Page 12 (2/2)

"Then how do you find hi manhole covers" Steve beaht after night, but they tend to stick to a strictly defined area when they set up base I wired every manhole cover within a two hundred metre radius - I’ve extended that to half a kiloht flashes on a kit I have, and it’s a simple matter to track the vampaneze down

"At least, it was" He paused unhappily "After tonight, he’ll probably move on to somewhere new He won’t kno much I know about him, but he’ll expect the worst I don’t think he’ll use those tunnels again"

"Did you knoas Darren you were saving?" Harkat asked

Steve nodded seriously "I wouldn’t have come to his rescue otherwise"

"What do you o," Steve said, "but I kneasn’t working alone I wanted to track down his co to trail hiht, I’ve blown that chance I wouldn’t have done that for anyone but you"

"If he’d attacked an ordinary huasped

"Yes" Steve’s eyes were hard "If sacrificing one person limpse of your face as you left your lady friend’s, I’d have let Hooky kill you"

That was a harsh way of looking at the world, but it was a way I understood Varoup had to be put before those of the individual It surprised me that Steve was able to think that way - most humans can’t - but I suppose you have to learn to be ruthless if you dedicate yourself to the hunting and killing of ruthless creatures

"That’s about the bones of it," Steve said, pulling his dark overcoat a notch tighter around his shoulders, suppressing a shiver "There’s plenty I haven’t mentioned, but I’ve covered most of theSteve’s shivers "I can turn up the heat"

"Wouldn’t do any good," Steve said "I picked up soo I catch colds si at someone with a runny nose" He plucked at the scarf around his throat, then wiggled his gloved fingers "That’s why I wrap up so much If I don’t, I wind up confined to bed for days on ends, coughing and spluttering"

"Is that why you shed "Yeah It’s a special herbalIt works wonders The only drawback is the stench I have to be careful to keep doind of the va theed"

We discussed the past some more - Steve wanted to knohat life in the Cirque Du Freak had been like; I wanted to knohere he’d been and what he’d got up to when he wasn’t hunting - then talk returned to the present and ere going to do about the va alone," Steve said, "my attack would have driven him off The vampaneze don’t take chances when they’re alone If they think they’ve been discovered, they flee But since he’s part of a gang, I doubt he’ll run"

"I agree," I said "They’ve gone to toothis trap to walk away the first ti"

"Do you think the vampaneze will knoas you who saved Darren?" Harkat asked

"I don’t see how," Steve replied "They know nothing about me They’ll probably think it was you or Mr Crepsley I was careful not to reveal et the better of the for theerous, just the two of us"

"But if you had hts, "it would be different I’m accustomed to vampaneze hunts I knohere to look and how to track them"

"And with us to back you up," I added, "you could work faster than norazed silently around at one another

"You’d be taking a big risk, getting involved with us," Harkat warned hiht tip the in with us"

"It’d be risky for you too," Steve countered "You’re safe up here Underground, it’s their turf, and if we go doe’re inviting an attack Reh vampaneze usually sleep by day, they don’t need to when they’re sheltered froht about it soht hand and held it out in front of me, palm doards "I’m up for it if you are," I said

Steve immediately laid his left hand - the one with the scarred pal to lose I’m with you"

Harkat was slower to react "I wish Mr Crepsley was here," he er ait for him, the more tiht, and they panic and switch base it’ll take them a while to settle They’ll be vulnerable This could be our best chance to strike"

Harkat sighed unhappily "It could also be our best chance to walk straight into a trap But," he added, laying a large grey hand on top of ours, "the rewards justify the risks If we can find and kill the at Harkat, I proposed a vow "To the death?" I suggested

"To the death," Steve agreed

"To the death," Harkat nodded, then added pointedly, "but not, I hope, ours!"