Vamapneze > FTE strike

The monster faced Larten and narrowed its eyes, wary of this young but
clearly far-from-foolish foe. The creature took a step forward, then smiled
thinly and pounced, faster than the human eye could follow. But Larten had
been trained to register the blur of a vampire. Seba had feinted at him on
countless occasions to sharpen his senses and teach him how to defend
himself against an enemy quicker than he was.

***

The vampaneze was even faster this time. Larten managed to strike, but
his arm was slapped aside and a hard palm banged into his chest. He flew
across the room and slammed into a wall. Stars flashed before his eyes, but
he blinked them away and tried to haul himself to his feet. The vampaneze,
having followed, stopped him with a soft shove to his head.

As Larten collapsed, defeated, the vampaneze squatted beside him.

“Abandon the boy,” he whispered. “If you renounce him, I’ll spare you, yes,
I will. Why waste your life on a worthless human that you barely know?”

“I gave him… my word… that I would… help,” Larten gasped.

“But you cannot save him,” the vampaneze reasoned.

“Then I’ll… die with him. I gave… my word.”

***

The Saga of Larten Crepsley: Birth of a Killer, Chapter 14