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FOR Along ti was said Harkat, Mr Crepsley and round Overhead the moon had vanished behind thick banks of cloud When they finally parted, Vancha began to talk, as though prompted by the moonbeaed it when I becaer than , I can’t reether - including joining the vampaneze

"The vaood teacher He told us exactly what our lives would be like He explained their ways and beliefs, how they looked upon the alive the memories of those they drank from" (If a vampire or vampaneze drains a person’s blood, he absorbs part of their spirit and memories) "He said vampaneze killed when they drank, but did it swiftly and painlessly"

"That makes it OK?" I snorted

"To the vampaneze, yes," Vancha said

"How can you-" I started to explode

Mr Crepsley stopped me with a soft wave of his hand "This is not the time for a moral debate Let Vancha talk"

"There’s not a whole lot more to tell," Vancha said "Gannen and I were blooded as half-vaether for a few years as assistants I couldn’t accusto So I quit"

"As simply as that?" Mr Crepsley asked sceptically

"No," Vancha said "The vampaneze normally don’t permit assistants to live if they choose to part company with the clan No vampaneze will kill one of his own, but that law doesn’t apply to a half-vampaneze My master should have killed me when I said I wanted out

"Gannen saved me He pleaded for my life When that failed, he said our master would have to kill him also In the end my life was spared, but I arned to avoid all vaain until tonight

"For several years I livedthose I fed upon, but vampaneze blood exerts a powerful hold I’d lose control when I fed, and kill in spite of myself In the end I made up my mind not to feed at all, and die It was then that I "

"Paris blooded you?" Mr Crepsley asked

"Yes"

"Even though he knehat you were?"

Vancha nodded

"But how can you blood someone as a vampire if he’s already been blooded as a vampaneze?" I asked

"It is possible for those who are not fully blooded," Mr Crepsley said "A half-vaerous and rarely attempted I know of only three other cases - and twice it ended in death, for both the blooder and the blooded"

"Paris knew the risks," Vancha said, "but didn’t tell one through with it if I’d known his life was in danger"

"What did he have to do?" Harkat asked

"Take ," Vancha said "The only difference was, half my blood was vampaneze, which is poisonous to vampires Paris took my tainted blood, and his body’s natural defences broke it down and rendered it harmless But it could have easily killed him, just as his blood could have killed me But the luck of the vaonies were great

"With my vampaneze blood transfores I studied under Paris and in time trained to be a General My vampaneze links were revealed to no one except the other Princes"

"They approved of your blooding?" Mr Crepsley asked

"After I’d proven myself many times - yes They worried about Gannen - they were afraid ain, as they have been tonight - but they accepted me and vowed to keep my true history a secret"

"Why wasn’t I told about you?" I asked

"Had I come to Vampire Mountain while you were there, you would have been told But it’s impolite to speak of one when he’s absent"

"This is darunted "I understand why you did not speak of it before, but if we had known, I could have gone after your brother and left you to take care of that giant in the trees"

"Hoas I to know?" Vancha s in for the kill He was the last person I expected to run into"