Sins of Angels (The Complete Collection)

by Larkin, Matt

  “It’s time. The Sentinels are divided and can no longer properly patrol their space. You will go with the Sons of Cain into the Milky Way. There is another Angel station there that must be destroyed.”

  Another one? The Milky Way was deep in the Mizraim Empire. Even if Apollo was right and the Sentinels couldn’t defend it at the moment, how could a station have gone unnoticed all these years?

  “It is hidden in a nebula,” Apollo said.

  Answering a question Caleb hadn’t even asked. The Asheran was in his head. The damn chip had destroyed any semblance of privacy he might have.

  “In case you haven’t noticed, we lost an entire fleet, too.”

  Word had just come that the Zuzim had failed. Spectacularly. The Angels had allowed a single ship to escape the confrontation. Hundreds of Asheran ships were lost. Tens of thousands of lives snuffed out. And for nothing. The Ark was an unstoppable behemoth. It was a juggernaut without remorse or conscience. Like the Angels controlling it.

  Apollo nodded. “Yes. Very unfortunate. You are to leave within the hour.”

  Son of a bitch didn’t give a flying shit, did he? Caleb sighed. He supposed he should have realized Apollo was a sociopath sooner.

  The man cocked his head at that.

  Or maybe he was an outright psychopath?

  “Prepare to leave,” Apollo said, and departed without further comment.

  So they were going to have to take the Serpent into Sentinel space. A damned pirate ship, flying into the heart of Mizraim. Ezra would probably love that almost as much as Caleb did. The man seemed loyal to Apollo, but perhaps it was fear, as well. Caleb would need to find out. He was going to need whatever allies he could get. And sadly, the worst of it was … Apollo might be right. If the man was a heartless prick, the Angels were worse. They were monsters, continuing the extinction of mankind the Adversary had begun thirty-one centuries ago.

  Humanity had been given a reprieve.

  And now, long delayed, death came for them.

  So Caleb would do anything he could to deny the Angels resources. Including destroy their stations. It was terribly depressing to think he had no choice but to rely on Apollo to save the human race from the Angels. His savior was a sociopath. He felt nauseated.

  “I’m going with you,” Rebekah said.

  He turned to look at her and found she had dressed while he was lost in thought.

  “It’s too dangerous.”

  “No, Caleb. I’m coming.” She pressed her body against his bare chest and ran her fingers along his face. “It’s a long trek. You’ll be lonely.”

  No. No, he’d do this and go home to Ayelet.

  “No, Caleb. You know you want me.”

  He … He did.

  “That’s right. Take me with you. You don’t want to face this alone. Wasn’t it awful, being apart for so long when you went to the Great Attractor … So, so lonely.”

  Yeah. That was the truth. She was right. He was weak, and he needed her. Which made him twice the fool, for falling for this teenage girl. She was supposed to be a quick romp to sate his lust. So why couldn’t he be rid of her? She was a good assistant, for certain. The best he’d ever had. It was like she knew his every need before he did. But … he had a wife. He had children …

  “Come on. You know this isn’t going to be over yet,” she said. “Let’s go down to the hangar.”

  God, she was right. He’d do this for Apollo, and then the bastard would send him off to some other off rotation quest. And as long as Apollo was standing in the way of the Ark, Caleb would keep doing it. It was the only way to save his family and rest of mankind.

  “Fine. Let’s go.”

  CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-NINE

  March 18th

  Never, in all my searching, in all my questing … Never did I consider what might really lurk out there … in the black. That maybe there were things mankind was not ready for.

  Man Shall Adhere to the Bounds of the Conduit. Rachel had always found the Second Commandment the most curious of the three. The First seemed clearly designed to maintain Angel superiority over humans. The Third, to increase the human population so the Angels had subjects to rule. But the Second was commonly understood to mean don’t try to violate the causality-maintaining time shifts in the Conduit.

