I left Darren's house that night and arrived the next morning, requesting a job. Needless to say, I got it. I was now known to his parents, Dermot and Angela and I found out why Darren chose the name he did for me. His little sister, maybe six or seven, was called Annie. She was a sweet, small girl with short blonde hair.

That weekend, Darren spent time with many of his friends and family. He didn't get angry or annoyed at any of them despite the turmoil going on inside him. He was fairly distant when talking to the other maid, cook, gardener and butler.

"It is time to sleep," I told him once the weekend was over. He was sitting in a room with his parents and sister, who the other maid would take to bed.

"Yes," he choked out. Realising what tonight was.

It was the night the vampire would come and effectively kill him. I was eager to meet the vampire. I wanted to see his reaction. I wonder if vampires disliked demons as much as we disliked them?

"Take him to bed, then do some last minute tending of the garden." His dad ordered. I nodded and bowed my head.

Darren dragged out the time, he didn't want to leave. Whenever I did up the buttons of his nightshirt he would undo them. Then he insisted on doing his own teeth and taking a long time doing them. Every time I washed his face he would find something and make it so I had to wash it again.

It could be avoided no longer. "It is time to sleep," I told him.

"I want to see them," Darren murmured, "My family. One last time."

"Yes, Master," I bowed.

I walked downstairs with him. When he got to the living room his parents looked up, surprised to see him. I saw that his mother was about to scold me for not getting him into bed but then she saw Darren's paler-than-normal face. "Are you alright, Darren?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he nodded, putting on a believable fake smile."

"You're not feeling sick?" she asked, without waiting for an answer she said to me, "Get the medicine and a hot towel for his forehead,"

"No," Darren interrupted, "I'm fine, really." He smiled a real smile, "I just wanted to say good night," he walked over and hugged his dad hard, and then kissed him on the cheek, then he did the same with his mum. "Good night," he made sure to say to each.

"This is one for the books," His dad laughed awkwardly, "How long since he kissed the two of us good night, Angie?"

"Too long," his mum said, looking at Darren worriedly.

"I love you," Darren whispered, "I know I haven't said it very often, but I do," He said, I love the both of you and always will."

"We love you, too," His mum smiled kindly, "Don't we, Dermot?"

"Of course we do," his dad nodded.

"Well tell him that then," Darren's mum scolded.

"I love you, Darren," His dad said with a role of his eyes that made Darren laugh. Then he gave Darren another hug and said to him seriously, "Really I do,"

Darren walked out then, not looking back at his parent's faces. He stood outside the door for a while, listening to their conversation. He then looked up at me sadly.

"If you want sympathy," I said, realising the expression he was wearing. He looked like a child looking for attention, "You will not get it from me." I told him, "You are purely a meal to me; I do your bidding because I have to. I am a servant as of when we made the contract. Nothing more, nothing less."

"I know," Darren muttered sadly. He put his ear against the closed door. I could hear the conversation anyway.

"What do you think brought that on?" his mum asked.

"Kids," his dad snorted, "Who knows how their minds work?"

"There's something up," his mum said, "He's been acting oddly for some time now."

"Maybe he's got a girlfriend?" His dad laughed, making his mum giggle slightly.

"Maybe," she said, but she wasn't convinced.

Darren went to go push the door open again. My hand closed around at his arm as I made him face me. "It is time for bed," I said.
He looked back towards the door, then nodded. "If I stay any longer," he voiced his thoughts, "I might rush in and tell them everything. About me being a vampire, about selling out my soul to a demon. They'd insist those sorts of creatures weren't real. They'd fight to keep me with them, despite the dangers."

Darren trudged up to his room, me following a few steps behind. He walked past Annie's room and walked in. She was already in bed and sleeping soundly. He walked as quietly as he could across the large room and leant over her. He kissed her forehead.

"Love ya sis," he whispered into her hair. He smiled and turned back to me. Tears were forming in the corner of his eyes. He walked out of the room, again not looking back.

He slumped as he walked back to his room. He walked in and sat on the bed. I closed the door with a soft 'click'.

As soon as that noise sounded, the vampire emerged from the wardrobe in the room. It was a small wardrobe, it only held larger garments. Everything else was folded up neatly and in drawers. The room was warm; the window was open, which, as Darren told me, would be important.

"It is stuffy in there," the vampire said. He was wearing all red, and he had an unnaturally ginger crop of hair on his head. His most prominent feature, however, was the scar running down his cheek and through his upper lip. "I feel sorry for Madam Octa," he said. That meant she was probably kept in the wardrobe.

"Shut up," Darren told him forcefully.

