Der Schädelring: Thriller (German Edition)

Brothers, and bowed her head slightly toward Hartley. "I'm ready to submit."
    "He will be pleased," Hartley said. He looked up at the strange swirling sky, the bare trees like a thousand black fingers in the wind. "We must hurry, though. Austin might have reported the whore to the state police."
    Dr. Forrest peeled her robe over her shoulders and threw it on the ground. She stood naked in the fading afternoon, trembling from either the chill or excitement. "Make her Satan's," she said, her voice high.
    "What do we do with Snead?" said the hooded figure to Julia's left.
    Hartley stroked the edge of the knife with his thumb, his tongue poking slightly between his lips. "Remove his head and throw him over the cliff. Let the waters take him, like they did Judas Triplett."
    The Brother to Julia's right released her arm and moved in front of her. He smelled of wood smoke. The blood on the robe's torn fabric was thick and congealed. She recognized the ring on his left hand, though the silver was blackened with ash.
    The skull ring.
    From the fireplace in the cabin.
    "Brother Snead can wait," said Dr. Forrest. "But Satan is eager. He's waited so long for this whore. He told me how badly he wants to take her, to burn her, to taste her blood." The woman rubbed her hands over her scarred belly in a grotesque parody of allure.
    "So mote it be," said Hartley. "Remove your robes and partake of his pleasures. Come to Satan in purity, with nothing to hide." He leered at Julia. "And you're next, whore."
    Hartley began pulling up his own robe, revealing his thin and mottled legs. The skull ring on the man's hand glowed, as if the twin rubies were lit by inner hellfire. Hartley must have been in the cabin, found the ring, and brought it to be blessed by the kiss of Julia's blood.
    No, her skull ring was worn by the hooded figure in front of her, the one who wasn't removing his robe.
    The Brother who smelled of wood smoke.
    She recognized Walter's boots beneath the hem of the robe.
    As the Creep to the right of Julia released her arm to remove his own robe, Walter sprang toward Hartley. The High Priest's arms were tangled in the cloth, and he grunted in pain when Walter shoved a shoulder into the man's stomach. Hartley gave an awkward swing with the knife, his robe falling back around him, and gasped, "Help me, Judas."
    The hooded Creep jumped Walter and they both fell to the ground. Hartley struggled to his feet and held the knife over the two struggling figures. "Guide my hand, O Satan," said the crazed man, spittle whipped from his mouth by the wind.
    The knife plunged toward the hooded figures, and one of them groaned in pain. Julia stumbled forward, praying that Walter had not been hurt. Dr. Forrest grabbed Julia, her fingers like talons.
    Hartley stood back and pulled his gun from the folds of his robe. One of the hooded figures rolled to his knees while the other lay still. The kneeling figure peeled back his hood.
    Walter.
    He slumped before Hartley, looking up at the bloody knife like a penitent before a shrine. Hartley's gun pointed at his face. Julia glanced at the forest floor surrounding Snead's body. The Creeps had forgotten about Snead's gun. She saw it, a muted glint against the dark leaves.
    But even if she could get to it, she couldn't aim it with her hands tied behind her back.
    She had only one weapon. Her mind. The crowded, multi-roomed house that had harbored so many doubts and shadows, that had closeted so much pain, that had scrambled its memories like so many alphabet blocks. She had allowed others to open and close her doors, but all her housekeepers had been mad. Now it was time to clean house herself.
    "Don't," she shouted, seeing Hartley about to strike. The High Priest froze with the knife over his head. A drop of blood fell onto his bald head and trailed down his face.
    "The Master doesn't want any more worthless sacrifices," Julia said. "It's me that he wants." Her words seemed amplified by the wind, rushing from the trees on all sides of them. The sky grew darker, night swallowing night.
    Julia stepped toward Hartley, bowed, and knelt beside Walter. She avoided Walter's eyes, unable to bear the betrayed look she would see there. Dr. Forrest went to Hartley's side, grinning down at Julia, her eyes as bright as morning stars.
    "She wants to join," Dr. Forrest said, shivering. "I told you she was ready."
    Hartley frowned, confused. "But we won't be able to get the money."
    "The Master can always get money,"