Chapter Two

"Did you get home okay last night?" Victor asked.

I nodded, "Thanks...and thanks for the coat. That was really kind."

"You were crazy out there wearing practically nothing..." Victor said with a frown. He glanced at my tiny handbag, "Unless you had a serious accident with the dryer, I'm guessing my coat wouldn't fit in that bag..."

I frown, "Hmm, what?"

"My coat, you didn't bring it." He said, a smile twitching his lips.

"Shit!" I cursed softly. The only reason he'd asked me here was to get his coat back and I hadn't even brought it.

"Not the only reason..." He muttered under his breath.

"What?!" I asked.

He shook his head, "Nothing. Don't worry about the coat, you'll bring it next time."

"Next time?" I asked.

Victor frowned at the table, thinking hard about his response. Finally he leans back and watches me with a slightly bemused look, "Why did you meet me today? I could have been a rapist or axe murderer."

I scoot my chair backwards away from him slightly, "Excellent point." Victor laughed, the sound warm and a little rough, like he didn't laugh like this often. I shrug in response to his question, "I'm mildly addicted to coffee and have a less than responsible attitude towards life."

"There wasn't anything...else?" He asked.

"Like what?" I asked.

Victor shrugged, "No...feelings, or anything?"

I shook my head, frowning.

What about now?

The shock of hearing his voice in my head causes me to jump out of my seat onto my feet and stare at him. Not only has it been so long since I used telepathy, and not only had he somehow figured out I was a savant, but it felt so different to anything I'd ever felt before. Like mini fireworks buzzing around my brain, like flowers pushing through the soil and emerging beautiful and bright, like lovers reuniting after decades apart.

"Soulfinder..." The word slips from my lips, barely a whisper.

Before today, I felt relatively normal. After he spoke to me, it felt like all my life I'd been floating around purposelessly in space. Now...I felt grounded by him, like a sense of gravity I'd never known had existed. It's true what they say, your soulfinder really does complete you.

I don't realise how happy I am until the light above us shines so brightly it explodes. Victor jumps and stares at the light, wondering what on earth happened. I return to my seat and try to calm myself down before I start an electrical fire. My gift is massively influenced by my emotions and, in moment like these where my emotions are strong, it's easy for accidents to happen.

I smile at Victor, "Sorry."

"For what?" Victor asked incredulously, as if I could never have anything to be sorry for.

I gesture to the light and he looks confused, so I explain, "I can control electricity. Well, I say control...I really don't have a lot of control over it most of the time." I look up at the shattered bulb, "As you can see."

"Wow, that's amazing." Victor said.

"It makes charging my phone a little easier." I joke. Victor frowns, like he doesn't get it. I had a tendency to make jokes when I felt awkward or nervous, like when someone complimented me. "Forget it...what's your power?"

It feels weird speaking so openly about being savant, after years of living amongst only humans.

"Well, pre warning, a lot of people freak out when they hear what I can do, but I promise you I never abuse my power. I only use it for good." He said.

"Okay, superman, what is it?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I can use telepathy to make people do things." He said.

"What kinda things?" I asked, leaning forward in my seat, intrigued.

"Anything." He said, seeming a little bemused by my reaction. He obviously expected me to flip out, "If I wanted to, I could get you to stand up on the table and start acting like a chicken."

I laughed, "Well that seems like an extremely useful talent."

"It's pretty useful in getting people to tell the truth." He said, "Its important in my line of work."

"Which is?" I asked, thinking back to the mysteriously vague business card.

He studied me for a second, "I guess I might as well tell you, since we're going to spend the rest of our lives together and all...I work for the FBI."

I let out a low whistle, "Dude..."

He passes a badge over the table, proudly showing the FBI identification. I pick it up and study it, "Pity you didn't leave this in your coat, I could have commandeered a car in the name of America's safety instead of walking over here."

He smiled, "I'm sure you'd never break the law by impersonating a federal agent."

I look up at him from under my eyelashes, "Of course not."

I have to remind myself that whilst we have the undeniable and eternal soulfinder bond, I have just met the guy and he is an FBI agent. Suddenly running through my mind is anything I'd ever done that was remotely illegal.

Victor suddenly raised his eyebrows, "Quite an impressive record."

I blush furiously as I remember he can hear my thoughts. My shields are pretty weak from not being used. I bite my lip and watch Victor laugh at me, "That's cute."

"What is?" I asked, frowning at being called 'cute'.

Victor brushes a finger against my lips, signalling that he was referring to the lip biting. I get too distracted by the physical contact to remember what question I'd asked. It's the first time he's touched me, and it feels like electricity is buzzing through my veins - and not just my normal charge, but real high voltage electric bolts.

I don't realise it's showing on the outside too until all the lights around us shatter.

