A/N: I'm so sorry for not updating in forever, guys! I don't actually have an excuse, I guess I just wasn't feeling motivated. But I hope this super-long chapter makes up for it! I think this is my first chapter to have over 1,000 words before I added in the ANs.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Saga of Darren Shan or anything affiliated with it. I only own this story and my little Rena c:


Sam's Memories Part 1

I'm still screaming even though the fire's been put out. Why didn't I die back there? Who saved me?

"You can stop screaming now."

I open my eyes then blink a few times to clear my vision. There's someone kneeling opposite me, beaming. They have unusually-styled black hair and dark blue eyes that look almost purple. I can't even tell whether they're a boy or a girl.

The person laughs at my confused expression. "Hi, I'm Rena," Rena's a girls' name, right? "You owe me for saving you back there. How about we become friends?"


Sam's POV

Darren has been looking at me strangely ever since last night's little event. When I look back at him he smiles shyly then looks away, only for the process to start again in a few minutes' time.

Evra has been acting pretty off too. He hardly ever hangs out in the tent and he always looks sad whenever we bump into each other. As for Mr. Crepsley and Steve, I haven't seen either of them since last night.

"Sam!" Darren cries as he strolls over to my side of the tent. He has a huge grin plastered on his face but that somehow makes him look even more miserable.

"Hi," I croak, forcing myself to smile back.

"How are you feeling?" He questions.

"Awful," I answer honestly.

"You should go back to bed then. Evra and I will take care of your chores."

"No, that's okay," I tell him. "I think some fresh air will help me feel better."

"Okay then..." He starts fidgeting and looking around the tent.

"What do you really want to ask me?"

He looks surprised but he asks anyway. "What was your nightmare about?"

"Vampires," I joke.

He smiles weakly. "No, really."

"Just something that happened to me when I was younger."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

I shake my head.

He frowns. I can tell he wants to know but he respects my wishes and walks away. He turns around and winks at me before he leaves.


Sam's Memories Part 2

"Who are you anyway?" I call after Rena as she (?) skips ahead of me.

"I'm Rena."

"No, I know that but..."

"Rena Montgomery. I'm in your class."

"Oh. I'm Sam Gr-"

"I know. We sit next to each other."

"We do?"

"Yeah but I hardly ever come to school. I get bullied. The other kids call me a boy-girl."

I don't know how to respond to that so I don't say anything.

"It's okay to ask about my gender, you know. I won't be offended."

I look up, surprised. Rena's not even facing me, yet (s)he somehow knew what I was thinking about.

"O-okay, so are you a boy or a girl?" I ask.

"Not telling!"

I frown.

"My gender isn't important. If you're my friend you'll like me no matter what my sex is."

He...she...it has a point.

"And if you're confused about whether to refer to me as a he or a she, just go with whichever one you want."

I tilt my head to the side. Is this kid some sort of mind-reader?

"No, I'm not a mind-reader. I just get this a lot."

"You're...weird," I say after a while. "I like you."


Larten's POV

"It's nice to see you again, Larten. Is this a social visit?"

I stare at the man in front of me in disgust. I despise him. Everything about him from the top of his head down to his ridiculous Wellington boots. But he also unnerves me. I stand up straight and try not to look too afraid as I tell him, "You know this is not a social visit."

Mr. Tiny chuckles. It sets my teeth on edge. "You're here about the boy. The half-vampire. Sam, is it?"

"Indeed."

He pauses for a second to caress his heart-shaped watch. Probably more to agitate me than anything else.

"The poor boy," He says in mock sympathy. "A vampire who can't drink blood! What are the chances of that?"

"I do not know," I answer, annoyance obvious in my voice. "That is why I am here."

"Patience, Larten!" He gasps in that irritatingly smug voice of his. "You will get your answers soon enough."

I roll my eyes like a teenager. I must be hanging around Darren too much.

"So how have things been? Settled down and got yourself a mate yet?" He wiggles his eyebrows cheekily as he says this. I glare at him.

"Alright! Alright!" He laughs. "The boy is going to die and there's nothing you can do about it."

I am just about to run over and attempt to strangle him when he shouts, "Just kidding!" I stop myself and regain my composure.

"You mean there is something I can do?" I enquire.

"No, there is something the boy can do on his own. He may get help from the other half-vampire or even the human or snake-boy but no adult vampires must interfere. If you do, you will die."

"So what does he have to do?"

"He must kill and drain his family, only then can he truly move on from all that has happened in his past life."

"What?"

"Well, he doesn't have to kill his family – I'd just like to see that. And I wasn't kidding about the moving on part. All that kid does is whine over how he was bullied and how his step-dad was abusive." He pulls a face.

"Just tell me what he really has to do," I sigh.

"The boy has a rare disease in vampires. In fact, it's so rare that it's believed to have died out millennia ago. Someone cunning must have planted the disease in the boy just before Darren blooded him." Desmond Tiny winked to confirm just who that someone was. "That someone is also the only person in the world with the antidote. If the boy does something for me, I will give him the antidote. No conditions. Pinky swear." He holds up a large, pink finger.

"No, thankyou," I would rather dress in drag than touch that pinky. "So what does he have to do for you?"

"Nothing too complicated. He just has to kill someone."

"Can you not just do it yourself?"

"I could, but it would be more fun this way."

I grimace at him.

"He was a servant of mine - neither vampire, human or vampaneze. Had a lot of potential. But he betrayed me and ran away. I will send someone to the Cirque to give you full details later, as for now you just run on home and inform little Sam of his task."

"But what if he does not want to do it?"

He shrugs. "If he doesn't do it, he dies."


A/N: Rena is all mine, just so you know xD I'd be willing to share him/her with Sam though /shot. Rena is pronounced reh-nah, rather than ree-nah just in case anyone was wondering lol. And he/she does have a gender but I'm not gonna tell you guys cuz I'm mean c: (Totally not obsessed with my own OC)

Anyway, thanks again for reading and leaving sweet messages/reviews. Sorry I neglected you all for so long lol