"No need to be rude," Larten said, "I was merely making a comment,"

"Well don't," Darren snapped, "You might not think much of this place but I do. This has been my home, my room, my wardrobe, ever since I can remember, and I'm never going to see it again after tonight. This is my last little while here. So don't bad-mouth it, alright?"

"I am sorry," Larten apologised. He stopped and froze completely.

"Mr. Crepsley?" Darren asked, alarmed.

"Demon," Larten said quietly.

"What?" Darren frowned.

"That is a demon," Larten said, glaring at me.

So his hatred for us ran deep.

I bowed at him with a small smile.

"What is a demon doing here?" He growled at Darren, practically spitting the word 'demon'.

"I have made a contract with her," Darren said calmly.

"I know how contracts work. But why on Earth would you make a deal with a demon? And what was it?" Larten asked, dumb-founded. He didn't know just how much Darren despised him. I could picture the look on his face when Darren got his revenge.

Darren filled me in on the details. He wanted to exterminate the whole Vampire race. He wanted to leave Larten until last. He wanted to savour the tortured look on Larten's face as everything he held dear was crushed.

"None of your business," Darren snorted, "I have my reasons."

"Annie Lockhart," I bowed.

"Larten Crepsley," he replied suspiciously. He looked at Darren but every few seconds his eyes would flick to me cautiously.

Darren searched under his bed and pulled out a large brown bag. He handed it to Larten.

"What is this?" Larten frowned, taking the bag in hand.

"Some personal stuff," Darren shrugged, "My diary. A picture of my family. A couple of other things. Nothing that will be missed. Will you watch it for me?"

"Yes," he nodded in reply.

"But only if you promise not to look through it," Darren told him.

"Vampires have no secrets hidden from each other," Larten said. He looked at me. He shrugged at Darren, "I will not open it," he promised.

"Annie," Darren said.

"Yes, Master," I answered.

"Do not let him look through that bag. If he does, you may kill him." Darren said. Larten started to protest. "That is an order," Darren said.

I smiled sadistically and glanced at Larten. He narrowed his eyes hatefully at me.

"Do you have the potion?" Darren asked Larten.

Larten nodded and handed a small vile of rotten-looking liquid to him.

Larten slid behind Darren and put his hands on either side of Darren's head.

"You're sure this will work?" Darren asked.

"Trust me," Larten nodded.

"Annie?" Darren asked me.

"It will be uncomfortable, but you will live." I told him.

"I always thought a broken neck meant people couldn't walk or move." Darren asked.

"No," Larten said, "The bones of the neck do not matter. Paralysis only happens if the spinal cord, a long cord running down the back of the neck, breaks. I will be careful not to damage it."

"Won't the doctors think it's strange?" Darren asked him.

"They will not check," Larten said, "The potion will slow your heart down so much, they will be sure you are dead. They will find the broken neck and out two and two together. If you were older, they might go ahead with an autopsy. But no doctor likes cutting a child open." Larten told him. "Now, are you totally clear on what is going to happen and how you must act?"

"Yes," Darren nodded. He looked worried.

"There must be no mistakes," Larten warned, "If you make just one slip out plans will fall apart."

"I'm not a fool!" Darren snapped. "I know what to do!"

"Then do it," Larten grinned.

Darren did. He looked furious as he swallowed whatever stuff was in the vial. He grimaced and then shuddered. His teeth started chattering as his knees buckled. I was there before Larten, who was right behind him. I held Darren in my arms while the potion worked it's 'magic'.

It took ten minutes to work completely. Darren could not so much as twitch a finger. I pressed my ear to his chest, right above where his seal had been places.

One.

One heartbeat a minute, and even I could barely hear it. His chest barely moved either, no sign of breathing. His whole body was cold, like he was actually dead. But I could still sense the pride-filled soul within him. Besides, if he did die, it would just mean I needed to prepare another meal instead.

"I am going to snap the neck now," Larten said. Darren couldn't feel anything, but he could hear, taste, see, and smell everything. He would have been able to hear the harsh snapping sound as his neck was broken.

"There," Larten remarked, looking at Darren like an artist looks at his own masterpiece. "That should do it."

"Master Shan," I said, "Now I will throw you out of the window. You may break bones in the fall. They should start hurting when the potion wears off in a few days time. But Larten will fix them up later. Here we go." I picked lifted his body to the window, paused for a second, and then with no effort whatsoever I threw his cold body out of the window.

Darren fell like a rock, tumbling down over the window-sill and then plummeting past the house. He finally landed with a 'thud' on his back. He ended up on the extremely large back lawn, facing a bush of white roses.

