gns.thegraveyardvultures-第16部分

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lunged　your　knife　into　my　throat。　You　are　frightened　because　you　have　a　body　in　your　house。　In　all　probability　he　will　e　in　person；　particularly　as　he　would　be　able　to　use　my　corpse　to　assist　him　in　his　vile　rites。　Then；　having　tricked　him　into　ing　here；　I　will　see　to　the　rest。'
　　
　　'I　don't　like　it。'　Miranda　drained　the　remainder　of　her　whisky　and　put　down　the　empty　glass。　'What　if　he　suspects　a　trick。'
　　
　　'We　are　taking　a　desperate　chance　in　any　case；'　Sabat　replied。　'Even　now　his　astral　body　might　be　in　this　very　room　observing　us　in　which　case　our　ruse　will　prove　futile　and　Royston　will　turn　the　tables　on　us。　We　must　just　hope　that　he　has　been　too　preoccupied　with　his　new　temple　of　devil　worship　to　worry　about；　forgive　the　term；　a　mere　pawn　in　his　dastardly　game　such　as　yourself。　In　which　case　he　might　just　fall　for　it。'
　　
　　'How　。　。　。　how　will　you　kill　him？'　Miranda　whispered。　Suddenly　death；　even　Royston's；　was　a　terrible　prospect。
　　
　　'I　could　shoot　him。'　Sabat　experienced　a　quickening　of　his　pulses；　the　old　familiar　feeling　he　used　to　get　in　his　SAS　days　when　he'd　been　assigned　to　a　legitimate　murder。　'But　that　might　be　too　noisy　for　a　neighbourhood　such　as　this　and　the　last　thing　we　want　is　to　attract　the　attention　of　the　law。　In　all　probability　I　shall　make　use　of　this　knife　with　which　you　nearly　severed　my　jugular　vein。　First　I　must　kill　his　earthly　body　and　then　act　quickly　before　his　astral　body　has　time　to　leave　it。　There　is　always　a　short　time　when　one　life　ends　before　the　next　reincarnation　begins；　the　only　time　that　one　so　powerful　as　Royston　is　truly　vulnerable。　And　if　that　chance　is　lost　then　the　evil　will　spawn　again　in　a　new　life。'
　　
　　For　some　time　they　sat　there　in　silence；　neither　wishing　to　break　into　the　other's　thoughts。　Sabat　glanced　at　Miranda；　knew　that　they　could　be　spending　a　long　time　together。　Next　time　he　would　have　no　need　to　force　his　lust　upon　her。　In　fact　their　relationship　could　turn　out　to　be　a　very　intriguing　one。
　　
　　Miranda　thought　about　Sabat；　how　different　he　was　from　the　dark…clothed　human　bloodhound　who　had　suddenly　turned　up　in　the　village　to　hunt　them　down。　Ruthless　to　the　extreme；　but　he　was　the　kind　of　man　you　could　get　to　like。　A　lot。　Just　one　nagging　worry；　she　hoped　he　was　not　going　to　ask　too　many　questions　about　the　fire　at　the　'Dun　Cow'。　She'd　given　up　trying　to　lie　to　him；　told　herself　it　was　almost　an　impossibility　because　those　hawk…like　eyes　would　search　out　the　truth　no　matter　where　you　tried　to　hide　it。　And　when　that　cold　rage　erupted　it　turned　him　into　a　vicious　killer；　maybe　the　one　man　in　the　world　who　could　destroy　Royston。
　　
　　The　harsh　jangling　of　the　telephone　in　the　hall　brought　them　both　out　of　their　reverie。　In　an　instant　Sabat　saw　that　it　was　7am　and　that　daylight　was　creeping　in　through　the　curtains。　They　had　dozed；　rested；　and　now　it　was　time　for　action　again。
　　
　　Miranda　glanced　at　him　and　he　read　the　fear；　the　hopelessness　in　her　eyes。　'That'll　be　him；'　a　hoarse；　almost　unrecognisable　whisper。　'He　often　phones　early　in　the　morning。'
　　
　　'Go　get　it　then；　girl。'　He　tried　to　take　the　tension　out　of　the　situation。　The　first　positive　step　in　the　destruction　of　Royston　is　about　to　be　taken。'
　　
　　He　noted　how　unsteadily　she　walked　into　the　hall；　the　way　she　glanced　at　the　front　door　as　though　she　had　a　notion　to　flee　through　it　and　take　her　chance　in　the　outside　world。　But　instead　she　made　it　to　the　phone　and　with　a　shaking　hand　lifted　the　receiver。　Sabat　remained　sitting　on　the　couch　in　the　living　room；　heard　her　speaking。
　　
