The immense respect I have for Darren Shan (both the character and the author) has driven me nuts trying to write my very best fanfiction. So if you would be so kind as to leave a small contribution when you've finished reading each chapter- a review, it would mean the world to me. Every single review counts in my opinion- even if it's just "this is good" or "this is a piece of garbage". It lets me know I'm doing something right. I'm not the best writer here- or anywhere for that matter. But I promise to give you my best.

This is slightly AU, all this belong to their respective owners. I would never claim to own someone elses ideas (hence this being fanfiction). But what I do own (Sam, this plot etc.) are m-i-n-e mine.

My word count in total was: 2559

So now… onto what you really came for.

Prologue

"You're a complete idiot." I said simply, trying to swallow back the nervous lump in my throat. Wiping my profusely sweat hands on the oversized t-shirt that was currently tucked into my jean shorts; I regarded Steve with an icy glare, hoping he would stop acting stupid. In his hands he held a spider, about the size of a nickel and dirt brown. I could feel the beading sweat on the back of my neck, and it took everything I had no to run back into the house screaming with my arms flailing.

"Hey Saaaaaam." Steve drawled out, looking up at me with a mischievous look in his eyes.

"I'm serious Steve; I'll tell your mom all about the ten bucks you stole last week!"

But my threat fell on deaf ears; already he was chasing me around the yard almost putting the spider in my hair. But before he get could touch me with the creepy, eight legged creature my mom called me into the house to play with Annie; I guess having a little sister did have its advantages. I smacked his hands away quick and instinctively, the spider flying somewhere into the grass.

"No fair!" He pouted, his face was dangerously red. Steve was close to having a temper tantrum. It was hard to believe we were both 13 when he acted like such a child. Maybe he should be playing dolls with cry-baby Annie.

"What a dork," I rolled my eyes with all the maturity of a girl who became hysterical every time she saw an arachnid. I waved goodbye to my good friend, who hopped on his bike and sped away down the street.

"You know I don't like that boy," my mom said sternly as I walked past her, one hand on the stair railing. Her hands where on her hips as she stared me down with her gray-blue eyes; Angela Shan was not someone you wanted to mess with.

"Mom," I groaned, the last thing I needed was a lecture.

"Samantha Shan, I will not tolerate that tone of voice from my own daughter. There's something off about him," Mom slung the dishtowel she was twisting in her hands over her right shoulder, and then turned to go back into the kitchen. "Dinner'll be ready in about a half hour." She added softly and gently kissed my forehead.

"Alright mommy," she smiled and I rushed upstairs to Annie's room, breathing a heavy sigh of relief that mom hadn't started ranting about boys and, god forbid- sex. I held back an involuntary gag.

Sitting down on Annie's floor; I made sure I got all the good Barbie clothes, and the biggest room of the dream house dad made for us; that in turn caused a lot of slapping and hair pulling between the two of us. The shouting and consistent banging against the floorboards caused Dad to come up and yell at us, his raised voice making us both cower in fear. Of course being the eldest meant I was supposed to have more sense than to use violence with my little sister, and that on top of the earlier altercation with Steve was enough for my parents to finally lose thier patience with me. I was sent to bed right after dinner, while Annie got to stay up and eat ice cream.

One day, I would look back on these summers we spent together, and wish I could turn back time reliving every moment with my friends and family- just being a kid. And maybe, if I could have a do-over, I'd let Annie have the top floor bedroom and pink evening gown.

Chapter 1

If math wasn't the death of me, my father certainly would be. He was going to literally bury me alive when he saw my grade. I was so frustrated I was nearly in tears during midday break, which for us high school-ers was just a glorified recess. Junior year had been the biggest pain-in-the-neck for me; I barely adjusted to all this coursework suddenly being dumped on me, and I longed for the familiar halls of Meddlesome elementary school. Saying I was glad to have only 7 days left was an understatement, but then I thought about finals….

"Oh God." I laid my head against the cool picnic table, my wavy, light brown hair flying every which way in a tangled mess.

"Hey Sam!" The familiar voice of my good friend Steve caused me to emit a groan of irritation; he had a tendency to come up with these crackpot ideas on the paranormal, and decided long ago I was the best person to tell them too. Consequently on more than one occasion Steve found a way to bully me into going on idiotic adventures; like staking out the local burger joint, haha-stake, for vampires. Or even the one time he wanted to go camping in the woods behind my house because he heard howling, and convinced himself it had to be werewolves.

"Either something really bad happened, or you spontaneously turned into a dying moose," he laughed lightheartedly. "I can hear you groaning and crying from the other side of the courtyard."

"I wish I had your innate ability to not care about grades." I mumbled into the table.

"It's not that big a deal," he said, pulling on my arm and forcing me to my feet. "It's just math." We started walking toward the soccer fields.

"Besides, what need will I have for proofs when I become a vampire," Steve said this with such sincerity I almost felt like jerk for shaking my head and calling him a basket case.

"Between Mr. Dalton and my dad I'll be lucky to survive 'till the fourth of July." My stomach was already in knots, I couldn't understand how it had happened- a 68? My parents were going to be furious! I had barely passed at all.

"Maybe we can kidnap Mr. Dalton, wait 'till the fourth of July then attach him to a firework, then give your parents your report card. We can set off the firework just as your dad comes at you for the kill dressed in his "Kiss the cook" apron," Steve offered with a mischievous smile just as we passed some of the snobby girls that were spread out on a blanket; sun bathing and gossiping.

