gns.thegraveyardvultures-第24部分

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e　state　she　sensed　their　hostility；　their　evii　a　vibrant　wave　that　hit　her　and　set　every　nerve　tingling；　seemed　to　fan　that　tiny　spark　of　terror　within　her　to　a　flame。
　　
　　Wide…eyed　she　took　in　the　scene；　a　dozen　naked　men　and　women；　the　younger　ones　erotic　in　their　arousement；　the　older　ones　wrinkled　and　revolting。　Both　were　frightening。　They　had　been　doing　something；　some　kind　of　group　activity　that　inspired　a　feeling　of　guilt　because　their　leader　had　arrived　without　warning　and　witnessed　their　perverted　orgy。　But　their　shame　vanished　as　they　gazed　upon　Miranda；　willing　her　to　be　thrown　naked　into　their　midst　so　that　they　could　vent　their　unsatisfied　lust　upon　her　shapely　body；　finish　whatever　they　had　been　doing。
　　
　　The　shock　had　brought　an　awakening　to　Miranda；　now　seeing　and　beginning　to　understand。　That　altar　with　its　dark　tapestries；　the　gleaming　white　object　that　was　stretched　below　the　twin　candles；　the　flickering　flames　showing　the　fractured　bones；　how　some　had　been　rejoined　in　an　attempt　to　。。。　Oh　God；　they'd　repaired　that　broken　human　skeleton；　made　it　into　a　plete　frame　again　。　。　。　resurrected　William　Gardinerfor　some　awful　purpose？！
　　
　　The　empty　eye　sockets　seemed　to　single　her　out　as　though　they　saw　her；　the　mouth　cavity　an　evil　weling　grin。　But　that　was　impossible　because　this　century…old　skeleton　was　dead；　no　matter　what　Royston　tried　to　make　out。　She　shuddered；　recalled　what　had　happened　to　Sheila　Dowson；　what　they'd　done　to　Sylvia　Adams'　corpse。　They'd　do　the　same　to　her；　desecrate　her　body　before　and　after　death。　That　was　the　thought　that　had　the　scream　rising　from　deep　inside　her；　a　full…bodied　yell　of　terror　that　was　suddenly　checked　in　her　throat；　bulging　and　painful　like　a　block　of　trapped　wind。　Because　Royston　was　standing　directly　in　front　of　her；　clad　in　black　and　mauve　robes　with　a　high　cowl；　the　material　embroidered　all　over　with　inverted　crosses。　Miranda　wanted　to　laugh；　to　double　up　with　mirth　because　he　reminded　her　of　a　bishop　and　all　church　people　looked　ical　in　their　various　regalia。　Yet　she　could　neither　laugh　nor　scream；　finding　her　eyes　focused　on　his　own；　seeing　into　those　dark　pools　…　and　beyond　them　into　eternal　darkness。
　　
　　That　exchange　of　gazes　seemed　to　last　an　eternity。　Royston　looked　different　but　she　knew　that　he　was　capable　of　changing　his　features　at　will；　or　rather　when　he　looked　at　you　like　that　you　saw　him　how　he　wanted　you　to　see　him。　Earlier　he　had　been　Sabat；　more　like　Sabat　than　Sabat　was　himself。　Now　the　big　man　seemed　to　have　aged　decades；　a　withered　old　man　with　straggling　grey　hair；　similar　features；　yet　lined　and　shrunken。　Just　a　couple　of　broken　yellowed　teeth　so　that　when　he　spoke　he　lisped　and　dribbled；　and　Miranda　had　difficulty　in　hearing　the　words。　Gone　were　those　splendid　sinister　robes　and　in　their　place　a　shabby　grey　morning　coat　and　trousers　that　tapered　into　spats。　And　in　that　same　instant　realisation　dawned　on　her　waking　brain　that　she　was　stark　naked；　her　clothes　somehow　having　been　removed。
