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'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。'
'A brilliant deduction；' Sabat's voice was loaded with sarcasm； possibly to disguise his own apprehension。 A general must never display fear in front of his troops。 'You could be right； Kent。 On the other hand you could be bloody wrong。'
'You're talking nonsense。 Of course there's somebody at the door。 They rang the bell。'
And as if to support the journalist's words the bell rang again。
'Well； aren't we going to answer it？' Kent was being angry。 'Go and see who it is； Sabat； for Christ's sake。'
'No；' Sabat stood up； aware that both Kent and Sheenah were staring at the nakedness of his lower body； 'I shall not。 Not under any circumstances！'
'I call that bloody unsociable；' Kent's whisper was loaded with rising fury。 'Not to mention just plain bloody rude and stupid。 Suppose it's something urgent。 The police； for instance。'
Then they'll get tired eventually and go away；' Sabat's eyes narrowed。 The warning systems in his body were screaming out at him。 Something was wrong with Kent！ Apart from the other's reluctance to spend the night here； there was something else … a growing rebellion； a determination to disobey orders。 And Sabat remembered again that somebody or something had penetrated the protections he had built up； found his Achilles' heel for the second time in one night； infiltrated the pentagram。
'We don't answer it and that's final；' his voice was a hoarse whisper that echoed in the bare room。 He dropped his gaze； saw his half…erection and knew that they were both looking at it； knew only too well what he had been doing when that damned bell rang。
This is getting beyond a joke；' Kent was struggling to his feet； still trying to clutch the blanket to his lower body。 Tn fact； it's obscene。 You've set this up deliberately； Sabat； for your own perverted pleasure。 You ought to be locked away！ Well； I'm not standing for it。 I'm getting my clothes and going back to the White Horse this very moment。 If you want to talk to me in the morning I'll be 。 。 。 '
Kent didn't see the blow ing； never even suspected that Sabat might take such drastic action； a fist that seemed faster than light itself； an indistinguishable blur that began somewhere around Mark Sabat's hip…level and ended with a crack like a child's cap pistol on the point of the journalist's jaw。
Kent never even grunted。 His head went back； his stocky body straightened up and began to totter。 Sabat caught him by the arm with that same superlative speed； pulled him forward and then； one…handed； lowered him back on to his blanket。 Kent's eyes were closed； just a trickle of blood from the corner of his lower lip and a bruise that was already beginning to spread across his jaw。
'Did you really have to hit him？' there was a note of reprimand in Sheenah's voice。
'There was no alternative。 He would have broken the circle。 Already there is a weak link somewhere here； something I have overlooked。'
'That's nonsense；' she laughed； a sound that was shrill and eerie； 'we were very careful。 He just fell for an old ruse。'
The bell rang again； long and loud。 A brief pause then three short bursts。 Laughter somewhere； it could have e from outside。 It could have been Quentin。
'We just sit them out；' Sabat squatted down again but made no attempt to cover himself up。 'They'll try all kinds of tricks but we just have to ignore them and tell ourselves that everything's okay。 That way we'll make it through to morning。'
The light flickered； almost went out； came back on again。 It was very cold in spite of the fact that Sabat had purposely checked earlier that the central heating would remain on all night。
'You discovered one way of keeping yourself warm；' Sheenah laughed； smirked； her gaze focused on Sabat's erection which had swelled again。 'You do that often or just when you're cold？ Or do you indulge solely when the Oke Priests are doing their damnedest to get you？'
'I do it pretty regularly；' Sabat's voice was even； his gaze meeting hers and holding it without flinching。 'But I'd give a grand to know just who turned me on this time。'
'Whatever do you mean？' her dark eyes widened。
'Just that somebody's worked on me。 Like they worked on Kent； tried to make him break the circle。 If it came from without then as I've already said； we've overlooked something。 If not； then 。 。 。 well it wasn't Kent； and I know it's not me； which only leaves 。 。 。 '
He was cut off by the bell ringing again； acpanied this time by the pounding of a fist on the door。 A gruff unrecognisable voice was shouting； words that eventually became recognisable as they progressed from an unintelligible shouting to an 'Open up。 This is the police！'
'You'll have to open up if it's the police；' Sheenah looked suddenly frightened； tensing as though she might make a sudden dash for the door to the hall。
'Don't try it； Sheenah or whatever your real name is；' Sabat changed position； balancing on his haunches； an athlete about to pete for a record。 'You'll never make it and I promise you that if you so much as try I'll kill you just as I killed Alena …but not with a crucifix。 Oh no； I'll mangle you with my bare hands so that when they find your body they'll never recognise it！'
Sheenah paled； shuddered。 She knew Sabat was not bluffing。 There were a lot of stories about him and most of them were true。 She wasn't going to put him to the test； he was terrible to behold in this dark hour。
'You're mistaken about me；' she said。 It sounded feeble。 'I've already told you how I came to be involved in this。'
'You're a bitch and a liar；' Sabat's eyes narrowed； 'and I might just have fallen for your little game。'
She turned； would have sprung away； cleared the pentagram and rushed for the door but he caught her； grabbed a handful of long dark hair and pulled her back。 She screamed； began to struggle； beating and clawing at his naked body with her long fingernails。 'Let me go。 I'll have the police on you for this！'
'The police！' He laughed loud and mirthlessly。 'Nobody can save you； Sheenah。 You're trapped in this pentagram with me。 We might just as well be on another planet for all the help you can expect！'
Even as he bore her to the floor； pinned her beneath him with his knees； Sabat heard the crashing sounds out in the hallway； woodwork cracked and splintered； glass showered and tinkled on the tiled floor。 Whoever had been ringing the bell these last few minutes had burst their way into the house！
Sabat tensed； kept his grip on the girl； ignored her shriek of triumph； turned his head as the living…room door was flung wide。 He gasped aloud his astonishment at the scene which greeted him。
A blue uniformed man stood framed in the doorway； a tall imposing figure； the features beneath the helmet harsh and angry； eyes riveted on the naked couple in