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Father Brindisi walked at the front, alternating between the Lord’s Prayer and the Nineteenth Psale chalice of holy water before hi droplets as they walked

In time, they saw the circle before the, tre upon the altar It was as he had drearitted his teeth hard, and forced himself to repeat Father Brindisi’s words

The Satanists saw the, and apparently expected the at the altar, was clad in a black cloak, his face hidden by a cowl

The others were naked, twisting and spiraling in a strange dance as they chanted Unafraid, they stared at the newco louder and louder

Finn felt his anger rise as he recognized Sara, Gayle, Sa shriveled and scrawny in the cold And there was Darren, leading Lizzie about the circle, ’s collar, as if he could send Lizzie out to crunch into their throats And there… an old hag! It was Susanna froton House And then the couple! John and Sally The nurse he had seen at the hospital… Dorcas Theo Martin, the cop-- and his brother, Eddie! A huge bonfire blazed frora at hi the all the while

Lucian elbowed hi the prayers they spoke But he was counting

Sara, Gayle, Susanna, Brad and Sally, Darren, Eddie, Theo, Sam Tartan, and there… the old asshole who had acted like a lecher at the bar, and his wife Two more They needed two more

One…

Thefroure in a black cloak and cowl, just like those worn by the priest at the altar

She caht, we serve you We offer you flesh, blood, and carnal pleasure We i into our world! And first, we offer up the sacrifice of the flesh!"

Finn fell silent again, horrified as he sao of them break away fro tied on the ground As the newcorabbed up a knife at the end of the altar, and walked toward Morwenna

"No!" Finn roared

"Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God!" Mike Smith breathed in terror at Finn’s side

As the newcorasped the Morwenna’s head, dragging it up so that the newco back her coith pride

It was Aunt Martha Attractive old Aunt Martha, who had claimed that she didn’t believe in evil, then pretended that she had to ad to help…

The pride and gloating on her face were incredible

Fro in the night It was horror, protest, revulsion, fear… and fury

"No!"

Martha laughed

Father Brindisi was reading fro God to cast out evil de froed in a loud, clear voice "Fools! You think you have power! Vampires, you are but the refuse of the earth! Bac-Dal, your moment has come! You have entered the servant of your vessel, Finn, the descendant of the hter so chilling that Finn felt goose pimples rise on his flesh "Finn, He is in you, and you will come forward!"

A rush of fire filled him, just as if he had really been lit on fire He could hear nothing then, only a chanting like a round Swirled from his own feet Someone touched his arm, and he shook off the hideous restraint with the power that surged through hi the power of the earth to hold him He knocked her aside Father Brindisi raised a cross above his head, gibbering away in the na off his coat, freeing hi hi hi upon hi upon the earth where he had stepped Blood thundered and raged through hi he had known before

And a surge of desire…

To kill

Take the knife, rip open the woman’s throat Drink her blood, bathe in it, and then…

The prize on the altar would be his, in a new life, one of raw carnal pleasure and sheer power The world would fall to his feet

"Coreat Bac-Dal! Take the blade, and ill share in this woman’s blood, and when it is done, the mortal coil will be yours, and youth will be mine, as my soul, ever ready to serve your least desire, shall root within the youth and beauty upon your divine altar!"

Yes!

Bac-Dal ithin hiers itched to caress the knife, to rip into flesh, to drink the blood of life

He reat pleasure

He reached the priestess, the crone, an old woht to serve him, planned, for years… she would take on the beauty of youth, the vigor, the passion, and together…

His fingers closed around the knife

He was Bac-Dal!

Morwenna was shrieking for her life, fighting the hands that held her Megan strained wildly against the ropes that bound her, shouting, screa until she was hoarse She could hear the priest, his words growing more desperate, and she could hear the others, their voices rising in the spells of nature and the earth…