Yea so this is the longest chapter yet. Almost 2,000 words! :O pretty intense. Just like camping. Hah. Haha. Camping. Is intense. Like…IN TENTS. *sigh* gotta love my friends…..

Anyway, this is a pretty good chapter.

I apologize that it doesn't flow that smoothly but im having writersish block :/

Review if its not too much trouble :)

CHAPTER 7

The rest of the day slipped by without incident.

I stayed in my room the entire time, pondering the last couple days. My thoughts were only interrupted when Marisa came in, asking if I wanted to watch the show.

I turned down the invitation.

Around what I assumed was midnight, I heard excited voices flowing into my room as performers went by, getting ready for the show.

Soon enough it all quieted down, but only for a while. In no time screams echoed down from the theatre, causing me to cringe. This went on for an hour or so, but eventually the cries of pain and death subsided.

A few moments later the performers retreated to their rooms, and I got up and snuck into the dark hall. The coast clear, I hurried up the stairs. As soon as I reached the top the curtains parted and I dove into the shadows. To my surprise, Marisa appeared, wearing the same red dress from her previous show. Instead of heading downstairs, she walked about halfway down the hall toward the front doors then stepped behind a small side curtain. Curious, I pushed back the curtain to reveal a set of steep stairs. As quietly as I could, I ascended.

Eventually the steps ended at a door and I pushed it open gently. Peeking out, I could see I was now on the roof. Marisa was standing at the edge, her long hair floating in the tender breeze. She was going to jump!

"Marisa!" I shouted. Without thinking, I rushed toward her and wrapped my arms around her waist, yanking her away from the periphery. She gasped in surprise.

When I was sure she was safe, I released her and she whipped around. "What the heck? Why did you do that?" she cried.

I stared blankly. "I…I thought you were g-gonna j-jump."

She looked at me like I was mentally retarded.

"No!" she exclaimed. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself. "I always come up here after a show."

"Why?"

She narrowed her eyes, studying my face. Eventually she softened and sat on the edge of the building with her legs dangling.

"I never asked what you thought of it," she stated, changing the subject. "Did you like it?"

Suddenly I was angry. "No! That was horrible! How could you do that and not feel guilty?" I exclaimed. It came out harsher than I meant it to.

For a second I swear I saw something flash in her eyes—remorse?—but then her face hardened again. Pursing her lips, she turned away and looked up to the sky. I followed her gaze and gasped in surprise. The sky was littered with millions of stars. The moon smirked down at us, like it knew something we didn't.

"Has the Cirque du Nuit always been like this? I mean even before you were the ringmaster?" I inquired.

Marisa stayed silent for so long I thought she hadn't heard me. I looked back at her, and for the first time I noticed she had perfect posture.

"No," she finally said. "But I realized we made more money this way. I mean we could get anywhere from a thousand to a million dollars. And, at the time, all of us were starving, and I had to do something."

I sat next to her and realized she was shivering. Shrugging off my jacket, I laid it over her shoulders.

With a sigh she slipped it on gratefully as I asked, "You don't seem like you're starving anymore. Why don't you stop murdering innocent people?"

"More than half of them are more evil than we are," she spat. Her face suddenly turned sad. "And that's all we know how to do anymore…"

She turned her gaze to me.

"Are…" she paused and bit her lip.

"What?" I asked gently. Wait. Why the hell was I being so nice? She and her loony friends had just murdered a ton of people! But at the same time, even though I tried to resist it, I had started caring for this girl; this girl who was the ringmaster of a secret killing business.

"Are you…" She began again.

I got a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach.

She shook her head and muttered a "never mind" before observing the sky again.

Was she going to ask if I was a vampire? It seemed like she already knew. I briefly considered admitting my secret to her but immediately brushed it aside. Or…should I tell her? I certainly wouldn't have to worry about her being scared or thinking I was crazy.

In the end I figured no harm could come from coming clean about my being a vampire.

"Am I…a vampire?" I tried to ask casually.

She focused her iceberg eyes on me. They were so penetrating I adverted my gaze and looked up at the stars.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw her twist her body so she faced me. Suddenly I could feel her warm breath on my cheek. Turning my head, she was only inches away.

"Are you?" she whispered. Staring into her eyes, I couldn't resist the temptation to tell her.

I nodded slowly.

I swear I saw a dozen emotions flash behind her eyes—surprise, happiness, thoughtfulness, worry, and more.

"I knew it." That was all she said.

"What are you going to do?" I asked.

"Me?"

I nodded again.

She paused. "Nothing. But don't tell anyone else. Especially Lynne."

"Wait, why?"

"He had a bad run in with vampires when he was young, believe it or not. They killed his parents."

I shook my head. "They couldn't have been vampires, they must have been vampaneze."

She looked at me skeptically, so I explained the feud between vampires and vampaneze.

"Either way," she said. "Lynne won't care. He wouldn't listen long enough, anyway."

