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Annie didn’t like it - nobody did! - but we eventually convinced her that there was no other solution She wanted to wait, think it over and discuss it with her doctor, but I told her it was now or never " Vancha and I have a ht not be able to come back later"

When we’d first discussed the transfusion, Vancha had volunteered He didn’t think it was safe for e -me into a full-vampire, and my body was in a state of flux But when I pressed hi that the purge would have any effect on the procedure It ht even work in our favour - since ht stand a better chance of destroying the vampaneze cells

We’d tried to quiz Evanna about the dangers She could look into the future and tell us whether it would succeed or not But she refused to be drawn "This has nothing to do with me," she’d said "I will not comment on it"

"But itfor reassurance "We’re destined to ain We can’t do that if I die"

"Your final encounter with Steve Leonard is by no means set in stone," she’d replied "If you die beforehand, he will beco the way of the vaer because of your destiny, Darren - youcan and perhapswill die if you attempt this"

But Darius was my nephew Vancha didn’t approve - he would have preferred to overlook Darius for the ti, and focus on Steve - but I couldn’t leave the boy this ith such a threat hanging over him If I could save him, I must

We could have handled the blood transfer with syringes, but Darius insisted on the traditional fingertips er, and wanted to do it the old way "If I’rowled "I don’t want to hide "

"But it’ll be painful," I warned him

"I don’t care," he sniffed

Annie’s doubts reht not have if Darius had wavered, but he stuck to his guns with grim determination I hated to admit it - and I didn’t say it out loud - but he had his father’s sense of commitment Steve was insanely evil, but he always did what he set out to do, and nothing could change his mind once he’d made it up Darius was the sa," Annie sighed as I sat opposite Darius and prepared to drive ht I was only thinking about doing the shopping toot home from school Then my brother walks back into my life and tellsused to that, I ht lose him as swiftly as I found him - and my son too!"

She almost called it off then, but Alice stepped up behind her and said softly, "Would you rather lose him when he’s human, or when he’s a killer like his father?" It was a cruel thing to say, but it steadied Annie’s nerves and re quietly, she stepped away and leters He yelped painfully and jerked back in his chair "Don’t," I said as he raised his fingers to his mouth to suck them "Let the ertips, then did it the other way round Blood welled up froainst Darius’s and held them there while my blood flowed into his body, and his into mine

We remained locked for twenty seconds thirty more I could feel the va, burning, sizzling I ignored the pain I could see that Darius was also aware of the change, and that it was hurting hiainst him, so it was iuard, observing us, calculating When he thought the tiasped out loud, stood, half sony I hadn’t expected the cells to kick in so soon, and was unprepared for the brutal speed of the reaction

Duringsharply in his chair, eyes bulging,wildly Annie hurried towards him but Vancha knocked her aside "Don’t interfere!" he barked "Nature et in its way"

For several minutes I jackknifed wildly on the floor It felt like I was on fire insideheadaches and loads of discohts of pain Pressure built at the back of hthe heels of my hands hard into my eyes, then into the sides of- I could hear nothing

I vo hard - the TV I rolled away fro o away

Finally the pressure subsided My liht and sound returned, though my fierce headache re over h it," he said "You’ll be OK - with the luck of the vaasped

Vancha raisedon the couch, eyes closed, perfectly still, Annie and Alice kneeling beside hi ht Darius was dead Then I saw his chest lift softly and fall, and I kneas just asleep

"He’ll be fine," Vancha said "We’ll have to keep a close eye on the two of you for a few nights You’ll probably have further fits, less severe than this one Butsurvived that, the odds are good for both of you"

I sat up wearily Vancha tookhis spit in to help close the wounds