I still do not own the Cirque du Freak.

I called Dara as soon as it was early enough for her to be up.

"Hey, Dara." I said as soon as she answered. "Sorry about yesterday."

"It's okay." She said.

"Is it still okay for me to come over today?" I asked.

"Sure! Will your brother and dad be there too?"

"No. Evra... he's sick, and I think my dad caught whatever he has."

"Oh, that's too bad. But I'm glad you're coming!"

"Me too. I'll see you there." I replied.

"See ya." She said, and hung up.

Later that evening I walked around to the back of Dara's house and knocked on the door.

"Lily! Merry Chirstmas!" Dara's mother said when she opened the door, and immediatly grabbed me in a bear hug. "Though, why didn't you use the front door?"

"Uhh..." Think quick! "I didn't want to get your carpets dirty. Me shoes are covered in mud from the slush."

"As if we should care about that!" Dara's mom said cheerfully as she dragged me inside.

"Dara, your little friend is here!" She called to the house.

Little friend? "My dad said I should bring this over." I said as I handed her a bottle of wine.

She handed it to her husband, who looked it over. "Well. We should have you over more often!"

"Dad!" Dara groaned as she came down the stairs. "We're going to have fun tonight!" She said to me.

"About that. I actually have to leave before evening." I said.

"What for?" Dara asked, sounding upset.

"We're leaving town tonight. To go see my mom." I said. I was only half lying.

"Th-thats great then!" Dara said enthusiastically, though Lily could tell she was upset by this news. "You'll get to be with your whole family."

"Everyone to the table!" Dara's mother called. "Dinner's ready."

"Ahh finally!" Dara's father said with a laugh.

All throughout dinner everyone was laughing and joking with each other. It kind of reminded me of my real family. But I quickly pushed that thought out of my head. I wanted to enjoy this evening.

"That food was fantastic!" I said after we had all finished eating. And it really was fantastic.

"You ate quite alot!" Dara commented.

"I just eat like a teenager!" I laughed. To my surprise, everyone actually laughed along with me. Well... they chuckled, but that was good enough for me.

"I say we open that wine now." Said Dara's father.

"I go get the bottle." Her mom replied.

"No, sit sit! I'll get it!" I said quickly. "You've been serving all night." I hurried into the kitchen to get the bottle.

In the dining room I heard Dara's mother whisper. "I think I'll trade Dara for Lily. She's much more useful to have around."

"That's it." Dara retorted. "No presents for you tomorrow."

I pulled the cork out with a loud pop! Smells nice. I thought as the scent drifted towards my face. I started pouring the wine into glasses.

"You okay in here?" Dara asked from behind me.

"Oh, yeah it's all good."

"Here." She handed me a box wrapped and tied with a ribbon.

"What's this?" I asked.

"It's a brand new porche." She laughed and headed back to the dining room. "What do you think it is?"

"Come on. My dad's dying for that wine."

I walked out with all four wine glasses in both hands, and handed one to each person.

"A toast," Announced Dara's father. "To us, and our new friend!"

It was alread dark out when I caught up with Mr. Crepsley.

"Did you have fun with your little friend?" He asked.

"Why is everyone referring to us as 'little'?" I sighed. "Is it a short thing?"

"Come. Let us resume our search for Evra."

Next thing I knew we were back in the tunnels of human waste. I thought it smelled bad before. I dashed ahead of Crepsley.

"Slow down! He will hear us if you keep this up." He called. "We must be more careful."

"To hell with that!" I growled. "This is our last chance to save Evra. I don't care how much noise we make!"

"You must calm down!" He replied. "I understand that you are-"

"You don't even care about Evra, do you!" I snarled. My flashlight slowly dimmed until the light went completely out. "Give me your flashlight." I reached out to grab it from him.

"Stop it! Behave yourself, Lily!"

"Give it to me then!" I said as I swatted it out of him hand.

The flashlight crashed to the floor with a loud crack, that left us in semi-darkness.

"You fool!" He shouted. "Now we have to go back up and find a replacement!"

"Go and get a new one then! I'm going on my own!" I yelled. "I'll save Evra on my own!"

"You cannot! Not by yourself!"

I ignored him and ran off calling our Evra's name.

"Stop! Murlough will hear you!"

"EVRAAAAAAAAAAA!" I yelled.

"Come back, Lily!" He continued to call after me.

I splashed loudly through the water and god knows what else. I kept running until I could no longer hear his voice.

"Evra!" I yelled again. Something hit me hard in the face and sent me flying.

"Who's there?" I cried. "Crepsley, is that you?"

"Sorry kid, but no." Came the dark voice I know only too well. "Don't you recognize my fangs?" He laughed.

"M-Murlough..." I stuttered and he blew the knock out gas into my face, causing everything to fade to black.

You know how you look foreward to Saturday mornings all week. Waking up at five in the morning from sunday to friday to go to school. Saturdays were the best to wake up on because you got to wake up feeling well rested. I woke up feeling like a Monday.

At first I thought I was blind, but as my eyes slowly adjusted, I realized that it was only really dark. And it still smelled really bad! I could hear water dripping above my head. Odd. As everything finally came into focus, I could see that it was all upside-down. I tried to move my arms from my sides, but I found that I couldn't. I felt like a fly in a spiders web. Or more like a mummy. Yeah. Go with the mummy one.

