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    Night World
    Night World
    Night World
    Ebook231 pages3 hours

    Night World

    By L. J. Smith

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    The first book in L.J. Smith’s beloved Night World series is now available as a special collector’s edition!

    The pain was something Poppy couldn’t ignore. The diagnosis was death. There was no hope—until James appeared in the darkened hospital room.

    James, her best friend and secret love, the most handsome boy in El Camino High. But this was a James she didn’t know, menacing yet irresistible as he offered Poppy the gift of eternal life.

    Only he could open the door to the Night World, and spirit her into its lonely, secret universe.

    One dizzying kiss and she can see into his soul. She finds that he has always loved her. They’re soul mates—but can she follow him into death and beyond? It’s a desperate choice, and Poppy’s time is running out...
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon Pulse
    Release dateDec 6, 2016
    ISBN9781481479639
    Night World
    Author

    L. J. Smith

    L. J. Smith has written over two dozen books for young adults, including The Vampire Diaries, now a hit TV show. She has also written the bestselling Night World series and The Forbidden Game, as well as the #1 New York Times bestselling Dark Visions. She loves to walk the trails and beaches in Point Reyes, California, daydreaming about her latest book.

    Read more from L. J. Smith

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    Reviews for Night World

    4/5

    584 ratings36 reviews

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    • 4/5
      These stories were awesome, the imagery was stunning, the only thing wrong with it was how short they were.
    • 3/5
      Skipped a lot. Got to the end. Ended how I expected..how it got there, not all the way sure..but I just had to get to the end..Thats why I dont like 3 in one books. I like mine individual!