"Now for your part," Larten said. I nodded, face blank of emotion, and head out of the window. I jumped down and landed on my feet. It did not affect me.

I sighed and then put on a terrified human expression. I ran around the house to the front door and whacked until it was opened by Darren's father.

"Come quick!" I feigned terror, "It's Young Master Shan!"

Darren's father's face turned from anger to fear. His mother had heard the conversation and followed Dermot.

There was a long silence before Darren's parents finally ran over to him as fast as they could and took him in their arms.

"Darren!" his mum screamed, hugging him as hard as she could.

"Let go, Angie," His dad said, strangely calm. His dad took him and laid him on the ground.

"What's wrong with him Dermot?" his mother wailed.

"I don't know. He must have fallen," His dad said. He stood up and looked up towards the window. His hand flexed into fists. "You," He snarled in my direction.

"No," I said, "He was in bed when I left for the garden," I told him honestly.

"He's not moving!" His mum cried. "He's not moving! He's-"
"Angie," his dad said quietly. He pried Darren away from her fingers once again and put him on the grass.

"Take her inside," His dad said to me.

"Yes," I said, bowing my head.

"Call for an ambulance. I'll stay here and look after Darren." His dad said, rage forgotten. I nodded. I put my arm around her shoulders and beckoned her inside.

The neighbours, who had heard the commotion, were looking but keeping their distance. One of the neighbours who were quite close to Angela came over and comforted her. "Is he...dead?" he asked.

"No," His dad said, "He's just paralyzed, like his friend was."
"Like Steve?" his mum asked hopefully.

"Yes," His dad smiled, "And he'll snap out of it suddenly, just like Steve. Now go call for help, okay?"

His mum nodded and hurried inside, the neighbour and I following.

I was away and gone that night. I didn't have any belongings, maybe a few sets of clothes, but that was it. I packed them into a small case and left the house. Those were my orders from Darren. I left a note:

'After the tragedy that took place, I am unable to forget the guilt I feel. I am sorry for any inconvenience I may cause. Thank you for the job but I must resign. Goodbye – Annie Lockhart.'

The doctors gave Darren a quick once over. And that was that. After a few hours friends and family visited Darren.

It must have been awful for someone with such a close bond with family and friends, like Darren. He had to fake his death, he couldn't just run away. There would be posters everywhere and a commotion and things would go on with the police. Nobody comes searching for a dead person.

The Undertaker arrived and cleared the room of all the visitors. He undressed Darren and studied him. "Excellent condition, less fun for me then," the undertaker grinned. He was a lean man with long gray hair with a single braid, which was styled to hide his eyes. He had black fingernails, like mine, and a noticeable scar across his face, neck, and left pinky finger. His robe was almost all black, and he wore a large top-hat, a gray scarf strapped across his chest and knotted by the hips. He also wore an emerald ring.

I knew him. He got all the information in the criminal circle. Criminal souls are amazing, always racked with guilt.

"Firm, fresh, and un-marked," The undertaker noted. "I'll have very little to do with this one. Just some rouge to make him look a little redder around the cheeks." He was speaking to himself.

He rolled up Darren's eyelids, looked at each of the eyes, then rolled Darren's head from side to side. It must be awful for Darren to hear the bones of his neck grinding together.

"So fragile a creature is man," he giggled creepily. He went ahead the rest of the examination in silence. He did not do what he normally did; he did not remove any of Darren's organs. His fingers brushed over the seal on his chest, he thought nothing of it. "I wonder," the Undertaker murmured, "If the maid isn't here, are you just a child who can't do anything?"

Darren went home that night. People visited and clustered around him. It was quite boring to hide in the shadows just outside the window, hidden by the darkness, observing all the things going on in the light.

It was just like it had always been.

It was eleven when people left the room. The room was silent. So I slipped into the room with no noise whatsoever. I did not tell Darren I was there. It may have scared him, and a scared soul is not a tasty soul.

After about half an hour the door to the room opened very slowly and very quietly. I immediately hid in the corner of the colossal room, merged with the shadows, waiting and watching.

Whoever it was who had invaded was very quiet. I could barely hear their heartbeat. For a couple of minutes, the figure stood still. Then it, no, he moved forwards and put his hands on Darren's face.

It was a young boy, about his age. He took a pocket-sized flashlight and shone the beams into Darren's eyes, which he held open.

I caught a glimpse of the boy in those few short moments. He was a lean boy with spiky, white hair and brown eyes. He was the same age as Darren, and his face only held curiosity.

