be physically distant—would always be just a phone call away.
For her transformation, Renée had asked Jean Paul to bite her first on one side of her neck and then for Bella to bite the other. Both had readily agreed, and she suspected they would have agreed to anything if it made the process easier for her. Still, for what felt like the millionth time, she wondered just how bad her newborn year would be. From the way they talked about it, she had a feeling it was going to be far more challenging than she was imagining.
Bella winced as her mom's shrieks of agony grew louder as the end drew near. The beginning of her transformation had gone off without a hitch, but now her mom had been screaming and thrashing intermittently for almost three days straight. It was hard to watch, but she knew she had to stay, to be there for her mom in whatever way she could.
Unsure if her mom could hear them through the pain, Bella and Jean Paul had sat beside her, talking and reminding her of her life. Jean Paul had explained that it was best to remind the person going through the change of their life in the hope they wouldn't forget as much when they woke as a vampire. The thought that her mom might not remember their life together scared Bella more than she wanted to admit. She was grateful that it hadn't happened to her and hoped that, in at least this respect, her mom would be just like her.
The first changes in her mom's appearance were noticed by Jean Paul on the second day of the transformation. As he had rubbed her hand in encouragement, he observed that it was beginning to take on that flawless shine synonymous with all vampires. Bella, studying her mom closely, saw the same thing. Soon, the changes started coming more rapidly, and before her very eyes, her mom was becoming even more beautiful, which brought a smile to Bella's face. While the transformation was excruciating to experience, it was undeniably spectacular to witness—if one could ignore the incessant screaming. Bella soon noticed that her mom appeared to have gained an inch as well. She had been quite pleased that her own transformation had increased her height to match her mom's. Now it seemed she would have to go back to being shorter. Damn.
While her mom was undergoing the transformation, Bella took the opportunity to really talk with Jean Paul, getting to know him better. She was genuinely pleased that her mom had found someone so solid in the end. Their conversations often circled back to Bella's abilities, as Jean Paul was naturally curious after witnessing a bit of what she could do. When her mom had become nervous as the moment of truth approached, Bella had taken her up for a relaxing flight over the vineyard to help calm her nerves. The view from above was breathtaking, and it did wonders to ease her mom's anxiety. Jean Paul had watched from below, admiring the sight, and while Bella had offered to take him up as well, he had only smiled and said, "Some other time."
They had initiated the change in a small barn far removed from the main house. Bella had set up a bed for her mom's comfort, though she knew it would do little good once the burning began. Still, her mom had appreciated the gesture in those brief moments before the biting and the screaming started. This had been her first time attempting to push venom into a human's neck, but Jean Paul had carefully walked her through the process. With three transformations under his belt, he knew exactly what to expect during the change and from a newborn; knowledge Bella was very grateful he possessed.
Earlier, as Bella had flown her mom over the vineyard, she had marveled at the sheer size of the estate. The main house was practically a mansion, and when combined with Jean Paul's impressive townhouse in Paris, it was becoming clear to her that he was quite wealthy. Peter's words from years ago echoed in her mind—any vampire over a thousand years old who knew what they were doing was likely rich, and it seemed Jean Paul fit that description perfectly.
Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sound of her mom's heartbeat kicking into overdrive.
"This is it, Bella," Jean Paul said, standing up with a tense, focused expression.
Bella moved to his side, and together they took a few steps back from her mom as she erected a shield around them both, ensuring they were protected—just in case. She watched, her heart both heavy and excited, as her mom let out one final blood-curdling scream, the sound echoing through the barn just as her heart stopped beating.
Bella would have been scared out of her mind for her mom if she hadn't known what was happening. She wished there was something she could have done to ease her mom's pain, the memory of her own transformation still vivid in her mind, but that was the price for immortality.
Renée lay motionless on the bed, her body unnaturally still, almost as if she were afraid to move. For nearly thirty seconds, she didn't so much as twitch, the echoes of the excruciating pain still lingering in her mind. Was it really over? She hesitated, bracing herself for the agony to return, but all she felt was an overwhelming stillness—an unfamiliar quiet within her that was almost unnerving after what she had just endured.
The pain had been beyond anything she could have imagined—a relentless, searing fire that had torn through her every cell, making her wish for death more than once during those endless days. But now, there was only silence. No more burning, no more thrashing, just a profound calm that was both soothing and strange.
