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"Halt!" one of the nine vampaneze in front of Steve shouted ere about five metres away We stopped This close, I saw that Steve was actually standing on the body of one of the circus crew ¨C Pasta O’Malley, a man who used to sleepwalk and even sleep-read I could also see Gannen Harst now, just to Steve’s right, sword undraatching us intently

"Drop your throwing stars," the vampaneze said to Vancha When he didn’t respond, two of the va, Vancha slid the shurikens back into their holders and lowered his hands

I glanced up at Shancus, swinging in the light breeze The crossbeam creaked The sound was louder than nore ¨C like the squeal of a wild boar

"Get him down," I snarled at Steve

"I don’t think so," Steve replied lightly "I like the sight of hi his parents beside hiether What do you think?"

"Why do you go along with this madman?" Vancha asked Gannen Harst "I don’t care what Des Tiny says about hi but shao"

"He is of our blood," Gannen Harst replied quietly "I don’t agree with his ways ¨C he knows that ¨C but we don’t kill our kin"

"You do if they break your laws," Vancha grunted "Leonard lies and uses guns Any normal vampaneze would be executed if they did that"

"But he isn’t normal," Gannen said "He is our Lord Desmond Tiny said ould perish if we did not follow him and obey Whether I like it or not, Steve has the power to bend our laws, or even ignore them completely I’d rather he didn’t, but it’s not my place to chastise him when he does"

"You can’t approve of his actions," Vancha pushed

"No," Gannen admitted "But he has been accepted by the clan, and I ae Steve I’m content to serve and protect, in line with the wishes of those who appointedto stare hihed "Aren’t fa you’d bring Annie and Darius along Iine the fun all six of us could have had!"

"They’re far away from here by now," I said I wanted to pe for him and rip his throat open with uards would have cut me down before I struck I had to be patient and pray for a chance to present itself "How’s my son?" Steve asked "Did you kill him?"

"Of course not," I snorted "I didn’t have to When he saw you murder Shancus he realized you were a loriesAnnie told hiain You’ve lost him He’s your son no more"

I hoped to wound Steve with hed them off "Oh well, I was never that fond of hih," he chuckled, "I guess he’ll develop one soon!"

"I wouldn’t be too sure of that," I retorted

"I blooded him," Steve boasted "He’s half-vampaneze"

"No," I smiled "He’s a half-vampire Like me"

Steve stared at me uncertainly "You re-blooded him?"

"Yes He’s one of us now He won’t need to kill when he feeds Like I said, he’s no longer your son ¨C in any hatsoever"

Steve’s features darkened "You shouldn’t have done that," he growled "The boy was mine"

"He was never yours, not in spirit," I said "Youhe was"

Steve started to reply, then scowled and shook his head gruffly "Never mind," he muttered "The child’s not important I’ll deal with hiet down to the good stuff We all know the prophecy" He nodded at Mr Tiny, andering around the burning tents and vans, paying no apparent interest to us "Darren or Vancha will kill me, or I’ll kill one of you, and that will decide the fate of the War of the Scars"

"If Tiny’s right, or telling the truth, aye," Vancha sniffed

"You don’t believe him?" Steve frowned

"Not entirely," Vancha said "Tiny and his daughter-" He glared at Evanna -"have agendas of their own I accept most of what they predict but I don’t treat their predictions as absolute facts"

"Then why are you here?" Steve challenged him