Finale

townhomes appeared to be valet-access.
    “Swanky,” I told Patch.
    He handed me a mug of hot cocoa from behind and kissed the back of my neck. “It’s more exposed than I’d like, and that’s not something you’ll hear me say
often.”
    I leaned back against him, sipping my drink. “I was worried about you.”
    “Pepper surprised me outside the Devil’s Handbag last night. Meaning I didn’t get a chance to talk to our Nephilim friend, Cowboy Hat. But I made a few calls and did some
leg-work, starting with looking into the cabin he took you to. He’s not very smart. He took you to his grandparents’ cabin. Cowboy Hat’s real name is Shaun Corbridge, and
he’s two years old by Nephilim count. He swore fealty two Christmases ago and willingly enlisted in the Black Hand’s army. He has a short temper and a history of drug abuse. He’s
looking for a way to make a name for himself and thinks you’re his ticket. His proclivity for stupidity goes without saying.” Patch kissed my neck again, this time letting his mouth
linger. “I missed you, too. What have you got for me?”
    Hmm, where to start.
    “I could tell you how Pepper tried to kidnap me this morning and hold me hostage, or maybe you’d like to hear how Dante secretly fed me a drink enhanced with devilcraft? Turns out
Blakely, Hank’s right-hand man, has been tinkering with devilcraft for months and has developed a high-performance drug for Nephilim.”
    “They did
what
?” he growled in a voice that couldn’t have been more enraged. “Did Pepper hurt you? And I’m going to rip Dante to pieces!”
    I shook my head no, but was surprised when tears sprang to my eyes. I knew why Dante had done it—he needed me strong enough physically to lead the Nephilim to victory—but I resented
his approach. He’d lied to me. He’d tricked me into consuming a substance that was not only forbidden on Earth, but potentially dangerous. I wasn’t naive enough to think
devilcraft didn’t have negative side effects. The powers might wear off, but a seed of evil had been embedded inside me.
    I said, “Dante said the effects of the drink fade after a day. That’s the good news. The bad news is I think he’s planning to introduce it to countless other Nephilim soon. It
will give them . . . superpowers. That’s the only way I can describe it. When I took it, I ran faster and jumped higher, and it sharpened my senses. Dante said that one-on-one, a Nephil could
outfight a fallen angel. I believe him, Patch. I got away from Pepper. An
archangel
. Without the drink, he’d have me under lock and key right now.”
    Cold fury burned in Patch’s eyes. “Tell me where I can find Dante,” he said crisply.
    I hadn’t expected Patch to get so angry—a major oversight, in retrospect. Of course he was seething. Trouble was, if he went to find Dante now, Dante would know I’d told Patch
about devilcraft. I needed to play my hand carefully. “What he did was wrong, but he thought he had my best interests in mind,” I offered.
    A harsh laugh. “Do you really believe that?”
    “I think he’s desperate. He doesn’t see a lot of other options.”
    “Then he’s not looking for them.”
    “He also gave me an ultimatum. Either I’m with him and the Nephilim, or I’m with you. He told me about devilcraft to test me. To see if I’d tell you.” I tossed my
hands up and let them drop. “I’d never keep that information from you. We’re a team. But we need to think how we’re going to play this.”
    “I’m going to kill him.”
    I sighed, pressing my fingertips into my temples. “You’re not seeing beyond your own personal distaste of Dante—that, and your rage.”
    “Rage?” Patch chuckled, but it was undeniably menacing. “Oh, Angel. That’s a bit tame for what I’m feeling. I’ve just learned that a Nephil
forced
devilcraft into your body
. I don’t care if he wasn’t thinking, and I don’t care if he was desperate. It’s one mistake he’s not making again. And before
you’re tempted to feel sorry for him, know this. He saw it coming. I warned him if you so much as got a scratch while under his watch, I’d hold him accountable.”
    “Under his watch?” I echoed slowly, trying to connect the dots.
    “I know you’re training with him,” Patch announced bluntly.
    “You know?”
    “You’re a big girl. You can make your own decisions. You obviously had your reasons for wanting to learn self-defense from Dante, and I