The forest ahead of us seemed to stretch on infinitely, miles and miles of tangled green branches and trees. It looked pretty impenetrable, however here and there, paths could be narrowly made out – marked out by all the vampires before us who had made this journey.

This journey home. Home – to vampire mountain. As much as I was scared, the excitement of coming to the place where I would live, of being with so many other vampires, and of learning our ways and customs overwhelmed my fear. Next to me, Rosie looked distinctly severe, her dark hair covering her face and hiding her expression. I couldn't tell what she was thinking but I knew it wasn't good. Instinctively, I reached out and held her hand, just reminding her that I was there. She didn't respond, slipping her hand out of mine and pulling her jacket tighter around her shoulders.

Coming to Vampire Mountain would be fine for me. Well, relatively speaking it would be fine. Mr Crepsley had mentioned that due to my age, finding acceptance would be harder. Not as hard as it would be for my sister, whose lack of physical strength marked her out as a different kind of vampire.

Mr Crepsley had first noticed the difference in her a few weeks after she became a vampire. She couldn't flit, didn't have healing spit, or super-sharp nails. Unlike me, she didn't become stronger. She seemed to have stayed the same.

Until Murlough kidnapped her, and kept her tied up in the sewers under the city, doing God knows what to her for three weeks until she escaped. Gavner had found her wandering around the tunnels, covered in blood and completely out of her mind. She'd escaped using telekinesis – her mind. Whereas I had physically developed as a vampire, she had done so mentally, using her mind to undo the chains which held her, and to kill Murlough. Her powers grew and grew, with the eerily ever-present Mr Tiny coaching her, honing her skills until the moment came when, after 2 years of training, she didn't need him anymore. Those two years had thrown up many obstacles – not least the fact that Rosie had suddenly realised that she was still fertile, a fact she had kept hidden from us all. Upon questioning Mr Tiny, he had revealed that she could indeed still bear children, a fact which served her well once we reached Vampire Mountain. That was when Mr Crepsley announced that we would leave for the mountain, and she retreated inside her mind.

Gavner put his hand on my shoulder.

'She'll be alright, Darren. You know she will. I know you think it'll be harder for her, but she can talk her way out of any situation. Just, worry about yourself, alright?'

He moved into the forest behind Mr Crepsley, who was walking with Rosie. Sighing, I ran to catch them up.

We walked for what seemed like weeks, but in reality it was only a few days – the trees all seemed the same, and each river that we came to seemed identical to the one before, until I felt sure that we were going around in circles. Mr Crepsley nodded when I suggested this:

'Darren, the way to Vampire Mountain is not easy. It is designed to test even the most seasoned of vampires, and thus in simply arriving at the mountain you have achieved an essential triumph. Many do not. But, I have done this many times before, and Gavner is a master tracker – we shall be there in a few days.'

'Yeah okay. I'll try and believe you.'

Rosie turned around and glared at me. 'Well did you expect us just to waltz in and settle down? I'm surprised it's been this easy, I mean let's be honest: we are vampires. We're meant to like trials and challenges and all that bullshit.'

Mr Crepsley turned to criticise her language but Gavner laughed:

'Let the girl say it, Larten. Let's face it, she is right!'

Rosie was already gone, walking steadily though the jungle of leaves, a small and determined figure. Back when we were human, she wouldn't have gone anywhere without make up and heels, but he journey to the mountain had changed that. She'd hacked off most of her hair a few days in – it had been waist length, and now it came to just below her shoulders, framing her pale face. Her hair was black, so black that it was nearly blue, and so her eyes shone out. They were unexpectedly bright blue, and I'd always envied them. We were twins, you see, but I'd ended up with brown hair and brown eyes, while her black and blue combination made her look slightly less human. Since becoming a vampire, her skin had paled to translucence, and the black tattoo on her wrist stood out more than any scar.

I heard her voice calling from up ahead, and Gavner flitted over to her. Thank the vampire Gods, she'd found a way station. And blood. And coffins. To rest in.

I collapsed in the nearest one, however Mr Crepsley pinched me, and with a yelp I leapt up.

'Darren, we are not resting until we reach the mountain. The final stage is the hardest, and I would prefer to get it over and done with. We need to meet with the Princes to discuss your sister as soon as possible.'

'Oh so now I'm a problem to be discussed? Tell me, has it already been decided who I'm going to get pregnant by?'

'Rosie, that is not what I meant at all. I merely – '

'Please, save all your sanctimonious shit for someone who cares.'

She turned to storm out, tears glittering in her eyes, but Gavner grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug.

'Come here, come here. Shh – calm down, you're going to be absolutely fine. No one is going to make you do anything you don't want to, but you have to understand that you are different to the rest of us, and that does need discussing.' She nodded and moved away, wiping her eyes and turning to Mr Crepsley.

'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that.'

He smiled slightly. 'Quite understandable. Now, shall we move on?'

He was right when he said a few days – two days later, out of absolutely nowhere, a mountain loomed out of the dark forest. We trekked around its base for another day, trying various entrances into the mountain, until on the third day we reached a tunnel – which had light at the end. We half-walked, half-crawled up it until we came to a large open space with a door at one end – and a vampire dressed in green standing by it.

'Marius!' Laughed Gavner, walking up to the vampire and clapping him on the back.

'Good to see you Gavner – you too Larten. He turned and stared at Rosie and I.

'Assistants? They look young.'

'Young,' said Mr Crepsley, 'But very capable.'

The guard nodded and opened up the door to us, and we walked into a larger hall filled with more vampires, all of whom turned and stared at us.

Mr Crepsley leant down to us and whispered 'Do not be afraid. They may look hostile, but the vampire clan is very close-knit, and they will easily accept you both.' He turned to Rosie and took her face in his hands. 'Rosie, there are very few female vampires in the mountain – at present, there are only 4. Most of them are older and battle scarred – many vampires here will not have seen a young, beautiful girl like you in years, so be prepared for staring and whispers. But we are an honourable clan – no vampire would do anything out of turn to you. They will treat you with the utmost respect.'

Rosie nodded and smiled, something I hadn't seen in weeks. She had blood smeared down her face and leaves in her hair, mud up her legs and back and more blood down her left arm (accidental run in with a bear, enough said.) But Mr Crepsley was right – she was still radiantly beautiful. She grabbed my hand tightly and squeezed it, and I could sense her nervousness. But we were home, and for the moment that was all that mattered.