»—— act one. twilight
☽⋅── NINETEEN ──what do we do now? ─⋅☾

As they settled into the living room, Eleanor stood, nervously pacing back and forth before finally gathering her wits and making her announcement.

"My biological parents passed away when I was only seven years old. Since I had no relatives, I was placed into the system." As she turned her attention to Eve, who already knew the initial part of her story, she continued, "But there's another part of my life that I haven't shared with you."

"Was this before Echo adopted you?" Eve inquired, and Eleanor nodded in confirmation.

"Dad knew because I told him, and I was going to tell you too, but then Dad got very sick, so I just decided it was best not to mention it further." Eleanor fidgeted, "And now I realize I should have told you sooner."

Eve reassured her, "It's alright, just go ahead and share what you need to say."

From the age of eleven, Eleanor had run away from her foster home and survived independently, often resorting to theft for food and finding temporary shelter.

"Then one night while I was asleep, I was abducted," she continued, "The person who kidnapped me..."

Everyone's attention turned to Eleanor, and her shocking revelation sent a ripple of shock through the group. Except for Edward, who remained expressionless.

"...was James."

Emmett rose from his chair, his voice filled with disbelief, "The one we just met earlier?"

Eleanor nodded, "That's right. I'm not quite sure if he recognized me. I was only eleven, so it's possible he didn't remember."

Jasper mused thoughtfully, "Being scentless likely made it more difficult for him to remember you."

Eve's disbelief was evident on her face, and Carlisle tenderly squeezed her shoulder in reassurance before turning to Eleanor.

"What happened after?" Carlisle inquired.

Eleanor's lips curled into a straight line as she lowered her gaze, recalling the events.

"He treated me like prey, like a lion playing with it food. He then finally tried to feed on me," she said, "but thankfully there was someone who saved me. I don't remember their face because I was close to passing out. When I woke up, I was in the hospital."

"That's where you met Echo," Eve added, prompting a nod from Eleanor.

In the midst of the group's conversation, Alice suddenly stood up, her mind filled with images of James searching for someone. Jasper, attuned to her foresight, placed his hand on her arm.

"James," Alice declared, her voice carrying an underlying sense of urgency, leaving the room momentarily bewildered.

"He was searching," she continued, "He was looking desperately."

Jasper asked, "For what?"

Her eyes were filled with contemplation as she replied, "I don't know,"

Alice's revelation prompted Edward to interject, "He is a tracker,"

"A what now?" Eleanor echoed her expression of disbelief.

"A tracker can inherently predict their prey's most probable actions," Edward explained.

"He appeared furious," Alice elaborated, her voice tinged with urgency, "and the fact that he couldn't find his target means he'll stop at nothing to find it. He'll use any means necessary."

Rosalie's brow furrowed as she connected the dots, "If he's furious, then that means his target is someone even he can't detect," she said, her eyes narrowing as she glanced at Eleanor.

Eleanor visibly flinched, while Eve closed her eyes. Looking at Carlisle, Rosalie added, "But we can't jump to conclusions yet."

Carlisle nodded, his voice steady, "You're right, Rosalie. We can't make assumptions without further information."

Eve took a deep breath, her mind racing with concern. She turned to Carlisle, seeking reassurance, "How do we proceed then?"

Jasper crossed the room, his arms folded, "Fortunately, neither of you possess a scent. It's difficult for us to detect even the slightest hint of your blood," he explained, his tone reassuring.

Eleanor's frown deepened, while Eve let out a weary sigh.

Night fell, and Eve and Eleanor found themselves staying at the Cullen home for the night, taking necessary precautions for safety. The group remained vigilant, hoping that Alice would receive more visions regarding the events. Until then, they were left to wait and see what unfolded.

Suddenly, as the night progressed, Eleanor had dozed off, a result of Jasper's calming powers. However, Jasper discovered that his usual method didn't have the same effect on Eve.

Edward picked up on Jasper's thoughts and furrowed his brows at the anomaly, "It's strange," he remarked. "She shielded her thoughts from me when we first met."

Curiously, Jasper questioned, "Really?"

"Yes," Edward affirmed, turning back to the couch where Eleanor was now asleep.

Alice approached a blanket in hand, wrapping it around Eleanor.

