Nikolas

by Faith Gibson

Sophia reached out with her other hand and touched the door frame. She reached inside and came in contact with a leather seat. Tentatively, she eased her way into the vehicle. The door was closed beside her. Why was she getting into a car with a stranger? He could be taking her to her death. Or, he could be telling the truth. The door on the other side opened then closed. “Who are you?” she asked when the car began moving.

  “I’m Brock Tyson. I believe you know my son, Keene. You can take the hood off now. The windows are tinted, so the bright sunshine shouldn’t hurt your eyes too bad.”

  Sophia pulled the cloth from her head. She blinked a few times, adjusting to the light, but he was right. She turned to see who had rescued her from prison. The man was older, but he did resemble her aunt’s mate. “How did you get me out? Where are you taking me? Where’s Nik?”

  The man reached over and grabbed her hand gently. “Shh, slow down. I am taking you to Keene. He will take you wherever it is you need to be. I don’t know where your Nik is. Don’t want to know.” He patted her hand then placed it back in her lap. “Relax.”

  Easy for him to say. Sophia had no idea if he was telling the truth. She had no idea of a lot of things, like how long she had been away, or if she was about to meet her death.

  He’s telling the truth. You will be with Nikolas soon.

  And there was another thing she had no idea about. Should she feel relieved that her shifter half was comforting her? Or was it a sign she’d lost her mind? Either way, she prayed it was also telling her the truth.

  The car slowed and turned into an abandoned parking lot. Brock told her, “Stay here until I come get you.” He got out of the car and walked over to where Keene was waiting, leaned against an SUV. She reached out with her shifter hearing to eavesdrop.

  “Hello, Son.”

  “Father, you’re looking well.”

  “Because your mother won’t let me eat the good shit. She misses you.”

  “I had to promise to bring Xenia over for supper.”

  “Don’t forget the promise you made to me.”

  “I won’t. Just don’t wait too long. I want to get it over with.”

  “I’ll call you when I need you. Now, let’s go get the girl.”

  “How is Sophia?” Keene asked as they headed toward the car.

  His father shrugged. “About as well as a woman can be after what she’s endured.” He opened the door and held out his hand to her. “Let’s get you out of here.” Sophia placed her hand in his and stepped out of the car.

  When they approached Keene, he said, “Hello, Sophia. We really need to stop meeting under such troublesome circumstances. Come on. I’ll take you to Nikolas.” They made their way to his SUV, and he opened the door for her. She climbed into the passenger seat and buckled up. Before he closed the door, Keene asked, “Are you all right?”

  “As well as can be expected, I suppose.” She wasn’t okay, not by a long shot, but she wouldn’t tell him that. When he was in the driver’s seat she asked, “How long ‘til we get to Nik?”

  “About thirty minutes. Are you cold, hot?”

  “I’m fine,” she responded and turned to look out the window. She really didn’t feel like talking.

  “Okay, let’s get rolling then.”

  Nik was pacing the area between the living room and the kitchen. His Goyle was uncharacteristically calm. Keene did as he said he would and contacted his mother. Once she told his father what was going on, the man was more than happy to assist his son. Even though he kept a lot of the details to himself, Keene explained Sophia was the cousin of his fiancé. All he had to promise his mother was he would bring Xenia for a visit. His father called him once he had made the arrangements. The warden would only release Sophia to Keene’s father, no one else. Brock would pick up Sophia and then he would take her to Keene at a prearranged location. Keene was to come alone. At first Nik refused to stay at the villa, but Keene finally convinced him it was the only way his father would comply.

  Nik should be ecstatic. Not only was he getting Sophia back, but Julian was on his way to Egypt as of that afternoon. Instead, he was nervous. Scared at what condition Sophia would be in. The others were doing a good job of giving him space while they looked at the photos of Sam and Monica. Tessa turned the volume up on the television, “Listen to this.”

  A breaking news story was flashing on the screen. “An inside source has confirmed that Clara Fort, the American woman being held for the murder of transit guard Asaad Halim, has been released. Miss Fort was found inside Ta-Set-Neferu alongside Halim’s body. No word on why she is being released or if they have found the actual killer. We will update you when we know more.”

