Page 5 of Fennick’s Fortune (Sentinels of Apollo #2)

“I asked why you were out here and where you were going because I wondered if it was due to the recent information sent out by the Council of Oracles. It was to be sent to all households. However, we’ve found that it seems to have gone awry.

Is that why you’re in the middle of nowhere camping? ” Fennick asked politely.

Our unofficial leader swept his gaze over us before he answered him.

Asa sighed. “Yes, that’s why we’re out here.

We fear our protection will break down if they replace the entire council.

The Sentinels seem to be targeting their own rather than protecting us.

They’re going after the Council, trying to force them out so they can take their seats and rule,” Asa admitted.

I’d heard their reasons for being out here before.

I wasn’t sure if I believed their source of information.

No matter where it came from, it didn’t ring true to me.

There had to be a mistake. I argued with them, but they refused to believe me, so I shut up.

A hiss of displeasure drew my gaze to Brax. He stood up.

“Who told you the Sentinels were doing that?” he demanded.

“I-I, well, the Council did in the letter they sent to our homes. It explained how certain Sentinels were trying to overthrow the Council, and if they succeeded, we’d be in trouble.

My family and I decided to seek a place where we could hide until their effort fails.

Or if it doesn’t, then somewhere we’ll be safe from the lawlessness,” Asa explained.

“Did this letter tell you about Pytho, his Knights, or the Precious Ones?” Nico queried, glaring.

“Who are they?” Juliette asked.

“Did all of you get this letter? Where are you from?” Royal questioned.

Shakily, my companions admitted to receiving the same letter and not knowing who the Precious Ones, Pytho, or the Knights were. I kept my mouth shut. I’d heard of Pytho but only in Greek mythology. He was an enemy of the Greek god Apollo. There was no way they meant him.

While our group came from different towns, they’d met along the way, having had the same idea—to get away to safety or find a place to hide. I was the only one who wasn’t from California. The silence made me pay attention. I found myself the center of interest. I fought back a blush.

“Sorry, I zoned for a minute. What did you ask?” I asked calmly.

“Your companions said they all met up on their travels to here, but you joined them last. Which part of Cali are you from?” Fennick inquired.

I had planned to lie and make something up, but as I stared into his eyes, which I could now see were light blue, my mouth opened, and the truth spilled out. “I’m not from California.”

Brax leaned forward. “Where are you from then? How did you fall in with this bunch?”

His questioning made me uncomfortable. To throw it off, I chuckled as I joked. “What is this? You act like you’re a cop or something.”

“I am, in more ways than you know. I’m a San Bernardino County sheriff. Is there a reason I make you uneasy by asking?” Brax countered.

My heart sped up. I knew that with their hearing and senses, they might be able to hear it—the vampires would. I struggled to slow my heart down. Christ, only I would end up here.

“What do you mean you’re one in more ways? What were those other things you mentioned? Why ask if the Council mentioned them? Why would they?” Camila asked one question almost on top of the other, giving no time to answer the prior one before another came. Her fear was building.

I held Brax’s gaze for a few more heartbeats before he shifted his gaze to Camila.

“They’re who the Council was supposed to warn everyone about. If you know your history, you know how shifters and supernatural beings came to be,” Brax told her.

“Yeah, the story goes that the Black Plague and the god Apollo created us. I don’t believe it.” Hadar snorted.

“Well, you’d better, because it’s true. Or at least those who survived the Plague became Apollo’s Chosen Ones. As for Pytho, he’s Apollo’s enemy due to Delphi,” Fennick said before pausing.

“Pytho hated him for taking his temple away and making it his,” I whispered unthinkingly. Those piercing blue eyes met mine.

“So you did hear more,” Fennick stated.

“No, but I always liked mythology, and I remember that from Greek mythology,” I denied.

“Well, at least someone paid attention in school,” Keir murmured.

“What do Greek mythology and old tales about gods have to do with anything? They aren’t real.” Hadar snorted dismissively.

“Like hell they’re not, pup. You live for as long as some of us have, and you’ll see it’s not. That is, if someone doesn’t kill you long before then. The Knights are followers of Pytho, who was banished to Hades, to Tartarus by Apollo. Somehow, Pytho and his followers, the Knights, have risen.

“They’re recruiting more to join them in bringing an end to all of Apollo’s Chosen Ones, us .

