bl.necroscope2-第36章

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n　the　world。〃
　Faethor　smiled　his　ghastliest　smile。　〃Another　secret　art　of　the　Wamphyri；〃　he　chuckled　obscenely　in　his　throat。　〃One　of　several。　Beguilement　is　another…which　you　saw　at　work　between　myself　and　Arvos；　binding　his　mind　to　mine　so　that　we　could　talk　to　each　other　over　great　distances…and　then　there　is　the　art　of　the　necromancer。〃
　Necromancy！　Thibor　had　heard　of　that。　The　eastern　barbarians　had　their　magicians；　who　could　open　the　bellies　of　dead　men　to　read　their　lives'　secrets　in　their　smoking　guts。
　〃Necromancy；〃　Faethor　nodded；　seeing　the　look　in　Thibor's　eyes；　〃aye。　I　shall　teach　it　to　you　soon。　It　has　allowed　me　to　confirm　my　choice　of　yourself　as　a　future　vessel　of　the　Wamphyri。　For　who　would　know　better　of　you　and　your　deeds；　your　strengths　and　weaknesses；　your　travels　and　adventures；　than　a　former　colleague；　eh？〃　He　stooped　and　effortlessly　flopped　the　body　of　the　thin　Wallach　over　onto　its　back。　And　Thibor　saw　what　had　been　done。　No　wolf　pack　had　done　this；　for　nothing　was　eaten。
　The　thin；　hunched　Wallach…an　aggressive　man　in　life；　who　had　always　gone　with　his　chin　thrust　forward　…seemed　even　thinner　now。　His　trunk　had　been　laid　open　from　groin　to　gullet；　with　all　of　his　pipes　and　organs　loose　and　flopping；　and　the　heart　in　particular　hanging　by　a　thread；　literally　torn　out。　Thibor's　sword　had　gutted　men　as　thoroughly　as　this；　and　it　had　meant　nothing。　But　by　the　Ferenczy's　own　account；　this　man　had　already　been　dead。　And　his　enormous　wound　was　not　the　work　of　a　sword　。　。
　Thibor　shuddered；　turned　his　eyes　away　from　the　mutilated　corpse　and　inadvertently　found　Faethor's　hands。　The　monster's　nails　were　sharp　as　knives。　Worse；　（Thibor　felt　dizzy；　even　faint；）　his　teeth　were　like　chisels。
　〃Why？〃　The　word　left　Thibor's　lips　as　a　whisper。
　〃I've　told　you　why。〃　Faethor　was　growing　impatient。　〃I　wanted　to　know　about　you。　In　life　he　was　your　friend。　You　were　in　his　blood；　his　lungs；　his　heart。　In　death　he　was　loyal；　too；　for　he　would　not　give　up　his　secrets　easily。　See　how　loose　are　his　innards。　Ah！　How　I　teased　them；　to　wrest　their　secrets　from　him。〃
　All　the　strength　went　out　of　Thibor's　legs　and　he　fell　in　his　chains　like　a　man　crucified。　〃If　I'm　to　die；　kill　me　now；〃　he　gasped。　〃Have　done　with　this。〃
　Faethor　flowed　close；　closer；　stood　not　an　arm's　length　away。　〃The　first　state　of　being…the　prime　condition　of　the　Wamphyri…does　not　require　death。　You　may　think　that　you　are　dying；　when　first　the　seed　puts　out　its　rootlets　into　your　brain　and　sends　them　groping　along　the　marrow　of　your　spine；　but　you　will　not　die。　After　that。。。〃　he　shrugged。　〃The　transition　may　be　laboriously　slow　or　lightning　swift；　one　can　never　tell。　But　of　one　thing　be　sure；　it　will　happen。〃
　Thibor's　blood　surged　one　last　time　in　his　veins。　He　could　still　die　a　man。　〃Then　if　you'll　not　give　me　a　clean　death；　I'll　give　myself　one！〃　He　gritted　his　teeth　and　wrenched　on　his　manacles　until　the　blood　flowed　freely　from　his　wrists；　and　still　he　jerked　on　the　irons；　deepening　his　wounds。　Faethor's　long　drawn…out　hisssss　stopped　him。　He　looked　up　from　his　grisly　work　of　self…destruction　into。。。　into　the　pit；　the　abyss　itself。
　Hideous　face　working　yet　more　hideously；　features　literally　writhing　in　a　torment　of　passion；　the　Ferenczy　was　so　close　as　to　be　the　merest　breath　away。　His　long　jaws　opened　and　a　scarlet　snake　flickered　in　the　darkness　behind　teeth　which　had　turned　to　daggers　in　his　mouth。　〃You　dare　show　me　your　blood？　The　hot　blood　of　youth；　the　blood　which　is　the　life？〃　His　throat　convulsed　in　a　sudden　spasm　and　Thibor　thought　he　was　going　to　be　ill；　but　he　was　not。　Instead　he　clutched　at　his　throat；　gurgled　chokingly；　staggered　a　little。　When　he　had　regained　control；　he　said：　〃Ah；　Thibor！　But　now；　ready　or　not；　you　have　brought　on　that　which　cannot　be　reversed。　It　is　my　time；　and　yours。　The　time　of　the　egg；　the　seed。　See！　See！〃
　He　opened　his　great　jaws　until　his　mouth　was　a　cavern；　and　his　forked；　flickering　tongue　bent　backwards　like　a　hook　into　his　throat。　And　like　a　hook　it　caught　something　and　dragged　it　into　view。
