"Darren, they are after you, you know this." Larten's voice was impatient. I look up at him and then to Vancha who stood by the door or the small room.
"He's right Darren. They will stop at nothing to kill you."
"What if we kill Steve first? They only want to kill me because of Steve!" I cry.
"We will do our best to get rid of Steve, Darren, but for now we must do all we can to protect you. We have to get you out of their grasp. They will find you anywhere on Earth," said Larten. I don't like where this was going. I am a vampire and vampires are strong. They do not run.
"I am staying in Vampire Mountain. I will not run like a coward. If they want to kill me then they can do their best and I will fight them like a warrior."
"Brave words. Any other time and we would let you do that. But not now Darren. You are…the chosen one. You are going to put an end to Steve. You cannot die now, even if it is cowardly to hide you. We will do anything to protect you." Vancha looks at me and tried to smile but I frown back at him. I don't want to run.
I am a half-vampire. I may hate being what I am, but I am not a coward. I can fight well and I would hate to run from enemies.
Looking around me I notice that I have never been in this room before. It must be Vancha's. It's quite cosy, nicer than my room. He's got a proper coffin, something that I still refuse to sleep in. I want to hold on to my human side as long as possible. Another small reason I hate coffins is because of my irrational claustrophobia. It isn't bad; I just get uncomfortable in tiny spaces. It is perfect understandable. I sleep in a hammock, I don't drink blood once a month like I am supposed to. I usually wait as long as possible, maybe six or seven weeks before letting Larten pour human blood down my throat. It makes me ill a lot, but at least I am not evil.
When I don't drink blood I usually turn quite pale. I get weaker and can't hear things as well. Occasionally, when I go too far and don't drink blood for almost two months, I start to act drunk. I say things I don't mean, do things that I don't think about and generally embarrass myself. When I reach that stage I can usually force myself to drink. I know that if I don't I will die in a few days, maybe less.
On the wall to my side is a mirror. I'm quite pale now. It's been five weeks since my last drink. I am surprised Larten hasn't noticed. He's usually nagging me at this point. My dark hair makes me look even paler. It hasn't been cut in a long time and it is hanging in my eyes and the back is almost down to my shoulders. It gets in the way, but when you are a vampire you worry about more important things.
I am quite strong. No match for any other vampire in the mountain because I am still only a half-vampire. I don't think I've met any other half-vampires but Larten's told me I am the strongest he was ever met. That's pleasing.
What annoys me most is the way my body doesn't change. I have just turned nineteen and I still look like a teenager. I was blooded when I was sixteen by Larten Crepsley. I age one year for ever five human years. I've been a half-vampire three years. I should look nineteen, but I don't even look seventeen yet. That really pisses me off.
"Darren? Darren are you even listening?" Larten shouts at me. I jump and look at him.
"Yes," I say impatiently. Larten isn't that bad, I just like to make him think he is. I know it is cruel of me but I deliberately do the opposite of what he says just to let him know I am not a pushover. I respect him more than he knows but I am still rude to him. He'll hit me one day. I know I deserve it. It'll be worth it though; I am not a pushover.
"Good," Vancha says.
"So what do you suggest I do?" I asked, annoyed. I could see Larten getting angry now. It pleased me a little bit. Larten's a full vampire. That mean he cannot go out in the day like I can, he has to drink blood more frequently and he can breathe out a gas which knocks people out. I can't do that which is annoying because it sounds pretty cool. Another thing he can do, (but not very well) is breathe out oxygen. I don't really understand this but apparently full-vampires don't breathe the oxygen in the air. They breathe something else and their bodies create oxygen, or something like that. When they exhale, not only does the original 20 of oxygen come out, but so does the rest that their bodies create through the reactions in their blood, making the overall something like 30.
"They will find me anywhere on Earth, you said it yourself," I continue.
"Yes, which is why we want you to go underground," Vancha says. I cough.
"Pardon?" I say, hoping I hadn't heard him right.
"Underground," he repeats. "Don't be frightened, Larten will be buried with you."
"In a coffin?" I ask, trying hard not to show my fear. Vancha nods. "But…there wont be enough room!" I say, desperate for an excuse.
"Yes there will," interjects Larten. "I've done it before with Gavner, remember me telling you? It wasn't pleasant but it was necessary. Just like now."
"Why doesn't Larten just get buried on his own? That's a much better idea!" I say stupidly. Vancha raises an eyebrow.
"Darren, I know you are scared but…"
"I'm not scared!" I lie. "Fine, bury me. But why does Larten have to come too?"
"Because," begins Larten, "I am a full-vampire. If something happens and you are not dug up your only chance of survival would rest in me. I could break us out of the coffin and take both of us to the top if I had to. You would be too weak to do that."
"Would I? I would have blood." Larten looks at Vancha uneasily.
"Darren," the vampire says. "The vampaneze can smell blood; we are only going to take a tiny amount with us. It will be enough for me only. I need to drink blood twice a month which is more than you."
"Wh…what?" I ask. "How much are we going to take in with us?"
"Two vials," Larten says. "One for me half way through the month, one at the end. That is all we can take in. I am stronger than you. I could be the only one that could get us out if something goes wrong." I nod, knowing he is right. The thought terrifies me but I know I have to do it. If we are down there for more than eight weeks I know I will die.
"What about oxygen?" I ask. "There will not be enough for two people for a month or so. That is just ridiculous."
"I can breathe out oxygen. Not much, but it would help us last a little bit longer. What I am going to do is put you to sleep most of the time so that you cannot panic and use up lots of oxygen. That way it will last more." I frown. The idea keeps getting worse and worse.
"Fine," I say, looking worried. "I'll do it. But as soon as I get out that coffin I want to have a huge huge party, okay? I'll think about that in the coffin and it might give me something to live a little bit longer for," I say pessimistically. Vancha frowns then smiles.
"Okay then," he says. I look at Larten.
"You don't snore do you?"
"Not that I am aware of."
"Good." I look away from both of them. I know it isn't their fault…well it is sort of Larten's fault. If he'd never made me a half-vampire…
"Darren. We have to bury you tonight. It will be easier in the dark where no one can see us," Vancha says.
"Where am I being buried? A cemetery?"
"Yes. I'm afraid so. That way if we are spotted no one will suspect anything. They will assume we are digging a grave for someone to be buried in tomorrow."
"Fair enough," I mutter. Larten frowns at my lack of respect and beckons me out of the door along with Vancha. We head for the cemetery. The perfect place for creatures of the night.