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ses； not the blood of the living！〃
〃Nevertheless this Ferenczy is said to be just such a creature；〃 Thibor's informant had insisted。 〃I've heard the Greek priests talking： saying how there's no room in any Christian land for such as that。 In Greek…land they put stakes through their hearts and cut off their heads。 Or better still； they break them up entirely and burn all the pieces。 They believe that even a small part of a wampir can grown whole again in the body of an unwary man。 The thing is like a leech； but on the inside！ Hence the saying that a wampir has two hearts and two souls…and that the creature may not die until both facets are destroyed。〃
Thibor had smiled； humourlessly； scornfully。 He'd thanked the man； saying； 〃Well； wizard or witch or whatever； he's lived long enough。 Vladimir the Prince wants this Ferenczy dead； and I've been given the job。〃
〃Lived long enough！〃 the other had repeated； throwing up his hands。 〃Aye； and you don't know how true that is。 Why； there's been a Ferenczy up in those mountains as long as men remember。 And the legends have it that it's the same Ferenczy！ Now you tell me； Wallach； what sort of man is it who watches years pass like hours； eh？〃
Thibor had laughed at that； too； but now； thinking back on it…several things connected； it seemed。
The 〃Moupho〃 in the name of the village； for instance…which sounded a lot like 〃mouphour〃； or wampir。 〃Village of the Old Ferenczy Vampire〃？ And what was it Arvos the Szgany had said？ 〃The sun's no friend of his。 Nor any mirror； for that matter！〃 Weren't vampires things of the night； afraid of mirrors because they showed no reflection； or perhaps a reflection more nearly the reality？ Then the Wallach gave a snort of derision at his own imaginings。 It was this old place； that was all； working on his imagina…tion。 These centuried woods and ageless mountains。。。
At which point his party came out of the trees and on to the crest of domed hills where the soil was thin as a whisper and only the lichens grew； beyond which； in a shallow depression； a jumbled plain of stony rubble and brittle scree reached perhaps half a mile to the inky shadows of dark cliffs。 To the north it reached up high； that black boundary； forming horns； and to these horns in the light of the moon； old Arvos now pointed a crooked finger。
There！〃 He chuckled as at some joke。 There broods the house of the old Ferengi。〃
Thibor looked…and sure enough he saw distant win…dows lit like eyes in the darkness under the horns。 And it was for all the world as if some monstrous bat squatted there in the heights； or maybe the lord of all great wolves。
〃Like eyes in a face of stone；〃 growled one of Thibor's Wallachs； a man all chest and arms； with short stumpy legs。
〃And not the only eyes watching us！〃 whispered the other； a thin； hunched man who always went with his head aggressively forward。
〃What's that you say？〃 Thibor was at once alert； casting about in the darkness。 Then he saw the feral； triangular eyes； like blobs of gold； seeming to hang suspended in the darkness at the edge of the woods。 Five pairs of eyes： wolves'eyes； surely？
〃Ho！〃 Thibor shouted。 He unsheathed his sword； stepped forward。 〃Away； dogs of the woods！ We've nothing for you。〃
The eyes blinked sporadically in pairs； drew back； scattered。 Four lean； grey shapes loped off； flowing under the moon like liquid； lost in the jumble of boulders on the plain of scree。 But the fifth pair of eyes remained； seemed to gain height； floated forward out of the darkness without hesitation。
A man stepped from the shadows； as tall as； if not taller than； Thibor himself。
Arvos the gypsy staggered； seemed about to faint。 The moon showed his face a ghastly； silvery…grey。 The stranger reached out a hand and gripped his shoulder； stared deep into his eyes。 And slowly the old man straightened up and the trembling went out of him。
