Nikolas

by Faith Gibson

  When they arrived at the point where they’d hidden the rental SUV, Julian and Zeke quickly swapped the rebel’s car for their own. Before driving off, Julian handed the medical supplies over to Tessa who passed them to Sophia and Nik in the back. While they rode the rest of the way to the house, Sophia composed herself and began cleaning the dirt and blood off her parents’ faces and arms. There were no cuts they could find on their skulls. The blood appeared to be from minor facial lacerations.

  Nik took one of the wet wipes and used it on Sophia’s sand covered face. “You were amazing back there,” he praised his mate. “Where did you learn to ride a motorcycle?”

  “Yes, where did you learn that?” Tessa asked.

  Sophia didn’t look at her cousin. She kept her focus on her parents when she responded, “Did you never wonder why the mileage on your bike was off?”

  Tessa gasped, “You didn’t!”

  Nik was gaining another level of appreciation for his mate. She was a sneaky little wench. Sophia glanced up at him and winked. “Oh, I did. But I always filled her back up. I even changed the oil once or twice.” From the front of the SUV, Tessa let out a string of curses that would make the most seasoned sailor blush. Nik was now glad there was a row of seats between the two women.

  When they arrived at the house, Nik helped Sophia down before grabbing her father. He carried Sam, and Zeke grabbed Monica. They took Sophia’s parents into the house and placed them side by side on the master bed. Julian entered the room and informed them a doctor was on the way. “It’s good to know an international criminal,” he said seriously.

  Sophia sat on the bed beside her father, holding his hand. “Dad, it’s me, Sophia. You’re going to be fine. You and Mom are safe. We need to get you checked out and get some food in you.”

  Nik sat in the only chair in the room and prayed to the gods his mate was telling her father the truth. Considering they hadn’t found Sam and Monica in the room where they were being held, Nik had no idea of the conditions they’d endured for the last month. Sam was a half-blood, so he would be stronger than his wife and able to withstand harsher circumstances such as not being fed or given water. Monica was human. If she had not been given the proper sustenance, her body could be withering away inside. As Nik thought on these things, Julian entered the room accompanied by a man and woman.

  “This is Dr. Ausar,” Julian introduced the doctor, but the older man didn’t speak. He placed his black leather bag on the bed and pulled out a stethoscope. He listened to both their hearts and checked their vitals. Nik could have told him what he would hear, but that would mean explaining to the foreigner how Nik knew it.

  The woman remained off to the side of the room until he spoke to her. “Start both of them on an IV. Draw blood so I can determine if they have been drugged.” The woman nodded and got busy. Sophia moved out of the way and came to stand beside Nik’s chair. The doctor told her, “I will do everything I can for your parents. Until I get the bloodwork back, I will not be able to tell you if they are going to be okay.”

  “I understand. Thank you for coming out here,” she said.

  “Mr. Tyson is a friend of mine. When he calls, I do not say no.”

  Nik pulled Sophia down into his lap. He needed to have his arms around her, to be touching her. He had told her the truth earlier when he said she was amazing. It didn’t mean he hadn’t been scared for her safety. She put the well-being of others before herself, even when she hadn’t been one hundred percent sure the people they were rescuing were her parents. Her body was tense, but he couldn’t blame her. Sam and Monica still weren’t out of the woods.

  Tessa stuck her head into the room. “Hey, Soph, why don’t you take a shower?”

  Nik agreed that a shower would feel good. They were both still covered in sand. She surprised him when she nodded. “Yeah, a shower would be nice.” Zeke took their place sitting beside Sam.

  When they stepped out into the hall, Sophia asked Tessa, “Are you going to throttle me?”

  Tessa laughed. “No, since you changed the oil, I’ll let it slide.” Nik had a feeling Tessa wouldn’t have been so lenient had Sophia’s parents not been in bad shape.

  Nik followed her to the other bedroom where their backpacks were waiting on them. Sophia unzipped her bag and stared inside at the contents. When she stood unmoving, Nik pulled her hands away and wrapped his arms around her. “Baby, are you okay?” He already knew the answer, but he wanted her to be honest with him.

