Chapter Three

"Ava." Damon said, standing up to greet me.

"What are you doing here, Damon?" I asked, glancing at the door and wondering if it was too late to run after Victor. I shook my head; I could handle Damon.

"I see you found your soulfinder." Damon commented.

I glowered, "I told you to stop spying on me."

"I can't help it, my gift comes naturally to me." Damon said with a shrug.

"You can't just turn up here whenever you want." I told him, "How did you even get in here?"

Damon just smirked, "I've missed you, Ava."

"Can't say it's mutual." I said, crossing into the kitchen and turning on the coffee machine.

"I'm sorry to say this isn't just a friendly visit." Damon said.

"It never is." I retorted.

"I found out something about our family that I think you'll find interesting." He told me.

"I don't want to hear it, Damon. I'm not part of that family anymore."

"Don't be a brat, Ava. You're going to want to hear this."

"No. I don't."

There's a knock at the door.

I cross to it and open it. It's Victor.

"Ava, I forgot to tell you-" He paused as he looked into the apartment behind me, "Who's that?"

I glance at Damon, "My cousin. He's just leaving."

Damon eyed up Victor and obviously decided it wasn't worth arguing in front of him, "Yeah." As he passed me he paused and looked down at me, "We need to talk about this. It's serious."

"Goodbye, Damon." I said pointedly.

He sighed and left, Victor stepping out of the way to let him through. Then Victor turned to me, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine," I said, running a hand through my hair, "I just don't like being reminded of my family and Damon loves to do just that...what did you stop by for?"

"I wanted to give you my address in case you need me." Victor said, handing me a slip of paper with the address of both his apartment in Denver and the family house in Wrickenridge.

"Thanks." I said, still a little distracted by my cousin's visit. I hadn't seen Damon in years and I'd wanted to keep it that way.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Victor asked, "I can stay if you-"

I cut him off with an over-enthusiastic laugh, "Nice try, you aren't getting me that easy."

"I didn't mean-"

"I know. I was joking."

"Oh. So do you want me to stay?"

"No it's cool." I said, suddenly feeling awkward even though Victor should be the last person I feel awkward around.

Victor leaves and I slump down on the sofa. I get a text from Damon;

-(We need to meet.)-

I glare at the phone as I stab out a reply.

-(Leave me alone.)-

-(Ava.)-

I rolled my eyes. As if simply stating my name was going to change my mind. Another text came through.

-(Your parents don't know I'm talking to you.)-

That was a little intriguing. When Damon had turned up I'd assumed it was my parents that had sent him, but if Damon was to be believed then that wasn't the case.

Even so, I didn't want anything to do with it.

-(Go. away.)-

-(We are going to have this conversation one way or another Ava. Don't say I didn't warn you.)-

~o.O.o~

The next day I woke up to a text from Victor asking me to meet him. I'd forgotten the awkwardness from yesterday and happiness bubbled inside of me.

I text him back that I would and an hour later I was sat by the fountain in the square waiting for him.

#Ava#

I jump slightly. Having someone in my head is so rare for me. I like it, because it's Victor, but it's also weird.

I turn around but I can't see him.

#Where are you?#

I turn back around and find him right in front of me. I frown at his smirk, "You shouldn't sneak up on people."

He smiled and offered me a hand. I take it tentatively and find to my relief that my gift is under control. We start walking down the high street, hand in hand. It's nice, feeling this close to someone. Even nicer because it's Victor.

"Where are we going?" I asked cheerfully.

"Well, as the only thing I really know about you is that you have a mild addiction to coffee," he said with a wink, "I thought we'd go to a coffee shop."

"Good plan."

When we get to the entrance of the shop, Victor stops and turns to me, "I want you to promise you won't blow the place up."

"You know I can't do that, Vick." I told him with an innocent smile.

"Perhaps we should order to go," He said, "I'm not sure my conscience could take it."

"I'll be good." I said, rolling my eyes and pulling him through the door, "Come on."

We sat down near the back. He took his coffee black, I noted. A vast contrast to my sweet and milky flavoured lattes and mochas.

"How's the family reunion?" I asked, stirring the cream on the top of my drink.

"It's great to see everyone again." Victor said, "We've all ended up in different parts of the world, what with soulfinders being scattered around."

"Only five of you have found soulfinders?" I asked, thinking back to the five girls who had been at the restaurant.

"Six." Victor said, smiling at me. I smiled back, "Only Will left now."

"I can't imagine that many savants in one house." I said.

