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He was sweating； trying not to lose his temper。 Maybe there was a particle of dirt jammed in the lock。 Careful manipulation was preferable to brute force for if the key snapped he was in trouble。 It had to right itself soon。 But it didn't。
Sabat stepped back； heard the bunch of keys jangling against the door； swinging to and fro like a taunting pendulum until finally the momentum ran out。 Jesus Christ； this was all he needed！ Maybe he should walk down the road to that telephone kiosk and call out the AA。 'Give us your precise location； sir。 Thank you； that's fine； now go back and wait by your vehicle and hopefully our patrolman will be with you within the hour。' More like two fucking hours； by which time Royston would surely have shown up。
Or； Sabat decided； he could break a window； but that would bring half the inhabitants of the road outside； a gawping sea of faces。 'That chap's up to no good。 Did you see where he went？ Into her house。'
So many 'ifs' and 'buts'。 He'd just have to carry on fiddling with the key； it was bound to give sooner or later。 Maybe he should go back and tell Miranda that he'd run into trouble。 She couldn't see the car from the house and she'd start worrying。 No； it would take too long； waste valuable time。 It was almost full darkness already。
The keys jangled again as he grasped them； began to wriggle the one in the lock。 But whatever the obstruction was it was certainly jammed firmly。
Miranda experienced an air of acute loneliness the moment she closed the door after Sabat。 It was something she had never known before except that one time when her father had left home for good。 It was as though a part of her had just walked away as she watched Sabat disappear。 Usually she felt relief when a client left。 Never once had she felt anything for one of her lovers； just a physical relationship； nothing more。 But this time it had been different； even when Sabat was raping her and she had fused with him； wanted to encircle him with her legs and hold him inside her forever； but some inexplicable force had prevented her from doing this。
She'd tried to kill him but she hadn't hated him。 It was as though somebody else was inside her； controlling her every action。 The blind fury had not been hers。 Psychic hypnotism； Sabat had called it。 If there was such a thing then that was what it had been。 Thank God her knife thrust had missed！
Royston worried her； terrified her。 She could not stop thinking about him。 Whenever he made love to her she felt the revulsion building up in her like she was mating with some slimy reptile。 But she dared not show it； even made advances to him because she knew it pleased his ego。
Thankfully she hadn't seen him lately but tonight he was ing here again in the fullness of his evil； a murderer and worse！ He would not hesitate to kill her if it suited him。 Only Sabat stood between her and some terrible fate now。
Oh God； would Sabat be strong enough； cunning enough？ Evil enough？ Sabat was evil； all right； but in a different way。 Miranda felt safe with him； just having him out of the house for a few minutes induced an unfamiliar insecurity。
He was certainly taking his time。 She looked at the small electric clock on the mantelshelf in the living room。 9。30。 Outside it was fully dark； the glow of the streetlamps seeming eerie； sinister。 She shuddered； tried to remember how long it was since Sabat had left。 Certainly ten minutes； no； more。 Twenty at least。 She went to the window； tried to see down the road but it was deserted as far as the first bend。 What on earth was keeping him？ Maybe he'd lost something； or was fiddling with whatever equipment he'd gone to fetch。 But that thought seemed unconvincing； left her with a sense of uneasiness； foreboding。 Sabat himself had stressed the urgency； the need to get a pentagram drawn as quickly as possible and to barricade themselves in the house for the night。 Something had gone wrong 。。。
Then she heard the front…door bell chime； a sound that brought instant relief； dispelled her fears even as she hastened into the hall。 As she rushed to the door she could see his outline clearly through the opaque glass； his dark…clad frame。
'Thank God！' she blurted as she let him in。 'I was getting frantic； thought something had gone wrong。 Whatever kept you； you've been gone almost twenty minutes。'
'I didn't think it was that long；' his voice sounded somehow different as he followed her into the living room； flat and expressionless。 'Ten at the most； I'd say。'
Something made her turn； a premonition that everything was not as it should be。 Then her eyes widened； her mouth opened in amazement and horror。 The man who faced her was not Sabat！ The features had expanded into a vulpine obesity； jowls of flesh and hooded eyes that blazed a terrible fury； black clothing； but the garments hung almost shapeless on the huge frame； white manicured hands reaching out for her。 And as they closed over her throat； stifling the scream before it began； lifting her like an oversize rag doll； a red haze shimmered before her eyes； turning slowly to black。 She did not try to reason as she felt consciousness slipping away from her； just knew that somehow Sabat had bee Royston and that this time there was no escape for her！
Sabat let out a loud sigh of relief when suddenly the key slotted into the lock； turned so easily that it was difficult to believe that there had ever been any obstruction preventing it from doing so in the first place。 He leaned over the seat； scrabbled frantically on the floor behind until his fingers located the small plastic hold…all bag hidden by the rubber mat。 Thank God；' he muttered； 'and pray that there is still time。'
He slammed the door and this time the lock turned smoothly。 Then he was walking fast back up the street； resisting the urge to break into a run for he did not want to attract unwanted attention。 The distance from his Daimler to Miranda's house was further than he had thought and by the time he turned into the short flagged path beyond the flimsy gate his pulses were racing madly。 A feeling that something was wrong but he attributed it to his nerves； his frustration over the untimely delay。
The front door was half open； the light from the hallway casting an orange oblong across the patch of uncut lawn。 Sabat halted。 There was no sign of Miranda； maybe she was in the other room； had opened the door in readiness for his return。
But no！ Oh Jesus Christ； he wasn't going to find her in the house； he knew that even before he stepped over the threshold； didn't bother to call out her name。 Royston had thwarted him； delayed him at the car while he snatched Miranda a way！
Sabat was trembling； hopelessness flooding over him as he checked every room just to confirm his worst fears。 No signs of a struggle； but there wouldn't be； for a powerful black magician such as Royston did not have to resort to dragging a screaming woman from her house。 He had gained access by some trick and vanished as pletely as though he had taken to the wing。
Sabat leaned up against a doorpost； knew he had to bring himself under control。 Blind rage came and went； he did not even profane； just accepted the situation； knew that somehow he had to do something about it。 But how？
And then； suddenly； he smelled the evil； just a faint whiff that was gone almost immediately。 Evil he had smelled and recognised many times in a variety of odours but this one was so familiar； so recent； that he had no trouble in placing it … the stench of putrefaction that had nauseated his astral body only a few hours previously。 He clenched his fists； bit on his lower lip until he tasted blood； tried to tell himself that he was wrong but in the end he knew that he was only lying to himself。
For he had smelled again that vile underground crypt and the stink of a beast of filth； could almost hear it pawing with its cloven hooves and snorting its lust for the helpless human sacrifice。 And now there was no doubt； whatsoever； concerning the identity of that sacrificial victim which