Darren: Now I know you are just creating hell for me. Taking me from Paradise once was bad enough, but twice?

Tutankhamunfreak: I was lonely. (To audience) I'm very sorry for the long wait but I had to fetch Darren back from Paradise since someone sent him back. But I did get him some company.

Darren: Who did you get me company with? There's no one else here.

Tutankhamunfreak: Oh, he's late. No one shall know who he is because he's not technically from any published story but he's from my own story. You'll know he's here cos his code name is Dark Rebel.

Darren: Very inventive but are you going to start the chapter now?

Tutankhamunfreak: Hey, I didn't chain you to a chair again did I? Why are you being mean to me? All I wanted was some company! (Tutankhamunfreak runs off leaving Darren looking confused).

Darren: Since I have no idea what just happened I'll just say that Tutankhamunfreak does not own the Saga of Darren Shan and I have a bad feeling about this 'Dark Rebel'. So… err… on with the story?

Chapter 3

Darren stalked through the tunnels of Vampire Mountain trying desperately to calm his racing heartbeat. The appearance of those two… why now? Why after all these years did they have to appear now? He knew better than anyone else that they would eventually discover who he was and then there would be hell to pay. They would want answers all right, as well as the entire sorry story. But he couldn't. He had promised…

Darren winced at the thought and absently rubbed the bands on his wrists. Many people had asked him what they were but Darren just told them breezily that they were nothing special, just a piece of jewellery. But that's a lie isn't it Darren he thought to himself. How many lies did he have to tell until the truth could be told? How many…?

Don't dwell on it he snapped at himself. He was in a deserted place in Vampire Mountain but that was fine by him. It would take people much longer to find him here than if he had just gone straight back to the hall of Princes. Lord, there would be hell to pay there as well… Why did they have to find him? Darren growled at himself. Dwelling on things like that was not good for him. Especially for his sanity.

But sanity isn't worth anything whispered that voice. Darren growled at it. Insanity is glorious. All the best things in the world come from the insane. Thank of all the beautiful bloodshed we could do…

"Shut up!" Darren shouted at the voice, clutching his head in his hands. The bands grew hot and he could feel his chest burning with pain. Oh Lord, this couldn't happen to him here! He couldn't collapse again! Not now! He had thought that that stage was long behind him. He gasped for air, one hand still holding his head the other clutching his shirt over his heart. The bands were getting unbearable but he couldn't take them off. They were the only things between him and that voice. The insanity. The thing he had become.

The silence stretched on. Darren continued to battle himself, trying to gain control of his body again. Trying to get his heart working properly again. Trying to get enough air into his lungs so he wouldn't pass out. Man, it hurt. Not like the last times. He had gotten used to physical pain and emotional pain. But this kind of pain was just plain wrong. The kind of pain that rips through your very soul itself. Something that should never happen.

A cool, gentle hand gently touched Darren's hot skin. It brought little relief to the pain that ripped through him. The person held him, stroking his hair, mumbling softly into his ear. Darren didn't need to see her to know who it was. She always knew when this would happen. She always knew when the thing got free even if only for a moment.

"Shhh, it's all right. You'll be fine. It can't get free," she whispered. Darren didn't say a thing. He just flopped back, unable to hold himself anymore. The cave was unbearably hot and her skin was cool. The bands were literally burning his skin which felt as if it had set itself alight without help from the bands. His chest heaved up and down as he struggled to breathe. It was as if his lungs had just stopped working. "It's all right," he heard her whisper once more as the world turned black.

Evanna carried on stroking his hair as a mother would, even though he had already succumbed to darkness. It scared her to her core how close these things were becoming. Darren's will was failing and there was only so much punishment one's soul could take. And generally that person's sanity would be long gone by that time. She knew better than anyone else what that voice that whispered enticingly into Darren's ear was. It was the voice of the shadows, of the darkness of pure evil itself. And it was just plain wrong.

"Everything will be fine," Evanna murmured more to herself than anyone else. It had happened so quickly. And she knew exactly what had caused this but she couldn't help Darren any more than she already was. He would have to deal with them herself.

As gently as she could, she scooped Darren off the floor and, using routes known only to her and her father, she carried Darren to his room. The vampires could not see Darren like this. The strangers had caused enough questions. This would only cause more. Darren needed rest and some time alone although this could sometimes be counter-productive. But it was riskier letting people in after one of these attacks. The monster was closer to the skin than most people thought. Darren was very good at hiding things.

She settled Darren into his hammock as best she could and placed a blanket over him. His skin was incredibly hot and a thin sheen of sweat covered his entire body. He looked small and fragile to her. She knew the poison helped little. He was sick and she had to find the cure. Fast.

Darren: well after all that you've managed to poison me, bring me to hell and now you've brought a stranger here too.

Dark Rebel: I had no choice in this either. I'm just not dead yet.

Darren: I feel for you.

Dark rebel: Thanks.

Tutankhamunfreak: I wonder what I do with my life now. You two are hopeless!

Darren and Dark Rebel: No we're not!

Tutankhamunfreak: Hey, I knew you guys would agree! Now if I don't update for a long time then those two vampires have killed me. Bye!

(Tutankhamunfreak runs off again).

Darren: Well that got rid of her.

Dark rebel: Want to go and get the hell out of here while she's gone?

Darren: hell yeah! Hope you like this chapter!

(All characters leave).