gns.thedruidconnection-第11部分

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n　to　the　journalist。
　　
　　The　pentagram；　carefully　drawn　by　Sabat　with　a　piece　of　chalk　attached　to　a　length　of　string；　Sheenah　the　focal　point；　everything　had　to　be　so　precise。　The　way　they　worked；　so　meticulously；　attention　to　every　detail。　Five　chalices　of　charged　water；　Sabat　consecrating　the　fluid　by　lining　up　the　forefingers　of　both　hands；　squinting　down　the　digits　as　though　he　was　opening　fire　with　twin　guns。　Kent's　mouth　went　dry　and　he　licked　his　lips　nervously　when　he　saw　the　water　in　the　chalices　bubbling　as　though　by　some　invisible　method　of　aeration。
　　
　　'So　far；　so　good；'　Sabat　was　tense；　looking　drained。　'Now　we　must　hurry。　No　clothing　must　be　worn　within　the　circle　tonight。'
　　
　　Kent　checked　an　immediate　protest。　This　was　all　going　a　bit　too　far；　yet　he　had　witnessed　the　happenings　in　the　churchyard　and　its　adjoining　land　only　a　short　time　ago；　and　they　defied　logical　explanation。　The　Fleet　Street　man　was　filled　with　embarrassment　as　he　stepped　naked　into　the　pentagram；　all　his　lifelong　inhibitions　screaming　at　him　to　protest　as　Sabat　approached　him　and　'closed1　the　nine　openings　of　his　body　with　charged　water。　It　made　his　skin　crawl　with　revulsion。
　　
　　Kent　closed　his　eyes；　thought　maybe　he　was　blushing　but　if　he　was；　perhaps　his　plexion　would　disguise　the　fact。　Sheenah　seemed　totally　unmoved　by　it　all；　helped　Sabat　with　his　own　protections　as　efficiently　and　as　unmoved　as　though　she　was　administering　some　form　of　medicinal　dressing。　In　a　way；　that　was　what　it　was；　Kent　reflected　as　he　stretched　himself　out　on　the　blankets　which　Sabat　had　brought　into　the　circle。　The　fellow　was　too　pernickety；　insisted　that　all　blankets　and　cushions　were　vacuumed　first。　It　was　going　a　bit　far！　Another　thing；　it　was　going　to　be　bloody　cold　sleeping　in　the　nude；　he　told　himself。　Sabat　had　once　confessed　that　he　always　slept　naked；　boasted　that　one　might　as　well　go　to　bed　in　a　suit　as　wear　pyjamas。　Well；　even　if　it　was　okay　by　him；　Kent　felt　a　resentment　towards　this　pandering　to　Sabat's　whims。　He　turned　over；　stared　at　the　far　wall；　found　himself　counting　the　flowery　patterns　on　the　paper；　an　obsession　like　counting　sheep；　only　he'd　never　felt　less　like　sleep　in　his　life　before。　Before　this　night　was　over　he　was　liable　to　bee　very　angry。
　　
　　Sabat　stretched　out；　found　himself　gazing　at　Sheenah。　The　girl　was　lying　on　top　of　her　pile　of　rugs；　apparently　perfectly　relaxed；　her　eyes　closed。　Damn　it；　why　didn't　the　wench　roll　herself　up　in　the　blankets　like　Kent　had　done？　Was　she　deliberately　trying　to　seduce　him？　Sabat　sensed　a　faint　stirring　in　his　loins。　That　was　something　he　could　do　without。　Christ；　he　hoped　they　didn't　play　on　his　major　weakness　again。　Any　arousement；　though；　would　be　of　his　own　making。　Inside　this　pentagram　he　was　safe　from　the　forces　of　darkness。　They　could　not　influence　him　unless　something　went　radically　wrong　and　their　defences　were　breached。
　　
　　Sabat　had　rarely　been　so　thorough　as　he　had　been　tonight；　simply　because　he　could　not　take　any　chances。　They　were　hellishly　powerful　and　he　had　aroused　their　wrath　by　the　destruction　of　Alena；　which　meant　they　would　not　relent　their　efforts。　Either　he　destroyed　them　or　they　destroyed　this　trio；　it　was　as　simple　as　that。
　　