Cautiously, Renée allowed herself to open her eyes, her lids fluttering as she adjusted to the unfamiliar clarity. The world revealed itself to her in a way she had never experienced before—every detail, every shadow, every glimmer of light was sharp, vivid, and impossibly clear. The soft glow from the overhead bulb seemed to shimmer with more intensity, casting intricate patterns of light and shadow that she had never noticed before. The texture of the wooden beams above her head, the grain of the old wood, appeared in stark relief, each line and knot almost pulsing with life.
Renée inhaled sharply, and even the air was different—cool and crisp, tingling in her throat and lungs in a way that felt both strange and exhilarating. She could sense every particle of dust floating in the air, every scent from the faintest trace of wood to the distant tang of earth from outside. The entire room seemed to breathe with her, every sound magnified to a degree that was almost overwhelming—the distant rustle of leaves, the incessant hum of the lightbulb, the subtle creak of the floorboards...
Bella watched as her mom's eyes snapped open, relief flooding through her that she hadn't exploded. Before she could even blink, her mom was suddenly standing right in front of them, her movements so fast they were almost a blur. Her mom's eyes darted around the room, wary at first, as she tried to process everything with her heightened senses. But then, her gaze locked onto them—familiar faces in an unfamiliar world.
In an instant, her mom zipped over to Jean Paul, pulling him into a tight hug before moving just as swiftly to embrace her. The force of the hug took Bella by surprise, the strength behind it was quite painful. Holy shit, newborns were strong. But the discomfort was overshadowed by the overwhelming joy that washed over her. Her mom had made it through the transformation and, from all appearances, seemed to be okay.
"How are you feeling, Renée?" Jean Paul asked, his voice laced with concern as he searched her eyes for any sign of distress.
Renée's eyes darted around the room, unable to settle on any one thing for more than a moment. Everything was so vivid, so impossibly clear, that her mind struggled to process it all. Colors seemed to leap out at her, textures stood out in sharp relief, and even the smallest details, like the faint lines in the wood grain of the floor, seemed to demand her attention. This flood of new sensations was overwhelming, each one more intense than anything she had ever experienced as a human.
Jean Paul's concerned voice cut through the chaos, pulling her focus back to him. She tried to concentrate on his words, but as she did, and thought about how to answer, it hit her—a sudden, fierce dryness in her throat, as if all the moisture had been sucked from her body in an instant. The sensation was sharp, abrasive, like sandpaper scraping against the inside of her throat. It was a need, an ache, that she had never felt before, so intense that it eclipsed everything else.
Her hands flew to her throat instinctively, her fingers pressing against the skin as if that could somehow ease the pain. The sensation grew worse with each passing second, the discomfort intensifying into a burning, searing thirst that consumed her entire being. It was all she could think about, all she could feel—an insatiable, desperate need that clawed at her from the inside out.
"My throat..." she managed to choke out, her voice raw and strained, "It hurts."
The words were barely more than a whisper, a plea for relief from a torment she hadn't been prepared for. Her eyes flicked to Jean Paul and Bella, searching their faces for some sign that they understood, that they could help her.
Jean Paul gave Bella a nod, signaling her to take the lead. "Mom," Bella called out, her voice strong and steady, drawing her mom's attention. She watched as her mom's wild, searching gaze finally locked onto hers, a flicker of recognition breaking through the haze of her thirst.
"Listen, I'm going to bring you someone to feed on," Bella continued, keeping her tone calm and reassuring. "Please don't be discouraged if it's difficult at first. It can get... rather messy when you're just starting out. Okay?"
Renée nodded and moved to hug Jean Paul, holding him tightly as her daughter sped away. For the first time, she could clearly see Bella moving at vampire speed—no longer was she just a blur. But the hunger gnawed at her, a relentless burn that she would do anything to quench, and she instinctively hugged Jean Paul even tighter.
Bella raced out of the barn to fetch her mom's first meal. Before her mom's transformation had even begun, she had gone out and captured five criminals, securing them in the basement of the main house. The whole situation weighed heavily on her; she hated the cruelty of locking up humans, even if they were criminals. But given their circumstances, it had been a necessary step, at least for these initial first few days.
With a burst of speed, Bella was in the basement in an instant, grabbing one of the criminals and whisking him away before any of them could comprehend what was happening.
As Bella raced back to the barn with the man in tow, a deafening crash caught her attention as the barn wall exploded outward, wood splintering in all directions as Renée barreled through with a ferocity that even took Bella by surprise.
