bl.necroscope2-第13章

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here　long；　long　ago。　My　grandfather's　grandfather　used　to　tell　tales　about　the　thing　buried　on　those　cruciform　hills；　to　put　fear　in　his　children　when　they　were　bad！〃
　Then　they'd　read　the　old　records　and　remember　the　old　ways；　and　in　broad；　streaming　daylight　they'd　e；　cut　down　the　trees；　uproot　the　ancient　slabs；　dig　in　the　rotting　soil　until　they　found　him。　They'd　stake　him　down　again；　but　this　time。。。　this　time。。。　this　time　they'd　take　his　head　and　burn　it！
　They'd　burn　all　of　him。。。
　Thibor　fought　a　fearsome　battle　with　himself。　The　vampire　in　him；　which　had　formed　the　major　part　of　him　for　nine　hundred　years；　was　almost　beyond　reason。　But　Thibor　himself　could　still　think　like　a　man；　and　his　reasoning　was　sound。　The　vampire…Thibor　was　greedy　for　the　moment；　but　the　man…Thibor　could　see　far　beyond　that。　And　he　had　already　laid　his　plans。　Plans　which　hinged　on　the　boy　Dragosani。
　Dragosani　was　at　school　in　Bucharest　now；　a　mere　lad　in　his　teens；　but　the　old　Thing　in　the　ground　had　already　corrupted　him。　He'd　taught　him　the　art　of　necromancy；　shown　him　how　to　divine　the　secrets　only　dead　things　know。　And　Dragosani　would　always　return；　would　always　e　back　here　in　his　search　for　new　knowledge；　because　the　ancient　Thing　in　the　putrid　earth　was　the　very　font　of　all　dark　mystery。
　Meanwhile；　a　vampire　seed　or　egg…the　Thibor…creature's　filthy；　leech…like　clone…was　growing　in　him　where　he　lay；　a　single　drop　of　alien　fluid　which　carried　the　plex　code　of　the　new　vampire。　But　that　was　a　slow；　slow　process。　One　day　Dragosani；　grown　to　a　man；　would　e　up　here　into　these　hills　and　the　egg　would　be　ready。　A　man　would　e　up　here　full　of　monstrous　talent；　seeking　the　ultimate　secrets　of　the　Wamphyri。。。　but　when　he　went　away；　he　would　carry　a　fledgling　vampire　with　him；　inside　him。
　After　that　he　would　e　again…would　have　to　e　again…by　which　time　Thibor　would　be　ready　for　the　final　phase　of　his　plan。　Dragosani　would　e；　Dragosani　and　Thibor　would　leave…together。　At　last　the　cycle　would　be　plete；　the　wheel　turned　full　circle；　when　again　the　immemorial　vampire　would　walk　the　earth…this　time　to　conquer　it！
　That　was　how　the　old　Thing　in　the　ground　had　planned　it；　and　that　was　how　it　would　be。　He　would　rise　up　from　here　and　go　out　again　into　the　world。　The　world　would　be　his！　But　not　if　he　killed　this　woman　here　and　now。　No；　for　that　would　be　total　madness；　the　very　end　of　him　and　all　his　dreams。。。
　The　vampire　in　him　succumbed　to　mon　sense；　reluctantly　allowed　the　twisted　but　human　mind　of　Thibor　to　take　ascendancy。　Blood…lust　receded；　was　replaced　by　curiosity；　which　in　turn　gave　way　to　dormant；　ages…repressed　urges。　New　feelings；　entirely　human　feelings；　awakened　in　the　old　Thing　in　the　ground。　He　was　neither　male　nor　female；　now；　Thibor…he　was　of　the　Wamphyri…but　he　had　once　been　a　man。　A　lustful　man。
　He　had　known　women；　many　women；　in　the　five　hundred　years　that　his　scourge　had　terrified　Wallachia；　Bulgaria；　Moldavia；　Russia　and　the　Ottoman。　Some　had　been　his　willingly；　but　most　had　not。　There　was　no　way　a　woman　could　be　had　which　was　unknown　to　him；　no　pleasure　or　pain　a　woman　could　offer　that　he　had　not　been　offered；　or　taken　by　force；　times　without　number。
　In　the　mid…fifteenth　century；　as　a　mercenary　Voevod　of　Vlad　Tepes　the　so…called　〃impaler〃；　he　had　crossed　the　Danube　with　his　forces　and　taken　an　emissary　of　the　Sultan　Murad。　The　sultan's　representative；　his　escort　of　two　hundred　soldiers；　and　his　harem　of　twelve　beauties　were　taken　in　the　night　in　the　town　of　Isperikh。　Thibor　had　shown　leniency　of　a　sort　towards　the　Bulgarian　townspeople：　they　were　allowed　to　flee　while　his　troops　sacked　the　town　and　burned　it；　looting　and　raping　when　the　inhabitants　were　slow　off　the　mark。
