Night World : Secret Vampire Chapter 5

pack dodged as Poppy lobbed a paper anchor book athim. PoppyYou jerk You snake How endure you dothis to me? You spoiled, selfish, immature-Shhh Theyre going to hear you on the wholeow them Here I am, and Ive only frame out that Imgoing to oerstep,and all you can deliberate of is playing a joke on me. A monstrous, unforgivingjoke. I cant believethis. Do youcerebrate thatsfunny?She ran out of breath to rave with.,throng, who had been making quieting motions withhis hands, now gave up and looked toward the room access.Here comes the toy with, he verbalize.Good, and Im going to ask her to throw you out, Poppy tell. Her anger had collapsed, going her near weeping. She had never matt-up so utterly betrayed andaband one and only(a)d. I hate you, you know, she said.The door opened. It was the go down on with the flowered blouse and green scrub pants. Is anything the matter here? she said, play on the light. thereforeshe saw pack. promptly, lets contain you dont look rese mbling family, she said. She was smiling, hardly her portion hadthe pack of authority about to be enforced.Hes non, and I unavoidableness him out of here, Poppy said.The nurse fluffed up Poppys pillows, lay out a gentle hand on her fore draw. solitary(prenominal) family members argon allowed to stay overnight, she said to mob.Poppy stared at the TV and waited for crowd together to go.He didnt. He walked around the bed to stand by the nurse, who looked up at him plot of ground she continuedstraightening Poppys blankets. Then her hands slowed and stopped pathetic.Poppy glanced at her side behaviors in surprise.The nurse was retri andive staring at jam. Hands limpon the blankets, she gazed at him as if she were mesmerized.And James was just staring screening. With the lighton, Poppy couldseeJamess face-and again she had that odd soupcon of not recognizing him. He was verypale and almost stern facial expression, as if he were doing something that required an effort. Hi s jaw was derisory and his eyes-his eyes were the color of silver. Real silver, shining in the light.For some reason, Poppy mind of a starvingpanther.So you see theres nothing wrong here, Jamessaid to the nurse, as if inveterate a conversation theyd been having.The nurse blinked once, because looked around theroom as if shed just awakened from a doze. No,no everythings fine, she said. Call me if She looked briefly distracted again, then murmured, If, um, you sine qua non anything.She walked out. Poppy watched her, forgetting to breathe. Then, slowly, moving only her eyes, she looked at James.I know its a cliche, James said. An over employdemonstration of power. plainly it gets the job done.You set this up with her, Poppy said in a bare whisper.No.Or else its some openhearted of psychic trick. The dreadful Whatshisname.No,James said, and sat down on an orange plastic chair.Then Im going crazy. For the basic cadence that evening Poppy wasnt thinking about her illness. She couldnt think properly about anything her mindwas a whirling, crashing jumble of confusion. She mat a give care Dorothys contribute subsequently it had been picked up by the tornado.Youre not crazy. I probably did this the wrongway I said I didnt know how to explain it. Look, I know how grievous it is for you to believe. My people arrange it that way they do everything they can to go by domain not believing. Their buy the farms depend on it.James, Im sorry I just&8212 Poppy found that herhands were trembling. She shut her eyes. Maybe youd better just-Poppy, look at me.Im telling you the truth. I swear it. He stared at her face a snatch, then let out a breath. Okay. I didnt want to afford to do this, but He s in additiond, leaning close to Poppy. She refused toflinch, but she could feel her eyes widening.Now, look, he said, and his lips skinned mainstayfrom his teeth.A simple action-but the effect was astonishing.Transforming. In that instant he changed from the pale but f airly ordinary James of a moment ago-intosomething Poppy had never seen before. A different species of human being.His eyes flared silver and his inherent face took on a predatory look. tho Poppy scarcely find that she was staring at his teeth. non teeth. Fangs. He had canines like a cats. elongated and curving, ending in delicate, piercing points.They were nothing like the fake vampire fangs soldat novelty stores. They looked very strong and very sharp and very real.Poppy screamed.James clapped a hand over her mouth. We dontwant that nurse fend for in here.When he lifted the hand, Poppy said, Oh, myGod oh, my God. ,All those times whenyousaid I could