bl.necroscope2-第65部分

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　〃I　should　avenge　you？　Against　whom？〃
　Against　the　ones　who　found　me　here。　The　ones　who　even　now　destroy　my　last　chance　for　a　future。　Against　Harry　Keogh　and　his　pack　of　white　magicians！
　〃You're　not　making　sense。〃　Yulian　shook　his　head；　gazed　in　morbid　fascination　as　the　Thing　continued　to　melt。　He　saw　his　own　features　liquefying；　streaming　away　and　falling　from　the　burning　creature　in　molten　tatters。　〃What　white　magicians？　Harry　Keogh？　I　don't　know　anyone　of　that　name。〃
　But　he　knows　you！　First　me；　Yulian；　and　then　you！
　Harry　Keogh　knows　us…and　he　knows　the　way：　the　stake；　the　sword；　and　the　fire！　You　tell　me　you　can　sense　the　presence　of　enemies…and　have　you　not　sensed　just　such　enemies　close　to　you　even　now？　They　are　one　and　the　same。　First　me；　and　then　you！
　Even　dreaming；　Yulian　felt　his　scalp　crawling。　The　secret　watchers；　of　course！　〃What　must　I　do？〃
　Avenge　me；　and　save　yourself。　That；　too；　is　one　and　the　same。　For　they　know　what　we　are；　Yulian；　and　they　cannot　abide　us。　You　must　kill　them；　for　if　you　don't　they'll　surely　kill　you！
　The　last　scrap　of　human　flesh　fell　from　the　nightmarish　entity；　revealing　at　last　its　true；　inner　reality。　Yulian　hissed　his　horror；　drew　back　a　little　way；　gazed　upon　the　face　of　all　evil。　He　saw　Thibor's　bat's　snout；　his　convoluted　ears；　long　jaws；　crimson　eyes。　The　vampire　laughed　at　him…the　bass　booming　of　a　great　hound…and　a　split　tongue　flickered　redly　in　a　cave　of　teeth。　Then；　as　if　someone　had　applied　a　giant's　bellows　to　the　task；　the　flames　roared　up　higher　still　and　rushed　in；　and　the　image　blackened　at　once　and　turned　to　glowing　cinders。
　Trembling　violently；　running　with　sweat；　Yulian　came　awake；　sat　bolt　upright　in　his　bed。　And　as　from　a　million　miles　away　he　heard　again；　one　last　time；　Thibor's　far；　faint　voice：　Avenge　me；　Yuliaannn。
　He　stood　up　in　the　dark　room；　went　shakily　to　the　window；　looked　out　on　the　night。　Out　there；　a　mind。　A　man。　Watching。　Waiting。
　Sweat　quickly　dried　on　Yulian　and　his　flesh　turned　cold；　but　still　he　stood　there。　Panic　receded；　was　replaced　by　rage；　hatred。　〃Avenge　you；　father？〃　he　finally　breathed。　〃Oh；　I　will。　I　will！〃
　In　the　window's　luminous；　night…dark　pane　his　reflection　was　an　echo　from　the　dream。　But　Yulian　was　neither　shocked　nor　surprised。　It　simply　meant　that　his　metamorphosis　was　now　plete。　He　looked　through　the　reflection　at〃　the　dark；　furtive　shadow　there　in　the　hedgerow　and　grinned。
　And　his　grin　was　like　an　invitation　to　step　in　through　the　gates　of　hell　。
　At　the　foot　of　the　cruciform　hills；　Kyle　and　Quint；　Krakovitch　and　Gulharov　waited　close　together　in　a　small　group。　It　wasn't　cold　but　they　stood　together；　as　if　for　warmth。
　The　fire　was　dying　down　now；　the　wind　which　had　earlier　sprung　up　out　of　nowhere　had　quickly　blown　itself　out；　like　the　dying　breath　of　some　unseen　Gargantuan。　Human　figures；　half　hidden　in　the　trees　and　the　billowing　black　smoke；　toiled　above　and　to　the　east　of　the　devastated　area；　containing　the　fire　and　beating　it　down。　A　grimy；　coveralled　hulk　Of　a　man　came　stumbling　from　the　trees　at　the　foot　of　the　slope　towards　the　vampire　hunters　where　they　huddled。　It　was　the　Romanian　ganger；　Janni　Chevenu。