  “Clara Fort, really?” Tessa said as she shook her head.

  Nik frowned at his cousin’s mate. “What are you talking about?”

  “Rearrange the letters. Clara Fort is Lara Croft. At least she chose someone fun.”

  “Yeah, well, I doubt she’s had too much fun being locked up in a foreign prison for weeks,” Nik responded. He knew from his shifter that Sophia was weak. “I can’t imagine what she’s been through.”

  “Sorry, you’re right. But she’s a half-blood now. That means she’s tough. And she has you to come back to. Who wouldn’t fight for that?” Tessa smiled until Gregor growled. “Oh, stop it, Stone. You know you’re the only big, bad Gargoyle for me.” She slid her arms up his chest and pulled his head down for a scorching kiss.

  Nik felt like a voyeur watching them, but it was really hot, even if Gregor was his cousin. The intercom at the gate buzzed breaking up the visual party. “Oh gods, she’s here.” He hit the control that opened the gate and ran out the front door. The SUV pulled into the circular drive in front of the villa, and Nik slung open the door before the vehicle came to a complete stop. He started to pull his mate from the car, but noticed she had no shoes. “Where are your shoes, Baby?”

  “They took ‘em,” she said, nonchalantly.

  Nik started to scoop her up in his arms, but upon seeing a splotch of blood on Sophia’s pants, he stopped. “You’re hurt.”

  “No, I’m weak, but I’m not hurt,” Sophia told him.

  “But you’re bleeding.” His beast could smell the blood on his mate.

  “Help me out of the car, or get out of the way, Nikolas Stone.”

  “Sophia, your pants…” Nik backed up so she could get out of the car, but he grabbed onto her arms in case she needed his assistance.

  “Oh, that.” She was unconcerned about having blood on her clothing. “I do that every month.”

  “What? Oh. That.” Nik pulled his shirt off and wrapped it around her waist, tying the sleeves together so the others wouldn’t see the blood and think the same thing. “Sophia, gods, I’m so sorry. I should have never let you go back to the hotel without me. Please forgive me.” She had yet to look at him, and it was breaking his heart.

  “No, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have wandered off alone in the tombs.” Sophia started toward the villa then paused when she saw all the people on the wraparound porch. “Wow, a welcoming committee. You shouldn’t have,” she joked.

  “You had a lot of people worried.” Nik kissed her on the hair, but she pulled back.

  “I’m really gross, and I need to get out of this disguise.”

  “You’re not gross. Okay, maybe a little, but I don’t care. I’m just so thrilled to have you in my arms again. As for the disguise, yes, I’m ready to see your beautiful face.”

  Tessa met them at the bottom of the steps. “Welcome back, Lara Croft. You sure did pick one hell of an adventure for your first one,” she said before she hugged her cousin. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

  “Thanks. I see you finally came to your senses about Gregor.”

  “He was persistent. Let’s get you cleaned up and then we’ll compare stories.” Tessa put her arm around Sophia and guided her to Nik’s room. Nik wasn’t about to let his mate out of his sight. He would let Tessa get Sophia to the bedroom, but Nik wa
s going to be the one to take care of his mate.

  When they reached the bedroom, Nik told Sophia, “I retrieved your stuff from both the Nile Grand and the inn, and Zeke got your things from the Luxor. Your toiletries are in the bathroom. Tessa, thank you, but I’ll take it from here.”

  Surprisingly, she didn’t protest. She probably remembered the way Gregor was when she was hurt. Tessa closed the bedroom door, leaving them alone. He walked Sophia into the bathroom and started the shower. She turned to look in the wall-to-wall mirror and removed the Clara mask from her face and the contacts from her eyes. He smiled at the real Sophia. When she pulled her toothbrush out of the holder, he squeezed some toothpaste on the bristles. While she was brushing, he began removing his clothes. She kept her eyes on him in the mirror. When he was naked, she spat out the foam and asked, “What are you doing?”

