bl.necroscope2-第53章

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　Yulian　fought　down　his　fear　of　the　flames。　He　sensed　that　he　only　dreamed…however　real　and　immediate　the　dream…and　knew　he　would　not　be　hurt。　He　advanced　into　the　inferno　of　fire　and　drew　close　to　the　figure　there。　Black　billowing　smoke　and　crimson　flames　obscured　his　view　and　the　heat　was　a　furnace　all　around；　but　there　were　questions　Yulian　must　ask；　and　the　burning　Thing　was　the　only　one　who　could　answer　them。
　〃You　have　asked　me　to　e　and　seek　you　out；　and　I　will　e。　But　why？　What　is　it　you　want　of　me？〃
　Too　late！　Too　late！　the　flame…wreathed　apparition　cried　out　in　anguish。　And　Yulian　knew　that　his　pain　was　not　horn　of　the　consuming　fire　but　bitter　frustration。　I　would　have　been　your　teacher；　my　son。　Yes；　and　you　would　have　learned　all　the　many　secrets　of　the　Wamphyri。　In　return…。　。　I　can't　deny　that　there　would　have　been　a　reward　in　it　for　me。　I　would　have　walked　again　in　the　world　of　men；　known　again　the　unbearable　pleasures　of　my　youth！　But　too　late。　All　dreams　and　schemes　to　no　avail。　Ashes　to　ashes；　dust　to　dust。　。
　The　figure　was　slowly　melting；　its　outline　gradually　changing；　rendering　down　into　itself。
　Yulian　must　know　more；　must　see　more　clearly。　He　penetrated　the　very　heart　of　the　inferno；　came　close　up　to　the　burning　Thing。　〃I　already　know　the　secrets　of　the　Wamphyri！〃　he　cried　above　the　roar　and　crackle　of　blazing　trees　and　the　hiss　of　molten　earth。　〃I　learned　them　for　myself！〃…Can　you　put　on　the　shapes　of　lesser　creatures？
　〃I　can　go　on　all　fours　like　a　great　dog；〃　Yulian　answered。　〃And　in　the　night；　people　would　swear　I　was　a　dog！〃
　Hah！　A　dog！　A　man　who　would　be　a　dog！　What　is　that　for　an　ambition？　It　is　nothing！　Can　you　form　wings；　glide　like　a　bat？
　〃I。。。　haven't　tried。〃
　You　know　nothing。
　〃I　can　make　others　like　myself！〃
　Fool！　That　is　the　simplest　of　things。　Not　to　make　them　is　much　harder！…
　〃When　harmful　men　are　nearby；　I　sense　their　minds。　。
　That　is　instinct；　which　you　got　from　me。　Indeed；　everything　you　have　you　got　from　me！　So　you　read　minds；　eh？　But　can　you　bend　those　minds　to　your　will？
　〃With　my　eyes；　yes。〃
　Beguilment；　hypnotism；　a　stage　magician's　trick！　You　are　an　innocent。
　〃Damn　you！〃　Yulian's　pride　was　hurt　at　last；　his　patience　all　used　up。　〃What　are　you　anyway　but　a　dead　thing？　I'll　tell　you　what　I've　learned：　I　can　take　a　dead　creature　and　draw　out　its　secrets；　and　know　all　that　it　knew　in　life！〃
　Necromancy？　Is　it　so？　And　no　one　to　show　you　how？　That　is　an　achievement！　There　is　hope　for　you　yet。
　〃I　can　heal　my　own　wounds　as　though　they　never　were；　and　I've　the　strength　of　any　two　men。　I　could　lie　with　a　woman　and　love　her…to　death；　if　I　desired…and　not　even　weary　myself。　And　only　anger　me；　dear　father；　and　then　I　could　kill；　kill；　kill！　But　not　you；　for　you're　already　dead。　Hope　for　me？　I'll　say　there　is。　But　what　hope　is　there　for　you？〃
　For　a　moment　there　was　no　answer　from　the　melting　Thing。　Then　…Ahhh！　And　indeed　you　are　my　son；　Yuliaannn！　Closer；　e　closer　still。
　Yulian　moved　to　less　than　arm's　length　from　the　Thing；　facing　it　squarely。　The　stench　of　its　burning　was　monstrous。　Its　blackened　outer　shell　began　to　crumble；　rapidly　disintegrated　and　fell　away。　The　flames　immediately　attacked　the　inner　image；　which　Yulian　now　saw　almost　as　a　reflection　of　himself。　It　had　the　same　features；　the　same　bone　structure；　the　same　dark　attraction。　The　face　of　a　fallen　angel。　They　could　be　peas　from　the　same　pod。
　〃You。。。　you　are　my　father！〃　he　gasped。
　I　was；　the　other　groaned。　Now　I　am　nothing。　I　am　burning　away；　as　you　see。　Not　the　real　me　but　something　I　left　behind。　It　was　my　last　hope；　and　through　it　and　with　your　help…I　might　have　been　a　power　in　the　world　once　again。　But　it's　too　late　now。
　〃Then　why　do　you　concern　yourself　with　me？〃　Yulian　tried　to　understand。　〃Why　have　you　e　to　me…or　drawn　me　to　you？　If　I　can't　help　you；　what's　the　point　of　this？〃
　Revenge！　The　burning　Thing's　voice　was　suddenly　sharp　as　a　knife　in　Yulian's　dreaming　mind。　Through　you！
　〃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；　sta