The boy, with a small grunt, lowered Darren's eyelids and opened his mouth instead. He laid some paper onto Darren's tongue.

He took it out of Darren's mouth, then picked up Darren's hands and looked at his fingertips. There were ten small scars, one on the tip of each of Darren's fingers. That was how he became a vampire.

Larten would have cut Darren's fingers open, then his own, then joined them. Their blood would have flowed between one another, then they would part. And Darren would have been transformed into a vampire.

He put ear plugs into Darren's ears, so that he couldn't hear the boy talking to himself quietly.

A camera appeared and the boy took pictures of Darren's hands. Then he took a needle and prepared to jab Darren.

As he drove the needle down his hand was caught by a gloved hand. My gloved hand.

"I'll have to ask you not to stab my Master," I said quietly.

"What the-" the boy gasped. My hand was over his mouth.

"Now, now, do you want to wake the parents?" I asked him. He shook his head. I lowered my hand.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I am a maid, nothing more, nothing less," I answered.

Boy's POV

"Who are you?" I asked fearfully. I had almost done my tests! Then this...girl came and stopped me! I didn't even hear her come into the room!

"I am a maid, nothing more, nothing less," She answered quietly. Then she did something that shook me to my very core.

Her eyes. It was her eyes. She blinked, and when her eyes opened again they were demonic! The pupils had formed slits, and they were glowing a fuchsia colour. They were terrifying! That, coupled with the demonic snarl of hers sent me over the edge. I grabbed camera, hands shaking, then ran out of the door.

Annie's POV

Those eyes were the traits of every demon. They were truly terrifying to a human. They pierced the darkness and were able to glance at your soul. That boy's soul was full of seething, hatred and evil, he had no pride, and he was terrified. His was a truly disgusting soul. He wasn't even worth a light snack.

I removed the plugs from Darren's ears. He shouldn't have felt me remove them.

I merged with the darkness once again and waited for morning to come.

In the morning I left. Darren's mum and dad came down and talked to him. They talked about the life they wanted him to have, what he was like as a small child, and how they felt. But it was mostly a lot of crying.

That day was quite busy. The Undertaker brought a coffin which Darren was laid in. A priest also came to sit with Darren's friends and family. Finally, after loads of crying and 'heart-felt' good-byes, the lid was placed on the coffin. It was screwed in place before being lifted off of the table and lead out to the hearse. The service took place, and then they buried the Young Master.

It only took Larten and I a few minutes to dig down to the coffin, we could both shovel dirt out at an amazing speed.

"Are you alright?" Larten asked as soon as the lid was off of the coffin.

"I feel dead tired," Darren grinned weakly.

"Stand up," Larten said, "I will examine you."

Darren obeyed. He winced as he did though. Both Larten and I ran fingers over his legs, spine, chest, and arms.

"You were lucky," I commented, "No broken bones. Just a little bruising, which will die down after a couple of days."

Larten clambered out of the grave whereas I took Darren in my arms and leapt out.

"I feel like a pincushion that's been squashed," Darren complained.

"It will take a few days for the after affects to pass," Larten told him. "But do not worry. You are in good shape. If they had waited another day to put you under, you would be feeling much worse."

Larten jumped down into the grave again, closed the coffin and then climbed back out. He started shovelling dirt in.

"Do you me to help? Or Annie?" Darren asked. Larten shook his head.

"You would slow me down, and Annie should help you loosen up. Go for a stroll and work some of the stiffness out. I will call when we are ready to move on," Larten said.

"Did you bring my bag?" Darren asked.

"Annie," Larten said sourly. He still didn't like me. I pulled a bag from behind a headstone and passed it to him. Darren checked through it and nodded, then winced and held his neck.

"Annie, help Mr. Crepsley with the shovelling, I can walk on my own," Darren said.

"Yes, Master," I bowed. I picked up the shovel I was using before and helped Larten with filling in the grave.

When we finished we looked around. No Darren. "Darren, where are you, Darren," Larten called.

"Over there," I said, pointing at a certain headstone. I did not tell Larten, however, that there were two souls there, only one belonging to Darren. The other one was also familiar.

The heartbeat of the other soul quickened as even more fear crept into his already terrified mind.

"I'm fine," Darren called.

Boy's POV

NO! I came here to kill Darren! Me, Steve Leonard! I was going to kill him! He took my place! I was meant to be the vampire's assistant, not him!

I did the tests on Darren that night, the paper on his tongue, the marks on his fingers, all of it! But that stupid maid of his scared me off.

I was right here now though. I had the tip of a stake pointed directly at Darren's heart.

