AN: I'm really pissed. I had a chapter written out and it's gone. Now I
have to rewrite. Anyway, some of the story won't be Darren's point of view.
It shouldn't be too hard to figure out who is talking and what's going on.
Sorry for not updating so often.
The Hunter's Assistant
Ever since Damien's appearance the whole camp has been on edge. We each take different shifts on keeping guard and we all stay in Mr. Crepsley's trailer. Tira and I keep watch during the day. Mr. Crepsley and Mr. Grims keep watch at night. That doesn't bother me much. At least I still get to see Evra and the others. And Tira is there so I don't have to face Damien alone.
Not much is going on right now. Mr. Tall and Mr. Crepsley won't let Tira or me mover too far from the trailer. We can't even go out to help Evra look for small animals for the Little People, little creatures in purple hoods brought to help out at the cirque by a guy named Desmond Tiny. Maybe I am becoming more like a vampire. It used to bother me to kill anything but now I just do it. It's the only way to survive.
Tira's back is up against a wall. Her legs are stretched out on the floor. Her hair covers most of her face. Is she crying? "Tira?" She looks up at me. What can I say? "Why is Damien after you?" I lower my head. What a stupid question. So obvious. He's a vampire hunter and we're vampires.
"It's not because we're vampires, Darren. Well, it partially is." I'm surprised for a moment but then remember she's telepathic. She lowers her head, "Sorry. I don't try to read minds unless I have to. It's just that sometimes feelings are so strong that I hear them without trying."
I smile, "Don't worry. I don't really have much to hide." In about a second she's right next to me. Was she flitting? Only full vampires could do that.
She lets out a sigh, "At first we were always together. He was like my brother, maybe more than that. Life wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. We lived on the streets." Her eyes grew distant. It's strange. I can almost see a younger Tira and Damien as she speaks. "It's been nine years since we parted and I can remember that night like it was yesterday.
"It was dark out and snow had just begun to fall. Damien and I were huddled together for warmth. Damien was soundly asleep next to me but something was keeping me up. I kept thinking on how cold and overprotective he had been acting lately. Like we were being watched. Then I heard it.
"It was a soft clicking on the cobble stones. I strained my eyes trying to see in the shadows. That's where I saw Mr. Grims. But for some reason I wasn't afraid, even after I had read what he was.
"As I shifted to meet him, Damien woke up. He knew exactly what I was thinking." Her eyes are down cast. "Right from the start he never trusted Mr. Grims. When he woke he jumped to his feet and immediately started attacking Mr. Grims and tried to push me away. I don't understand why he was so hostile. It couldn't have been fear.
"Finally Damien stopped. When I asked if we could become his assistants, Damien grew angry and stormed off. Before he left he swore he'd become a vampire hunter and kill us all.
"I thought he was just being silly and would come back like he always did, but he didn't. After that I began to learn vampire ways. Then I was blooded. There was only one other time that I saw Damien." her voice became shaky. "We were feeding when a shot nearly hit Mr. Grims. The two of us were just barely able to escape. After our encounter I didn't feed for weeks. I thought, that maybe if I got rid of my vampire ambitions I'd become human again. That Damien would come back and everything would go back to the way things were." She lowered her head. "Mr. Grims finally had to force blood down me. There is no turning back and Damien will continue to hunt our kind until his last breath." ***
It's been a week and there has been no sign of Damien. Maybe he's given up. Probably not. Mr. Crepsley and Mr. Grims have agreed to let Tira and I go out now. We still can't go far from camp and never in the city. Things aren't that bad. Things are finally coming back to normal. Or as normal as a freak circus can get. ***
A shady figure walks up the steps of the Leonard house. He knocks on the door and a boy around 12 years old appears. "Yes?" he asks. "What do you want?"
"I know where Darren Shan is."
Steve scowls, "Is this supposed to be some kind of joke? Darren Shan is dead. He's been dead for almost a year now."
The figure shook his head. "You know very well he isn't. I can help you get your revenge. You'd like that. To kill the little half-vampire and Crepsley for tricking you like that." His smile radiated evil.
Steve nodded and beckoned the strange man to come in. They both walked up to Steve's room. Steve was packing his bags while he spoke. "Who are you?"
The man grinned. "My name is Damien. I am a vampire hunter."
"Where is Darren and how do you know about all this?" Steve was excited that he'd finally be able to get Darren but he was still skeptical of Damien. 'What if he is a vampire and is just trying to get me?' he though.
"I assure you, Steve. I am *not* a vampire. Nor would I ever consider it."
'Did I say that out loud?' Steve shook his head. "If you know where they are then why do you need me?"
