Matt kept saying he hated the powers because they put Vic in danger. To be completely honest, Vic never thought of them in that way. The powers were a nuisance, sure, and he’d give them up in an instant if that was what Matt wanted, but he didn’t really think they’d kill him. He never went out of his way to do stupid, heroic things—he reacted without thought, trusting in himself and the powers he used to help others. Trusting in Matt, and knowing the powers were an extension of his lover’s feelings for him. How could Vic get hurt when he felt Matt’s love flare in his muscles or swirl through his veins? The powers protected him, Vic thought. In all the years they’d been together, he’d never once used them in a way that deliberately put him in danger. While he knew he wasn’t invincible—far f