In the manner of the warrior born； Thibor had placed himself in striking distance。 His sword was still in his hand； but the stranger was only one man。 Thibor's men…astounded at first； perhaps even a little afraid…were on the point of drawing their own weapons but he stopped them with a word； sheathed his sword。 If anything； this was a simple show of defiance； a gesture which in one move showed his strength and possibly his contempt。 Certainly it showed his fearlessness。 〃Who are you？〃 he said。 〃You e like a wolf in the night。〃
The newer was slender； almost fragile…seeming。 He was dressed all in black； with a heavy black cape draped about his shoulders and falling to below his knees。 There could be weapons concealed under the cape； but he kept his hands in view； resting them on his thighs。 He now ignored old Arvos； looked at the three Wallachs。 His dark eyes merely fell upon Thibor's henchmen and moved on； but they rested on Thibor himself for long moments before he answered： 〃I am from the house of the Ferenczy。 My master sent me out to see what manner of men would visit him this night。〃 He smiled a thin smile。 His voice had a soothing effect on the Voevod； strangely； his unblinking eyes also； which now reflected moonlight。 Thibor found himself wishing there was more natural light。 There was that about the features of this one which repulsed him。 He felt that he gazed upon a misshapen skull； and wondered that this didn't disturb him more。 But he was held as by some mysterious attraction； like a moth to the devouring flame。 Yes； attracted and repulsed at one and the same time。
As that idea dawned…that he was falling under some strange malaise or enticement…he drew himself more upright； forced himself to speak。 〃You may tell your master I'm a Wallach。 Also that I e to speak of important things； of summonses and responsibilities。〃
The man in the cape drew closer and the moon shone fully in his face。 It was a man's face after all and not a skull； but there was that which was wolfish about it； an almost freakish longness of jaws and ears。 〃My master supposed it might be so；〃 he said； a certain hard edge creeping into his voice。 〃But no matter…what will be will be； and you are but a messenger。 Before you pass this point； however； which is a boundary； my master must be sure that you e of your own free will。〃
Thibor had regained his self…control。 〃No one dragged me up here；〃 he snorted。
〃But you were sent。。。？〃
〃A strong man may only be 〃sent〃 where he wishes to go；〃 the Wallach answered。
〃And your men？〃
〃We're with Thibor；〃 said the hunched one。 〃Where he ventures； we venture…willingly！〃
〃Even to see one who sends out wolves to do his bidding；〃 Thibor's second panion； the apish one； added。
〃Wolves？〃 The stranger frowned and cocked his head on one side quizzically。 He glanced sharply all about； then smiled his amusement。 〃My master's dogs； you mean？〃
〃Dogs？〃 Thibor was certain he'd seen wolves。 Now； however； the idea seemed ridiculous。
〃Aye； dogs。 They came out to walk with me； for it's a fine night。 But they're not used to strangers。 See； they've run off home。〃
Thibor nodded； and eventually he said： 〃So； you've e to meet us half…way； then。 To walk with us and show us the way。〃
〃Not I；〃 the other shook his head。 〃Arvos can do that well enough。 I came only to greet you and to count your numbers…also to ensure that your presence here was not forced。 Which is to say； that you came of your own free mind and will。〃
〃I say again；〃 Thibor growled； 〃who could force me？〃
〃There are pressures and there are pressures；〃 the other shrugged。 〃But I see you are your own man。〃
〃You mentioned our numbers。〃
The man in the cape raised his eyebrows。 They peaked like gables。 〃For your acmodation；〃 he answered。 〃What else？〃 And before Thibor could reply： 〃Now I must go on ahead…to make preparation。〃
〃I'd hate to crowd your master's house；〃 said Thibor quickly。 〃Bad enough to be an unexpected guest； but worse far if others are obliged to vacate their rightful positions to make room for me。〃
〃Oh； there's room enough；〃 the other answered。 〃And
you were not entirely unexpected。 As for putting others out： my master's house is a castle； but it shelters fewer human souls than you have here。〃 It was as if he'd read Thibor's mind and answered the question he'd found there。
