Disclaimer: I do not own any of Darren Shan's characters or work so infragmentation to copyright is accidental.
I only own the character of Lucy.
The three of us stumbled through the blinding snow storm which whipped deadly shards into our faces, not having mercy for any of us. We held our capes closely and wrapped them tightly around our bodies, trying to stay warm as we trudged through the never ending wilderness. Larten walked just behind us as Vancha had decided to lead us to the cave which we knew Steve and his minions would be situated.
"Vancha, are you sure you know the way?" I shouted as my voice was carried away on the wind.
"Of course I do, it should not be far from here." He yelled back to me and stopped to wait for me and Larten to catch up, not wanting the three of us to be separated amongst the continuous storm. "You look freezing." Vancha said softly as I came touching distance to him. He removed from him, a coat of animal skin which he had made and wrapped it tightly around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him for warmth as we continued to walk forward.
It only seemed like a few minutes had passed since then, before I looked behind to see nothing but white and no figure of the red dressed vampire to be seen.
"Larten!" I screamed into the air, hoping that he would appear soon. I searched around endlessly, turning my head quickly in all directions in hope that he would show. "Larten!" I screamed again into the distance as Vancha stood restless by my side, also shouting his name at the air. "Show yourself my friend." I whispered to myself and Vancha stood on full alert, fearing for any attackers. Then out of the white, came a red figure, striding towards us with pride.
"You were right Vancha, we are close. They are all around us, be careful." Larten called as he approached us and we gazed at him in relief. I looked down and his hands were covered in fresh blood, the blood of vampaneze. I ran a hand over the blood cautiously and Larten nodded, knowing that I knew what was around us. The three of us stuck close together, no longer caring about being warm, just being wary of vampaneze who could come out of the snow. We were like sitting ducks and we paced shoulder to shoulder with each other, watching for any sign of activity or a cave nearby.
Finally, I spotted a large crumbling cavern ahead of us, guarded all around by vampaneze. They stood at the foot of it, around it and even perched on top of it and I looked at Larten and Vancha worriedly. I still strode forward until Larten held out his arm in front of me, halting me and Vancha before the cave.
"Charna's guts! They are everywhere, how are we even supposed to make it inside this place alive?" Vancha mumbled to us and I walked forward carefully.
"Lucy, get back!" Larten hissed at me and I gazed at the two vampires who seemed afraid to approach any closer. I reached the foot of the cave and all of the vampaneze crouched in waiting around me, either licking their lips or laughing at me, mocking me with their bloodthirsty grins. Standing reaching distance from me was Morgan James - a vampet.
"Morgan." I nodded carefully and he smiled at me viciously, the left side of his face still shredded and falling to pieces since a police officer named Alice had shot him in the face. A man came out of the cave and stood by Morgan. It was Gannen Harst - Vancha's brother.
"Are the others going to come forward or are they too scared?" Gannen laughed at me and I looked back at them, seeing Larten striding forward and Vancha not far behind. Morgan and Gannen turned away from us and walked back into the cave, some of the other vampaneze trailing behind and the three stood close together.
"You have some nerve to stand up to them like that." Vancha whispered to me before walking ahead and into the cave. I breathed deeply, preparing myself for what came next and Larten placed his hand on my shoulder.
"This is it, are you sure you can do this?" He asked me as we began to pace forward, "you can turn back now if you want."
"Not now, I have come too far to turn around." We stood at the foot of the cave, seeing nothing but taunting blackness inside. The cave seemed much larger on the inside and it was covered with vampaneze. In the middle, was a huge coffin of fire, burning even from the outside and suddenly it swung open, revealing Steve. Whoever could survive the burning coffin would be The Lord of the Vampaneze, so many had died trying but then there was Steve.
"Oh look! If it isn't creepy Crepsley and his worthless minions." Steve jeered, stepping towards us with Morgan, Gannen and R.V standing by his side. I started to move forward, feeling the blood boil within me with the rage to kill Steve but Larten halted me back as I drew out the dagger. "Pathetic, scared to fight me Crepsley? Because I know your lady friend isn't. Come on, give me all you got!" He laughed at us but Larten still held his arm in front of me and I looked at him with anger.
"Larten!" I hissed at him, wanting him to let me pass so I could get my hands on Steve.