She then observed the stairs before addressing the group's attention, "Earlier, Eve mentioned sensing something before the three approached us."

Rosalie looked up from the magazine she had been engrossed in. Her interest piqued by Alice's statement, she inquired, "What?"

Alice repeated her words, confirming the group's previous conversation.

Edward noted that Eve had blocked him out from reading her thoughts just the first time they had met, but then that shield went away. Additionally, there was a sense of calm surrounding her presence whenever she was near Carlisle.

Emmett, breaking his silence, chuckled, "And it seems like she is now developing a sixth sense."

Jasper turned his attention upstairs, adding, "And neither Eleanor nor Eve possesses scents."

Emmett then posed a question, "Do you think it's due to Eve's presence? Or does it suggest that it might be Eleanor's?"

"Either way, the key factor is that it keeps them safe," Carlisle interjected, descending the stairs and informing the group that Eve was slumbering in his office.

"What do you think about what Eve shared with you?" Alice turned to face Carlisle, apologizing for overhearing his conversation.

Carlisle sighed, acknowledging that he was the only one who could detect a scent from Eve. "However, I've noticed that the scent is unique to me alone."

He then turned his attention to Eleanor, who was still asleep on the couch.

"As for this sixth sense, I've formulated a theory," Carlisle shared. "It may be some sort of protective mechanism when Eve senses Eleanor is in danger," he speculated.

Rosalie crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "That's a bit of a stretch," she stated a hint of scepticism in her voice.

"It's merely a theory," Edward defended, attempting to placate Rosalie's scepticism. "We won't truly know unless we observe it in action."

"Hopefully, it doesn't come to that," Carlisle responded gravely.

Rosalie's voice carried a hint of animosity as she remarked, "And that's why I've been saying since the beginning that allowing humans this close was a mistake. Look at the situation we're in now."

Edward retorted, "It's not their fault."

Rosalie let out an annoyed sigh, "It must be a grand coincidence that the vampire who tried to hunt after Eleanor suddenly appears right now? How convenient."

Alice gestured for Rosalie to quiet down, considering the sleeping Eleanor on the couch nearby.

Rosalie exhaled through her teeth, lowering her voice, "What now? Are we supposed to just wait here for Alice's visions?" She directed her attention towards Carlisle.

Without uttering a word, Carlisle shot a glance toward the stairs, and all eyes fell upon Eve as she made her way down the final step.

"Eve, what's wrong?" Carlisle responded as he approached Eve and placed his arm around her shoulder.

"I've experienced something odd," Eve revealed nervously.

"How odd?" Carlisle inquired, looking at her intently.

"Well, I was trying to listen to what you guys were talking about earlier, and somehow I could hear your conversation perfectly." She confessed, a hint of sheepishness in her voice, unable to meet his gaze.

Emmett chuckled mirthfully, his amusement evident. "Now she's developed exceptional hearing, huh?"

He then turned his attention to Rosalie, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "You know, I've been dying to know if what you said about her not being human is actually true."

Eve looked visibly uncomfortable, the topic affecting her. "Honestly," she admitted, "It's starting to seem like the theory might hold some truth."

Emmett continued to ponder the situation, "You know, it's not just the sudden hearing that's strange or feeling them before the three arrived. What about the lack of any information about your past before twelve, and how no one can find any records?"

Meanwhile, Eve sighed again, resting her head on Carlisle's chest as he held her. She looked up at him with a hint of determination in her eyes. "You're right, maybe it's time to uncover the truth about my past, if it's even possible," she said thoughtfully.

He placed a comforting hand on her back, drawing her closer gently. "It's a start," he agreed, his voice filled with reassurance. "Do you happen to have any idea where we should begin?"

Alice quickly interjected, "The hospital where you woke up! That's a good starting point."

However, Eve winced at the thought. The hospital in question was all the way in New York, and it also held memories of her brother who passed away there. Since his death, she and Eleanor had never returned to the city.

Edward read Eve's thoughts, a hint of sorrow in his eyes, and gently regarded her. She caught his look and softly nodded in response as if accepting his silent invitation to share more.

Edward spoke up, "It's located in New York, but Eve isn't quite prepared to revisit that place just yet." He paused, his tone conveying the unspoken truth that Eve would eventually share more details with them.

Carlisle, being aware of Eve's background, already knew about her ties to New York and her family's history there.

