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MR CREPSLEY was every bit as suspicious of Steve as Steve had predicted Even after I’d told hiarded the human with ill-concealed conterowled "When I tested Steve Leonard’s blood, it was the taste of pure evil Tirowled in return "You’re the cruel one,horrible, unfounded accusations Do you realize ho an opinion I had of ly rejection almost drove thy drive," Mr Crepsley said s, Larten," Vancha said The Prince was lying on the couch, feet propped on the TV set, which he’d dragged closer His skin wasn’t as red as it had been when I last saw him (Vancha was convinced he could train hiht, and often strolled about by day for an hour or so, allowing hi up his body’s defences) I guessed he must have spent the past few ," Mr Crepsley insisted "I know the taste of evil"

"I wouldn’t bet on that," Vancha said, scratching an aruided it aith his right foot "Blood’s not as easy to divine as certain vampires think I’ve found traces of ’evil’ blood in several people over the decades, and kept tabs on them Three went bad, so I killed them The others led normal lives"

"Not all who are born evil co chances I cannot trust hie people by what they do, not by what you believe they ht do Steve’s my friend I’ll vouch for him"

"Me too," Harkat said "I was cautious at first, but I’m confident now that he’s on our side It’s not just Darren he saved - he also warned hiet out She’d be dead otherwise"

Mr Crepsley shook his head stubbornly "I say we should test his blood again Vancha can do it He will see that I a the truth"

"There’s no point," Vancha said "If you say there are traces of evil in his blood, I’m sure there are But people can overco of this man, but I know Darren and Harkat, and I place ement than in the quality of Steve’s blood"

Mr Crepsleyunder his breath, but he kneas outnumbered "Very well," he said mechanically "I will speak no more of it But I will keep a very close watch on you," he warned Steve

"Watch away," Steve sniffed in reply

To clear the air, I asked Vancha why he’d been absent so long He said he’d reported to Mika Ver Leth and Paris Skyle and told them about the Vampaneze Lord He would have left immediately, but he sa close to death Paris was, and decided to see out the Prince’s last few months beside hier able to play his part, he slipped away in secret We found his body a few nights later, locked in a death easped, and everybody in the room smiled at her typical human reaction

"Trust me," I told her, "there’s no worse way for a vampire to die than in a bed, peacefully Paris had ht hundred years under his belt I doubt he left this world with any complaints"

"Still" she said, troubled

"That’s the vaive her hand a coht and explain it to you," he added, leaving his hand on hers a few seconds longer than necessary

If Mr Crepsley was going to keep a close eye on Steve, I was going to keep an even closer one on Vancha! I could see that he fancied Debbie I didn’t think shed be attracted to the ill-mannered, mud-stained, smelly Prince - but I wouldn’t leave him alone with her to find out!

"Any news of the Vampaneze Lord or Gannen Harst?" I asked, to distract him

"No," he said "I told the Generals that Gannen was ave them a full description of him, but none had seen him recently"

"What of events here?" Mr Crepsley asked "Has anybody been hbours?"

"Please," Debbie smiled "Call rinned and leant across to pat her hand again I felt like saying so up and winked suggestively

We told Mr Crepsley and Vancha how quiet things had been before ’Hooky’ attacked me in the alley "I don’t like the sound of this Hooky," Vancha grumbled "I’ve never heard of a hook-handed vampaneze before By tradition, a va or are"