He did manage, and so it was far, far too early when his mother shook his shoulder the next morning. "David, get up!" Groggily he blinked up at her, and then the near-panic in her voice registered and he snapped to full awareness.

"What is it?"

"There's one of them here, inside the barrier, David." Her eyes were wide. "There's a vampire in the city. He assaulted a woman last night, I just heard the news." Her face was creased with worry, and David could tell she was remembering the bad old days, when she'd been his age and the vampires had roamed freely after sunset.

David blinked, trying to digest the idea. A vampire. One of them, inside? Impossible! None of them could get within half a mile of the barrier.

"That's impossible. How could it get in? The barrier..."

"It flew over. It's a genie, with wings."

Wings. It was an almost tangible blow, a shock as great as if the bed had suddenly fallen through the floor and into the room below. Wings. Wings were unheard of. There couldn't be two winged people in the city. And that meant... Oh God. I helped a vampire. I helped a vampire! And... a second shock, worse than the first. Andy and Mike saw it. I'm dead. They'll spread the word and I'll be torn to pieces.

His stunned expression penetrated his mother's worry. "David? It's daylight, we're safe for now, I just..."

"No," he interrupted. "You're safe, if I get away from you right now. I've got to go! I need to get out of here before they decide you were a part of it too."

"David? I... I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

"I saw it last night. I thought it was human! I... I helped it!"

The color drained from his mother's face. "Oh... oh no... Oh David..." She rallied a bit, looking at him hopefully. "If nobody saw..."

"Somebody did," he said grimly. He flung himself out of bed and started gathering up clothes, mace gun, his old school backpack. "They're going to come for me any minute now. If I'm not here..."

"But if you leave, you'll just look more guilty. You didn't know it wasn't human..."

He stopped and looked at her. "Mom, you know better than that. You know what it's like even better than I do. I helped a vampire. They won't care that I didn't know. I should have known! The best I can hope for is to distance myself from you and the rest of the family."

She stood there helplessly, her face sagging, looking suddenly old and worn. "I know... Oh David!"

He looked at her for a moment, then stepped close and hugged her tight. Then he scooped up the hastily packed backpack and strode rapidly down the stairs. He paused only to grab what food would travel well and fling it into the bag. Once he was out the door he didn't stop or look back. His younger brother called after him, "David! Where are you going?" but he didn't look back. He couldn't.