“Compassion for a pair of self-pitying drunkards?” Seba snorted. “You acted like fools, so it is only fitting that you suffer. As for understanding… I understand all too well. You would rather stay here, recover from your hangovers, and go out carousing for flowers again, aye?”
“Aye!” Larten shouted. “Flowers and more ale, that’s what we’re after. Do you have a problem with that, old man?”
“No,” Seba said calmly. “I will leave you to it. Good luck, gentlemen.”
Seba started for the door.
“Wait!” Wester cried. “Where are you going?”
“To explore the night.”
“But you’re coming back, aren’t you?”
Seba looked around at the crumpled sheets, the bedraggled vampires, the bucket of vomit. “What is worth coming back for?”
“But… you can’t mean… you’re abandoning us?”
Seba stared at Wester, who looked distraught, then at Larten, who was trying unsuccessfully to look as if he couldn’t care less.
“I assume you crossed paths with Tanish Eul last night?” Seba said softly.
Wester blinked. “How did you know about Tanish?”
“Vampires usually bump into one another in towns like this. I was certain you would root out Master Eul sooner or later and that when you did, you would face a choice—come with me to continue your education, or stay and run wild with him. It seems that you have chosen the latter option.”
“But it can’t end like this,” Wester protested, struggling to his feet. “We’ll come with you. Give us a minute. We didn’t mean what we said. Tanish isn’t—”
“Peace, Wester,” Seba said kindly. “This is not the end of your apprenticeship, merely a pause. You are aware of the Cubs, vampires who break from the clan for a few years or decades to enjoy life in the world of humans before committing themselves to the demands of the night. You and Larten need to spend some time with others of your age and attitude, to drink and chase women and do whatever it is that you long to do.
“When you have had your fun and wish to return to the clan, I will be waiting, assuming the luck of the vampires is with me and I am still alive. We can resume where we left off.”
“What if we do not want to return?” Larten asked quietly, not looking up at his master.
“That is your choice too,” Seba said. “I make no demands of either of you.” He stretched and smiled. “To be honest, I am glad to be rid of you for a while. I want to run by myself again. I have been a tutor for too long.
“I will keep in touch,” he promised. “This is a small world, and we will never be that far from one another. If you need me, I will come. If you wish to study by my side again, I will accept you back. And if you choose to leave the clan, I will wave you on your way and bear you no ill wishes.
“Even in death may you be triumphant.”
With that Seba turned and let himself out, leaving a very sick and bewildered pair of young vampires to stare in silence at the door and wonder what on earth they were going to do next.
Chapter Twenty-four
Larten and Wester spent the next few hours recovering. Their heads slowly began to clear, and by late evening they were even feeling peckish and slipped downstairs to find some food. They ate hesitantly, wincing whenever somebody laughed or yelled.
“Wine for these good men!” someone shouted as they were finishing their meal. Tanish Eul slumped beside Wester and punched his arm. “How are your heads?”
“Awful,” Wester groaned.
“I thought as much,” Tanish chuckled, spearing a slice of meat from Larten’s plate. “You drank like fish last night, which is fine as long as you’re used to it.”
“How come you’re so cheerful?” Larten asked. “You drank even more than us.”
“I’ve had lots of experience,” Tanish said proudly. “In the end it all boils down to how dedicated you are. If you spend decades training in Vampire Mountain, you become a keenly honed fighting machine. But if you spend those decades working on your drinking skills instead…” He winked.
The wine arrived, and Tanish poured three generous measures. Larten and Wester stared at their glasses as if they were filled with sour milk.
“To your good health,” Tanish toasted them, and downed his wine with one gulp.
Wester and Larten shared an uncertain look, then Larten picked up his glass and drank half of it. He shivered but forced a grin. Wester didn’t want to look out of place, so he had a few sips and smiled shakily too.
“Excellent,” Tanish said, pouring more for them. “We can’t let these things get the better of us. It’s like fighting a bear—if you suffer a beating, you have to bounce back and find an even bigger, tougher bear to pit yourself against. You drank a lot last night, but tonight we’ll pump even more down your throats. We’ll branch out a bit too. Have you ever sampled absinthe?”
“I don’t know about that,” Wester said sheepishly. “I don’t think my head can take another lengthy session.”
“Of course it can,” Tanish hooted. “You’ll feel worse than this tomorrow, believe it or not, but give it a few weeks and you’ll start to find your feet.”
“What makes you think we will be spending that long with you?” Larten asked.
“I saw Seba leaving town,” Tanish said. “He didn’t look like he was planning to return. He’s left you to your own devices, hasn’t he?”
