Free Secret Vampire by Lisa J. Smith

some ... extenuating circumstances. You could say I was set up. But I still have nightmares."
    He sounded so tired-so sad. It's a lonely world, full of secrets, poppy thought. And he'd had to keep the biggest secret of all from everyone, including her.
    "It must have been awful for you," she said, hardly aware that she was speaking out loud. "I mean, all your life-holding this in. Not telling anybody. Pre tending ..."
    "Poppy." He gave a shiver of repressed emotion. "Don't."
    "Don't sympathize with you?"
    He shook his head. "Nobody's 's ever understood be fore." After a pause he said, "How can you worry about me? With what you're facing?"
    "I guess because -I care about you."
    "And I guess that's why I didn't treat you like Mi chaela or Jacklyn," he said.
    Poppy looked at the sculpted planes of his face, at the wave of brown hair falling over his forehead like silk ... and held her breath. Say "I love you," she ordered mentally. Say it, you thickheaded male.
    But they weren't connected, and James didn't give the slightest sign of having heard. Instead he turned brisk and businesslike. "We'd better get started." He got up and drew the window curtains shut. "Sunlight inhibits all vampire powers," he said in a guest lecturer voice. .
    Poppy took advantage of the pause to go to the CD player. The music had changed to a Dutch club song, which was fine for doing the Netherlands skippy dance to, but not very romantic. She punched a but ton and a velvety Portuguese lament began.
    Then she twitched the sheer hangings around the bed dosed. When she sat down again, she and James were in their own little world, dim and secluded, enclosed in misty eggshell white.
    "I'm ready," she said softly, and James leaned in close to her. Even in the semidarkness Poppy felt mesmerized by his eyes. They were like windows to some other place, someplace distant and magical.
    The Night World, she thought, and tilted her chin back as James took her in his arms.
    This time the double sting at her neck hurt good.
    But best was when James's mind touched hers. The feeling of oneness, of suddenly being whole-it spread through her like starshine.
    Once again she had the sense that they were melt ing together, dissolving and merging everywhere they touched. She could feel her own pulse echoing through him.
    Closer, loser ... and then she felt a pulling-back.
    James? What's wrong?
    Nothing, he told her, but Poppy could sense that it wasn't quite true. He was trying to weaken the growing bond between them ... but why?
    Poppy, I just don't want to force you into anything. What we're feeling is-artificial....
    Artificial? It was the realest thing that she'd ever experienced. Realer than real. In the midst of joy, Poppy felt a surge of hurt anger at James.
    I don't mean it like that, he said, and there was desperation in the thought. It's just that you can't resist the blood-bond. You couldn't resist it if you hated me. It isn't fair....
    Poppy didn't care about fair. If you can't resist it, why are you trying? she asked him triumphantly.
    She heard something like mental laughter, and then they were both clinging together as a wave of pure emotion swept them.
    The blood-bond, Poppy thought when James raised his head at last. It doesn't matter if he won't say he loves me-we're bonded now. Nothing can change that.
    And in a moment or so she would seal that bond by taking his blood. Try and resist that, she thought, and was startled when James laughed softly. "Reading my mind again?"
    "Not exactly. You're projecting-and you're very good at it. You're going to be a strong telepath." Interesting . . . but right now Poppy didn't feel strong. She suddenly felt kitten-weak. Limp as a wilt ing flower. She needed ...
    "I know," James whispered. Still supporting her, he started to lift one wrist to his mouth.
    Poppy stopped him with a restraining hand.
    "James? How many times do we have to do this before I-change?"
    "Once more, I think," James said quietly. "I took a lot this