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THOUGH STEVE had sent Mr Crepsley plu to his doom, he also accidentally threw the vampire a slender life-line Because as Mr Crepsley toppled, Steve leant over the railing, eager to watch the vath of chain he’d used as a weapon - which he still clutched in his right hand - unfurled and dropped beside Mr Crepsley like a rope

Throwing out a desperate hand, the va the pain as spikes buried themselves deep in the flesh of his pal Mr Crepsley’s fall

On the platforht of Mr Crepsley caused the chain to tighten around the flesh of his right hand He tried shaking it loose, but couldn’t As he stood, leaning half over the rail, struggling with the chain, Mr Crepsley reached up, grabbed the sleeve of Steve’s shirt, and pulled hi for his own life, intent only on taking Steve’s

As the pair fell - Steve screa - Gannen Harst thrust a hand out and caught Steves flailing left hand The vaed on the ainst an upright support post and held tight

"Let go!" Steve screa to knock him off "You’ll kill us both!"

"That is what I mean to do!" Mr Crepsley roared He didn’t seem in the least bit bothered by the threat of death Maybe it was the rush of adrenaline pu killed the Lord of the Vampaneze - or perhaps he didn’t care about his own life if itSteve Either way, he’d accepted his fate and made no attempt to cli on the chain, trying to break Gannen Harst’s hold

"Stop!" Gannen Harst roared "Stop and we’ll let you go!"

"Too late!" Mr Crepsley howled "I swore two things to myself when I came down here One - I would kill the Lord of the Vampaneze Two - I would kill Steve Leonard! I aed even harder than before Above hiainst the pain "I can’t - hold on - er!" he moaned

"Larten!" Vancha shouted "Don’t do it! Trade your life for his We’ll track him down later and finish him off!"

"By the black blood of Harnon Oan - no!" Mr Crepsley roared "I have him now, so I will kill him Let that be the end of it!"

"And what - about your - allies?" Gannen Harst shouted, and as the words penetrated Mr Crepsley’s skull, he stopped struggling and gazed up warily at the ex-protector of the Vampaneze Lord

"Asyou hold the life of Steve Leonard in your hands," Harst said quickly, "Ihold the lives of your friends If you kill Steve, I’ll order their deaths too!"

"No," Mr Crepsley said quietly "Leonard is a madman His life must not be spared Let me?"

"No!" Gannen Harst yelled "Spare Steve and I’ll spare the others That’s the deal Agree to it, quick, before I lose rip and the bloodshed continues"

Mr Crepsley paused thoughtfully

"His life too!" I shouted "Spare Mr Crepsley, or?"

"No!" Steve snarled "Creepy Crepsley dies I won’t let hio"

"Don’t be stupid!" Gannen Harst bellowed "You’ll die too if we don’t release him!"