She looked at me for a long moment, considering. “They’re going to break through. Everyone knows it, we just don’t know when. Someone has led them to the gate, and someone will let them in.”

“Not me!” I said in horror.

“No, not you. Though the others suspected you. And still would, if they saw you lingering down there. But someone inside is going to open the gates, and the Nephilim will overrun us.”

“Why? Why now?”

She shrugged. “Who knows how Uriel’s mind works? He’s wanted to destroy us for millennia, and he is very patient. We believe he finally has found a way in.”

“Through the Nephilim?”

“And the traitor.”

I looked out to the churning sea, breathing in the fresh salt spray. “So we’re all going to die,” I said in a flat voice.

“Not all of us. You have got something—”

“Raziel’s looking for me,” I broke in, startled.

She looked just as surprised. “Where?”

I looked around. There was no one in sight. The lawn and beach in front of the house were deserted in the waning light. “I’m sorry. I must have imagined it. What were you saying?”

Sarah shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. You’ll find out soon enough.”

“Don’t do that—I’ll die of curiosity!” I protested. And then I heard him. His voice, calling me. “He’s sounding really pissed off,” I said regretfully. “I’d better go to him.”

“How do you know this?”

I hadn’t even considered it. I shrugged. “I have no idea. I just know.”

A slow smile curved Sarah’s mouth. “How lovely,” she said in a soft voice. “Then you’d better go back. The two of you will have a lot to talk about.”

“I doubt it. I don’t think he’s going to want to talk to me at all. Couldn’t you come with me?

Sarah shook her head. “We’ll talk later. Just don’t let him bully you. Raziel can be very strong-minded.”

“I don’t really want to be left alone with him,” I said, feeling desperate.

“Why?”

“He’s either going to want to talk about it, which will be excruciatingly uncomfortable, or he’ll pretend it never happened, which will be even worse. If you’re with me, then it will be a moot point.”

“Sheol isn’t that different from the world,” Sarah said. “Men never want to talk about things.”

“That’s what I figured. But still—”

“You’ll be perfectly safe ignoring the entire situation until you decide not to ignore it any longer,” Sarah said smoothly. “Go on now.”

I had started walking up the slope when her voice trailed after me: “By the way, that’s a very pretty dress on you.”

I turned back, mortified. “And I never said thank you! It’s gorgeous, and so are all the others that I found in the closet. Thank you so much, Sarah!”

Her eyes twinkled. “I haven’t had time to get you new clothes, Allie. Raziel must have seen to it.”

I stared down at my dress. “Impossible,” I said flatly.

“If you say so. You’d better hurry. You probably don’t want to keep him waiting.”

I didn’t give a damn if he was kept waiting, I told myself as I double-timed it up the stairs. I had no idea which way he was coming, only that he was near, and sprinted toward the apartment.

I didn’t bother wondering how I knew. Presumably just part of the magic juju of this place. I made it to the apartment ahead of him, gasping for breath as I slammed the door behind me. I grabbed a loose sweater to pull around the less-than-generous top. Why did dresses in Sheol have décolleté? I wondered. Wouldn’t a nun’s habit be more fitting?

Apparently not. This place, unlike the celibate, puritanical afterlife I’d always envisioned, was practically seething with sex. I raced into the bathroom, shoved rough fingers through my hair, and headed back out to the living room, taking a flying leap and landing on the sofa seconds before the front door opened.

“Where were you?” he demanded.

“I went for a walk. With Sarah,” I added. “I didn’t realize I was supposed to be a prisoner in here.”

“You’re not. Not anymore. But it would still be better if you went out with someone else. Someone told me you were at the gates, alone. Why?”

I saw no point in lying, particularly since he was able to read my thoughts whenever he wanted to. “I was thinking of leaving.”

“That would have been a grave mistake. The Nephilim are out there. You wouldn’t have survived five seconds once the sun went down.”

“Maybe I could have gotten past them—”

“Don’t you realize there’s no going back?” he demanded. “That life is over. Gone.”

Frustration filled me. “And what do I replace it with?”

“If Uriel has his way, absolutely nothing.”

“You think the Nephilim are coming as well?” I shivered, pulling the sweater more closely around me.

“Sarah told you that, did she? We all know it. We just don’t know when. But it seems as if your arrival was some sort of signal. One last piece of disobedience on the part of the Fallen.”

“You mean it’s my fault?” I said, horrified. “I’m the reason everyone is going to die?”

“If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine, for pulling you back. But the truth is of little matter. Uriel would find a way sooner or later, and the presence of the Nephilim at our gates means it will be sooner.”

I digested this. I’d died once in the last three days. If it happened again, at least I’d have some experience.

I was watching him as he sat on the coach opposite me, wary. “Would you answer a question?”

“It depends on the question.”

“Why did we have sex last night? You said it was necessary. Sarah said it had something to do with finding out whether I was evil or not. Why don’t you tell me the truth.”

“Sarah’s right,” he said. “But you don’t need to worry. It won’t—”

“Happen again,” I jumped in. “You needn’t bother to explain—I already knew what you were going to say.”

He looked disturbed at the idea. “You did?”

“Isn’t it obvious? You needed to find out if I was evil, and for some reason having sex with me was the only way to do it. That seems far-fetched, but I’ll accept it. But we’ve done it, it’s over, I passed inspection, so there’s no need to repeat it, right?”