　〃You！〃　He　grabbed　Krakovitch's　arm。　〃Plague；　you　said！　But　did　you　see　it？　Did　you　see　that。。。　that　thing　before　it　burned？　It　had　eyes；　mouths！　It　lashed；　writhed　。
　it。。　。　it。。。　my　God！　My　God！〃
　Under　the　soot　and　sweat；　Chevenu's　face　was　chalk。　Slowly　his　glazed　eyes　cleared。　He　looked　from　Krakovitch　to　the　others。　The　gaunt　faces　that　looked　back　seemed　carved　of　the　same　raw　emotion：　a　horror；　no　less　than　Chevenu's　own。　〃Plague；　you　said；〃　he　dazedly　repeated。　〃But　that　wasn't　any　kind　of　plague　I　ever　heard　of。〃
　Krakovitch　shook　himself　loose。　〃Oh　yes　it　was；　Janni；〃　he　finally　answered。　〃It　was　the　very　worst　kind。　Just　consider　yourself　lucky　you　were　able　to　destroy　it。　We're　in　your　debt。　All　of　us。　Everywhere。。。〃
　
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　Darcy　Clarke　should　have　had　the　8。00　P。M。…2。00　A。M。　shift；　instead　he　was　bedded　down　at　the　hotel　in　Paigntonsomething　he'd　eaten；　apparently。　Stomach　cramps　and　violent　diarrhoea。
　Peter　Keen　had　taken　the　shift　in　Clarke's　place；　driving　out　to　Harkley　House　and　relieving　Trevor　Jordan　of　the　job　of　keeping　Bodescu　under　observation。
　〃Nothing's　happening　up　there；〃　Jordan　had　whispered；　leaning　in　through　the　open　window　of　his　car；　handing　Keen　a　powerful　crossbow　with　a　hardwood　bolt。　〃There's　a　light　on　downstairs；　but　that's　all。　They're　all　in　there；　or　if　not　then　they　didn't　e　out　through　the　gate！　The　light　did　e　on　in　Bodescu's　attic　room　for　a　few　minutes；　then　went　out　again。　That　was　probably　him　getting　his　head　down。　Also；　I　felt　that　there　just　might　be　someone　probing　for　my　thoughts　but　that　lasted　for　only　a　moment。　Since　when　it's　been　quiet　as　the　proverbial　tomb。〃
　Keen　had　grinned；　however　nervously。　〃Except　we　know　that　not　every　tomb　is　quiet；　eh？〃
　Jordan　hadn't　found　it　funny。　〃Peter；　that's　a　really　weird　sense　of　humour　you've　got　there。〃　He　nodded　at　the　crossbow　in　Keen's　hand。　〃Do　you　know　how　to　use　that？　Here；　I'll　load　it　for　you。〃
　〃That's　OK；〃　Keen　nodded　affably。　〃I'll　manage　it　all　right。　But　if　you　want　to　do　me　a　real　favour；　just　make　sure　my　relief's　on　time　at　two　in　the　morning！〃
　Jordan　got　into　his　car　and　started　it；　trying　not　to　rev　the　engine。　〃This　makes　twelve　hours　out　of　twenty…four　for　you；　doesn't　it？　Son；　you're　a　glutton　for　punishment。　Keen　by　name；　and　all　that。　You　should　go　far　if　you　don't　kill　yourself　first。　Have　a　nice　night！〃　And　he'd　pulled　carefully　away　in　his　car；　only　turning　on　the　lights　when　he　was　a　hundred　yards　down　the　road。
　That　had　been　only　half　an　hour　ago　but　already　Keen　was　cursing　himself　for　his　big　mouth。　His　old　man　had　been　a　soldier。　〃Peter；〃　he'd　once　told　him；　〃never　volunteer。　If　they　need　volunteers；　that's　because　nobody　wants　the　job。〃　And　on　a　night　like　this　it　was　easy　to　understand　why。