Damien shook his head. "There are four of them, two of which are only half breeds but are still very powerful. I have the tools and everything needed but four against one is just too risky. Will you join me?" Steve thought for a moment and nodded. He had nothing to loose by leaving. 'I am finally going to get my revenge,' he thought with a smile. ***
Evra and I are lounging in a river near the camp site. It's not often that we get free time, especially with Damien on the loose. I still haven't told Evra about Damien. I'm more than sure he suspects something. After all, he was at the tent when Damien first struck.
"Darren." Here it comes, "Who was that guy?"
I look at him. If I tell you, my friend, I risk putting you in danger. I don't want a situation similar to what happened with the vampeneze. I shook my head; Evra can take care of himself. "His name is Damien. He's a vampire hunter."
His voice is low, "Are you going to leave?"
I shake my head. "We don't plan to. I hope we don't leave." The two of us sit in silence. Evra is staring at me. I finally break, "What?"
"Where's Tira?"
I shrug. "Probably in the trailer." I hope she's sleeping. She hasn't sept since that guy came. ***
Tira is sitting inside Mr. Crepsley's trailer. Tears are in her eyes and she's in a tight fetal ball. "Why does he do this? Damien is the only person I can't read." She looks at the sleeping forms of Mr. Grims and Mr. Crepsley. "I'm the reason he became a vampire hunter. It's my fault the others are in danger. All my fault. Damien, what have you become?" ***
Darkness had already set in as Damien and Steve walked through the forest. Both are heavily armed. "I know Mr. Crepsley and Darren are two of the vampires. Who are the others?"
"A half-breed and vampire. The half is a girl about your age. Don't underestimate her. Her powers far surpass those of a normal vampire, let alone a half-breed. The other vampire is a man like Mr. Crepsley. If it weren't for their numbers and Tira," his voice was filled with lust, "I would have killed him a while back." Damien turned to Steve. "Stay away from Tira, she's mine." He smiled. 'I will get her back,' he thought.
Steve nodded. "How do you know they are here?"
Damien pulled out a tracking device. "Do you have any more questions?" Steve shook his head.
The two walked silently down the pathway into the circus. Not much activity was around. ***
Evra and I have been in our tent for hours now. We had check on Tira earlier. She had finally fallen asleep but something was not right.
"We should go and see if Tira is still asleep," Evra suggests. I nod and we head to the trailer.
Mr. Crepsley, Mr. Grims and Tira are all awake. I sense something wrong. "Somebody's coming," Tira says. "I feel an unknown presence. It's objective is," she pauses, "Darren's death."
"Damien," I ask, thinking about that night.
Tira shakes her head. "No, I can't read Damien. Besides, this person is around your age."
Who is my age and wants to kill me? My eyes widen to the number one suspect.
"Steve!"
Steve Leonard used to be my best friend until we went to the Cirque du Freak. That's where I found out about Mr. Crepsley being a vampire and that Steve wanted to become one as well. Mr. Crepsley said no and I thought that would be the end.
I was wrong.
One night I decided to steal Madam Octa, Mr. Crepsley's prized spider. Everything went smoothly until I decided to show Steve.
We were in my bedroom playing tricks with her when Annie, my little sister, walked in and screamed. That startled the spider and she bit Steve. He lapsed into a coma and I was forced to go to Mr. Crepsley. That's how I became a half-vampire.
He wouldn't give me the antidote unless I agreed to it. He blooded me and Steve was saved.
I thought I could survive without Mr. Crepsley, but that was soon proven wrong. I ended up having to "die" and leave my family and friends.
Everything would have been smooth from there except Steve found out. He was jealous and swore that he would become a vampire hunter and kill me. That is why he is here now. How was I to know Damien was with him? ***
"That's their trailer," Damien pointed. He pulled out two guns and handed Steve one. "They know we're here."
"What's the plan?"
"We attack head on." Damien turned his head to Steve. "Ready?" Steve nodded and they ran to the trailer. ***
I jump to my feet as Steve storms in. He is holding what looks like a gun. It's target is me. "Step outside," he orders. Our only option is to obey. I'm thankful Evra is not with us.
For a short second I am surprised at how much Steve has changed. He is much taller and his build is a little bigger. How long has it been? Two years? There's nothing different about me because half-vampires age 1/5 the rate of humans.
"If you are smart, you won't try anything." Damien's gaze is on Tira. Their eyes meet. "Come here." She nods and slowly walks to him.
I lunge. "Tira!" A shot is sounded and I freeze.
"Don't move boy. The girl is mine." Tira is at Damien's side now. A blank expression on her face, almost as if. I stop myself. He couldn't have. Is that why she didn't look at him before? Does he have the power to control her?
"Leave her alone," I growl.
He merely laughs and nods to Steve. A shot rings out and then darkness.