Larten nodded glumly. “He told us we had to fend for ourselves, to join the Cubs, and—”
“Wonderful news!” Tanish exclaimed. “He’s handed you your freedom. So why are you looking miserable?”
“We don’t know what we want to do,” Wester sniffed.
“Our future was mapped out for us when we were training with Seba,” Larten said. “We knew what to expect of the coming nights and years. Now…” He shifted uneasily. “Perhaps we could catch up with him if we set off immediately.”
Tanish snorted. “Are you children or men? Do you want to be led around by your noses all your lives or stand up for yourselves?”
“That’s easy for you to say,” Larten snapped. “This is new to us. We did not plan it, nor do we know where to go from here.”
“Go where the excitement is,” Tanish said, then lowered his voice. “This is a thrilling, stimulating world for those willing to embrace it, especially those like us. We’re stronger than humans, sharper, faster. We can drink and eat more than them. Beat them easily in contests. Earn the respect of any man, win the heart of any woman.”
“But it’s wrong to use our powers that way,” Wester protested.
“Nonsense,” Tanish said. “That’s the way Generals think. You’re Cubs now, free of the dictates of the clan. As long as we don’t break the laws–by killing, for instance, or taking slaves–they leave us alone. Remember, many of the Generals have been in this position themselves. It’s common for vampires to take a few decades to experience the pleasures of the human world. Think of these as your adolescent years.”
“Maybe that’s true,” Larten said. “But we still do not know what to do next.”
“That’s simple,” Tanish said, and stood up. “Follow me.”
He swept from the inn, and since Wester and Larten didn’t have much choice, they stumbled after him. The fresh air revived them, but they weren’t out in it for long. Tanish led them to a dark, smoke-filled tavern, where lots of women were pouring drinks for men and laughing at their jokes.
Tanish found a couch and made himself comfortable. Larten and Wester sat stiffly beside him. Several eager women flocked to their side as soon as they were settled.
“Who are your friends?” one of the women crowed, perching herself on Larten’s lap. He blushed a deep red and froze.
“Men of distinction and fine tastes,” Tanish said loftily. “Bring us your best wine and finest dishes.”
“I’m not hungry,” Wester muttered, blushing too as a woman whispered in his ear. “I think I’ll go back to—”
&nb
sp; Wester started to rise but Tanish pushed him down. “You’ll stay and dine with me,” he growled. “I’m your host tonight. If you refuse my hospitality, you’ll insult me, and I don’t forget an insult in a hurry.” His eyes flashed dangerously, and he held Wester’s gaze.
Wester gulped, then said meekly, “As you wish, Tanish.”
“Very good,” Tanish purred. “That’s what I like. I can see we’re going to—”
Wester was on him before he could finish, the nails of his fingers pressed to the vulnerable flesh of Tanish’s throat. Larten appeared on the vampire’s other side, his nails aimed at Tanish’s stomach.
“If you ever threaten me again,” Wester snarled, “I’ll finish this. Understand?”
Tanish smiled. “Congratulations. You passed.”
“Passed what?” Wester snapped.
“The test I always set to determine whether or not I’ll accept a man as a true friend.” The women around them were staring at the trio uncertainly. Tanish crooked a finger at one of them, then pointed to a bowl of dates on the table. The woman passed him the bowl, and he flipped a few dates into his mouth without attempting to push Larten or Wester away.
“My friends must be men of good character,” Tanish said calmly. “I lead a wild, frenzied life, but I try to live honorably, and I prefer to spend my nights in the company of honorable men. I will drink with the greatest of rogues, but when I travel, I only travel with men whom I respect.
“I insulted you in order to test you. For that, I apologize unreservedly. If you can forgive me, we will be the best of friends from this time on. If I went too far, I will bid you all of my best wishes as you take to the road without me.”
Wester blinked and glanced at Larten. The orange-haired vampire shrugged to let Wester know that this was his call. Wester considered his options, then drew his nails away from Tanish’s throat and sat again.
“How about that food?” Tanish asked, as if nothing strange had happened. “Can I tempt you, or are you truly too full to eat?”
“I could probably manage a few mouthfuls,” Wester said.
“And wine?” Tanish asked Larten.
“Why not?” Larten smiled crookedly as someone poured a very large glass of wine for him.
At first Larten didn’t say much. Tanish spoke at length about the pleasures the world had to offer, the great cities they would visit, the wars worth checking out. Women swept around them, offering dates, other food, wine, ale, and more. A few tried to kiss Larten when they realized how shy he was, and ran away giggling when Tanish roared at them and pretended to lose his temper.
Wester was a bit braver than Larten and was soon chatting to the ladies as if this was something he did all the time. He passed compliments, bought wine for them, even sang a couple of old vampire songs as the night progressed.