      SECRET VAMPIRE" 5/5

      DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS: 4.5/5

      SPELLBOUND: 3.5/5
    • 3/5
      I was looking forward to another series of books on the supernatural but felt slightly cheated when i found out that these books are all short stories. Now, don't get me wrong, the stories are good, very imaginative and keep you flipping the page, BUT if you are a person who likes closure, mmmmmm, not so much the books for you. I was left wanting more, i wanted to find out what happened after, the endings felt rushed and left me expecting more.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this trio of books/short stories.They are all sort of love stories that have a common thread that being the Soul Mate Principle.But in the Night World inhabitants are not allowed to fall in love with humans and of course that is what happens in these stories.I found them all enjoyable but Spellbinder was my favorite.
    • 2/5
      LJ Smith's Secret Circle trilogy is possibly one of my favourite series of books ever. It helped me get through my teen years. I have also read the lesser-known Heart of Valor and Night of the Soulstice books and adored them. Therefore I was very shocked to be as disappointed in this series as I was. I had to put it down and it took me much longer to read through the three books in this volume than it should have. Each story seemed to be exactly the same with only the character's names changed (and of course, each "type" of Night World creature). Very sad. I don't think I will be reading the next volumes of this series.
    • 4/5
      I first read these in middle school, but they've been out of print for the last decade or so and I've missed them. If you're looking for fun ya vampire/supernatural romances, you can't go wrong with L.J. Smith.
    • 4/5
      I've wanted to read The Night World series for the longest time which is why i was really excited when my grandpa surprised me with it. I love bind-ups which is why i wanted to read the bind-ups instead of the single books. So anyways i really liked the plot behind all three books. The first book is about a girl named Poppy and her best friend James. She's just a normal guy and she's a vampire and it's against the rules for a person of the Night World to fall in love with or tell a human about the night world. James never plans to tell Poppy about it but she gets cancer and he's the only one that can save her. Thats all i can about the first book without giving spoilers =) So anyways i really liked Poppy's character because she was strong but she had the right amount of emotion in her. My favorite character in the first book though was Poppy's brother Phil. The reason why i liked him the most is because he was such a caring and loving brother. Most of the time brothers are annoying and rude but Phil was always looking out for her. I sometimes think that he was always watching her over her because they're twins and they have like a twin thing. Overall though the first book was really interesting and i liked reading about Poppy's story i hope that theres more about her in the next book.The second book is about a character who appears in the first book and his name is Ash. He has three sisters who are vampires just like him. The three girls don't like the place they're living in so they decide to go live with there Aunt in a farm basically in the middle of nowhere. When they get there they find there aunt dead and they decide to bury her so no one will find out. But little do they know while they are burying her they are being watched by someone who is going to cause a lot of problems for them. Mary-Lynnette was watching these three girls from her bedroom window she knew they were burying something but she couldn't figure out what. After that night Mary-Lynnette becomes curious and it all goes down hill from there. In this book my favorite characters were Mark and Ash. Mark because he was so sweet and innocent and he just wanted to be with Jade even if she is a vampire. Ash i liked him because he was a bad guy who thought of humans as vermin until he meets Mary-Lynnette. The second book is really entertaining so i highly suggest it to you =)The third and final book in the first book of the night word series is about two cousins who are witches named Blaise and Thea who are pretty troubled. They're both orphans and they need to stop getting in trouble because if they don't they'll be shipped off to a place where they don't want to go. Unfortunately though as soon as they get to the new school Thea falls in love which is you know fatal in the night word, and that is the whole problem that goes on in the third book. I love Thea and Eric they're such a good a sweet couple. I really shouldn't say any more then that but the two of them are so sweet together even though they don't acknowledge it at first. I wasn't to fond of Blaise but i did love Thea because she fell and love and she gave into it. I hate the girls that fall in love but they don't do anything about it for many stupid reasons but i can't stand those girls in books because they just make me want to scream =) Anyways i really enjoyed this book and L.J. Smith never fails to amaze me! flag
    • 5/5
      Smith, L.J. Night World No.1 is the best and interesting book in the series. There are 3 different stories in the book, Secret Vampire, Daughters of Darkness and Spellbinder, with one thing in common: all the main characters fall in love and find their soulmates.What would you do if your best friend was a vampire? In Secret Vampire, Poppy, an ordinary girl, who's been having some pain in the stomach, finds out she has cancer that can't be cured. James, Poppy's childhood friend, who happens to be a vampire wants to help her. But the only way to, is by turning Poppy into a vampire. Poppy has only two options, either she dies and loses her life or give up everything she's got and relive her life with James as a vampire.Daughters of Darkness is about three vampire sisters, Rowan, Kestrel and Jade running off to their aunt's house, only to find their aunt Opal has been staked and killed. Meanwhile, Mary Lynnette, aunt Opal's neighbour, sees some suspicious things at aunt Opal's house, like aunt Opal's nieces burying something in the backyard late at night. Mary Lynnette decides to snoop around the house and soon realizes they're vampires. The vampire sisters must kill them, but instead they do a blood tie to say they will keep the secret. Ash who has been sent to bring back his sisters, meets Mary Lynnette and they instantly hate each other, and they realize they're soulmates. Will Mary Lynnette and Ash learn to accept their fate or face some serious problems?In Spellbinder, Thea, one of the last generation of witches faces another high school after her sister, Blaise cause another problem with her magic. On her first day, Thea meets Eric who falls in love with her after she heals him from a snake bite.The problem gets even worse when Thea accidentally releases an angry spirit when she was making a potion to stop Blaise from hurting Eric because he chose Thea over Blaise. The only way to return the spirit back where it belongs, is with Eric's(who happens to be her soulmate) help and some magic.The Night World law for all three stories is never tell a human about the Night World and never fall in love with a human. In all three stories the main characters broke the law for love.My favourite one is Daughters of Darkness. I liked it because Ash caused a lot of problems until he met Mary Lynnette, then he found out he really cared about someone and was going to stop causing problems just for her. Mary Lynnette is not like any other girls, when she first met Ash she felt something weird when she shook his hand, like an electric shock, and kicked him in the shins, which was kind of funny. The ending was good but i wished they told us what happens next.Night World No.1 has the best vampire romance!
    • 4/5
