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'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 the centre of the circle。
'Sabat！' the voice was a hiss； like an angry cobra that has finally broken through to corner its prey。 'You are under arrest。 I must ask you to acpany me to the police station。'
Sabat's expression was one of mingled surprise and suspicion。 Something was wrong； this was no ordinary police procedure； more like an amateur actor reciting badly…learned lines。 'No；' he replied； 'I will not leave this pentagram for you or anybody else。 You can either stay and watch or else go away。'
The other advanced a few steps； halted。 Indecision。
'If you want me； e and get me！'
'You are under arrest for murder！'
'Whose？'
'A woman you killed a short time ago。'
'You have the body to prove it？ You can't charge me with murder without a corpse。'
The officer's swarthy face clouded。 He took another step forward； reeled back as though he had hit some invisible barrier and let out a cry of pain。
'You see；' Sabat laughed； 'you cannot reach me。 Furthermore； you are no policeman。 Certainly no mortal^
The light dimmed； a sudden rush of darkness and an icy coldness as though a gust of wind had swept directly in from the Arctic。 Sabat felt its force tearing at him； a miniature cyclone threatening to send him spinning across the room。 He clutched at Sheenah； felt her beginning to struggle again； twisting and trying to bite the arms which encircled her。 One of the chalices rocked； spilled some of the holy water； but miraculously it did not topple over。 Then； as suddenly as it had begun； the wind died down and the light came back to full strength。
Sabat's vision swam； he had to adjust his eyesight back to the blinding glare； thought for one moment that what he saw was an hallucination。 The policeman was gone and in his place stood a tall robed figure； barefoot； a Bronze Age Irish gold gorget around his neck。 On his head he wore a thick fur cap； the features beneath skeletal in appearance； the skin stretched across the forehead and cheekbones； translucent and torn in places。 Awesome indeed but most terrible of all was the expression of sheer malevolence which was centred on Sabat。
'Alda！' Sheenah screeched。 'My father； you have e to save me。'
'Shyaena； my beloved daughter；' rich whispered tones answered her。 'This man who holds you has destroyed my dearest Alena in whose womb you were conceived。 And for that he must pay the supreme penalty … death in this world； his soul condemned to wander forever in purgatory in the land beyond the shadows。'
And then Sabat laughed； a hollow sound that echoed in the confined space of the bare room。 Across the pentagram the two men stared hatefully at each other； one from the world of mortals； the other from the land of the old gods； a confrontation separated by an impenetrable barrier。
'You cannot harm me； Alda；' Sabat snarled； 'for my magic is more powerful than yours。 You are powerless； as is the one you call Shyaena whom I know as Sheenah。 Purgatory will be yours； for you must stand and witness her fate！'
Alda lapsed into silence； and in his sunken eyes there was a faint glimmer of fear。 He stepped back a pace as though he feared lest that psychic force that lived within the pentagram might strike him again。 Sheer terror； the awful realisation that in no way could he influence whatever Sabat had in mind。
Sabat turned back to Sheenah； read the same fear mirrored in her eyes that he'd seen in Alda's。 The dark forces had sought to destroy him but now the tables were turned。 Alda； the cruel Arch…Druid； slayer of a thousand victims on his turf altar； high…priest of the Lupercal Cave； was being forced to watch his own daughter's fate； a reincarnation in the flesh about to experience the agonies of a mere mortal。
'I ought to kill you； Sheenah；' Sabat hissed； 'but I want you to live on and remember this night； not just in this life but in all your lives hereafter。 You will never forget Sabat； that I promise you！'
A mere token resistance at first from the girl as he pushed her flat on the floor； pulled her legs apart。 Fierce and yet gentle； his fingers smoothed over her flesh； caressed the pink nipples so that they stood up firm and straight； stroked her softness until it became damp with desire； her breathing faster； her cheeks flushed in anticipation of bodily pleasures。 Her head was turned aside； her eyes meeting with Alda's； asking his forgiveness for now she did not want to be saved from this man。
Sabat grunted his satisfaction as the full weight of his body pressed down on hers； his lips seeking and finding her warm moist ones； his tongue thrusting； simulating the union of their lower regions。 Her arms came up and around him； pulling him close to her； her legs entwining around his body； clamping him to her； her rhythm matching his own。
Sabat glanced once in the direction of Alda。 The old druid seemed to have wilted； pathetic in his resignation to this uni