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； knew he had the strength to beat her 。 。 。 knew what he would do to her！ His supersenses screamed another warning … don't look into her eyes！
Kneeling； facing each other； the girl's wrists now twisted behind her back； her spine arched as Sabat increased the pressure； determined not to gaze into those pelling orbs； staring at her firm breasts instead； noting how the nipples stood right out。 Looking lower； checking that her pubic hair was really black。
'Succubus！' he hissed。 'Erzulie in a white skin！ But this time you've lost。'
A snarl came from her throat and she spat in his face。 'Bastard！ You won't get away with this。'
Sabat didn't reply。 He glanced down at himself and knew he had to take Miranda in the way his body demanded before he got down to the real purpose of his visit。 The lamp in the corner seemed to have gone brighter now as though the evil he had encountered here had already conceded defeat。 Roughly he threw her back； sent her sprawling on the carpet； reminded himself once again that he must not look into those eyes during what was about to happen。
Like a wild beast he sprang； pinioning her arms at right angles； forcing her thighs apart with his knees。 She struggled； kicking wildly and hammering her heels against his back but it only served to add impetus to his thrusts as he took her。 She turned her head； closed her eyes； resigned herself to her fate。 Miranda or Erzulie； she knew that she had met her match。 After a few minutes her snarls turned to low moans； little cries that could almost have been interpreted as ecstasy。
Sabat had pushed everything else from his mind； Sheila Dowson； Sylvia Adams； and the Reverend Storton； even the attempts on his own life and soul。 All that mattered now was that he satisfied himself to the full。
Finally he leaned back； his lean muscular body glistening with sweat。 His head sagged momentarily as exhaustion flooded over him but it only lasted a few seconds。 Then he was reaching for his clothes； ice…cool and in plete mand of his every bodily and mental function。 He had got that overpowering urge out of his system and now it was back to business。
'Well。' He looked into her eyes； saw that the earlier burning fire had been replaced by something else； fear！ 'Now we've got that over I guess we'd better have a little chat about what I really came for。'
I'll call the police。' It was an empty threat； unconvincing。
'Go ahead；' he laughed。 'But I guess the last person you want to see is a policeman。 He might ask even more awkward questions than I'm going to。'
'You raped me。 You could get five years for that。'
'You tried to kill me。 You'd get ten； and if they knew about your involvement with this coven and your boyfriend； Royston； you might just end up getting life。 You're no better than Manson and his followers。 Right； we've ruled out the law so let's get down to business。'
She did not reply； half…heartedly picking up her negligee and slipping it over her body。 Sabat noted how she trembled； knew that she was afraid of a lot of things； himself for one。
'Why don't you just go/ her voice was a low whine。 'Go now and forget that we've ever met。'
I'll go when I've got the answers to the questions I'm going to ask。 First； who is this guy Royston？'
'I。。。 don't know。'
That's a lie。 You've had him in your bed and you've been out in his car checking whether or not I survived the psychic attack in the churchyard。 He took over the coven after Horace went into a nuthouse。 So don't give me that crap。'
'Honest。' Her hazel eyes were brimful of tears that threatened to deluge at any second。 'I don't know who he is or where he es from。 He was an associate of Horace's because I'd heard Horace mention him a time or two almost as though 。。。 as though Horace was terrified of him！ Then Royston turned up； rented a house in the village that had been vacant for years and just sort of took over running the coven。 He had a woman living with him； I only saw her once。 A foreign looking girl； her skin was sort of light chocolate coloured； neither black nor white； kind of in…between if you know what I mean。'
'West Indian probably。' Sabat's eyes narrowed。 'It figures。'
'But I never saw her again。 Then he began visiting me。 At the start I enjoyed it 。。。 then I began to get very frightened。'
'Why？'
'Well； I knew he'd got me lined up for something pretty awful。 The coven meetings were no longer a lark like they were at the start； things had got 。。。 well； out of control。 That time they dug up the Adams girl and then 。。。 it was revolting but I never thought those sort of things would happen。 I kept telling myself that it was some sort of trick of Horace's； that he'd bludgeoned the Dowson girl to death while everybody else was scared to look。 But soon after 1 realised that there was something to it； that they were actually calling up 。。。 things out of the darkness； bestial things that you could hear and smell。 。 。 but you daren't look。 God； I wanted to get away from here and I would have done if it hadn't been for Royston。 Jesus； you've only got to look into his eyes and you know that he isn't 。 。 。 ordinary！'
'But you could show me the house he rents。'
'I could 。 。 。 except that he doesn't live there any more。 He's gone！ He's been gone since the night after the 。。。 whatever it was that went on in the churchyard。 He called for me early that morning； said we'd got to go and look； see if you were still around。 Then we saw you walking up the road。 Oh Jesus； you should have heard him。 He went berserk and I thought he was going to kill me。 Said it was all my fault and if I didn't get rid of you for good then 。。 。 then the gods had a way of punishing followers who failed them'
'So he left the house and you haven't set eyes on him since。'
'No； but he phones。 Just checking； telling me I've got to get rid of you。 I get the feeling that he's got me lined up for some kind of sacrifice like Horace performed that night。 And he seemed to know that one day you would visit me。'
Sabat poured two more whiskies； they both needed them。 Miranda's nerves were stretched to the limit。 He picked up the knife which had almost cut his throat out； dropped it into his pocket。 The state his panion was in at present he couldn't take any chances but underneath his callous exterior he was beginning to pity her。 It was an old story； a mon one in Haiti； a beautiful girl lured into the clutches of the houngan； a white hen being fattened and pampered in readiness for the ultimate sacrifice。
'Royston's moved his pitch。' Sabat saw another flicker of terror in those hazel eyes； her awe of himself growing by the second。 'A temple somewhere。 And he's got the skeleton of William Gardiner there。 Have you any idea where it is？'
'No。' She shook her head and he did not doubt that she was telling the truth。 'After he got so angry with me it was as though he didn't trust me any more； kept warning me that if I went to the police I could find myself being charged with b