bl.necroscope2-第97章

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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　shoulders；　laughed　in　their　faces。　His　neck　elongated；　the　flesh　rippling　with　a　life　of　its　own。　His　terrible　head　was　now　like　that　of　some　primal　pterodactyl。　His　body　seemed　to　flutter；　flattening　in　depth　and　increasing　in　width　until　his　clothes；　unable　to　contain　it；　tore　into　so　many　rags　around　him。　He　reached　out　his　arms　and　lengthened　them；　forming　a　blasphemous　cross；　then　grew　a　webbing　of　wing　down　each　side　of　his　body。　With　greater　ease；　more　fluency　far　than　ever　Faethor　Ferenczy　had　possessed；　he　pletely　remoulded　his　vampire　flesh。　And　where　moments　before　a　manlike　being　had　stood；　now　a　huge　batlike　creature　confronted　its　hunters。
　Then。。。　the　thing　that　was　Yulian　Bodescu　turned　and　launched　itself　at　the　thin…latticed　panes　of　the　wide　bay　window。
　Don't　let　him　get　away！　Harry　told　them；　but　without　need；　for　that　wasn't　their　intention。
　Yulian　went　out　through　the　latticework；　showering　glass　and　fragments　of　painted　woodwork　down　into　the　road。　Now　he　formed　an　aerofoil；　curving　his　monstrous　body　like　a　straining　kite　to　catch　a　night　wind　blowing　up　from　the　west。　But　the　avenger　with　the　crossbow　stood　in　the　gap　of　the　broken　window　and　aimed　his　weapon。　A　corpse　without　eyes　should　not　see；　but　in　their　weird　pseudolife　these　pieces　of　crumbling　flesh　enjoyed　all　of　the　senses　they'd　known　in　life。　And　this　one　had　been　a　marksman。
　He　fired；　and　the　bolt　took　Yulian　in　his　spine；　halfway　down　his　rubbery　back。　The　heart；　Harry　admonished。　You　should　have　gone　for　his　heart。　But　in　the　end；　it　was　all　to　work　out　the　same。
　Yulian　cried　out；　the　raucous；　ringing　cry　of　a　wounded　beast。　He　bent　his　body　in　a　contortion　of　agony；　lost　his　control；　sank　like　a　crippled　bird　towards　the　graveyard。　He　tried　to　maintain　his　fight；　but　the　bolt　had　severed　his　spine　and　that　would　take　time　to　mend。　There　was　no　time　left。　Yulian　fell　into　the　cemetery；　crashing　into　the　damp　shrubbery；　and　at　once　the　crumbling　dead　turned　in　their　tracks　and　began　to　file　out　of　the　garret　flat；