"You're right."

We both snapped our heads the doorway. I could only make out a silhouette in the dark shadows of the hallway, but as they stepped into the moonlight my chest tightened and I tensed. Lynne.

Marisa inhaled sharply.

"You're really going to believe all his bullshit?" Lynne accused Marisa.

Marisa and I sprang to our feet.

"He's a liar," Lynne snarled. "A liar and a deceiver. C'mon you've known me since we were 10. You trust me, right?"

I could see the internal struggle going on inside Marisa as she tried to decide.

"Lynne," she eventually said. He looked at her expectantly. "You know I trust you and I know you trust me. So trust me when I say Darren is fine. He's safe. He won't harm you."

Lynne went steely. "I'm not worried about myself."

Marisa sighed. "Lynne, please, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

Changing the subject, he said, "You know, I've never known you as the trusting type." His eyes switched to me.

"I told you that you would be next," he said menacingly, not allowing Marisa to answer. He advanced threateningly, bringing his hand up as if to summon the fatal fog. Just as I was about to draw my knife, Marisa stepped between us.

"Lynne! Please!" she said.

I could tell Lynne was just itching to hurt—or even kill—me, but he managed to stop himself. His attention wasn't fully attached to Marisa, though.

"He's a vampire! His kind is evil!" he shouted. His voice softened greatly. "They killed my parents, Marisa."

When Marisa remained quiet, I spoke up. "No," I protested. "They were vampaneze. They're different because they kill when they feed. Vampires don't. That's why they left the clan."

Unfortunately, he refused to listen. Faster than a snake, he rushed forward and tackled me, sending us both flying to the edge.

"No!" I head Marisa scream.

I could easily beat him, but I wanted to be careful with my strength. Despite his hate toward me, I didn't want to hurt him.

At least, not very much.

Shoving him off me, I hurried to my feet. That's when I realized I had shoved him too hard.

Lynne was rolling uncontrollably to the edge of the roof, flailing his arms in an attempt to grab a hold of something, anything, to keep him from plummeting to the street—50 feet below.

Instinctively, I clutched at his hand just as he tipped into open space. Luckily, I caught him but he nearly ripped my arm off. My other hand scrabbled at the brickwork to get a firm hold. For a frightening moment he was swinging, and then all was still.

Looking down at the boy in danger, he had a look of disgust on his face.

"I don't need to be saved by you," he snarled nastily.

My mouth fell open, but I didn't let go.

"You'd rather die than let me save you?" I asked incredulously.

He nodded without hesitation. But then his eyes moved to my left and I saw true sadness in his face.

"Lynne…" It was Marisa. Glancing at her, she looked different than normal. Her distressed face was heartrending.

Lynne sighed and reached up with his other hand to grasp my wrist. "Pull me up," he ordered.

I did so, and as soon as he was standing safely on the roof, Marisa flew at him and hugged him hard.

"I thought you were dead," she said sadly.

Lynne looked like he was about to melt, and put his arms back around her comfortingly.

"I'll never leave you," he whispered into her hair.

With that, the two departed the roof without as much as a glance at me.

I sighed, and followed them down the stairs.

Just as we neared the entrance to the stage area, Jenn appeared at the top of the stairs.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice dripping with concern. "We all heard shouting and stuff up there!"

Marisa shook her head. "I'll explain later."

Lynne, who had had his arm laid on Marisa's shoulders, released her and said a quick goodnight before walking downstairs.

Jenn gave Marisa a quizzical look, but she waved it away. "Like I said, I'll explain later."

"Marisa! Marisa!" a voice called. All 3 of us turned to face the on comer: Tom Dhotre the 2nd, or Tommy, the son of the previous ringmaster. I still couldn't understand how a tiny boy could have so much malice as to kill.

Then I realized he was holding someone's hand, dragging them along, but they were laughing good-naturedly. He had messy blond hair and a long black coat over a blue shirt and jeans. Even though he was heavily clothed, I could tell he was very muscular, but lean. The new man was 16 or 17 and almost a head taller than me. Why did he look so familiar?

Beside me I heard Jenn let out a small gasp. When I glanced over she was practically swooning.

"Tommy, shouldn't you be in bed?" Marisa asked kindly.

"But I found a new one!"

"A new performer?"

Tommy nodded excitedly.

She then looked up to the newcomer. "I'm Marisa Mallinson." She stretched out a hand.

He kissed the top of her hand lightly. "Eli DiVaglio."

My brain was turning fast, trying to figure out who this guy was. A member of the Cirque du Freak? No. Some random vampire I had met with Mr. Crepsley? No…

With a sickening notion I realized who he was.

"Steve!" I cried.

OMG its everyone's favorite character. Except for me. I hate him. Stupid, dumb, evil, child murdering, BASTARD. *sigh* but I can't help the fact that I love him…not as much as Darren though. Oh NO. never as much as Darren…

REVIEW PLEASE! :)