R.V.

R.V. is an antagonist in the book series The Saga of Darren Shan, making his first appearance in the second book "The Vampire's Assistant".

R.V. was a young man who was originally an vegetarian Eco-warrior who along with his troupe camped near The Cirque du Freak. Whilst there, he befriended two of the cirque's residents Darren Shan (a half-vampire), Evra Von (a snake boy) and their human friend Sam Grest.

However Darren invited R.V. to visit the cirque where he becomes appalled at seeing The Wolf Man being locked up and being fed goats. He later witnesses Darren kill sheep to feed to The Little People and threatens to bring down the cirque, but leaves after being threatened by Darren.

Later in the book, R.V. returns to the cirque and against Darren's protests, releases The Wolf Man, but gets his hands bitten off in the process. R.V. blames Darren for this and runs away screaming insanely.

R.V. returns in the eighth book "Allies of the Night", where it is revealed that he was the one responsible for the majority of murders in the city. It is also revealed that following the encounter with The Wolf Man, R.V. was taken in and blooded by the Vampaneze who gave him six hooks to replace his hands. He is also no longer vegetarian nor has peaceful views and wishes to gain revenge on Darren who he still sees as the one responsible for his handicap. At the end of the book, R.V. flees after kidnapping Darren's girlfriend Debbie Hemlock.

In the ninth book "Killers of the Dawn", R.V. along with his fellow vampaneze fights in the Cavern. He battles a Little Person named Harkat, who during the fight, removes R.V.'s hooks. He survives the battle and leaves with the other vampaneze.

In the eleventh book, "Lord of the Shadows", R.V. and a vampet named Morgan James attack a football (soccer) game and kill Darren's school friend Tommy Jones. Darren chases after R.V. but is led to his superiors Steve Leonard (Darren's former best friend) and Gannen Harst. R.V. leaves with Steve and Gannen after the former wounds Darren. He later attacks the cirque and kidnaps a now adult Evra's son Shancus. R.V. starts to doubt his loyalty to the vampaneze when he is reluctant to kill Shancus. He is shocked and horrified when Steve kills Shancus.

In the twelfth book "Sons of Destiny", R.V. is deeply affected by Shancus's murder and no logic knows whose side he is really on. He later refuses Steve's orders to kill Debbie, by saying that it was wrong to kill Shancus and that he thought Darren was the real enemy. During the battle at the cirque, R.V. initially doesn't take part, but when attacked by one of the cirque's residents Cormac Limbs (who can regrow his body parts), he is provoked into chopping off Cormac's head. Believing that he has killed Cormac, R.V. cries and says that wanted to help people and never kill anyone. But after R.V. leaves, Cormac comes back to life, but with two heads.

Later in the book, R.V. is no longer in league with the vampaneze and attacks Gannen in an attempt to save Gannen's vampire brother Vancha and accuses the vampaneze of being evil. R.V. knocks Gannen unconscious, but before he can kill him, Steve kills R.V. by slitting his throat. In his dying moments, R.V. imagines having his hands back and dies happily. Following R.V.'s death, Darren states that it's the best for him rather than living with the guilt of being a vampaneze.