Quick note to just Say that I do not own the Darren Shan saga. The only thing I own in this is Cole and his father. Let me know if I've got anything wrong or something just doesn't seem right. This is set in the third book "Tunnels of Blood" and pretty much begins when the Mr Crepsley and Co reach the city, a few nights into their stay. Hope you enjoy it, second chapter will be up soon and as always R&R, even if its to tell me that this is terrible :P All reviews will get a mention in the second chapter. Enjoy!
I shivered, more out of habit than from the cold. The stranger lead me into a brightly lit hotel. The bulbs burned there light into my skull, forcing me to shield my eyes as the staff gave him a strange look. It didn't matter what they thought. The stranger understood. More than they possibly could. We climbed the staircase. I was trying not to focus on the magnified sounds and smells of the city. I was extremely scared, though determined not to show it. Though I'm sure he'd understand. He opened a door leading me into the room he was obviously staying in. I was surprised to see two other teenagers playing video games. Even more to see that one was covered in scales.
"Hey your back" one boy shouted turning around. "and you brought someone with you. Love it when you do that, its not at all awkward." he half laughed, the other boy turned now as well, grinning a little at the joke, but seeming rather shy of himself.
"Darren I want no interruption, is that clear?" The stranger ordered. The boy I now knew as Darren, the one without scales, nodded. The stranger set off into a separate room. I half raised my hand before following. I had no time for hello's right now. Well, I guess that wasn't true. I had maybe 600 years of time. I shut the door being me. In the room sat an open coffin, which made me breathe in deeply. Also a mini fridge and a large bed obviously supplied by the hotel. Also in the room was a pair of chairs and a door that I could only guess led to a closet or an en suite bathroom.
The stranger sat in one of the chairs. Beckoning for me to sit in the opposite. Which I did. Looking around nervously, my eyes damp with bunged up tears.
"Are you all right?" He asked. Stupid question I thought. Though was too polite to voice my opinions.
"Yes." I nodded not making eye contact. Looking out of the window. "Thank you" I added after a moments silence.
"My names Larten Crepsley" He gestured at himself.
"Nice to meet you" I nodded putting out my hand. "I'm Cole. Cole Collinson." He left a long pause at that point. There was no light in the room, just coming from outside. I didn't need it anymore anyway.
"... Its okay to be scared Cole." He reassured me. "Anybody in your position would be"
"Am I human?" I asked choking back tears. Afraid of the answer.
"No" He shook his head "Not any more"
"I see." I choked a few heavy tears dropping to the carpet "and my father?"
"Dead." He hung his head a little.
"I see." I repeated. Even more tears dropping. Making a soft thud on the carpet, though to me it sounded as if someone was banging on the walls. "Its so loud Mr Crepsley"
"I know" He sounded sorrowful "You will get used to it. Though I cannot promise it will not take some time."
"What am I Mr Crepsley" I asked, already knowing and fearing the answer.
"You Cole... are a vampire now, like me." I nodded, knowing he was going to say that.
"Forever? Mr Crepsley"
"Yes Cole, the change is unfortunately permanent. There is no cure" I left the last shattered hope hanging there.
"... So what now? Mr Crepsley" I repeated his name.
"Now the choice is up to you. You can go try and make it on your own, or I can help you Cole."
"I would like that …. Mr Crepsley."
"Would you like to rest Cole?" I nodded silently, a few more tears dropping. "Take the bed. When you awake, either I or one of the others you saw on the way in will help you." I nodded standing. Crossing the room. I climbed onto the bed. Quickly slipped into the sheets as Mr Crepsley settled into his coffin. I lay there thinking about what had just happened in that one hour and how it was going to change things for 600 years. I worried and cried silently until unconsciousness finally brought its massively welcomed darkness.
I opened my eyes. The room was a lot brighter, though I had no idea if that was a good thing or not. I quietly climbed out of the bed. My eyes red but dry. I had no wish to cry in front of them any more. Checking the coffin, Mr Crepsley was there, but unfortunately he was asleep. This meant I had to look to the teens for answers. But would they even understand the questions? Did the/y know Mr Crepsley was a vampire? If not, then how would they react when I told them what I was? I breathed in another deep breath as I usually do when I was nervous. I opened the door. They were both sat watching soaps on the TV. Sat across on a sofa. A smaller sofa chair lay empty next to the sofa. I headed for it. Quickly seating myself on it as they turned finally noticing me.
"Hi" I muttered. Suddenly worried about being polite. This was there home.
"Hi" The boy with scales smiled. Rather reassuringly.
"I'm Cole" I put out a hand despite myself. Manners were always a good thing to have in any situation. Something I was taught all of my life. "Cole Collinson."