But we’re not the only targets. There seems to be a special set of humans capable of becoming true mates to our kind.

Unlike other pairings of that nature, they can produce children.

Those children will possess special abilities that surpass those of their parents.

These new humans are the Precious Ones,” Fennick explained.

The silence was deafening. Suddenly, everyone exclaimed and asked questions, while others tried to deny that it was possible.

As crazy and incredible as it seemed, I felt deep inside that they were telling us the truth.

Pytho, his Knights, and the Precious Ones were real.

And if they were, that meant Apollo was, and we were his Chosen Ones.

A sense of vigor rose within me. I was about to ask them to tell us more, but Hadar stopped me.

He came bounding to his feet. “This is a crock of shit. Why would we believe anything you guys say? You’re nobody.

Hell, I don’t think you’re a park ranger or that he’s a sheriff.

I think this is a ruse to get us to go with you so you can steal from us or take the women. Well, I’m not falling for it.”

Hadar marched the short distance separating him and me and snagged my hand. “Come on, Akiva. We’re leaving.”

As he tugged on it, I heard a rumbling growl. Tension instantly filled the air, making it feel staticky, like it was supercharged and ready to explode. I yanked my hand free.

“I’m not going anywhere with you. They’re telling the truth, you moron,” I hissed.

His face reddened, and his anger flared. He tried to grab me again, but I was ready for his move and backpedaled, getting away from him. At the same time, his dad yelled, “Hadar, stop this instance. Leave Akiva alone.”

His brother tried to talk sense into him while the other women cried out for him to stop. The next thing I knew, I was pulled to Fennick and pushed gently behind him, as the guy faced an enraged Hadar.

“Get your hands off her, fucker!” Hadar hissed.

“You need to step away. She doesn’t want you touching her. To do so against her consent is assault. If you don’t want to spend a night in a cell or worse, I’d leave her alone,” Brax told him as he stepped between Hadar and Fennick.

Since I was being held behind Fennick by his hand on my hip, I couldn’t see his face, but Hadar’s was enraged.

“If I were human, you could, but the only one who can arrest me for anything is a Sentinel. Go back to making threats to those puny humans,” Hadar sneered, dismissing Brax.

“Brax.” Fennick’s voice was hoarse, and I heard the threat throbbing in it.

Suddenly, Brax moved like lightning. As a shifter, I was accustomed to our speed, but not like his.

He had his hands on Hadar and took him to the ground between blinks.

When Adir moved, Banner stepped in front of him and Asa.

The other men with Fennick and Brax moved to block Orion, Bruce, and Isaac from helping.

Things were going to shit. I had to put a stop to this.

“Please, stop. I don’t want anyone to be hurt because of me. As much as it pains me to say, he’s right. Only a Sentinel has the authority to hold him,” I pleaded.

“You’re right. Only Sentinels do, and he just refused to let you go in front of seven of them,” Fennick gruffly replied.

All I could do was stand there in utter disbelief, the same expression on the faces of the others in my group.

Within moments, Hadar was handcuffed and yanked to his feet.

Ordinary handcuffs would be child’s play for one of us to break.

Whatever these were made of, Hadar couldn’t, no matter how hard he tried, break free of them.

“What the fuck are these made of?” he demanded to know.

“They’re made of a special combination of metals and elements known to Sentinels. We can’t arrest and secure one of our kind with regular human cuffs. These are specially made. And since you seem to think we’re lying about being Sentinels, here you go,” Nico answered.

Nico yanked the neck of his shirt to the side, revealing a tattoo. The others, including Brax and Fennick, did the same. They all had the same tattoo in the same spot. It was the official seal of the Sentinels of Apollo, our police force. Everyone knew that symbol.

“Those can be faked,” Hadar insisted. He was still trying to wiggle free of Brax’s hold on his arm.

“If I lie, may Apollo strike me down. Oh Mighty Radiant One, give this disbeliever a sign,” Keir called out.

I gasped when I noted a bright glow right where the tattoo was.

Wanting to see it up close, I moved to the side until I could snag Fennick’s shirt and pull the collar down further.

The light coming from his tattoo was blinding.

I gasped not only at the brightness, which caused my eyelids to lower, but also at the heat emanating from it.

The heat was more than our typical body temperature.