　　Sabat　was　reminded　once　again　of　his　voluntary　circumcision　only　a　few　years　ago。　A　similar　defence　to　this　one　had　almost　been　catastrophic　even　though　he　had　been　particular　in　cleaning　the　room　and　discarding　his　clothes　before　entering　the　circle。　Yet　a　tiny　evil　entity　had　infiltrated　his　careful　defences；　a　minute　particle　of　dirt；　almost　invisible　to　the　naked　eye；　lodged　beneath　his　foreskin。　He　had　survived；　but　the　importance　of　circumcision　to　any　exorcist　was　made　apparent　to　him。　Even　now　he　could　feel　that　scar　throbbing　as　his　arousement　continued。　Slowly；　almost　guiltily；　he　slid　a　hand　beneath　the　blanket；　decided　that　there　was　only　one　way　to　satisfy　his　bodily　craving。　Sheenah　appeared　to　have　fallen　asleep。　Kent　was　lying　staring　the　other　way。　It　would　not　take　long。
　　
　　Sabat's　sexual　desires　began　to　escalate。　Every　instinct　urged　him　to　throw　off　his　rug；　crawl　across　towards　where　Sheenah　lay；　take　her。　He　closed　his　eyes。　Oh　God；　the　feeling　was　getting　too　much　for　him；　a　mounting　burning　lust　that　was　fast　getting　out　of　control。
　　
　　And　then；　loud　and　clear；　vibrant　in　the　nocturnal　stillness　of　the　house；　the　front　doorbell　shrilled！　Sabat　hesitated；　muttered　a　curse　at　this　unexpected　intrusion　upon　his　bodily　pleasures；　and　then　the　sweat　of　his　naked　trembling　body　chilled。
　　
　　No　way；　at　this　late　hour；　could　it　be　an　ordinary　caller！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　SEVEN
　　
　　'OPENUP；　Sabat'
　　
　　Sabat　almost　sprang　to　his　feet；　rushed　blindly　to　obey。　Then　he　remembered；　recognised　the　voice。　Quentin's！　Oh　Christ；　they'd　nearly　caught　him　napping；　blurred　his　reasoning　with　sexual　desire。　But　how？　How　had　they　got　to　him　through　the　defences　of　the　pentagram？
　　
　　'What　the　hell　。　。　。　'　Kent　was　sitting　up；　clutching　his　blanket　to　his　body　with　an　almost　schoolboyish　inhibition。　'There's　somebody　at　the　door；　Sabat。'
　　
　　'A　brilliant　deduction；'　Sabat's　voice　was　loaded　with　sarcasm；　possibly　to　disguise　his　own　apprehension。　A　general　must　never　display　fear　in　front　of　his　troops。　'You　could　be　right；　Kent。　On　the　other　hand　you　could　be　bloody　wrong。'
　　
　　'You're　talking　nonsense。　Of　course　there's　somebody　at　the　door。　They　rang　the　bell。'
　　
　　And　as　if　to　support　the　journalist's　words　the　bell　rang　again。
　　
　　'Well；　aren't　we　going　to　answer　it？'　Kent　was　being　angry。　'Go　and　see　who　it　is；　Sabat；　for　Christ's　sake。'
　　
　　'No；'　Sabat　stood　up；　aware　that　both　Kent　and　Sheenah　were　staring　at　the　nakedness　of　his　lower　body；　'I　shall　not。　Not　under　any　circumstances！'
　　
　　'I　call　that　bloody　unsociable；'　Kent's　whisper　was　loaded　with　rising　fury。　'Not　to　mention　just　plain　bloody　rude　and　stupid。　Suppose　it's　something　urgent。　The　police；　for　instance。'
　　
　　Then　they'll　get　tired　eventually　and　go　away；'　Sabat's　eyes　narrowed。　The　warning　systems　in　his　body　were　screaming　out　at　him。　Something　was　wrong　with　Kent！　Apart　from　the　other's　reluctance　to　spend　the　night　here；　there　was　something　else　…　a　growing　rebellion；　a　determination　to　disobey　orders。　And　Sabat　remembered　again　that　somebody　or　something　had　penetrated　the　protections　he　had　built　up；　found　his　Achilles'　heel　for　the　second　time　in　one　night；　infiltrated　the　pentagram。
　　
　　'We　don't　answer　it　and　that's　final；'　his　voice　was　a　hoarse　whisper　that　echoed　in　the　bare　room。　He　dropped　his　gaze；　saw　his　half…erection　and　knew　that　they　were　both　looking　at　it；　knew　only　too　well　what　he　had　been　doing　when　that　damned　bell　rang。