He stroked her shoulder affectionately before redirecting his attention to the present. "For now, we'll focus on the immediate concern at hand – dealing with James."

With no one seeming to have any concrete ideas for the moment, they all decided to wait it out. Carlisle and the others went off to hunt, leaving Rosalie, who was willing to stay behind to guard Eve and Eleanor. She would hunt when they came back.

However, that decision proved to be a mistake, as Rosalie was engrossed in a magazine while Eve and Eleanor slept on the couches. She was so absorbed in her reading that she didn't notice one of the women awakening. When she turned her head toward the sound, her eyes suddenly bulged outward in shock as a hand hovered just above her face.

"Wha—" Rosalie attempted to question, but her voice was abruptly silenced, and her movements were frozen. She was paralyzed, unable to move a muscle as the individual who had immobilized her walked away from her sight. Despite the futility of her efforts to free herself, all she could do was observe the person leave. She attempted to yell through through in her mind, hoping that Edward would be close enough to hear her.

A chilling scream seemed to pierce Edward's mind, causing him to question its origin. "What was that?" he exclaimed aloud. He cast a concerned glance around, his eyes narrowing as he scanned their surroundings.

He then called out for Carlisle since he was hunting with him, "Carlisle!"

Carlisle swiftly closed the distance, having recently finished feeding on an elk. He wiped away any blood from his chin as he approached, expressing concern.

"Edward, what's going on?" he asked.

"It's Eve," Edward responded tersely, his voice dripping with urgency.

Carlisle's eyes widened at the mention of her name, and he immediately quickened his pace towards the house.

Edward followed closely behind, urgently explaining, "Rosalie's just screaming 'Eve' repeatedly, but I can barely make out the rest."

Carlisle nodded, his focus unwavering. As they approached the house, they flung open the door, causing a startled Eleanor to awaken abruptly.

Eleanor, groggy from sleep, sat up abruptly upon seeing Rosalie frozen in place, her eyes fixed in a state of paralyzed agitation.

"What happened?" Eleanor gasped, her voice tinged with fear.

Before Eleanor could ask for an explanation, Carlisle and Edward suddenly appeared in the room. The sight of the two familiar figures was a shock, and it sent a wave of panic through her as she nearly screamed in surprise.

Edward quickly moved to check on Eleanor, while Carlisle focused his attention on Rosalie, who began to speak only once he made contact with her arm.

"It's Eve," she gasped, "she was in a trance with glazed eyes. Suddenly she paralyzed me. I don't know how or why it happened. "

Eleanor attempted to push Edward away, but he was too strong for her to resist. Disoriented, she tried to make sense of the situation, "WHAT?" she exclaimed

Edward was able to piece together the events through Rosalie's memory. He noticed the static-like sensation and shook his head to dispel it.

Edward shared the information he obtained, while Carlisle was visibly shaken, a rare occurrence that Edward and the others had witnessed before.

Edward inquired, "Can you follow her scent?"

Carlisle replied, "It's weak, and the scent I detect is faint, it's only present here."

Suddenly, Alice arrived with a look of uncertainty on her face. "I saw her, Eve," Alice's eyes conveyed a mixture of confusion. "It was like she was hunting something," she continued, "she didn't seem like herself like she was...something else."

Carlisle moved swiftly, approaching Alice and asked, "Did you see her whereabouts?"

Alice nodded, "Yes," she replied. "She is in the town, in a nearby alleyway. I can't pinpoint the exact location, but we should be able to find her there."

Everyone, except Edward, prepared to embark on the search.

Eleanor stood up, her concern for her mother evident in her expression. She shot a concerned glance at Edward and spoke firmly, "But my mother! I must not sit here idly while she is in danger!"

Edward gently yet firmly grasped her arm, trying to reason with her. "That's precisely why you must stay here," he insisted, "you might be the intended target of James. You can rely on Carlisle and the others to find her. Trust them, especially Carlisle."

Edward firmly reassured her, his words filled with confidence. "I trust my family, and I know they will find her," he said, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. "Please El, we can't risk endangering you. If the person James is after is indeed you, then bringing you along would only make their job more challenging."

Frustrated, Eleanor clenched her teeth before reluctantly agreeing. "Fine," she conceded, letting out a resigned sigh.