Night World : Secret Vampire Chapter 1

It was on the first day of summer vacation that Poppy found out she was going to die.It happened on Monday, the first true day of vacation (the weekend didnt count). Poppy woke up feeling gloriously weightless and theme, No school. Sunlight was stream in the window, turning the sheer hangings around her bed filmy gold. Poppy pushed them aside and jumped out of bed and winced.Ouch. That chafe in her stomach again.-Sort of a gnawing, as if something were immerseing its way toward her back. It helped a little if she bent over.No, Poppy cerebration. I refuse to be sick during summer vacation. I refuse. A little power of positive image process is whats needed here.Grimly, doubled over-think positive, idiot-she do her way down the hall to the turquoise-and gold-tiled bathroom. At first she thought she was going to throw up, but thus the pain eased as suddenly as it had come. Poppy straightened and regarded her dishevel reflection triumphantly.Stick with me, kid, and youll be fin e, she whispered to it, and gave a conspiratorial wink. Then she leaned forward, seeing her own kB eyes narrow in suspicion. There on her nose were four freckles.Four anda half, if she were completely h unmatchedst, which Poppy northeast usually was. How childish, how-cutePoppy stuck her tongue out at herself and then turned away with great dignity, without bothering to comb the loco coppery curls that clustered over her head.She maintained the dignity until she got to the kitchen, where Phillip, her twin brother, was eating Special K. Then she narrow her eyes again, this time at him. It was bad enough to be small, slight, and curly-hairedto look, in fact, as much give care an elf as anything shed ever seen sitting on a buttercup in a childrens effigy bookhut to have a twin who was tall, Viking-blond, and classically handsome .. well, that just showed a original deliberate malice in the makeup of the universe, didnt it?Hello, Phillip, she say in a voice heavy with menace.Phil lip, who was utilise to his sisters moods, was unimpressed. He lifted his gaze from the comic section of the L.A. Times for a moment. Poppy had to admit that he had decorous eyes questing green eyes with very dark lashes. They were the only thing the twins had in common.Phillip said flatly, and went back to the comics. Not many kids Poppy knew read the newspaper, but that was Phil all over. Like Poppy, hed been a junior at El Camino High last year, and unlike Poppy, hed made straight As while starring on the football game team, the hockey team, and the baseball team. Also serving as class president One of Poppys greatest joys in life was teasing him. She thought he was too straitlaced.Just now she giggled and shrugged, giving up the minatory look. Wheres Cliff and Mom? Cliff Hilgard was their stepfather of three years and even straighter-laced than Phil.Cliffs at work. Moms getting dressed. Youd better eat something or shell get on your case.Yeah, yeah Poppy went on tiptoe to r ummage through a cupboard. finding a box of Frosted Flakes, she thrust a hand in and delicately pulled out one flake. She ate it dry.It wasnt all bad organism short and elfin. She did a few dance steps to the refrigerator, shiver the cereal box in rhythm.Im a sex pixie she sang, giving it a footstomping rhythm.No, youre not, Phillip said with destroy calm. And why dont you put some clothes on?Holding the refrigerator door open, Poppy looked down at herself. She was wearing the oversize T-shirt shed slept in. It covered her like a , minidress. This isclothes, she said serenely, pickings a diet Coke from the fridge.There was a knock at the kitchen door. Poppy saw who it was through the screen.Hi, James Cmon in.James Rasmussen came in, taking off his wraparound Ray-Bans. Looking at him, Poppy felt apang-as always. It didnt matter that she had seenhim every day, practically, for the past ten years. Shestill felt a quick sharp throb in her chest, somewherebetween sweetness and pain , when first confronted with him every morning.It wasnt just his outlaw broad(a) looks, which alwaysreminded her vaguely of James Dean. He had silky light brown hair, a subtle, intelligent face, and grayeyes that were alternately enthusiastic and cool. He was the handsomest boy at El Camino High, but that wasnt it, that wasnt what Poppy responded to. It was something insidehim, something mysterious andcompelling and always just out of reach. It made her heart beat fast and her skin tingle.Phillip felt differently. As soon as James came in, he stiffened and his face went cold. Electric dislike flashed between the two boys.Then James smiled faintly, as if Phillips reactionamused him.Hi.Hi,Phil said, not dissolve in the to the lowest degree. Poppyhad the strong sense that hed like to bundle herup and rush her out of the room. Phillip alwaysoverdid the protective-brother bit when James wasaround. So hows Jacklyn and Michaela? headded nastily.James considered. Well, I dont really kno w.You dont know?Oh, yeah, you always drop yourgirlfriends just before summer vacation. Leaves you broad to maneuver, right?Of course, James said blandly. He smiled.Phillip glared at him with unabashed hatred.Poppy, for her part, was seized by joy. Goodbye, Jacklyn goodbye Michaela. Goodbye to Jacklyns comely long legs and Michaelas amazing pneumatic chest. This was going to be a wonderful summer. Many people thought Poppy and Jamess relationship platonic. This wasnt true. Poppy had known for years that she was going to marry him. It was one of her two great ambitions, the other being to see the world. She just hadnt gotten around to informing James yet. Right now he still thought he liked long-legged girls with salon fingernails and Italian pumps.Is that a new CD? she said, to distract him fromhis survey out with his future brother-in-law.James hefted it. Its the new Ethnotechno release.Poppy cheered. More Tuva throat singers-I cant wait. Lets go listen to it.But just then her mo ther walked in. Poppys mother was cool, blond,and perfect, like an Alfred Hitchcock heroine. Shenormally wore an expression of effortless efficiency. Poppy, heading out of the kitchen, nearlyran into her.Sorry-morningHold on a minute, Poppys mother said, gettinghold of Poppy by the back of her T-shirt. Goodmorning, Phil good morning, James, she added.Phil said good morning and James nodded, ironically polite.Has everybody had breakfast? Poppys motherasked, and when the boys said they had, she looked at her daughter. And what about you? she asked,gazing into Poppys face.Poppy rattled the Frosted Flakes box and hermother winced. Why dont you at least put milkon them?Better this way, Poppy said firmly, but when hermother gave her a little push toward the refrigerator, she went and got a quart cartonful of lowfat milk.What are you planning to do with your first day of freedom? her mother said, glancing from James to Poppy.Oh, I dont know. Poppy looked at James. Listen to some music may be go up to the hills? Or drive to the beach? whatsoever you want, James said. Weve got allsummer.The summer stretched out in front of Poppy, hotand golden and resplendent. It smelled like pool chlo rine and sea common salt it felt like warm grass under her back. Three whole months, she thought. Thats forever. Three months is forever.It was strange that she was truly thinking thiswhen it happened.We could check out the new shops at the Village was beginning, when suddenly the painstruck and her breath caught in her throat.It was bad-a deep, kink burst of agony thatmade her double over. The milk carton flew fromher fingers and everything went gray.