"Finally awake, Lily Shan?" Murlough said startling me as he was suddenly in my line of vision.

"Y-yeah! Morning." I half squeaked.

"Say hello to Evra!" He said shoving something in my face. I looked at it... and screamed loudly. It was a skull covered in half rotted flesh. It smelled, if it was possible, worse than the sewer around us.

"You said you wouldn't kill him until Christmas!" I cried. "You promised! I thought a Vampaneze never lied!"

"L-Lily?" came a small voice to my right. I turned my head as far as I could and just barely made out a mess of green hair. "What are you doing here?"

"Evra!" I laughed. "I'm so gald you're alive!"

"You'll be hostages to lure Crepsley down here... and then I can finally kill him!" Murlough giggled. "To early for relief though. Young Murlough is hungry and angry! Crepsley stole my Christmas feast from me, and eved tried to kill me! He must pay for his crimes."

"Why didn't you kill him earlier then? You didn't need me. You could have taken him out in the darkness!" I said glaring at him.

"It's a matter of odds, Lily Shan." He replied "He is a wily old vampire. I want 100% assured victory." He was playing with the skull he had shoved in my face before. "But perhaps you are right. I needn't have done this. Who cares about the ex-aggressions of a 'legendary' vampire? He wandered blindly into my territory and even got his little apprentice kidnapped! How foolish can you be?"

Legendary? Cool!

He walked over to me and grabbed my chin. "Now then. How does the firey young half-vampire's blood taste I wonder?"

"You can't drink from me! I'm a vampire and you're a vampaneze. Even you said so yourself."

"Good memory she has. Many times smarter than her master." He walked ofer to Evra and pulled a knife on him. "What about Snakey though?"

"Assuming you can drink snakes blood... Or maybe you've already tried?" I smirked.

"I did," He huffed. "Took little sip from him. Threw up for hours after!" He threw up his hands. "Damn you wretches! Instead of juicy fat man to feast on, I'll have to feed on rats! I kill Crepsley for this! I'll flay his skin from his bones!"

He appeared in my face a second later. "And when I'm done with him, it will be your turn next!"

"Stop it Lily!" Evra yelled. "Don't get him any angrier than he already is."

"Dont worry." I said. "We'll get out of this. Mr. Crepsley will do something... Mr. Crepsley will..."

"Lily?" Evra asked. "What is it?"

"Hold on. I have to think something through."

"What is it!" Growled Murlough. "What were you going to say?"

I started giggling to myself. Murlough looked surprised at my response. I must have looked as crazy as he was. "Ha-ha! Of course! So that's what it is! Though... I never considered that he might..."

"I haven't got all night Lily Shan!" Murlough roared as he pushed his blade to my throat. "So speak while you're able!"

"You are going to have to leave here... if you kill me. Won't you?" I said.

"Leave?" He scoffed. "What does your death have to do with this city?"

"Plenty!" I said with a smile. "I've finally figured it out! We've been used Evra... by Mr. Crepsley."

"Explain." Murlough growled, getting impatient.

"We were running around in your territory, shouting and waving flashlights. It was foolish, you're right. Mr. Crepsley is smarter than that... I'm reminded of something he told me. The pact between vampires and vampaneze prevents them from interfering with one another."

"I'm well aware of the pact." Murlough didn't seem to get where I was going. "There are exceptions. In the case of murder, it is acceptable to do anything necessary to kill the murderer... isn't that right?"

"What's your point?" Murlough spat.

"Kill me, and Crepsley brings the generals to destroy you." I laughed slightly at this. "He used me... h-he used me..." I looked at Evra. He looked hurt. "I'm a child, but I'm still a vampire. Of course he would do it. This is his city, and I'm just an assistant. Which would you chose?"

"No! That would only start a war!" Murlough cried.

"You still don't get it! If you kill me unprovoked, he can return the favor safely! This is all going according to his plan! He's not coming here to save me... he's probably sending signals to his vampire friends now."

"It is possible..." Murlough said. "Crepsley would..." He was starting to get angry again. "So I can't kill you! Big deal! Nothing's stopping me from killing Snakey!" He yelled as he jumped over to Evra and pulled out his knife.

"N-NO! Why would you do that!" I cried.

"Murlough's in a killing mood. Need something to carve."

"Then kill me! I'll swap places with Evra!"

"No good. You said so yourself, I can't kill you. But Snakey isn't deal."

"Leave Evra alone!" I cried. "Wait! I-I'll give you someone better!"

"Who could you possibly give me, Lily Shan?" He snarled. "Who?"

"Dara..." I said quietly.

"No!" Evra cried. :You can't! I won't let you!"

"I'll give you Dara."

A.N.: Wow... what a snake in the grass Lily is huh? Anyways. So... yeah. Not much to say here. Having some confusing times right now. I am going through some really confusing times right now. Cut all relations with friends. Not really different from before though. That is the confusing part. But whatever. It is just weird how the chapters I am writing are kind of lining up with whatever is going on in my life. xP