AN: I love Anne Rice!!!!!!!!! My new name should be Writer's Block. Anyway, what do you people think? I've written this chapter in so many different ways it's not even funny.
Ever since Damien's appearance the whole camp has been on edge. We each take different shifts on keeping guard and we all stay in Mr. Crepsley's trailer. Tira and I keep watch during the day. Mr. Crepsley and Mr. Grims keep watch at night. That doesn't bother me much. At least I still get to see Evra and the others. And Tira is there so I don't have to face Damien alone.
Not much is going on right now. Mr. Tall and Mr. Crepsley won't let Tira or me mover too far from the trailer. We can't even go out to help Evra look for small animals for the Little People, little creatures in purple hoods brought to help out at the cirque by a guy named Desmond Tiny. Maybe I am becoming more like a vampire. It used to bother me to kill anything but now I just do it. It's the only way to survive.
Tira's back is up against a wall. Her legs are stretched out on the floor. Her hair covers most of her face. Is she crying? "Tira?" She looks up at me. What can I say? "Why is Damien after you?" I lower my head. What a stupid question. So obvious. He's a vampire hunter and we're vampires.
"It's not because we're vampires, Darren. Well, it partially is." I'm surprised for a moment but then remember she's telepathic. She lowers her head, "Sorry. I don't try to read minds unless I have to. It's just that sometimes feelings are so strong that I hear them without trying."
I smile, "Don't worry. I don't really have much to hide." In about a second she's right next to me. Was she flitting? Only full vampires could do that.
She lets out a sigh, "At first we were always together. He was like my brother, maybe more than that. Life wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. We lived on the streets." Her eyes grew distant. It's strange. I can almost see a younger Tira and Damien as she speaks. "It's been nine years since we parted and I can remember that night like it was yesterday.
"It was dark out and snow had just begun to fall. Damien and I were huddled together for warmth. Damien was soundly asleep next to me but something was keeping me up. I kept thinking on how cold and overprotective he had been acting lately. Like we were being watched. Then I heard it.
"It was a soft clicking on the cobble stones. I strained my eyes trying to see in the shadows. That's where I saw Mr. Grims. But for some reason I wasn't afraid, even after I had read what he was.
"As I shifted to meet him, Damien woke up. He knew exactly what I was thinking." Her eyes are down cast. "Right from the start he never trusted Mr. Grims. When he woke he jumped to his feet and immediately started attacking Mr. Grims and tried to push me away. I don't understand why he was so hostile. It couldn't have been fear.
"Finally Damien stopped. When I asked if we could become his assistants, Damien grew angry and stormed off. Before he left he swore he'd become a vampire hunter and kill us all.
"I thought he was just being silly and would come back like he always did, but he didn't. After that I began to learn vampire ways. Then I was blooded. There was only one other time that I saw Damien." her voice became shaky. "We were feeding when a shot nearly hit Mr. Grims. The two of us were just barely able to escape. After our encounter I didn't feed for weeks. I thought, that maybe if I got rid of my vampire ambitions I'd become human again. That Damien would come back and everything would go back to the way things were." She lowered her head. "Mr. Grims finally had to force blood down me. There is no turning back and Damien will continue to hunt our kind until his last breath." ***
It's been a week and there has been no sign of Damien. Maybe he's given up. Probably not. Mr. Crepsley and Mr. Grims have agreed to let Tira and I go out now. We still can't go far from camp and never in the city. Things aren't that bad. Things are finally coming back to normal. Or as normal as a freak circus can get. ***
A shady figure walks up the steps of the Leonard house. He knocks on the door and a boy around 12 years old appears. "Yes?" he asks. "What do you want?"
"I know where Darren Shan is."
Steve scowls, "Is this supposed to be some kind of joke? Darren Shan is dead. He's been dead for almost a year now."
The figure shook his head. "You know very well he isn't. I can help you get your revenge. You'd like that. To kill the little half-vampire and Crepsley for tricking you like that." His smile radiated evil.
Steve nodded and beckoned the strange man to come in. They both walked up to Steve's room. Steve was packing his bags while he spoke. "Who are you?"
The man grinned. "My name is Damien. I am a vampire hunter."
"Where is Darren and how do you know about all this?" Steve was excited that he'd finally be able to get Darren but he was still skeptical of Damien. 'What if he is a vampire and is just trying to get me?' he though.
"I assure you, Steve. I am *not* a vampire. Nor would I ever consider it."
'Did I say that out loud?' Steve shook his head. "If you know where they are then why do you need me?"
