DARREN SHAN - Shan, Darren - Cirque Du Freak 11 - Lord of the Shadows

"It's part of Mr Tiny's prophecy," Harkat said. "As Kurda, I spent much time with� the vampaneze, researching their ways. You know about their Coffin of Fire. When a person lies within, it fills� with flames. All normal people die in it. Only the Lord of the Vampaneze� can survive. Mr Tiny told the vampaneze that if they didn't� obey that person and do all that he commanded, they'd� be wiped from the face of the earth. Most of the vampaneze fight to preserve themselves� not to destroy the vampires."

Vancha nodded slowly. "Then they're motivated by fear for their lives, not hatred of us. I understand now. . After all, isn't that why we're fighting too � to save ourselves?"

"Both fighting for the same reason," Harkat chuckled humourlessly. "Both terrified of the� same thing. Of course, if neither side fought� both would be safe. Mr Tiny is playing the creatures of the night� for fools, and we're helping him."

"Aye," Vancha grunted disgustedly. "But there's no use moaning about how we got ourselves into this sorry state. The fact is, we fight because we must."

Vancha stood and stretched. There were dark rims around his eyes. He looked like a man who hadn't slept properly for a very long time. The last two years must have been tough for him. Although he hadn't mentioned Mr Crepsley, I was sure the dead vampire was never far from his thoughts. Vancha, like I, probably felt a certain amount of guilt � the two of us had given Mr Crepsley the go-ahead to face the Vampaneze Lord. If either of us had taken his place, he'd be alive now. It looked to me like Vancha had been pushing himself to his limits in his hunt to find the Lord of the Vampaneze � and was rapidly nearing them.

"You should rest, Sire," I said. "If you flitted all the way here, you must be exhausted."

"I'll rest when Leonard is dead," Vancha grunted. "Or myself," he added softly, under his breath. I don't think he realized he'd spoken aloud. "Now!" Vancha said, raising his voice. "Enough self-pity and misery. We're here and Leonard's here � it doesn't take a genius to see that an old-fashioned scrap to the death's on the agenda. The question is, do we wait for him to come to us, or do we seize the initiative and go looking for him?"

"We wouldn't know where� to look," Harkat said. "He could be anywhere."

"So we look everywhere," Vancha grinned. "But where do we start? Darren?"

"His son," I said immediately. "Darius is an unusual name. There can't be too many of them. We ask around, find out where he lives, track Steve through him."

"Use the son to get to the father," Vancha hummed. "Ignoble, but probably the best way." He paused. "The boy worries me. Leonard's a nasty piece of work, a formidable foe. But if his son has the same evil blood, and has been trained in Leonard's wicked ways since birth, he could be even worse!"

"I agree," I said quietly.

"Can you kill a child, Darren?" Vancha asked.

"I don't know," I said, unable to meet his eyes. "I don't think so. Hopefully it won't come to that."

"It's no good hoping," Harkat objected. "Going after the boy is wrong. Just because Steve has no morals doesn't� mean we should act like savages too. Children should be kept out� of this."

"So what's your suggestion?" Vancha asked.

"We should return to the� Cirque Du Freak," Harkat said. "Hibernius might be able to tell us more� about what we should do. Even if he's unable to help, Steve knows� where the Cirque is camped. He'll find us there. We can wait for him."

"I don't like the idea of being a sitting target," Vancha growled.

"You'd rather chase children?" Harkat countered.

Vancha stiffened, then relaxed. "Perhaps no-ears has a point," he said. "It can certainly do no harm to ask Hibernius for his opinion."

"OK," I said. "But we'll wait for night � my eyes can't take the sun."

"So that's why your ears and nose are stuffed!" Vancha laughed. "The purge?"

"Yes. It struck a couple of days ago."

"Will you be able to pull your weight," Vancha asked directly, "or should we wait for it to pass?"

"I'll do my best," I said. "I can't make any guarantees, but I think I'll be OK."

"Very well." Vancha nodded at the ceiling. "What about the ladies? Do we tell them what we're up to?"

"Not all of it," I said. "We'll take them to the Cirque Du Freak and tell them we're hunting Steve. But let's not mention Darius � Debbie wouldn't think much of our plan to use a child."

Harkat snorted but said nothing. After that we called Debbie and Alice down and spent a peaceful afternoon eating, drinking and talking, swapping tales, laughing, relaxing. I noticed Vancha glancing around during quiet moments, as though looking for somebody. I dismissed it at the time, but I now know who he was looking for �death. Of us all, only Vancha sensed death in the room that day, its eternal gaze passing from one of us to the other, watching� waiting� choosing.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

�^�

When night fell, we departed. Declan andLittle Kenny bid us farewell. They were settling down in the living room, mobile phones laid in front of them like swords. Debbie and Alice's vampirites had been scouring the town for traces of Steve and the other vampaneze since the massacre in the stadium. Declan and Little Kenny were to coordinate that search in the ladies' absence.

"You have our numbers," Alice said to Declan as we were leaving. "Call if you have anything to report, no matter how trivial it might seem."

"Will do," Declan grinned, saluting clumsily.

"Try not to get yourself shot this time," Little Kenny said to me, winking.

Alice and Debbie had a rented van. We piled in, Harkat and Vancha in the back, covered by several blankets. "If we're stopped and searched, you two will have to break free," Alice told them. "We'll act like we didn't know you were there. It'll be easier that way."

"You mean you'll act the innocent and string us out to dry," Vancha grunted.

"Exactly," Alice said.

Even though it was night and the moon was only half-full, I wore sunglasses. My eyes were especially sensitive that night, and I had a splitting headache. I was also wearing earplugs and had little balls of cotton wool stuffed up my nose.

"Maybe you should stay behind," Debbie said, noting my discomfort as Alice switched on the engine.

"I'm OK," I groaned, squinting against the glare of the headlights, wincing at the roaring grumble of the engine.

"We could walk," Alice said, "but we're more likely to be stopped and searched."

"I'm OK," I said again, hunching down in my seat. "Just don't blow the horn."

The drive to the old football stadium where the Cirque Du Freak was encamped was uneventful. We passed two security checkpoints, but were waved through at each. (I took my glasses off and removed the earplugs and cotton wool as we approached, so as not to arouse suspicion.) Alice parked outside the stadium. We let Harkat and Vancha out of the back and walked in.

A big smile broke across my face as the tents and caravans came into sight � it was good to be home. As we exited the tunnel and made for the campsite, we were spotted by a group of children playing on the outskirts.

One stood, studied us warily, then raced towards us, yelling, "Godfather! Godfather!"

"Not so loud!" I laughed, catching Shancus as he leapt up to greet me. I gave the snake-boy awelcome hug, then pushed him away � my skin was tingling as a result of the purge, and any form of contact was irritating.

"Why are you wearing sunglasses?" Shancus frowned. "It's night."

"You're so ugly, I can't bear to look at you without protection," I said.

"Very funny," he snorted, then reached up, picked the cotton wool out of my left nostril, examined it, stuck it back in, and said, "You're weird!" He looked behind me at Vancha, Debbie and Alice. "I remember you lot," he said. "But not very well. I was only a kid the last time I saw you." Smiling, I made the introductions. "Oh yeah," Shancus said when I told him Debbie's name. "You're Darren's bird."