      This book and the others in the series are broken down into separate stories about different people who slowly tie into together. Each story is interesting and fun and have a sweet love story behind them. The plot is GREAT as you go to the other books and I cant wait for the last book! Its a great price for a good read. Love all the books! GREAT for teens
    • 4/5
      This is a combination of my individual reviews for Night World 1: Secret Vampire, Night World 2: Daughters of Darkness, and Night World 3: Spellbinder.I would give this collection overall a 3.5 out of 5. In this first volume, Smith introduces us to the Night World, a secret existence of vampires, werewolves, witches, and more that live on the fringes of our world. They have two rules: do not tell humans about the Night World, and do not fall in love with humans. The Night World books are what happens when those rules are broken. In Night World 1: Secret Vampire, Poppy is a teenager diagnosed with a deadly disease. Her best friend has the secret that could save her life and end it at the same time. In Night World 2: Daughters of Darkness, Smith considers what could happen if two soulmates dislike each other. In Night World 3: Spellbinder, we get our first taste of witches and the disasters that can come from loving a human. ===Night World #1: Secret Vampire, by L. J. SmithI first discovered the Night World series when I was about 10 or 11; I can't remember which. I devoured them then; I've always been fascinated with the supernatural, vampires and werewolves and witches oh my. Now, rereading the series a decade later, I'm happy to find that my nostalgia for the books is valid, as I'm enjoying them this second go around as much as I did the first time."Secret Vampire" tells the tale of Poppy, a 16 year old who starts her summer vacation in a rather dismal way: with a diagnosis of incurable pancreatic cancer. A summer that promised to be full of music, hanging out with friends, and just generally having a good time will turn into 3 months or less of pain and agony...but luckily for Poppy, her bestfriend James has a secret.James is a vampire, part of the Night World. The Night World is a secret society of all sorts of supernatural creatures and they have two rules: 1) Never tell humans about the Night World, and 2) Never fall in love with a human. To break these rules is to risk death; but James is more than willing to risk his life, especially after hediscovers Poppy is his soulmate.All Night World books carry a common theme: the protagonist is always a female teenager, always someone a bit different from all those around her. In each book the protagonist finds her soulmate.I remember when I was much younger and reading these books. I wanted to *be* the protagonist. I wanted to be a part of the Night World - and who wouldn't want to be? Smith has a gift for writing fiction that speaks to the reader, and makes the reader identify with the main characters. Poppy and James connect in a mental way when he is transforming her into a vampire, a way that makes words seem bulky and useless for real communication. Even though I know life isn't like that, it's still magical to see it done nicely in fiction. And still makes me wish it were possible.The Night World series has recently been republished in a collection of omnibuses, which makes it a great pickup. The next installment in the series, which I have been waiting for for over a decade, will be published in 2010, which makes this the perfect time to leap into Smith's secret society. "Secret Vampire" is an excellent kickoff to the series, and introduces readers to some of the particulars of the Night World, as well as to two great characters.My only issues with this book are that it's a little dated, due to being first published in 1996. You don't dial in to the Internet anymore, etc.; but that's just me nitpicking. Also it's a somewhat quick read; I finished the entire book in about 90 minutes or less. But that also makes it a nice diversion that won't take you a week to enjoy.4/5.===Night World #2: Daughters of Darkness, by L. J. SmithFor me, "Daughters of Darkness" is the one sour note in Smith's Night World series. It was the one book in the nine book series that I had to force myself to finish (I am obsessive about finishing everything I read). The concept is interesting, but I feel it could have used better execution. As with all Night World books, the protagonist is female. Mary-Lynette is a human and unaware of the secret world of vampires, werewolves, and other spooky things that exist around her. She thinks she lives in the quietest, most boring town in the world, but that's all about to change when a series of startling events happens. When the next door neighbor goes missing just as her three nieces arrive in town, and Mary-Lynette sees them burying something in the backyard, she's immediately suspicious. Unable to leave the mystery alone, she heads next door and meets the new arrivals, who further her apprehension about the disappearance of her neighbor. The girls remind her of predators, which is unsurprising as the girls are lamia, or born vampires. The mystery of who killed the neighbor takes up a good chunk of the book, and in my opinion, is very over used. It just drags on too long, and every time there was a new twist in the whodunit, I kept thinking, "Okay, that's the end of it now...no, wait...there's more. Sigh." Ash Redfern also makes an appearance in this book (some readers may remember him from "Night World #1: Secret Vampire," where he waylaid Poppy), and is a starring character along with his sisters. Initially he's on the hunt for the three sisters, who ran away from a vampire enclave. Ash is characterized as the ultimate vampire - humans are vermin and nothing more, to him. Mary-Lynette takes an immediate dislike to him when meeting him for the first time. And here's where the potentially interesting concept comes in - Ash and Mary-Lynette are soulmates, but unlike Smith's other couples, the two can't stand each other. But something about this book just didn't do it for me. Maybe it was the overly drawn out murder mystery. Or maybe it was that the main character, Mary-Lynette, seemed dry. Or maybe even what seemed interesting - soulmates disliking each other - somehow doesn't fit in a series that's about finding your soulmate. 1/5.===Night World #3: Spellbinder, by L. J. Smith"She knew the drill. Another year of living with them, of walking quietly through the halls knowing that she was different from everybody around her, even while she was carefully, expertly pretending to be the same (p. 4)." Thea and Blaise are cousins, raised as closely as if they were sisters. They're also both witches, members of the secret Night World. And they are high school students, starting at their fifth high school, having been expelled from four others - mostly because of Blaise. But this time, it's Thea who will jeopardize their future when she breaks the cardinal rules of the Night World; which are 1) Never let humans know about the Night World, and 2) Never fall in love with a human. On their first day of school, Thea meets Eric, and the two are like swans - they know they are destined for each other immediately. There's only one little problem - Eric's human. Thea tries to push Eric away for his safety, but the two are soulmates and nothing she tries will keep him from her. But will she give up everything for him?I read "Spellbinder" pretty quickly, in about 90 minutes, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Normally I don't care at all for romances, but mix in some supernatural elements, good writing, and interesting characters, and I'm hooked. I really liked Smith's portrayal of Thea - you start out thinking she's the quiet type, overshadowed by her vivacious cousin, but she develops believably into someone with backbone, someone caught between a rock and a hard place who doesn't know what way to turn, but tries to do the right thing, but sometimes doing it the wrong way. I also rather relished Smith's detail to the spells and especially the components. I had the feeling "Wow this is cool" when reading. The spells also allow for a nice twist at the end."Spellbinder" is a great installment in the Night World series, and gives an in-depth look at the witches and their origin in Smith's created world. I for one definitely want to know more about the history of the Night World, and am looking forward to reading more.4/5.
