“Well then.” Rahab’s eyes were maniacal. “Let’s send her there now! First-class!”

Ginger shrieked, “Nooo!” She tried to rush forward, but Blake grabbed her tightly around the waist.

“Don’t watch,” Kaidan warned me, touching my face to try and turn my head to him, but I couldn’t look away. Thamuz stabbed her brutally in the stomach once, twice, three times. Oh God, I begged, make it stop! Take her quickly! I bent slightly at the waist and felt my stomach contracting in a heave, but I forced myself to stand straight again. Kaidan’s arm went around me, holding me. I tried to focus on the freedom Patti would soon have, free of pain and tears. Fighting the urge to dive into a pit of angry vengeance at that moment was the hardest thing I’d ever done.

“Bastards,” Kaidan whispered in anguish.

Thamuz lifted the knife again, and I’d had enough. She would die soon from the wounds he’d already inflicted, and anything more was superfluous cruelty.

“Stop him, Kai,” I begged, which was exactly what he’d been waiting to hear.

In half a second Kaidan’s knife was through the back of Thamuz’s neck, and his soul was frantically retreating from the body with a screech. His evil spirit sped toward me, and I sliced the flaming blade through the air. He was gone in a bang of black particles.

“Papa!” hollered one of his sons. I looked at the two of them, both baring their teeth.

“Do not avenge your father,” I willed to them out loud. “His ways don’t have to be yours.” They stopped, panting with emotion.

I addressed all of the Nephilim then, before the Dukes tried to retaliate. I knew several of them probably had guns, but none of them tried to reach for their weapons, knowing they were outnumbered and afraid of being turned on. The eyes of the Dukes followed my movements as I pointed the sword at them in turn and spoke to the Neph.

“For the first time ever, you all have a choice,” I told them. “You can move to the side, or you can join us and fight against the Dukes. But no matter what you choose, your fathers will leave this earth tonight, and you will be free from them. Make your choice now.”

A frenzy of whispers rose up. Nearly half of the Neph ran for the side of the room, circling around the back of us, out of the reach of the Dukes. I couldn’t blame them for wanting to stay out of it, and I was glad to see the youngest among them, dragged by one of the older women. They pushed against the side wall, behind the bar area, and crouched.

The other Neph looked around at the Dukes and then at one another before deciding. One by one they moved behind either me or the Dukes. The sons of Thamuz, Caterina, and about twenty others joined the Dukes. At least thirty piled behind me. But at the moment I didn’t feel like cheering about our greater numbers.

Patti’s body lay in a bloody heap.

“Daddy,” I whispered.

Without a word, he moved to Patti. The Dukes glared at him, but didn’t try to stop him as he scooped her into his big arms and brought her to me. Her chest rose and fell in short, fast spurts. I couldn’t let go of the sword, so I bent my head and kissed her damp forehead.

“I love you, Mom.”

Her eyes fluttered open, and a faint smile crossed her bloodied lips. She whispered, and I had to lean closer to make out the gurgled words. “Love you, sweet girl.” I kissed her again, my tears falling on her face. Kaidan’s hand was heavy on my shoulder.

“I could save her,” Dad said in a low, unsure voice.

My head snapped up to him.

“I could leave my body and try to heal her—”

“No!” Patti rasped. She reached a weak hand up to his arm and stuttered her impassioned words. “Don’t you dare. You need . . . your body. To protect Anna.”

“Please!” I cried, but she only gave her head a stubborn, weak shake.

“You’re all needed . . . to fight them.”

I tried to plead with Dad through my eyes, but he shook his head sadly. He wouldn’t do it without her permission. I lowered my cheek to hers.

“I’m not scared, honey,” she said to me. “I’m ready.”

Mom took a wet-sounding, wheezing breath and whispered, “Gin . . .”

Ginger pushed through to be at Patti’s side. She took her hand, tears streaking down her face. “Miss Patti.”

“Beautiful girl . . . you will be . . . a good aunt. . . .” And with a shudder, Patti became still.

“No,” I whispered.

Her guardian angel gathered her spirit in his arms as it rose from her body, soft and gentle. With a nod at me, the angel shot upward, taking her home. I allowed the tears to fall down my face, making no move to wipe them. Dad stepped to the side and set her body against the wall with great gentleness, closing her eyes before coming to stand by me again.

“This cannot continue,” Sonellion growled. “Playtime is over. This prophecy is a lie, and you’re all about to pay.” He reached behind his back, making my allies and me tense. If he pulled out a gun, the fighting would begin.

The spirit Azael flew down and hovered between our two groups, facing the Dukes. He spoke telepathically to the whole room, who were rapt to hear what Lucifer’s messenger had to say.

The prophecy is real. I myself possessed a human and destroyed the written prophecy at the command of Lucifer. The version given to Rahab was only partial truth. What the girl says is the full truth. We are being offered heaven. Lucifer knows there are those in his army who doubt him, and this prophecy would shrink his ranks even further for the final battle to come. The Nephilim child has proven herself. Let her proceed. I, myself, will choose the Lord of Light.

The Dukes were stunned. Most appeared outraged, while a few looked in awe.

I didn’t know how many of the fallen angels in this room would return to heaven, but I did know most would not, and they wouldn’t go down without a fight. They enjoyed earth and the power they held here. They didn’t want to go back to heaven any more than they wanted to return to hell.

I glanced through my tears at my friends standing at my side. Ready. Outnumbering the Dukes.

“The Maker turned his back on us!” Sonellion shouted. “I will not run back to Him with my tail between my legs!”

“He’s right,” said Shax. “Besides, we can take earth and heaven on our own.”

Pharzuph looked on the verge of panic. “We can’t let the prophecy be fulfilled.”

“Then she has to die,” said Kobal, Duke of Gluttony. “Now.”

“No!” said Alocer, coming to stand in front of me. “You’ll have to pass through me first.”

“Be reasonable, Alocer,” Astaroth argued. “Do you want to spend eternity with angels looking down their noses at you?”

Jezebet stepped to Alocer’s side. “We’ll be treated fairly if we return; we all know it.”

“That’s your damned female hormones talking, Jez.” Sonellion grabbed his crotch. “Grow some balls again.”

She gave him a venomous look. “I have more clarity about the world in this body than I ever had with a set of balls.”

He snarled at her, and Dad piped up.

“Enough. We were a bunch of idiots to think we could overthrow Him back then,” he said. “And y’all are worse fools to think there’s a chance of doing it in the future.”

“Do not listen to these traitors!” Rahab shouted.

Pandemonium ensued. Lines were drawn and sides were taken. My eyes darted around, waiting for someone to pull the first weapon. Suit jackets and ties were flung to the ground. Only three of the ten remaining Dukes, including my father, stood to protect me.

“Work to disarm them,” Dad yelled over his shoulder at the Neph.

Sonellion let out a snarling war cry and ran at Alocer. Behind him I saw Pharzuph and others reaching for their guns and heard shots fired as our Neph allies surged forward. I couldn’t keep track of who went which direction.

Kaidan and my father didn’t leave my side. Another shot was fired and Jezebet, who’d been right in front of me, screamed and grabbed her arm, shooting a murderous glare at Kobal just before he was tackled to the ground by Kopano.