bl.necroscope2-第85节

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　The　other　glanced　once　more　at　the　Special　Branch　men　at　their　game；　stood　up　and　began　buttoning　his　jacket。　He　picked　up　his　helmet　and　followed　his　friend　out　into　the　hall；　then　unlocked　the　door　and　let　him　out　into　the　street。　〃Fresh　air？〃　he　called　after　him。　〃You're　joking。　Looks　like　there's　a　fog　ing　up　to　me！〃
　Joe　Baker　watched　his　colleague　stride　off　down　the　road；　went　back　inside　and　closed　the　door。　He　should　by　rights　lock　it　but　was　satisfied　to　throw　home　the　single；　small　stainless　steel　bolt。　He　took　his　seat　beside　an　occasional　table　bearing　a　heap　of　junk　mail　and　some　old　newspapers…and　a　tin　of　cigarette　tobacco　and　papers！　Joe　grinned；　rolled　himself　a　〃free〃　one。　He'd　just　smoked　the　cigarette　down　when　he　heard　footsteps　at　the　door　and　a　single；　quiet　knock。
　He　got　up；　unbolted　the　door；　opened　it　and　looked　out。　His　colleague　stood　with　his　back　to　the　door；　rubbing　his　hands　and　glancing　up　and　down　the　road。　A　fine　film　of　moisture　gleamed　black　on　his　raincoat　and　helmet。　Joe　flipped　the　stub　of　his　cigarette　out　into　the　night　and　said；　〃That　was　a　long　five　…〃
　But　that　was　all　he　said。　For　in　the　next　moment　the　figure　on　the　threshold　had　turned　and　grabbed　him　in　hands　huge　and　powerful　as　iron　bands…and　he'd　taken　one　look　at　the　face　under　the　helmet　and　knew　that　it　wasn't　Dave　Collins！　It　wasn't　anybody　human　at　all！
　These　were　his　last　thoughts　as　Yulian　Bodescu　effortlessly　bent　Joe's　head　back　and　sank　his　incredible　teeth　into　his　throat。　They　closed　like　a　mantrap　on　his　pounding　jugular　and　severed　it。　He　was　dead　in　a　moment；　throat　torn　out　and　neck　broken。
　Yulian　lowered　him　to　the　floor；　turned　and　closed　the　door　to　the　street。　He　pushed　home　the　light　bolt；　that　would　suffice。　It　had　been　the　work　of　mere　seconds；　a　most　efficient　murder。　Blood　stained　Bodescu's　mouth　as　he　snarled　silently　at　the　door　of　the　ground　floor　flat；　He　reached　out　his　vampire　senses　and　sent　them　beyond　the　closed　door。　Two　men　in　there；　close　together；　busy　with　whatever　they　were　doing　and　totally　unaware　of　their　danger。　But　not　for　long。
　Yulian　opened　the　door　and　without　pause　strode　into　the　room。　He　saw　the　Special　Branch　officers　seated　at　their　card　table。　They　looked　up　smiling；　saw　him；　his　helmet　and　raincoat；　and　casually　returned　to　their　game…then　looked　again！　But　too　late。　Yulian　was　in　the　room；　pacing　forward；　reaching　a　taloned　hand　to　pick　up　a　service　automatic　with　its　silencer　already　screwed　in　position。　He　would　have　preferred　to　kill　in　his　own　way；　but　he　supposed　that　this　was　as　good　as　any。　The　officers　had　barely　drawn　breath；　were　scarcely　risen　to　their　feet；　before　he'd　fired　at　them　point…blank；　half…emptying　the　weapon's　magazine　into　their　cringing；　shuddering　bodies。
　
　Darcy　Clarke　had　been　on　the　point　of　falling　asleep；　perhaps　for　a　little　while　he　had　been　asleep；　but　then　something　had　woken　him　up。　He　lifted　his　head；　all　of　his　senses　at　once　alert。　Something　downstairs　in　the　hall？　A　door　closing？　Furtive　footsteps　on　the　stairs？　It　could　have　been　any　of　these　things。　But　how　long　ago…seconds　or　minutes？