    • 5/5
      This book is about a girl Poppy. Poppy figures out she has a disease and the doctors say she has no chance of survival. What Poppy doesn't know is that her best friend James is a vampire. James turns her into a vampire but Poppy becomes an illegal vampire because she is not a part of the Night World. After being threatened and nearly exposed, Poppy finds out she has always been a witch but never knew. Poppy can be a vampire and doesn't need to worry because she's always been a part of the Night World.I like this book because it shows how much friendship can change you. James and Poppy have been friends since kindergarten and this happens in high school. James was willing to save Poppy even though it was dangerous for him. I really like that and it shows how good of friends they are. Another thing I like about this book is that it shows that no matter how bad the situation is, there will always be something good.
    • 3/5
      Anyway, I wish the heroines are more fiesty, they're superhuman afterall, and the Night World operates like the jungle, the fittest survives, so if they keep on breeding "weak" females then their kind will be extinct in a couple of years.
    • 4/5
      I bought this book after reading the back a few months ago, intruiged by the stories of vampires and witches. I'll admit, being a huge fan of paramnormal romance stories and vampire stories in particular, I'm very happy about the surge of vampire novels that seem to be everywhere after the success of the Twilight saga. I understand these were released years ago as seperate books with different covers, but I had never read them and the new eye catching cover played a big part in why I picked this up.Each book is fairly short, providing a quick and easy read. The characters were interesting and fun and each story was unique. I really liked that although each book featured a different plot and cast of characters, the Nightworld tied them together. Minor characters that had mere 'cameos' in one story were the leads in the next. I am especially interested in what happens to Ash, and really hope that his story is not over and I that I am able to learn something about what happened to him and Mary-Lynette in the future.This series is obviously one that has stood strong with the test of time, as it's gained some popularity years after publication. I look forward to starting the next installment, and definitely recommend it to fans of the YA paranormal genre.
    • 4/5
      This is a very uneven set of novels. The first one (Secret Vampire) wasn't very good. I liked the premise: a girl with fatal disease and a boy who offers vampirism as a cure. The story had potential but it was poorly executed. The characters were underdeveloped and the whole thing felt rushed. It was like reading a first draft of a novel written by someone who hasn't yet learned the rules of the storytelling. After the frustratingly bad first novel I wasn't expecting much from the second but Daughters of Darkness turned out to be fantastic! It was definitely my favorite out of the three. The story was well structured and paced, and the characters, especially the female ones, were interesting and well developed. I loved the heroine, who was smart and brave and all-round awesome. The portrayal of the hero was kind of inconsistent, which is my biggest problem with the book, but all in all it worked well enough for me to happily read more Night World if more volumes ever come my way.The third novel falls somewhere between the previous two. It was definitely better than the first, but not nearly as good and engaging as the second. The plot was fine, but I would've liked a bit more thorough exploration of the soulmate principle. I was puzzled by the character dynamics, especially between the heroine and her trouble-making cousin. Still, it was an entertaining read.I'm generally not a fan of soulmate stuff, but this series manages to explore the concept in interesting ways. In all the stories there's the same power of the soulmate principle at work, but every couple is different and they handle the situation differently. For some it's easy, for some it's not. I like it better when it's not. Also, I like my romance less mushy, more plotty. No doubt these preferences play their parts in me liking Daughters of Darkness best.
    • 4/5
      Three stories in one, what could be better? I like how they are seprate stories but they tie into one another. A pleasent read, it's just the right mix of seriousness and fluff. Of the three I can't choose a favioret. They are all beautifully mastered and come with surprise after surprise.
    • 5/5
      i really enjoyed this book but i do agree it ended to quickly and leaving room for more. it left me wondering what happens after the story ended ..
    • 4/5
      I liked this book, yet I found myself asking questions like, How did Ash know Poppy was a witch, and what happened after they went to her dad's? I also felt like the ending was rushed, there was the climax and then it just fell flat for me.
    • 3/5
      Originally published as three books, Secret Vampire, Daughters of Darknes and Enchantress this is a compilation of those three young adult stories of teen love between otherworldly creatures and regular folk (though often the regular folk aren't always all that regular) The first is a story of a girl dying of cancer who is offered a second chance by her vampire life-mate. The second is a story of an arrogant vampire who finds love with a lowly human and the third is the story of some witches who find that they can't assume anything about humanity and that maybe, just maybe it's not a good thing to destroy themOverall pretty predictable, probably would be better to take a break between them.
    • 5/5
      Night World No. 1 was an amazing book. It contains adventure, romance, and really hard decisions to make. In Secret Vampire I was kind of lured in by what was truly happening to Poppy and James, to see if James was telling the exact truth. Daughters of Darkness was my favorite part out of the three! I couldn't get enough. It made me want to continue reading to see if Ash would let out his sisters secret, and if he was truly falling for Mary-Lynette! Spellbinder was interesting, but in the beginning it was a tad bit boring. In the middle it started to get excited, and by the end I was wishing there was more! I even showed true emotions when I was reading, because the sections are so intensley good! I was annoyed at Blaise for trying to take Eric away from Thea, and I was kind of frightened when Randy went to the dance with his face basically ripped! Over all, this book was one of my favorite books of all time!
    • 5/5
      This book was pretty good. Well, the first two stories were very interesting, but the last one, Spellbinder, the beginning sorta dragged on a bit, and then there were parts where they should've ended it, but didn't and then it got a little, stretched. But overall it was awesome. It's so cool how all the stories kind of connects to each other, but not really mixing. I can't wait for the next one!
    • 5/5
      Night World is basically about vampires, werewolves, and witches. The books are exciting adventures to read.
    • 4/5
      i enjoyed reading the night world books because pf the constant drama and the urge of having to finish them! I would like to see the stories carry on, like where are Poppy and James now? whats happened to Mary Lynette? if we knew what was happening i think it would give the story more of an edge but over all i love the night world books! LL
    • 3/5
      Skipped a lot. Got to the end. Ended how I expected..how it got there, not all the way sure..but I just had to get to the end..Thats why I dont like 3 in one books. I like mine individual!

