Part 11 (2/2)

”It is not my business,” the vampire said gently. ”It is not my place to worry about creatures such as Murlough.”

”Then why get involved?” I cried, thinking of all the people the mad vampaneze was going to kill.

”The hands of the Vampire Generals are tied in matters such as these,” Mr.

Crepsley said. ”They dare not take steps to eliminate mad vampaneze, for fear of sparking an all-out war. As I said, vampaneze are loyal. They would seek revenge for the murder of one of their own. We can kill vampaneze in a fair fight, but if a General killed a mad vampaneze, his allies would feel compelled to strike back.

”I got involved because this is the city where I was born. I lived here as a human. Though everyone I knew then has long since died, I feel attached - this city, more than any other place, is where I consider home.

”Gavner Purl knew this. When he realized Murlough was here, he set about tracking me down. He guessed - correctly - that I would not be able to sit back and let the mad vampaneze wreak havoc. It was a sly move on his part, but I do not blame him - in his position, I would have done the same.”

”I don't get it,” I said. ”I thought the Vampire Generals wanted to avoid a war.”

”They do.”

”But if you'd killed Murlough, wouldn't -”

”No,” he interrupted. ”I am not a General. I am a mere vampire, with no connection to any others. The vampaneze would have come after me if they learned I had killed him, but the Generals would not have been implicated. It would have been personal. It would not have led to war.”

”I see. So, now that your city is safe, you don't care about him anymore?”

”Yes,” Mr. Crepsley said simply.

I couldn't agree with the vampire's position - I'd have hunted Murlough down to the ends of the Earth - but I could understand it. He'd been protecting ”his”

people. Now that the threat against them had been removed, he no longer considered the vampaneze his problem. It was a typical piece of vampire logic.

”What happens now?” I asked. ”We go back to the Cirque Du Freak and forget about this?”

”Yes,” he said. ”Murlough will avoid this city in the future. He will slope away into the night and that will be that. We can return to our lives and get on with them.”

”Until next time,” I said.

”I have only one home,” the vampire responded. ”In all likelihood, there will be no next time. Come,” he said. ”If you have further questions, I will answer them later.”

”Okay.” I paused. ”What we said earlier - about no more holding important stuff back - is that still on? Will you trust me now and tell me things?”

The vampire smiled. ”We will trust each other,” he said.

I returned his smile and followed him into the room with the pipes.

”How come I didn't spot Murlough's footsteps earlier?” I asked, retracing the marks we'd made on our way into the building.

”He entered via a different route,” Mr. Crepsley said. ”I did not want to get close to him until he made his move, in case he saw me.”

I was on my way out of the window when I remembered Evra.

”Hold on!” I called Mr. Crepsley back. ”We've got to get Evra.”

”The snake-boy knew about this, too?” Mr. Crepsley laughed. ”Hurry and get him. But do not expect me to tell the story again on his behalf. I will leave such details to you.”

I cast around for my friend.

”Evra,” I called quietly. When there was no response I shouted a little louder.

”Evra!” Where was he hiding? I glanced down and found a lone pair of footprints in the dust, leading away under a ma.s.s of pipes.

”Evra!” I shouted again, starting after his trail. He'd probably seen me talking with the vampire and wasn't sure what was going on. ”It's okay,” I yelled. Mr.

Crepsley isn't the killer. It's another -”

There was a sharp crunching noise as my foot came down on something and crushed it. Taking a step back, I bent and picked up the object for a closer look.

With a sinking feeling in my gut, I realized what it was - the broken remains of a cellular phone.

”Evra!” I screamed, rus.h.i.+ng forward. I saw signs of a scuffle farther on - the dust in this area had been severely disturbed, like somebody had been thras.h.i.+ng around in it. Thousands of dust particles were drifting in unsettled clouds through the air.

”What is it?” Mr. Crepsley asked, approaching warily. I showed him the crushed phone. ”Evra's?” he guessed.

I nodded. ”The vampaneze must have got him,” I said, horrified.

Mr. Crepsley sighed and hung his head. ”Then Evra is dead,” he said bluntly, and kept his gaze lowered as I started to cry.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

Mr. Crepsley checked us out of the hotel as soon as we got back, in case the staff noticed Evra's disappearance, or the vampaneze forced him to reveal our location.

”What if he escapes?” I asked. ”How will he know where to find us?”

”I do not believe he will escape,” Mr. Crepsley said regretfully.

We checked into a new hotel not far from the old one. If the man behind the desk was surprised to find a solemn-looking man with a scar and a distraught young boy in a pirate costume checking in at such a strange hour, he kept his suspicions to himself.

I begged Mr. Crepsley to tell me more about the vampaneze. He said they never drank from vampires - our blood was poisonous to other vampires and vampaneze. They lived slightly longer than vampires, though the difference was minimal. They ate very little food, preferring to keep going on blood. They only drank from animals as a last resort.

I listened closely. It was easier not to think about Evra if I had something else to focus on. But when dawn came and Mr. Crepsley headed for bed, I was left alone to think about what had happened.

I watched the sunrise. I was tired, but I couldn't sleep. How could I face the nightmares that must be waiting for me? I fixed a huge breakfast, but my appet.i.te was gone after one small mouthful and I ended up tossing it. I turned on the TV and flicked between channels, barely noticing what was on.

Every so often I'd think it must have been a dream. Evra couldn't be dead. I must have fallen asleep on the roof while watching Mr. Crepsley and dreamt it all.

Any minute now, Evra would shake me awake. I'd tell him about my dream and we'd both laugh. ”You won't get rid of me that easily,” he'd say.

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