Damien shook his head. "There are four of them, two of which are only half breeds but are still very powerful. I have the tools and everything needed but four against one is just too risky. Will you join me?" Steve thought for a moment and nodded. He had nothing to loose by leaving. 'I am finally going to get my revenge,' he thought with a smile. ***
Evra and I are lounging in a river near the camp site. It's not often that we get free time, especially with Damien on the loose. I still haven't told Evra about Damien. I'm more than sure he suspects something. After all, he was at the tent when Damien first struck.
"Darren." Here it comes, "Who was that guy?"
I look at him. If I tell you, my friend, I risk putting you in danger. I don't want a situation similar to what happened with the vampeneze. I shook my head; Evra can take care of himself. "His name is Damien. He's a vampire hunter."
His voice is low, "Are you going to leave?"
I shake my head. "We don't plan to. I hope we don't leave." The two of us sit in silence. Evra is staring at me. I finally break, "What?"
"Where's Tira?"
I shrug. "Probably in the trailer." I hope she's sleeping. She hasn't sept since that guy came. ***
Tira is sitting inside Mr. Crepsley's trailer. Tears are in her eyes and she's in a tight fetal ball. "Why does he do this? Damien is the only person I can't read." She looks at the sleeping forms of Mr. Grims and Mr. Crepsley. "I'm the reason he became a vampire hunter. It's my fault the others are in danger. All my fault. Damien, what have you become?" ***
Darkness had already set in as Damien and Steve walked through the forest. Both are heavily armed. "I know Mr. Crepsley and Darren are two of the vampires. Who are the others?"
"A half-breed and vampire. The half is a girl about your age. Don't underestimate her. Her powers far surpass those of a normal vampire, let alone a half-breed. The other vampire is a man like Mr. Crepsley. If it weren't for their numbers and Tira," his voice was filled with lust, "I would have killed him a while back." Damien turned to Steve. "Stay away from Tira, she's mine." He smiled. 'I will get her back,' he thought.
Steve nodded. "How do you know they are here?"
Damien pulled out a tracking device. "Do you have any more questions?" Steve shook his head.
The two walked silently down the pathway into the circus. Not much activity was around. ***
Evra and I have been in our tent for hours now. We had check on Tira earlier. She had finally fallen asleep but something was not right.
"We should go and see if Tira is still asleep," Evra suggests. I nod and we head to the trailer.
Mr. Crepsley, Mr. Grims and Tira are all awake. I sense something wrong. "Somebody's coming," Tira says. "I feel an unknown presence. It's objective is," she pauses, "Darren's death."
"Damien," I ask, thinking about that night.
Tira shakes her head. "No, I can't read Damien. Besides, this person is around your age."
Who is my age and wants to kill me? My eyes widen to the number one suspect.
"Steve!"
Steve Leonard used to be my best friend until we went to the Cirque du Freak. That's where I found out about Mr. Crepsley being a vampire and that Steve wanted to become one as well. Mr. Crepsley said no and I thought that would be the end.
I was wrong.
One night I decided to steal Madam Octa, Mr. Crepsley's prized spider. Everything went smoothly until I decided to show Steve.
We were in my bedroom playing tricks with her when Annie, my little sister, walked in and screamed. That startled the spider and she bit Steve. He lapsed into a coma and I was forced to go to Mr. Crepsley. That's how I became a half-vampire.
He wouldn't give me the antidote unless I agreed to it. He blooded me and Steve was saved.
I thought I could survive without Mr. Crepsley, but that was soon proven wrong. I ended up having to "die" and leave my family and friends.
Everything would have been smooth from there except Steve found out. He was jealous and swore that he would become a vampire hunter and kill me. That is why he is here now. How was I to know Damien was with him? ***
"That's their trailer," Damien pointed. He pulled out two guns and handed Steve one. "They know we're here."
"What's the plan?"
"We attack head on." Damien turned his head to Steve. "Ready?" Steve nodded and they ran to the trailer. ***
I jump to my feet as Steve storms in. He is holding what looks like a gun. It's target is me. "Step outside," he orders. Our only option is to obey. I'm thankful Evra is not with us.
For a short second I am surprised at how much Steve has changed. He is much taller and his build is a little bigger. How long has it been? Two years? There's nothing different about me because half-vampires age 1/5 the rate of humans.
"If you are smart, you won't try anything." Damien's gaze is on Tira. Their eyes meet. "Come here." She nods and slowly walks to him.
I lunge. "Tira!" A shot is sounded and I freeze.
"Don't move boy. The girl is mine." Tira is at Damien's side now. A blank expression on her face, almost as if. I stop myself. He couldn't have. Is that why she didn't look at him before? Does he have the power to control her?
"Leave her alone," I growl.
He merely laughs and nods to Steve. A shot rings out and then darkness.
AN: I love Anne Rice!!!!!!!!! My new name should be Writer's Block. Anyway, what do you people think? I've written this chapter in so many different ways it's not even funny.