My first Saga of Darren Shan fanfic (hopefull not the last). I'm actually quite proud of it.
This happens anywhere in between Books 2 and 3.
"I dare you to lick my snake!" Evra shouted, his grin making the moment worse.
Darren gulped, his face taking a pale hue.
Crawling to the sleeping reptile, Darren began to shiver. He never really liked snakes. He stuck his tongue out and ran it across the scaly back. Shivers ran down his spine as he crawled back to his spot beside Evra.
The snake boy smiled, writing a tally mark on a sheet of paper.
"Another two points for you!" he said. Darren looked at him, his eyebrows furrowing.
" That was definitely a three pointer!" he shouted angrily. Evra raised his hand to silence him.
"I made the dare, I decide the points," he said, an almost aristocratic tone to his voice. Darren grumbled and looked at the ground.
"Truth or dare?" he scowled. Evra gave a smug smile.
"Truth," he said. Darren growled.
The game of "truth or dare" they were playing was actually a revised version. There were points per dare and truths. Also, if a person picked truth, and was honest, the next person HAD to do a dare. So, Darren got all the dares.
"Who is your least favorite member of the Cirque du Freak?" Darren asked.
Evra looked at the ceiling of the tent in thought. "Probably Gertha."
Darren actually nodded in agreement. The woman with the strongest teeth in the world was a tough one.
Evra gave his friend a spiteful grin. "I dare you…"
Darren braced for whatever embarrassing act the snake boy was devising for him.
"… To give Mr. Crepsley a makeover!"
Darren stared at him in shock. "What?" he screamed. "I'm not doing that!"
Evra raised an eyebrow. "Remember the rule?" he asked. Darren groaned; they had
bribed Rhamuas Twobellies to fall on top of the one who "chickened out".
Darren reluctantly nodded. Evra suddenly pulled out a box, the words "make up kit" printed on it.
Darren stared at it in horror. "You planned this all along!" he growled. Evra shrugged, acting innocent.
"It's almost dark," he said, the enjoyment barely contained in his voice. "You'd better hurry."
Darren crept as silently as possible into the trailer. The coffin lay at the far end, an ominous feeling to it. Fear was pulsating through every fiber of his being. Was being smashed flat as a pancake so bad?
He slowly opened the lid. His mentor lay in an odd position, almost looking comical. Sweat beading down his forehead, Darren opened up the kit and picked up the mascara.
"Oh man Darren, these pictures are the best!" Evra laughed, looking at the images of the "girlified" Crepsley on a digital camera. "I got to print these out some how!"
'He's going to kill me when he wakes up," Darren said glumly.
Evra shook his head. "Look, it's not that obvious you did it. Just play dumb. There are lots of us who'd like to…"
"DARREN!"
The loud shout caused the two to jump to their feet. Before Darren could run to the back of the tent, a cold, strong hand grabbed him by the ear. Screaming, he looked into the frightening and, due to the makeup, disturbing face of Larten Crepsley. The vampire had flitted from his trailer to the tent, causing his cloak to flap around him like giant wings.
The suddenness of his appearance scared Evra scale-less and caused him to drop the camera. He stood frozen, watching his best friend writhe in Crepsley's grip.
"Did you do this?" Mr. Crepsley roared, his eyes burning. Darren, the pain from his ear becoming unbearable, nodded. Crepsley raised his hand, as if to box his assistant's other ear.
Darren, seeing his punishment was nigh, suddenly shouted, "But Evra dared me to!"
At this, the snake boy tried to run, but was grabbed by the back of the hair. Crepsley pulled them beside each other, and leaned towards their faces.
"Both of you are coming with me," he hissed, before turning and dragging them behind him.
"Where are we going?" Darren asked, tears welling up from the pain in his ear.
"To Truska's."
"Why?" Evra shouted. The vampire didn't reply.
They reached the breaded lady's trailer, entering it as if it was their's. Truska watched them enter, her face cracking into a smile when she saw Crepsley. He snarled at her and gave the boys to her.
"Hold them!" he demanded, before vanishing into the depths of the trailer.
Evra gave Darren an apologetic look. Darren replied with a "we're doomed" look.
Crepsley returned with two dresses, one pink and one purple. 'Change into these!" he ordered.
"But Mr. Crepsley…"
"If you do not, I will do it for you," he threatened.
Darren gulped and went behind the dressing stand. Evra stayed where he was, until
Mr. Crepsley's stare forced him to do the same.
Once they were both in the outfits, Crepsley whispered into Truska's ear. She squealed happily, clapping her hands in excitement.
"What did you…" Evra was interrupted when the vampire grabbed him and held him steady. Truska pulled out a tube of lip-stick, and started to apply it fiercely to the snake boy's face. Evra screamed, trying to shake his head out of Crepsley's grip.
Darren, wide eyed in terror, turned around and ran for the door. His mentor was on him immediately, yanking him back towards Truska. He screamed as she applied the blush, and then admitted defeat with the lip-stick and mascara.
When Truska was done, both boys were in full make-up and costume. Crepsley smiled for the first time that evening.
"Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful," he said, a sly tone to his voice, before picking up a towel and rubbing the make-up off himself. Truska ripped out a camera and started snapping photos like mad. Darren and Evra did nothing to stop her. They were beaten.
After the photo-shoot was over, Darren looked at Mr. Crepsley hopefully.
"Can we take these off now?" he begged. The vampire raised his eyebrow.
"And deny the other Cirque members the chance to see your astounding beauty? Oh no, you are going to stay this way all evening… and for tonight's show."
Evra groaned loudly and Darren looked at the ground glumly. Truska laughed loudly and opened the trailer door. Crepsley turned the two around and pushed them out the door.
Amidst the whistles and hoots of the entire Cirque, Darren mumbled into Evra's ear.
"Remind me to never play truth or dare with you again."
"Are you kidding?" the snake boy replied. "After this, I'm playing scrabble for the rest of my life."