"Well, we've got two more on the way this evening. Misty, Crystal and Diamonds niece, and her soulfinders Alex." Victor said, "You should come to Wrickenridge so you can meet them all." He must have sensed my nervousness at that idea, because he added, "Don't worry, they're all nice, if a little crazy."

I shook my head, "I'm just not used to being around savants. Even telepathy is weird for me, so being around sixteen savants is going to be...interesting."

"Sky will love you then." Victor said, "She didn't even know she was a savant until she met Zed."

The whole family seemed so interesting, my mind was a mix of curiosity and nerves at the thought of meeting then. Conversation drifted, and I started to learn more about Victor. His favourite colour was blue like, he said, the colour of my eyes. He followed football but wasn't really into any other sport. He had travelled to pretty much every country I could name, mostly due to work. The more I found out about him, the more opposite we seemed. I much preferred the colour red, I liked baseball and I'd never been further than a state away from where I was born.

Victor's phone rang, and when he saw it was his brother, Uriel, he apologised and said he had to take it.

"Hello, Uriel." He said, then paused to listen, "I'm with Ava...Can't Trace...I see...okay...okay, tell her I'll be there soon...Goodbye."

He turned back to me. "Ava, I'm so sorry. Misty's flight has got in early and they need picking up from the airport. She said she'd wait, but Alex said she's a little out of control; fear of heights got her a little bit panicked on the flight. I'd better pick them up before disaster strikes. Would you like to come with me?"

I didn't want to say goodbye yet, so I nodded, "What do you mean out of control?"

Victor laughed, "You'll see."

~o.O.o~

Victor had a nice car. It was all sleek and black with blacked out windows and high tech gadgets inside. He patiently told me what each thing did when I pointed to it.

"I'm impressed." I told him, "What does this do?"

"That's the ejector seat." He said, grabbing my hand before I push it.

I stared at him, "No way."

"Yep." He said. I stared at him until I saw his mouth twitch.

"Liar." I accused.

He grinned, "You shouldn't be so gullible."

We arrived at the airport and found the two teenagers stood outside, mouths locked together. Victor beeped the horn and the girl, Misty I assume, sprung away from the boy, Alex.

"Victor." I scolded gently, looking at Misty's blush. "That was mean."

He got out and helped them put their luggage in the trunk, then they all got into the car.

"Hi Ava." Misty said.

I frowned at Victor, who shrugged, "Word travels fast in our family."

"Hello Misty, Alex." I greeted in return, "Good flight?"

"Awful." Misty said bluntly.

"Fear of heights." Alex explained, "We shouldn't have put her in the window seat."

"Thank you for picking us up Victor." Misty said.

"How bad was your control?" Victor asked.

"A fight broke out after a woman confessed she was sleeping with her fiancee's best man in front of the whole wedding party." Alex said.

"It was embarrassing." Misty said. For my benefit, she added, "Losing control over my gift makes people around me tell the truth."

"Losing control over mine causes electrical hazards." I admitted, feeling that I won on the awkward gift side of things.

It took me a while to realise where we were going. I should have figured it out as soon as Victor told me we were picking Misty and Alex up.

"Are we going to your parents house?" I asked, looking at Victor across the console.

"Yes." He answered without taking his eyes from the road.

"Vick..." I rubbed my fingers together, something I'd always done when I was nervous.

"They'll love you, Ava." He said.

"I'm not good at families." I said, "I never was. They don't like me."

"I promise mine will like you." He said.

I scratched at my arm, "How can they when even my own family don't?"

I blink at my honesty, then Misty apologized from the backseat.

Victor took a hand off the wheel and reached for mine across the car. I let him take it but he immediately flinched at the electric spark I shot into his arm so I snatched it back.

We sat in silence for a moment. I'm upset and frustrated and nervous. I think Victor is frustrated too because he doesn't say anything. We pass a sign that announces our arrival in Wrickenridge and soon we are pulling up outside a large house in the middle of the forest.

Misty and Alex jump out and go inside, leaving me and Vick in the car alone.

"Ava..." Victor began. I don't want him to feel bad. I hate feeling upset but I hate people knowing I'm upset even more.

I unbuckled my seatbelt, taking a breath to calm my nerves. "I hope your mother isn't attached to any of her light fixtures."

A/N: Thanks for the reviews I've got so far the response seems to be good. Please keep letting me know with reviews as the response to this chapter will decide whether I continue or not. If I do continue, the next chapter will be up soon :)