  “Taking care of my mate,” he said softly. “I’m not going to take advantage of you. I only want to take care of you.” When she nodded, he removed his shirt from around her waist. After she rinsed the toothpaste from her mouth, he slid the prison uniform shirt over her head. Nik growled when he saw a scar marring her side. “I thought you said you weren’t hurt,” he hissed as he gingerly touched the skin around the puckered wound.

  “It’s almost healed, Gorgeous. Please, I need a shower.”

  Nik calmed his beast who was ready to find the man who did this, dig him up, and kill him again. He grabbed the waistband of the cotton pants and pushed those along with her ruined panties down her legs. He unclasped her bra and slid the straps down her arms. His head knew now was not the time to ogle his female, but she was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. “You’re so beautiful.” He placed his hands on either side of her face and kissed her softly on the lips. The taste of mint invaded his senses. If he thought he’d been lightheaded when he met her for the first time at the library, now he was truly feeling the effects of being in the presence of the one the fates had chosen for him.

  Nik opened the shower door and helped her in. He stepped in behind Sophia and turned her so that her back was under the spray. She dipped her head under the water and let out a loud sigh. Nik grabbed the shampoo, pouring a large amount in his hands. When all her hair was wet, Nik lathered her long strands and massaged her scalp. He helped her rinse the suds away before he shampooed it a second time. When the water was running clear, he turned her so the spray wasn’t hitting her head and wrung the excess out before adding conditioner. Sophia kept her eyes closed as Nik applied body wash to a washcloth. The scent of honeysuckle invaded his nostrils. “So that’s it,” he murmured.

  “Hmm?” she asked without actually asking.

  “You always smell like honeysuckle. It’s your body wash.” Nik loved the fact that his mate didn’t smell like every other woman in the world. Hers was a unique scent, one he could get lost in. He took great care in washing her body. When he got close to her mound, she opened her eyes.

  “Nik…”

  “Shh. I’ve got you. Unless you don’t trust me,” he said and patiently waited for an answer.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  After being taken and held in prison, Nik wouldn’t blame her if she said she didn’t trust him. He held his breath until she looked him in the eyes and said, “I trust you. It’s just I’m, well, you know.”

  “I don’t know how many men you’ve been with. I really don’t want to know. But you are my mate. I’m still upset with you for keeping that from me for so long, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t mine. You are, just as I am yours. What that does mean to me is I will take care of you. I will care for you. I will put your needs and wants above mine, always. You are my female and as such, you are the most exquisite creature ever created. Every single thing about you calls to me on a level so deep, I can’t explain it. The fact you bleed once a month has no bearing on how I feel. It’s part of what makes you who you are. The part that’s going to let you give me babies one day.” Nik rubbed her flat stomach with the back of his hand.

  “If you would feel better washing yourself, I’ll understand. But know this – you can trust me. With your body, your heart, and your spirit.”

  Sophia reached a hand up and cupped his face. She closed her eyes and tears rolled down her cheeks.

  “Hey, talk to me. Did I upset you?” Nik lifted her chin.

  “No, you’re just so sweet. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about being mates, but you have to know that JoJo can be pretty persuasive,” she sniffed.

  “JoJo?”

  “Jonas. He was adamant about nobody knowing Gargoyles can mate with humans. It’s one reason he put most of his children up for adoption. He didn’t want them to be targeted.”

  “I think he might have been right. Not about keeping it a secret but the targeting part. We’re pretty sure we know who took your parents. We just don’t know where they are yet. Have you heard Jonas talk about the Goyle who had him ostracized when he mated with Caroline?”

  “Yeah, Alistair. He’s behind this?”

  Nik kissed the tears off Sophia’s cheeks and went back to bathing her as he talked. “Yes. He has a chip on both shoulders. Not only does he despise Jonas, but he has a hard-on for Rafael, too.”

  “That’s right; he’s the King’s uncle. Well, hell. How did you find out he took my parents?” she asked as she grabbed onto his shoulders.

