Noir eyed Ray as he walked into the foray. He seemed to be lost in thought. He jumps when she suddenly asks. "Find anything interesting?" Ray shrugs his shoulders. She turns to walk away, but stops. "I see Jamir has disappeared. He following a lead?"

Ray's voice came out in gruff tones giving away his mood. "Possibly. He just took off, but I trust him more than anyone else." Noir turns to face him anger written on her face. Ray holds up his hands not in the mood to fight with her. "Look, he knows what he's doing."

Noir looks away. Her anger had flared at his words, but she didn't understand why. She mumbles a response, as she walks away. "Okay." She hurried away before her emotions gave something away.

Ray sighs. "She runs away once again." He plops down on one of the couches the big room offered.

"She can be hard to understand sometimes, but she means well. " Ray jumps up when he hears Brittany speak. The petite blonds smiled at him. "Thank you for being so patient with her."

Ray nods his head. "If you call arguing with her being patient, than your welcome, I guess." Brittany laughs, and he takes the chance to gather some info. "What happened to make her hate men so much?"

Brittany freezes in place. Ray could see the wheels turning in her head, as she assessed the choices in front of her. "I am not at liberty to tell you," He frowns at her words. "but I will tell you this. Past experiences dictate her actions."

Ray cocks his head to the side. "Anyway you could give me a hint to win her trust."

Brittany laughs again. "Easy. Be trustworthy."

Ray smiles at her words. No wonder Noir worried about her so much. She breathed innocence though something told him some of it was just an act. "Well, now that is tricky."

Brittany cocks her head to the side. "Why's that?"

Ray gets up off the couch to face her. "Worthy is one thing I am not." He starts to walk out of the room, but turns to say one more thing. "Thank you for telling me what you can. Let's keep this conversation between us." He winks in her direction as he leaves. Because if she found out he was digging for info, she might actually kill him.

Noir walks back into the room with a solemn face. Brittany turns to face her friend. "You need to give that poor man a break."

Noir shuffles her feet. Uncomfortable about the way he stirred feelings inside her. He talked about her with a such a gentle tone. Noir sighs, as she locks eyes with her friend. "You know why I can't."

Brittany wags a finger at her friend. "You need to learn to trust people other than Ruth and I."

Noir slams a fist into the wall. Anger rearing it's ugly head again. "Don't you think I want that too, but I can't." Her shoulders slump. "I can't do it. I can't go through that again."

Brittany wraps her arms around Noir. "I know, but I'm asking you to at least get to know him first. Give a chance. Just one. He might surprise you." Noir shakes her head. "Think about it, please." Noir examines her friends face, and nods her head. Brittany just wanted her to be happy. No reason to get mad over that.

Noir pulls away from her friend, and gives her a weak smile. "How's things going with Kyle?"

Brittany instantly becomes red all over. "I..I don't know what you mean."

Noir rolls her eyes. "Your gonna push me about Ray, but won't talk about you and Kyle?"

Brittany pulls her friend down to whisper in her ear. "I know you don't believe in such things, but I think he's my soulmate."

Noir pulls back, and eyes her friend. "Who've been reading those romance novels again, haven't you?"

Brittany puffs out her cheeks in anger. "I happen to like those books. Thank you."

"She may be right though. Soulmates do exist for us paranormal." They both turn to look at Ella. She smiles at them. "Sorry. I over heard your conversation, and thought I might offer an answer for you." She walks over to join them when neither of them protests. "Soulmates are really rare, and most go their whole life's without meeting them." Ella turns to Brittany. "Describe for me what you feel when your with him, if you don't mind."

Brittany looks away, and places a hand on Noir's arm. "Sure. I feel my whole being shift when I see him. A simple touch feels like electricity, and I find myself needing to talk to him or see him." Noir stiffens next to her friend. Shit. That's what happens to her when she sees Ray. NO! I refuse to fall in love like this.

Ella nods her head. "Yap, that's how I felt when I met my husband, too. It never really goes away." She shoots a look a Noir. Obviously noticing her reaction to Brittany's description. "I was frustrated when I found out about the soulmate thing, too. However, now that I have met mine, and took the time to get to know him. Our love is just as real as any other. Probably more so since we were meant to be together."

Noir frowns deeply. "What tells you to believe that? Meant to be. Bullshit."

Ella smiles at her reaction. "Our heightened senses allow us to register things that as humans we were unable to. Smell. Sight. Touch. Hearing. Strength. Speed. Are all enhanced." She places a hand over her heart. "The gene will ignite these senses to announce that your soulmate is near. Some can identify it with a smell. Others just by seeing them for the first time." She places a hand on each of theirs shoulders. "It helps you realize the person capable of understanding you best. Before my husband, I didn't trust no one. Now I have multiple life long friends, a husband who adores me, and a daughter I couldn't imagine not having. I hope one day she will find her soulmate, too."

Noir cocks her head to the side. "So it basically decides for you that your supposed to be with someone. That doesn't exactly sound fair."

Ella frowns at her words. "I think I leave the rest of the explaining to your mentors. They can probably give you better examples than me."

Brittany shakes her head. "No, you explained just fine. Noir has never believed that such things exist, and if they did that she probably didn't have one."

Ella flashes a smile. "Is that so. I know someone else who thinks that way." She pauses for a second for dramatic affect. "Ray." With that she turns to leave the room. "Anytime you guys have any questions about sensitive subjects, don't be afraid to ask me."

Brittany looks at her friend. "See, even she thinks you should give him a shot."

Noir shakes her head. "No, she thinks he's my soulmate."

Brittany jumps up and down while holding Noir's hands. "That's great."

Noir pulls away from her friend. "No, it's not. That is not a reason to fall in love. Just because some supernatural thing tells you to." She walks in the direction of their room. "I'm gonna be in the room. I'll see you later." Noir sighs as she slumps down on her bed. No way was she going to let something or someone dictate who she's with again. Not ever again. She laughs slightly. Though she might be willing to give him a chance, a very small one.