bl.necroscope2-第86节

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as　Yulian　had　discovered；　was　far　from　omnipotent。　Indeed；　it　was　impotent。　Its　members　were　merely　human；　and　fearful；　he　would　hunt　them　down　one　by　one　until　he'd　destroyed　the　entire　organisation。　He　would　even　set　himself　a　target：　say；　one　month；　to　be　rid　of　all　of　them　for　good。
　But　first　there　was　the　child　of　this　woman；　that　scrap　of　life　which　contained　his　one　and　only　peer　in　powers　…his　helpless　peer　。
　Yulian　swept　upon　the　girl　where　she　cringed；　locked　his　beast's　fist　in　her　hair　and　half　dragged　her　to　her　feet。　〃Where？〃　his　gurgling　voice　questioned。　〃The　child　…where？〃
　Brenda's　mouth　fell　open。　Harry？　This　monster　wanted　Harry？　Her　eyes　widened；　flashed　involuntarily　towards　the　baby's　tiny　room…and　the　vampire's　eyes　lit　with　knowledge　as　he　followed　her　glance。　〃No！〃　she　cried；　and　drew　breath　for　a　scream　of　sheer　terror…which　she　never　uttered。
　Yulian　threw　her　down　and　her　head　banged　against　the　polished　floorboards。　She　lost　consciousness　at　once　and　he　stepped　over　her；　loped　to　the　open　door　of　the　small　room。　。
　
　In　the　middle　flat；　struggling　blindly　with　an　old　sash　window　which　seemed　jammed；　Darcy　Clarke　suddenly　felt　his　terror　drain　out　of　him；　or　if　not　his　terror；　certainly　his　urge　to　flee。　His　talent's　demands　were　ebbing；　which　could　only　mean　that　the　danger　was　receding。　But　how？　Yulian　Bodescu　was　still　in　the　house；　wasn't　he？　As　sanity　returned；　Clarke　stopped　trembling；　found　a　switch　and　put　on　the　light。　Adrenalin　flooded　into　his　system。　Now　he　could　focus　his　eyes　again；　could　see　the　catches　with　which　the　window　had　been　made　secure。　He　released　them　and；　unprotesting；　the　window　slid　upward　along　its　grooves。　Clarke　sighed　his　relief；　at　least　he　now　had　an　emergency　exit。　He　glanced　out　of　the　window；　down　into　the　midnight　road…and　froze。
　At　first　his　eyes　refused　to　accept　what　they　were　seeing。　Then　he　gasped　his　horror　and　felt　the　flesh　creep　on　his　shoulders　and　back。　The　road　outside　the　house　was　filling　with　people！　Silent　streams　of　them　were　converging；　massing　together。　They　were　ing　out　of　the　cemetery　gates；　over　its　front　wall；　men；　women　and　children。　All　silent；　crossing　the　road　to　gather　in　front　of　the　house。　But　worse　than　the　sight　of　them　was　their　silence。　For　they　were　quiet　as　the　graves　they　had　so　recently　vacated！
　Their　stench　drifted　up　to　Clarke　on　the　damp　night　air；　the　overpowering；　stomach…wrenching　reek　of　moulder　and　advanced　decay　and　rotting　flesh。　Eyes　popping；　he　watched　them。　They　were　in　their　graveclothes；　some　of　them　recently　dead；　and　others。
　others　who　had　been　dead　for　a　long　time。　They　flopped　over　the　cemetery　wall；　squelched　out　of　its　gate；　shuffled　across　the　road。　And　now　one　of　them　was　knocking　on　the　house　door；　seeking　entry。
　Clarke　might　have　thought　he　was　mad；　and　indeed　that　thought　occurred　to　him；　but　in　the　back　of　his　mind　he　knew　and　remembered　that　Harry　Keogh　was　a　Necroscope。　He　knew　Keogh's　history：　a　man　who　could　talk　to　the　dead；　whom　the　dead　respected；　even　loved。　What's　more；　Keogh　could　raise　the　dead　up　when　he　had　need　of　them。　And　didn't　he　have　need　of　them　now？　That　was　it！　This　was　Harry's　doing。　It　was　the　only　possible　answer。
