bl.necroscope2-第71节
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The pitchfork's sharp offside tine missed him but its twin scraped under his collar bone and passed through his right shoulder； driving him down and backwards。 At the same time there came a mad； babbling shriek to end all shrieks； and Anne Lake crashed through rotten boards in a cloud of dust and powdery straw。 She landed square on her back； with Trask's bolt sticking out of her chest dead centre。 The bolt alone should have done for her； and the fall certainly； but she was no longer entirely human。
Trask lay against the side wall and tried to pull the pitchfork out of his shoulder。 There was no strength in him； he couldn't do it； pain and shock had left him weak as a kitten。 He could only watch and try to keep from blacking out as Yulian Bodescu's 〃auntie〃 crept towards him on all fours； grabbed the pitchfork and yanked it viciously free。 And then Trask did black out。
Anne Lake drew back the pitchfork； growling like a big cat as she aimed it at Trask's heart。 Behind her； Guy Roberts grabbed the fork's wooden handle； hauled on it and threw her off balance。 She howled her frustration； fell on her back again； grasped the bolt in her chest with both hands and tried to draw it out。 Roberts； impeded by the apparatus on his back； lumbered by her； took hold of Trask by the front of his jacket and somehow managed to drag him clear of the barn。 Then he turned back； aimed his hose； and applied a firm and steady pressure to the trigger。
The barn was at once transformed into a gigantic oven； heat and fire and smoke filled it floor to tiled roof； spilling out of its open ends。 And in the middle of it all something screamed and screamed； a wildly hissing； rising scream that finally shut itself off as the upper floor collapsed and tipped blazing hay down into the roaring inferno。 And still Roberts kept his finger on the trigger； until he knew that nothing…nothing…could have survived in there 。
At the back of…the house Ken Layard found Gower burning Vlad。 Jordan had just stepped in through the open window and Newton was about to follow him。 〃Hold it！〃 Layard shouted。 〃You can't work two crossbows together！〃 He came forward。 〃I'll go in this way；〃 he told Newton； 〃with Jordan。 You stick with Gower and go round the front。 Go now！〃
As Layard clambered awkwardly in through the window； Newton dragged Gower away from the cindered； smoking thing that had been Vlad and jerked his thumb towards the far corner of the house。 〃That thing's finished；〃 he shouted； 〃so now get a grip of yourself！ e on the others will be inside by now。〃
They quickly made their way through the mist…wreathed gardens on the south side of the house； and saw Roberts turn away from the blazing barn and drag Trask out of the danger area。 Roberts saw them； yelled： 〃What the hell's going on？〃
〃Gower burned the dog；〃 Newton yelled back。 〃Except it wasn't。。。 wasn't a dog not any more！〃
Roberts's lips drew back from his teeth in a half…snarl； half…grimace。 〃We got Anne Lake；〃 he said； as Newton and Gower came closer。 〃And； of course； she wasn't all woman！ Where're Layard and Jordan？〃
〃Inside；〃 said Gower。 He was shaking； rivered in sweat。 〃And it's not finished yet； Guy。 Not yet。 There's more to e！〃
〃I've tried scanning the house；〃 Roberts said。 〃Nothing！ Just a fog in there。 A mental fucking fog！ Pointless trying； anyway。 Too damned much going on！〃 He grabbed Gower。 〃You OK？〃
Gower nodded。 〃I think so。〃
〃Right。 Now listen。 Thermite bombs in the truck； plastic explosive； too； in haversacks。 Dump 〃em in the cellars。 Spread 〃em out。 Try to take 〃em all down in one go。 And no torching while you're holding the stuff！ In fact get out of that kit and take a crossbow like Newton。 The stuff's all set to go off from excessive heat or naked flame。 Plant it and get out and then stay out！ Three of us in the house itself should be enough。 If not the fire will be。〃
〃You're going in there？〃 Gower looked at the house； licked his lips。
〃I'm going in； yes；〃 Roberts nodded。 〃There's still Bodescu； his mother and the girl to account for。 And don't worry about me。 Worry about yourself。 The cellars could be far worse than the house。〃 He headed for the open door under the columned portico 。 。
Chapter Fourteen
Inside the house； Layard and Jordan had carefully； systematically searched the ground floor and now approached the main staircase to the upper levels。 They'd switched on dim lights as they went； pensating a little for the gloom。 At the foot of the stairs they paused。
〃Where the hell is Roberts？〃 Layard whispered。 〃We could use some instructions。〃
