Neither (The Noctalis Chronicles 3)

“She's okay.”

“How are you dealing?”

“Well, it seems as if every teacher has decided to give me a pity pass on my finals,” I say, rolling my eyes.

“Shut up.”

“It's true.”

“Not fair.”

Is she kidding? “Uh, Tex?”

Her eyes fly wide as she realizes her mistake. “Crap, sorry. That was mean.” She comes over to give me a hug. “I'm not good at being sensitive.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Hey! I'm getting better.”

I glance at Peter, and he and Viktor are watching our interaction like we're interesting animals in a zoo.

“Hey, don't stare. It's rude,” Tex snaps.

“I was not staring. I was studying the fascinating behavior of the American teenage girl,” Viktor says.

“Haha.”

Tex lets me go and we sit down on the grass again. “I'm still worried about Jamie. He's never been this mad at me,” I say.

“He'll get over it,” Tex says. That doesn't help.

“Remember how I wanted to get his truck painted? I should do that.”

“Do you have the money for that?”

“Not really.”

“I do,” Viktor says.

“What?” Tex and I say at the same time.

“I sell things online. It is a steady stream of income for when I need it.”

“Why is this the first I'm hearing of it?” Tex says, getting up and standing right in his face.

“I didn't think you'd care about something so trivial.” That makes Tex back down.

“Well, I don't. Um, it just would have been good to know. I guess. Not that I would care about something like that. Like, at all.” Subtle, Tex. Real subtle.

“If you want some of it, you can have it,” he says.

Tex backpedals. “I'm not asking for your money. I was just curious.”

I turn my attention back to Viktor. “It's pretty expensive. Are you sure about that?” I have most of the money, but I could use a couple hundred more. I'm fishing to see how much he's got. I mean Peter's got crap in his trunk that would fetch thousands of dollars at auction. Still, it would be interesting to know just how much.

“You can have what you need. I don't have much use for it.”

“Wow, Viktor, thanks. I really appreciate that. It means a lot.”

“What a nice boy you are,” Tex says, smiling at him. She tips her face up as if she's asking for a kiss. He leans his face down, as if he's considering it. Wow, that was fast. I give Peter a look and he blinks. Meh, I guess it was bound to happen.

“Well, I need to get to bed,” I say, giving a fake yawn. I put my arms up and Peter takes me into his arms for the trip back through my window.

“See you tomorrow,” Tex says, not looking away from Viktor.

“Okay,” I say, shaking my head.

***

“Love is in the air,” I say when we're back in my room. “Has everyone taken love drugs?”

“It would appear that way.”

“So can you help me with Jamie? I really want to do this for him. Sort of as an apology.”

“You don't need to apologize, but yes, I will help you. Just tell me what I need to do.”

“I need you to take me to his house so we can commandeer it.”

“I can do that.”

“Cool.” I leave the window open, letting in the cool night air. “You're a lifesaver.”

“Not really.”

“Haha. You're funny tonight.”

“I try.”

“You win.”

“I do,” he says, kissing me.

Seventeen

Peter

The rest of the week is uneventful, which is a nice break for Ava. She has been so stressed with everything; it is good to give her some time to be human. Her teachers compile all her schoolwork for the rest of the year, and I start helping her with it.

Helena continues to watch Jamie and Brooke. Every night she comes to give us a report, but all they do is spend time together and talk. They are aware that Helena is following them, but seem unperturbed by it. Helena comes to see me again, and we agree that the Di plan will be on hold until the Brooke situation becomes clearer.

Ava and her father plan a trip to visit Claire's childhood home for that Sunday, and the appointment for Jamie's truck is on Saturday. Texas gets in on the plan, offering to distract Jamie. I am not sure how she means to go about that, but she assures us that she can do it.

“I'm really good at distractions. Trust me.”

“Okay, if you say so,” Ava says. She has tried to call him several times and talk to him at school, but he is still angry.

“I hope this will help,” she says on Friday night. I am having a date with her on the couch, watching a movie from the 1980s called Stand By Me. “This is Jamie's favorite movie. Even though he'd never admit it in public. He has to be all manly and say some action movie.”

“He'll come back to you.”

“I've been thinking,” she says, looking up at me through her lashes. “Could you talk to him? I've tried and it hasn't worked, but maybe if you did?”

“I will try for you.” I am not sure it will do any good, but if she wants me to talk to him, I will talk to him.

“Do you want to go tomorrow?”

“Well, I thought we could do it when we return his car. I hope he doesn't call the cops or anything. I hope Tex's distraction works. Whatever it is,” Ava says.

“It will probably be something spectacular. She doesn't do anything by halves,” I say.

“No, she doesn't.” I have rarely seen a human who went full steam ahead like her. I would not want to be her Claimed. It would require a lot of emotion absorbing.

“So you'll do it?”

“Of course.”

“Thanks, baby.” She kisses my cheek. She is more open with endearments when her parents are around. I like it when she calls me by them.

“You're welcome, baby.” I kiss her back.

“Hey now,” Claire says from the kitchen. For a human, she certainly has good intuition about when her daughter's lips are on mine.

“We're just kissing,” Ava calls. “Tell her, Peter.”

“We are kissing,” I say.

“Let me see your hands,” she says. Ava and I raise our hands in the air. “Okay, okay. I just have to do my mom thing.”

Ava laughs and settles against my chest, and we lose ourselves in the movie again.

The next morning Ava gets into her car to pick me up for a date. She tells her mother that we are hanging out with Jamie. Her aunt Jenny is coming over that evening for dinner, so Claire reminds her to be back by then and to invite me. The last time I met her aunt was interesting. I'm not sure if I am looking forward to it or not.