"Hi Cole, I'm Evra Von" He said shaking my hand, his skin was rougher than I had expected. Though I did not comment.
"Darren Shan" The other boy nodded shaking my hand. I sat back into the chair after that. Unsure what to say next.
"So where do you live Cole?" Evra asked, saving me from raking my brain.
"A few streets from here, I come round during the day to play with the kids in the square. What about you guys." I nodded, quickly taking the conversation off of me.
"Me and Evra usually travel with a circus with Mr Crepsley, but were stopping here for a break" My mind lit up at the word circus. I always wanted to go to the circus. The sights, the smells, the fun.
"See where a little different to most kids" Evra laughed "In case you didn't notice" He gestured to himself. It couldn't have been a terrible circus. They wouldn't be staying in a nice hotel in a busy city for Christmas if it was.
"So why did Mr Crepsley bring you here Cole?" Darren asked. I was a little unsure what to say, how much to let off.
"I don't know fully. He says he's going to help me." I nodded after him after a minute.
"What's he helping you with?" Evra asked. My heart skipped. I'd rather wish not t tell them encase they did not understand. I had only learnt myself a few hours ago. I stayed silent for a while, struggling to find something to say.
"Does it have anything to do with these?" Darren asked showing me his hands. A small scar was visible on each finger tip. I looked at my own hands. Painfully remembering the night before. I nodded silently.
"Your a vampire too?" I croaked.
"Half" He smiled cheerfully "What about you?"
"I don't know" I admitted. They looked at each other in a worried sort of way. There was silence again for a long time. I felt bad. I'd literally walked in and made things awkward. I was about to apologise.
"So you play around here eh?" Evra smiled breaking the silence. "What's your favourite game?"
I smiled happily and we began to talk. Mostly about pointless things like games and school and things like that. We watched TV as well though it must have been late when I first started talking to them as soon it was becoming dark. Darren stood up and went to the joining kitchen and brought out a pack of bacon and eggs.
"What are you doing?" I asked them silently cursing myself for the rude question.
"Making breakfast" He grinned.
"Breakfast" I questioned glancing at the clock. 9:13pm as I thought.
"For the sleepy vampire" He smiled gesturing towards the bedroom.
"Oh" I said turning back in the chair questioning my own logic. Did vampires need to eat? Well clearly that had just been answered. Almost as if on cue Mr Crepsley appeared from the bedroom. Darren quickly dished out the food as he sat at the table.
"So what's the plan for tonight?" He asked stepping back. Mr Crepsley sat back in his chair and cleared his throat.
"Tonight Darren. I'm taking Cole out to Feed."
"Is it not a little early?" He asked as I turned back around in the chair at the mention of my name.
"I believe it better now than when he gets a thirst for it. Also, we need time to discuss a few things." He nodded.
"Your talking about drinking blood, right?" I asked
"Yes Cole" Mr Crepsley, addressing me "I think that tonight you should have your first feed." I nodded, ashamed of myself, being reminded what I am again. I turned back around and brought my knees up on the chair. Attempting to mentally prepare myself for what I was about to do.
The air smelt fresh, I noticed, as Mr Crepsley dragged the victim to the ground. Already unconscious as he gently placed her head on the concrete and began to examine her arm. Most likely for a good vein.
"Does the blood bother you Cole?" He asked as her made a small incision with his nail, blood beginning to pour from it.
"No Mr Crepsley. The blood does no. I am just uncomfortable with killing this women." I sighed revealing my fear. He must thing I'm strange. A vampire unwilling to kill its prey.
"What? Cole, we do not kill the people we feed upon" He said pausing for a second.
"We do not?" I asked. Confused but relieved all the same.
"No Cole" He laughed "We are vampires, not Vampeneze. We take as much as we need and leave the person to wake up, with nothing more than a small scar on their person."
"Oh" I grinned, now very happy that I did not have to kill anybody. I had before been mentally counting all the people I would have had to kill in my lifetime to keep me alive. It was a staggering number.
"Would you like to feed then?" He gestured her arm towards me "I will not force you too, though I do recommend you feed tonight. Before you feel the need to."
"Its okay Mr Crepsley. I trust your judgement." I knelt down and took her arm from him, placing my lips around the cut he had made I felt her blood gush down my throat. Warm, thick and extremely pleasant. He looked shocked but extremely happy by my judgement. He tapped my shoulder after a few seconds. Signalling me it was time to stop as I had no idea how much I needed. I broke away at his touch and he spat onto the wound before rubbing it along the length, it quickly, to my astonishment, closed up.
"I am very pleased to how you have behaved on your first feed" He patted my shoulder as I let the blood settle in my stomach.
"You expected less?" I asked puzzled. As we stood, leaving before she could wake up.