  “A lot has happened while you were being held. Let’s finish getting you cleaned up, and I’ll fill you in.” Nik helped Sophia rinse her body as well as the conditioner from her hair. She insisted on shaving, so he held her upright while she placed her leg against the wall. When both legs and her underarms were to her satisfaction, Nik turned the water off and opened the shower door. Sophia wrung the excess water from her hair before he handed her a towel. She flipped her head over and twisted the towel around it like a turban. When he held another towel open, she stepped into it, and Nik wrapped it around her body. Instead of letting her go, he pulled her to him and held her close.

  They stood silently for several minutes until Nik’s cock was no longer behaving. He kissed Sophia on the head and grabbed his own towel. He turned his back to her, forgetting she could see his profile in the mirror. “Somebody’s happy to see me,” she breathed across his back as she ran her hand down his spine.

  “Sophia...”

  “Don’t you want me, Nikolas? Your body says you do.”

  Nik secured the towel around his waist and faced his mate. “Of course I do, but you’ve been through quite an ordeal. At least I assume you have. We have all the time in the world to be together. I want to get some food in you and just hold you. I need to feel you in my arms, to know you’re really here and safe.”

  Sophia nodded and began opening drawers. She retrieved various items, placing them on the counter. Nik slathered on deodorant and left her to do what she needed to do. He was in the bedroom putting on clothes when she walked into the room naked. Nik groaned. “Are you trying to kill me, woman?”

  “If we are going to live together, you’re going to have to get used to this.”

  “You want to live with me?” Nik had hoped she would, but he didn’t want to jump the gun.

  “You put my things in your bedroom. I assumed you wanted me to sleep in here.”

  “Of course I do. But only when you’re ready.”

  “Gorgeous, I’ve been ready for three years. Do you know how hard it was watching you with other women? I should win some kind of medal for not maiming your dates.”

  “You followed me?” Nik couldn’t believe she had kept her distance knowing they were mates.

  “For a while, but it got to be too much. I knew eventually you or one of your Clan would find the journal I planted.” Sophia rummaged through the drawers until she found the clothes she wanted. She returned to the bathroom to dress.

  Nik followed her. Once Sophia had her clothes on, she picked up the comb. He took it from her and told her to sit. She closed the lid on the toilet and did as she was told
. He ran the comb through small strands until all the tangles were gone. While he worked he asked, “How did you know it was me?”

  “I wasn’t sure at first. I refused to believe my mate was a human, so once I transitioned, I started following you all. I knew it wasn’t Gregor, because he was Tessa’s mate. That narrowed it down. There aren’t that many of you that go out in public as much as you and Julian. Geoffrey keeps to the gym, and I don’t work out. One day, you were giving a press conference about a new building your family had designed and erected. You passed by me afterwards, and it was all I could do not to tackle you right there on the sidewalk. I thought back to the times I’d seen you before that and remembered sitting close to you at Giovani’s. You eat there a lot.”

  “If you know I eat there a lot, you must too,” Nik said and nudged her with his knee. “I wish you would have tackled me. It would have made the last three years so much more enjoyable.”

  “Like I said, JoJo can be pretty convincing, but I think his days of telling his adult children what to do are over.” Sophia stood and faced him, placing her hands on his shoulders. “Do you forgive me?”

  Her beautiful blue eyes were wet with unshed tears. Nik set the comb on the counter and snaked his arms around her waist. He touched his lips to her forehead and whispered, “I forgive you.” Sophia ran her fingers through his hair and pulled his head down to hers. She pressed their lips together. Nik allowed her to take control. He wanted nothing more than to rip her clothes off and make their bond official, but she had been through a traumatic experience, and he would wait until she was ready.

  A pounding on the bedroom door interrupted their moment. Tessa said, “Is everything okay in there? I don’t hear wild monkey sex, so you need to get your asses out here.”

  “Red, leave them alone. They’ll come out when they’re ready,” Gregor chastised his mate.

  “We’re coming,” Sophia responded. She scrunched up her nose at Nik. “She’s a little crazy.”

  “I heard that,” Tessa yelled from the living area.