　　'Yes　。。。　he　came　last　night　。。。　I　killed　him；'　a　lengthy　pause　before　she　added；　'with　the　knife　you　gave　me。　God　it's　awful　Royston；　the　body's　in　the　living　room　and　I　don't　know　what　to　。　。　。　'　There　was　a　long　period　of　silence　during　which　the　caller　was　obviously　giving　instructions　and　then　Miranda　spoke　again。　'All　right；　I'll　wait　until　you　e。'
　　
　　When　she　came　back　into　the　room　her　face　was　deathly　white；　every　freckle　clearly　visible。　She　swayed；　had　to　hold　on　to　the　arm　of　a　chair　to　steady　herself。
　　
　　'He's　ing；'　she　whispered。　'Tonight！'
　　
　　Sabat　had　to　check　his　elation；　quite　obviously　Miranda　was　terrified　now　at　the　prospect　of　Royston's　return　to　her　house。　'Good；'　he　smiled；　'and　we've　plenty　of　time　to　prepare　for　his　arrival。'
　　
　　'That's　not　the　point。'　She　sat　down　because　her　legs　were　refusing　to　support　the　weight　of　her　body　any　longer。　'He　says。　。。　'　she　swallowed；　began　again；　'he　says　that。。。　that　it　will　be　necessary　to　perform　certain　。　。　。　rites　on　your　body　to　ensure　that　you　no　longer　trouble　us。　I　。。。　don't　know　what　he　has　in　mind　but　he's　ordered　me　to　have　a　hacksaw　and　a　hammer　and　chisel　available。'
　　
　　Sabat　felt　his　stomach　churning；　saw　again　his　own　handiwork　in　that　tranquil　chapel　of　rest　a　short　time　ago。　And　he　had　no　doubt　what　Royston　and　his　dark　powers　had　in　mind。　An　eye　for　an　eye　。。。　a　head　for　a　head！　He　did　not　think　it　time　yet　to　tell　Miranda　that　the　very　tools　she　had　been　instructed　to　procure　were　at　this　moment　lying　underneath　the　mats　in　the　back　of　his　own　Daimler　down　the　road。　For　truly　Royston's　body　had　to　be　put　beyond　the　recall　of　another　houngan　or　bocor；　the　evil　that　had　been　William　Gardiner　destroyed　for　all　time。　And　there　was　but　one　way　to　ensure　that。
　　
　　'Let's　not　worry　about　Royston　just　yet；'　he　smiled　and　beckoned　to　her　to　sit　beside　him。　'It　is　important　that　for　the　next　few　hours　we　both　relax；　for　tonight　there　must　be　no　slipups！'
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　SEVEN
　　　
　　ALONE　POSSIBLY　Sabat　could　have　managed　to　relax；　maybe　even　sleep　for　an　hour　or　two；　but　with　Miranda　at　his　side　that　was　impossible。　He　could　feel　the　tension　mounting　inside　her；　the　tautness　of　her　body　against　his　own；　nerves　that　were　being　stretched　with　each　passing　minute。　He　thought；　Christ；　she'll　have　a　breakdown　long　before　evening。
　　
　　He　wondered　if　perhaps　an　interlude　in　which　their　bodies　dominated　over　all　outside　thoughts　might　be　the　answer　but　the　moment　his　fingers　started　to　stray　inside　her　nylon　garment　she　was　pushing　them　away。　'No；　Sabat；　not　that　again。　Please！　I'm　just。。。　not　in　the　mood。'
　　
　　He　sighed；　let　his　hand　fall　away。　It　was　going　to　be　a　very　long　day；　why　the　hell　weren't　they　the　type　who　could　play　a　nice　boring　conventional　game　of　chess？
　　
　　'What　brought　you　to　this　part　of　the　country？'　Apart　from　trying　to　pass　the　time　and　distract　Miranda's　mind　from　the　trials　that　lay　ahead；　Sabat　was　curious　about　her　background。
　　
　　'Circumstances　beyond　my　control。'　She　managed　a　tremor　of　a　smile。　'I　was　born　in　London　but　my　mother　and　father　split　up　when　I　was　ten。　I　stopped　with　Mum　and　in　order　to　make　enough　money　for　us　to　live　she　went　on　the　game。　She　didn't　make　any　secret　about　it；　each　night　she'd　go　out　and　solicit　and　then　she　started　plying　her　trade　at　home。　She　used　to　keep　a　rag　doll　in　the　window。　If　it　was　lying　down　it　meant　she　was　busy　with　a　client　but　if　it　was　sitting　up　she　was　open　for　business。　Christ；　there　were　some　ings　and　goings　in　our　house　and　I　got　the　idea　when　I　left　school　that　it　was　the　easiest　way　to　make　a　living。　She　didn't　try　to　stop　me　once　I　was　seventeen　but　I　can't　blame　her　for　encouraging　me。　Anyway；　to　cut　a　long　story　short；　Mum　went　off　to　live　with　this　client　and　after　a　time　I　decided　that　there　was　no　future　in　being　a　city　whore　so　I　took　off　in　search　of　better　surroundings。　