There were thirty or forty of them standing at the edges of the spill of light, but I could see indistinct shapes moving in the darkness. More of them. Many more.

Their ranks parted and one of them walked toward me. He was taller and more muscular than the others. His skin was milk white, his eyes the color of bright blood. He wore black clothes and a crystal teardrop on a silver chain. In the center of the teardrop was a brilliant ruby.

I aimed my gun at him, but I heard soft, furtive footsteps on either side of me. And behind me.

The lead Upier studied me for a moment. Around him his people were whispering to each other: “White dog … white dog!” They all made their protective signs, touching hearts and tracing lines on their eyes.

Their leader half turned and silenced them with a growl like a wolf. The silence was immediate. He turned slowly back to me, and a slow, broad smile spread over his hideous face.

“I know who you are,” he said in a voice that was every bit as cold as a Halloween wind. “You are Captain Ledger.”

And I said, “Oh shit.”

It is never going to be good news if a vampire knows your name.

“You are a traitor to your own people,” he said, “and an enemy of mine.”

“The fuck are you talking about?”

“Our friend told us,” he said, smiling so that I could see his teeth. Those teeth were scaring the living hell out of me. “He said that you conspired with Rasouli and the Red Order to keep us in chains.”

“I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about, pal. I’m here to keep this bomb from going boom. When I’m done with that, we can sit down with a latte and talk about it.”

I’ve always marveled at my own ability to be a smart-ass when there is neither a good reason to be one or time to screw around. It’s way high on my list of character flaws.

“Do you know who we are?” asked the leader. The other vampires had me completely surrounded. Ghost whimpered and shivered beside me.

“At a guess? Grigor, chief bloodsucker of the Upierczi,” I said.

He didn’t blink, just gave me a nod of approval.

“Then you’ll know what an honor it is to die by my hand.”

“That’s actually not on my day planner.”

His eyes cut left and right. “Bring him to me.”

The Red Knights closed on me.

“Ghost—hit!” I yelled, but Ghost simply stood there. Trembling, drooling with terror. His bladder let loose and he peed all over the floor. Again.

Not exactly the response I was hoping for.

The Upierczi stared for a two count, and then they all burst out laughing.

“Oh shit,” I breathed.