The Saga of Larten Crepsley 1-4. Darren Shan

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СКАЧАТЬ but equally important job to do.” When Larten frowned, Mr Tall angled his head to the left and Larten saw his tray, waiting on a table for him.

      “Oh,” Larten said, his smile fading slightly. “I thought…”

      “No resting on your laurels around here,” Mr Tall said. Larten had never heard that expression before, so Mr Tall translated it for him. “No sitting around on your backside. You had your moment of glory — bravo. I am pleased it went well. But you must not let yourself get carried away. There will be other nights and better performances, but now you must earn your keep. It is our way.”

      “Of course,” Larten said, putting his childish disappointment behind him. He was glad Seba hadn’t seen him act so vainly. Picking up the tray, he waited for the next act to finish, then wound his way through the crowd. He smiled when people said something nice or slapped his back, but he also stayed focused on his job and sold steadily, like a true professional.

      There was a party later that night. They held parties regularly at the Cirque Du Freak. The celebrations served as a reward for the hard-working staff and stars, but they were also a chance for Mr Tall to invite influential people from the towns and villages near where they performed. While there was no law against a freak show (such restrictions would not come into play until the next century), life was easier if you kept a certain breed of man happy. It was better to flatter than annoy people with money and power.

      Larten had always been shy at events like this. He normally kept to the sides, serving drink and food, avoiding conversation. But tonight he was on a high. It helped that some of the guests recognised him from his stint on stage and paused to commend his efforts. He even got chatting to a few young ladies, who smiled at him and shot him sly looks that the innocent boy missed completely. Larten was able to learn the ways of magic quickly, but it would be a long time before he learnt much about women!

      He tried to sleep after the party, but he was agitated and couldn’t keep his eyes shut. He kept flashing back to his time on stage, wishing he could have done more, trying to decide what he would do the next time he was up there.

      Since sleep was proving elusive, Larten got up to watch the sunrise. He beamed as daylight crept across the world, warming the earth and waking the animals and birds. He considered going back to bed, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep. Besides, it had been a long time since he’d been abroad at so early an hour. It would be nice to go for a stroll and watch the world come to life.

      Mr Tall had set up camp close to several towns and a scattering of villages. People would travel many miles for a performance of the legendary Cirque Du Freak, but the owner tried to make things as easy as possible for them. Larten skirted the homesteads, preferring the countryside. He smiled as he walked, as if the cattle and sheep he passed were old friends. He spotted a fox on its way home. He could have stalked and caught it, but there was no need — Seba would soon be feasting in the Halls of Vampire Mountain, and the cupboards and barrels at the circus were always well stocked.

      Larten wove his way along paths and through forests for a few hours before pausing to rest. He sat on a hill overlooking a village and soaked up the sunlight. He was hungry, so he looked for a shop or inn where he might be able to buy food.

      As Larten was studying the village, he spotted a handful of people scurrying towards a tiny church. A few more tore along after them less than a minute later. Larten’s interest was aroused. This wasn’t a holy day, and even if it had been, the people hadn’t looked as if they were on their way to a service. They’d looked scared.

      Larten trotted down the hill. A few more villagers hurried along and passed him on the street. None spared him a glance, even though a stranger would have drawn curious stares on any normal day.

      He paused at the door of the church. He could hear angry muttering and weeping from within. He had a bad feeling about this. Perhaps it would be better if he didn’t enter.

      Larten would have retreated, except a family of four children and their parents pushed up behind him while he was dithering, the father carrying the smallest child and looking wild. “Go on!” the man snapped. “Get the door!”

      Larten pulled the door open and stood back as the man and children brushed by. He still might have turned away if the woman hadn’t waved him in. She looked on the verge of tears and Larten didn’t want to upset her, so he stole in ahead of her and let her close the door behind them.

      Larten’s unease increased inside the church. He hadn’t been in one since he’d become Seba’s assistant. Vampires had their own gods, and although Larten didn’t know much about them, he knew that he was finished with the religions of humanity.

      But that wasn’t the reason for his discomfort. He could see that these people were distraught. Many were crying. Others were cursing and striding around like caged wolves, snapping at their neighbours or the empty air.

      A group of men stood at the centre of the church, in front of the altar, huddled close together as if protecting something. A few women and children approached them, but were turned back with angry gestures. Larten found himself drawn to the group as if hypnotised. It wasn’t just curiosity. It was as if this church had been lying in wait for him, as if he had business here that couldn’t be avoided.

      The men close to the altar stared suspiciously at Larten as he drew near. He could see them silently debating whether to let the stranger step among them or drive him back like the other youths. Larten straightened his shoulders and looked directly at the men, neither slowing nor speeding up. As he came level, a couple shrugged and stepped aside so that he could slip between them.

      Larten found a boy beyond the men, his own age or a bit younger. The boy was kneeling in the middle of four bodies – a man, a woman and two children – that were laid out on the floor, arms crossed neatly over their chests. The boy was rocking backwards and forwards, moaning softly, his hands outstretched and bloodstained. One lay on the forehead of the man. The fingers of the other stroked the cheek of the woman.

      The man, woman and children were dead, and Larten could see that they’d been murdered — their throats had been slashed open. He also saw, by the small amount of blood around their necks and the pale shade of their faces, that their killer had drunk from them. No, even worse than that — they had been drained.

      CHAPTER THIRTEEN

      Larten was horrified. This looked like the work of a vampire. But Seba had sworn to him that the children of the night did not kill. He’d said that the Generals quickly put an end to any vampire who slaughtered humans without just cause. This could be the work of a mad, rogue vampire… or maybe Larten’s master had lied to him.

      The weeping boy was obviously related to the corpses — they shared the same build and facial features. The man and woman were his parents and the dead boy and girl were his brother and sister. Larten’s heart immediately went out to the orphan. He knew how painful it was to lose those that you loved.

      Larten was nudged aside as a man with long, grey hair moved forward for a better look. The man cursed, but didn’t step back as others had. He wiped sweat from his cheeks, then cleared his throat.

      “My Diana saw something pass our house this morning, just before daybreak.” A silence fell upon the men and all eyes focused on the newcomer. He looked nervous – he didn’t like the attention – but he went on. “She was out back. A shadow passed in the dark. She said it looked like a man, but at the same time it didn’t. She thought it was a monster. I told her not to be daft — kids are always imagining things in the dark. But when I heard about this…”

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