　　
　　This　is　getting　beyond　a　joke；'　Kent　was　struggling　to　his　feet；　still　trying　to　clutch　the　blanket　to　his　lower　body。　Tn　fact；　it's　obscene。　You've　set　this　up　deliberately；　Sabat；　for　your　own　perverted　pleasure。　You　ought　to　be　locked　away！　Well；　I'm　not　standing　for　it。　I'm　getting　my　clothes　and　going　back　to　the　White　Horse　this　very　moment。　If　you　want　to　talk　to　me　in　the　morning　I'll　be　。　。　。　'
　　
　　Kent　didn't　see　the　blow　ing；　never　even　suspected　that　Sabat　might　take　such　drastic　action；　a　fist　that　seemed　faster　than　light　itself；　an　indistinguishable　blur　that　began　somewhere　around　Mark　Sabat's　hip…level　and　ended　with　a　crack　like　a　child's　cap　pistol　on　the　point　of　the　journalist's　jaw。
　　
　　Kent　never　even　grunted。　His　head　went　back；　his　stocky　body　straightened　up　and　began　to　totter。　Sabat　caught　him　by　the　arm　with　that　same　superlative　speed；　pulled　him　forward　and　then；　one…handed；　lowered　him　back　on　to　his　blanket。　Kent's　eyes　were　closed；　just　a　trickle　of　blood　from　the　corner　of　his　lower　lip　and　a　bruise　that　was　already　beginning　to　spread　across　his　jaw。
　　
　　'Did　you　really　have　to　hit　him？'　there　was　a　note　of　reprimand　in　Sheenah's　voice。
　　
　　'There　was　no　alternative。　He　would　have　broken　the　circle。　Already　there　is　a　weak　link　somewhere　here；　something　I　have　overlooked。'
　　
　　'That's　nonsense；'　she　laughed；　a　sound　that　was　shrill　and　eerie；　'we　were　very　careful。　He　just　fell　for　an　old　ruse。'
　　
　　The　bell　rang　again；　long　and　loud。　A　brief　pause　then　three　short　bursts。　Laughter　somewhere；　it　could　have　e　from　outside。　It　could　have　been　Quentin。
　　
　　'We　just　sit　them　out；'　Sabat　squatted　down　again　but　made　no　attempt　to　cover　himself　up。　'They'll　try　all　kinds　of　tricks　but　we　just　have　to　ignore　them　and　tell　ourselves　that　everything's　okay。　That　way　we'll　make　it　through　to　morning。'
　　
　　The　light　flickered；　almost　went　out；　came　back　on　again。　It　was　very　cold　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　Sabat　had　purposely　checked　earlier　that　the　central　heating　would　remain　on　all　night。
　　
　　'You　discovered　one　way　of　keeping　yourself　warm；'　Sheenah　laughed；　smirked；　her　gaze　focused　on　Sabat's　erection　which　had　swelled　again。　'You　do　that　often　or　just　when　you're　cold？　Or　do　you　indulge　solely　when　the　Oke　Priests　are　doing　their　damnedest　to　get　you？'
　　
　　'I　do　it　pretty　regularly；'　Sabat's　voice　was　even；　his　gaze　meeting　hers　and　holding　it　without　flinching。　'But　I'd　give　a　grand　to　know　just　who　turned　me　on　this　time。'
　　
　　'Whatever　do　you　mean？'　her　dark　eyes　widened。
　　
　　'Just　that　somebody's　worked　on　me。　Like　they　worked　on　Kent；　tried　to　make　him　break　the　circle。　If　it　came　from　without　then　as　I've　already　said；　we've　overlooked　something。　If　not；　then　。　。　。　well　it　wasn't　Kent；　and　I　know　it's　not　me；　which　only　leaves　。　。　。　'
　　
　　He　was　cut　off　by　the　bell　ringing　again；　acpanied　this　time　by　the　pounding　of　a　fist　on　the　door。　A　gruff　unrecognisable　voice　was　shouting；　words　that　eventually　became　recognisable　as　they　progressed　from　an　unintelligible　shouting　to　an　'Open　up。　This　is　the　police！'
　　
　　'You'll　have　to　open　up　if　it's　the　police；'　Sheenah　looked　suddenly　frightened；　tensing　as　though　she　might　make　a　sudden　dash　for　the　door　to　the　hall。
　　
　　'Don't　try　it；　Sheenah　or　whatever　your　real　name　is；'　Sabat　changed　position；　b