read yourmind, James said. Remember? And the times when I heard things you didnt hear, or moved scurrying than you could move?Oh. my God.Its true, Poppy. He picked up the orange chairand twisted one of the metallic element legs out of shape. He did it easily, gracefully. Were stronger than humans, he said. He twisted the leg back and give thechair down.We see better in the dark. Were builtfor hunting.Poppy finally managed tocapture an entirethought. I dont mission what youcan do, she saidshrilly. You cant be a vampire. Ive known yousince you were five years old. And youve gottenolder every year, just like me. Explain that.Everything you know is wrong. When she juststared at him, he sighed again and said, Everything you think you know about vampires, youve picked up from books or TV. And its all written by humans, Ill guarantee that. Nobody in the dark World wouldbreak the code of secrecy.The nighttime World. Wheres the Night World?Its not a place. Its like a closed book society-for vampires and witches and werewolves. All the best people. And Ill explain about it later, Jamessaidgrimly. For now-look, its simple. Im a vampire because my parents are vampires. I was naturalthatway. Were the lamia.All Poppy could think of was Mr. and Mrs. Rasmussen with their luxury ranch-style house and their gold Merced es. Your parents?vampire isjust an old word for vampires, but for usit means the ones whore natural that way, James said, ignoring her. Were born and we age like humans-except that we can stop ripening whenever we want. We breathe. We walk around in the daylight. We can even eat regular food.Your parents, Poppy said again faintly.He looked at her. Yeah. My parents. Look, why doyou think my mom does interior decorating? Not because they need the money. She meets a lot of peoplethat way, and so does my dad, the society shrink. It only takes a few present moments alone with somebody, andthe human never remembers it afterward.Poppy shifted uncomfortably. So you, um, drinkpeoples snag, huh? verit fit(a) after everything shed seen, she couldnt say it without half-laughing.James looked at the laces of his Adidas. Yes. Yes,I sure do, he said softly. Then he looked up andmet her gaze directly.His eyes were pure silver.Poppy leaned back against the pile of pillows onher bed. Maybe it was easier to believe him because the unbelievable had already happened to her earliertoday. Reality had already been turned upsidedown-so, honestly, what did one more impossibility matter?Im going to die and my best friend is a tearsucking monster, she thought.The argument was over, and she was out of energy. She and James looked at each new(prenominal) in silence.Okay, she said finally, and it meant everythingshed just realized.I didnt tell you this just to get it off my chest,James said, his interpreter withal muted. I said I could save you, remember?Vaguely. Poppy blinked slowly, then said moresharply, Save me how?His gaze shifted to empty air. The way yourethinking.Jamie, Icantthink anymore.Gently, without looking at her, he put a hand on her shin under the blanket. He shook her leg slightly, a gesture of affection. Im gonna turn you into a vampire, kid.Poppy put both fists to her face and began to cry.Hey. He let go of her shin and put an awkwardarm around her, pulling her t o sit up. Dont do that. Its okay. Its better than the alternative.Youre . . .freaking . . .crazy, Poppy sobbed.Once the tears had started, they flowed too easily she couldnt stop them. There was comfort in crying, and -in being held by James. He felt strong and reliable and he smelled good.You said you had to be born one, she addedblurrily, between sobs.No, I didnt. I said I was born one. There areplenty of the other kind around. Made vampires. There would be more, but theres a law against justmaking any jerk off the street into one.solely I cant.Im just what I am Im me. Icantbe-like that.He put her softly away so he could look into herface. Then youre going to die. You dont sustain any other choice. I checked around-even asked a witch.Theres nothing elseinthe Night World to help you.What it comes down to is Do you want to live ornot?Poppys mind, which had been swamped in confusion again, suddenly fixed on this question. It was like a shoot down light beam in a pitch- char room.D id she want to live?Oh, God, of courseshe did.Until today shed assumed it was her unconditional right to live. She hadnt even been grateful for the privilege. But now she knew it wasnt something totake for granted-and she also knew it was some thing shed fight for.Wake up, Poppy This is the voice of reason calling.He says he can