»—— act three. eclipse
☽⋅── TWO ──why don't you try and catch me? ─⋅☾

Time passed as Eve made use of the delay to mentally prepare herself for the upcoming meeting with the pack. With no reason to sleep, she often decided to spend the late hours studying and educating herself on the things she could expect when visiting the reservation.

As the sun rised and the day grew deeper, Eve remained steadfast, determined to learn everything she could so she would be as informed and prepared as possible.

Although Eve couldn't understand the root behind her uneasiness, Carlisle, too, found himself intrigued. He observed her closely, noting the subtle changes in her demeanour.

"You're not sure why you're feeling this way?" Carlisle asked, his voice soft. "Is there something specific that's bothering you?"

"I don't really know," Eve admitted, a thoughtful expression on her face. "It's just...there's something about it that's making me feel uneasy. It's like a nagging feeling as if there's something I'm not seeing or understanding."

As Carlisle listened, he couldn't help but share her curiosity. "Have you given any thought as to what it could be?"

"Well, I've tried digging into my memories," Eve confessed, her tone a mixture of resignation and intrigue. "But my life has been pretty simple, with few encounters with the supernatural and that was only vampires."

At her confession, Carlisle leaned in. "And you never encountered any werewolves?" he asked, his interest piqued.

Eve shook her head, her expression weary. "At one point, I was trying to find others like me. And after a while, the only supernatural being I found with a long lifespan was a vampire," she explained, sighing heavily.

Carlisle waited patiently for her to continue, listening intently to her story. "And how did you find that the lifespan of vampires was the only similarity?" he inquired, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

Eve turned to him, weariness etched on her face. "Well, when I compared my lifespan to a vampire's, I discovered it was the only supernatural trait we shared." she sighed, a defeated look in her eyes.

Carlisle nodded, recalling the time she killed James. "That's true," he acknowledged. "But there is more, when you did have a brief moment where you shared the strength."

Eve nodded in agreement, a hint of regret in her eyes. "Yeah, but I guess, and now the speed thing was normal, and I only realized I was faster than humans recently," she said, a groan of frustration escaping her. "If I had known back then, it would've been really helpful."

Carlisle's words came warmly, reassuring her. "You shouldn't blame yourself for not realizing it sooner," he said gently. "You didn't have anything to compare it to before, so it's understandable that you didn't know."

Eve's shoulders sagged a little, her expression filled with both relief and resignation. "I suppose you're right," she sighed, a mixture of disappointment and acceptance in her voice.

She then stood up, a spark of determination in her eyes. "What do you think about testing my skills?" she proposed, turning to Carlisle.

Carlisle considered her question, then nodded in agreement. "Yes, that's actually a good idea," he affirmed, a hint of curiosity in his tone. "You haven't had much opportunity to put them to the test until now, except for when you killed James."

He crossed his arms, a thoughtful expression on his face. "It would be interesting to see just how good your skills are," he mused.

Eve looked at him, her expression a mix of confidence and curiosity. "Yeah, I'm up for it," she said with a slight grin. "I never had a reason to put them to the test before, but I'd like to see what I'm really capable of."

Carlisle chuckled at her enthusiasm, watching with a smile as she teased him. "Do you happen to have any tests for when you were testing your skills?" she asked playfully.

He gave a soft chuckle at her question. "Funny, but no, I don't have any specific test in mind," he replied, a hint of amusement in his voice, "but I did happen to pick up those combat skills naturally."

He then stood up, a hint of determination in his eyes. "But I could volunteer to be your test dummy," he suggested.

Eve turned to him, a look of surprise and mild hesitation on her face. "Are you serious?" she asked, a hint of disbelief mixing with curiosity.

He gave her a reassuring smile, his gaze warm and sincere. "I'm being serious," he affirmed, a playful undertone in his voice. "I want to see what you're capable of."

Eve studied him with a hint of wariness. "But what if I hurt you?" she countered, a flicker of concern in her eyes.

He laughed softly, appreciating her concern. "Don't worry, I trust you," he reassured her, his voice filled with conviction. "Besides, I've endured far worse before."

He then took a step forward closer, a slight smile on his face. "So, shall we get started?" he asked, clearly eager for the test.