      SECRET VAMPIRE" 5/5

      DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS: 4.5/5

      SPELLBOUND: 3.5/5
    • 5/5
      my favourite from this one was the ash and mary-lynn one
    • 3/5
      Good and everything, but is it really anything we haven't seen before? I might read the others, depending on whether or not I'm in the mood for a good cliche.
    • 5/5
      I have read L.J. Smith before, so it was no surprise to me that I loved this book. I fell in love with her books when I first picked up Vampire Diaries a few years ago, and I can't wait until she writes Damon's book. So when I realized that she has written so many other series over the years but they are all out of print, I was frantic, waiting for these three-books-in-one reprints. I just wish they'd print them faster!!This book contains the first three books in her spectacular Night World series. The Night World isn't a place... no, it's all around you, it's everything. It refers to the creatures that belong to it, no matter where they are in the world. I can't think of a better setting for a series than that, can you? I mean, seriously, what more can you ask for? It's got vampires, both made vampires and born ones, werewolves, shape-shifters and witches. As if that's not enough of an incentive, add magical words like soulmate and true love, along with Ms. Smith's amazing writting skills, and you have the receipe for a perfect read! With the guarantee of more to come in the series, which is just a bonus!Out of the three stories in this book, I have to say that I felt like the last one, Spellbinder was one of the 'weaker' ones, sorta speak. I liked it, don't get me wrong, but I like the other two more and felt like Eric and Thea's story was kind of rushed, not allowing the audience to really feel the connection that they, as soulmates, have. Still, an interesting story that grabs your attention.For me, the first one, Secret Vampire was the best one of the series so far because I felt like she was able to tell James and Poppy's story without rushing it. By the end, you were happy, you know how things were going to turn out with them and you could easily imagine, in your mind, what their life would be like after the story ended. The ability to write a story like that defines a great author. The middle story, Daughters of Darkness, was also very good. I fell for bad-boy Ash from the very start, and I thought that even though the ending was a little bit different from what I would have wanted, it was still good and I can still see their future together, some day, even if it's only in my own mind. 5/5 stars! L.J. Smith knows exactly what she's doing, creating a great fantasy world and mixing it deftly with feelings and emotions, with love and mystery, to provide a great read that any teen, or adults!, will love. Smith twines fantasy and magic with myths and legends, adds in plenty of love and even some adventure or mystery and the end result is world that you can usually only find in your dreams. This is an author that you should definitely keep your eyes on, because I think she's only going to get better as time goes on!
    • 5/5
      Three books in one. Good read all three books. They all are seperate however they all tie together with the same family. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
    • 5/5
      I couldn't put this book down til I devoured every page....Spellbinder & Secret Vampire were my favorites and I liked how Daughters of Darkness gave another realistic ending
    • 5/5
      This is the first book by L.J Smith I have read and I can tell you I was drawn into the Night World and I am not sure I want t to find my way back out. Volume one has three books in one and incredible deal for the avid reader. It includes Secret Vampire, Daughters of darkness and Spellbinder. The three books in this first volume are a wonderful, magical journey into a secret world called the Night World. I know how awesome the first book is and I can't wait to sit down and lose myself now in the next one. L.J Smith has many other titles and I am content in the knowledge that anytime I need an incredible read I can lose myself in another one of her magical books. I am hooked on L.J Smith. This First book has made a devoted fan out of me. Kim Cormack
    • 3/5
      Skipped a lot. Got to the end. Ended how I expected..how it got there, not all the way sure..but I just had to get to the end..Thats why I dont like 3 in one books. I like mine individual!

