Brian Lumley - Necroscope - Invaders

'And after a pause, turning to my father: "Dry work, this joking," he said. "Are we perhaps thirsty, Dinu Vadastra?" And he beckoned to his side a junior lieutenant.

'By then, as might well be imagined, my father was very thirsty. He produced a tray of beaten gold, and three goblets of that same common metal which he filled with white wine from a barrel. This was ever the ritual: that Dinu play the part of one

of Lord Malinari's food-tasters. For, like all of the Wamphyri but more so than most, The Mind was susceptible to silver in however small a measure — indeed, to granules of silver, to the very dust of silver — and likewise to garlic, whose mere reek was guaranteed to cause nausea and copious vomiting. Thus Dinu would take the first sip, which would provide him with an early opportunity to declare the wine fouled; next the tithesman who, being a vampire, would not only taste any poison but react violently to it; and finally Malinari, first inhaling deeply of the wine's bouquet through his snout's fleshy runnels, before gulping it down. For however much he affected lordly airs, and, on occasion, a "flowery" or "delicate" mode of speech, still Lord Malinari's table manners were dreadful!

'So on through every barrel, a taste from each; the brandies, too, and even the honey. And while my father was sensible enough to drink but sparingly, still he was staggering a little towards the end. As for the foodstuffs — the wild grain, roots and fruits, animals and such, aye, and bairns, too — they were not tested, though for a fact Malinari lingered a while over a fat boy child whose black eyes smiled at him in all innocence, while the monster's own crimson orbs flared that much brighter in his face…

'Then on to the wolf-bitch in her cage: "A prize indeed!" Malinari approved. "I may keep her and her whelps both," and he made as if to stroke her through the bars. But, growling low in her throat, she snapped at him, and Malinari withdrew his hand with no room to spare, saying, "Or perhaps not. For wolves are plaguy, treacherous beasts at best. But fine strong meat, Dinu Vadastra, I'll grant you that. And on that same subject, where, pray, are the rest of my animals — the ones who walk upright?"

'With which the unfortunate ones, all sorted and chained in a row — a man, a girl, a youth, a woman, and so on — were trooped out for Malinari's inspection. They had been caused to void themselves (for the sake of 'cleanliness'), then had been washed, groomed, and clad in good fur robes fastened with golden clasps.

And there they paraded, most with bowed heads, but a few of the younger men muttering (however unwisely), and the adult women sobbing, and this or that young girl far too prideful, too aware of her lithe Szgany sensuality, head tilted and dark eyes fluttering, daring to gaze on Malinari and even hoping to impress him. Ah, but The Mind was not easily impressed.

'He walked the line — or rather flowed along it, with that deceptive grace of the Wamphyri — and his tithesmen with him, senior men to the fore and juniors well to the rear. And whenever Malinari paused to look closer at one of his male acquisitions, then his senior lieutenants would step forward and take hold of the man, forcing wide his jaws so that the Great Vampire could examine his teeth. Then they would unfasten his gold clasp, displaying his naked body, and sometimes Malinari might indicate his approval of a youth's long limbs and broad shoulders, murmuring, "This one is for the making, I think. In Malstack, my vats stand empty." Or, "This one is a fighting man, tall and well muscled, aye." Or again, he might say nothing at all, but simply shake his head. For there was always the provisioning.

'In a while he came to one of those too-proud girls, who dared to gaze upon him, and paused. Again his senior tithesmen moved forward, one of them reaching for the clasp at the girl's throat to open her robe. But she was a beauty, and the lieutenant too eager. Noticing this, Lord Malinari caught at his hand and stayed it, then narrowed his eyes in a frown, saying:

' "Ah, but see how your blood courses, Stefanu. Why, I can feel it pulsing through your veins like a raging river.' And so you're a lustful one, are you? But you know — now that I think of it — I have often wondered why, when I send you out to collect my tithes, I get so few virgins…?"

' "Master, I—" said Stefanu, trying to back off. But Malinari held him, saying:

'Ah, ah, be still!" And he touched the index finger of his free hand to the man's brow. Stefanu groaned, jerked, began to lift his right hand where it was sheathed in a murderous gauntlet. This was a wholly reflex action, nothing more, but Malinari had seen it. His eyes blazed up at once, like coals under the bellows, and as his jaws elongated and his lips curled back from scythe-like teeth, so Stefanu fell to his knees and begged for mercy.

'Then for long moments Malinari's index finger trembled on his lieutenant's forehead, and his face writhed in a passion as he read the man's thoughts, at least the ones that were important to him. Until suddenly, straining as if from some enormous effort of will, he snatched back his hand and snarled:

' "Oh, you miserable, lecherous man! Consider yourself fortunate, for while I have had your thoughts, I've left your mind intact. Not out of any love for you, Stefanu Mindsthrall — ravisher of my women before I've so much as seen them — but because I may soon have need of you. And treacherous? Did I not see you raise your hand, your war-gloved hand, against me? Did you dare think to strike me? Perhaps you did! And so for now… begone! Remove! Take yourself from my sight. Get to your flyer and wait for me there, and consider your treacherous ways: what you have done this night, and to whom, and what it would be like to live out the rest of your life floundering and drooling, mindless in a pit of your own wastes — which might yet be your get from all this!"

'He released Stefanu, and when he had wriggled away, stumbled to his feet and fled, Malinari said to the girl, "My dear, give me your hand." She obeyed him at once. And using his mentalism he saw what only he could see, then asked her, "Are you truly a virgin?"

'"Oh yes, my Lord," she answered. And Malinari nodded and smiled.

' "Had you said no," he told her, "I might have made you a lieutenant's woman, for your honesty. But I abhor liars however pretty — especially little whores who would attempt my seduction by trying to hide their thoughts from me. Wherefore… no high station for you, young lady, but there are common thralls in my manse who will enjoy instructing you. Or you them, whichever!" And, wrinkling his nose, he shrugged and turned away from her.

'Malinari's inspection was over. And now he told Dinu Vadastra, "I am not displeased. Not with you and yours. But you've seen how I deal with them who would deny me my due. So now tell me truly: was this the best you could do?"

'"The Vadastras have never made finer wines or brandies," my father answered. "As for the foodstuffs, no better flesh may be bred or hunted, no purer honey or sweeter fruits foraged. On my word, my Lord, this is our best."

'"And what of the tithe in human flesh?" Malinari glanced at the robed ones in their chains. "Are these also the best you have to offer, or do you hold something in reserve?"

'"Again I've done my best," Dinu told him. "But certainly I must have a reserve — of good blood, good flesh for breeding — lest the Vadastras falter and become useless to you."

'And Malinari nodded and said, "This was always our understanding, aye. But Dinu, take heed, hard times are coming, and my needs are great. Do you see this dark cloud hanging over us, like a portent of ill-omen? What say you, chief of the Vadastras? It seems to me it bodes not well."

'And when my father glanced at the heavens — indeed there was a dark and hovering cloud, which until now had gone mainly unnoticed. It turned slowly in the night-dark skies over Vadastra territory, and within its writhing mass, riding the laden air, darker shapes seemed hidden.