　The　telephone　rang　and　shocked　him　upright；　rigid　as　a　pillar　in　his　chair。　Heart　pounding；　he　reached　for　the　phone；　but　Guy　Roberts's　hand　closed　on　it　first。　〃I　woke　up　a　minute　before　you；〃　Roberts　whispered；　his　voice　hoarse　in　the　darkness。　〃Darcy；　I　think　something's　up！〃
　He　put　the　handset　to　his　ear；　said：　〃Roberts？〃
　Clarke　heard　a　tinny　voice　from　the　telephone；　but　couldn't　make　out　what　it　said。　But　he　saw　Roberts　give　a　massive　start　and　heard　his　whooshing　intake　of　breath。
　〃Jesus！〃　Roberts　exploded　into　life。　He　slammed　the　phone　down；　came　rearing　unsteadily　to　his　feet。　〃That　was　Layard；〃　he　panted。　〃He's　found　the　bastard　again　…and　guess　where　he　is！〃
　Clarke　didn't　have　to　guess；　for　his　talent　had　taken　over。　It　was　telling　him　to　get　the　hell　out　of　this　house；　it　was　even　propelling　him　towards　the　door。　But　only　for　a　moment；　for　his　talent　〃knew〃　that　there　was　danger　out　there　on　the　landing；　and　now　it　was　heading　Darcy　towards　the　window！
　Clarke　knew　what　was　happening。　He　fought　it；　grabbed　up　his　crossbow；　forced　himself　to　follow　Roberts's　bulk　to　the　door　of　the　flat。
　Out　on　the　first　floor　landing；　Yulian　had　already　sensed　the　hated　espers　in　the　room。　He　knew　who　they　were；　and　how　dangerous　they　were。　An　old　upright　piano　stood　on　broken　castors　with　its　back　to　the　handrail　at　the　top　of　the　stairs。　It　must　weigh　almost　a　fifth　of　a　ton；　but　that　was　hardly　an　obstacle　to　the　vampire。　He　grasped　it；　gave　a　grunt；　and　dragged　it　bodily　into　place　in　front　of　the　door。　Its　castors　snapped　off　and　went　skittering；　their　broken　housings　ripping　up　the　carpet　as　Yulian　finally　got　the　piano　positioned　to　his　satisfaction。
　No　sooner　was　he　finished　than　Roberts　was　on　the　other　side　of　the　door；　trying　to　push　it　open。　〃Shit！〃　Roberts　snarled。　〃It　can　only　be　him；　and　he's　trapped　us　in　here！　Darcy；　the　door　opens　outwards…give　me　a　hand。。。〃
　They　thrust　their　shoulders　at　the　door　together；　and　at　last　heard　the　piano's　broken　claws　squealing　on　the　scored　floorboards。　A　gap　appeared；　and　Roberts　thrust　out　an　arm　into　darkness；　got　a　grip　on　the　top　of　the　piano　and　started　to　haul　himself　up　and　over　it。　He　dragged　his　crossbow　after　him；　with　Clarke　pushing　from　behind。
　〃Where　the　hell　are　those　idiots　from　downstairs？〃　Roberts　panted。
　〃Hurry；　for　Christ's　sake！〃　Clarke　urged　him　on。　〃He'll　be　up　the　stairs　by　now。。。〃　But　he　wasn't。　The　landing　light　came　on。
　Sprawled　on　top　of　the　piano；　Roberts's　eyes　stood　out　like　shiny　pebbles　in　his　face　as　he　gazed　directly　into　the　awful　visage　of　Yulian　Bodescu。　The　vampire　wrenched　Roberts's　crossbow　from　fingers　made　immobile　through　shock。　He　turned　the　weapon　and　fired　its　bolt　directly　into　the　gap　of　the　door　behind　the　piano。　Then　he　gurgled　something　from　a　throat　clotted　with　blood；　and　began　to　methodically　batter　at　Roberts's　head。　The　wire　string　of　the　crossbow　hummed　with　the　speed　and　force　of　his　blows。