"Darren! Where are you?! Darren?" the old vampire yelled out. No, I was going to get caught. My plan's backfired; he had a vampire and a demon with him. How could I, a weak twelve-year old, deal with all three of them?

"I'm fine!" Darren called back, I jumped.

"Where are you?" the demon called. I learnt all about her. I checked out and read so many books on demon servants. Darren must have made a deal with the witch.

"Over here!" Darren called; he peeked over the edge of the headstone we were hiding behind. "My legs were weak," he grinned lazily, "So I lay down for a minute,"

"Are you alright?" Larten asked.

"I'm fine," Darren replied, "I'll rest a little longer, then try them again. Give me a shout when you're ready."

Darren bent back down. I sagged miserably, the stake now pointed at the ground.

"No..." I muttered, anger swelling inside me, "I will kill you." I raised the steak again.

"Annie, come here," Darren said calmly.

"Yes, Master," A voice came from behind me. She was sitting cross-legged less than ten centimetres away. She raised her hand to attack swiftly and fatally, smiling sadistically. I gave a strangled yelp and fell back.

"No," Darren told her, "leave him."

"Yes, Master," she nodded, smiling with her eyes shut. When she opened them again they were the demonic eyes. I shook from pure fear.

"Why did you come here Steve?" Darren asked.

"To kill you," I answered honestly.

"To kill me, for heaven's sake, why?" Darren asked innocently.

"You're a vampire," I told him, "What other reason do I need?"

"But you've got nothing against vampires, you wanted to become one," Darren argued.

"I know that. I wanted to become one, but you're the one who did." I snapped, but quietly so I didn't attract the attention of another vampire. "You've always been rich, living in a giant mansion, playing happy families, while I live in a one bedroom apartment with a drunk mother." Something occurred to me then. "You planned this all along, didn't you? You told him I had evil blood. You made him reject me so that you could..."

"You're talking nonsense," Darren sighed. "I never wanted to become a vampire. I only agreed to join him in order to save your life. You would have died if I hadn't become his assistant."

"A likely story," I snorted. Why would I believe what he's saying? "To think I used to believe you were my friend! HA!"

"I am your friend," Darren retorted, "Steve, you don't understand. I would never do anything to harm you. I hate what's happened to me. I only did it to-"

"Spare the sob story," I told him, "How long were you planning this? You must have gone to him that night of the freak show. That's how you got Madam Octa, wasn't it? He gave you her in return for your becoming his assistant. I bet you made a contract with this demon so she could protect you from me. That's what a demon does right; you sell out your soul for something in return. I should get a demon, so I can kill you. That would be easier. But I want to savour your terror."

"No, Steve, you mustn't believe that." Darren argued. He wasn't putting up a very good argument here. He was obviously telling lies. He betrayed me; he had stolen the life that was meant to be mine. I would never forgive him.

Ever.

Annie's POV

"No, Steve, that's not true, you mustn't believe that," Darren argued.

It was pitiful really. Why belittle yourself to make sure another human's conscience is eased?

"I'm going now," the boy, Steve, said. "I thought I'd be able to kill you tonight, but I was wrong. I'm too young. I'm not strong enough or brave enough." He grinned like a maniac. It was a grin crazier than any demon's. "But heed this, Darren Shan," He said, "I'll grow. I'll get older and stronger and braver. I'm going to devote my entire life to developing my body and my mind, and when the day comes...when I'm ready...when I'm fully equipped and properly prepared... I'm going to hunt you down and kill you," he vowed. "I'm going to become the world's best vampire hunter and there won't be a single hole you can find that I won't be able to find, too. Not a hole or a rock or a cellar." He said. "I'll track you to the ends of the Earth if I have to," his face was alight with madness, "You and your mentor and that bastard of a demon. When I find you, I'll drive steel-tipped stakes through your hearts, then chop off your heads and fill them with garlic. Then I'll burn you to ashes and scatter you across running water. I won't take any chances. I'll make sure you never come back from the grave again!"

"And you demon," he seethed, "I am going to find a blade so powerful that it will rip apart your stained soul."

I cocked my head to the side in a polite smile.

He pulled a knife that he had in his pocket. He cut a small cross into the soft flesh of his left palm. The blood dripped from the wound. "On this blood I swear it!" he declared.

Then he ran.

"Master?" I asked.

"No, let him go," Darren answered.

"But..." I began.

"No, let him go," Darren repeated sternly.

Darren said a last goodbye to the city he called home. Then, weaving through the graves of the deceased, we left.

This will probably the last chapter of this story, for a little while anyway, I'm about half way through chapter 3 now.