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Everything would go all right for months as Daniel felt co the paveo or New Orleans Then the sudden disintegration He'd realize he had not moved from his chair in five hours Or he'd wake suddenly in a stale and unchanged bed, frightened, unable to remember the name of the city where he was, or where he'd been for days before Then the car would come for him, then the plane would take him home

Didn't Armand cause it? Didn't he somehow drive Daniel to these periods of ic dry up every source of pleasure, every fount of sustenance until Daniel welcoht of the familiar chauffeur come to drive him to the airport, the man as never shocked by Daniel's demeanor, his unshaven face, his soiled clothes?

When Daniel finally reached the Night Island, Armand would deny it

"You came back to me because you wanted to, Daniel," Armand always said calmly, face still and radiant, eyes full of love I "There is nothing for you now, Daniel, except me You know that Madness waits out there "

"Same old dance," Daniel invariably answered And all that luxury, so intoxicating, soft beds, lass placed in I his hand The rooms were always full of flowers, the foods he craved came on silver trays

Ar at the television, Gany the news, thepoetry, the idiot sitcoms, the dramas, the musicals, the silent films

"Come in, Daniel, sit down I never expected you back so soon "

"You son of a bitch," Daniel would say "You wanted , just wander and think of you You did it "

Arh Arratitude as well as huhed "Calhtens me " Small crease to the smooth forehead, the voice for a moment deepened by coet it for you Why do you keep running away?"

"Lies, you bastard Say that you wanted me You'll torment me forever, won't you, and then you'll watch , won't you? It was true what Louis said You watch the to you You'll watch the colors change in my face as I die "

"That's Louis's language," Armand said patiently "Please don't quote that book to me I'd rather die than see you die, Daniel "

"Then give it to me! Damn you! Immortality that close, as close as your arms "

"No, Daniel, because I'd rather die than do that, too "

But even if Arht Daniel home, surely he always knehere Daniel was He could hear Daniel's call The blood connected the preternatural bloodNever enough to do more than awaken dreams in Daniel, and the thirst for eternity, toand dance Whatever, Armand could always find him, of that he had no doubt

In the early years, even before the blood exchange, Ar of a harpy There had been no place on earth that Daniel could hide