Linda Poitevin - Sins of the Lost

You want me to what?

The Archangel Mikael stared at his Creator. For more than a week he had awaited her summons. Hed been prepared to endure her wrath, her bitterness, her disappointment . . . but this?

Nothing could have prepared him for this.

The One gazed back at him with equanimity. I want you to convince Seth to take back his powers.

Her words made no more sense the second time around.

You cant be serious, he said, because it wouldnt do to tell his Creator, Youre insane.

Steel formed in the silver depths of her eyes. He held himself rigid against the desire to look away. Hed earned his place as Heavens greatest warrior through strength and counsel, not by folding at the first sign of the Ones displeasure. Straightening his shoulders, he met her glare with his own.

Two weeks ago, your sons instability damn near cost us the mortal realm, he said. We have no reason to think he has changed, so why would you give him his powers back?

The One sighed. Im not giving them back.

You just said

I said I want you to convince him to take them back.

Mikaels irritation stilled. As her words sank in, he let his mind sift through to their underlying meaning. To what she wasnt saying. Understanding glimmered.

The earthquake, he said. In Vancouver.

The One stared out the window, her gaze unfocused. When Seth chose the mortal woman over his destiny, the energy he discarded put the entire physical world in flux. Ive been dealing with the consequences ever since. Earthquakes, storms, tsunamis. Theyve been manageable so far, but if we dont contain what he released soon, it will destroy the planet. Perhaps the entire universe.

Mikaels blood turned cold. Hed seen the consequences of Seth giving up his power in the first place: buildings reduced to rubble, an already earthquake-prone city made more unstable. If the One was right, theyd removed one threat posed by her son only to have it replaced by this, an entirely new problem. And if her proposed solution was to have Seth take back his powers, it could only be because

He whirled to face her. The energy. You cant control it.

I cant so much as touch it. Bitterness laced the Creators voice. Every time I reach for it, I make it more unstable. Its very nature makes it reject my presence.

As much as hed expected the confirmation, it still stunned him. Still made his universe drop from under his feet. Youre certain?

Youre certain that youthe All-powerful, the Creator, Mother of everythingcannot control this? Cannot contain an energy that isshould beso much less than your own?

Raw honesty gazed back at him, piercing deeper than any steel might have done. The energy is not mine to hold, Mikael. It was created by my union with Lucifer. It belongs only to the product of that union. I wish it could be otherwise, butyes, Im certain.

If he does this, if he takes back his powers, how strong will he be?

If something goes wrong, if he chooses not to return to Heaven, can you stop him?

I dont know.

Her answer, he knew, encompassed both questions, spoken and unspoken.

He pivoted on his heel and stalked the width of the room in one direction, then the other. There must be another way.

We tried your way.

The words held no recrimination, only a statement of fact, but they stopped him in his tracks. She was right. Hed created this mess. Hed let himself be ruled again by the arrogance that had separated him from her side all those years before, and in that arrogance, had loosed an unknown, unquantifiable force upon the world when they could least afford it.

When war between Heaven and Hell already threatened humanity with Armageddon.

He cleared his throat. One

The tiny, silver-robed figure by the window held up a hand. Whats done is done. There is no point in belaboring the issue. I just need you to convince Seth. Ill hold things together as best I can, but I dont know how much time I can give you.

He will never listen to me.

No. But he might listen to the woman.

The Naphil. Of course. After choosing her over his own destiny, Seth would almost certainly listen to her. Still Mikael hesitated. He wanted to ask what would happen afterward, if Seth did take back his power. Wanted to know . . . and already did. The measures hed takenthe risksnone of it had changed her mind.

You know were not ready to lose you, he said gruffly.

Infinite sadness gazed back at him from silver eyes. Loss isnt something youre ever ready for, my Archangel. Its something you survive.

Alexandra Jarvis jolted awake, heart racing, lungs sucking for air. Bathed in sweat, she lay rigid, waiting for reality to replace the nightmare. Again.

As she had every night since Lucifer had raped her.

Then, through the horror shed begun to think she might never come to terms with, came the touch of a mans gentle hand. She flinched, fighting back a shudder, and made herself relax.

Again? Seths deep voice asked quietly.

She nodded. It didnt matter that he couldnt see her in the dark; after two weeks, he was as familiar with the nightmare as she was.

He tugged her close. She let him slide an arm beneath her and curled into him, head resting on his chest. She focused on the steady tha-dump of his heartbeat, the rise and fall of his breath. Slowly her fingers uncurled. She matched her own breathing to his. Inhale, exhale, inhale.

His voice rumbled beneath her ear. Its not getting any better, Alex.

She tensed anew, but his arm held firm. Im doing my best, she muttered.

I know. But Ive been doing some readinghis hold tightened against a second attempt to free herselfand I think maybe you need help with this. I think it might be posttraumatic stress

She succeeded in pulling away, scowling down at him in the dark. I know what it is, Seth, and youre right. I probably should talk to someone, but who the hell do you suggest? Being raped by Lucifer himself isnt something I can discuss with just anyone, for chrissakes. We mortals tend to medicate people who spout off about things like that. Especially people with my history.

And you refuse to talk to me about any of it.

Seth stroked her hair. The faint tension in his hand told her he knew full well the words shed swallowed back, but once again he avoided the subject. I know. And I know youre trying. But you cant go on like this. We cant go on like this.

Like this. Words too small to contain all that lay behind them: the disappointment; the recriminations never stated but always underlying; the hurt she knew she inflicted whenever he reached for her and Lucifer loomed between them yet again. Lucifer in Seths form. Lucifer turning her into nothing more than another pawn in the cosmic mockery of a game he played with the One.

Reassurances gathered in her throat but refused to move farther. She couldnt make herself say what she didnt believe to be true, couldnt promise that everything would be all right. Not anymore. Not knowing what she did of Heaven and Hell and the Nephilim and

On the bedside table, her cell phone shrilled. She extricated herself from Seths hold and rolled over to grab it.

Jarvis.

I need you at a scene.

Surprise made her fumble the phone. Staff?

Does anyone else call you at three a.m. to attend a murder scene? Staff Inspector Roberts growled.

Well, yes. Usually dispatch. She kept the observation to herself and reminded him instead, Im not cleared for active duty.

Beside her, Seth switched on the lamp. She squinted against the glare.

You are now. Ill text you the address. You have twenty minutes to get your ass down here. Pick up coffee on your way.