bl.necroscope2-第76章

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。。　Jesus；　it　was　horrible！　I　mean；　why？　Peter　must　have　been　dead　long　before　that　ghoul　was　finished。　If　he　was　torturing　him　at　least　there'd　be　some　sense　in　it。　I　mean；　however　horrible；　at　least　I　could　understand　it。　But　you　can't　learn　anything　from　a　dead　man；　now　can　you？〃
　Kyle　almost　dropped　the　telephone。　〃Oh；　my　God！〃　he　whispered。
　〃Eh？〃
　Kyle　said　nothing；　stood　frozen　in　sudden　shock。
　〃Alec？〃
　〃Yes　you　can；〃　Kyle　finally　answered。　〃You　can　learn　an　awful　lot　from　a　dead　man…everything；　in　fact　if　you're　a　necromancer！〃
　Roberts　had　had　access　to　the　Keogh　file。　Now　it　all　came　back　to　mind　and　he　saw　Kyle's　meaning。　〃You　mean　like　Dragosani？〃
　〃I　mean　exactly　like　Dragosani！〃
　Quint　had　caught　most　of　this。　〃Good　Lord！〃　He　grabbed　Kyle's　elbow。　〃He　knows　all　about　us。　He　knows　…〃
　〃Everything！〃　Kyle　said；　to　Quint　and　to　Roberts。　〃He　knows　the　lot。　He　dragged　it　out　of　Keen's　guts；　out　of　his　brains；　his　blood；　his　poor　violated　organs！　Guy；　now　listen；　this　is　important。　Did　Keen　know　when　you　plan　to　move　in　on　Harkley　House？〃
　〃No。　I'm　the　only　one　who　knows　that。　Those　were　your　instructions。〃
　〃That's　right。　Good！　Well；　we　can　thank　God　we　got　that　right；　anyway。　Now　listen：　I'm　ing　home。　TonightI　mean　today！　On　the　first　possible　flight。　Carl　Quint　will　stay　out　here　and　see　this　end　sewn　up；　but　I'm　ing　back。　Don't　wait　for　me　if　I　can't　get　down　to　Devon　in　time。　Go　in　as　planned。　Have　you　got　that？〃
　〃Yes。〃　The　other's　voice　was　grim。　〃Oh；　yes；　I've　got　that！　Christ；　and　I'm　looking　forward　to　it！〃
　Kyle's　eyes　narrowed；　grew　very　bright　and　fierce。　〃Have　Peter's　body　burned；〃　he　said；　〃just　in　case。。。And　then　burn　Bodescu。　Burn　all　the　blood…sucking　bastards！〃
　Quint　gently　took　the　phone　from　him　and　said；　〃Guy；　Carl　here。　Listen；　this　is　top　priority。　Get　a　couple　of　our　best　men　up　to　Hartlepool　A。S。A。P。　Darcy　Clarke　especially。　Do　it　now；　even　before　you　move　on　Harkley。〃
　〃Right；〃　Roberts　answered。　〃I'll　do　it。〃　Then　he　got　the　point。　His　gasp　was　perfectly　audible；　even　over　the　none　too　clear　connection。　〃Hell；　of　course　I'll　do　it　right　now！〃
　Wide…eyed　and　pale；　Kyle　and　Quint　stared　at　each　other。　There　was　no　need　to　give　voice　to　what　was　on　their　minds。　Yulian　Bodescu　had　learned　almost　everything　there　was　to　know　about　them。　Keen　had　access；　as　had　they　all；　to　the　Keogh　file。　A　vampire's　greatest　fear　is　to　be　discovered　for　what　he　is。　He　will　try　to　destroy　anyone　who　even　suspects　him。
　INTESP　knew　what　he　was；　and　the　focus　the　jinni　loci　of　INTESP　was　someone　called　Harry　Keogh。
　
　Darcy　Clarke　had　swallowed　two　double　brandies　in　quick　succession　before　insisting　on　going　back　on　duty。　That　had　been　shortly　before　Roberts's　call　to　the　Hotel　Dunarea　in　Bucharest。　Roberts；　at　first　dubious；　had　finally　let　Clarke　go　back　to　Harkley；　but　with　this　warning：　〃Darcy；　stay　in　your　car。　Don't　leave　it；　no　matter　what。　I　know　you　have　your　juju　working；　but　in　this　case　it　mightn't　be　enough。　But　we　do　need　someone　watching　that　hell…house；　at　least　until　we　can　get　fully　mobilised；　and　so　if　you're　volunteering。　。
　Clarke　had　driven　carefully；　coldly　back　to　Harkley　House　and　parked　on　the　stiff　black　grass　close　to　where　Keen's　car　had　stood。　He　tried　not　to　think　about　the　ground　where　his　car　stood；　or　what　had　happened　there。
　He　was　aware　of　it　would　never　forget　it　but　he　kept　it　on　the　periphery　of　his　consciousness；　didn't　let　it　interfere。　And　so　with　his　gun　and　loaded　crossbow　beside　him　he'd　sat　there　watching　the　house；　never　taking　his　eyes　off　it　for　a　moment。
　Fear　had　turned　to　hatred　in　Clarke's　heart；　he　was　here　as　a　duty；　yes；　but　it　was　more　than　that。　Bodescu　might　just　e　out；　might　just　show　his　face；　and　if　he　did。。。　Clarke　needed　desperately　to　kill　him。