　　
　　Miranda　wanted　to　flee；　to　rush　screaming　from　this　awful　place；　but　somehow　Royston　had　frozen　her　body　as　surely　as　though　he　had　induced　some　paralysing　drug　into　her　bloodstream。　Even　her　eyeballs　did　not　move。　His　whispered　words　hit　her　with　the　force　of　a　driving　hailstorm。　'Look　at　me；　for　I　am　William　Gardiner；　awaiting　to　be　resurrected　with　your　Help！'
　　
　　Now　her　terror　was　at　a　peak。　The　man　before　her　was　Royston　again；　more　sinister　than　that　night　of　the　Black　Mass　when　a　girl　had　died　and　Horace　had　been　reduced　to　a　babbling　imbecile。　No　longer　did　he　hypnotise　her　brain；　just　every　bodily　function　as　surely　as　though　she　was　imprisoned　inside　a　suit　of　armour；　being　able　to　see　and　hear　but　not　able　to　flutter　so　much　as　an　eyelash。　And　she　knew　that　he　had　done　this　to　her　because　he　wanted　to　punish　her；　had　passed　worse　than　the　death　sentence　on　her　because　of　the　treachery　she　had　planned　with　Sabat。　It　was　impossible　to　turn　back　once　the　Left　Hand　Path　had　been　trodden。
　　
　　She　was　conscious　of　being　led　to　the　black　altar；　of　being　made　to　lie　flat　on　her　back　on　the　covered　stone　slab；　feeling　something　touching　her　arm　。。。　knowing　that　she　lay　alongside　that　terrible　skeleton　and　being　powerless　even　to　flinch！　bile　rose　in　her　throat。　She　wanted　to　vomit　but　even　the　human　reaction　to　revulsion　of　throwing　up　was　denied　her；　inwardly　screaming　until　her　brain　vibrated。　Yet　it　wasn't　enough　to　shut　out　Royston's　voice　as　he　stood　and　faced　his　awed　followers；　arms　aloft。
　　
　　'Brethren；　tonight　we　have　the　power　to　bring　back　he　who　was　known　as　William　Gardiner；　to　inject　life　into　these　bones　which　had　mouldered　for　so　long　in　the　earth。　Because　before　tonight　none　were　capable；　none　dared　to　do　it　until　now。　The　time　is　nigh。'　His　voice　reached　an　hysterical　pitch；　brought　murmurs　from　those　who　bowed　their　heads　or　looked　up　at　him　with　reverence　and　fear；　trying　to　dispel　thoughts　of　reluctance　in　case　this　terrible　man　read　them；　for　surely　his　powers　were　truly　magical。
　　
　　'Brethren；　we　have　bones；　human　bones；'　Royston's　voice　had　sunk　to　a　whisper　yet　it　echoed　loudly　in　this　confined　space。　'What　do　we　need　to　give　it　life　again；　brethren？'
　　
　　'Breath；'　the　reply　in　unison　was　like　a　hiss。　The　candles　seeming　to　be　caught　by　the　rush　of　air；　flickered；　and　when　the　tiny　flames　were　still　again　they　appeared　to　have　dimmed。　It　could　have　been　an　illusion。
　　
　　'Breath；　indeed；'　Royston　shouted；　saw　the　watchers　cringe；　a　few　in　the　background　hiding　their　faces。　'The　breath　of　a　beautiful　woman　breathed　into　him；　a　mate　to　bring　him　life　and　joy。'
　　
　　Miranda　felt　herself　being　lifted　up；　so　easily　that　it　was　as　if　she　was　suddenly　weightless。　One　of　the　altar　candles　flickered　again　causing　the　features　directly　below　her　to　grin　evilly。　Oh　God　Almighty；　no；'　Not　that　I　Whoever　held　her　was　lowering　her　slowly；　her　naked　body　being　laid；　face　to　face；　directly　upon　that　terrible　thing　that　they　had　dug　out　of　its　last　resting　place；　her　thighs　pulled　apart　so　that　those　skeletal　legs　lay　between　them；　the　hard　pubic　bone　scraping　painfully　against　her　own。　Her　breasts　were　trapped　and　squashed　in　the　hideous　ribcage。　And　her　mouth　was　guided　directly　on　to　that　black　cavity　in　an　unholy　kiss　that　went　beyond　the　grave。