There was no hesitation, no recognition in her mom's eyes—just an all-consuming thirst. Not wanting to get caught between her mom and her prey, Bella flung the man toward her. She didn't even have a chance to say anything before the carnage began. In an instant, her mom was on him, her movements a blur of fury and hunger. With one swift motion, she tore the man's head clean off, the sound of ripping flesh and snapping bone echoing off the barn walls.
Lost in her frenzy, Renée hungrily pressed her mouth to the gaping wound, trying to drink from the jagged neck hole. Blood spurted out in all directions, a grotesque fountain of crimson spraying from the arteries and splattering everywhere but where it was supposed to be going. It drenched her from head to toe, sending her into a tailspin of anger. Bella, standing just a few feet away, wasn't spared from the onslaught as blood splattered her face and clothing. The scent filled her nostrils, but she couldn't enjoy the pleasant aroma, seeing what her mom had become.
Her mom, completely lost in the frenzy, continued to tear through flesh, muscle, and bone. She was like a wild animal, driven by an uncontrollable need, ripping apart the man's body in a desperate attempt to reach what she craved, yet not fully understanding how to get it. The sight was horrifying—blood-soaked fingers clawed at the torn flesh, splintered bones protruding from mutilated limbs as she continued to tear into the corpse with unrelenting savagery.
Bella watched in stunned silence as the brutal reality of a newborn vampire's hunger unfolded before her eyes. It was a gruesome spectacle, the sheer violence of it almost too much to bear, yet she couldn't look away. Her mom, who had always been so gentle and loving, was now a creature of pure instinct, lost in a bloodthirsty frenzy that had consumed every part of her.
The once-living man was now nothing more than a shattered husk in Renée's hands, his body utterly destroyed in the wake of her attempt to feed. Bella's mind raced, struggling to reconcile the horrific scene before her with the mother she had known. She thought she was prepared for this, but seeing it happen was another matter entirely.
"Eww" was the only word that reverberated through Bella's mind as the gruesome display slowly came to an end. She never liked thinking about her own first few days as a vampire and what she had done, but after seeing this, she truly understood for the first time just how lucky she had been.
Roughly five minutes later, the corpse was unrecognizable, reduced to a mangled heap of flesh and bone. As Renée's sanity began to return and the fog of her bloodlust lifted, she became aware of the grotesque remnants she was clutching against her body, her tongue licking... The realization hit her like a freight train, and she recoiled in horror, pushing the mangled remains away with a bloodcurdling scream that pierced the air.
Jean Paul, who had been silently standing behind her during the ordeal, was instantly at her side, his arms wrapping around her trembling form as he whispered reassurances, his voice a steady anchor in the storm of her emotions. But Bella could see the shock settling into her mom's expression, her body starting to shake uncontrollably as she stared at what she had done. The once vibrant woman she knew seemed momentarily lost, speechless in the face of the brutal reality of her new existence.
Bella felt the need to break through the shock gripping her mom and knelt down between the mangled body, her mom, and Jean Paul. "Mom! Focus on me," she urged, her voice firm. She watched as her mom's frantic eyes lifted to meet hers, the wildness in them slowly receding. "We understand, Mom. It's overwhelming, I know, but I promise it will get better. You just need to learn to control your strength, and soon you won't lose yourself like that. The first time is always the hardest."
Bella didn't want her mom dwelling on any regrets, so an idea quickly sparked in her mind. "You know, Mom, now that you're like Jean Paul, you must realize that you two can finally, truly, get it on like real vampires. Wouldn't that be fun?" She saw the spark of a smile flicker across her mom's face, but instead of heading back to the barn where there was a nice, comfortable bed, her mom spun around and began tearing off Jean Paul's clothes right there on the dirty ground, surrounded by all the blood and gore.
Bella recognized her cue to leave and quickly averted her eyes, turning away before she witnessed anything she could never unsee. She sprinted back to the main house at vampire speed, leaving her mom and Jean Paul to their... activities. Knowing they'd likely be preoccupied for quite some time, she decided a shower was in order. As much as she enjoyed the taste of blood, being covered in the stuff made her feel more like some ditzy bimbo in a low-budget horror flick.
