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Entering the tunnel, we advanced Though the ceiling wasn’t high, the tunnel ide, and ere able to walk quite coular intervals I looked for tunnels leading off this one, but couldn’t see any We pressed on straight ahead

We’d gonenoise behindby the door we’d just coht of the closest torch, hooks held up above his head, we knew instantly who it was ?R V !

"Lady and gentlemen!" he boomed "Welcome! The proprietors of the Cavern of Retribution wish you well and hope you enjoy your stay If you’ve any complaints, please don’t hesitate to?"

"Where’s Debbie, youto shove past Mr Crepsley The vampire held me back with a firm arm and shook his head tautly

"Reled a lared at the insane va crazily

"Where is she?" I snarled

"Not far fro in the close confines of the tunnel "Quite close as the crow flies Closer still as the crowdies "

"That’s a lousy pun," Harkat shouted

"I ain’t a poet but I don’t know it," RV tossed back in reply Then he stopped dancing and stared at us coldly "Debbie’s close, man," he hissed "And she’s alive But she won’t be er, not if you don’t come with me now, Shan Leave your rotten friends and surrender yourself to o Stay with them and pursue your hateful quest ?I’ll kill her!"

"If you do ?" I growled

"What?" he jeered "You’ll kill me too? You’ll have to catch me first, Shanny boy, and that’s a lot easier said than done RV’s quick on his feet, yes indeedy, quick as a gazelle"

"He sounds soto a mad vampaneze we’d killed many years earlier "It is as if his spirit has survived and found a home inside RV"

I’d no tiht over the offer, RV darted to a hole on his left - it had been covered by as panel e passed it - ducked into it, then stuck his head out, grinning wildly "How about it, Shanny? Your life for Debbie’s Is it a deal or do I make her squeal?"

This was ladly if it ot the better of us, he’d lead his people to victory over the vampires My duty was to those who’d placed their faith in h it pained me intensely, I lowered my head in response to RV’s offer and said softly, "No"

"What was that?" RV shouted "Speak up - I can’t hear you"

"NO!" I roared, whipping out h I knew I couldn’t hit hi

RV’s face twisted with hate "Cretin!" he snarled "The others said you wouldn’t trade for her, but I was sure you would Very well Have it your way,at eway I wanted to run after hi Debbie back But I kneouldn’t, so I restrained myself - just

"You did well, Darren," Mr Crepsley said, laying a hand onno pleasure from his compliment

"Was that one of those vaess asked, visibly shaken

"That’s one of our ruby-lipped boys, sure enough," Vancha replied chirpily

"Are they all like that?" she asked, eyes wide, white hair frizzy with fright

"Oh, no," Vancha said, faking an innocent look "Most are far worse!"

Then the Prince winked, faced front, andus further down the throat-like tunnel, into the stomach of the vampaneze’sin wait