Neither (The Noctalis Chronicles 3)

Most of the people with that face don't even know me. Some of them say they are sorry to hear, blah, blah, blah. They don't care, really. That sounds bitchy and ungrateful, but it's true. There are only a few people on the planet that really feel for me, and they're already in my life.

I meet Peter and Viktor by my car and see Jamie jogging to his truck as if he's in a huge hurry. Hmm...

“Hey,” I say, pointing to Jamie. “Wonder where he's going.”

“I think it's time for a little recon trip,” Tex says, as we watch Jamie pull out. “Get in, quick, quick!” We all hop in my car, and I slam out of the parking space. I'm no racecar driver, but when you live on the back roads in Maine, you gain certain driving skills. Like being able to drive sixty on a winding back road without crashing.

“Go, go, go!” Tex screams from the backseat. I can't really go fast since we're in the school zone, but as soon as we pass the flashing yellow light, I hit the gas.

“Which way did he go?”

“That way,” Peter says, pointing. “I can hear his truck easily.” It's true. If I really listen, I can hear it.

“Good thinking,” I say, patting his arm.

“Hurry up!” Tex screams as if this is some kind of movie where we're chasing the bad guys.

“Tex, calm down. This isn't a movie, we're not in Italy and Jamie is not a drug dealer we're trying to track down.”

“We could pretend it was,” she says, pouting. I start humming the music from Mission: Impossible under my breath. Tex joins in as we swerve right and left onto more and more rural roads that are filled with larger and holier potholes.

“Where the hell is he going?” At this rate, we're never going to make it back in time, but neither is he.

We're basically in the middle of nowhere when Jamie’s truck stops. Just trees. His truck is tucked into a little pull off that hunters probably use during turkey season. I pull in behind him. No use trying to hide.

As soon as we get out of the car, Helena pops out from behind the trees.

“Found him,” she says with a dimpled grin.

“Yeah, so did we,” I say, pointing to his truck.

“He reeks of her. I've been staying downwind so she can't smell me, but I can smell her. She's new. Just about two weeks old, I'd guess.”

“What does she want with him?” I ask.

Helena smiles.

“What does any girl want with an attractive nice boy?” she says.

“Blood?” I say. She laughs.

“I've been listening to them. Come on,” she says, walking into the woods. I'm freaked out, but Peter takes my hand and sends me soothing vibes so it's tamped down.

“Don't worry, Ava.” God, that's all I do nowadays. I have a lot of things to worry about.

Peter picks me up and Viktor takes Tex on his back so we can move faster than our clumsy human pace. I really hate how I hold Peter back. I wish I could run side by side with him, but that isn't going to happen right now. Making the decision about immortality isn't something to be taken lightly, and I'm not going to do it right now. Not until things are settled with Di.

A hissing sound reaches my ears as we make our way into a little clearing with a giant stump in the middle of it. I see Jamie with a girl about my height with brown hair, wearing a tank top and shorts and crouching in front of him, as if to attack.

She looks pissed.

“He's mine,” she says through gritted teeth. Her voice sounds even younger than she probably is.

“Not really, he's ours,” Tex says as she slides of Viktor's back. “We had him first.”

“Who are you?” she growls. Jamie meets my eyes for half a second before he looks away.

Tex smiles sweetly. “I'm Tex, and this is Ava, and we're Jamie's best friends. Who the hell are you?”

“Brooke.” Aha. So this is Brooke. What are the freaking chances that Jamie would run into a noctalis? Like a bazillion to one, that's what.

“I knew it!” Tex shrieks right in my ear. She really needs to learn to control her volume.

Jamie looks at us, terrified. “Tex, Ava. I can explain.” He doesn't ask us why we followed him, or how we knew where he was.

“What have you told him?” I ask Brooke.

She raises her chin and meets his eyes for a second. “He knows everything.”

The bottom drops out of my stomach. “Everything?”

“Brooke is...” Jamie starts to say. Like we don't know. We should have told him, but she got to him first.

“A noctalis,” Tex and I say at the same time. “So are they,” Tex says, jabbing her thumb at Peter, Viktor and Helena, collectively.

“What?” Only Jamie looks shocked. “They are?”

“You didn't notice?” Tex says.

He shakes his head. “I just thought they were... I don't know. Weird.”

I snort. Understatement, Jamie.

“Try not human. So I guess you know about everything then,” Tex says.

“Why didn't you tell me?” I say. His fists bunch up and I see a flash of anger, and something else. Betrayal. “I can't believe you wouldn't tell me, Ava. You, of all people.”

“I'm sorry. I just didn't know how to say it.” God, I'm going to cry again. Stupid tears.

“You didn't even try. And you, too?” He glares at Tex. For once she doesn't have a snappy response and has the sense to look guilty.

“It just kind of happened,” she says.

“So you told Tex, but not me. I can't believe you, Ava.” Everyone's attention is focused on the three humans.

“I'm sorry,” I say, tears spilling over my face. Jamie and I have never had a fight like this. Never. The clearing is silent, and no one wants to break it.

“Just tell me one thing,” Jamie says, “have you given him your blood?”

“Yes,” I say, because I'm not lying.

“He Claimed her. That one, too,” Brooke says. Thanks.

“Claimed? What does that mean?” Jamie says, looking around for an answer.

“It's complicated,” I say. “I don't have enough time to explain it now. We need to get back to school.”

“You can go, I'm staying here,” Jamie says, looking at Brooke. I see that face again. The one that looks like he's been bonked on the head. He's got it bad. Just what we need. Another immortal.

“Why don't you go back to school while Brooke and I have a little chat?”

“I'm not leaving her,” Jamie says, moving to stand in front of Brooke. As if he can protect her. That's what Jamie does. He's a protector.