You belong there."
The world turned upside down and Poppy couldn't breathe. At last she whispered. "Oh . . ."
"And we belong together. Nobody can separate us. We don't have to hide."
"Oh ..." Poppy whispered again. Then she said, "James, pull the car over. I want to kiss you."
When they were in motion once more, Phil said, "But where are you two going to go now? Poppy can't come home."
"I know," Poppy said softly. She had accepted that. There was no going back for her; the old life was over. Nothing to do but build a new one.
"And you can't just wander around from place to place," Phil said, doggedl y per sistent.
"We won't," Poppy said calmly. "We'll go to Dad."
It was perfect. Poppy could feel James think, Of course.
They would go to her father, the always-late, always-impractical, always-affectionate parent. Her father the witch who didn't know he was a witch. Who probably thought he was crazy when his powers acted up.
He'd give them a place to stay, and that was all they neede d, really. That and each other. The whole Night World would be open to them, whenever they wanted to explore it. Maybe they could come back
and visit Thea someti me. M aybe they could dance at one of Thierry's parties.
"If we can find Dad, that is," Poppy said, struck by sudden alarm.
"You can," Phil said. "He flew out last night, but he left an address. For the first time."
"Maybe somehow he knew," James said.
They rode for a while, and then Phil cleared his throat and said, "You know, I just had a thought. I don't want any part of the Night World, you und erstand-I don't care what my heritage is. I just want to live like a human-and I want everybody to be dear on that...."
"We're dear, Phil," James interrupted. "Believe me. Nobody in the Night World is going to force you in. You can live like a human all you want as long as you avoid Night People and keep your mouth shut."
"Okay. Good. But here's my thought. I still don't a pprove of vampires, but it occurs to me that maybe they're not as completely bad a s they seem. I mean, vampires don't treat their food any worse than humans do. Whe n you think of what we do to cows ... at least they don't breed humans in pens."
"I wouldn't bet on it," James said, suddenly grim. "I've heard rumors about the old days...."
"You always have to argue, don't you? But my other thought was that you're part of Nature, and Nature just is what it is. It's not always pretty, but ... well, it's Nature, and there it is." He wound up glumly, "Maybe that doesn't make any sense."
"It makes sense to me," James said, ent irely serious. "And-th anks." He paus ed to look back at Phil in acknowledgment.
Poppy felt a sting behind her eyes. If he admits we're part of Nature, she thought, then he doesn't believe we're unnatural anymore.
It meant a lot.
She said, "Well, you know, I've been thinking, too. And it occurs to me that maybe there are other choices for feeding besides just jumping on humans when they don't expect it. Like
' animals. I mean, is there any reason their blood won't work?"
"It's not the same as human blood," James said. "But it's a possibility. I've fe d on animals. Deer are good. Rabbits are okay. Possums stink."
"And then there must be some people who'd be willing donors.
Thea was a donor for me. We could ask other witches."
"Maybe," James said. He grinned suddenly. "I knew a witch back home who was very willing. Name of Gisele. But you couldn't ask them to do it every day, you know. You'd have to give them time to recover."
"I know, but maybe we could alternate. Animals one day and witches the next. Hey, maybe even werewolves on weekends!"
"I'd rather bite a possum," James said.
Poppy socked him in the arm. "The point is, maybe we don't have to be horrible bloodsucking monsters. Maybe we can be decent bloodsucking monsters."
"Maybe," James said quietly, almost wistfully.
"Hear, hear," Phil said very seriously from the back.
"And we can do it together," Poppy said to James.
He took his eyes off the road to smile at her. And there was nothing wistful about his gaze. Nothing cool o r mysterious or secretiv e, either.
"Together," he said out loud. And mentally he added, I can't wait. With that telepathy of yours you realize what we can do, don't you?
Poppy stared, then felt an effervescent rush that almost shot her out of the car. Oh, James-do you think?
I'm certain. The only thing that makes exchanging blood so special is that it enhances telepathy. But you don't ne ed any enhancement you little dreamer.
Poppy sat back to try and still her heart.
They would be able to join their minds again. Anytime they wanted. She could imagine it, being swept into James's mind, feeling him surrender his thoughts to hers.
Merging like two drops of water. Together in a way that humans could never know.
I can't wait, either, she told him. I think I'm going to like being a witch.
Phil cleared his throat. "If you guys want some privacy .. ."
"We can't have any," James said. "Not with you around.
Obviously."
"I can't help it," Phil said through his teeth. "You're the ones who're yelling."
"We're not yelling. You're snooping."
"Both of you give it a rest," P oppy said. But she felt warm and glowing all over. She couldn't resist adding to Phil, "So, if you're willing to give us some privacy, that means you trust James alone with your sister...."