»—— act one. twilight
☽⋅── TWENTY ──the sleeping lion wakes ─⋅☾

After a much-needed period of sleep, Eve experienced deeper relaxation than before. Despite her heightened senses, she slowly managed to quiet the surrounding voices, gradually regaining a sense of calmness. Soon enough, her mind, which had been unknowingly closed off, became receptive, creating the opportunity for Jasper to use his calming abilities on her. With her senses relaxed, she drifted into a peaceful slumber.

Even as her body slumbered, Eve's mind remained restless. As she gradually found a moment of quiet, she was met with a sense of urgency, a stark awareness of the critical nature of the situation. She felt the presence of something within her, compelling her to act, to protect Eleanor.

In her semi-conscious state, she witnessed herself in a trance-like state. Her body moved on auto-pilot, approaching unaware Rosalie who was engrossed in a magazine. When Rosalie looked up, Eve watched her hand lift up, and without conscious control, she rendered Rosalie paralyzed.

In a state of mind awake yet body on autopilot, Eve moved silently through the house, her steps light and nearly imperceptible. As her body ran with an otherworldly speed, the sensation of the air against her skin felt like it was slicing through, causing her to hiss in discomfort. Suddenly imbued with heightened hearing, sharp instincts, and newfound speed, she struggled to process these sudden abilities, but her primary concern focused on James and the desire to prevent him from making Eleanor his target.

Right at that moment, she felt like a primal hunter stalking her prey with purpose and intent.

...

From the other side of the equation, a few minutes into their pursuit, Carlisle's mind was in disarray. In the normal course of events, he would have been the source of calm and reason, but in the chaos of the moment, he became consumed by an overwhelming urge to locate Eve.

Carlisle grappled with the recent developments – the inexplicable paralysis that had befallen Rosalie, another new ability that seemed to manifest alongside Eve's other abilities. His thoughts were in disarray as he desperately tried to make sense of the situation.

The search for Eve commenced, and Emmett and Rosalie split off, joined by Jasper and Alice. Meanwhile, Carlisle, driven by desperation and intent, began his own personal search, relying on his unique ability to detect Eve's sweet scent, a trait only he could track. His family reluctantly followed, splitting up and converging again and again, always drawn back to Carlisle's pursuit.

The search continued through the maze of alleys and twists and turns, relying primarily on Carlisle to lead the way. The search felt like a blindfolded expedition as the group desperately attempted to pinpoint Eve's scent, but ultimately leaving that up to Carlisle.

As they continued their search, time seemed to stretch on indefinitely. Carlisle struggled to maintain his composure, the weight of the situation slowly breaking down his resolve. But then, just like a lighthouse in the darkness, a trace of Eve's sweet scent reached him, a beacon that immediately drew his attention.

His abrupt halt in movement halted the flow, with his family swiftly gathering around him, the silence between them speaks volumes. Without needing words, they all knew he had struck gold.

"Did you find her?" Rosalie asked, her voice filled with urgency. Carlisle's head turned towards her, a firm nod indicating that he had picked up on her scent.

With a glance at Rosalie, Carlisle quickly reassured her, "She's close. I can't read your thoughts but don't blame yourself for what's happening. "

Rosalie, looking shaken, shook her head. "But I was engrossed in reading – if I didn't stop and just watched –"

Emmett placed a steadying hand on her trembling shoulders, encouraging her to stay focused on the task at hand. Without wasting a moment, Carlisle surged forward, Jasper following closely behind as the rest trailed just behind.

"Is she injured?" Jasper's voice cut through the air, his concern evident.

Carlisle's pace was unwavering as he navigated through the terrain. "No, she appears fine," he replied, his focus solely on tracking Eve's scent.

Reaching an abandoned building, Emmett made a light-hearted remark, "Well, how convenient, it's like something straight out of a movie."

Unfazed, Carlisle wasted no time and immediately pushed his way past the exterior, urgently making his way inside. With every step, Eve's scent grew stronger, a clear sign that she was just within the building's walls.

Meanwhile, inside the abandoned building, Eve's senses were heightened as she zeroed in on her prey - James. Earlier in their chase, she had successfully tracked him down, and now, following his scent, she found herself inside this run-down structure. However, there was an unexpected twist - for the first time in his existence, James felt more like prey than hunter as he desperately attempted to evade Eve's sharp senses.

In the midst of the abandoned building, Eve's senses were on high alert as she perceived faint footsteps approaching her. Reacting swiftly, she swiftly turned and clenched her fist, ready to deliver a punch, but just before making contact, she froze, recognizing the familiar face.

Rosalie's voice filled the air, tinged with amusement and relief, "Eve." She gave a knowing smirk, aware that the encounter was a missed strike rather than a full impact. "I can only imagine the scene if you had actually punched me," Rosalie added with a chuckle.

