Shan, Darren - Cirque Du Freak 08 - Allies Of The Night

"You see now why I had to tell you?" I asked. "We don't know why the vampaneze lured us here or why they're playing with us, but their plan is surely to kill us. The attack on your neighbours was only the start of the bloodshed. They won't stop with that. You'll be next if they find you."

"But why?" she asked weakly. "If it's you and this Mr Crepsley they want, why come after me?"

"I don't know. It doesn't make sense. That's what's so frightening."

"What are you doing to stop them?" she asked.

"Tracking them by day. Hopefully we'll find them. If we do, we'll fight. With luck, we'll win."

"You've got to tell the police," she insisted. "And the army. They can—"

"No," I said firmly. "The vampaneze areour concern. We'll deal with them."

"How can you say that when it's humans they're killing?" She was angry now. "The police have struggled to find the killers because they don't know anything about them. If you'd told them what they should be looking for they might have put an end to these creatures months ago.

"It doesn't work that way," I said. "It can't."

"It can!" she snapped. "And it will! I'm going to tell the officer in the lobby about this. We'll see what—"

"How will you convince him?" Steve interrupted.

"I'll …" She drew up short.

"He wouldn't believe you," Steve pressed. "He'd think you were mad. He'd call a doctor and they'd take you away to—" he grinned "—cureyou."

"I could take Darren with me," she said unconvincingly. He—"

"—would smile sweetly and ask the kind policeman why his teacher was acting so strangely," Steve chortled.

"You're wrong," Debbie said shakily. "Icould convince people."

"Then go ahead," Steve smirked. "You know where the door is. Best of luck. Send us a postcard to let us know how you got on."

"I don't like you," Debbie snarled. "You're cocky and arrogant."

"You don't have to like me," Steve retorted. "This isn't a popularity contest. It's a matter of life and death. I've studied the vampaneze and killed six of them. Darren and Harkat have fought and killed them too. We know what we have to do to put a stop to them. Do you honestly think you have the right to stand there and tell us our business? You hadn't evenheard of the vampaneze until a few hours ago!"

Debbie opened her mouth to argue, then closed it. "You're right," she admitted sullenly. "You've risked your lives for the sake of others, and you know more about this than me. I shouldn't be lecturing you. I guess it's the teacher in me." She managed a very feeble smile.

"Then you trust us to deal with it?" I asked. "You'll find a new apartment, maybe move out of the city for a few weeks, until it's over?"

"I trust you," she said, "but if you think I'm running away, you're deluding yourself. I'm staying to fight."

"What are you talking about?" I frowned.

"I'll help you find and kill the vampaneze."

I stared at her, astonished by the simple way she'd put it, as though we were in search of a lost puppy. "Debbie!" I gasped. "Haven't you been listening? These are creatures that can move at super-fast speeds and flick you into the middle of next week with a snap of a finger. What can you — an ordinary human — hope to accomplish?"

"I can explore the tunnels with you," she said, "provide an extra pair of legs, eyes, ears. With me we can split into pairs and cover twice the ground."

"You couldn't keep up." I protested. "We move too fast."

"Through dark tunnels, with the threat of the vampaneze ever present?" She smiled. "I doubt it."

"OK," I agreed, "you could probably match us for pace, but not endurance. We go all day, hour after hour, without pause. You'd tire and fall behind."

"Steve keeps up," she noted.

"Steve's trained himself to track them. Besides," I added, "Steve doesn't have to report to school every day."

"Neither do I," she said. "I'm on compassionate leave. They don't expect me back' until the start of next week at the earliest."

"Debbie … you … it's …" I sputtered, then turned appealingly to Steve. "Tell her she's out of her mind," I pleaded.

"Actually, I think it's a good idea," he said.

"What?' I roared.

"We could do with another pair of legs down there. If she has the guts for it, I say we give her a go."

"And if we run into the vampaneze?" I challenged him. "Do you see Debbie going face to face with Hooky or his pals?"

"I do, as a matter of fact," he smiled. "From what I've seen, she's got a spine of steel."

"Thank you," Debbie said.

"Don't mention it," he laughed, then grew serious. "I can kit her out with an arrow gun. In a scrape we might be glad of an extra body. At least she'd give the vampaneze another target to worry about."

"I won't stand for it," I growled. "Harkat — tell them."

The Little Persons green eyes were thoughtful. "Tell them what, Darren?"

"That it's madness! Lunacy! Stupidity!"

"Is it?" he asked quietly. "If Debbie was any other person, would you be so … quick to turn down her offer? The odds are against us. We need allies if we are to triumph."

"But—" I began.