　The　crowd　at　the　door　began　to　turn　their　grey；　fretted　heads　upward。　They　looked　at　Clarke；　beckoned　to　him；　pointed　at　the　door。　They　wanted　him　to　let　them　in　…and　Clarke　knew　why。　Perhaps　i'm　mad　after　all；　he　thought；　as　he　ran　back　through　the　flat　to　the　door。　It's　past　midnight　and　there's　a　vampire　on　the　loose；　and　I'm　going　downstairs　to　let　a　horde　of　dead　men　e　inside！
　But　the　door　of　the　flat　was　immobile　as　ever；　with　the　piano　still　wedged　against　it　on　the　landing　outside。　Clarke　put　his　shoulder　to　it　and　shoved　until　he　thought　his　heart　would　burst。　The　door　was　giving　way；　but　only　an　inch　at　a　time。　He　simply　didn't　have　the　bulk　。
　But　Guy　Roberts　did。
　Clarke　didn't　know　his　dead　friend　had　stood　up　until　he　saw　him　there　at　his　side；　helping　to　force　the　door　open。　Roberts…his　head　a　crimson　jelly　where　it　flopped　on　his　shoulders；　with　the　broken　skull　showing　through　…inexorably　thrusting　forward；　filled　with　a　strength　from　beyond　the　grave！
　And　then　Clarke　simply　fainted　away。
　
　The　two　Harrys　had　looked　out　through　the　infant's　eyes　into　the　face　of　terror　itself；　the　face　of　Yulian　Bodescu。　Crouched　over　the　baby's　cot；　the　leering　malignancy　of　his　eyes　spoke　all　too　clearly　of　his　intention。
　Finished！　Harry　Keogh　thought。　All　done；　and　it　ends　like　this。
　No；　another　voice；　not　his　own；　had　spoken　in　his　mind。　No　it　doesn't。　Through　you　I've　learned　what　1　had　to　learn。　1　don't　need　you　that　way　any　more。　But　I　do　still　need　you　as　a　father。　So　go；　save　yourself。
　It　could　only　have　been　one　person　speaking　to　him；　doing　it　now；　for　the　first　time；　when　there　was　no　longer　any　time　to　question　the　hows　and　whys　of　it。　For　Harry　had　felt　the　child's　restraints　falling　from　him　like　broken　chains；　leaving　him　free　again。　Free　to　will　his　incorporeal　mind　into　the　safety　of　the　M？bius　continuum。　He　could　have　gone　right　there　and　then；　leaving　his　baby　son　to　face　whatever　was　ing。　He　could　have　gone…but　he　couldn't！
　Bodescu's　jaws　had　yawned　open　like　a　pit；　revealing　a　snake's　tongue　flickering　behind　the　dagger　teeth。
　Go！　little　Harry　had　said　again；　with　more　urgency。
　You're　my　son！　Harry　had　cried。　Damn　you；　I　can't　go！　I　can't　leave　you　to　this！
　Leave　me　to　this？　It　had　been　as　if　the　infant　couldn't　follow　his　reasoning。　But　then　he　did；　and　said；　But　did　you　think　I　was　going　to　stay　here？
　The　beast's　taloned　hands　were　reaching　for　the　child　in　his　cot。
　Yulian　saw　now　that　Harry　jnr　was。。。　was　more　than　a　child。　Harry　Keogh　was　in　him；　yes；　but　it　was　even　more　than　that。　The　baby　boy　looked　at　him；　stared　at　him　with　wide；　moist；　innocent　eyes…and　was　totally　unafraid。　Or　were　those　eyes　innocent？　And　for　the　first　time　since　Harkley　House；　Yulian　knew　something　of　fear。　He　drew　back　a　fraction；　then　checked　himself。　This　was　what　he　was　here　for；　wasn't　it？　Best　to　get　it　done　with；　and　quickly。　Again　he　reached　for　the　baby。