While waiting for her mom and Jean Paul to finish, Bella decided to explore the main house. Although it hadn't been actively used for a century, Jean Paul had fortunately maintained the property's general upkeep, so it wasn't falling apart, and the water still ran. However, the place was covered in a thick layer of dust and grime, giving it an air of long-forgotten grandeur. Not one to sit idle, Bella set to work cleaning, finding a certain satisfaction in restoring the old mansion to some of its former glory.
As nightfall approached and it became clear that her mom and Jean Paul were still... otherwise engaged, Bella settled into the library to read. The room was quite spectacular, with shelves lined with old books. Seeing such a collection was a real treat, and she eagerly immersed herself, finding several first editions of books that had gone on to become timeless classics.
As morning light filtered through the windows, Bella's phone buzzed, pulling her from the pages of the book she had been engrossed in. She quickly pulled her phone out, her eyes scanning the message that had just come in.
Jean Paul: Renée is ready for her next meal. Please bring clothes first for both of us. Your mom is a little calmer now. Let's hope for the best. Thank you.
Bella quickly texted back a confirmation and hurried to gather some clothes. Not wanting to see anything she'd rather not, she grabbed three outfits for her mom and one for Jean Paul, then placed them in a box. Using her abilities, she floated the box out to them, keeping a safe distance from whatever might be happening out there.
Ten minutes later, her phone buzzed again with a "good to go" message. With a mix of relief and trepidation about how this feeding might go, Bella retrieved the next criminal from the basement and brought him out for her mom's next meal. Thankfully, this time it went a little better—her mom managed to drink more blood than she spilled, and, even better, she didn't decapitate this one.
After a month, Renée's new life had finally begun to settle into a manageable rhythm. The chaos of those first few weeks had given way to a semblance of normalcy as she adjusted to her new reality. Feeding had become much easier; though she still needed to eat daily, she was getting better at it, and it was no longer a horror show each time she fed.
Jean Paul and Bella had started introducing her to the finer points of vampire life, and beyond the feeding, she found herself loving every aspect of it. Truthfully, she loved the blood too... if only it didn't have to come out of a person. But the speed—that was something else entirely. She reveled in the freedom of running through the forests, the wind rushing through her hair, and somehow, she never felt tired. The aches that had begun to bother her human body in recent years had vanished, leaving her feeling more alive than ever. Truth be told, she felt better now than she ever had before.
Bella and her mom walked through the forest, their voices mingling with the soft rustle of leaves underfoot. It was early morning, and when her mom had suggested going for a run, Bella had eagerly agreed, wanting to spend time together and enjoy the moment, free from the burden of her mom's still-constant feeding. After running for miles, they had taken a break to enjoy the forest as it slowly came to life around them.
Bella still found it hard to wrap her mind around the fact that her mom was now faster than her. The idea seemed almost surreal, but Jean Paul had explained that during her newborn year, her mom would be both stronger and faster than either of them.
As they walked, laughter bubbled up between them as Bella shared some of her own amusing stories from her newborn days. Her mom was mid-laugh when suddenly, her head snapped to the right. Before Bella could even register what was happening, her mom was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving only the rustling of disturbed leaves in her wake.
For the briefest moment, Bella was caught off guard, but she shook it off instantly and launched herself after her mom, pushing herself to her absolute limit. She hadn't even caught the scent herself, but she knew it had to be human—the way her mom's newborn instincts had locked on like a predator to prey left no doubt. A fierce determination gripped her, and Bella willed herself to go even faster, the trees around her blurring into a rush of greens and browns as she fought to close the distance.
Bella could see her mom up ahead, a blur of motion driven by an unstoppable thirst, moving with such incredible speed that doubt clawed at her mind—could she catch her in time? Desperation fueled her voice as she shouted her mom's name, hoping against hope to cut through the overwhelming haze of her mom's bloodlust. But there was no response—no flicker of recognition, no sign that her mom even heard her.
Bella's mind raced, desperate for a way to stop her mom. Then, a plan formed in an instant. Without hesitation, she summoned a shield, slicing cleanly through a massive tree far ahead of them. The tree crashed to the ground, guided by her shield to fall directly in her mom's path—an obstacle Bella hoped would slow her down. But her mom was unshakable. She tore through the fallen tree as if it were nothing, the wood exploding into splinters as she barreled straight through, undeterred and unstoppable.
The sharp, unmistakable scent of human blood suddenly hit Bella's nose, carried on the wind from the west. It had to be a hiker, someone who had unknowingly wandered into the path of a predator. The memory of her own first days as a newborn flashed through her mind, the guilt that still haunted her from those early, uncontrollable moments. She couldn't let her mom carry that same burden, couldn't allow her to be consumed by the regret of taking an innocent life.