      SECRET VAMPIRE" 5/5

      DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS: 4.5/5

      SPELLBOUND: 3.5/5

    Book preview

    Night World - L. J. Smith

    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 real day of vacation (the weekend didn’t count). Poppy woke up feeling gloriously weightless and thought, No school. Sunlight was streaming 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 pain in her stomach again. Sort of a gnawing, as if something were eating its way toward her back. It helped a little if she bent over.

    No, Poppy thought. I refuse to be sick during summer vacation. I refuse. A little power of positive thinking is what’s needed here.

    Grimly, doubled over—think positive, idiot!—she made her way down the hall to the turquoise-and-gold-tiled bathroom. At first she thought she was going to throw up, but then the pain eased as suddenly as it had come. Poppy straightened and regarded her tousled reflection triumphantly.

    Stick with me, kid, and you’ll be fine, she whispered to it, and gave a conspiratorial wink. Then she leaned forward, seeing her own green eyes narrow in suspicion. There on her nose were four freckles. Four and a half, if she were completely honest, which Poppy North usually was. How childish, how—cute! Poppy stuck her tongue out at herself and then turned away with great dignity, without bothering to comb the wild 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 narrowed her eyes again, this time at him. It was bad enough to be small, slight, and curly-haired—to look, in fact, as much like an elf as anything she’d ever seen sitting on a buttercup in a children’s picture book—but to have a twin who was tall, Viking-blond, and classically handsome . . . well, that just showed a certain deliberate malice in the makeup of the universe, didn’t it?

    Hello, Phillip, she said in a voice heavy with menace.

    Phillip, who was used to his sister’s 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 nice eyes: questing green eyes with very dark lashes. They were the only thing the twins had in common.

    Hi, 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, he’d been a junior at El Camino High last year, and unlike Poppy, he’d made straight As while starring on the football team, the hockey team, and the baseball team. Also serving as class president. One of Poppy’s greatest joys in life was teasing him. She thought he was too straitlaced.

    Just now she giggled and shrugged, giving up the menacing look. Where’s Cliff and Mom? Cliff Hilgard was their stepfather of three years and even straighter-laced than Phil.

    Cliff’s at work. Mom’s getting dressed. You’d better eat something or she’ll get on your case.

    Yeah, yeah . . . Poppy went on tiptoe to rummage 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 wasn’t all bad being short and elfin. She did a few dance steps to the refrigerator, shaking the cereal box in rhythm.

    I’m a . . . sex pixie! she sang, giving it a foot-stomping rhythm.

    No, you’re not, Phillip said with devastating calm. And why don’t you put some clothes on?

    Holding the refrigerator door open, Poppy looked down at herself. She was wearing the oversize T-shirt she’d slept in. It covered her like a minidress. "This is clothes," she said serenely, taking a Diet Coke from the fridge.

    There was a knock at the kitchen door. Poppy saw who it was through the screen.

    Hi, James! C’mon in.

    James Rasmussen came in, taking off his wraparound Ray-Bans. Looking at him, Poppy felt a pang—as always. It didn’t matter that she had seen him every day, practically, for the past ten years. She still felt a quick sharp throb in her chest, somewhere between sweetness and pain, when first confronted with him every morning.

    It wasn’t just his outlaw good looks, which always reminded her vaguely of James Dean. He had silky light brown hair, a subtle, intelligent face, and gray eyes that were alternately intense and cool. He was the handsomest boy at El Camino High, but that wasn’t it, that wasn’t what Poppy responded to. It was something inside him, something mysterious and compelling 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 Phillip’s reaction amused him. Hi.