Tanish tried to involve Larten, but he kept shaking his head and hiding behind a mug of ale or a glass of wine. Tanish eventually lost interest in the moody young vampire. When Larten was left alone on the couch–Wester had disappeared with a couple of girls who wanted to show him where the best wine in the tavern was stored–he felt like an outcast. Since he hadn’t bought any drinks or entertained them in any way, the ladies were ignoring him. Nobody sat beside him or tried to talk to him.
Depressed and lonely, Larten drank more quickly than before, a mix of wine and ale. Remembering what Tanish had said, he ordered absinthe, but the barman had to show him the correct way to drink it, and even as a vampire he found it a bit too strong for his liking.
Larten decided he’d had enough. He got up and tried to leave, determined to go after Seba and beg his pardon. But he had drunk more than he realized, his legs wobbled, and he couldn’t find his way to the door. As he staggered around, blinking dumbly, he spotted Tanish sitting at a table, playing cards with a group of serious-looking men. Larten’s eyes swam back into focus and he grinned, seeing a way to be part of the good time that everybody else was having.
“Do you mind if I join you?” Larten asked, stepping up beside Tanish.
Tanish squinted at the woozy-looking vampire. “We’re playing for high stakes,” he warned. “This is no game for a beginner.”
“That’s all right,” Larten smiled, taking a seat. “I have played before.”
“Do you have much money?” one of the other men asked.
“No,” Larten said. “But I will soon.”
As the others laughed, he held out a hand for the pack of cards. Tanish passed them across, not sure whether he should let Larten play. As soon as the cards were in his hands, Larten started shuffling swiftly. As the other men stared, he shuffled at an almost impossible speed with his right hand, then passed the cards to his left hand and shuffled equally fast with that one.
“You have hands like quicksilver,” Tanish murmured, finding it hard to follow the movement of the cards, even though he was a vampire.
“Aye,” Larten chuckled. “I know a few tricks too.” Still shuffling one-handed, he let an ace slip from the pack onto the table without pausing, then another, the third, and the fourth. He stopped and passed the pack to the man next to him. “But you have my word that I will not resort to trickery tonight. I will play fairly, and if I win, I will buy the most expensive drinks for everybody in the house.”
The men cheered, and a few of the ladies who were nearby came to sit close to Larten and admire his card skills. When he won his first hand, he passed a stack of coins to a beautifully dressed lady and told her to buy champagne for all of them.
“Now, there’s a man with style!” Tanish exclaimed, slapping Larten’s knee, delighted by this unexpected change in the previously solemn vampire. “You were slow to begin with, but I think you’re getting the hang of fine living now, aren’t you, my quick-handed friend?”
“Aye,” Larten smiled, settling down for a long night of wine, women, gambling, and whatever else came his way. “I think I might be cut out for this.”
Across the room, in a particularly dark corner, a small man heard the boast and lifted his head. He was smartly dressed in an unusual yellow suit, and he had white hair, rosy cheeks, and an amusingly styled pair of spectacles. From a distance he might have looked like a kindly grandfather, but up close nobody would have made such a mistake. There was something deeply unsettling about him, and although the tavern was busy, nobody drifted close to the short man’s table.
“Cut out for fine living?” the man in the yellow suit purred. He cocked his head and his eyes went distant, as if he was looking at something a long way off. “Yes,” he whispered. “And cut out for more too, if I’m any judge. I have been spying on Tanish Eul for some time now, but I think I will be keeping my eye on you instead from this point on, Master Crepsley. Is it coincidence that our paths crossed tonight?” He grinned twistedly and stroked a heart-shaped watch that hung from his breast pocket. “Or is it destiny?”
To be continued…
OTHER TITLES AVAILABLE FROM DARREN SHAN:
A Living Nightmare BOOK 1
The Vampire’s Assistant BOOK 2
Tunnels of Blood BOOK 3
Vampire Mountain BOOK 4
Trials of Death BOOK 5
The Vampire Prince BOOK 6
Hunters of the Dusk BOOK 7
Allies of the Night BOOK 8
Killers of the Dawn BOOK 9
The Lake of Souls BOOK 10
Lord of the Shadows BOOK 11
Sons of Destiny BOOK 12
Lord Loss BOOK 1
Demon Thief BOOK 2
Slawter BOOK 3
Bec BOOK 4
Blood Beast BOOK 5
Demon Apocalypse BOOK 6
Death’s Shadow BOOK 7
Wolf Island BOOK 8
Dark Calling BOOK 9
Hell’s Heroes BOOK 10
Darren Shan, Birth of a Killer
(Series: The Saga Of Larten Crepsley # 1)
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