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"The va their dead away," Vancha explained "I iine they assumed we’d come armed If they kne empty-headed you lot were, they’d have takenthe Prince’s jibes, Mr Crepsley and I picked through the pile He took a couple of long knives and afew shorter ones for throwing I found a small curved sword I liked the feel of I tucked a knife into the back of my trousers, for back-up, and then I was ready

"What’s that?" Harkat asked, nodding at the large figure on the ground

"My guest," Vancha said, and rolled the figure over

The pale white face of a bound, gagged, enraged Chief Inspector Alice Burgess cauffle snurf!" she shouted into the folds of her gag, and I’ us well!

"What’s she doing here?" I snapped

"She was company for me," Vancha smirked "Besides, I didn’t knohat to expect when I returned If the police had taken to the tunnels and sewers, I ht have needed her to trade my way past"

"What do you plan to do with her now?" Mr Crepsley asked coolly

"I’ to study the Chief Inspector "I tried explaining things to her while ere passing the day away in a forest a few miles outside the city, but I don’t think she believed me In fact, by what she told me to do with my tales of vampires and va said that, she’d be a great one to have on our side We may have need of an extra pair of hands in the battle ahead"

"Could we trust her?" I asked

"I don’t know," Vancha said "But there’s one way to find out"

Vancha started to undo the knots of the Chief Inspector’s gag He stopped on the final knot and addressed her sternly "I’ to say this once, so pay attention I’m sure your first impulse when I free you will be to scream and curse and tell us what trouble we’re in And when you’re on your feet, weapon in hand, youoff by yourself

"Don’t!" His eyes were gri We didn’t kill your people We’re out to stop the killers If you want to put an end to the torain by attacking us Even if you don’t believe that, act as if you do Otherwise, I’ll leave you here, trussed up like a turkey"

"Ani "I’ll see you hang for this, all of you I’ll have you shaved bald, sht as you dangle!"

"Isn’t she s and arms "She’s been like that all afternoon I think I’e!" she shouted, and struck out at hiht her arrave "Remember what I said, Alice? I don’t want to leave you here, at the mercy of our enelared at hiue

"Better," Vancha said, letting go "Now, pick a weapon - two or three if you’d prefer - and get ready We’ve an arazed around at us uncertainly "You guys arecrazy ," she muttered "You really expect me to believe you’re vampires, but not killers? That you’re here to take on a bunch of - what did you call them?"

"Vampaneze," Vancha said cheerfully

"That these vauys and you’re here to sort theh there’s dozens of them and only four of you?"

"That’s about the sum of it," Vancha smirked, "except there’s five of us nohich should rowled, but bent and picked up a long hunting knife, tested it, and gathered together another few knives "OK," she said, standing "I don’t believe your story, but I’ll tag along for the ti If we run into these vampaneze, and they’re all that you say, I’ll throw my lot in with you If we don’t ?" She pointed at Vancha’s throat with the largest of her knives and jerked it sharply to one side

"I love it when you talk threateningly," Vancha laughed, then checked that ere all prepared, pulled his belts of shurikens tight around his chest, and led us forward in search of the vampaneze lair