Without losing a beat, Bella threw out another shield forward, this time directly in her mom's path. The impact was immediate and thunderous, the force of her mom crashing into the invisible barrier reverberating through the forest like a violent crack of thunder. The collision sent her mom hurtling backward, slamming into the ground with a force that shook the earth. Bella knew that this was her only chance.
In a split second, Bella erected shields all around her mom, trapping her inside a protective bubble. By the time she reached her, what she saw sent a shiver down her spine. Her mom was wild, feral—like a caged beast—snarling and growling as she hurled herself against the shield walls with relentless abandon. Each impact reverberated through the forest, even though the shield walls didn't budge an inch. Her body was a blur of motion, driven by an all-consuming need to break free and reach her prey. There was no trace of humanity in her mom's actions—only the monster, driven by a primal hunger, desperate to be sated. The savage intensity of her struggle was terrifying, a stark reminder of the raw, uncontrollable power that came with being a newborn vampire.
"Mom! Calm down… It's Bella. You're okay."
But all she got in response was a feral growl.
She knew this was going to take time—there was no breaking through a newborn's bloodlust in these early days. Bella remembered all too well how, when she had caught the scent of blood as a newborn, nothing could pull her out of that frenzy until the source was gone. So she did the only thing she could: she waited. She spoke to her mom calmly, her voice a steady, soothing presence, hoping to anchor her in some way, even if the words couldn't fully penetrate her mom's consciousness.
Minutes dragged on, and slowly, agonizingly slowly, her mom's frantic movements began to subside. The wildness in her mom's eyes started to fade, replaced by a flicker of recognition. Bella's calm, reassuring words were finally getting through, drawing her mom back from the abyss. And after what felt like forever, the scent of blood was gone as well, leaving nothing for her mom to focus on but Bella.
It took nearly twenty minutes, but finally, her mom's gaze locked onto Bella's with a clarity that hadn't been there before. The ferocity ebbed away, leaving behind the woman she knew, shaken but beginning to regain control.
"Bella?" her mom's voice was hesitant, tinged with embarrassment as she tried to piece together what had just transpired.
Bella offered her a reassuring smile. "It's okay, Mom. Nothing happened. You didn't hurt anyone."
Though her mom nodded, there was a lingering look of remorse in her eyes. Bella understood all too well how overwhelming it could be. "Let's go home. You're yourself again, and you won't go after that scent now. It just caught you off guard when you weren't expecting it. Let's get back to Jean Paul."
Her mom nodded once more, and with that, Bella removed the shields surrounding her.
They walked through the forest in silence for a long time, each lost in their thoughts, both grappling with what might have happened. Finally, Renée spoke, her voice quiet and reflective. "How did you do it, honey? This is so much harder than I ever imagined. And to think you went through all of this alone… I'm so sorry I wasn't there to help you."
Bella wrapped an arm around her mom's shoulders, pulling her close in a comforting squeeze. "Mom, you don't need to apologize. I knew you would've been there for me if you could have. I think I just got lucky. I didn't struggle as much as you have, but from what I've heard from others, I'm the freak here. You're reacting exactly like a typical newborn, so please don't think less of yourself for having a hard time. We'll get through this together."
Six months into Renée's newborn year, Bella and Jean Paul decided it was time for her to start hunting for herself. Her control had improved significantly—enough for her to be among humans, though always under close supervision. Bella guided her carefully, teaching her how to choose the right prey and what signs to watch for before moving in for the kill. Renée approached it with cautious confidence, following Bella's instructions to the letter. So far, she had done well, avoiding any incidents.
During this time, Bella also began instructing her mom in combat training, wanting to ensure she could defend herself if the need ever arose. Unlike herself, her mom found it challenging to grasp the techniques, particularly understanding when and when not to make a move and why. But with patience and persistence, her mom gradually began to master the basics, her movements becoming more confident as the weeks turned into months. Jean Paul joined them in their training, and Bella was pleased to discover that he was a competent fighter. Watching them spar, Bella felt a sense of pride—her mom was making progress, and together with Jean Paul, they made a formidable team.
So far, Renée hadn't shown any signs of developing any extra abilities, but Jean Paul explained that it often took years for such powers to manifest. He still marveled at how Bella had been so powerful from the very beginning, admitting he had no idea why she had been such an exception.
