A thump sounded down the hall, cutting her off. They both turned toward the door. The cell phone Karas had set down on the coffee table vibrated, loud in the sudden silence. Silvie picked it up and handed it to Karas.

“Answer it,” Karas said softly, stepping toward the door.

Silvie flipped the thin black wafer open and pressed it to her ear, the way she’d seen Karas do a hundred times since their meeting. “Yes?”

Johnis’s voice filled her ear. She froze. “Johnis?”

“Silvie! Thank Elyon, Silvie. You’re safe?”

“I . . . oh, dear Elyon, thank you.” She was trembling. “Are you okay? Yes, I’m safe, of course, I’m safe. Where are you?”

“Listen to me, Silvie. Just listen carefully. Miranda is on her way. You can’t give her the books. I have one. I have Karas’s book. Do you hear me? Do not give up the three books.”

So he was safe then!

“I hear you. I—”

“There’s more. Alucard has the other three in Romania. He’s been here for over two thousand years, waiting for us. And Miranda . . . I think she may have been infected by him. I hit her with enough force to break her back. You hear what I’m saying? She’s not any ordinary woman.”

“Johnis, I—”

The door suddenly crashed open in front of Karas. Miranda stood in the opening, gun leveled, lips twisted.

“Not one move.” Her eyes flashed to Silvie. “Drop the phone, honey.”

“She’s here! At the Spartan—”

The gun spit a bullet at her. She jerked and felt it slit the air by her left ear.

Miranda dove like a cat attacking a mouse. She twisted as she passed Karas, striking her jaw with her heel. Karas staggered backward, stunned by the sudden assault.

And Miranda, this woman Johnis claimed had been infected by Alucard, was already halfway to Silvie, with her gun extended.

Silvie’s instincts kicked in. She threw herself back and to the right, knowing the coffee table with the three books rested there, just behind her.

She felt her body flip into the air and complete a full loop, flying farther than she’d anticipated before slamming into the window.

Two bullets punched holes in the window.

“Do you really want a fight, lover girl?” Miranda crouched between Karas and Silvie. “Because, believe me, I can. I will.”

She plucked the phone from the carpet and spoke into it. “Good-bye, Johnis.” The device shattered in her hand.

Silvie stood.

“You may have brought a few tricks from this other world of yours, but I have it on excellent authority that you can’t stop bullets. My aim is much better if I want it to be.”

Silvie looked at Karas for direction.

“How did you get past my men?” Karas asked.