    Hi, Phil said, not thawing in the least. Poppy had the strong sense that he’d like to bundle her up and rush her out of the room. Phillip always overdid the protective-brother bit when James was around. So how’s Jacklyn and Michaela? he added nastily.

    James considered. Well, I don’t really know.

    "You don’t know? Oh, yeah, you always drop your girlfriends just before summer vacation. Leaves you free 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 Jacklyn’s elegant long legs and Michaela’s amazing pneumatic chest. This was going to be a wonderful summer.

    Many people thought Poppy and James’s relationship platonic. This wasn’t 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 hadn’t 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 from his stare out with his future brother-in-law.

    James hefted it. It’s the new Ethnotechno release.

    Poppy cheered. "More Tuva throat singers—I can’t wait. Let’s go listen to it." But just then her mother walked in. Poppy’s mother was cool, blond, and perfect, like an Alfred Hitchcock heroine. She normally wore an expression of effortless efficiency. Poppy, heading out of the kitchen, nearly ran into her.

    Sorry—morning!

    Hold on a minute, Poppy’s mother said, getting hold of Poppy by the back of her T-shirt. Good morning, Phil; good morning, James, she added. Phil said good morning and James nodded, ironically polite.

    Has everybody had breakfast? Poppy’s mother asked, and when the boys said they had, she looked at her daughter. And what about you? she asked, gazing into Poppy’s face.

    Poppy rattled the Frosted Flakes box and her mother winced. Why don’t you at least put milk on them?

    Better this way, Poppy said firmly, but when her mother gave her a little push toward the refrigerator, she went and got a quart carton 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 don’t know. Poppy looked at James. Listen to some music; maybe go up to the hills? Or drive to the beach?

    Whatever you want, James said. We’ve got all summer.

    The summer stretched out in front of Poppy, hot and golden and resplendent. It smelled like pool chlorine and sea salt; it felt like warm grass under her back. Three whole months, she thought. That’s forever. Three months is forever.

    It was strange that she was actually thinking this when it happened.

    We could check out the new shops at the Village— she was beginning, when suddenly the pain struck and her breath caught in her throat.

    It was bad—a deep, twisting burst of agony that made her double over. The milk carton flew from her fingers and everything went gray.

    CHAPTER 2

    Poppy!" Poppy could hear her mother’s voice, but she couldn’t see anything. The kitchen floor was obscured by dancing black dots.

    Poppy, are you all right? Now Poppy felt her mother’s hands grasping her upper arms, holding her anxiously. The pain was easing and her vision was coming back.

    As she straightened up, she saw James in front of her. His face was almost expressionless, but Poppy knew him well enough to recognize the worry in his eyes. He was holding the milk carton, she realized. He must have caught it on the fly as she dropped it—amazing reflexes, Poppy thought vaguely. Really amazing.

    Phillip was on his feet. Are you okay? What happened?

    I—don’t know. Poppy looked around, then shrugged, embarrassed. Now that she felt better she wished they weren’t all staring at her so hard. The way to deal with the pain was to ignore it, to not think about it.

    It’s just this stupid pain—I think it’s gastrowhatchmacallit. You know, something I ate.

    Poppy’s mother gave her daughter the barest fraction of a shake. Poppy, this is not gastroenteritis. You were having some pain before—nearly a month ago, wasn’t it? Is this the same kind of pain?

    Poppy squirmed uncomfortably. As a matter of fact, the pain had never really gone away. Somehow, in the excitement of end-of-the-year activities, she’d managed to disregard it, and by now she was used to working around it.

    Sort of, she temporized. But—

    That was enough for Poppy’s mother. She gave Poppy a little squeeze and headed for the kitchen telephone. I know you don’t like doctors, but I’m calling Dr. Franklin. I want him to take a look at you. This isn’t something we can ignore.

    "Oh, Mom, it’s vacation. . . ."

    Her mother covered the mouthpiece of the phone. Poppy, this is nonnegotiable. Go get dressed.

    Poppy groaned, but she could see it was no use. She beckoned to James, who was looking thoughtfully into a middle distance.

    Let’s at least listen to the CD before I have to go.

    He glanced at the CD as if he’d forgotten it, and put down the milk carton. Phillip followed them into the hallway.

    Hey, buddy, you wait out here while she gets dressed.

    James barely turned. Get a life, Phil, he said almost absently.

    Just keep your hands off my sister, you deve.

    Poppy just shook her head as she went into her room. As if James cared about seeing her undressed. If only, she thought grimly, pulling a pair of shorts out of a drawer. She stepped into them, still shaking her head. James was her best friend, her very best friend, and she was his. But he’d never shown even the slightest desire to get his hands on her. Sometimes she wondered if he realized she was a girl.