Frustrated, Eve could not find the words to express her emotions. Suddenly, the familiar presence of Carlisle flooded her senses, and immediately, she felt her body regain control. A wave of relief washed over her, the tension easing from her frame.

Without a moment's hesitation, Carlisle enveloped her in a tight embrace, his arms encircling her in a comforting gesture.

From the upper level, Jasper, Alice and Emmett jumped down, joining the small assembly.

"You found her first, huh? Good job, babe," Emmett quipped to Rosalie, eliciting a roll of her eyes from her.

Jasper asked,"Why are you finding this amusing, Rosalie?"

Rosalie responded with a snort, "She tried to punch me."

Alice's eyes widened. "Well, it could have gone either way; she could have gotten hurt or you."

Emmett found humour in the situation, "Damn, does she have enhanced strength now?"

"I don't think so," Eve chimed in, finally finding the chance to speak. "Just the hearing, the sense, and...uh, speed."

Emmett made a jest, "You sure you're not a vampire?"

An amused chuckle escaped Eve's lips. "I still have a heartbeat and blood running through my veins, so that's a big no."

Carlisle found a moment to compose himself, the humour in the situation helping to soothe his nerves. His arm draped around her shoulder, and he gently rubbed her arm.

A chorus of reactions followed as everyone's heads turned towards James standing there, a sense of intrigue filling the air.

James couldn't help but comment, his words dripping with playful intent. "I should have fled, but the sound of your heartbeat and mention of your blood... well, it was too tempting."

Jasper's voice cut through the air, a serious warning, "He just fed. Be careful."

The others, minus Eve, paused to catch the scent of fresh blood lingering on James. The tension in the room was growing.

"She's with us," Carlisle asserted firmly, standing protectively in front of Eve. When James showed no signs of backing down, Carlisle continued, "Leave, while you still have a chance."

However, James' response was a chilling growl, revealing his intent. "The offer is tempting, but I prefer the excitement of her blood." He lunged forward.

As the others braced themselves, sensing James' enhanced strength and agility from the recent feeding, Carlisle positioned himself between Eve and James, ready to defend.

As she watched the others struggle in the fight, a deep frustration settled within Eve. The realization of her own vulnerability hit her like a wave of cold realization – her decision to come here had placed both herself and the others in danger. She cursed silently at herself for her own impulsive actions, feeling like a lamb amidst a pack of lions.

Confusion washed over her as she grappled with her thoughts, trying to pinpoint exactly what aspect of herself to blame.

Her eyes widened in alarm as she witnessed James slip past Carlisle's defence, manoeuvring beneath him effortlessly and swiftly moving towards Eve. However, to her surprise and concern, her own enhanced speed had diminished significantly, leaving her vulnerable.

As she tried to dodge out of the way, she nearly stumbled, just barely avoiding falling. Rosalie, with quick reflexes, leapt in to intervene, placing herself as a protective barrier between Eve and James.

As James's hand tightened around Rosalie's neck, the tension in the air rose significantly. Just as the others arrived to confront him, it appeared that he held the upper hand, his speed and strength clearly an advantage.

However, a sudden flash of motion caught their attention as Eve swiftly sped over and kicked James, causing him to release Rosalie. She, too, remained conscious, albeit shaken and recovering from the near-beheading incident.

In the chaos and adrenaline of the moment, an unexpected voice whispered in Eve's mind, almost as if it acted as a trigger mechanism.

In a sudden burst of action, Eve leapt towards James, her eyes ablaze with determination and danger. As Carlisle attempted to intervene, she forcefully pushed him back, as the others were also propelled by an invisible force.

Eve locked her gaze onto James, immobilized by her control. With a smirk, she coldly declared, "You tried to kill my child in the past, but sadly for you, you will never prey on my family again!"

The Cullens watched in shock as she seized the opportunity and ripped James' head off, a chilling display of power and retribution.

The sound of James' head falling to the ground created a sharp and eerie silence in the air, the weight of the moment heavy as the Cullens absorbed the events that had taken place.

Carlisle's expression was a mix of concern and awe as he looked at Eve, trying to comprehend the power she had just displayed. "Eve..." he said softly.

Carlisle cautiously walked closer to Eve, approaching with a mixture of caution and concern, mindful of the unpredictable nature of her power.

When he was finally close enough, she turned with a calm expression, her voice a soft whisper, "Just in case I forget, remind me."

Before she could collapse, Carlisle swiftly stepped in and caught her in his arms, preventing her from falling to the floor.

Emmett, with a wide grin, exclaimed, "Well, that was badass."

Rosalie rolled her eyes in response.

