16-year-old Darren Shan and his best friend Steve Leonard visit the Cirque du Freak freak show. During the performance, Steve recognizes one of the troupe's members, Larten Crepsley, as a vampire, prompting him to try to find Crepsley after the show. Simultaneously, Darren, fascinated by Crepsley's spider, Madam Octa, impulsively steals her. Before he can leave, he is forced to hide as Crepsley returns to his room. Steve arrives, begging to be made into a vampire, but Crepsley refuses after tasting Steve's blood, which he says "tastes of evil". When Crepsley realizes that Madam Octa has been stolen, Darren flees from the theater with Crepsley hot on his trail. He gets away only when the mysterious Mr. Tiny arrives in his limousine, accompanied by the mad Vampeneze Murlough. The latter is unimpressed with Darren, dismissing him as a "bag of blood", but Tiny is greatly impressed, and promises to "be in touch" after dropping Darren off at home.