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Then for a while the Necroscope had disappeared from Malinari's mental
register, but now he was back. Indeed his return, just a few moments ago, had felt like
some kind of energy surge in the psychosphere. And now, despite that he had shielded
himself, his shields were so strong they betrayed him in their own right. He was in the
core, guarding the Gate itself while waiting to take back his woman. And that was
exactly where Malinari wanted him.
Vavara had demanded to know why she should be burdened with Liz, and
Malinari's excuse for letting her do the work was very simple... and simply a lie: he
needed to have his hands free in order to handle the Necroscope. The real reason,
however, while it certainly had to do with Jake Cutter, was in fact very different: Lord
Malinari knew that whoever was in charge of Liz was liable to deadly attack from the
moment he or she stepped from the shaft into the core. Then, indeed, Malinari
would need a free hand.
For the girl meant nothing, neither the girl nor Trask, but the Necroscope was
everything. With powers such as his, Malinari knew he could take back
Starside/Sunside even this parallel Earth in its entirety eventually. But when next he
came he'd be leading a vast vampire army of his own, and no need then for this pair of
grotesque mental midges who had been nothing but a hindrance. No, for between times
he would have seen to them. As for Vavara would-be Mother of a vampire horde he
would see to her right now, if an easy means were to present itself!
And so, having first ensured tha t his 'colleagues' followed close behind, Malinari
stepped out onto the railed walkway that hugged the wall of the core around its
perimeter. But even wearing a pair of disposable cardboard sun-shields that he'd picked
up from a container at the entrance to the shaft, still he must put a hand up against the
glare until his eyes had adjusted.
For there it was, the portal itself shining no less dazzlingly than the natural
Gate on Starside and once across its threshold Malinari knew that he would soon be
home in his vampire world. Ah, but with what wild talents at his command? That
remained to be seen.
Now he held back a little, scanned left and right, not only with eyes narrowed to
slits but also with his mind, and at once detected Millie and the Necroscope. At this
range their psychic signatures were unmistakable. The latter was crouched in a sort of
sentry box or observation post maybe ten paces to the right, while to the left, at three
times that distance, the female was hiding under the tinted glass turret of a heavy-duty
weapon. Or could it be that she was actually manning the thing? Whichever, it was time
that Malinari took charge of Liz.
'Vavara,' he said, letting the witch come up alongside him, and starting off across
the fish-scale steel plates towards the Gate. 'Let me assist you with the girl.'
'I need no such assistance,' she grunted. 'For I have seen through you, oh Lord
of Lies! What? Did you think that you were the only one with powers? I feel them here,
too and more especially him! but then, who could fail to detect him, eh? This is the
third and last stage of their ambush. And this girl will provide a shield against whatever
force of weapons they intend to use against us. So fuck you, Nephran Malinari!'
'Eh? What?' Szwart wheezed, stumbling where he followed. He now used one
'hand' to hold Trask, and the other to protect his eyes from the glare. For even with
Trask's sunglasses, still he could feel the light on him, revealing every hideous contour.
'The bitch Vavara would ruin our plans for her own safety!' cried Malinari. 'And
that is something we can't allow!'
Turning on Vavara, he crouched down a little and, rising up, drove the heel of a
hammer hand up under her chin. Every single ounce of Malinari's prodigious vampire
strength not to mention his pent hatred of the hag was behind that blow. And as she
cried out, flailed her arms, and toppled backwards, Malinari caught up Liz.
Vavara spat blood and shattered scythe-like teeth where she sprawled, and Lord
Szwart stumbled this way and that, wheezing, 'Eh? What? Nephran, what are you
doing?'
Malinari made no answer but instead began to drag Liz who was suddenly wide
awake and struggling, however weakly across the fish-scale steel plates towards the
Gate. If the Necroscope was after all a great coward and failed to attempt a rescue, at
least Malinari would not be leaving this world empty-handed.
But meanwhile Trask had recognised Szwart's difficulty. And risking his life
which probably wasn't worth anything anyway he half-turned and reached up a hand
to wrench the sunglasses from the monster's face.
Twin jets of goo spurted from the holes in that nightmarish countenance, and
Szwart let out a whistling cry like steam from a kettle. He shrank down into himself and
slapped both hands to his face, covering his streaming eyes, which left Trask free to
make a flying tackle on Malinari. And sliding on his belly over the plates, he grabbed at
that one's ankles.
Hampered by Liz's struggling, and tripping where Trask held him, Malinari cursed
and managed a fumbling back-heel kick. His heel glanced off the side of Trask's head,
sending him tumbling sideways. Which was fortunate for him; for Vavara was up on her
feet again, hissing like a snake where she advanced on Malinari with spider-like hands
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