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stroyed Alena。 Alda will seek revenge； not only on yourself but on me； and your panion here。 Alda's anger will only be appeased when we three have been wiped out and the followers of the new religion annihilated in a blood bath！'
'So we're the meat in the sandwich；' Sabat's mouth tightened into a grim； bloodless line。 'I take on a job to exorcise evil and find that the evil has justice on its side … a battle against a corrupt church hierarchy。 Jesus Christ； where the hell do we go from here？'
Kent was silent。 He had the makings of a lead feature article but nobody would believe him if he wrote it。 He； too； was caught up in all this； whether he liked it or not。 He had no choice but to go along with the others and see how it all panned out。 And he didn't like what he'd witnessed so far。
'I was hoping maybe I could bargain with the Oke Priests；' Sheenah muttered； 'but now that you've destroyed Alena there will be no chance of that。'
'I could exorcise the church and its grounds； as I intended to do； anyway；' Sabat answered。
'No；' Sheenah snapped。 'You would be siding with the corrupt forces。 And； anyway； they are too strong for one man to take on； even you； Sabat。 Maybe it would have been better if I had died on Alena's sacrificial altar。 I'll probably die； anyway。 Oh God； we don't have a chance； any of us！'
'We'll fight；' Sabat's expression was one of determination； a hardening of his features which Kent remembered from their SAS days … his killing expression。 'But first we've got to survive this night。 If you'll both give me a hand we'll move the furniture out； roll the carpet back； and set up some kind of protection。 It's our only chance。'
Under normal circumstances Kent would have been sceptical； but these were no ordinary circumstances。 He worked alongside Sabat and Sheenah； moved everything out into the small hall； then watched fascinated as Sabat brought in his black crocodile…skin briefcase and began to unpack items which were foreign 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。'
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