“Wait,” I say. “How much does Jay know?”

“He knows everything,” she says with downcast eyes.

Everything. That his best friend Anna, along with the girl he’s fallen in love with, are the daughters of demons. That Marna will die in childbirth, because their child will also be a Nephilim. That the baby’s soul will essentially rip Marna’s soul from her body when it’s born. That we’re all fighting for our lives right now. What a thing for Jay to walk into. Poor sodding chap.

Blake and Ginger, two of the most careful Neph I know, have bloody well lost their minds. They’re bunked up in the mansion while his psychotically envious fiancée rages outside the gate. News vans are there to catch it all. He’s a local motocross celebrity whose fabulously rich father has just “died,” and this is what they choose to do?

Yes, they’ve wanted each other for a bloody long time and have always held back. Yes, Ginger’s just found out she’s losing the person she loves most in the world, but getting themselves killed is not the answer. Especially now that the prophecy is on the horizon. It’s no longer about us as individuals. Each ally is important.

I am livid when we finally get inside the gate. I bang on Blake’s front door, but they don’t answer. I bang again. “Open up, idiot! This is bloody stupid!”

Finally they come to the door. They’re clearly lost to their beasts—Blake is feeding off his fiancée’s envy while Ginger gets her kicks off causing Blake to cheat. They’re both half dressed, showing signs of a shag fest with wild hair and flushed skin. For a moment I am jealous they’ve been able to give in to their need for each other, and that jealousy makes me even angrier.

“It’s time to go, Gin,” Marna tells her.

Ginger gives her a malicious stare. “You’re one to talk. I seem to recall that line didn’t work on you.” So, Ginger tried to warn Marna, to get her away from Jay. That makes this all the worse. “I’m quite fine where I am, thanks,” Gin snaps.

“Like hell.” I shove open the door and stride past them, the others following. I slam the door once we’re all inside. I point at Blake. “Have whisperers seen you together?”

“Course not.” He sounds far too blasé, and I want to beat some sense into him.

“You’re bleedin’ lucky!”

“Back off, brah.” He gets in my face. “What, you’re the only one who can be with your girl?”

I want to point out that I haven’t even shagged my girl, but I know this is about more than sex. It’s about the danger of even being seen together, as we are now.

“The Dukes were at their summit when we were together,” I remind him.

Anna tries to intervene and calm us, but Ginger moves in. “Why do you care?” she asks me. Her eyes are wet and hardened.

“Because we’re this close.” I lean toward her, enraged. “This close to fulfilling the prophecy, and the two of you are likely to get yourselves killed!”

“As if you care!” Ginger screams at me. “You only give a shite about yourself. You want everyone to be willing to sacrifice themselves so you can finally be with your precious Anna. Well, I’m not waiting around anymore. I’m taking what I want from this damned life while I can!” Her cheeks have gone red.

“It’s about all of us!” I shout back.

“Oh, right!”

God, this is too like our fights as children, matched in temperament. I’m filled again with a sibling-like sentiment as I let myself feel the ache Ginger must be living with.

I take her by the shoulders. “I don’t want you dead, Gin.”

Her eyes fill with tears. My strong Ginger, who, like me, never cries. “I’ve nothing to live for now, don’t you see? She’ll be gone. My sister is dying! And Blake will be married off to that cow. I’d rather be dead.”

Oh, Gin. I swallow hard and take her into my arms, where she breaks down and lets me hold her up. Marna, sobbing, comes forward, and I open the embrace to include her. I want to fix this for them. It’s all so wrong. Why should mothers of Neph have to die? It’s all shite. Nothing about the life of a Neph makes any sense.

Soon the twins are moving from my arms to embrace each other, their heads buried in each other’s shoulders as they grieve. I rub their backs and swallow again. I know they need this moment, but I turn my head and look around, wondering how long it will take for the whisperers to find us. We can’t stay here. We could ruin everything.

When the twins pull themselves together and wipe their eyes, we all sit together in the sitting room. It’s an awkward, sad, guilty sort of silence.

And then my mobile rings and I stare at Father’s name on the screen, feeling ill. I hold it out for the others to see and their eyes go wide.

“Hallo,” I say.

“I assume you took care of the girl, then?”

“Of course, Father. She wasn’t a virgin anyhow.”

“Interesting.” He pauses and I raise the phone to hide the deep breath I’m taking to calm my pulse. “The spirit I sent to oversee the operation has been sent back to the pit of hell, never to return to earth. Do you know why?”

My eyes meet Anna’s worried ones. “No, Father.”

“Because he admitted he did not stay to see your mission through to the end. He says the two of you persuaded him to leave.”

“Bollocks!” I jump to my feet, my heart in my throat. “That disgusting wanker was distracting. It’s hard enough to try and bang a Neph without a spirit interfering.”