　In　the　house　Yulian　sat　in　darkness　by　his　garret　window。　He；　too；　had　known　a　little　fear；　something　of　panic。　But　now；　like　Clarke；　he　was　cold；　calm；　calculating。　For　now；　with　one　very　important　exception；　he　knew　all　there　was　to　know　about　the　watchers。　The　one　thing　he　didn't　know　was　when。　But　certainly　it　would　be　soon。　He　gazed　out　into　the　darkness　and　could　sense　the　approaching　dawn。　Down　there；　beyond　the　gate；　in　a　car　in　the　field　across　the　road；　someone　else　watched。　Ah；　but　this　one　would　be　better　prepared。　Yulian　sent　his　vampire　senses　reaching　into　the　cold　and　misty　pre…dawn　gloom；　touched　lightly　upon　a　mind。　Hatred　lashed　out　at　him　before　the　mind　closed　itself…but　not　before　he　recognised　it。　Yulian　merely　grinned。　He　sent　his　telepathic　thoughts　down　to　the　vaulted　cellars：　Vlad；　an　old　friend　of　yours　is　keeping　a　vigil　on　the　house。　1　want　you　to　watch　him。　But　don't　let　him　see　you；　and　don't　try　to　hurt　him。　They　are　wary　now；　these　watchers；　and　coiled　like　springs。　If　you　are　seen　it　may　not　go　well　for　you。　So　just　watch　him；　and　let　me　know　if　he　moves　or　does　anything　other　than　watch　us！　Now　go。　。A　huge　black　shadow；　slope…eared；　feral…eyed；　padded　silently　up　the　narrow　steps　in　the　small　building　standing　towards　the　rear　of　the　house。　It　came　out　into　the　grounds；　turned　towards　the　gates；　kept　to　the　darker　areas　of　trees　and　shrubbery。　Tongue　lolling；　Vlad　hastened　to　obey。　。
　Yulian　called　the　women　down　into　the　main　living　room　on　the　ground　floor。　It　was　totally　dark　in　that　room；　but　each　present　could　see　the　others　perfectly　well。　Like　it　or　not；　night　was　now　their　element。　When　they　were　assembled；　Yulian　seated　himself　beside　Helen　on　a　couch；　waited　a　moment　to　be　sure　he　had　the　full　attention　of　the　women；　then　spoke。
　〃Ladies；〃　he　menced；　mockingly；　his　voice　low　and　sinister；　〃it　will　soon　be　dawn。　I　can't　be　certain　but　I　rather　fancy　that　it　will　be　one　of　the　last　dawns　you　ever　see。　Men　will　e　and　they　will　try　to　kill　you。　That　may　not　be　easy；　but　they're　determined　and　they'll　try　very　hard。〃
　〃Yulian！〃　His　mother　at　once　stood　up；　her　voice　shocked；　fearful。　〃What　have　you　done？〃
　〃Sit　down！〃　he　manded；　glaring　at　her。　She　obeyed；　but　reluctantly。　And　when　she　was　perched　again　on　the　edge　of　her　chair；　he　said；　〃I　have　done　what　I　must　do　to　protect　myself。　And　you　all　of　you…shall　be　obliged　to　do　likewise；　or　die。　Soon。〃
　Helen；　simultaneously　fascinated　and　horrified　by　Yulian；　her　skin　crawling　with　her　fear　of　him；　timorously　touched　his　arm。　〃I　shall　do　whatever　you　ask　of　me；　Yulian。〃
　He　thrust　her　away；　almost　hurled　her　from　the　couch。　〃Fight　for　yourself；　slut！　That　is　all　I　ask。　Not　for　me　but　for　yourself…if　you　desire　to　live！〃
　Helen　cringed　away　from　him。　〃I　only　…；　〃Only　be　quiet！〃　he　snarled。　〃You　must　fight　for　yourselves；　for　I　shall　not　be　here。　I'm　leaving　with　the　dawn；　when　they'd　least　expect　me　to　leave。　But　you　three　will　remain。　While　you　are　here　they　may　be　fooled　into　thinking　that　I　am　still　here。〃　He　nodded　and　smiled。
　〃Yulian；　look　at　you！〃　his　mother　suddenly　hissed；　her　voice　venomous。　〃You　were　always　a　monster　inside；　and　now　you're　a　monster　outside；　too！　I　don't　want　to　die　for　you；　for　even　this　half…life　is　better　than　none；　but　I　don't　intend　to　fight　for　it。　Nothing　you　can　say　or　do　shall　make　me　kill　to　preserve　what　you've　made　of　me！〃
　He　shrugged。　〃Then　you'll　die　very　quickly。〃　He　turned　his　eyes　on　Anne　Lake。　〃And　you；　Auntie　dear？　Will　you　go　to　your　maker　so　passively？〃
　Anne　was　wild…eyed；　dishevelled。　She　looked　mad。　〃George　is　dead！〃　she　babbled；　her　hands　flying　to　her　hair。　〃And　Helen　is。。。　changed。　My　life　is　finished。〃　She　stopped　fussing；　leaned　forward　in　her　chair　and　glowered　at　Yulian。　〃I　hate　you！〃
　〃Oh；　I　know　you　do；〃　he　nodded。　〃But　will　you　let　them　kill　you？〃
　〃I'd　be　better　off　dead；〃　she　answered。
　〃Ah；　but　such　a　death！〃　he　said。　〃You　saw　George　go；　Auntie　dear；　and　so　you　know　how　hard　it　was。　The　stake；　the　cleaver；　and　the　fire。〃
　She　sprang　to　her　feet；　shook　her　head　wildly。　〃They　wouldn't！　People。。。　don't！〃
　〃But　these　people　do；〃　he　gazed　at　her　wide…eyed；　almost　innocently；　aping　her　expression。　〃They　will；　for　they　know　what　you　are。　They　know　that　you're　Wamphyri！〃
　〃We　can　leave　this　place！〃　Anne　cried。　〃e　on；　Georgina；　Helen　we'll　leave　right　now！〃
　〃Yes；　go！〃　Yulian　snapped；　as　if　done