Eve felt a pang of worry mixed with curiosity. "Are you really sure?" she asked a hint of caution in her tone. "I don't want to accidentally hurt you, Carlisle"

Carlisle chuckled, understanding her concern. "I'm sure," he replied, his voice filled with confidence. "Don't worry about me, I can handle what you throw at me."

He stepped closer to her, his eyes shining with anticipation. "So, let's begin," he suggested, clearly excited for the challenge.

The atmosphere outside was cool and perfect for their test. Eve couldn't help but tease him, "Well, I guess it was destiny to have chosen to be outside," she said with a playful smile.

As they moved to the yard behind the house, Carlisle chuckled, appreciating her sense of humour. "Very convenient indeed," he agreed, his eyes filled with amusement.

They moved into the yard, and Carlisle turned to face her. "So, what kind of test do you have in mind?" he asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

Eve thought for a moment, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "How about a test of speed and power after?" she proposed a hint of challenge in her tone.

Carlisle raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her suggestion. "Speed and power, huh? Sounds interesting," he replied, a hint of eagerness in his voice, "but what do you have in mind exactly?"

Eve chuckled, enjoying his intrigue. "I was thinking of a simple speed test," she explained a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Let's see, why don't you try and catch me?"

Carlisle nodded, a hint of competition in his expression. "Okay, that sounds fair," he agreed, already preparing for the challenge. "But don't be surprised when I catch you instantly."

A warm sense of anticipation filled the air as Carlisle accepted the challenge. "It's a deal," he confirmed, his gaze fixed on her. "A sprint it is, but don't go easy on me."

Eve's competitive spirit flared. "Don't worry, I won't," she responded with a smirk. "Get ready then; on your mark, get set, go!" She took a firm stance, ready to take off.

The moment 'go' sounded, both Eve and Carlisle erupted into a burst of speed. Their legs moved with incredible strength, their bodies began to move as fast as possible.

Carlisle pushed himself to the limit, his eyes fixed on Eve's form as she ran a few feet ahead of him. He gritted his teeth, his competitive spirit ignited, as he tried to gain ground.

As they ran, their movements became a blur to onlookers. Carlisle noticed that Eve's style of running was light and agile, whereas he seemed more heavy and deliberate.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath, his gaze tracking her every move. "She makes it look so effortless."

As he ran behind her, Carlisle observed her running form, noting her grace but also her vulnerability. He knew that her light, agile style allowed her to move quickly, but also made her an easy target for an attack.

He mentally made a note to tell her to be more aware of her surroundings later, once they were done with the race.

He pushed himself even harder, trying to catch up to her, his determination growing more intense with every second.

Eve, sensing his presence behind her, tried to speed up just enough to keep him at bay, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she felt the adrenaline pumping in her veins.

Carlisle gritted his teeth, his chest heaving with the effort of keeping up. He was gaining on her, his longer strides closing the gap ever so slightly.

Eve's competitive spirit flared, her pace quickening instinctively to keep ahead. "You're not catching me that easily," she taunted, glancing over her shoulder, a smirk on her lips.

He grunted, his competitive spirit also fueled by her taunt. "We'll see about that," he replied, his voice strained but determined. "I'm catching up, you know."

He pushed himself even harder, his strides becoming longer and faster as he got closer and closer to her.

Eve's heart raced, her pulse pounding in her ears as she heard Carlisle's approach. She pushed herself to her limits, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her muscles burning.

She tried to maintain her lead, but the gap was growing smaller and smaller. Carlisle was gaining on her, his determination unwavering.

"Almost there," he growled through gritted teeth, his voice a mix of exhaustion and determination. "Just a little bit more."

Carlisle had closed the gap now, his stride matching hers, his body on autopilot as he pushed himself to his his speed limits.

"You're not getting away that easily," he said, his voice rough from the effort. "I'm almost there."

Eve, her entire body on fire, gritted her teeth and pressed on. "Not a chance," she growled, trying to maintain her lead just a little longer.

As they dashed, the world around them faded into a blur, their minds solely focused on the race.

Carlisle, his face flashed from the effort, pushed harder. "Almost there," he repeated.

Eve, her breath coming in ragged gasps, couldn't help but think about how close he was getting, a mix of pride and nervous anticipation bubbling inside her. "You think so?" she panted, her voice filled with challenge as she looked over her shoulder.

