Disclaimer: This story has been moulded by a person suffering from pure boredom. Darren and Co. belong to Darren Shan, characters from 'The Darren Shan Saga'. The others are my own creation. I am making no money from this, so don't sue me, butcher me, slice me or dice me cause I ain't do anything wrong. Flames will be used to roast my exam papers before my parents find them…3

A/N: Hiya! I'm bored, you're bored, we're all bored. Which is why you are reading this. This story is not guaranteed to be the best, but I think it could be okay. You don't need to know who Darren Shan is or have read the book either; the story will explain the situation. I have changed some of the original book's facts, but the story is still cool. Without any further ado, enjoy!

Warnings: R/NC-17(I hope…)! Paedophilic scenes in this chapter!

M/M slash. If this ain't your cup of tea, then pray tell what are you doing here?

Pairings: Darren/Steve

Spoilers: From book 1-8. Don't know 9 yet 'cause the stupid bookstores and libraries don't have it. (Shakes fist)

Chapter One: Lost and Found

If I could say what I wanted to see

I'd say I want to blow you away

Be with you every night

Am I squeezing you too tight?

If I could see what I wanted to see

I want to see you go down on one knee

Marry me today

Guess I'm wishing my life away…

With these things I'll never say

Avril Lavigne – With These Things I'll Never Say

Darren squinted against the harsh golden-yellow blossoming in the sky, scanning the treetops for signs of motion.

A lone eagle had just rushed past him a moment ago, rustling the leaves of trees in its flight. Something had disturbed the bird, and he did not look forward to seeing what had caused the trouble. Eagles are not easily frightened or scared off, yet the bird's eyes held uncertainty in that split second Darren's and its eyes met.

He shifted his heavy baggage to his other shoulder. It would be dawn soon and moving about in the early morning would be like listening to your own death warrant being read out. He would set camp in a more enclosed space before deciding how to defend himself against the beast.

The Vampire Prince looked around once more, before heading off into the distance. He did not fail to sense the pair of eyes that haunted behind him.

It was not easy being a Vampire Prince, especially when things are as they are now. The War of Scars between the vampires and the vampaneze was still locked in stalemate…sort of.

The War of Scars had officially started seven years ago with the rising of the Vampaneze lord.

If only Mr. Desmond Tiny had never existed…

The vampires and the vampaneze are creatures of the night. At first, they were essentially the same race, plain and simple vampires. The vampaneze came into the world when a small group of vampires rebelled. The Council of Vampires – made up of Vampire Princes and vampire generals – finally decided to chase out the 'evil blood' and kill them. The vampaneze got away. After that, vampires swore to kill their cousins, and vice versa.

There is really only one difference between a vampire and a vampaneze. When feeding, vampires only take a small amount of blood from their victim, then, using their saliva, will heal the cuts that they make on the human. When the human wakes up, they will not know that anything had happened at all. The vampaneze, however, think it is offensive to not kill the human they feed on. Thus, after drinking a large amount of blood from bodies, their eyes will start to turn red, their skin purple. When that does happen, they truly become the hated vampaneze.

A long time ago, before Darren ever became a half-blooded vampire, Desmond Tiny – the scary (not to mention evil) keeper of time and fate – gave the vampaneze a coffin. He told them that, whoever can sleep in the coffin for one night without being burned up by the fire in it, shall be the next Vampaneze Lord. When that day comes, the entire clan of the vampires will be wiped out.

Darren had needed a change of scenery after six years of being stuck in the castle, making plans to defeat the vampaneze. Apparently, the Vampaneze Lord was still only a half-blood, like him. Desmond Tiny – whose name, if cut short, would be Mr. Destiny – told the vampire clan that the Vampaneze Lord could still be overthrown as long as he does not become a full vampaneze. The vampires could destroy the Vampaneze Lord as he learns the ways of his people, but only one person could go. Unfortunately, fate had already decided who would be the lucky winner.

Darren Shan, the young, teenaged half-blooded Vampire Prince, one of the four leaders of the vampire clan.

After many goodbyes, good lucks and farewells, Darren left the place that had been his home for the past six years, and began the search for the Vampaneze Lord.

Darren fell back into his hammock. It had been a long and tiring night, and he was exhausted from his long trek. Although it hurt his reputation to be found sleeping in a hammock, he couldn't really care. Coffins were too closed in and the other vampires disapproved of sleeping in a proper bed. A hammock suited him just fine.

He had found a place deep in the woods to camp out. Normally, he would actually try to find a cave to sleep, but he was too bothered, like all teenagers would be. Besides, he was a half-blooded vampire, the sunlight couldn't hurt him.

He checked once more that the fire was completely out before settling down. Staring at the dark, leafy canopy overhead, he relaxed and began to close his eyes.

"Well, well, well. What have we got here? Darren Shan, the Vampire Prince?"

Darren bolted in his hammock. He took a moment going through the 'what the hell' process before understanding dawned upon him. He had totally forgotten about the eagle and that feeling of being stalked! He mentally bashed his head against a wall.

"Stupid idiot," he thought as he tried to find where the voice originated from. He had heard that voice before somewhere, he just couldn't remember where.

"You know, even with your abilities, you won't be able to find me," continued the voice.

"Show yourself!" called out Darren, then immediately regretted it. That sounded just sooo clichéd. He never noticed the sudden dip in weight of the hammock. The figure leaned into Darren, stopping when its lips were just next to his ears.

"You were saying?"

Darren whirled and tried to lash out at the same time. A hand caught his arm before he could even touch the person. To make matters worse, his super-sharp nails sliced the hammock in half, leaving him to fall to the ground.

Darren tried to grab hold of something, anything, on his way down. He waved his free arm about in vain attempt, but could not. He closed his eyes as the ground rushed up to him, preparing for the destined impact that would leave him smarting for days.

Nothing happened.

He opened his eyes, and found himself being laid onto the ground. He started to turn around to thank his saviour, when he found himself trapped from waist down with his back to an anonymous person.

"Have you recognized who I am yet, boy?"

"Why should I know you? You come out of nowhere to stalk me from midnight to four in the morning, when normal people should still be asleep. You obviously aren't a vampire or vampaneze because vampires never attack when a person's back is turned and a vampaneze would have already killed me!"

"Very clever, Sherlock. Too bad you don't apply that brain of yours to your everyday thinking," continued the voice.

"Let go of me, you scum. Or I'll gouge your eyes out."

"I doubt that you can. You see, I'm still quite powerful without my little blue-robed henchmen here."

Recognition finally hit him.

Blue-robed people…henchmen…that meant the Little People. Where the Little People were concerned, there would always be…Desmond Tiny.

His blood froze.