Barak was so shocked that he knew his name that he stumbled again, almost allowing his blade to reach him. “Have we met before?”

“No. Belial has his ways.”

Barak was about to ask more questions when a sizzling, red beam of light struck the Nephilim in the neck, blowing a hole right through it. Barak followed up with a swing of his sword and beheaded him, even though he was already dead.

He looked around to see Lucien holding the gun, and Nahum breathing heavily as his opponent also lay dead at his feet. “Thanks, Lucien. I need to find Estelle. Can you stay here?”

“Of course. I have this. You too, Nahum. I will guard Olivia.”

Nahum looked torn with indecision, but Barak checked the marquee one more time, and relieved that no one else was dropping though the roof, he nodded. “Thanks, Lucien. Get back down the tunnel. You’ll defend the entrance easier than being here.”

Lucien herded Olivia ahead of him. “Don’t worry, I will.”

Barak ran outside and immediately flew, taking in the scene, and Nahum joined him. He sought out Estelle, and found her in the middle of the lawn with Jackson, surrounded by a protection circle of shimmering, blue light. A few Nephilim were dead, while more still circled them. Others were trying to stop Harlan, JD, and Maggie who were almost at the door to the house, a dead Nephilim sprawled across the threshold, his body smoking from the many wounds that had been inflicted on him.

Without a word, they dived down to help.

Maggie sidestepped the Nephilim’s body and threw open the back door of JD’s house, her alchemical weapon raised.

A figure shouted, “Stop or I’ll shoot!”

“For fuck’s sake, Anna! It’s me, Maggie. Are you okay?”

“Of course not!” Anna stepped into the light, looking terrified, her hands trembling as she held a shotgun.

“Get back. We’re coming in.” Maggie unceremoniously shoved JD inside. “Go. I’ll follow.” Harlan was still firing on the other Nephilim, and she was relieved to see Barak and Nahum fighting nearby. “Harlan, are you coming?”

“No.” He glanced at her before firing on the diving Nephilim again. “You go, though, and make sure JD gets up there safely. And be quick! I suspect there will be more coming.”

Maggie pounded down the hall, following JD who was barking orders at Anna as he ran for the stairs. “Head to the lab and grab the bombs. You know where they are.”

“JD, you know I hate those weapons and your lab.”

“I don’t care! Get them, and take them to Harlan.”

“I never signed up for this, JD!” Anna looked furious.

“Neither did any of us! Now do it. I have to activate the grid.”

Maggie felt sorry for Anna, but JD was right. She had to pitch in and help. “Actually, Anna, bring me a couple of bombs, too.”

Anna just huffed and headed down the stairs to the cellar lab.

Maggie shrugged it off as she followed JD, both wary, and with their weapons raised. Fortunately, it seemed there were no Nephilim in the house. On the first floor, JD went to flick the lights on, and Maggie stopped him.

“I wouldn’t. It will alert them to where we are.”

“They know we’re in here.”

“But not where, and,” she added, catching a glimpse of the fighting through the hall windows, “I’d like to keep it that way.”

In a few more minutes they arrived in the huge attic space. One wall was glass and opened onto a roof terrace. JD opened a door in the panelling and led them upstairs. So, this was the control tower that Harlan was wittering about. It was crazy. Like the controls of a spaceship—or so she imagined. It gave a perfect view of the grounds, and Maggie watched with increasing horror. Nahum was tumbling end over end, locked in a deadly embrace with a Nephilim. Three other Nephilim were still flying, frustrated at not being able to get close to Estelle and Jackson, but Estelle had gone very still, as if summoning her power for another assault. She couldn’t see Harlan at all, and she realised he was still out of view, close to the house.

“Can I help, JD?”

He didn’t answer, concentrating on flicking switches on his console. Lights flickered on the edge of the grounds.

“JD,” she prompted, “did you say that you’re activating a sort of dome?”

He kept working while he said, “Yes.”

“How high will it be?” She kept an eye on the Nephilim flying outside the window, almost at their level.

“It will cover the whole house, obviously, another twenty metres above.”

“So, Nahum and Barak have to keep below that?”

“Oh, yes. If not, they’ll be caught in the beams and die.”

“Do they know?”

“Well, they should,” he answered grumpily.

“But they’re fighting, which means they’re distracted!”

“Well, you better tell them, then.”

And that also meant any Nephilim still alive would be trapped inside with them. Bollocking, fuckity fuck!

The glass control tower was in darkness, but the flashing lights inside were drawing attention, and Maggie swore loudly. “For fuck’s sake! I think they’ve seen us. Is there a window here?”

“Downstairs. You can get on to the roof through the sliding doors.”

“Okay, I’m heading outside. How long will you be?”

“Two minutes at the most, just charging it all now.”

Maggie raced back down the stairs, thudding into Anna at the base. Anna thrust what looked like an eggbox at her. “Here are your bombs.”

“How do they work?”

“I don’t know!” She was already bolting to the door.

“Anna, you’re a bad liar. You must know!” Maggie wanted to slap her, immortal or not.

“You twist each half, in the centre.” She mimed the action. “Ten seconds, and they blow.”

“Thank you!” Maggie’s voice dripped with sarcasm as she raced to the roof terrace. “Although, this is your home. Perhaps you should fucking help!”