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Murlough pulledinto the soft flesh of my throat I stiffened in anticipation of the cut I wanted to screaht This is the end What a lousy, useless way to die

But the va hed nastily He had all the time in the world There was no reason for him to rush He wanted to play with us awhile

"You shouldn’t have come," Evra muttered "It was stupid" He paused "But thanks anyway," he added

"Would you have left me?" I asked

"Yes," he said, but I kneas lying

"Don’t worry," I told hiure a way out of this"

" A way out?" Murlough boo to escape? Chew through the ropes? You could if you could reach them with your teeth, but you can’t Snap theood They’re too strong I tested them myself in advance, hmmm?

"Face it, Darren Shan - you’re doo to ride to the rescue Nobody can find you down here I’ to take my time, cut you up into itty-bitty pieces, drop you all over the city - like confetti - and there isn’t a thing you can do about it, so wise up!"

"At least let Evra go," I begged "You’ve got me You don’t need hio: he’d have to live with the knowledge that I’d died in his place That would be a horrible burden It would be even worse than killing hirunted "But I’m a simple man I like simple pleasures It’s a nice idea, but I’d rather slice him up slowly and painfully, if it’s all the same to you Fewer coo I’ll do anything you want I I I’ll give you Mr Crepsley!"

Murlough laughed "No go You had the chance to do that earlier You blew it Besides, you couldn’t lead ain Might even have fled the city"

"There ive you!" I yelled desperately "There must be some way I can" I stopped

I could practically hear Murlough’s ears stiffening

"What is it?" he asked, after several seconds of silence "What were you going to say?"

"Wait a h" I could feel Evra’s eyes on ned to the fate he felt neither of us could escape

"Hurry up," Murlough pro around in front of ht of the cavern, so his eyes and lips appeared to be three free-floating globs of red, while his discolored hair looked like a strange kind of bat "I haven’t got all night," he said "Speak while you’re able"

"I was just thinking," I said quickly "You’re going to have to leave town after this, aren’t you?"

" Leave?" Murlough bellowed "Leave my beautiful tunnels? Never! I love it here You knohat being down here makes me feel like? As if I’m inside the body of the city These tunnels are like veins This cavern is the heart, where the blood of the city flows in and out" He smiled, and for once it wasn’t an evil expression "Can you i the veins - the tunnels of blood - freely, as you please"

"Nevertheless," I said bluntly, "you will have to leave"

"What’s all this talk of leaving?" he snapped, jabbingto annoypractical," I said "You can’t stay here Mr Crepsley knohere you are He’ll return"

"That coward? I doubt it He’ll be too -?

"He’ll return with help," I interrupted "With other vahed "The Vampire Generals, do you mean?"

"Yes," I said

"Nonsense! They can’t coreement between them and us They don’t interfere Crepsley isn’t a General, is he?"

"No," I said "He’s not"