<P> Twilight is about a 17 - year - old girl named Bella Swan, who moves from her mother's home in Phoenix, Arizona, to live with her father in her birthtown of Forks, Washington . There, she becomes intrigued by a student, Edward Cullen . When Edward saves her life, he exhibits super-human qualities . Bella learns from her family friend Jacob Black that Quileute legends say the Cullen family are vampires . Edward eventually admits to this truth, though his family hunts only animals, not humans, through moral choice . Edward constantly warns Bella against being with him, perceiving her life to be at constant risk if she continues to associate with him because the scent of her blood is more powerful to him than that of any other human he has ever encountered . Bella's love and confidence in Edward's restraint is such that his warnings go unheeded, and on an outing with the Cullens she becomes the target of a sadistic vampire, James . With his family's help, Edward is able to save Bella from James' predations, but Edward is still unwilling to change Bella into a vampire himself . </P> <P> New Moon begins on Bella's eighteenth birthday . She dreams about looking much older than Edward Cullen, her boyfriend . During a birthday celebration at the Cullens, Bella gets a small paper cut while unwrapping a present . Edward's brother, Jasper, instinctively thirsting for her blood, launches an attack, though he is stopped . Edward realizes that his relationship with Bella puts her in danger . In a misguided attempt to protect Bella, he convinces her that he no longer loves her and moves away with his family, leaving her heartbroken and depressed for months . </P> <P> To appease her worried father, Bella attends a movie with her school friend, Jessica . While there, she carelessly approaches a group of dangerous - looking men outside a bar and discovers she can hear Edward's voice when her adrenaline is high . Desperate to hear his voice again, Bella continually seeks out danger; she convinces Jacob Black to repair two old motorcycles and teach her to ride . Their friendship grows, and Jacob admits that he has romantic feelings for Bella, though she does not reciprocate them . When a vampire named Laurent tries to attack and kill her, Bella is saved by a pack of giant wolves . Later, Bella learns that Jacob and other tribe members are shapeshifters who assume a wolf form to protect humans from vampires . Bella also discovers that the vampire Victoria has returned to Forks, seeking to kill Bella to avenge her mate, James', death . </P> <P> To hear Edward's voice, Bella attempts cliff - diving and nearly drowns, but she is saved by Jacob . Edward, after mistakenly being informed that Bella has committed suicide, travels to Volterra, Italy, to request the Volturi to destroy him . Alice returns to Forks and discovers Bella is alive; she and Bella pursue Edward to Italy and successfully prevent him from showing himself in daylight to humans, an act that would result in his execution . The trio are taken to the Volturi . Because Bella knows about vampires, the Volturi want to kill her, but Alice claims she has foreseen Bella becoming a vampire . Because most humans are unaware that vampires exist, the Volturi threaten to kill Bella if this does not happen soon . Upon returning home, Edward tells Bella that he never stopped loving her, and he only left Forks because he thought it would protect her . He apologizes for his misguided action and asks for her forgiveness, which Bella quickly grants . Bella, intent on becoming a vampire, decides that Edward's family should vote on her fate . All but Rosalie and Edward vote for her to be changed, but Edward agrees to change her himself if she will marry him . </P>

How old is bella when she turns into a vampire