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t me any more； kept warning me that if I went to the police I could find myself being charged with being an accessory to the Dowson murder and a lot of things besides。 He said that until I'd proved myself I wouldn't be allowed to see the new temple。'
'And to prove yourself you had to kill me？'
This time she could not hold back the flood of tears。 'I didn't want to kill you；' she sobbed； 'but after you arrived it was just as though something 。。。 took me over！ I hated you as I've never hated anybody before in my life。 I wanted to humiliate you first； make you masturbate into a frenzy and then kill you at the height of your orgasm。 But I couldn't wait； suddenly killing you seemed to be the most important； the most erotic thing I'd ever contemplated。 Now Royston will surely kill me for failing。' She sank back on the couch； her whole body convulsing with shudders； her wails escalating into hysteria。
That was when Sabat hit her； a back…handed blow that caught her full across the face； sprawling her headlong across the fake leather upholstery。 She gave one final sob and then was silent； cringing as she felt him pulling her hands away from her face； anticipating another blow。
'Drink this up。' The remains of her tumbler of whisky were pushed against her lips。 'Then try to pull yourself together。 The worst possible thing you can do is to give up。 By doing that you're playing right into his hands。
'He'll kill me。' She swallowed a mouthful of the amber liquid and spluttered as it burned her throat。 'Jesus； he will； Sabat。 He's the most evil man in the world。'
'No。' Sabat shook his head and his lips were pressed into a tight bloodless line。 'Royston is not the most evil man in the world。 I am！ And there's nothing more I want than to kill him； to destroy him totally so that neither his body nor his soul is a threat to mankind ever again。'
Miranda fought back her tears and an expression of perplexity crept over her attractive freckled features。 She nodded。 'Yes； I do believe you're evil； Sabat。 When you raped me just now I thought that you'd probably kill me when you'd satisfied yourself。 But you didn't。 Was that because you only needed to keep me alive until you'd got the information you wanted out of me？'
'At the time； yes。' He permitted himself a faint smile。 'But don't worry； I'm not going to kill you now。 Basically I don't think you're evil。 They used you； worked a psychic hypnotism on you which I broke when I raped you 。 。 。 because in direct conflict my will is more powerful than Royston's That much is now plain。 The balance is swayed by whatever evil forces intervene and whose side they take。 That will determine the final oute of our battle！'
'Oh God。' He thought she was going to dissolve back into hysteria。 'Whatever are we going to do； Sabat？'
'We have two choices open to us。' Sabat filled and lit his pipe； he hadn't smoked for over a week and suddenly found that he craved for tobacco。 'First； I can take you back to London with me but I doubt whether that will solve anything。 Royston has perfected the use of his astral body and has only to visit my place in that form to discover your whereabouts。 Secondly； we can force an encounter with Royston as soon as possible rather than prolonging the inevitable。 I am inclined to think that that would be preferable。'
'But how？' Her eyes widened with horror at the prospect。 'Even I do not know how to contact him。'
'We shall do what Mohammed failed to do。' Sabat smiled； inhaled strong smoke and expelled it slowly。 'We cannot go to the mountain so the mountain must e to us。 How often does Royston telephone you？'
Too frequently。'
'Good。 Then let us hope that he phones soon； and when he does you must tell him that you have been successful in killing me。 Any nervousness in your voice we must hope that he attributes to your first act of murder。 Describe it as it might well have happened； how you lured me into a masturbation frenzy and then plunged your knife into my throat。 You are frightened because you have a body in your house。 In all probability he will e in person； particularly as he would be able to use my corpse to assist him in his vile rites。 Then； having tricked him into ing here； I will see to the rest。'
'I don't like it。' Miranda drained the remainder of her whisky and put down the empty glass。 'What if he suspects a trick。'
'We are taking a desperate chance in any case；' Sabat replied。 'Even now his astral body might be in this very room observing us in which case our ruse will prove futile and Royston will turn the tables on us。 We must just hope that he has been too preoccupied with his new temple of devil worship to worry about； forgive the term； a mere pawn in his dastardly game such as yourself。 In which case he might just fall for it。'
'How 。 。 。 how will you kill him？' Miranda whispered。 Suddenly death； even Royston's； was a terrible prospect。
'I could shoot him。' Sabat experienced a quickening of his pulses； the old familiar feeling he used to get in his SAS days when he'd been assigned to a legitimate murder。 'But that might be too noisy for a neighbourhood such as this and the last thing we want is to attract the attention of the law。 In all probability I shall make use of this knife with which you nearly severed my jugular vein。 First I must kill his earthly body and then act quickly before his astral body has time to leave it。 There is always a short time when one life ends before the next reincarnation begins； the only time that one so powerful as Royston is truly vulnerable。 And if that chance is lost then the evil will spawn again in a new life。'
For some time they sat there in silence； neither wishing to break into the other's thoughts。 Sabat glanced at Miranda； knew that they could be spending a long time together。 Next time he would have no need to force his lust upon her。 In fact their relationship could turn out to be a very intriguing one。
Miranda thought about Sabat； how different he was from the dark…clothed human bloodhound who had suddenly turned up in the village to hunt them down。 Ruthless to the extreme； but he was the kind of man you could get to like。 A lot。 Just one nagging worry； she hoped he was not going to ask too many questions about the fire at the 'Dun Cow'。 She'd given up trying to lie to him； told herself it was almost an impossibility because those hawk…like eyes would search out the truth no matter where you tried to hide it。 And when that cold rage erupted it turned him into a vicious killer； maybe the one man in the world who could destroy Royston。
The harsh jangling of the telephone in the hall brought them both out of their reverie。 In an instant Sabat saw that it was 7am and that daylight was creeping in through the curtains。 They had dozed； rested； and now it was time for action again。
Miranda glanced at him and he read the fear； the hopelessness in her eyes。 'That'll be him；' a hoarse； almost unrecognisable whisper。 'He often phones early in the morning。'
'Go get it then； girl。' He tried to ta