〃Why？〃 Jordan glanced at him out of the corner of his eye。 〃We know what we're up against mainly。 And we know what to do。〃
〃But there should be four of us in here。〃
Jordan gritted his teeth。 〃There was something of a row out front。 Trouble； obviously。 Anyway； by now someone should be planting charges in the cellars。 So let's not waste time。 We can ask questions later。〃
On a narrow landing where the stairs turned through a right angle； a large； built…in cupboard faced them squarely； its door a little ajar。 Jordan kept his crossbow lined up on the large…panelled door； sidled past and continued up the stairs。 He wasn't passing the buck； it was simply that if there was anything nasty in there； he knew Layard could stop it with a single burst of liquid fire。
Layard checked that the valve on his hose was open； rested his finger on the trigger； toed the door open。 In there。。。 darkness。
He waited until his eyes were growing accustomed to the dimness； then spotted a light switch on the wall just inside the door。 He reached out his hand； then drew it back。 He stepped forward a pace； used the nozzle of his hose to trip the switch。 A light came on； throwing the interior of the cupboard into sharp relief。 At the back a tall figure！ Layard drew breath sharply； his jaw fell partly open and the corners of his mouth drew back in a half…rictus of fear。 He was a breath from squeezing the triggerbut then his eyes focussed and he saw only an old raincoat； hanging on a peg。
Layard gulped； filled his lungs； quietly closed the door。 Jordan was up on the first floor landing。 He saw two alcoves； arched over； with closed doors set centrally。 There was also a passage； with two more doors that he could see before the corridor turned a corner。 The closest door was maybe eight paces away； the furthest twelve。 He turned back to the doors in the alcoves； approached the first of them； turned the doorknob and kicked it open： it was a toilet with a high window； letting in grey light。
Jordan turned to the second door； dealt with it as with the first。 Inside was an extensive library； the whole room visible at a glance。 Then； aware that Layard was ing up the stairs； he started down the corridor and at once paused。 His ears pricked up。 He heard。。。 water？ The hiss and gurgle of a tap？
A shower！ The water sounds were ing from the second room…a bathroom？ down the corridor。 Jordan looked back。 Layard was at the top of the stairs。 Their eyes met。 Jordan pointed to the first door； then at Layard。 Layard was to deal with it。 Then Jordan thumbed his own chest； pointed along the corridor to the second door。
He went on； but cautiously； crossbow held chest high and pointed dead ahead。 The water sounds were louder； and a voice？ A girl's voice singing？ Humming； anyway。 Some utterly tuneless melody 。 。
In this house at this time； a girl humming to herself in a shower？ Or was it a trap？…Jordan took a tighter grip on his crossbow； turned the knob and kicked in the door。 No trap！ Not that he could see。 In fact the pletely natural scene beyond the bathroom door left him at a plete loss。 All of the tension went out of him in a moment； and he was left feeling。。。 like some gross intruder！
The girl （Helen Lake； surely？） was beautiful； and quite naked。 Water streamed down on her； setting her lovely body gleaming。 She stood sideways on； picked out in clear definition against blue ceramic tiles； in the shower's shallow well。 As the door slammed open she jerked her head round to stare at Jordan； her eyes opening wide in terror。 Then she gasped； crumpled back against the shower's wall； looking as if she were about to faint。 One hand flew to her breasts and her eyelids fluttered as her knees began to give way。
Jordan half…lowered his crossbow； said to himself： Sweet Jesus！ But this is just a frightened girl！ He began to reach out his free hand…to steady her…but then other thoughts； her thoughts； abruptly printed themselves on his telepathic mind。
e on； my sweet！ e help me！ Ah； just touch me； hold me！ Just a little closer； my sweet。。。 there！ And now …Jordan jerked back as she turned more fully towards him。 Her eyes were wide； triangular； demonic！ Her face had been instantly transformed into that of a beast！ And in her right hand； invisible until now； was a carving knife。 The knife rose as she reached out and grasped Jordan's jacket。 Her grip was iron！ She drew him effortlessly towards her…and he fired his bolt into her breast point…blank。
Slammed back against the rear wall of the shower； pinned there by the bolt； she dropped her knife and began to issue peal after ringing peal of soul…searing screams。 Blood gushed from where the bol