　Gasping；　again　Thibor　drew　down　into　himself。　He　saw　the　vampire　seed　there　in　the　fork　of　Faethor's　tongue：　a　translucent；　silver…grey　droplet　shining　like　a　pearl；　trembling　in　the　final　seconds　before。。。　before　its　seeding？
　〃No！〃　Thibor　hoarsely　denied　the　horror。　But　it　would　not　be　denied。　He　looked　in　Faethor's　eyes　for　some　hint　of　what　was　ing；　but　that　was　a　terrible　mistake。　Beguilement　and　hypnotism　were　the　Ferenczy's　greatest　acplishment。　The　vampire's　eyes　were　yellow　as　gold；　huge　and　growing　bigger　moment　by　moment。
　Ah；　my　son；　those　eyes　seemed　to　say；　e；　a　kiss　for　your　father。
　Then　…The　pearly　droplet　turned　scarlet；　and　Faethor's　mouth　fastened　on　Thibor's　own；　which　stood　open　in　a　scream　that　might　last　forever　。
　
　Harry　Keogh's　pause　had　lasted　for　several　seconds；　but　still　Kyle　and　Quint　sat　there；　wrapped　in　their　blankets　and　the　horror　of　his　story。
　〃That　is　the　most　…；Kyle　started。
　Almost　simultaneously；　Quint　said；　〃I've　never　in　my　life　heard　…；　We　have　to　stop　there；　Keogh　broke　in　on　both　of　them；　something　of　urgency　in　his　telepathic　voice。　My　son　is　about　to　be　difficult；　he's　going　to　wake　up　for　his　feed。
　〃Two　minds　in　one　body；〃　Quint　mused；　still　awed　by　what　he'd　heard。　〃I　mean；　I'm　talking　about　you；　Harry。　In　a　way　you're　not　unlike　…；　Don't　say　it。　Keogh　cut　him　off　a　second　time。　There's　no　way　I'm　like　that！　Not　even　remotely。　But　listen；　I　have　to　hurry。　Do　you　have　anything　to　tell　me？
　Kyle　got　a　grip　of　his　rioting　thoughts；　forced　himself　back　to　earth；　to　the　present。　〃We're　meeting　Krakovitch　tomorrow；〃　he　said。　〃But　I'm　annoyed。　This　was　supposed　to　be　exclusive；　entirely　an　inter…branch　exchange…a　bit　of　ESP　détente；　as　it　were…but　there's　at　least　one　KGB　goon　in　on　it　too。〃
　How　do　you　know？
　〃We've　a　minder　on　the　job…but　he's　strictly　in　the　background。　Their　man　es　close　up。〃
　The　Keogh　apparition　seemed　puzzled。　That　wouldn't　have　happened　in　Borowitz's　time。　He　hated　them！　And　frankly；　I　can't　see　it　happening　now。　There's　no　meeting　ground　between　Andropov's　sort　of　mind…control　and　ours。　And　when　I　say　〃ours〃　I　include　the　Russian　outfit。　Don't　let　it　develop　into　a　shouting　match；　Alec。　You　have　to　work　with　Krakovitch。　Offer　your　assistance。
　Kyle　frowned。　〃To　do　what？〃
　He　has　ground　to　clear。　You　know　at　least　one　of　the　sites。　You　can　help　him　to　do　it。
　〃Ground　to　clear？〃　Kyle　got　up　off　his　bed。　Hugging　his　blanket　to　him；　he　stepped　towards　the　manifestation。　〃Harry；　we　still　have　our　own　ground　to　clear　in　England！　While　I'm　out　here　in　Italy；　Yulian　Bodescu　is　still　freewheeling　over　there！　I'm　anxious　about　it。　I　keep　getting　this　urge　to　turn　my　lot　loose　on　him　and　…〃
　NO！　Keogh　was　alarmed。　Not　until　we　know　everything　there　is　to　know。　You　daren't　risk　it。　Right　now　he's　at　the　centre　of　a　very　small　nest；　but　if　he　wanted　to　he　could　spread　this　thing　like　a　plague！
　Kyle　knew　he　was　right。　〃Very　well；〃　he　said；　〃but　…；　Can't　stay；　the　other　broke　in。　The　pull　is　too　strong。　He's　waking；　gathering　his　faculties；　and　he　seems　to　include　me　as　one　of　them。　His　neon…etched　image　began　to　shimmer；　its　blue　glow　pulsing。
　〃Harry；　what　〃ground〃　were　you　talking　about；　anyway？〃
　

　The　old　Thing　in　the　ground。　Keogh　came　and　went　like　a　distorted　radio　signal。　The　hologram　child　superimposed　over　his　midriff　was　visibly　stirring；　stretching。
　Kyle　thought：　we've　had　this　conversation　before！　〃You　said　we　know　at　least　one　of　the　sites。　Sites？　You　mean　Thibor's　tomb？　But　he's　dead；　surely？〃
　The　cruciform　hills。。。　starfish。。。　vines。。。　creepers　in　the　earth；　hiding。
　Kyle　drew　air　in　a　gasp。　〃He's　still　there？〃
　Keogh　nodded；　changed　his　mind　and　shook　his　head。　He　tried　to　speak；　his　outline　wavered　and　collapsed；　he　disappeared　in　a　scattering　of　brilliant　blue　motes。　For　a　moment　Kyle　thought　his　mind　still　remained；　but　it　was　only　Carl　Quint　whispering：　〃No；　not　Thibor。　He's　not　there。　Not　him；　but　what　he　left　behind！〃
　
　
　Chapter　Seven
　11。00P。M。；　the　first　Friday　in　September；　1977：　in　Genoa　Alec　Kyle　and　Carl　Quint　were　hurrying　through　rain…　slick　cobbled　al