Their wings were bright with grace and their weapons fiery, golden flames. The demons started to turn, to run, but it was too late as they swept through the horde between us and Gabriel.

“You have got to be kidding me!” shouted Gabriel once more, rising into the air. “Now? Now You decide to do something?”

“Someone is about to have a fit,” Zayne remarked.

Gabriel took out several trees.

“About to?” I asked.

A tree fell onto the roof of the house as the ground ahead was lit with heavenly glow.

“It’s not over,” Lucifer said. “Not yet.”

He was right.

“We need to move fast,” Lucifer continued. “I doubt the battle angels are going to hang around. Neither will Gabriel.”

The specks of bright light surrounding the angels were already disappearing, launching back into the sky.

“You ready to finish this?” Zayne dipped his head to mine. “The right way?”

“What I was going to do was the right way in that moment,” I stated, heart slamming against my ribs. “It’s not now.”

“We’ll talk about this later,” he promised, and I rolled my eyes. “I saw that.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“You rolled your eyes.” He let go of my arms.

“I did not.” I totally did.

“We’ll talk about your habitual lying later also.”

“When you guys are done with your foreplay, let me know,” Lucifer commented, shaking a wing that was slowly repairing itself.

I didn’t even bother responding to that as we started forward, picking up speed as we raced across the field.

I didn’t even see the demon until Lucifer launched into the air and came down beside a narrow elm. He yanked a tall demon out from behind it.

“Hello, Bael.” Lucifer shoved his hand through his—

My steps stumbled. Lucifer’s hand had gone straight through Bael’s head. His actual head. The face. The skull. Oh my God.

The wall of flames collapsed as Lucifer dropped Bael. “Goodbye, Bael.”

Zayne threw out his hand, catching me as Gabriel burst out from the smoke, screaming, fiery blade in hand.

“Jesus.” I skidded to a stop, summoning my grace. It stuttered and then flared hotly. Grace pulsed through me. The Sword of Michael exploded in my hand.

“Unbelievable!” Gabriel shouted, swinging at Zayne in pure rage. His blow was blocked by Zayne’s sickles. “Do you really think you’ll win if you kill me? Mankind is doomed, anyway—”

“Can you not shut up?” I said.

Gabriel drew back, his head shooting toward me. A moment later, a Warden dropped to the ground behind him. It took me a moment to realize who it was.

Teller.

And in his hands was an angel blade.

“Kill them,” Gabriel ordered. “Kill them, but leave the nephilim alive.”

Two things struck me at once.

That Teller was answering his demand. He shot forward so fast, swinging out with one angel blade, that none of us immediately responded.