bl.necroscope2-第86部分
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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
