Neither by Chelsea M. Cameron Page B

off in space or lost in thought. I even have Peter over a few times, and he doesn't even seem to notice. I vacillate between being relieved and worried about him. Aj emails me a bunch of times, asking when a good time for her to come up would be. I tell her Sunday, because the big meeting with Kamir and Rasha is on Saturday and I really don't want those two things to collide. Keep 'em separate, that's my motto.
    All in all, it is a stressful week.
    Friday night comes, and Tex and I decide it's time for Jamie to meet the boys, as we have come to call them. Noctali. Whatever. We ambush him Friday afternoon with plans to go to the movies that night. There's an action movie that Tex and I are all over, even though it's considered a dude movie. We figure it will appeal to all, so Tex and I double-team him and convince him to come with us.
    “As long as it's not Dirty Dancing,” he says, glaring at Tex. Her face goes bright red and without warning she slugs him in the face.
    He grabs his cheek and doubles over. “What the hell, Tex? What was that for?”
    “Oh my God,” I say, going to see if Jamie's okay. Tex stands there, looking at her hands as if she's never seen them before. Shit.
    “I'm so sorry! I don't know — I have no idea what happened. I was angry and then —” She shakes her head, as if trying to erase it like an Etch-A-Sketch.
    “Are you okay? Let me see,” I say to Jamie, trying to get him to stop holding his face.
    Luckily, we're hanging out in the parking lot and there aren't a lot of people around. If we'd been at lunch, Tex would have gotten hauled to the Head Office. As it is, there are a few people rubbernecking. I glare at them and they go about their business. Stupid nosy idiots.
    Jamie turns his face up and I see that she got him right on the cheek. That angry red mark is going to turn into a lovely bruise soon.
    “We should put some ice on it.” He flinches as my fingers prod the spot.
    “No, I'm fine. I've dealt with a punch to the face before. It's fine.” Jamie shakes his head, too.
    “Jamie?” Tex holds out her hands as if she's begging. Tears run down her face and she starts to fall. Before I can catch her, Viktor is there, coming out from behind a car at lightning speed.
    “You're fine. It will be okay.” They sound like words he learned somewhere else, and not like things Viktor would say. They sound odd with his accent.
    “What did I do?” Tex sobs, turning to put her face in Viktor's chest. He holds her close, whispering in her hair.
    “Where did you come from?” Jamie says.
    Oh, dear. Jamie would have to be blind not to have seen how fast Viktor moved. This kept getting stickier and stickier. We should just tell him what is up and get on with it. Tex and my mother took it well.
    “I was just coming to meet Tex,” Viktor says, not really answering the question.
    Jamie works his jaw, wincing. He's still looking at Viktor as if he knows something is up, but isn't sure if it is his mind playing tricks on him.
    Tex is still mumbling into Viktor’s chest. She turns her head.
    “I'm sorry, Jamie.”
    “Geez, I guess I just know not to insult that movie anymore. I didn't know you were so passionate about it.”
    “I really like Patrick Swayze,” she says, as if that explains it. She and I need to have a chat ASAP. I'd told her about my experiences with the Claiming and how my emotions were all over the place. Guess she didn't really believe me until it happened to her.
    “I've gotta get home, but I'll, uh, see you later.” Jamie makes a hasty exit.
    “We're going to have to tell him,” I say as Peter emerges from the woods. It's a good thing he hadn't come out earlier or Jamie would have been even more suspicious.
    “I don't think he's going to take it well,” Tex says, wiping her tears. “I can't believe I punched him. What is wrong with me?”
    “You have two people's emotions in your head. When you get upset it makes Viktor upset, which then makes you more upset.