Carlisle let out a low growl at her taunt, his determination reaching new heights.

With one final push, he surged ahead, his powerful strides closing in even more. "You think I can't catch you?" he responded back, his voice teasing, his face amused. "Try this."

He finally reached out and seized her arm, pulling her to a halt. They both stood there, a look of pure competition in both their eyes.

As she caught her breath, Eve looked at Carlisle, noticing that he seemed undiminished, his expression betraying no signs of exhaustion.

"Wow, I forgot you don't get tired," she remarked with admiration, her tone somewhat surprised. "But hey, how about my speed? Did I at least pass your expectations?" she asked, a hopeful look in her eyes.

Carlisle chuckled at her question. "Your speed is impressive," he admitted, "I didn't expect you'd be so damn fast."

He ran a hand through his hair, a mixture of disbelief and amusement on his face. "But don't expect me to go easy on you from now on," he warned with a sly grin.

"Right, give me a few hundred years to build up my stamina," Eve joked, feigning disappointment. Then, she stretched her arms, a playful pout on her lips.

Carlisle chuckled a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Sounds like a challenge to me," he retorted, a competitive gleam in his gaze. "I'll be counting the days until our next match."

A playful grin crossed Eve's face, her expression showing a hint of surprise and exhaustion. "I underestimated how much energy that would take out of me," she admitted, a touch of disappointment in her voice. "Maybe we should consider a test of strength next time."

As the exhaustion began to set in for her, Carlisle saw the telltale signs of Eve's fatigue and stepped in to help. He effortlessly lifted her in his arms, showing no signs of strain. "For now, let me carry you home," he said, his voice firm yet gentle.

Eve laughed softly. "That was a good workout, right?" she agreed, a playful hint in her voice. "And maybe I should do it more often, just so you can carry me a bit more."

"Don't push yourself too hard," Carlisle replied, his expression tinged with concern. "You look tired as hell."

Eve chuckled, a smirk on her lips. "I'll be fine," she reassured him, her voice carrying a hint of determination. "Besides, it's not every day a girl gets carried home like royalty, right?"

Carlisle hummed, a soft sigh escaping him. "You have a point there." Even as he carried her, he couldn't deny how good it felt to have her in his arms. Her confidence and playfulness were contagious, and he found himself chuckling at her comment about being carried like royalty.

As Carlisle made his way back to the house, carrying Eve in his arms, he couldn't help but chuckle at her using the chance for some suggestive comments. Her playful tone was infectious, and he found himself enjoying her opportunity to tease him.

At her suggestive words, Carlisle felt a jolt of arousal goes through him, his grip subconsciously tightening for a moment around her. He knew she was just being cheeky, but the implication sent his imagination racing.

"You're such a tease," he said through gritted teeth, his voice a mix of amusement and desire. "If you don't stop talking like that, we might never make it to the house."

Eve chuckled at his reaction, clearly enjoying the effect she was having on him. "What's wrong, are you getting all hot and heavy just from a few suggestive words?" she teased, her voice dripping with mock innocence.

Her teasing was relentless, and he couldn't help but find himself both amused and aroused, "You know exactly what you're doing to me," Carlisle admitted, his voice strained with desire and frustration. "You're a tease, you know that?"

He shifted his grip on her, his arms holding her close against his chest as if trying to shield himself from her seductive wiles.

"Yes, I know exactly what I'm doing," Eve teased, a wicked glint in her eyes. "And I love it when you get all worked up like this. It's such a turn-on for me."

She shifted closer to him, her body pressing against his as she snuggled closer, her voice dropping to a sultry whisper. "I like knowing that I have that effect on you, that I can make you lose control just with a few words."

As they made their way back to the house and as it came into view, Eve seized the opportunity to plant a playful kiss on his cheek. Before he could react, she quickly jumped out of his arms, a wide grin on her face.

"You don't sweat, but I do," she teased, her voice filled with a playful confidence. "So I think I'll head for a shower. Catch you later."

He let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head with a hint of amusement.

"You little tease," he muttered, his eyes following her retreating form as she made her way towards the house, her hips swaying invitingly. "You're going to be the death of me, Eve."