Soul Drinker — Ben Counter

SARPEDON STEPPED OUT into the battle. Givrillian's squad had torn the first rank of mutants apart, and they were now crouched in firepoints as return fire sheeted over their heads. Tellos had the beast-mutant on its knees, one horn gone, huge blade chipped and scarred by the assault sergeant's lightning-quick chainsword parries. Sarpedon strode through it all, ignoring the autoshells and las-blasts spattering across the shadowy interior of the hub.

He spread his arms, and felt the coil of the aegis circuits light up and flow around his armoured body. He forced the images in his head to screaming intensity - and let them go. The Hell began.

GENETICALLY ENGINEERED superhuman, the Space Marines stand foremost among the warriors who protect the human Imperium. The Soul Drinkers have served the Emperor loyally for thousands of years, but their obsessive desire to retrieve an ancient relic throws them into conflict with those they are honour-bound to obey. Faced with an impossible choice, will this proud and noble chapter back down, or rebel to forge a new destiny for themselves among the stars?