The　country　always　appealed　to　me　so　in　due　course　I　found　my　way　up　here。　I　managed　to　find　enough　business　to　keep　me　going；　doing　most　of　my　soliciting　in　the　'Dun　Cow'。　Then　I　got　in　with　this　coven　for　kicks。　At　first　it　was　fun　but　all　I　was　actually　doing　was　letting　the　guys　screw　me　for　free　instead　of　ing　up　to　my　place　and　paying　a　tenner　for　it。　The　worst　day's　work　I　ever　did　was　letting　Horace　get　me　in　his　clutches。　After　that　it　was　too　late　to　make　the　break；　Horace　was　just　a　dirty　old　man　in　parison　with　Royston。　When　Royston　gets　his　talons　into　you；　you've　had　it！'
　　
　　'Then　shall　we　say　the　best　day's　work　you　ever　did　was　when　you　met　me；'　Sabat　said　and　felt　encouraged　by　her　nervous　laugh。
　　
　　After　that　they　settled　down　again　with　their　own　thoughts。　And　Sabat's　mind　wandered　away　from　Miranda。　He　recalled　that　warm　Sunday　afternoon　when　a　tousled…haired　junior　public　school　master　had　asked　him　to　go　for　a　walk　across　the　fields。　And　in　due　course　his　train　of　thoughts　led　to　that　leather…booted　colonel's　wife。　By　midday　he　was　fully　aroused　and　frustrated　which　wasn't　a　good　thing　when　he'd　got　to　put　himself　in　a　killing　mood　before　evening。　He　had　to　be　alert；　his　brain　razor　sharp。　Sexual　distractions　could　prove　to　be　his　downfall。
　　
　　He　glanced　down　at　Miranda；　she　had　fallen　into　an　uneasy　sleep。
　　
　　Sabat　had　slept　during　the　day；　mostly　shallow　dozes；　but　during　the　mid…afternoon　he　had　fallen　into　a　deep　slumber　in　which　he　had　dreamed。　He　was　underground　in　a　dank；　stale　place　where　moss　grew　on　the　walls　and　in　places　the　roof　threatened　to　collapse。　A　long　flight　of　broken　stone　steps　had　led　him　down　from　the　daylight　and　fresh　air　above；　and　he　doubted　the　wisdom　of　entering　this　subterranean　chamber。　Indeed；　he　would　have　turned　back；　given　way　to　his　rising　terror；　except　that　for　some　unknown　pelling　reason　he　had　to　go　on。　This　was　how　it　had　been　when　the　Pied　Piper　had　lured　away　the　rats　and　then　the　children　of　Hamlyn。　It　was　the　silence；　the　darkness　which　beckoned　Sabat；　a　call　he　could　not　deny；　a　bloodthirsty　weasel　hunting　the　rabbit　warrens。
　　
　　After　a　time　he　was　able　to　make　out　his　surroundings。　Stone　pillars　supported　the　sagging　roof　and　the　damp　floor　was　made　from　blocks　of　roughly　hewn　stone；　jagged　and　uneven。　A　crypt；　so　old　that　the　lettering　carved　by　some　long…dead　stonemason　was　now　indecipherable。
　　
　　As　his　eyes　became　accustomed　to　the　darkness　and　he　was　able　to　make　out　these　ancient　features；　Sabat　was　also　aware　of　the　presence　of　evil；　a　live　force　that　seemed　to　mock　him　from　every　patch　of　shadow；　the　rats　which　stared　at　him　with　glowing　red　eyes；　totally　unafraid　of　this　human　intrusion。
　　
　　The　crypt　was　far　larger　than　at　first　he　had　imagined；　almost　the　size　of　a　chapel；　built　below　ground　in　secret　to　hide　some　nefarious　activity　by　the　worshippers　who　slunk　in　here　during　the　nocturnal　hours　to　mortgage　their　souls　and　to　take　part　in　unbelievable　acts　of　obscenity。
　　
　　And　Sabat　was　not　alone：　With　a　start　he　saw　the　big　man　at　the　other　end；　busying　himself　before　an　altar　draped　with　black　tapestries。　On　the　sinister　flat　surface　lay　something　which　gleamed　starkly　white　in　contrast　to　its　background；　a　thing　which　was　so　old　and　broken　that　it　was　difficult　at　first　to　recognise　it　as　a　human　skeleton。　But　that　was　what　it　was；　a　broken　skull　and　rib　cage；　arms　and　legs；　all　polished　until　they　shone　almost　luminously；　hideously。
　　
　　Sabat　recognised　them　as　surely　as　though　he　gazed　upon　the　corpse　of　a　close　friend　laid　out　on　a　mortician's　slab；　knew　that　these　bones　represented　all　that　remained　of　William　Gar