Husband and wife turned around and walked out of the clinic.

Tony stood with his mouth open. He seemed unable to speak.

"Their parental concern was quite touching," Javotte said. "Don't you agree, Tony?"

A nurse walked swiftly up to Tony. "Doctor? You've got to see this. I saw it, but I'm not believing it."

They all followed the nurse to Walt Davis's room. The four of them stood in open-mouthed shock at the sight before them.

Walt Davis was naked, on the floor, on his hands and knees, lapping at a bowl of water. He looked up at the quartet.

He purred in contentment.

Mary Claverie looked up as she heard the back door opening. She lifted the .38 pistol.

"I know you got a gun," a guttural-sounding male voice came to her. "But don't shoot. If you're who I think you are, we can deal."

Mary c.o.c.ked the big .38. The clicking was very audible in the small and silent house. Mary had not turned on the air-conditioning, and it was very hot.

"Little Mary," the voice said. "Has to be Little Mary Claviere. It's Jackson Dorgenois, Mary."

Mary lowered the .38 and smiled. "The voice told me you'd be here."

Jackson stepped around the corner. He grinned at Mary. She knew that grin. She loved that grin for what it was. Evil.

"You're still a handsome man, Jackson."

"Didn't do me much good in that nut house, Mary. d.a.m.n, why don't you turn on the air? It's hot in here."

"The owner might come back."

"We can deal with him." Jackson leaned close to Mary and whispered in her ear, his big hands roaming her body, squeezing her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, pinching the nipples. She moaned and moved against him.

"That's a good idea, Jackson. I've been waiting for you for so long."

She wriggled around and hiked up her nurse's uniform and the two mated in the chair, in the den of the hot house.

Xaviere Flaubert said, "It's slowed some, Janet. But events are still moving much too fast to suit me."

"They got restless," the girl said.

"The people?" the Princess of Darkness asked.

"Yes, Princess."

"I don't think that's it entirely. I think Evil sensed that Good was near and is challenging Sam Balon to make a move."

"Then let us hope he does that soon."

"He won't. Not Sam Balon. He's going to play right by the rules. Sanctimonious son of a b.i.t.c.h!" she cursed her father.

Janet remained silent. The Princess was growing very angry, and when the Princess of Satan grew angry, matters tended to become very nasty, very quickly. Janet knew that the Princess was still a virgin, saving herself to breed with Sam Balon, to produce a pure evil child, a boy-child to rule on earth. It would be wonderful if that were possible ... but Janet doubted it would ever happen.

She pushed those thoughts from her mind before the Princess could read them.

A knock sounded on the heavy oak door leading to the darkened chambers of the Princess.

"Come!" Xaviere said.

A man shuffled into the darkened room, moving with zombielike steps. Jimmy Perkins was one of the survivors from Whitfield, back in '58. He had been serving the Master ever since. First as the servant of Roma, and then Roma's daughter, Xaviere.

Jimmy was not looking forward to once more meeting Sam Balon.

"What is it, Jimmy?"

"Blood." Jimmy spoke in his heavy voice.

"You may leave the grounds tonight, Jimmy," Xaviere told him. She shook her head in anger. It was very nearly time. For Jimmy only craved hot human blood when the Master was approaching. He had not requested blood for well over a year.

"We're moving too quickly, Jimmy," Xaviere said.

"I cannot help it, Mistress. I know only that a strange new force has entered our perimeter, speeding up our inner clocks."

"Sam Balon?"

"No, Mistress. Someone much stronger and much more powerful than he."

"Good or Evil, Jimmy?"

"I cannot tell, Mistress. But the Beasts are awake and stirring."

Xaviere suppressed a groan. She had heard that the Dorgenois male who practiced black magic had escaped from his prison. But she doubted that was what Jimmy and the Beasts were feeling. But ... she couldn't be sure. Bonnie Rogers was very strong and very faithful to the Master. But there again, she doubted it was Bonnie.

Xaviere brushed back silken hair from her pale face, her dark eyes glowing with evil and bottled-up hatred. Dave Porter was only a minor figure in the scheme of things, so she was sure it was not Dave.

Of course, it might possibly possibly be someone from the side of Light. But she doubted that. be someone from the side of Light. But she doubted that.

Unless there had been a rules change between the Dark One and that, that ... puke puke who ruled the Heavens. But she very seriously doubted that. who ruled the Heavens. But she very seriously doubted that.

She cut her eyes to Janet. "Janet? Didn't you say Balon brought a dog with him?"

"Yes, Princess."

"I wonder," Xaviere muttered. "I just wonder about that dog."

A few miles out of town, on the porch of the rented house, Dog raised his head and looked toward the town of Becancour.

And if an animal could smile, Dog did.

16.

"He's got to be inst.i.tutionalized," Tony said. "There is no question but that he's lost his mind."

"Perhaps," Father Javotte said softly.

"Don't start, Father," Tony warned. "You're my priest, and I respect and follow your teachings, but don't start with the devil worship bit."

