nts。
'Of course；' Schmid laughed harshly； 'she has stayed with us before； haven't you Madeleine； my dear？'
'Certainly I have；' dark eyes fixed on Sabat； mocking him。
'Then you lied to me； misled me！' Sabat hissed angrily； gripping the edge of the table。 'That story about the convent at Aix…en…Provence was a lie。'
'No； it wasn't；' she laughed。 'That was true； just as my father is the richest vineyard owner in France。 But I didn't leave the convent because I wanted to I ran because they hounded me out； put the Surete on my trail。 I'm surprised you haven't heard of me； Sabat； the man who destroyed the vampire organisation that was sucking the life's blood out of France。 Madeleine Gaufridi alias 。。。 Madeleine de De…mandolx de la Palud？
'My God！' Sabat stiffened； felt the shock of this sudden awful revelation strike him like a hammer blow； his pulses racing。 Madeleine de Demandolx de la Palud； a victim of demonic possession in Aix…en…Provence in 1609。 She had fallen under the evil influence of Father Louis Gaufridi。 Under interrogation the girl had admitted sexual relationships with the priest and revealed that several other girls were also involved； including one Sister Louise Capeau。 Satan's nest indeed and the evil had not died when Father Gaufridi was submitted to the strappado； an instrument of torture whereby the victim was hoisted to the ceiling by means of a pulley with lead weights tied to his feet。 Gaufridi's body had crashed to the floor； almost every bone broken； his limbs pulled from their sockets。 Then； screaming with agony； he had been taken to a place of execution when he was hanged and afterwards his corpse was incinerated on a huge fire。 That had happened on the night of 30 April 1611。 Walpurgisnacht！ And Satan had claimed his own； the evil had not died。 Now it was reborn in the form of this girl Madeleine who arrogantly took the name of her lecherous lover as an alias。
Sabat's mouth was dry； he felt the urge to vomit。 Under normal circumstances he would probably have detected the deception in time。 But his brain had been dulled and Quentin had aided his Master。
'You obviously do know who I am；' Madeleine laughed。 'Yes； that same convent at Aix…en…Provence is once again in the grip of the Left Hand Path。 My work there is done and the fact that I had to flee to escape arrest is of no consequence because I have sown the seeds of iniquity。 And my thanks to you； Sabat； for helping me on the final stage of my journey here when surely the police would have arrested me。 But that is not the only reason that you were brought here！'
Sabat's hand slid towards the ？38 in his concealed shoulder holster； felt the forting hardness of the serrated butt
'Don't be foolish； Sabat！' Schmid was smiling again； an expression that had Sabat's hand checking； sensing a futility； a hopelessness。 'Your gun will do you no good。 The police have already launched a massive hunt for the murderer of one of their detectives whose body was discovered near Interlaken this morning。 You would be well advised to listen to the proposition which we are about to make to you。 You may yet live and grow rich and powerful within this munity。'
'And who the hell are you？' Sabat whispered。
'Perhaps Madeleine can explain that；' Andre Schmid leered； 'Madeleine Gaufridi as she now calls herself。 Madeleine de Demandolx de la Palud； the lover of Louis Nevillon who was indeed Silvain Nevillon reborn and who will rise again from the dead！'
Sabat's vision seemed to swim。 His hand fell away from the hidden shoulder holster； clutched at the table for support。 His breathing had gone very shallow and his heart was pounding。 He glanced at Madeleine； had to force himself to meet her gaze； dark eyes that burned into his own； a willpower that was suddenly stronger than his。
*We haven't yet settled the debate regarding the meat which we have just eaten' she was mocking him maliciously now。 'As you are apparently unable to identify it； Sabat； then let me tell you。 Tonight we have dined sumptuously on human meat； the tender flesh of a young child who only three days ago was tragically killed in a road accident！'
Sabat's dizziness came back； a wave of nausea that blurred his vision with a darkening scarlet haze。 He felt his stomach heave； bile scorching his throat。 He fought to hold on to consciousness； was once again reminded of the illness which had ravaged him and how Quentin had bee a conqueror of his soul during that time。
'We eat human flesh frequently；' Madeleine's voice was suave； knowing that she had him at a disadvantage。 'Have you not e across the Cochon Gris in your travels； Sabat？ Undoubtedly you have； and for your information their rites and their magic are not confined solely to the West Indies。 It has spread across the world； their beliefs kept alive by small bands of followers like ourselves。 Our power was growing and then our Grand Master； who is second only to Satan himself； was snatched from us by ignorant fools who thought they could destroy him。 A setback； but only a temporary one； for he is ready to live again。 That is why we need you； Quentin Sabat！'
Sabat nodded dumbly； swallowed and felt his throat burning。 God； he'd never get the taste of that vile carrion out of his mouth！ He was trembling violently； sweating。 He wanted to yell； 'you fucking dirty bastards； you're not getting Sabat to work for you'。
But he wasn't Mark Sabat。 He was Quentin！ He had eaten the flesh of his own kind； he was a cannibal； one of them！
'All right；' his voice was a croak when he finally managed to speak。 Tell me what you want me to do。'
CHAPTER SIX
'I KNEW you would help us； Sabat；' Andre Schmid rested his elbows on the table。 'We have followed your progress across France and into Switzerland with great interest； awaiting our opportunity。 Your habitual weakness for a pretty woman was your undoing and with Madeleine fleeing from Aix…en…Provence it was an opportunity to bring you both safely here。 You are now a hunted murderer and if you were caught by the police then undoubtedly the guillotine would be your fate。 But if you cooperate with us； then we shall see that that does not happen to you。'
Sabat sighed audibly。 Inwardly he was protesting but his resilience had weakened beyond the point of no return。 He licked his lips； nodded dumbly。
'As you may have read in the newspapers；' Schmid pouted his lips； reminded Sabat of a drawing of a pig dressed in human clothes which he had once seen； a ruthless animal dictator that thrived on cruelty to others； 'the beheaded corpse of our loved one； Louis Nevillon； disappeared from the execution chamber in Paris。 The French authorities refused to ment publicly because they had no answer。 Only we know。 I will not bore you with the details； but suffice it to say that a bination of our power and some warders who were susceptible to handsome bribes was enough to get the body out of the prison。 Yet without Nevillon even we are limited in what we are able to bring about。 Nevertheless； he must be given life again and the only way that that can be achieved is for his revered flesh to be eaten by his devoted ones； so that he may live on in their flesh？
Sabat almost threw up； tasted that flavour again in his mouth which even the spices could not mask。
'We know where the body is hidden；' Andre Schmid's voice rose； reminded Sabat of the fanaticism of an ex…SAS colonel who had once addressed gatherings of mindless teenage thugs。 'It must be transported secretly and safely from that place to another that is right for our purpose。 We have less than a week left； for Walpurgisnacht is approaching and on that night the powers will be with us； just as they were when they snatched the soul of Father Gaufridi at the moment of his execution and enabled him to live on。 They gave us Madeleine de Demandolx de la Palud； just as they will give us Louis Nevillon； who was once the great Silvain Nevillon。 You； Sabat； will transport the remains of our Grand Master to that place in pany with she whom you know as Madelein