　Little　Harry　had　turned　his　small　round　head　this　way　and　that；　seeking　a　M？bius　door。　There　was　one　beside　him；　floating　up　out　of　his　pillows。　It　was　easy；　instinct；　in　his　genes。　It　had　been　there　all　along。　His　control　over　his　mind　was　awesome；　over　his　body；　much　less　certain。　But　he'd　been　able　to　manage　this　much。　Bunching　inexpert　muscles；　he'd　curled　himself　up；　rolled　into　and　through　the　M？bius　door。　The　vampire's　hands　and　jaws　had　closed　on　thin　air！
　Yulian　strained　back　and　away　from　the　cot　as　if　it　had　suddenly　burst　into　flames。　He　gaped…then　pounced　upon　the　cot's　covers；　tearing　them　to　shreds。　Nothing！　The　child　had　simply　disappeared！　One　of　Harry　Keogh's　tricks；　the　work　of　a　Necroscope。
　Not　me；　Yulian；　said　Harry　softly　from　behind　him。　Not　this　time。　He　did　it　all　for　himself。　And　that's　not　all　he　can　do。
　Yulian　whirled；　saw　Harry's　naked　figure　outlined　in　glowing　blue　neon　mesh；　advanced　menacingly　upon　him。　He　passed　through　the　manifestation；　found　himself　tearing　at　nothing。　〃What？〃　he　gurgled。　〃What？〃
　Harry　was　behind　him　again。　You're　finished；　Yulian；　he　told　him　then；　with　a　deal　of　satisfaction。　Whatever　evil　you've　created；　we　can　undo　it。　We　can't　give　life　back　to　those　you've　destroyed；　but　we　can　give　some　of　them　their　revenge。
　〃We？〃　The　vampire　spoke　round　the　snake　in　his　mouth；　his　words　dripping　like　acid。　〃There's　no　〃we〃；　there's　only　you。　And　if　it　takes　me　forever；　I'll　…〃
　You　don't　have　forever。　Harry　shook　his　head。　In　fact；　you've　no　time　left　at　all！
　There　was　a　soft　but　concerted　shuffling　of　footsteps　on　the　landing　and　up　the　stairs；　something；　no；　a　good　many　somethings；　were　ing　into　the　flat。　Yulian　swept　out　of　the　tiny　bedroom　into　the　flat's　main　room　and　skidded　to　a　halt。　Brenda　Keogh　no　longer　lay　where　he　had　tossed　her；　but　Yulian　barely　noticed　that。
　The　Keogh　manifestation；　suspended　in　thin　air；　moved　after　the　vampire　to　watch　the　confrontation。
　A　policeman；　his　throat　torn　out；　was　leading　them。　And　with　steps　slow　and　staggering；　but　full　of　purpose；　they　came　on。　You　can　kill　the　living；　Yulian；　Harry　told　the　mewling　vampire；　but　you　can't　kill　the　dead。
　〃You。。。〃　Yulian　turned　to〃　him　again。　〃You　called　them　up！〃
　No；　Harry　shook　his　head。　My　son　called　them　up。　He　must　have　been　talking　to　them　for　quite　some　little　time。　And　they've　grown　to　care　for　him　as　much　as　they　care　for　me。
　〃No！〃　Bodescu　rushed　to　the　window；　saw　that　it　was　old　and　no　longer　opened。　One　of　the　corpses；　a　thing　that　shed　maggots　with　every　step；　lurched　after　him。　In　its　bony　hand　it　carried　Darcy　Clarke's　crossbow。　Others　had　long　wooden　staves；　taken　from　cemetery　fences。　Animated　corruption　was　now　spewing　into　the　room　like　pus　from　a　ruptured　boil。
　It's　all　over；　Yulian；　said　Harry。
　Bodescu　turned　on　them　all；　scowled　his　denial。　No；　it　wasn't　over　yet。　What　were　they　anyway　but　a　mirage　and　a　mob　of　dead　men？　〃Keogh；　you　bodiless　bastard！〃　he　snarled。　〃And　did　you　think　you　were　the　only　one　with　powers？〃
　He　crouched　down；　spread　his　shoul