"Goulart, Ron - Vampirella 01 - Bloodstalk" - читать интересную книгу автора (Goulart Ron)

"Good evening, Lenore." Vampirella stood up and faced the nurse.
"Did Tyler bring you here?" Lenore, face pale, fingers rubbing at the golden medallion, came across the room.
"I invited myself."
"What were you two doing?"
"No idea what Tyler's been up to," answered Vampirella. "As for myself, I've been looking for something. Since I've found it, I'll be -"
"What's that in your hand? You've taken something of Tyler's!"
"Something of mine, really." Vampirella folded the page in half.
"You're not to remove anything from his room!" Making an angry sound, Lenore threw herself at Vampirella.
Vampirella sidestepped. The nurse hit against the heavy desk and stumbled.
"You little bitch!" Lenore caught hold of Vampirella's hair and yanked.
Vampirella lost her balance, but managed to strike out at the nurse as she fell.
Lenore took up a heavy stone paperweight from the desk and swung on Vampirella.
It struck the raven-haired girl in the temple.
Then Lenore was on her, reaching for her throat. Her strong fingers tightened around Vampirella's neck.
"No, don't." A rough, chesty voice had spoken. Someone else had come into the room.
Vampirella kicked and tried to get Lenore off her, to break her hold.
The fingers kept tightening, choking her.
Behind Lenore Vampirella glimpsed someone. It was the faceless man.
CHAPTER SIX
The chanting filled the place. It bounced off the jagged stone walls of the cavern and echoed down the shadowy tunnels.
"We are the Companions of Chaos! We serve the Seven who serve the Master!"
Black, sooty smoke drifted across the high rock ceiling of the underground cave, spiraling up from the burning torches thrust in black iron brackets in the stone walls.
"We are the Companions of Chaos! We serve the Seven who serve the Master!"
Vampirella lay on her back, arms and legs spread wide, chained to a stone altar. She had passed out up in Dr. Westron's study and awakened here.
"We are the Companions of Chaos! We serve the Seven who serve the Master!"
Robed and cowled figures ringed the stone room, faces hidden by the shadows cast by their dark hoods. Twenty or more of them, chanting, repeating the words again and again.
"We are the Companions of Chaos! We serve the Seven who serve the Master!"
Each wore a gold medallion on a chain around his neck. And drawn huge on one of the walls of the cave was that same horned head and severed circle which was inscribed on each medallion. Painted in scarlet.
"We are the Companions of Chaos! We serve the Seven who serve the Master!"
Though much of her strength had returned, Vampirella could not burst the chains which held her to the stone altar.
"We are the Companions of Chaos! We serve the Seven who serve the Master!"
Someone else was chained nearby, linked to a heavy metal ring fixed to the stone floor. A huddled figure, large. The faceless man, the shaggy creature Vampirella had seen twice now. He crouched near the foot of the altar, weighted down with chains.
"We are the Companions of Chaos! We serve the Seven who serve the Master!"
A robed figure approached the altar, carrying The Crimson Chronicles. The chanting abruptly stopped.
"It is the time of sacrifice!" Lenore announced. "It is time for the Ceremony of the Second Soul!"
A few seconds of silence, then the others shouted, "Nuberus, second servant of Chaos, keeper of souls, come forth from the Nethervoid!"
A brazier was lit in front of the sacrificial altar. Incense began to splutter and burn.
"Nuberus, second servant of Chaos, keeper of souls, come forth from the Nethervoid!"
"No," croaked the shaggy man, "you can't do this!"
After placing the ancient book upon the altar, Lenore took a long-bladed knife from within the folds of her robe. Its handle was gold, encrusted with gems. "The bargain must be sealed!" said the blonde girl, face flushed, nostrils flaring. "The exchange must be made complete!"
"Nuberus, second servant of Chaos, keeper of souls, come forth from the Nethervoid!"
Chained as she was, Vampirella could not transform herself, could not change her shape. But she had other powers, powers she felt she was again ready to use. "Look at me, Lenore!"
"Oh, mighty Nuberus, prepare to receive the Second Soul!" Lenore raised the knife, grasped in both hands, high above her.
"Look at me!" Vampirella's eyes were glowing. She caught the eyes of the blonde and held her gaze. "Look at me, and listen. I control your mind. You must do what I -"
"No!" Lenore strained, breathing hard. She tore her gaze from Vampirella's hypnotic eyes. "You shall be sacrificed! Your soul must be given to Nuberus!" The knife began to descend.
"Nuberus, second servant of Chaos, keeper of souls, come forth from the Nethervoid!"
A hand caught Lenore's wrist when the blade was but inches from Vampirella's heart.
"How dare you defy me?" Lenore cried.
"This girl must not die," said Tyler Westron. Robed and hooded, he had come up to the altar to halt the sacrifice. "If I hadn't been delayed upstairs you'd -"
"Nuberus must have a second soul. You know that." The blonde girl's hood fell back as she struggled to break Westron's hold, to plunge the knife into Vampirella's flesh.