Free The Lonely Shadows: Tales of Horror and the Cthulhu Mythos by John Glasby Page A

to carry the Black Mass through to its completion tonight.”
    The other ran his fingers worriedly through his mop of brown hair. “What the devil do you mean?” he asked thinly, speaking half to himself.
    “He intends to raise the Devil himself.”
    “But that’s— It’s ridiculous.”
    “Is it? I can assure you there’s no trickery about this.” He took hold of the other’s arm in a tight grasp. “Whether you believe it or not, I’m getting you out of here. Come on—and try not to make it too obvious that we’re leaving.”
    They walked slowly towards the door, eyes wary, watchful. The Creole servant eyed them curiously as they approached, but said nothing and made no move to bar the way.
    “I’m afraid we’ll have to leave sooner than we expected,” said Kennett, forcing calmness into his voice. Whether the other understood what he said, he wasn’t quite sure. “Would you bring my hat and overcoat?”
    The Creole turned away. There was an expression of grim, sardonic amusement at the back of his dark eyes that sent a convulsive shudder racing over Kennett’s limbs. Something was wrong! He was positive about that. Surely they couldn’t just walk out like this. It was almost as if—
    “Oh, but you’re not leaving so soon.” The oily voice sounded at his elbow. He whirled. Kestro stood a couple of feet away. There was a smile spread over his grotesque face, but the leaping devil was there in his eyes.
    They regarded Kennett steadily, unblinking, like twin slivers of molten silver, shining faintly in the shadow of his face.
    “Why the party has only just begun. You don’t want to miss the most interesting part, surely?” A deep, chuckling gasp of sheer, unadulterated evil rippled and heaved his great, flabby bulk. His blue lips, almost engulfed in flesh, twisted into a sly grin.
    His right arm reached out towards Kennett, found his sleeve and clung to it. There didn’t seem to me much strength in the thick fingers, but the other could scarcely repress a shudder of revulsion as they touched him.
    “I’m afraid I can’t allow you to go without first witnessing my little—surprise—I usually keep in store for my guests.”
    “Don’t be a fool, Kestro! Do you think I’m so blind that I can’t see what you’re up to? I warned Fisher what would happen to him if he came here. But he wouldn’t listen. That’s why I accompanied him, as you’ve probably already realised.”
    “True. You’re a very clever man, Mr. Kennett, but a very foolish one. You realise that by coming here, you’ve delivered both yourself and your friend into my hands entirely.” He clapped his hands together sharply. “Now we have two victims for the sacrifice to the Great Master. Two not one.” His high laugh sent madness blazing like a flame through Kennett’s mind, searing away all the emotion and the sanity. He couldn’t think, his brain refused to function. “Now you will both have to stay and see it through. Right to the very end.”
    “What the devil—” Kennett lunged forward. Arms grasped him tightly about the elbows, before he had taken a couple steps, holding him back. Madly, he struggled to free himself. God! Once these things got them into that accursed temple of theirs—
    “You can’t escape,” purred Kestro in a low voice that was almost lost in the bloated throat. “Every door is watched. Just try to remember that and give us as little trouble as possible.” His flabby face creased in a broad grin. “It won’t be long now. Already, the final preparations are being completed. Bring them into the temple.”
    Something caught Kennett a wicked blow on the arm and guttural voice from behind him muttered an unintelligible command. Almost instinctively, he stifled the gasp of pain that rose unbidden to his lips, and stumbled forward.
    Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Fisher was receiving the same treatment. His mind was spinning like an unloaded engine, throwing up plan after unusable plan.