"He is too strong for you." Larten whispered softly and I growled under my breath, looking at Steve and his sinister smile.
Then the vampaneze began to circle around us and swiftly, Vancha commenced fighting, throwing his shurikens in all directions or slashing at the enemies.
"Stay away from Steve." Larten spat before joining Vancha in the battle. I stood in the centre, face to face with Steve.
Suddenly, stakes started forming all around me from out of the ground and I was pushed into the centre next to the coffin. Steve and I were standing opposite each other, surrounded by a large circle of tall stakes and the coffin sat in the middle, separating us. Its flames grew larger and eventually spread onto the stakes, causing me to be trapped with Steve amongst a ring of fire. I panicked, searching around endlessly for an exit but couldn't see one.
Larten and Vancha had come over, staring wide eyed on the outside of the ring.
"Lucy!" Vancha called worriedly as he tried to find a way to get to me. I closed my eyes, realising this was the end and whispered to myself.
"Even in death may you be triumphant." I opened my eyes to see Steve charging towards me, jumping over the coffin and standing reaching distance from me. Then I began to slash at him with the dagger, missing every time until I was pushed to the edge of the circle, a fire lit stake close by me. Larten and Vancha ran around the circle desperately until finding no way to get to me, Vancha reached his hand through a small gap in the fire, holding onto my hand as the tears began to well up in my eyes. "Goodbye Vancha." I whispered, turning back to Steve who just laughed at the scene of affection. "Goodbye Larten." I called to my dear friend who stood by Vancha, "take care of Darren; he will be a strong vampire one day." Vancha gripped my hand tighter as I tried to walk forward and face my death but I slipped out of his grasp and looked sadly at his heartbroken face. "I am sorry." I cried as I began to walk forward and face Steve.
Suddenly, Steve pulled me forward and I fell into the coffin, the fire pulsing through my body as Vancha screamed out to me. Steve laughed mockingly and walked away with Gannen, the stakes dropping into the ground, leaving the cave how it looked as we entered it.
"Lucy!" Vancha called worriedly as the two of them ran towards me. He fell to his knees and tried to reach into the fire to pull me out but only screamed and pulled back as it singed his hands.
"Vancha, I am sorry. I know you had strong feelings for her but please do not cause yourself pain." Larten whispered as he sat next to his friend.
Strangely, the fire hadn't burnt me at all, I could hear everything they were saying as if I was just lying down in a normal coffin. Could it be? Was I the legendary Vampire Princess? Stories had told of a full female vampire who could survive the coffin of flames that the Vampaneze Lord could survive. She would be known as the Vampire Princess and could be the only one to defeat Steve.
"I..." Vancha paused, looking at my face, neither of them realising that I was still alive. "I loved her Larten, she was brave, strong and fearless and I really loved her."
I felt touched and decided not to cause Vancha anymore pain by thinking I was dead, so sat up as the flames followed me forward. They both jumped back in shock and I smiled at them softly, standing up and climbing out of the coffin where the flames immediately disappeared.
"You...but...how?" Vancha stuttered and I started to laugh at their baffled faces.
"You are...the Vampire Princess!" Larten called happily and I skipped to him and hugged him tightly as we laughed together.
"I am the Princess." I whispered in his ear as he span me around before placing me down and looking me straight in the eyes. "I am the only one who can kill Steve."
"Precisely." He nodded sadly and I looked over at Vancha who seemed rather embarrassed.
"You heard all of that, did you not?" He mumbled with a hand on the back of his head. I nodded with a cheeky smile and walked over to him.
"Is it true?" I asked even though I already knew the answer.
"Well, um..." He struggled to find the words and I raised an eyebrow, knowing that he would find the words eventually. "Yes." He whispered quietly and I hugged him tightly as he burrowed his head into my shoulder and I heard the faint sound of him crying into me. "I thought you were dead." He whimpered and I patted his back softly.
"I am fine." I whispered and gazed over at Larten who was smiling at us proudly.
"Come on you two, we have to return to the mountain and tell Paris about your little gift." Larten called and I pulled away from Vancha, smiling at him lovingly as he picked up my hand and kissed the back of it.
"You are going to learn to shower first!" I laughed and ran for the exit as Vancha shouted after me and began to chase me through the cave. The three of us were returning to the mountain and then we had to track down Steve again. The adventure continued.