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estruction of your body and soul remains。 Already I can hear the screams on the streets； smell the blood in which the world will be bathed before dawn。'
Lealan reared himself up； fixed his sunken eyes on Sabat； babbled his hate for one he recognised； clawed at the air as though attempting to retrieve his shattered dreams。
'Kneel； Sabat；' there was a note of hysteria in Catriona Lealan's voice。 'Kneel before the altar of the Great One； alongside one who also had dreams of grandeur。'
Sabat fought feebly； felt his feet move forward； his knees bending and hitting the floor so that he almost pitched on to his face。 A sense of failure like a terminal disease that has been fought valiantly throughout but prevails in the end。 Prayers that had been his last hope had gone unheard。
Catriona moved to the altar； picked up one of the blood guns； the sadistic invention of an SAS Colonel whose days of glory were already over。 She laughed loudly。 'The blood of Sabat； truly wine to be savoured by the Master； the Evil One himself V
Even as she advanced on him Sabat had a premonition； a feeling beyond prehension that something was happening。 A faint vibrating of woodworm…riddled floorboards as though that quake was returning。
The syringe…gun poised； Catriona hesitated。 The altar seemed to shudder； that infant body moving； rolling as though life had suddenly been restored to it。 The light bulb swung； flickered； almost extinguished 。 。 。 picking up a dazzling； blinding reflection like a silver bolt flashing to its mark！ The upturned crucifix lost its point of balance； fell。 Turning； swivelling； righting itself； its base embedding in the rotting floorboards； quivering in an upright position！
And with it Sabat felt a' sudden release from the hypnotic bonds that bound him； a return to freedom for mind and body； flinging himself back so that the javelin point of the weapon intended for his jugular vein pleted its thrust then thudded to the floor。 Catriona screamed； a cry that embodied hopelessness and fear； a vocal bugle call of defeat。
The bulb went out but did not plunge the room into total darkness； instead a glow prevailed； a kind of soft blue aura by which Sabat could discern every detail； the panic of a beautiful woman； gathering herself for flight now that her ultimate plans were smouldering in the ashes of defeat。
Sabat was on his feet； his whole being responding to a faith which had not deserted him； merely tested him。 Somebody was groaning。 It might have been Colonel Vince Lealan as he scrabbled with useless limbs to drag himself up； or it could have been Quentin bemoaning yet another lost cause。
'I charge you； Lilith； Goddess of the night hours；' Sabat's voice was firm and clear； a victory cry； 'in the names of Sanvi； Sansanvi and Semangelaf； angels of God； that you shall return to that place whence you came； to 。 。 。'
Catriona's scream was terrible； the agony of a mortally wounded female cat； three names that burned her like branding irons on a yearling； had her leaping for the stairs； slipping； falling。 A creature physically and mentally injured； dragging herself to the door； staggering up to grasp the handle； tugging at it wildly。
Sabat had moved to the top of the stairs； watched her with eyes that held no pity for this suddenly demented thing。
For all her efforts； her curses； the door refused to move； as secure as though the lock had been turned。
Catriona beat at it with her fists； spat crimson spittle； then dragged herself the length of； the hall； her frenzied efforts beginning again as she attacked the rear door。 But it； too； remained secure； until eventually she sank down exhausted； her rage gone； only utter despair remaining。
Sabat smiled； began to descend the stairs slowly。
None would pass through either door； neither front nor back； except by his behest。 For the hempen barricades so favoured by the followers of the Left Hand Path had been charged by the three angels； Sanvi； Sansanvi and Semangelaf who had hunted Lilith since the beginning of Mankind。 And soon they would e for her。 White magic had prevailed over black。
He went back into that room； surveyed the wreckage。 It was as though a hurricane had passed through； the frail wooden altar having collapsed； smashed on impact； the big crucifix standing proudly amidst the debris； a conqueror's banner。
Vince Lealan was still muttering inprehensible vile obscenities； mucus rattling in his throat and lungs。 Yet Sabat had no pity for him as he stood over him； no mercy in those flashing dark eyes。
'You bastard！' Sabat hissed and drove a plimsolled foot into the face； the head jerking back； bone cracking beneath the impact。 'Maybe you were her tool but that doesn't let you out in my book！'
A sudden rain of blows as Sabat unleashed his fury； an onslaught that would undoubtedly have ended in the other's death had he not checked himself。 For that would truly have been a reprieve for the man who had called himself the new Fuhrer。
Colonel Vince Lealan； late of the SAS； stared up with fear in his eyes； pleading for death that he knew would be denied him。 Still hating； a man who had aged decades in weeks because Lilith had demanded that time be rerun and that Pierre Vallin return to do her bidding in her final hour。
Sabat's fingers rested on the butt of his 。38 in its holster； he remembered a terrorist he'd captured once in a remote farmhouse。 Five shots he'd fired that night； shattering the limbs with four； the fifth a stomach shot that had virtually disembowelled his prisoner。 Death had been slow； and Sabat had enjoyed his role as spectator because he remembered the atrocities the other had mitted。 A life for a life； it was the only way。
It could have been that way now but hours of agony would be too quick for Lealan。 Far better that he rotted the rest of his life away in some hell of a French gaol 。 。 。 and remembered over and over again； relived this night a thousand times。
Sabat turned away； 〃went back downstairs。 Catriona was propped up against the wall； one of her shapely legs twisted at an unnatural angle。 This time she did not fix him with her eyes； her gaze riveted on the floor。 Broken in mind and spirit。 Defeated。
Sabat sighed； regretted that he could not do those things to her which at the time had seemed so necessary to destroy the soul of Lilith； lash the tender flesh from her evil body until her agonies were relieved by death； then drive a steel shaft between those voluptuous breasts； hack the head from the body and trap her astral body before it accepted its freedom。 But these things were not his to do now because he had summoned a higher authority。
The queen of flagellation herself！' biting scorn as he toed her legs apart； trod on the soft flesh so that she cried out in pain； delighting in being a spectator to possibly the only genuine tears that Catriona Lealan had ever shed。 'Beaten at the last。 Jesus； I wish it hadn't turned out this way； that I hadn't bargained with 。 。。 them； that I'd had you to my