　　
　　'William　Gardiner　has　a　mate　at　last！'　Royston's　shout　was　close　to　hysteria。　'A　woman　who　breathes　life　into　him　even　now；　cherishing　his　memory；　one　honoured　to　mate　with　him　should　he　so　desire！'
　　
　　Miranda　prayed　that　she　might　die　there　and　then；　a　sudden　heart　attack　brought　on　because　she　had　passed　the　fear　barrier。　Or　madness；　her　brain　snapping　and　sparing　her　the　awfulness　of　reality；　turning　this　into　some　wild　sexual　fantasy。　But　neither　happened。　She　could　not　even　draw　back；　instead　to　her　horror　she　felt　her　tongue　protruding；　pushing　its　way　into　what　had　once　been　Gardiner's　mouth　in　a　simulation　of　copulation。　A　vile　taste　and　it　was　impossible　even　to　retch；　the　sour　flavour　of　damp　earth　on　her　palate　blended　with　one　of　putrefying　flesh。　The　altar　candle　dimmed　still　further　and　beneath　the　weight　of　her　own　body　the　skeleton　appeared　to　move；　a　settling　of　ancient　bones　that　dug　into　her　with　a　terrifying　eagerness。　'He　has　breath；'　Royston　screeched。　'What　else　does　he　need；　brethren？'
　　
　　'Flesh；'　the　reply　came　back　instantly。
　　
　　'He　has　flesh　now；　pressing　against　his　sacred　bones。　But　what　else；　brethren？　Flesh　and　breath；　but　his　new　arteries　will　need　to　be　filled　with　that　which　will　bring　life　to　him；　bring　him　back　to　us　from　beyond。'
　　
　　'Blood！'　A　deafening　chorus；　a　classroom　prompted　into　the　right　answer　by　their　teacher。　'G/ve　him　blood　so　that　he　will　live　again！'　Echoes：　'blood　。　。　。　blood　。　。　。　blood。'　Several　of　the　smaller　candles　situated　around　the　crypt　were　suddenly　extinguished；　the　lurking　shadows　darting　back；　the　stench　of　smoking　candlewax　sickening。
　　
　　Miranda　felt　Royston　moving　close　to　her；　knew　what　he　was　going　to　do；　felt　the　coldness　of　the　steel　knife　blade　as　it　nicked　her　wrists；　a　tiny　quarter…inch　gash　but　gouged　so　expertly　that　she　felt　the　blood　spurting　from　her　almost　instantly。　Now　her　other　wrist；　her　hands　placed　back　immediately　in　Gardiner's　skeletal　grip。
　　
　　Her　head　was　pulled　back　by　her　auburn　hair。　She　braced　herself　mentally；　physically　it　was　impossible　even　to　cringe。　A　sharp　strangulating　pain　and　she　knew　the　knife　had　cut　deep；　her　head　lowered　back　into　its　original　position；　that　ghastly　kiss　of　life　for　the　dead。
　　
　　Wide…eyed　she　watched　herself　from　an　angled　position。　Silence；　except　for　a　noise　like　a　tap　squirting　into　a　basin；　white　bones　turning　darkly　crimson。　And；　oh　Jesus；　she　was　still　pushing　into　that　vile　mouth　with　her　tongue！
　　
　　It　was　darker　now；　just　one　altar　candle　left　burning。　For　Miranda　the　black　shadows　were　tinged　with　red　and　her　tongue…thrusts　were　being　weaker　by　the　second。　And　there　was　no　pain　as　though　her　body　and　her　brain　were　no　longer　in　munication　with　each　other。
　　
　　She　was　convinced　that　she　had　died　a　couple　of　minutes　before