Along with the Cirque Du Freak, Darren Shan returns to his home town, the place where it all began. While the Cirque Du Freak rests at an old abandoned football stadium, Darren walks through his old home. After spotting his sister, Annie, living a happy life with her son at their old house, Darren decides not to disturb them. One night before the freak show starts a boy shows up hoping to get a ticket to attend the freak show. The boy, Darius, asks many question and acts strangely leaving Harkat and Darren curious. After meeting up with Tommy Jones at that night's freak show, Darren's childhood friend, now a world famous soccer star; Darren seems that his experience returning might be a good one. After the soccer match has ended, Darren witnessed RV and Morgan James killed Tommy. Thus, he goes on a hunt for them. He finds them in an old dark-end ally and edged out to the road where Gannen Harst and Steve Leonard had been waiting for him too. Darren also finds out that Darius, is Steve's son and Steve has blooded him. Trained by Steve, Darius shot Darren using his father's arrow-gun where it struck high in his right shoulder. By luck, Darren managed to flee to safety even though he is badly hurt. Later, he is found by two hobos that take him to their leaders which turns out to be Debbie and Alice who are recruiting for the vampire version of the Vampets called Vampirites. Reuniting with Vancha March, Debbie, and Alice, the group go ahead on their final hunt for the Vampaneze Lord, Steve Leonard. Darren finds Steve at the abandoned cinema theatre. They were making a trade between Shancus, who Steve had captured earlier and Darius. But before the trading proceed, Steve breaks Shancus's neck, killing him and challenged Darren to do the same with Darius. Darren thought it over and accepted the challenge. Unfortunately, before the knife struck Darius's heart, Steve then revealed that Darius is actually Annie's son thus making him Darren's nephew.