The day was overcast, so I chanced a peek through the blinds. The startling brightness of late afternoon seared my retinas, and I blinked away blood tears. From the living room I could see the roof of Cyrus's house, if I craned my neck, but I couldn't see anything in detail. There was no sense going blind when I wouldn't learn anything new.

I glanced at the clock above the dinette table. Four-thirty, Why hadn't he called back?

I decided I would phone every half hour, until I got an answer. At sundown, if I still hadn't heard from him, I would go investigate. All I ever got were busy signals.

By the time Nathan woke, at six, I was already dressed and pacing the floor, waiting to be absolutely certain it was safe to go out.

"You're afraid Dahlia changed him," Nathan said over the rim of his breakfast mug.

I knew he'd picked that up through the blood tie. "He said he doesn't want to be a vampire again, and he's got a good reason not to be. But something's wrong, and I can't help but jump to conclusions."

"Maybe not." Nathan set his blood aside and came to stand behind me as I dialed the phone again. His big, strong hands kneaded my shoulders as I listened to the insistent busy tone.

"He could have a human girlfriend, or boyfriend, he's staying with. He might be grocery shopping or having lunch or doing any of the million things humans do every day. You remember those, don't you?" Nathan punctuated his question with a kiss on my neck, then added cheerfully, "Maybe he got arrested."

I knew Nathan was just trying to help, but I couldn't shake the feeling something was very, deeply wrong. I shrugged off his hands and stuck my arm behind the blinds to check the burn factor. Getting lower.

"Something is wrong. When he was in the desert, I could feel him sometimes. I don't know how it works or why it does, but I just have this… It's not the blood tie anymore, but it's intuition. I'm still connected to him, and I know something isn't right."

"Do you want me to go with you?" All the humor had left Nathan's tone.

I shook my head. "You should stay here, in case he calls. And if something has happened, if he's changed… I don't think he'll hurt me, but he would hurt you."

I tried the phone twice more before realizing I'd actually have to go to his house. I kissed Nathan goodbye, took the stake he gave me "just in case," and headed out the door in a sweatshirt with the hood pulled up to protect my face from the last rays of sun that gilded the clouds.