Disclaimer: None of the Benedicts/the Savant World belong to me – all rights to Joss Stirling!
Chapter Ten – Leah POV
Turns out that whole 'handsome face' thing extends through the whole family. Tall, brooding and mysterious is exactly how to characterize the Benedict brothers. Xav's face I can easily place with his name as he was the first I met and the first I wanted to punch (besides Vic of course). Each of the brothers have their girlfriends/wives with them, all except two of them. Zed and his girlfriend Sky look so different they automatically seem perfect for each other, Yves and Phoenix have that fitting puzzle-piece look about them and Xav and Crystal hold hands even when they're arguing, which is a lot. I find it odd, that all the guys have found someone so obviously perfect for them at such a young age but hey, I've seen weirder shit.
"No need to remember all the names just yet, dear", a petite yet fierce-looking woman I remember as Vic's mother Karla says and gently pats my arm, "I know it can be terribly confusing at first."
I manage a weak smile, overwhelmed by the hospitality and kindness Vic's family have shown me in the last couple of hours. Although Karla's 'just yet' does confuse me.
"So… not to be rude or anything but why exactly am I meeting Vic's … I mean Agent Benedict's family." I try to ignore the hurt look that fleetingly crosses Vic's face and carry on, "What exactly do you have to do with my being tortured?"
They all flinch at my casual mentioning torture but I decide to ignore it. They don't have to deal with it.
"We're still trying to find out what exactly the group wanted from you but I figure it's got something to do with your gift." Vic says though he refuses to look me in the eye.
"But I don't even know what my gift is. What use is that to them?" I ask confused.
"That's exactly why I've brought you here to meet my family. Your gift obviously has something to with electricity or electron control."
Obviously….?
"And Yves here has a similar gift with which he can control fire and heat generally."
'Cause that doesn't sound mildly terrifying.
"So he might be able to help you figure out yours and get it under your control."
"Why can't you just put me under witness protection and send me to … I dunno … Uzbekistan or somewhere."
"As long as you can't control your powers, you're a ticking bomb for everyone near you." Vic replies, now staring me right in the face.
"Talk about giving it to her straight, Vic." One of the brothers mutters.
"What, Will?" Suddenly, Vic seems to be much more agitated and irritated. "She needs to know that this isn't some sort of fantasy game. And it sure as hell won't be fun when she blows up an entire neighbourhood just 'cause she's watching a scary movie."
"Language, Vic!" Karla interrupts him but I've had enough.
"Listen here, Agent, I'm still here so I can hear what shit – sorry Karla – you're saying about me and I want to ask you a question: Do you seriously think that after eight years in Afghanistan, after being tortured non-stop for three days, I think this is a fucking game? Don't you dare treat me like a child, just because I have no freaking idea what the hell is wrong with my genetics to make me the freak that I am! Don't you dare patronize me!"
Muttering a quick apology to Karla, thanking her for the meal, I storm out and head out towards the woods next to the Benedicts' house.
Vic POV
That went well, Vic. Congrats!
Zed's sarcastic tone cuts into my mind and I'm almost too ashamed to look at Mom's disappointed face.
Victor Benedict, you go after that girl right now and apologize. I want to see you begging for forgiveness on your knees if that's what it takes.
Mom…!
That girl is your soulfinder for heaven's sake!
Exactly! She's already taking this whole Savant thing pretty hard. What d'you think'll happen when I tell her that she's stuck with me for the rest of her life.
Don't go wallowing in self-loathing, Vic, it doesn't suit you. No matter what anyone tells you, you're still my baby boy and you deserve to be happy.
I thought Zed was the baby of the family.
He usually is but at the moment he's being more mature than you.
Ha!
I ignore Zed's triumphant exclamation and give Mom a kiss on the forehead before I head out of the door.
"Can I sit next to you without you punching me?" I ask and carefully sit down on the log she's crouched on.
"Depends what comes out of that big, self-important mouth of yours."
"Okay, I guess, I deserved that."
"Yes, you did." She turns to look at me and I can see that she's been crying. Way to go, Vic!
"Listen, Leah, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have talked about you the way I did and I shouldn't have talked to you the way I did. And I'm really sorry that I made you cry."
"Don't flatter yourself, Benedict, I have a pollen allergy."
I refrain from letting her know that it's actually winter so her argument is totally invalid.
"I … I'm just really confused and scared right now, and your patronizing doesn't help."
I doubt she's ever been this honest.
"For that I'm really sorry."
"I've been treated like a freak my entire life. The army was the first real family I knew and you tore me out of it."
"Me?" How the hell did I do that?
"You were the whole damn reason they tortured me. They kept asking me stuff about you, saying your name, saying stuff about a 'connection' even though I had no idea who you were… That's why I was so freaked when you introduced yourself the first time."
It does explain the screaming fit.
"What did they mean?" She asks after a long pause.
"Mean by what?" I do however dread the direction this conversation is going in.
"When they said stuff like how you were mine and I was yours. Something about … not soulmates… something else…"
"Soulfinders?" I ask carefully and she looks at me questioningly with her big blue eyes.
"Yeah, exactly. What does that mean?"
Awkward silence.
"When a Savant is conceived, his or her counterpart is conceived as well. That could be in the house next door or on the other side of the world. More often than not, it's the second. Soulfinders complete each other, they are the perfect match for each other, bonded for life."
"What? But that's like a universally arranged marriage! That's totally –"
Her brain's following up.
"Oh, shit!"
Not the reaction I'd been hoping for.
"When they said we were … Does that mean we're …"
"Afraid so."
…
That's when she gets up and without another word heads back towards the house. And I stay sitting on that log pretending my heart hasn't been totally crushed.
Vic!
Yves' insistent, panicked voice tears me out of my sleep at once.
What?
It's Leah, she's…
It's all I need and in an instant I'm sprinting down the hallway to the room Leah is sharing with Phee. Yves is standing outside holding a shaking Phee in his arms. Checking briefly that Phee hasn't been hurt, I make my way into the room. Being careful not to step on the shards of glass lying around on the floor and not to get to close to the ceiling lamp that is now emitting red, hot sparks, I all but throw myself onto Leah who's thrashing around like she's having a serious fit.
"Please don't hurt me. It's too much." She whimpers and my heart aches at the fact that those aren't just nightmares, they're actual memories.
"Sshh, it's okay. I'm here. It's over." I gather her trembling, sweating body in my arms and not caring about etiquette or anything, start pressing kisses on her forehead and hair.
"I'm here. Nobody's gonna hurt you."
The spasms reduce to occasional twitching and I push her damp hair out of her face, trying to ignore how close we actually are.
I turn around to see the whole family gathered in the doorway and roll my eyes. I exchange a quick message with Xav, who tells me that physically she's fine and look towards Mom.
I have to stay with her tonight.
I know.
Zed telekinetically sweeps up the shards of glass and throws them in the bin before tactfully closing the door.
Gently, I tuck Leah under the covers and take a comforter from the cupboard, preparing my bed on the floor.
"You can sleep in the bed if you want." Her small voice cuts through the tense silence and I must have looked shell-shocked as she gives a little laugh and holds up the duvet in front of her.
"I just need someone to hold onto tonight."
So I become the little spoon and don't even feel a scratch on my masculine pride.
Just as I'm close to falling asleep, her whispered words make sure that my heart's gonna be wide awake for the rest of the night.
"You know, I'm kinda looking forward to the day I'm ready to fall in love with you."
We're gonna be finding out more about Leah's past in the next few chapters and also her parents!
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