　There　was　something　of　a　ground　mist　and　the　air　was　laden　with　moisture。　The　atmosphere　felt　greasy；　and　heavy　as　a　tangible　weight　on　Keen's　shoulders。　He　turned　up　his　collar；　lifted　infra…red　binoculars　to　his　eyes。　For　the　tenth　time　in　thirty　minutes　he　scanned　the　house。　Nothing。　The　house　was　warm；　which　showed　clearly　enough；　but　nothing　moved　in　there。　Or　the　movement　was　too　slight　to　detect。
　He　scanned　what　could　be　seen　of　the　grounds。　Again；　nothing…or　rather；　something！　Keen's　sweep　had　passed　over　a　hazy　blue　blur　of　warmth；　just　a　blob　of　body　heat　which　his　special　nite…lites　had　picked　up。　It　could　be　a　fox；　badger；　dog…or　a　man？　He　tried　to　find　it　again；　failed。　So。。。　had　he　seen　something；　or　hadn't　he？
　Something　buzzed　and　tingled　in　Keen's　head；　like　a　sudden　burst　of　electrical　current；　making　him　start　。
　Slimy　gibber…gobble　spying　babble…gabble　bastard！
　Keen　froze　stiff　as　a　board。　What　was　that？　What　the　hell　was　that？
　You're　going　to　die；　die；　die！　Ha；　ha；　ha！　Gibber…jabber；　gobble…gabble。。。　And　then　some　more　of　the　electrical　tingling。　And　silence。
　Jesus　Christ！　But　Keen　knew　without　further　inquiry　what　it　was：　his　unruly　talent。　For　a　moment　then；　just　for　a　few　seconds；　he'd　picked　up　another　mind。　A　mind　full　of　hate！
　〃Who？〃　Keen　said　out　loud；　staring　all　about；　ankledeep　in　swirling　mist。　〃What。。。？〃　Suddenly　the　night　was　full　of　menace。
　He'd　left　the　crossbow　in　his　car；　loaded　and　lying　on　the　front　seat。　The　red　Capri　was　parked　with…its　nose　in　a　field；　about　twenty…five　yards　away　along　the　road。　Keen　was　on　the　verge；　his　shoes；　socks　and　feet　already　soaking　from　walking　in　the　grass。　He　looked　at　Harkley　House；　standing　sinister　in　its　misty　grounds；　then　started　to　back　off　towards　the　car。　In　the　grounds　of　the　old　house；　something　loped　towards　the　open　gate。　Keen　saw　it　for　a　moment；　then　lost　it　in　the　shadows　and　the　mist。
　A　dog？　A　large　dog？　Darcy　Clarke　had　had　trouble　with　a　dog；　hadn't　he？
　Keen　backed　faster；　stumbled　and　almost　fell。　An　owl　hooted　somewhere　in　the　night。　Other　than　that　there　was　only　silence。　And　a　soft；　deliberate　padding…and　a　panting？…from　beyond　the　gate　just　across　the　road。　Keen　backed　faster　yet；　all　his　senses　alert；　his　nerves　starting　to　jump。　Something　was　ing；　he　could　feel　it。　And　not　just　a　dog。
　He　slammed　backwards　into　the　side　of　his　car；　drew　breath　in　an　audible；　grateful　gasp。　He　half　turned；　reached　in　through　the　open　window；　groped　with　his　hand　on　the　front　seat。　He　found　something；　drew　it　into　view　。　The　lignum　vitae　bolt…broken　in　two　halves…hanging　together　by　a　mere　splinter　of　wood！　Keen　shook　his　head　in　dumb　disbelief；　reached　into　the　car　again。　This　time　he　found　the　crossbow；　unloaded；　its　tough　metal　wings　bent　back　and　twisted　out　of　shape。
　Something　tall　and　black　flowed　out　of　the　shadows　right　up　to　him。　It　wore　a　cape　which；　at　the　last　moment；　it　threw　back。　Keen　looked　into　；a　face　which　wasn't　nearly　human。　He　tried　to　scream　but　his　throat　felt　like　sandpaper。
　The　thing　in　black　glared　at　Keen　and　its　lips　drew　back。　Its　teeth　were　hooked　together；　meshing　like　the　teeth　of　a　shark。　Keen　tried　to　run；　leap；　move；　but　couldn't；　his　feet　were　rooted　to　the　spot。　The　thing　in　black