save your liveliness.Wait a minute. Ive got to think, Poppy saidtightly to James. Her tears had stopped. She pushed him away completely and stared fiercely at the white hospital blanket.Okay. Okay. Now get your head straight, girl.You knew James had a secret. So you never imagined it was anything like this, so what? Hes palliate James.He may be some godawful undead fiend, buthe still cares about you. And theres nobody else to help you.She found herself clutching at Jamess hand without looking at him. Whats it like? she said through clenched teeth. Steady and matter-of-fact, he said, Itsdifferent. Its not something Id recommend if there was another choice, but its okay. Youll be sick while your bodys changing, but afterward youll never get any kind of disease again.Youllbestrongandquick-and immortal.Id live forever? But would I be able to stop aging?She had visions of herself as an immortal crone.He grimaced. Poppy-youd stop aging now.Thatswhat happens to made vampires. Essentially, youredying as a mortal. Youll look dead and be unconscious for a while. And thenyoull wake up.I see. Sort of like Juliet in the tomb, Poppythought. And then she thought, Oh, GodMomand Phil.Theres another thing you should know, Jameswas saying. A trustworthy percentage of people dont make it.Dont make it?Through the change. People over twenty almost never do. They dont everwake up. Their bodies cant adjust to the new form and they trend out. Teenagersusually live through it, but not always.Oddly enough, this was comforting to Poppy. Aqualified confide seemed more believable than an absolute one. To live, she would have to take a chance.She looked at Jame s. How do you do it?The traditional way, he said with the ghost of asmile. Then, severely We exchange blood.Oh, great, Poppy thought. And I was afraid of asimple shot. Now Im going to have my blood drawn by fangs. She swallowed and blinked,staring atnothing.Its your choice, Poppy. Its up to you.There was a long pause, and then she said, I want to live, Jamie.He nodded. Itll mean going away from here.Leaving your parents. They cant know.Yeah, I was just realizing that. Sort of like gettinga new identity from the FBI, huh?More than that. Youll be living in a new world,the Night World. And its a nongregarious world, full of secrets.But youll be walking around in it, sooner oflying in the ground. He squeezed her hand. Thenhe said very quietly and seriously, Do you want tostart now?All Poppy could think of to do was shut her eyesand brace herself the way she did for an injection.Im ready, she said through stiff lips.James laughed again-this time as if he couldnthelp it. Then he folded the bed rail down and settled beside her. Im used to people being hypnotized when I do this. Its weird to have you awake.Yeah, well, if I scream you can hypnotize me,Poppy said, not opening her eyes.Relax, she told herself firmly. No matter how muchit hurts, no matter how awful it is, you can deal with it.You haveto. Your life depends on it.Her heart was thumping hard enough to shake her body. sound here, James said, flavouring her throat with modify digits as if seal for a pulse.Just do it, Poppy thought. Get it over with.She could feel inspiration as James leaned close toher, taking her carefully by the shoulders. Every spunk ending in her skin was aware of him. Then she felt cool breath on her throat, and quickly, before she could recoil, a double sting.Those fangs, burying themselves in her flesh. Making two little wounds so he could drink her blood Now its reallygoing to hurt, Poppy thought. Shecouldnt brace herself anymore. Her life was in the hands of a hunter. She was a rabbit trapped in thecoils of a snake, a mouse under the claws of a cat. She didnt feel like Jamess best friend, she felt like tiffin.Poppy, what are you doing? Dont fight it. It hurts whenyou resist.James was speaking to her-but the warm mouthon her throat hadnt moved. The voice was in her head.Im not resisting, Poppy thought. Im just ready forit to hurt, thats all.There was a burn down where his teeth pierced her.She waited for it to get worse-but it didnt.It changed.Oh, Poppy thought.The feeling of heat was actually pleasant. A sensation of release, of giving.And closeness. She and James were getting closerand loser, like two drops of water moving together until they merged.She could sense Jamess mind. His thoughts-andhis feelings. His emotions flowed into her, throughher. Tendernessconcern caring. A cold blackrage at the disease that was threatening her. Despair that there was no other way to help her. And long ing-longing to share with her, to make her happy.Yes, Poppy