"Wielding a spatula," I added. We both erupted into a fit of side stitching laughter; a few people looked at us, clearly annoyed, before returning to their business. I didn't mind though, I wouldn't trade Steve for any one of those stuck up jerks. Even if he was a little obsessed with vampires. Steve "Leopard" Leonard was a good friend, albeit a bad influence at times. My parents tried to stop us from hanging out when high school started, they were sick of Steve getting me into trouble at school with his pranks. They also didn't trust him due to his hot temper and tendency to use violence. I could admit sometimes he scared me, I didn't like it when he angry because there was no telling what he could do. But I brushed it off and kept smiling; I trusted him, and I knew he wouldn't hurt someone he was friends with.

"Where's Alan?" I looked around not spotting either him or Tommy; the three boys and a girl named Jennifer were the only people I really hung around with.

"Probably playing soccer while Tommy's off making out with Jen." Steve mocked them by making kissing noises. I cringed; the couple had started going out two weeks ago. The sudden change had affected all five of us, putting tension between Tommy and Alan- who had a crush on Jen since the fifth grade. I felt bad for Alan, he was such nice guy. Steve thought it served him right for waiting around so long, and it caused more than one verbal fight between the two of us.

As if right on cue, Alan came running towards us waving something in the air, it flashed green and black.

"Y-you guys." He panted, stopping before us gasping for breath. "You'll never guess what I took from my brother," he looked around, and with a small voice added. "Where's Tommy and Jen?"

"Miss us?" A slightly arrogant, male voice said. Tommy was holding hands with Jen and they both shared secretive smirks on their faces. I cast a sympathetic glance over at Alan but he brushed me off, showing us all the paper.

"It's for some sort of freak show, coming in to town tomorrow night!" Alan could barely contain his excitement. "The Cirque Du Freak."

Steve snatched the paper repeating the words 'Cirque Du Freak' under his breath. This was right up his alley of expertise.

"We have to go." He said to me, his eyes gleaming.

"We don't even know how much it costs." Jen added- always the realist.

Steve quickly pocketed the flyer with a quick, sweeping look at all of us, "I'll check out the address tonight and find out all the necessary info. "He grinned lopsidedly just as the bell rang, and we all split off- both me and Steve heading to Mr. Dalton's room for last period.

"This is exactly your kind of thing," I smiled, he curtly nodded his head. I couldn't help but wonder if he was mad at me or something- he usually had some sort of joke or snappy comeback. We walked to class in utter silence, then took our seats next to each other and pulled out our review books.

Now that I'd come to think of it, Steve had been acting weird for some time now. Often times I would look out of the corner of my eye and find him staring at me intently- like some sort of science specimen. Maybe it numerous hours of Ripley's Believe It or Not finally catching up to him; causing him to go completely bonkers. But it was more than that, it was like something had completely changed between us. I couldn't identify when it specifically happened- or what triggered it. But it was like Steve had put distance between us, holding me at arms-length at all times.

I saw him reach into his pocket and pull out the Cirque flyer, smoothing it over and reading it. Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one to notice; Mr. Dalton quickly snatched the paper out of his hand and read it over.

"I'll have you know Mr. Leonard, that freak shows are illegal. The way they treat those poor, unfortunate, hideously deformed people is atrocious. I hope the only reason your even hanging on to this flyer is because you were planning on going to a trusted, reliable adult- such as myself, and reporting it." His beady eyes were challenging.

"Of course Mr. Dalton, you're obviously the best choice." Steve's voice dripped with sarcasm.

Mr. Dalton frowned at him and straightened out his sweater vest before walking back to his desk, securely locking the flyer into one of his drawers.

After class I quickly pulled Steve off to the side, "How are you going to find the place tonight, the adress was on that flyer?" I kept my tone hushed, I didnt want anyone to overhear us.

Steve pointed to his head and said with a smirk, "Photographic memory." He turned and walked briskly down the hallway, away from me.

He didn't even say goodbye.

That night after struggling over my homework for an hour I helped Annie with her easy, first grade stuff. By the time I finally crashed into bed I was ready to pass out. And yet, being as tired as I was physically, my mind was racing with thoughts. Mostly they were about Steve, and if he was really able to make it there tonight without a hitch. And if he did, would he make it back ok? I didn't pretend to know- or even really care much about the paranormal. I liked a good scary movie just as much as the next person but I didn't spend all my free time obsessing over it, not like Steve did.

Eventually my body won over my mind, and I drifted off into a fitful sleep. I was plagued by nightmares of Steve hanging by strings like a puppet on a vaudeville stage, and some unknown person was tugging on the control bars. And there were huge spiders sitting in the audience- talking and laughing, even clapping like people. Soon enough I was pulled onto the stage as well, and all I could just yell at the person controlling us to stop. But they didn't, we just kept flailing around like fish in a barrel.

Steve wasn't in class the next day, but when the final bell rang we all found him standing at the school entrance- a smug expression on his face.

"I bought the tickets," Steve had a far off look in his eyes as he showed us the two spring green tickets he had in his hands. "As you can clearly see; admittance is only two per flyer." We all shared looks of bewilderment- all except Steve, that is. From his jean pocket he produced three strips of pre-ripped paper.

"I automatically get a one, seeing as I paid for them." A murmur of agreement came from both tommy and Alan who viewed it as fair. "I'll throw the extra ticket and these papers into the air; whoever grabs the ticket is my date." Steve winked jokingly. Without a moment's notice he threw the papers into the air, and we all scrambled around trying to catch the ticket. I was suddenly overcome by a strange feeling- like someone else's thoughts were invading my mind

Stop. A small put stern voice spoke from the back of my brain. I stopped, curious as to where this voice had come from. I reached up.

Not yet, it spoke again. I waited another second before reaching up.

Not yet! The voice sounded impatient, like a child on Christmas Eve.

Now! It spoke, and as I reached up I closed my eyes, feeling something flutter into my hand.