Sam was one of G.o.d's warriors on earth, but he was still a mortal. And he had to fight back a quick surge of anger directed at the doctor. "Let's go," he said to Father Javotte.

Tony watched the men leaving the building. He even followed them as far as the door, his eyes watching them get into Sam's car and drive out. Was he being a fool? he questioned silently. Was the devil ... making a play for the souls of Becancour? Was that possible? possible?

"h.e.l.l, I don't know," he said wearily. He reached into his pocket for a cigarette, then remembered he'd quit several years ago.

"You say something, Doctor?"

Tony turned, meeting the eyes of R. N. Noreen Daly.

"Talking to myself, Noreen. What's our ... patient doing now?"

"Curled up into a ball in a corner of the room sleeping-and purring."

"He's crazy. He is not possessed. He is just plain nuts!

"Possessed?"

Tony did not reply to that. "How's David doing?"

"Well, he's either pa.s.sed out or sleeping. I did a blood alcohol on him."

"And? ..."

"Doctor, it's a wonder he isn't dead. Tony ... can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Noreen. You got a cigarette?"

"In my purse, in the lounge. But you quit years ago!"

"I just started again. Come on, let's get some coffee."

The first inhaled puff almost knocking him out of his chair, Tony managed to gasp, "What's on your mind, Noreen?"

She shook her head at his antics and said, "This town."

Tony's second puff was not so harsh. He sipped coffee and met the R. N.'s gaze. "What about the town, Noreen?"

"Let's not play games with each other, Tony. We've known each other all our lives. Tony, add it up and tell me what's the total in your mind?

"Tony, in twenty-four hours, look what's happened. A drifter is attacked by cats, and now he's flipped out ... he thinks he's a cat. cat. Old Lady Wheeler has Satanic words spray-painted on her back porch. Max Comeaux uses his fists on a high school senior after said senior asks Tess Nardana if she'd like to f.u.c.k. And by the way, Tess is coming by after school; she phoned, told me what happened. Said she needs some nerve pills." Old Lady Wheeler has Satanic words spray-painted on her back porch. Max Comeaux uses his fists on a high school senior after said senior asks Tess Nardana if she'd like to f.u.c.k. And by the way, Tess is coming by after school; she phoned, told me what happened. Said she needs some nerve pills."

Tony nodded. Personally, he thought, I'd like to have a drink.

"Now ... Andrea is raped by four kids, who, just last month, were some of the nicest kids in town. A lot of kids are skipping school; about twenty-five percent of them, to be exact. Rita Dantin told me that Mr. Slater, this morning, hauled his kazoo out on Main Street and took a whiz in broad daylight. David's wife is shacked up with a seventeen-year-old. Dave Porter, according to his wife, as parading about in their backyard last night, naked, wading through cat s.h.i.t, mumbling to the stars and moon. Frank and Thelma Lovern practically wrecked their place having at each other. Dave and Susan and Margie went at each other not two hours ago. The entire reserve police force just quit. Chief Pa.s.son fired Louis Black, and then Max Encalarde up and quit. The parents of the raped girl don't care if she was raped or not. Judy Mahon, or so it looks, willingly took part in a ma.s.s gang-bang. We have what's left of a body in the cooler. Attacked and eaten by ... something. Word is that Jackson Dorgenois is still alive and heading this way. And so is Mary Claviere. And in case you don't remember, Mary and Dave were in that house together when Bob Savoie was killed. And the people in this town have stopped bathing. Tony, look at your waiting room. It's empty. Have you ever ever seen it empty? Ever? And who is Balon?" seen it empty? Ever? And who is Balon?"

Tony sighed and b.u.mmed another smoke from Noreen. "It's a wild story, Noreen."

"I got nothing but time."

"You're fired!" Matt Comeaux was informed by telephone.

"Good!" Matt yelled into the phone. He hung up and began packing his gear. The phone rang again.

"Yeah?"

Same man. "And your temporary replacement is Carl Nichols. You're a disgrace, Comeaux!"

"Carl Nichols," Matt said. "That figures. The dumbest person on the staff." He hung up.

Matt quickly packed up all that he wanted to take with him. He'd get the rest later ... maybe. He looked up as the door opened. Carl Nichols.

"Uh ..." Carl said.

"That is just about what I expected from you, Nichols. Did you bring your Silly Putty to play with? G.o.d knows, you're too stupid to do anything else."

"I'll come back later."

"Man, no!" Comeaux waved the a.s.sistant coach to his chair. "Please stay and take over, Nichols. You're welcome to it."

Comeaux walked out the door. Had he turned around, he would have seen the hate shining out of Nichols's eyes.

"It's gonna be a pleasure killin' you, Comeaux," Nichols muttered.

Tess stopped Matt in the hall. "Where are you going. Matt?"

"I have just been fired, Tess. It's been good working with you. You're a fine teacher."

"Who is in your chair now?"

"Carl Nichols."

"Carl Nichols is an idiot! He once told me that for years he thought Dante was a rock group."