"Darren refrained from drinking for a long time, preferring the blood of animals. Trying to cling to humanity, not understanding that to us, humanity no longer exists. He nearly killed himself on his attempt to stay human. He became human to save a friend, and it took the tragic end of another to get him to drink."
"But if we don't kill them its not bad right? Were not the Vampeneze as you said." I looked up at him.
"That's right. The vampaneze kill who they feed from. Though some consider it bad, it is their way. Though the mass consumption of blood send the weak vampeneze insane. Luckily, the treaty stops them from killing more than they need. Preventing the amount of mad Vampeneze in the world." He smiled happily.
"Mr Crepsley. Was that man yesterday. The one with purple skin. Was that a Vampeneze?"
"Yes Cole. A particularly mad Vampeneze named Murlough. One I've been tracking for a few days now. Though I would like to discuss what happened. If that is not a problem" I nodded going into my memory. As painful as it was going to be. He deserved a explanation and deep down, I needed to talk to someone.
"Me and my father were out selling the trinkets again. My father suffered a massive leg injury a few months back and had been stuck in a wheelchair ever since. He couldn't work, we received a small amount of compensation. But it wasn't enough. We never have had much money but we needed a bit more than we were getting. So through the day we made small items. You know little Christmassy things" I laughed welling up. "and then we went around the town, selling as much as we could. Anyway, yesterday we were wondering around the town, though it was becoming late and people were mostly in their homes. We were going to head back. Then he jumped out in front of us." I stopped and leaned against a wall. Mr Crepsley stopped also, giving me his full attention.
"He pushed my father over" I said tears once again beginning to drop. "Threw me into a lamppost, wrapped and iron bar around me. Fixing me to the lamppost by my shoulders. My dad tried to get into his chair. Calling for help as he did. Murlough was laughing Mr Crepsley." I told him. I could almost hear it ringing in my ears as I spoke "He laughed and laughed as he kicked my father back to the ground. He made me watch as he slit his throat." My voice went very quiet and croaky at this point. I thought reminiscing would hurt. But it was like reliving it. Like it was happening all over again and once again, there was nothing I could do. "I screamed and screamed, but no one came. No one in this town could hear or see what was happening, and Murlough kept laughing. Even as he was drinking my fathers blood, he was laughing. Then when he had finished with my father, he came over to me. I thought he was going to do the same to me, and for a while he sat cross legged, describing exactly that as he played with his knife. Then he finally got the bright idea that a babyVampeneze could cause more damage in this town than he could get away with. And he changed me." I left the explanation at that I needn't say anything more about it. And I was glad of it. "You must have interrupted him, because he broke off cursing and ran, seconds before you turned up."
"That's when I had to change you myself. I am sorry, but a baby vampire is always better than a baby Vampaneze" He was right. When he arrived, he did the same thing Murlough had done to me. Which I now understood as counteracting the Vampaneze blood.
"You have no need to apologise Mr Crepsley. I understand completely and agree with you. I don't blame you for what happened yesterday, I also do not resent you for your actions. In a way Mr Crepsley, you saved my life and I would like to thank you. Thank you Mr Crepsley." He paused for a moment, smiling proudly which oddly cheered me up a little. It was as if he did not smile very often.
"You are very intelligent for your age Cole. You would rival most vampire's my age, outstandingly understanding also. It makes you a very easy person to talk to. A trait not commonly found any more." This was my turn to smile proudly. My father had taught me well. Selling things to the public meant having to talk to the public, have certain … Persuasive skills. I seems theses traits have seeped into my every day personality.
"So what now Mr Crepsley? What do I do next. I may be intelligent for a human, but of the Vampire world I know very little. Though perhaps I will figure it out eventually, there has to be ways besides trial and error to discover its secrets."
"Well, I will offer you a place at my side as my second assistant. You will travel with me and Darren. I will teach you our ways and for the most part, we will be staying at the travelling Cirque. Or if you would prefer, you can go seek the answers on your own. Perhaps you will discover them faster than I could have told." He put the offer there as we began to walk again, heading back to the hotel.
"I would like to come with you Mr Crepsley. It is a chance I am unlikely to get again and a very generous offer." I nodded smiling still.
"Then it is settled, after my business here is settled, we shall return to the Cirque to begin your new life."
Sorry to leave off at such a strange though not exactly important part, just thought you should know what happened to Cole's father. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, the second will be up soon. Sooner if I get a few reviews. By the way, a reasonable knowledge of the events of "The tunnels of Blood" Will come in Handy, though its not essential. Please R&R and let me know where I'm going wrong or if I'm doing okay. Again I hope you enjoyed it and the second chapter will arrive soon.