"Is she okay, Carlisle?" Alice inquired, her concern evident in her voice.

Carlisle looked down at Eve, still firmly in his arms, and reassured, "Yes, she's just sleeping."

As Jasper finished setting the fire and Emmett joined him in tossing James' body into the flames, Carlisle held Eve in his arms, her body relaxed in a state of deep sleep.

After confirming that James' body had been completely consumed by the fire and that it was extinguished, the Cullens slowly made their way to leave the area.

...

As Eve slowly awakened a few hours after the incident, she found herself greeted by Carlisle's presence beside her.

"Hey, there, my lovely, handsome doctor," she teased, her voice filled with a playful tone.

Carlisle chuckled softly, gently placing his cold hand on her forehead. "I can see you have some energy," he remarked.

Eve chuckled in response, "I've had worse."

"How are you feeling?" he asked, concerned.

Eve added "Tired but not tired? My mind is the exhausted one."

With a groan, Eve began to sit up with Carlisle's support, her weary eyes searching for the whereabouts of the others.

"Where are the others?" she inquired.

Carlisle answered gently, "They're in the kitchen. Eleanor is there, teaching them a few recipes. She was quite adamant about cooking in 'this fancy kitchen out of a movie'," he added, amused.

With a playful snort, Eve glanced at Carlisle, a mischievous grin tugging at the corner of her lips. "Hate to burst your bubble, but Eleanor's culinary skills are... less than impressive," she teasingly shared.

Carlisle chuckled, still holding onto her gently, recognizing her silent attempt to stand up. "I'll keep that in mind," he replied. "But don't strain yourself. You had quite the ordeal tonight."

A gentle kiss sealed their conversation as Eve declared her good health, promising to be fine. "I'm hungry," she added, "so let's head to the kitchen. Before the ingredients are all wasted."

Carlisle chuckled warmly at the mention. "Don't worry," he reassured her. "Alice has stocked up the kitchen, saying that since you and Eleanor often come over, it's better to always have ingredients on hand."

As they made their way to the kitchen, Carlisle and Eve caught a glimpse of the chaos unfolding there.

Eleanor seemed to be using Edward as a shield from the flames as Rosalie worked to extinguish the fire. "I told you the flame was too high; now the chicken is burnt!" Eleanor complained to Edward, who responded stoically.

"You're the one who set the flame that high," he countered.

Rosalie, her usual frown replaced by a softened expression, immediately hurried over when she saw Eve and Carlisle approaching.

"Hey," she greeted, her voice filled with relief. "You're awake."

Eleanor, not quite able to shove Edward successfully, instead made progress in moving him out of her way. She promptly embraced Eve with arms wrapped around her waist, visibly displaying her happiness at her friend's return.

Eve teased her daughter, "Oh ho, there you are, my little chaos-maker. Now tell me, what's with the attempt to burn down their kitchen?"

Eleanor shrugged and retorted, "Mom, you're the troublemaker here." She then smirked and added, "But I guess you did take down James. That was pretty badass."

A gentle reminder to watch her language escaped Eve, but she couldn't help but play along as Eleanor chuckled at her.

"Language," Eve repeated, smiling.

Eleanor mimicked Eve's iconic stance perfectly but then lowered her voice dramatically to recite Eve's earlier speech from the story Emmett had shared. "You tried to kill my child in the past," she echoed, her voice lowering with a sinister tone, "but sadly for you, you will never prey on my family again!"

Eve shot a lighthearted glance at Emmett, who grinned in response. "It was badass," he confirmed, which of course prompted him to share the story with Eleanor as soon as they got home.

Eve playfully rolled her eyes, while Eleanor attempted to slip away to the kitchen, only to be stopped by Edward's firm grasp on her arm as he pushed her away gently Alice chuckled and caught her.

Edward then turned to Eve, his eyes filled with relief. "I'm glad you're okay," he said sincerely.

Eve chuckled and winked, "Of course I am," she replied confidently.

Suddenly, Eve grabbed Carlisle's hand and, with a determined stride, led him towards the kitchen, eager to tidy up the aftermath of Eleanor's kitchen-induced chaos.

As Carlisle, Jasper, and Rosalie joined forces alongside Eve to clean up the kitchen aftermath, they also began preparing a meal together.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Cullens and Eleanor took their places as they talked amongst themselves while the four were occupied.

Emmett and Alice sat together, while Edward perched himself nearby and Eleanor took up residence on an armchair.

As they continued with the meal preparations, time ticked by, and Carlisle noticed Eve's gaze fixed on him he could see her trying to mask her worries. A soft smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he leaned in and whispered in her ear, "We'll deal with it all later."

Eve nodded in agreement, replying with a gentle murmur, "Right. No rush."