Chapter twenty-four

I was ready to collapse by the time night came. The activity had worn me out. Evra had warned me not to sleep in his tent that night; his snake was in a foul mood because of the virus and might bite. So I headed for Mr. Crepsley's van and made a bed on the floor beside Madam Octa's cage.
I fell asleep within a couple of minutes of lying down.
A little later, as I was dreaming, something caught in my throat and made me gag. I coughed and awoke.
There was a figure above me, holding a small bottle to my mouth, trying to force a liquid down me. My first strange, terrified thought was: "It's Mr. Tiny!"
I bit the top off the bottle, cutting my lips and spilling most of the liquid. The man swore, grabbed my chin, and pried my gums apart. He tried pouring the last of the liquid into my open mouth, but I spat it out.
The man swore again, then let go and slumped back. As my heartbeat slowed, I saw that it wasn't Mr. Tiny.
It was Mr. Crepsley.
"What the hell were you trying to do?" I screamed angrily. I was too mad to feel the pain in my cut lips.
He showed me the remains of the small bottle… one of the containers he used to store human blood.
"You were trying to get me to drink!" I screamed.
"You have to," Mr. Crepsley said. "You are wasting away, Darren. If you go on like this, you will be dead within a week. If you do not have the courage to drink, it must be forced into you."
I stared at him savagely. He looked uncomfortable and turned his eyes away from mine.
"I was trying to help," he said.
"If you ever try that again," I said slowly, "I'll kill you. I'll wait until day, then creep in and chop your head off."
He could tell I was serious, because he nodded glumly.
"Never again," he agreed. "I knew it would not work, but I had to try. If you had swallowed even a little, it would have kept you going a while longer, and once you had the taste, you might not be so afraid to drink again."
"I'll never have the taste!" I roared. "I won't drink human blood. I don't care if I do die. I won't drink it."
"Very well." He sighed. "I have done my best. If you insist on being stupid, on your own head be it."
"I'm not being stupid… I'm being human," I growled.
"But you are not human," he said softly.
"I know," I replied. "But I want to be. I want to be like Sam. I want a family and ordinary friends. I want to grow old at the usual rate. I don't want to spend my life drinking blood and feeding off humans, worrying about sunlight and vampire hunters."
"Too bad," Mr. Crepsley said. "It is the hand you have been dealt."
"I hate you," I snarled.
"Too bad," he said again. "You are stuck with me. If it is any compensation," he added, "I am none too fond of you, either. Turning you into a half-vampire was the worst mistake I ever made."
"So why not free me?" I wailed.
"I cannot," he said. "I would if I could. Of course, you are free to leave any time you like."
I stared at him suspiciously. "Really?" I asked.
"Really," he said. "I do not mind. In fact, I would prefer it if you did. That way, you would no longer be my responsibility. I would not have to watch you die."
I shook my head slowly. "I don't understand you at all," I said.
He smiled, almost tenderly. "Nor I you," he said.
We laughed a little then, and things returned to normal. I didn't like what Mr. Crepsley had tried, but understood why he'd tried it. You can't really hate someone who has your best interests at heart.
I told him what I'd done that day, about going to the railroad yard with Sam and how he saved my life. I also told him about almost becoming Sam's blood brother.
"It is a good thing you stopped when you did," Mr. Crepsley said.
"What would have happened if I hadn't?" I asked.
"Your blood would have tainted his. He would have developed a taste for raw meat. He would have hung around butcher shops, staring in the windows. He would have aged at a slightly slower rate than normal. It would not have been much of a difference, but it would have been enough."
"Enough to do what?" I asked.
"Drive him mad," Mr. Crepsley said. "He would not have understood what was happening. He would have thought he was evil. He would not have known why his life had changed. Within ten years he would have been a screaming wreck."
I shivered at the thought of how close I'd come to destroying Sam's life. This sort of thing was precisely why I had to stay with Mr. Crepsley until I'd learned everything about being a half-vampire.
"What do you think of Sam?" I asked.
"I have not seen much of him," Mr. Crepsley said. "He comes mostly by day. But he seems nice. Very bright."
"He's been helping Evra and me with our chores," I said.
"I know."
"He's a good worker."
"So I have heard."
I licked my lips nervously. "He wants to join the Cirque," I said. Mr. Crepsley's face darkened. "I was going to ask Mr. Tall, but I forgot. I'll ask tomorrow. What do you think he'll say?"
"He will say you have to ask me. Children cannot join the Cirque Du Freak unless an independent member agrees to be their guardian.
"I could be his guardian," I said.
"You are not old enough. It would have to be me. I would have to give my permission. But I will not."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because it is a crazy idea," he said. "One child is bad enough. There is no way I would take on a second. Besides, he is human. I am stuck with you because of the vampire blood in your veins. Why should I put my neck on the line for a human?"
"He's my friend," I said. "He'd be company for me."
Mr. Crepsley snorted. "Madam Octa is company enough."
"That's not the same," I whined.
"Tell me this," Mr. Crepsley mused. "What happens when he finds out you are a vampire? You think he will understand? You think he will sleep easily, knowing his best friend would like nothing better than to slit his throat open and drink him dry?"
"I wouldn't do that!" I yelled.
"I know," Mr. Crepsley agreed. "But I am a vampire. I know what you are really like. So do Mr. Tall, Evra, and the others. But how do you think an ordinary human would see you?"
I sighed unhappily. "You won't let him join?"
Mr. Crepsley began to shake his head, then stopped and nodded slowly. "Very well," he said. "He can join."
"He can?" I stared at him, shocked. Even though I'd been arguing on Sam's behalf, I'd never really thought they would let him join.
"Yes," Mr. Crepsley said. "He can join and travel with us and help you and Evra with your jobs. But on one condition." Mr. Crepsley leaned in close to me and grinned wickedly. "He has to become a half-vampire, too!" he hissed.