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Mandy caught her breath； tried to make out the other's appearance。 He sounded young； a teenager； small； either he was bald or else his hair had been cut very short。
'I 。。。 I've lost my baby。' It was difficult putting the trauma of the last twelve hours into words。 'He 。。。 was stolen。 I was 'oping 。 。 。 somebody 'ad dumped 'im 。 。 。 that I'd find'im。'
'So it's your baby； is it！'
The words took her aback； had her speechless。 'Wot。 。 。 wot did you say？' She managed to get the question out at last； hardly daring to hope that she had heard correctly。
'I said it's your baby； is it？'
'You 。 。 。 you've found Davey？'
That's right。 All wrapped up and sleepin' like a babe。' A guffaw。 The other was dressed in dark clothing； rendering him almost invisible except for the outline of his face。
Take me to him。 Oh； please take me to my baby。'
'Sure；' the youth leaned up against the wall； crossed one foot over the other。 'All in due course but don't rush me。 We got all night； sweetheart。'
'I want my baby。 Look； I'll do just anything to 。。 。 '
'Now that's interesting； darling。 You'll do just anything to get your baby back； will you？'
Cold fear clutched at Mandy's heart as the implication of the other's words filtered through to her bemused brain。 It was as though she had swallowed some hard object； some of which had lodged in her throat； the rest a ball that was expanding in her stomach。
'Well； baby； will yer or won't yer？ 'Cause if yer won't I'll be sayin 'ta…ta。'
'No； please！' A desperate urgency； that maternal instinct stronger than ever now。 'What 。 。 。 ' swallowing so that she could barely speak； 'what d'you want me。。。 to do？'
'Yer not very bright are you； sweetheart？ OK； I'll spell it out for yer； it's nothin' very terrible。 What say we find someplace a bit more fortable than this； and fuck？'
Mandy Wickham clenched her hands until her fingernails dug deep into her palms。 That was how Big Dave used to put it sometimes； especially when he was in one of those animal…like moods of his。 But when it came to a question of your offspring's life it didn't matter a damn whether you called it fucking or making love； what you did or whom you did it with。
'All right；' she licked her lips。 I'll do it。'
'Good；' he chuckled。 'C'mon； I know one of these houses that's dry and there's an old mattress we can use。'
The youth took her arm； a grip that was just too tight for fort and gave Mandy the impression that he wasn't going to let her go even if she'd changed her mind and said it didn't matter about Davey。 But she wasn't going to do that。
Suddenly her panion stopped； pulled her into a doorway； the door swinging open surprisingly easily； dragged her inside； kicked it closed after them。 She moved； caught her leg against something sharp and cried out with pain； but he did not appear to notice。
'Hey； it's dark in here；' she spoke instinctively to break the silence； his stentorian breathing was beginning to frighten her。
'Darkness is where we live；' his tone of voice had changed to one of recitation； 'for （his is the world of Lilith； Goddess of Darkness。'
'Look；' her voice was a whine now； 'I said I'd let yer so let's get on with it and then yer can show me where my baby is。'
Silence again； except for a fumbling swishing sound； Mandy presumed that he was taking off some clothing。 She was debating whether or not to remove certain of her own garments when suddenly he seized her with a terrifying ferociousness； she would have screamed had his fingers not closed over her windpipe。 Her brain reeled。 He had no need to attack her because she had promised to 。。。
'Filthy whore！' he snarled； something in his hand brushing against her side。 She flung up a protective hand fearing a cudgel or possibly a knife。 'I have not set eyes upon your baby unless it was the one that Lilith devoured and shared its blood among her disciples to make them strong。 You and your kind are leeches in a declining society。 The people of this country await a new Messiah； one who is already amongst us； himself a chosen one of the great goddess。 He is risen again； this time to build a master race； but first he must exterminate the likes of you； the vermin of the streets。 That is why you must die！'
Mandy Wickham managed a choking gurgle which was cut off as something sharp cut into her neck； sheer blinding pain that had her flailing her limbs wildly； trying to claw the wicked blade from her throat。 Oh God； he was a homicidal maniac； had brought her here with the sole purpose of murdering her。
She sagged； felt the sticky warmth of her own blood running down and saturating her second hand clothing； the smell vile and cloying； involuntarily gargling； drowning because her throat was being flooded。 A sucking sensation in her neck as though some giant leech was feeding on her。 And somewhere a bird of some kind was hooting； a sound that grated on her dying nerves。
But her final thoughts were not for herself。 She saw Davey； his dark skin soft and tender to the touch； reaching out for her with his puny arms； crying。 And it was as though mother and baby were somehow reunited in a place where there was no pain； the small circular wounds in their respective throats unnoticed； looking down from aloft on derelict slum streets where black clothed figures stalked the shadows； harbingers of doom； disciples of a black religion。 And she was glad that she and her baby were removed from it all。
CHAPTER SIX
'WELL；' DETECTIVE Sergeant McKay regarded Sabat steadily through a haze of tobacco smoke； 'we can't keep it from the public any longer。 Doubtless you've seen this morning's papers。'
'Yes。' Sabat who had once again been disturbed from his bed by the CID man had a dressing gown draped over his naked body。 ' 〃The Legions of Dracula e To Town〃 or some such nonsensical crap if my memory serves me right。 What's the current death…toll？'
'Eighteen up to last night。 Doubtless our patrols will discover some more bodies before the morning's out。 And judging by the fact I've caught you sleeping by day； Sabat； I reckon you were out last night too。'
'Yes。' Not by so much as a flicker of a facial muscle did Sabat even hint at his discoveries so far； the police had called him in on this； but he could not afford to have them sticking close to him if they so much as guessed that he had already encountered the enemy。 'I spent a fruitless and rather chilly night without hearing or seeing anything。'
'Well； the Chief's chasing his own arse right now。 As if these killings aren't enough there's trouble brewing that could make that Netting Hill Carnival business look like a pensioners' outing。 Eight demonstrations by fascist groups in the next fortnight； all under different guises。 The Home Secretary can't ban the lot without good reason。 All police leave has been cancelled and some of the lads are working shifts round the clock。 The pressure's really on and there's an undercu