same night； going from one to the next unstintingly； and carrying on all through the following day。 Ah！ He'd been a satyr in those days。
And now。。。 now he was just an old Thing in the ground。 For the moment。 For a few more years。 But he could still dream； couldn't he？ He could still remember how it had been。 Indeed； perhaps he could do more than just remember。。。
The mucus matter of his probe underwent another metamorphosis。 The snake jaws； fangs and tongue melted back into the body of the tentacle； whose tip flattened and spread out； being bluntly spatulate。 The flat paddle split into five stubby grey…green worms…a rudimentary thumb and four fingers…and the central digit grew a small eye of its own which fixed itself in moist fascination upon the rise and fall of the unconscious woman's breast。 Thibor flexed his 〃hand〃； made it sensitive； thickened and elongated the stalk which was its 〃arm〃。
With the tiny glistening eye to guide it； the trembling gelatinous hand found its way inside the woman's jacket； under layers of clothing to her flesh。 She was still warm but the sensitive hand could feel the heat gradually leaking out of her。 Her breasts were soft； large…nippled； more than amply proportioned。 When Thibor had been alive as opposed to undead； they had been the sort of breasts he enjoyed。 His hand fondled then； growing rough in its teasing。 She moaned a little and stirred the merest fraction of an inch。
Beneath the old Thing's hand； her heart was beating more strongly now； perhaps stimulated by his touch。 A strong beat； yes； but desperate； panicked。 She knew she should not be lying here； doing nothing； and strove to rise up from her faint。 But her body was not answering her needs； her limbs were cooling； when her blood also began to cool； then shock would kill her。
Now the Thibor…creature also panicked a little。 She must not be allowed to die here！ In his mind he saw again the searchers finding the bodies of the man and woman； saw them peering narrow…eyed at his crumbling tomb； their knowing glances。 Then he saw them digging； saw their pointed hardwood stakes； their chains of silver； their bright axes。 He saw the very hillside blazing up in a bonfire of felled trees； and for a single agonising instant felt his alien flesh melting； liquefying into fat and foul ichor where it boiled in the putrid earth。
No； she must not be allowed to die here。 He must bring her back to consciousness。 But first。。。
His hand left her breasts； began to crawl lustfully down across her belly…and froze！
Lying here through all the centuries； the Thibor…creature's senses； his awareness； had not been dulled but had amplified many times over。 Deprived of all else； he had developed a super…sensitivity。 In the many spring…times he had felt the green shoots rising； listened to birds mating in distant trees。 He had smelled the warmth of all the summers； had crouched down deep； snarling his hatred of stray beams of sunlight where they penetrated the glade to fall glancingly upon his tomb。 Autumns； and the brown； sere leaves falling against the earth had sometimes sounded like thunder； and when the rain came； streamlets roared like mighty rivers。 And now…Now the tiny； insistent； almost mechanical beat he 〃heard〃 through his hand where it rested on the woman's belly told a story； tapped out a code； one that other creatures could not possibly detect。 It told of new life； of a being unborn； as yet the merest foetus。
The woman was pregnant！
Ahhhh！ said Thibor； if only to himself。 He stiffened his pseudohand and pressed it harder against the woman's flesh。 A child…to…be…pure innocence…a single instant of intense pleasure solidified into a seed； growing here in its dark； warm womb。
Evil instinct took over…part vampire； part human； but all evil。 Night…dark logic replaced lust。 The tentacle elongated more yet and its hand lost substance； it grew smaller and slimmer as it proceeded with renewed purpose； indeed with an entirely new purpose。 Its destination had been the woman's most secret place； the core of her female identity。 Not to harm but simply to know； and to remember。 But now there was a new destination。
Down in the ground； under powdery leaf…mould and hard； cold earth； the vampire's jaws cracked open in a blind； monstrous smile。 He must lie here forever； or until a time when Dragosani should e to free him； but here at last might be an opportunity； a chance to send at least something of himself out into the world。
He entered the woman…carefully； delicately； so that even awake she might not have suspected he was there…and wrapped curling； frond…like fingers about the new life in her womb。 His very touch was a taint as for an instant of time he weighed the tiny thing； that minute blob of almost featureless flesh； and felt the thud of its foetal heart。 And：
Rememberrrr！ said the old Thing in the ground。 Know what you are； what I am。 More than that； know where I am。 And when you are ready； then seek me out。 Remember meeee！
The woman moved； and moaned again； louder this time。 Thibor withdrew from her； made his hand heavier； more solid。 He struck her； a ringing slap across her pale face。 She cried out； shook herself； opened her eyes。 But too late to see the leprous appendage of the vampire as it was sucked down swiftly into the earth。
She cried out again； cast about with frightened eyes in the gloom； saw the still； crumpled shape of her husband。 Galvanised； she drew breath； cried； 〃Oh God！〃 as she flew to him。It took only a moment more to accept the unacceptable truth。
〃No！〃 she cried。 〃Oh； God； no！〃 Horror gave her strength。 She would not faint again； indeed she loathed herself that she'd fainted the first time。 Now she must act； must do。。。 something！ There was nothing she could do； not for him； though for the moment that fact hadn't registered。
She got her arms hooked under his； dragged him a few stumbling paces under the trees； down the slope。 Then she tripped on a root； flew backwards； and her husband's corpse came tumbling after her。 She was brought up short when she collided with the bole of a tree； but not him。 He went sliding； lolling and flopping past her； a loose bundle of arms and legs。 He hit a patch of snow crusted over with ice； and went tobogganing away out of sight； down the hill； shooting into steep shadows。
The crashing of undergrowth came back to her where she got to her feet and gaspingly drew breath。 And it was all useless； her efforts all totally worthless。
As that fact dawned she filled her lungs…filled them to bursting…and stumbling blindly after him down the hill； under the trees； let it all out in a long； piercing scream of mental agony and self…reproach。
The cruciform hills echoed her scream； bouncing it to and fro until it fell to earth and was absorbed。 And down below the old Thing heard it and sighed； and waited for whatever the future would bring。。。
In an office in London； on the top floor of a hotel which was rather more than a hotel； Alec Kyle glanced at his watch。 It was 4。05； and the Keogh apparition wasn't finished yet。 The story it told was fascinating； however morbid； and Kyle guessed it would also be accurate…but how much more of it would there be？ Time must surely be running out。 Now； while the spectral thing which was Keogh paused； and while yet the image of his child host turned on its axis in and through his mid…section； Kyle said； 〃But of course we know what happened to Thibor： Dragosani put an end to him； finally beheaded and destroyed him there under the motionless trees on the cruciform hills。〃
Keogh had noticed him looking at his watch。 You're right； he said； with a spectral nod。 Thibor Ferenczy is dead。 That's how I was able to speak to him； there on those selfsame hills。 I went there along the Mobius route。 But you're also right that time is running down。 So while we have time we must use it。 And I've more to tell you。
Kyle sat back； said nothing； waited。
I said there were other vampires； Keogh continued。 And there may be。 But there are certainly creatures which I call half…vampires。 That is something I'll try to explain later。 I also mentioned a victim： a man who has been taken； used； destroyed by one of these half…vampires。 He was dead when I spoke t