  And, some speculated, it meant don’t try to use the Conduit to reach other universes. Now, Rachel knew why.

  She pressed her face into her bunk, as if she could hide from the growing darkness echoing through her mind. It rang like a clarion; it hissed like a snake. It was emotion so alien, so foreign, the feel of it slithered inside her like a nest of serpents. It suffocated her thoughts and wrapped around her heart, constricting, denying her breath.

  The Sephirot had spun out into a now-desolate system in Triangulum. When they finally got the star charts up and working, they found this system had once been home to an inhabited moon. The Empire had no data on the population or economy here. The Angels had destroyed another world, as if in passing. With the Shekhinah pledging to them, perhaps they had decided it best to systematically wipe out all of Asherah. Maybe the entire Triangulum galaxy

  And faced with the horrors the Angels wrought on one hand, and the mind-shattering terror of the foreign universe on the other, she still couldn’t say they were entirely wrong. They had denied humanity Eden … because it was home to psychic ghosts that would drive any population there mad. They had forbid mankind to try to reach other universes. Because there were horrors beyond imagining out there. For three thousand years they had thought they were alone. That humans, Angels, and the Adversary were all there was. But there was other life out there, so different from humans as to defy description.

  She had touched a mind so vast it stretched across galaxies. So ancient the whole of human existence was a heartbeat to it. And so full of hatred it had nearly crushed her.

  Still, her chest constricted from the thought of it. It would have devoured her soul. She knew that. A second longer in there, and it would have consumed her.

  And the Angels were right. Mankind was not ready for what was out there. Could she allow herself to doubt, then, even for a second? Didn’t she have to? She had lectured back at New Rome University. She had told her students it was fine to have faith, but blind faith was foolish. You can never be so sure of your convictions you were unwilling to question them. So what of her convictions, that the Angels were tyrants?

  She heard her door open, but couldn’t make herself stand. She kept her face buried, unable to deal with whoever it was. Her empathic senses were fried. Contact with the alien universe had left her mentally and physically broken. Knight had carried her here, and she had slept. And dreamt of a universe of swirling red and black storms. How many other universes were out there? How many horrors lurked beyond the Local Group, in the space Angels had denied mankind? Had they done so to protect humanity? To shield them from dangers they couldn’t even begin to fathom?

  Someone sat on her bed and put a hand on her. “Are you all right, lass?”

  David. She could always count on David. He was a pillar of strength.

  “I’m scared.”

  He rubbed her shoulder. “I know. It’s my fault. I never should have engaged them in the Conduit. I let my rage cloud my judgment. I had … no idea.”

  No one did. That was the point. How many other things did they not know were out there? It was easy to think that was also the Angels’ fault. Had they been honest about the dangers, instead of simply imposing Commandments … would it have worked? Or was it human nature to question, to push boundaries? Would knowing such things existed have driven people to deliberately try to contact these … beings?

  “It’s not your fault. They never told us.”

  “Aye, well, maybe they told us enough. Maybe we should have listened. I think I worried them, though. They retreated to Mizraim space. They’ve taken the Tabernacle and declared all Mizraim space returned to their rule. I think … maybe it’s over. The
Days of Glory are back.”

  The Days of Glory. Maybe they should welcome them back. Maybe mankind should slink back into its blissful ignorance and obedience. She could seek penance and forgiveness for questioning them. And things might go back to how they were. Humans oppressed by Angel theocracy, but safe. Free from the fears she now knew, protected from the greater universe by guardian Angels.

  And everything she had ever done would have been for nothing. Or rather, it would be because of her the Angels returned. She’d found the Sefer Raziel. She’d awakened the Angels from the Ark. Raziel had known where they were, but had judged the time not right to awaken them. Why? To avoid this very future. Even he must not want to see the wholesale genocide of Asherah. And that was what she would be condemning them to, if she did nothing.

  Rachel rolled over to look up at David. He was smiling sadly, and she wished she could do more to comfort him. “I need to see him.”

