He ended the call and slid the phone into his pocket.

“Marna says to say she’s sorry we scared the ‘bejaysus’ out of you,” he said.

Kopano and I both stood and brushed ourselves off. I pulled some pine needles out of my hair. I was still shaking as I followed Blake through the trees to the empty school. I glanced back at Kopano, who walked behind me.

“Sorry about your nose,” I said, shamefaced.

He kept his eyes down and nodded as if it were no big deal. I studied his smooth features and full lips for a moment before turning my head forward again. I wasn’t sure what to think about the look he’d given me on the ground, or the way he’d smelled.

It felt like forever before we found the edge of the woods and made our way to the school’s parking lot, empty except for the black car and two of the most beautiful girls I’d ever seen standing in front of it. I could hear their conversation.

“She’s sixteen?” one asked in surprise.

“Looks more like twelve to me,” the other said.

“Play nice,” the first warned her.

I knew who they were at once: the identical twin daughters of Astaroth, Pharzuph’s London buddy. As I looked at their summer skirts and strappy heels, I became aware of how I must look in my cutoff shorts and high, haphazard ponytail.

When Kaidan told me the twins were dancers, I’d pictured tall, lanky ballerinas. But no. Their bodies screamed salsa and tango—tiny waists nestled between amply rounded chests and hips. Any dancing they did was the booty-shaking kind. They were not much taller than me, with shiny brown hair styled into layers, and an array of perfectly fashionable accessories. Like Kaidan, they oozed sex appeal. The other two guys weren’t hard on the eyes, either.

Apparently Pharzuph was not the only demon to choose an attractive body to inhabit, and an attractive mate to give him a child, which was smart. Charming, good-looking people could get away with a lot.

We were all together now, standing in a circle, surveying one another.

“Scared ya, didn’t we?” Blake said, lifting an eyebrow that I just noticed was pierced. He wore a tight hemp necklace with a shell in the middle, and his badge was the poisonous green of envy.

“What are you guys doing here?” I asked, keeping my voice steady and strong.

“We heard a rumor of a Nephilim sister in these parts,” said Kopano. His light eyes were striking against his dark skin.

“Rumor from who?” I asked.

Blake shrugged. “Word gets around.”

“But how did you find me?”

“Marna showed her boobs to one of the spirits and he led the way—”

“Blake! Shut up.” She gave him a shove. “That’s not true. We got your name from Kai, and then we did a little research, because he wouldn’t tell us anything else about you.”

“Almost like he was hiding something,” the other sister said, crossing her arms and eyeing me. The dirty look I sent her in return was ineffective. I couldn’t remember the sisters’ names from Kaidan’s descriptions, but this girl was the snarky one.

We looked toward the entrance of the school as a car drove in. Probably a staff worker or janitor. We couldn’t just stand there loitering. I made a quick decision to trust them and hoped it wouldn’t turn out to be one of my naive moments.

“We can talk at my house, if you want,” I offered. They looked around at one another before agreeing.

I climbed in the back with the girls while Blake took the passenger seat. Kopano drove, so I assumed it was his car. Besides my giving the occasional direction, nobody talked.

I still had the house key in my pocket, and I was surprised it hadn’t fallen out during the wrestling match with Kopano. I flushed at the memory as we parked and got out.

Kopano seemed relaxed, but the other three looked uncomfortable in the small living space of my home. The girls flipped their hair, peering around at the old furniture. I crossed my arms over my chest and tried to appear as tough as my supposedly twelve-year-old demeanor would allow.

“I need to make a call,” I told them.

“To whom?” the snarky twin asked.

“The woman I was with. Patti.”

I didn’t feel like explaining. I ignored their stares, walked to the counter, and dialed Patti’s cell. She answered on the first ring.

“It’s me.” I talked fast, eager to put her out of her misery of worry. “I’m fine. They’re just Kaidan’s friends. We’re at the apartment now.”

She breathed a sigh of relief.

“You can come home whenever you want,” I told her.

“All right. I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes. You’re sure you’re okay?”

“I’m sure. I’ll see you soon.”

I hung up.

“Doesn’t your father have any money?” the mean twin asked, noting our tiny television.

“This isn’t his place. I live here with my adopted mother.”

“Is he still in jail?” asked the nice sister.

“Yes.”

“That’s what we figured. We don’t like showin’ up places where a Duke might be.” She said the word Duke with a shudder. We all stood there in a semicircle, sharing the awkward lull.

“What’s up with your badge?” asked Blake, sounding like a valley boy.

“I’m not sure, to tell you the truth,” I told him.

I looked at the girls, wishing I could tell them apart.