Mr. Crepsley got to his feet and studied Vancha as he battled the largest of the vampaneze. "A close call, Sire," he noted dryly as the giant barely missed the top of Vancha's scalp with his huge war axe. Vancha honoured Mr. Crepsley with one of his foulest curses in reply. "Would you be offended if I offered my assistance, Sire?" Mr. Crepsley asked politely.
"Get over here quick!" Vancha snarled. "Two are getting away. We have to- Charna's guts!" he yelled, again only barely dodging the head of the axe.
"Harkat, stay with me," Mr. Crepsley said, moving forward to intercept the giant. "Darren, go with Vancha after the others."
"Right," I said. I didn't mention the fact that I was missing a thumb - such considerations were nothing in the heat of life or death battle.
As Mr. Crepsley and Harkat engaged the giant, Vancha swung away, paused for breath, then nodded for me to follow as he raced after the vampaneze and the servant. I kept close to him, sucking on the bloody stump where my thumb used to be, grabbing a knife from my belt with my left hand. As we broke from the trees, we saw the pair ahead. The servant was climbing on to the vampaneze's back - it was clear that they were planning to flit.
"No you don't!" Vancha growled, and sent a dark shuriken flying. It struck the servant high above the right shoulder blade. He cried out and toppled off the vampaneze's back. The vampaneze spun, stooped to pick up his fallen comrade, saw Vancha closing in, and jumped to his feet, pulling a sword and moving forward. I hung back, not wanting to get in Vancha's way, keeping an eye on the fallen servant, waiting to see how the fight progressed.
Vancha was almost within striking distance of the vampaneze when he drew up short, as though injured. I thought he must have been hit with something - a knife or arrow - but he didn't look hurt. He just stood, arms outstretched, staring at the vampaneze. The vampaneze was motionless too, his red eyes wide, his dark purple face incredulous. Then he lowered his sword, slid it into its scabbard, turned and picked up the servant.
Vancha did nothing to stop him.
Behind me I heard Mr. Crepsley and Harkat break free of the trees. They raced forward, then stopped by my side when they saw the vampaneze escaping, Vancha standing by and watching.
"What the-" Mr. Crepsley began, but then the vampaneze hit flitting speed and disappeared.
Vancha looked back at us, then sank to the ground. Mr. Crepsley cursed - not quite as foul as Vancha's earlier outburst, but close - and sheathed his knives in disgust. "You let them escape!" he shouted. Striding forward, he stood over Vancha and regarded him with undisguised contempt. "Why?" he growled, hands bunched into fists.
"I couldn't stop him," Vancha whispered, eyes downcast.
"You did not even try!" Mr. Crepsley roared.
"I couldn't fight him," Vancha said. "I always feared this night would come. I prayed it wouldn't, but part of me knew it would."
"You are not making sense!" Mr. Crepsley snapped. "Who was that vampaneze? Why did you let him escape?"
"His name is Gannen Harst," Vancha said in a low, broken voice. He looked up and there were hard, glittering tears in his eyes. "He's my brother.?
Chapter NINETEEN
FOR Along time nothing was said. Harkat, Mr. Crepsley and me stared at Vancha, whose eyes were fixed on the ground. Overhead the moon had vanished behind thick banks of cloud. When they finally parted, Vancha began to talk, as though prompted by the moonbeams.
"My real name's Vancha Harst," he said. "I changed it when I became a vampire. Gannen's a year or two younger than me - or is it the other way round? It's been so long, I can't remember. We were very close growing up. We did everything together - including joining the vampaneze.
"The vampaneze who blooded us was an honest man and a good teacher. He told us exactly what our lives would be like. He explained their ways and beliefs, how they looked upon themselves as the guardians of history by keeping 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-vampaneze. We served together for a few years as assistants. I couldn't accustom myself to the killing. 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 was warned to avoid all vampaneze in future, including Gannen, whom I never saw again until tonight.
"For several years I lived miserably. I tried feeding as vampires do, not killing those 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 met Paris Skyle, who took me under his wing."
"Paris blooded you?" Mr. Crepsley asked.
"Yes."
"Even though he knew what 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-vampire can become a vampaneze, and vice versa, but it is dangerous 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 me about them until afterwards. I wouldn't have gone through with it if I'd known his life was in danger."
"What did he have to do?" Harkat asked.
"Take my blood and give me his, the same as any ordinary blooding," 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 vampires was with us - we both survived, though our agonies were great.