I cover my face with my hand in embarrassment, "I'm so sorry, I'm not usually this much of a safety hazard, I swear."

Victor grins, "Come on, trouble, let's get you out of here to somewhere where you can't do as much damage."

He leads me outside and then takes my hand as if it's the most natural thing in the world. My body is still overreacting to my soulfinders touch and I manage to give him an electric shock. I jump away from him, "I'm so sorry! I'm just gunna walk over here..." I positioned myself a good two feet away from him on the sidewalk.

He glared at the space between us, "I'm not sure your gift is as awesome as I first thought."

"I'm really sorry about the lights and the electric shock..." I said, frowning at the floor.

"That's not what I meant." He said, stepping a little closer to me to allow some kids to pass. I can feel the energy buzzing between us already. "If you're reacting this badly to me touching you, how am I going to kiss you?"

I stop walking and look up at him. He comes to stand right in front of me, holding eye contact as he moves closer, leaning down to kiss me. I feel lost in his green eyes, but found at the same time. His lips are only a few inches away from mine when I snap out of it and pull back. I can already feel the electricity zipping through my body ready to burst out at any second, "I don't want to hurt you..."

"You won't." Victor said softly. I shook my head, "Trust me, Ava."

The urge to kiss him is huge, shutting down the rational part of my brain that knows I'm going to end up electrocuting him. I stay still, watching his lips as he moves closer again. Sparks crackle between us and I see him wince as they hit his face.

"No, forget it." I said, taking a few steps back. We were barely an inch apart and I was already hurting him. This was not the best way to start a relationship. "I'm sorry..."

"Ava," He went to take my hand then thought better of it, dropping his arm back to his side, "You have nothing to apologize for."

"It's never usually this bad...my emotions influence it." I explained.

Victor nodded, "Yves is the same. That's my brother - he controls fire but it's got rather out of hand more than a few times. His emotions make it harder to control."

"Those people you were with last night - they were your brothers?" I asked.

Victor nodded, "Trace, Uriel, Will, Xav, Yves, and Zed. Our parents liked to follow a pattern..."

"That makes you third." I observe and he nods, "And the girls?"

"Diamond, Tarryn, Crystal, Phoenix and Sky. They're the soulfinders of four of my brothers." He explained.

"They seem nice." I said.

"You'll meet them." He told me, "Soon. Right now I want to keep you all to myself."

Well, I wasn't going to object to that.

We walk and chat for a while. As we pass a flower stall, Victor plucks a rose from a bouquet, passing the seller a ten dollar bill without even slowing down his pace. He passed it to me, "For you."

"You charmer." I teased, taking the rose and making sure I don't touch his hand whilst doing so.

"Just because we're bound together by destiny, doesn't mean I'm not going to make an effort and 'court' you, as it were." He told me.

"Glad to hear it." I said, twirling the flower in my fingers and bringing it up to my nose to smell it.

"Tell me something about yourself, Ava." Victor said, "I want to know everything."

"There's not a lot to tell really." I said with a shrug, "I live here in Denver. I just started a new job at that restaurant. I don't wanna work there forever, but I haven't quite figured out what I want to do yet."

"Do you live alone?" He asked.

"Uh-huh." I said, "I like my independence."

"I've got an apartment here in Denver too." Victor said. "Used to share with my brother, Trace, but now he and Diamond are married they have their own place. Besides, with the amount of family drama recently I've been living at the house in Wrickenridge most of the time anyway."

"It's nice that your family are so close." I said.

Victor nodded, "What about yours?"

"I'm an only child." I said.

"And your parents?" He enquired.

I stare down at the rose, "I don't really talk to them, we lost contact a few years ago."

"Oh, Ava I'm sorry-"

"Why? I walked out on them and never looked back."

Victor frowned, but didn't press me.

"Besides," I continued, "I've got you now."

"Yes, you have." Victor said, smiling down at me.

~o.O.o~

"You wanna come in?" I asked as we stop outside the door to my apartment. Victor raised his eyebrows and I blushed furiously, "I didn't mean...not like...I wasn't...oh for Christ's sake!"

Victor laughed, "No, I'd better get home."

I smiled up at him, "Good idea."

"Goodnight Ava." He said.

I take a breath and try to clear my mind and emotions, then I stand on tip toes and kiss him quickly on the cheek. The lights above us flicker like crazy, but no one gets hurt so I take that as a win.

"G'night Vick." I said, then I slipped into the apartment and shut the door before anything else could happen.

I smile at the closed door, finding myself happier than I've felt in a long time.

Then I turn around and almost scream.

"Hello, Ava."

Hope you liked the second chapter :) I'll be posting the third chapter later today. Please review and let me know whether it's worth continuing or not! :)