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He felt the blow on the back of his skull a split second before the gun bucked and spat flame in his hand； a searing flash like lightning in the darkness of a thunderstorm。 He heard the bullet whine； an angry lead hornet that met with some solid object and splintered it。
Then Sabat was slipping into that now familiar bottomless chasm。 Floating； not trying to fight； the pain in his head receding until he felt nothing。 Sublime oblivion。 * * * 101
Sabat was vaguely aware of dragging himself out of that terrible void； clawing at the brink； threatening to slip back。 For some inexplicable reason he fought； heard Quentin's leering tones； but the words were indecipherable amidst a medley of strange noises。 God； he'd been ill again。 Pneumonia。 He'd wake up in that hospital ward； a helpless victim of white…coated men who did inexplicable things to you without your consent。 Torture。
Then a sharp pain in his ribs； a blow which squeezed the breath from his body and had him gasping back to consciousness。
'You stupid bastard； Sabat！' Madeleine was standing over him； her foot drawn back in another threatening kick。 'You can't be trusted and I'll see you don't get the chance to try and cheat us again！'
He winced； saw that she held his own revolver in her right hand； its snub barrel trained on his head； her forefinger lightly curled around the trigger。 He stared； knew that his lips moved in a mute apology； excuses that he could not voice。 Cringing。 Quentin in mand again！
'But you failed；' her full red lips curled in a sneer。 'Another split second and you would have blown Daunay's head off except that I hit you with the chair first。 Now you'll do as you're told otherwise the next bullet will be in your skull。 Now hurry； the oven is hot。 Get him into it！'
Pieter Daunay still lived； still a mindless chuckling imbecile who no longer tried to cover his lower regions with his hands。 Oh Merciful God； Sabat's attempted euthanasia had failed！
Sabat was helpless to do anything other than obey。 He crawled； lifted himself up on to his feet； his whole body crying out for rest and sleep。 Grasping that naked malformed body； cursing because it started to struggle again； but somehow pulling it across to the oven。
You could feel the heat even with the big iron door closed； a blast furnace that dried your flesh； made you hurry to get your task over and done with so that you could retreat to a cooler place。 Sabat grabbed Daunay's hair； heard the screech of pain as he dragged him up to a sitting position。
The door was open； a black cubicle that was surely the entrance to hell itself； scorching his eyes closed。 He lifted the naked dead weight with some reserve of superhuman strength spring boarded by desperation。 One last effort； throwing the Frenchman into that gaping cubicle； kicking at protruding limbs； using the door to push the screaming form back。 Sabat almost passed out； heard the final clang； screams that came from the victim's very soul。 Staggering back； collapsing； crying out as another kick drove into his unprotected ribs。
He groped for unconsciousness； but it eluded him。 He wanted to shut his eyes； but they refused to close。 Muffled cries of agony as the heat inside that monstrous replica of hell began to cook the living flesh。 He could smell it； nauseating； making him retch。
Madeleine was standing in front of him。 She still had the gun but she knew she wouldn't have to use it； or even threaten with it。 Sabat had rebelled but he was well and truly beaten now。 Grovelling。 A smile that held contempt for the man she had plucked off the Jungfrau mountain to be her slave； to help her resurrect her age…old lover。
'You are sweating with the heat； Sabat；' her tones were soft and lilting。 Take off your clothes。 You will be cooler then。'
Sabat stiffened； his shaking fingers already starting to obey； his shirt following his jacket on to the floor in an untidy heap； unfastening his belt； aware of a growing pleasant sensation in the lower regions of his body。 Madeleine noticed it also； and her smile broadened。
'Two whole days together；' she laughed； 'just you and me； Sabat。 We have everything we need； each other。 And the dinner will be some time yet。 Let us make love and then when we are well satisfied we will eat our fill！ Let us forget Andre and the rabble from the mune。 I think they have already served their purpose； for they will be as nothing when my beloved awakens from his long sleep！'
Sabat managed to close his eyes； felt her soft warm breath on his face and her fingers beginning to caress him。 Suddenly he didn't give a damn for Pieter Daunay； whose screams of agony were growing fainter inside the oven。
Madeleine had manded and he would obey her to the bitter end。
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
SABAT WAS lying on the floor； spent and sweating。 It was abominably hot inside the small chapel and he wondered if he had fallen asleep。 But no…Madeleine had swept him along on a dizzy wave of passion and he had obeyed like a robot again； scrambling on all…fours in his attempts to appease； her husky silky tones issuing orders that could not be disobeyed。
'Kiss me here； Sabat！'
He had kissed her there。
'Rub me here； ever so gently！'
His fingers had smoothed over the soft warm flesh where she had indicated； so delicately。 Murmurs of approval and pleasure came from her lips。
And so it had gone on； his own arousement a throbbing ache。 She had kept him waiting until the very end and only then had she gone to him。 Her lips were supple； her teeth sharp as they scraped his rigid flesh。 His circumcision scar seemed to burn him； a mocking reminder of another sacrifice he had once made and which had since proved to be useless。 Sabat； caster…out of devils； was himself possessed and more than willing to participate in the ing abomination。
He exploded； writhed； beat the stone floor with his fists。 It was as though this witch was sucking his very soul from him； swallowing it and claiming it for her own。
Limp and spent he looked up at her； watched her licking her lips； smiling。 She had dominated him utterly； made him her slave in this as she did in everything else。 Her lithe form came off him； slid gracefully back on to the nearby chair。
Sabat's nostrils wrinkled。 That only too familiar acrid stench was filling the room again； cooking human flesh。 It was burning slightly； probably where the body touched the sides of the oven。 It should have been nauseating； making him want to rush outside and vomit。 It didn't。 Because he was Quentin again； a hardened cannibal。 In fact the smell was appetising。
'I'm starving；' Madeleine announced。 'In fact I haven't eaten since the last time we cooked here。 Go check the meat； Sabat。'
He got up； crossed to the oven； picked up a long skewer which lay on the shelf nearby。 Smoke billowed out as he opened the door； making him cough； and his eyes smarted so at first he was unable to see what lay within。 Then he saw it； a rounded thing that might have been an untrussed goose or turkey； brown fat running from it in thick rivulets and sizzling on the floor of the oven； a couple of blackened limbs。 He poked them with the skewer； bent them away from the sides； then plunged the sharp instrument deep into the flesh。 It went in easily for a couple of inches before grating on a bone。
'Almost；' he turned back to Madeleine； smiling。 'Another ten minutes or so at a guess。'
'Good。' She fixed him with a penetrating stare。 'Don't let it overdo。 Sabat； why did you try to betray us？'
His gaze dropped to the floor and he shifted his bare feet awkwardly。 'I don't know。。。 really； I don't。 But it won't happen again。'
'I'll tell you why；' she smiled unexpectedly。 'Because the old Sabat was not truly dead。 I think he is now； though。 Quentin has been reborn at last！'
The other nodded。 'You're right。 All the time I was going to kill this man but Pieter Daunay was no easy prey。 In the end it just became too d