　Roberts　had　screamed　once…one　high；　shrill　scream　…before　he　fell　silent　under　Yulian's　onslaught。　Blow　after　blow　the　vampire　rained　on　him；　until　his　head　was　a　raw　red　pulp　that　dripped　brains　onto　the　piano's　keyboard。　And　only　then　did　he　stop。
　Inside　the　room；　Clarke　had　heard　the　thrumm　of　the　bolt　where　it　missed　him　by　a　hairsbreadth。　And　looking　out　through　the　gap　in　the　door；　half…blinded　by　the　light；　he　had　seen　what　this　nightmare　Thing　had　done　to　Roberts。　Numb　with　horror；　nevertheless　he　tried　to　line　up　his　own　weapon　for　a　shot；　but　in　the　next　moment　Yulian　had　thrust　Roberts's　corpse　back　inside　the　room　on　top　of　Clarke；　and　rammed　the　piano　back　up　against　the　door。　And　that　was　when　Clarke　broke：　he　couldn't　fight　that　Thing　out　there　and　his　talent！　The　latter　wouldn't　let　him。　Instead　he　dropped　the　crossbow；　stumbled　back　inside　the　flat　and　sought　a　window　looking　down　on　the　street　outside。
　There　was　no　longer　any　coherency　left　in　him；　all　he　wanted　to　do　was　get　away。　As　far　and　as　swiftly　as　possible　。
　
　In　the　garret　flatlet；　Brenda　Keogh　had　been　asleep　for　only　twenty　minutes。　A　scream…like　the　welling　cry　of　a　tortured　animal…had　snatched　her　awake；　brought　her　tumbling　out　of　bed。　At　first　she　thought　it　was　Harry；　but　then　she　heard　scuffling　sounds　from　downstairs　and　a　noise　like　the　slamming　of　a　door。　What　on　earth　was　going　on　down　there？
　She　went　a　little　unsteadily　to　her　door；　opened　it　and　leaned　out　to　listen　for　any　recurrence　of　the　sounds。　But　all　was　silent　now；　and　the　tiny　landing　stood　in　darkness…a　darkness　which　suddenly　flowed　forward　to　send　her　crashing　back　into　the　room！　And　now　Yulian　was　within　an　ace　of　his　revenge；　and　his　coughing　growl　was　full　of　triumph　as　he　gazed　with　a　wolf's　eyes　on　the　girl　sprawled　upon　the　floor。
　Brenda　saw　him　and　knew　she　must　be　nightmaring。　She　must　be；　for　nothing　like　this　should　live　and　breathe　and　move　in　any　sane　waking　world！
　The　creature　was　or　had　been　a　man；　certainly　he　stood　upright；　however　forward…sloping。　His　arms　were　。
　long！　And　the　hands　at　the　ends　of　those　arms　were　huge　and　clawlike；　with　projecting　nails。　The　face　was　something　unbelievable。　It　might　have　been　the　face　of　a　wolf；　but　it　was　hairless　and　there　were　other　anomalies　which　also　suggested　a　bat。　His　ears　grew　flat　to　the　sides　of　his　head；　they　were　long　and　projected　higher　than　the　rearward　sloping；　elongated　skull。　His　nose…no；　his　snout　was　wrinkled；　convoluted；　with　black；　gaping　nostrils。　The　skin　of　the　whole　was　scaly　and　his　yellow　eyes；　scarlet…pupilled；　were　deep　sunken　in　black　sockets。　And　his　jaws！。。。　his　teeth！
　Yulian　Bodescu　was　Wamphyri；　and　he　made　no　effort　to　hide　it。　That　essence　of　vampire　in　him　had　found　the　perfect　receptacle；　had　worked　on　him　like　yeast　in　a　potent　brew。　He　was　at　the　peak　of　his　strength；　his　power；　and　he　knew　it。　In　everything　he　had　done；　no　trace　had　been　left　which　might　definitely　identify　him　as　the　author　of　the　crime。　INTESP　would　know　it；　of　course；　but　no　court　could　ever　be　convinced。　And　INTESP；　as　Yulian　had　discovered；　was　far　from　omnipotent。