Renée's newborn year had finally come to an end, and to celebrate the monumental day, she and Jean Paul were finally getting married. The day was perfect, as they held their small and intimate ceremony. Renée wore a stunning white wedding dress that clung to her in all the right places, the fabric shimmering as if woven from moonlight itself. It made her look like a princess straight out of a fairy tale, the kind that ends with "and they lived happily ever after." Bella stood proudly by her side, dressed in a beautiful red gown that contrasted strikingly against her mother's white, adding a touch of warmth to the ethereal scene.
Across from Renée stood Jean Paul, the love of her life, looking dashing in a classic black suit. Their eyes met, and they grinned at each other, their shared happiness bubbling over as they realized that this day had finally arrived. The ceremony was simple and private, just the three of them and a human minister.
As the vows were exchanged, Renée couldn't help but marvel at how far she had come. She stood before the minister, the scent of his blood permeating the air, but she was in complete control. The days of fighting back her urges, of fearing she might hurt someone, were behind her now. She knew, with absolute certainty, that he was safe from her.
The ceremony ended with a tender kiss, and as Bella watched them, she couldn't help but feel a swell of pride and joy for her mother who had gone through so much to be able to stand here today, ready now to truly begin her eternity.
Bella hugged her mom tightly after the ceremony, holding her close as emotions surged through her. Then she turned and embraced Jean Paul as well, feeling a deep sense of gratitude for the man who had brought so much joy into her mom's life. They were heading off on their honeymoon to a house Jean Paul owned in Denmark, and this also marked the end of Bella's time in Europe. It was finally time for her to return home to America.
As Bella thought back on everything that had happened in the past year, she couldn't help but smile. She and her mom's little vacation had completely altered both of their lives forever. She felt secure leaving her mom in Jean Paul's capable hands, knowing they would be fine together. After their honeymoon, they would begin a new chapter in their lives, somewhere fresh and exciting. They hadn't yet decided where they would settle, but the beauty of their situation was that they weren't constrained by time.
Bella couldn't help but think that her mom and Jean Paul were fortunate to have been changed later in life. They could comfortably settle in one place for decades, easily passing for their thirties or fifties, which gave them the freedom to build a life without the constant need to move on. She, however, faced a different reality. The way she looked made it impossible to claim she was much younger than twenty, and passing for anything over twenty-seven felt like a real stretch. But they all had to play the hand they were dealt, and Bella knew that when the time came and she found her true calling, she wouldn't let her youthful looks hold her back.
Bella planned to fly to Houston to spend some time with Peter and Charlotte when she returned to the States. It would be great to see them again, and even better to unwind for a while; the constant vigilance of watching over a newborn had been quite stressful. Peter was also going to connect her with their guy who handled fake documents. With Bella Swan about to turn 30 in a few short months, she knew it was time to leave that name behind. She was ready to finally go back and finish school, but to do that, she'd need a new identity.
Bella couldn't help but look forward to the chance to dive back into college life. This time, she knew it would be different. The somewhat shy, awkward girl she had once been was long gone, and she wanted it all this time around. And who knows, maybe she'd even get lucky and meet a man.
I hope you've enjoyed reading about the events leading to Renée's new life. Now, Bella can go off, secure in the knowledge that her mom will be okay.
In the next chapter, we'll have Edward's final flashback scene. After that, we'll enter the next arc, which is the most pivotal of the entire story, as it will culminate in Bella and Edward finally being together.
I really want to thank everyone for sticking with me as we've gotten to this point. I remember all the way back in Chapter 4 when Bella became a vampire, and everyone was commenting, "When will Bella and Edward meet?" and I was like, goddamnit. The story had already been written, and I didn't have the heart to tell everyone it was going to be another 50-plus chapters and 250,000 words. LOL. But wasn't the journey getting to this point worth it? If Edward had just shown up the next day, Bella wouldn't have grown into the woman she became, and there's still more growth to come before she finally meets Edward.
This next story arc will shape the back half in ways I don't think anyone will expect. I've read a lot of Twilight fan fiction, and I'm hard-pressed to remember one that goes where we're going. I can't wait for all of you to read what happens, so sit back and enjoy. I'll try to post as fast as I can, but the chapters seem to be getting longer…
Once Edward is free, we'll get to see him experience the world like he never has before, and Bella will be right there with him, helping him reclaim his life. It's going to be great.