"To your initiation," Dorsch said ominously. Then he added with a cryptic smile, "You are going to have a fun evening." As he looked at Hi, Dorsch noticed something odd, something he couldn't put his finger on, about the way Hi was walking. He had noticed it earlier too. "Do you have a clubfoot?"

"Nah," Hi smiled, "just a spring in my gait." Hi didn't want to be summarily disqualified--and get a dip in the pool, whatever that meant--by the same deformity that had kept him from trying to get Hitler in Europe.

As Hi and Dorsch spoke, Hi paid little attention to the husky Untersturmführer (second lieutenant), walking in the opposite direction, who passed them in the shadows. But though Hi failed to recognize the black-shirted oaf, Wolfgang certainly recognized Hi. Wolfgang wondered what Eva's old flame, of all mortal creatures, was doing in Hitler's lair. Wolfgang knew that he had better find out.

Dorsch first took Hi back to the Gebäude Drei bathroom, where Hi washed up and changed clothes, putting on a light shirt and slacks from his haversack, into which he put the seeds.

Returning to Gebäude Ein, they proceeded through dark corridors till Dorsch stopped at a closed door and knocked. Before Hi had time to wonder who might respond, Dorsch opened the door. Hi followed Dorsch into a chamber as dimly lit as the corridor. But the soft light here came from candles, which with scarlet drapes, some nice bamboo furniture, a well-pillowed bed, and a large oil painting on the wall, gave the quarters--were it not for an open, empty coffin--a sparsely romantic air.

Then Hi saw that he and Dorsch were not alone. Near a dark, far window, lounging on a loveseat, was the apparently nightgowned form of a woman, her features obscured beyond the flickering light. Staring, Hi was not even aware of Dorsch's departure till the door closed behind him.

The woman rose languidly and walked toward Hi. As the candlelight illumined her features, Hi knew that he had seen her before. In a picture.

"I am Countess Borca," she said, her eyes gazing up into Hi's. She spoke softly, in German, but with little expression. "I am in charge of all initiations."

I'll be damned, Hi thought, at least they're going to make this pleasant. But then he thought, Hell, how can I do this? Countess Borca had been taken from her homeland against her will, and was surely not now laying vampire initiates in the Amazon jungle by choice. Hi almost dared at that moment to take her into his confidence. But he couldn't, not yet. He might, after all, be wrong about her. And for all he knew they were being watched. He had better make this look good.

"Initiate me," Hi said with a smile.

Did she ever. In her arms that night Hi almost forgot why they had brought him to the Countess's quarters. In some other time and place, with no knowledge of who she was, Hi could take her for just what she seemed, an attractive, love-hungry woman, one who knew how to make a man hungry. Hi felt guilty making love to her, but hoped to make it up to her later, to restore her, if all went well, to her faraway castle. Meanwhile, with Hi, at least, she seemed to enjoy her task. But Hi held off orgasm as long as he could, because he knew what would come after he did.

When it came, though, the Countess was gentle. Hi hardly felt the teeth go in, and felt more psychologically than physically the blood being sucked from his neck, until he was no longer conscious of anything.