　But　as　for　the　sultan's　emissary：　Thibor　had　had　him　impaled；　him　and　his　entire　two　hundred；　on　tall；　thin　stakes。　〃In　their　own　fashion；〃　he'd　gleefully　manded　his　executioners。　〃The　Turkish　way。　They　like　buggering　little　lads；　this　lot；　so　let　'em　die　happy；　the　way　they've　lived！〃　But　the　women　of　the　harem：　he'd　had　all　twelve　the　same　night；　going　from　one　to　the　next　unstintingly；　and　carrying　on　all　through　the　following　day。　Ah！　He'd　been　a　satyr　in　those　days。
　And　now。。。　now　he　was　just　an　old　Thing　in　the　ground。　For　the　moment。　For　a　few　more　years。　But　he　could　still　dream；　couldn't　he？　He　could　still　remember　how　it　had　been。　Indeed；　perhaps　he　could　do　more　than　just　remember。。。
　The　mucus　matter　of　his　probe　underwent　another　metamorphosis。　The　snake　jaws；　fangs　and　tongue　melted　back　into　the　body　of　the　tentacle；　whose　tip　flattened　and　spread　out；　being　bluntly　spatulate。　The　flat　paddle　split　into　five　stubby　grey…green　worms…a　rudimentary　thumb　and　four　fingers…and　the　central　digit　grew　a　small　eye　of　its　own　which　fixed　itself　in　moist　fascination　upon　the　rise　and　fall　of　the　unconscious　woman's　breast。　Thibor　flexed　his　〃hand〃；　made　it　sensitive；　thickened　and　elongated　the　stalk　which　was　its　〃arm〃。
　With　the　tiny　glistening　eye　to　guide　it；　the　trembling　gelatinous　hand　found　its　way　inside　the　woman's　jacket；　under　layers　of　clothing　to　her　flesh。　She　was　still　warm　but　the　sensitive　hand　could　feel　the　heat　gradually　leaking　out　of　her。　Her　breasts　were　soft；　large…nippled；　more　than　amply　proportioned。　When　Thibor　had　been　alive　as　opposed　to　undead；　they　had　been　the　sort　of　breasts　he　enjoyed。　His　hand　fondled　then；　growing　rough　in　its　teasing。　She　moaned　a　little　and　stirred　the　merest　fraction　of　an　inch。
　Beneath　the　old　Thing's　hand；　her　heart　was　beating　more　strongly　now；　perhaps　stimulated　by　his　touch。　A　strong　beat；　yes；　but　desperate；　panicked。　She　knew　she　should　not　be　lying　here；　doing　nothing；　and　strove　to　rise　up　from　her　faint。　But　her　body　was　not　answering　her　needs；　her　limbs　were　cooling；　when　her　blood　also　began　to　cool；　then　shock　would　kill　her。
　Now　the　Thibor…creature　also　panicked　a　little。　She　must　not　be　allowed　to　die　here！　In　his　mind　he　saw　again　the　searchers　finding　the　bodies　of　the　man　and　woman；　saw　them　peering　narrow…eyed　at　his　crumbling　tomb；　their　knowing　glances。　Then　he　saw　them　digging；　saw　their　pointed　hardwood　stakes；　their　chains　of　silver；　their　bright　axes。　He　saw　the　very　hillside　blazing　up　in　a　bonfire　of　felled　trees；　and　for　a　single　agonising　instant　felt　his　alien　flesh　melting；　liquefying　into　fat　and　foul　ichor　where　it　boiled　in　the　putrid　earth。
　No；　she　must　not　be　allowed　to　die　here。　He　must　bring　her　back　to　consciousness。　But　first。。。
　His　hand　left　her　breasts；　began　to　crawl　lustfully　down　across　her　belly…and　froze！
　Lying　here　through　all　the　centuries；　the　Thibor…creature's　senses；　his　awareness；　had　not　been　dulled　but　had　amplified　many　times　over。　Deprived　of　all　else；　he　had　developed　a　super…sensitivity。　In　the　many　spring…times　he　had　felt　the　green　shoots　rising；　listened　to　birds　mating　in　distant　trees。　He　had　smelled　the　warmth　of　all　the　summers；　had　crouched　down　deep；　snarling　his　hatred　of　stray　beams　of　sunlight　where　they　penetrated　the　glade　to　fall　glancingly　upon　his　tomb。　Autumns；　and　the　brown；　sere　leaves　falling　against　the　earth　had　sometimes　sounded　like　thunder；　and　when　the　rain　came；　streamlets　roared　like　mighty　rivers。　And　now…Now　the　tiny；　insistent；　almost　mechanical　beat　he　〃heard〃　through　his　hand　where　it　rested　on　the　woman's　belly　told　a　story；　tapped　out　a　code；　one　that　other　creatures　could　not　possibly　detect。　It　told　of　new　life；　of　a　being　unborn；　as　yet　the　merest　foetus。