  “Who?” David asked.

  “Raziel.”

  Can you hear me?

  I hear you, Ms. Jordan. His voice echoed through her mind, making her skull feel too small.

  You’re in my head. You can call me by my first name. Can you come here?

  No answer was forthcoming, so she had to assume he was on his way.

  “Does he know?” she asked.

  “Yes. Rach, I … I’m so sorry I put us through—”

  “Don’t. You had no way of knowing. You did what you thought was right. And you may have saved a lot of Asheran lives. At least now they’ve paused the genocide.” For a moment.

  He held her close and rubbed her back, saying nothing. It was the perfect thing to say.

  Her door buzzed.

  “Open.”

  Raziel stepped in, still wearing his hood up. “What is it, Rachel?”

  “You have to do something. You chose not to wake the other Angels, so you must not have wanted this future. So prevent it.”

  “I cannot.”

  “You can try.”

  Raziel sighed and lowered his head. “Very well. I will see what I can learn. I’ll need time.”

  “We’ll be stuck here making repairs a wee bit still,” David said.

  “Raziel …” Rachel said. “Thank you. For what it’s worth … I wish I had just given you the Ark in the first place.”

  “Hindsight makes mistakes glaringly obvious. We understand that better than most. I shall be in my own ship. I must enter the Conduit.” The Angel departed, leaving her alone with David.

  She pulled him down to lay beside her, and slept with his arm around her. Maybe his presence soothed the nightmares, or maybe just having another Psych nearby helped clear her mind. Either way, she rested, and when she woke, her own psionic senses seemed to be functioning normally. Even as he slept, she sensed the warmth David felt toward her. The love he’d always had for her. Whatever mistakes she’d made, he was the one person who never turned away from her. For certain, when she acted the fool he’d called her out on it. He’d been right. It wasn’t her place to release Caleb without his permission. Not on his ship.

  She kissed him on the cheek. David’s stubble had grown thick over the last couple days, and his whiskers tickled her lips. He needed a shave. He needed a damn vacation. They all did.

  He woke, and ordered breakfast brought to her quarters. They sat quietly, eating eggs and oatmeal. It had never tasted so good to her. She hadn’t eaten since … Since before they entered Triangulum, more than a day ago. David didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to.

  “When are you needed on the bridge?” she asked, when breakfast was finished.

  “Soon, I guess. I’ve left Phoebe up there all night. She’s bound to be getting a wee bit cranky. Which is like to be more a problem for Knight than me, I guess … Why? Did you have something in mind?”

  “Well, I just might …”

  David rose from the table and leaned toward her. His thumb brushed her cheek, and he ran his fingers through her hair.

  Her door buzzed.

  Bastard had the worst timing in the holy universe. And she almost, almost might believe he’d done it on purpose.

  She exchanged a pained looked with David, then he shrugged and backed away.

  “Open,” she said.

  Raziel stepped in, and Rachel swore she sensed a hint of amusement coming off him. Damn Angel really did know what he’d interrupted, didn’t he?

  “I have communed with my brethren.”

  Communed? Did he mean he called them on the Mazzaroth? Or had he gone into the Conduit to enhance his psionic gifts? God, did that really allow him to communicate telepathically between galaxies?

  “The Angels have refused to back down. They warned me … They said I must join them in the destruction of Asherah. They intend to strike soon and eliminate all human life in the Confederacy as an example. Mizraim citizens who submit will be spared.”

  All life? So they were really going through with the genocide. They planned to wipe out seven galaxies’ worth of human life.

  And what did he mean, they said he must join them? Would he? Would he become a pariah and stand against them, risk his own existence? His face was unreadable, his emotions guarded.

  The Angel turned away, hiding his face. “I’m sorry, Rachel. They will not be swayed. They cannot forgive the Asherans for making themselves cyborgs. They plan to reinforce the Covenant.”

  At the cost of a trillion lives.

  CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY

  Raziel’s brethren refused him. They had warned him to come back to them. Did it tempt him? Might he still betray her? And if he did, could she truly blame him?

  For a long time after Raziel left, David sat with Rachel in her chambers. She said nothing, and he was grateful. He had put her—had put all the crew—through the void in trying to take down the Ark, and he’d failed.

  Now, the Tabernacle belonged to the Angels. Sentinel ships were flocking back to the Shekhinah. Mizraim would be solidly under their control in a few weeks, most likely. And then … then they would exterminate the seven galaxies of the Asheran Confederacy.

  And no matter how much he’d hated Asherah for the death of his mum, he could not allow that. Murder on this scale was something beyond imagining. Or rather, it was something they had only imagined from the Adversary itself. The entity or entities had tried to exterminate mankind. And that was what the Angels were doing now.

  They had made themselves the very monster they had once saved Eden from. They had saved Eden after seven billion people died. But the numbers they intended to kill now dwarfed even the Adversary’s unthinkable actions.

  The Sentinels had been created to protect humanity. To ensure no foe could ever threaten their survival again. To stand between mankind and the Adversary. And that was what David would have to do now. He would have to stand up to the Angels. He would stand against Mizraim, if that’s what it took.

  At last he stood, and Rachel rose with him. She must know the decision he’d already reached. She’d feel it, radiating from his emotions. She knew him. Something things could not be borne.

  “The Asheran military is in chaos,” she said. “They’ve lost even more ships than the Sentinels.”

  “Hertz reported one Aluf is still trying to organize a defense. He needs to know what’s coming.”

  Rachel nodded.

  David brushed off his uniform and stood before the Mazzaroth screen. Some might call what he was about to do treason. But then, he’d been accused of that before. Once he’d started down the road of following his convictions, there was no turning back.

  “Mazzaroth personal access. David McGregor, code Duress 92G. Contact Aluf Mishma Lamport.”

  For an interminable minute, the screen flickered, trying to connect. Then, at long last, the man appeared on screen. The man wore a helmet disguising his face. In place of a visor, it showed a cross of glowing light. He had an armored suit, but it didn’t cover his arms. Those were actually made of metal. Cybernetic limbs.


  It made David a little sick, but he tried not to squirm. He’d chosen to make this call. “Aluf?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m Sentinel Captain David McGregor.”

  “What do you want, Captain?”

  “I … I want to warn you. The Angels have claimed the Tabernacle and taken control of the Mizraim Empire. Many Sentinels are with them. They plan to invade Asheran space soon. They intend to use the Ark to wipe out every living being in the Confederacy.”

  The Aluf held stock still, and through the visor, David could get no read on the man. Did he trust him? If the man refused to believe, this call was for nothing.

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Because not all Sentinels, not all Mizraim citizens, believe in such extreme measures. Because the Angels have become mass murderers—the very threat Sentinels are meant to stand against.”

  A loud breath transmitted over the Mazzaroth. It was probably a snort, but David decided it was best to assume it was a sigh.

  “So you plan to aid Asherah, Captain?”

  Just one more step. One more step down the road to treason. One meter more, and he would betray his government to the enemy he’d hated from childhood. He would betray his government to save the human race. The very thing Rachel had been trying to do all along. And now he had become her. He had found himself in her role. The Codex spoke of pariahs—those who stood outcast, not as mere khapiru, but for the good of society. Would doing this make him one? Would it end his career? It didn’t matter. It was petty to dwell on such things now. His career meant nothing in the face of the fate of the human race. Just like Rachel—at long last he understood her. For her convictions, she had sacrificed all she’d worked for. And he had never truly understood until this moment.

  Before, he had made sacrifices for her. He had betrayed Waller because of love for Rachel. Only now, standing here, on the cusp of alliance with the enemies of his own nation, did he really understand the weight she had borne. The terrible burden of a conscience that defied society.