tho ught.A wave of sweetness made her dizzy. She foundherself groping for Jamesshand, their fingers intertwining.James,she thought with wonder and joy. Her communicating to him a tentative caress.Poppy.She could feel his own surprise and delight.And all the time the dreamy pleasure was building.Making Poppy shiver with its intensity.How could I have been so stupid? Poppy thought. To be afraid of this. It isnt terrible. Its.. . . right. She had never been so close to anybody. It was as if they were one being, together, not predator and prey, but partners in a dance. Poppy-and-James.She could touch his soul. peculiarly enough, he was afraid of that. She couldsense it. Poppy,dont-so many dark things-I dont want you to see Dark, yes, Poppy thought. But not dark and terrible. Dark and lonely. Such utter loneliness. A feeling of not be in either of the two worlds he knew.Not belonging anywhere. Except Suddenly Poppy was seeing an image of herself. Inhis mind she was fragile and graceful, an emeraldeyed liven of the air. A sylph-with a core of puresteel.Im not really like that, she thought. Im not talland beautiful like Jacklyn or Michaela.The words she heard in serve well didnt seem directed toward her-she had the feeling they were something James was thinking to himself, or storage from some long-forgotten book.You dont love a girl because of beauty. You love her because she sings a vocal music only you can understand.With the thought came a strong feeling of protectiveness. So this was how James felt about her-she knew at last. As if she were something precious,something to be protected at all costs.At all costs. No matter what happened to him.Poppy tried to follow the thought deeper into hismind, to find out what it meant. She got an impression of rules-no, laws Poppy, its bad manners to search somebodys mind when youre not invited.The words were tinged with desperation.Poppy pulled back mentally. She hadnt meant topry. She just wanted to help.I know,Jamess thou ght came to her, and with ita rush of warmheartedness and gratitude. Poppy relaxed and simply enjoyed the feeling of oneness with him.I wish it could last forever, she thought-and justthen it stopped. The warmth at her neck disappeared, and James pulled away, straightening.Poppy made a sound of remonstration and tried to draghim back. He wouldnt let her.No-theres something else we have to do, hewhispered. But he didnt do anything else. He just held her, his lips against her forehead. Poppy feltpeaceful and languid.You didnt tell me it would be like that, she said.I didnt know, James said simply. It never hasbeen before.They sat together quietly, with James gently throw her hair.So strange, Poppy thought. Everything is thesame-but everythings different. It was as if shed pulled herself up on dry land after almost drowningin the ocean. The terror that had been pounding inside her all day was gone, and for the first time inher life she felt completely safe.After another minute or so James shook his head,rousing himself.What else do we have to do? Poppy asked.For an answer, James lifted his own wrist to hismouth. He made a quick jerking motion with hishead, as if tearing a striptease of cloth held in his teeth.When he lowered the wrist, Poppy saw blood.It was running in a little stream down his arm. So red it almost didnt look real.Poppy gulped and shook her head.Its not that bad, James said softly. And you have to do it. Without my blood in you, you wont become a vampire when you die, youll just die.Likeany other human victim.And I want to live, Poppy thought. All right, then.Shutting her eyes, she allowed James to guide her head to his wrist.It didnt taste like blood, or at least not like theblood shed tasted when she bit her tongue or put a cut finger in her mouth. It tastedstrange. Richand potent.Like some magic elixir, Poppy thoughtdizzily.Andonce again she felt the touch of Jamess mind. Intoxi cated with the closeness, she kept drinking.Thats right. Youv e got to take a lot,James told her.But his mental voice was weaker than it had been.Instantly Poppy felt a surge of alarm.But what will it do to you?Ill be all right, James said aloud. Its you Imworried about. If you dont get enough, youll bein danger.Well, he was the expert. And Poppy was happy tolet the strange, heady potion keep flowing into her.She basked in the glow that seemed to be lighting herfrom the inside out. She felt so tranquil, so calm. And then, without warning, the calm was shattered. A voice bust into it, a voice full of harshsurprise.What are you doing? the voice said, and Poppylooked up to see Phillip in the doorway.