Now he inclined his head towards the old Szgany。 〃Be warned； however； that the path along the cliff is loose and the way a little perilous。 Be on your guard for rock falls！〃 And once more to Thibor he said； 〃Until later； then。〃
They watched him turn and make off after his master's 〃dogs〃 across the narrow； jumbled； boulder…strewn plain。
When he'd gone into the shadows； Thibor grabbed Arvos by the neck。 〃No retainers？〃 he hissed into the old gypsy's face。 〃No servants？ What； and are you a simple liar or a very great liar？ The Ferenczy could harbour an army up there！〃
Arvos tried to snatch himself back and found the Wallach's grip like iron on his throat。 〃A。。。 a manservant or two；〃 he choked。 〃How was。。。 was I to know？ It's been many a year。。。〃 Thibor released him； thrust him away。
〃Old man；〃 he warned； 〃if you'd see another day； just be sure you guide us carefully along this perilous cliff path。〃 And so they had crossed the stony depression to the cliff； and started up the narrow way carved in its sheer face。。。
Chapter Three
The path clung to the black rock of the cliffs like a silver snake under the moon。 Its surface was wide enough to take a small cart； no more； but in places the rim had fallen away； and then the track narrowed to little more than the width of a man。 And it was in just such narrow spots that the night breeze off the forests picked up to a bluster； seeming to tug at and threaten the men who toiled up like insects towards that unknown aerie which was their destination。
〃How long is this damned path； anyway？〃 Thibor snarled at the Gypsy； after maybe half a mile of slow； careful climbing。
〃The same distance again；〃 Arvos at once replied； 〃but steeper from now on。 Once they brought carts up here； I'm told； but that was a hundred years or more ago and the way has not been well kept。〃
〃Huh！〃 Thibor's apish aide snorted。 〃Carts？ I wouldn't bring goats up here！〃
At that the other Wallach； the hunched one； gave a start and pressed more closely to the cliff。 〃I wouldn't know about goats；〃 he whispered hoarsely； 〃but if I'm not mistaken we have pany of sorts： the Ferenczy's 〃dogs〃！〃
Thibor looked ahead to where the path vanished round the curve of the cliff。 Silhouetted against the starry void of space； hump…shouldered wolf…shapes stood with muzzles lifted； ears pointed and eyes ferally agleam。 But there were only two of them。 Gasping his shock； then a harsh curse； Thibor looked back into the deepest shadows…and saw the other two； or rather； he saw their triangular moon…silvered eyes。 〃Arvos！〃 he growled； gathering his wits； reaching for the old gypsy。 〃Arvos！〃
The sudden rumbling might well have been thunder； except the air was crisp and dry and what few clouds there were scudded rather than boiled； and thunder seldom makes the ground shudder beneath a man's feet。
Thibor's thin； hunched friend was hindmost； bringing up the rear at a point where the path was the merest ledge。 It required but a step to bring him to safety。 〃Rock fall！〃 he cried hoarsely； making to leap forward。 But as he sprang； so the boulders rained down and swept him away。 It was as quick as that： he was there…arms straining forward； face gaping white in the light of the moon…and he was gone。 He did not cry out： clubbed by boulders； doubtless he'd been unconscious or dead even as he fell。
When the last pebble and plume of dust had fallen and the rumbling was an echo； Thibor stepped to the rim and looked down。 There was nothing to see； just darkness and the glint of the moon on distant rocks。 Up and down the trail； of wolves there was no sign。
Thibor turned to where the old gypsy shivered and clung to the face of the cliff。
〃A rock fall！〃 The old man saw the look on his face。 〃You can't blame me for a rock fall。 If he'd jumped instead of shouting his warning。。。〃
Thibor nodded。 〃No；〃 he agreed； brows black as the night itself； 〃I can't blame you for a rock fall。 But from now on blame doesn't e into it。 From now on if there's any problem at all…from whatever cause or quarter…I'll ju