　The　woman　was　pregnant！
　Ahhhh！　said　Thibor；　if　only　to　himself。　He　stiffened　his　pseudohand　and　pressed　it　harder　against　the　woman's　flesh。　A　child…to…be…pure　innocence…a　single　instant　of　intense　pleasure　solidified　into　a　seed；　growing　here　in　its　dark；　warm　womb。
　Evil　instinct　took　over…part　vampire；　part　human；　but　all　evil。　Night…dark　logic　replaced　lust。　The　tentacle　elongated　more　yet　and　its　hand　lost　substance；　it　grew　smaller　and　slimmer　as　it　proceeded　with　renewed　purpose；　indeed　with　an　entirely　new　purpose。　Its　destination　had　been　the　woman's　most　secret　place；　the　core　of　her　female　identity。　Not　to　harm　but　simply　to　know；　and　to　remember。　But　now　there　was　a　new　destination。
　Down　in　the　ground；　under　powdery　leaf…mould　and　hard；　cold　earth；　the　vampire's　jaws　cracked　open　in　a　blind；　monstrous　smile。　He　must　lie　here　forever；　or　until　a　time　when　Dragosani　should　e　to　free　him；　but　here　at　last　might　be　an　opportunity；　a　chance　to　send　at　least　something　of　himself　out　into　the　world。
　He　entered　the　woman…carefully；　delicately；　so　that　even　awake　she　might　not　have　suspected　he　was　there…and　wrapped　curling；　frond…like　fingers　about　the　new　life　in　her　womb。　His　very　touch　was　a　taint　as　for　an　instant　of　time　he　weighed　the　tiny　thing；　that　minute　blob　of　almost　featureless　flesh；　and　felt　the　thud　of　its　foetal　heart。　And：
　Rememberrrr！　said　the　old　Thing　in　the　ground。　Know　what　you　are；　what　I　am。　More　than　that；　know　where　I　am。　And　when　you　are　ready；　then　seek　me　out。　Remember　meeee！
　The　woman　moved；　and　moaned　again；　louder　this　time。　Thibor　withdrew　from　her；　made　his　hand　heavier；　more　solid。　He　struck　her；　a　ringing　slap　across　her　pale　face。　She　cried　out；　shook　herself；　opened　her　eyes。　But　too　late　to　see　the　leprous　appendage　of　the　vampire　as　it　was　sucked　down　swiftly　into　the　earth。
　She　cried　out　again；　cast　about　with　frightened　eyes　in　the　gloom；　saw　the　still；　crumpled　shape　of　her　husband。　Galvanised；　she　drew　breath；　cried；　〃Oh　God！〃　as　she　flew　to　him。It　took　only　a　moment　more　to　accept　the　unacceptable　truth。
　〃No！〃　she　cried。　〃Oh；　God；　no！〃　Horror　gave　her　strength。　She　would　not　faint　again；　indeed　she　loathed　herself　that　she'd　fainted　the　first　time。　Now　she　must　act；　must　do。。。　something！　There　was　nothing　she　could　do；　not　for　him；　though　for　the　moment　that　fact　hadn't　registered。
　She　got　her　arms　hooked　under　his；　dragged　him　a　few　stumbling　paces　under　the　trees；　down　the　slope。　Then　she　tripped　on　a　root；　flew　backwards；　and　her　husband's　corpse　came　tumbling　after　her。　She　was　brought　up　short　when　she　collided　with　the　bole　of　a　tree；　but　not　him。　He　went　sliding；　lolling　and　flopping　past　her；　a　loose　bundle　of　arms　and　legs。　He　hit　a　patch　of　snow　crusted　over　with　ice；　and　went　tobogganing　away　out　of　sight；　down　the　hill；　shooting　into　steep　shadows。
　The　crashing　of　undergrowth　came　back　to　her　where　she　got　to　her　feet　and　gaspingly　drew　breath。　And　it　was　all　useless；　her　efforts　all　totally　worthless。
　As　that　fact　dawned　she　filled　her　lungs…filled　them　to　bursting…and　stumbling　blindly　after　him　down　the　hill；　under　the　trees；　let　it　all　out　in　a　long；　piercing　scream　of　mental　agony　and　self…reproach。
　The　cruciform　hills　echoed　her　scream；　bouncing　it　to　and　fro　until　it　fell　to　earth　and　was　absorbed。　And　down　below　the　old　Thing　heard　it　and　sighed；　and　waited　for　whatever　the　future　would　bring。。。
　In　an　office　in　London；　on　the　top　floor　of　a　hotel　which　was　rather　more　than　a　hotel；　Alec　Kyle　glanced　at　his　watch。　It　was　4。05；　and　the　Keogh　apparition　wasn't　finished　yet。　The　story　it　told　was　fascinating；　however　morbid；　and　Kyle　guessed　it　would　also　be　accurate…but　how　much　more　of　it　would　there　be？　Time　must　surely　be