    Someday I’m going to make him see, she thought, and shouted out the door for him.

    James came in and smiled at her. It was a smile other people rarely saw, not a taunting or ironic grin, but a nice little smile, slightly crooked.

    Sorry about the doctor thing, Poppy said.

    No. You should go. James gave her a keen glance. Your mom’s right, you know. This has been going on way too long. You’ve lost weight; it’s keeping you up at night—

    Poppy looked at him, startled. She hadn’t told anybody about how the pain was worse at night, not even James. But—sometimes James just knew things. As if he could read her mind.

    "I just know you, that’s all," he said, and then gave her a mischievous sideways glance as she stared at him. He unwrapped the CD.

    Poppy shrugged and flopped on her bed, staring at the ceiling. "Anyway, I wish Mom would let me have one day of vacation, she said. She craned her neck to look at James speculatively. I wish I had a mom like yours. Mine’s always worrying and trying to fix me."

    And mine doesn’t really care if I come or go. So which is worse? James said wryly.

    "Your parents let you have your own apartment."

    In a building they own. Because it’s cheaper than hiring a manager. James shook his head, his eyes on the CD he was putting in the player. Don’t knock your parents, kid. You’re luckier than you know.

    Poppy thought about that as the CD started. She and James both liked trance—the underground electronic sound that had come from Europe. James liked the techno beat. Poppy loved it because it was real music, raw and unpasteurized, made by people who believed in it. People who had the passion, not people who had the money.

    Besides, world music made her feel a part of other places. She loved the differentness of it, the alienness.

    Come to think of it, maybe that was what she liked about James, too. His differentness. She tilted her head to look at him as the strange rhythms of Burundi drumming filled the air.

    She knew James better than anyone, but there was always something, something about him that was closed off to her. Something about him that nobody could reach.

    Other people took it for arrogance, or coldness, or aloofness, but it wasn’t really any of those things. It was just—differentness. He was more different than any of the exchange students at school. Time after time, Poppy felt she had almost put her finger on the difference, but it always slipped away. And more than once, especially late at night when they were listening to music or watching the ocean, she’d felt he was about to tell her.

    And she’d always felt that if he did tell her, it would be something important, something as shocking and lovely as having a stray cat speak to her.

    Just now she looked at James, at his clean, carven profile and at the brown waves of hair on his forehead, and thought, He looks sad.

    "Jamie, nothing’s wrong, is it? I mean, at home, or anything?" She was the only person on the planet allowed to call him Jamie. Not even Jacklyn or Michaela had ever tried that.

    What could be wrong at home? he said, with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Then he shook his head dismissively. Don’t worry about it, Poppy. It’s nothing important—just a relative threatening to visit. An unwanted relative. Then the smile did reach his eyes, glinting there. Or maybe I’m just worried about you, he said.

    Poppy started to say, "Oh, as if, but instead she found herself saying, oddly, Are you really?"

    Her seriousness seemed to strike some chord. His smile disappeared, and Poppy found that they were simply looking at each other, without any insulating humor between them. Just gazing into each other’s eyes. James looked uncertain, almost vulnerable.

    Poppy—

    Poppy swallowed. Yes?

    He opened his mouth—and then he got up abruptly and went to adjust her 170-watt Tall-boy speakers. When he turned back, his gray eyes were dark and fathomless.

    Sure, if you were really sick, I’d be worried, he said lightly. That’s what friends are for, right?

    Poppy deflated. Right, she said wistfully, and then gave him a determined smile.

    But you’re not sick, he said. It’s just something you need to get taken care of. The doctor’ll probably give you some antibiotics or something—with a big needle, he added wickedly.

    Oh, shut up, Poppy said. He knew she was terrified of injections. Just the thought of a needle entering her skin . . .

    Here comes your mom, James said, glancing at the door, which was ajar. Poppy didn’t see how he could hear anybody coming—the music was loud and the hallway was carpeted. But an instant later her mother pushed the door open.

    All right, sweetheart, she said briskly. Dr. Franklin says come right in. I’m sorry, James, but I’m going to have to take Poppy away.

    That’s okay. I can come back this afternoon.

    Poppy knew when she was defeated. She allowed her mother to tow her to the garage, ignoring James’s miming of someone receiving a large injection.

    An hour later she was lying on Dr. Franklin’s examining table, eyes politely averted as his gentle fingers probed her abdomen. Dr. Franklin was tall, lean, and graying, with the air of a country doctor. Somebody you could trust absolutely.

    The pain is here? he said.

    "Yeah—but it sort of goes into my back. Or maybe I just pulled a

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