  Sophia grabbed the front of his shredded shirt and buried her face in his chest. “No,” she mumbled. Nik put his cheek to the top of her head and held his mate. “I’m here for you. No matter what happens, we’ll get through this. Your parents are strong. They have their love for each other, and they have you. Love’s a powerful thing, Baby.” She leaned back and puckered her lips. She looked like a silly fish, and Nik obliged with a pucker of his own. He loved how even in the face of possible adversity, she kept her sense of humor. Another reason she was his perfect match. “Come on; let’s get cleaned up so we can get back to your parents. You go start the shower, and I’ll get your clothes.”

  They didn’t linger in the shower, not with a houseful of people and her unconscious parents in the next room. They worked quickly to wash the sand and grime from their bodies and hair. Once they were dried off and clothed, Nik detangled Sophia’s hair for her. It was something he hoped to do for his mate every time she took a shower. “You need to teach me how to do that braid thing you did earlier.”

  “You want to braid my hair?” she asked, her eyes still closed. She didn’t have to tell him she enjoyed what he was doing. The soft moans spoke volumes.

  “Yes. I told you, I want to take care of you. Besides, when we have a little girl, I’m going to need to know how. Might as well get good at it before the time comes.”

  Nik didn’t miss the smile that spread across Sophia’s face when he mentioned a daughter. Of course, he wanted little boys too, but he couldn’t wait to have a mini Sophia running around the house. Once Nik was finished with the comb, Sophia clipped her damp hair to the top of her head. They returned to the other bedroom where they found no change in her parents.

  The rental house wasn’t large enough to accommodate all of them, so Julian, Gregor, and Tessa planned to fly back to the villa. Zeke would stay with Sophia and Nikolas until there was a change in Sam and Monica. Julian left the SUV with them in case they needed to leave for any reason, and he and the others took a taxi to the airport. Sophia thanked them all for their part in getting her parents back. They assured her they were staying in Egypt until her parents were well enough to travel home.

  Nik loved his family. He was blessed with a Clan full of brothers and cousins who always had each other’s backs, no matter what. Speaking of brothers, he wondered how Frey was faring with his mate and her situation. He sent a quick text letting him know he was thinking about him. Nik didn’t mention Sophia or her parents. He figured his big brother had enough going on in his own life without adding to it. He would be glad when all this was over and they were home together. Nik missed Sunday family day at the manor. He missed being around the others, the camaraderie they shared. He couldn’t wait to get Sophia back to the States and share that part of his life with her. He was ready to share everything with her.

  Sophia was thankful for Nikolas being by her side. He had no idea how much strength she was pulling from him. If her parents would wake up and talk to her, she would feel better about the situation. She and Zeke took turns sitting with them. The doctor returned the next morning to check their vitals and to give Sophia the good news. A drug was found in their system, but it was only something to knock them out temporarily. He suspected it was taking longer for them to wake up because of the lack of nutrition. Just as the doctor was readying his bag to leave, Sam started rousing.

  Sophia rushed to his side. “Dad, can you hear me?”

  “Sophia, where are we? Where’s your…” Sam saw Monica lying asleep n
ext to him. “Oh, Monica.” He grabbed her hand that didn’t have the IV in it. “What happened? How did we get here?”

  “Shh, Dad. Calm down, and I’ll tell you what we know.” She helped Sam slide up into a sitting position.

  He pushed Monica’s hair off her forehead before turning to his daughter. “Sophia, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes. Zeke, Brother, what are you doing here? And that’s…” Sam looked to where Nik was standing. “That’s Nikolas Stone. Sophie, girl, you have some explaining to do.”

  “First off, Uncle Zeke is here because Tessa was in a pickle and couldn’t come help me. Nik is here because he’s my mate.” Her dad started to protest, but she held up her hand. “Dad, stop. He’s been my mate for three years; we’ve only made it official recently. Why don’t you let the doctor look you over right quick? We have plenty of time to talk.”

  “No, I’m fine. Tell me what you know.”

  “I got a note telling me you’d been taken, and if I wanted to see you again, I’d come to Egypt. So, I hopped a plane. When I arrived I was given instructions to go to the zoo. I knew I was being followed, so while I was in disguise, I followed my followers. We ended up at the zoo earlier than planned, and I saw the clue being planted. When I was alone, I grabbed the clue; only it was an ancient artifact I needed help deciphering, so I went to see Xenia.”

  “Xenia, how’s my girl?” Monica mumbled. Sophia was glad her mother was waking up, if somewhat groggily.

  “Monica, Sweetheart, shh. It’s okay. You’re going to be okay. Get this IV out of me,” Sam said as he began pulling at the catheter.

  “Doctor! Dad, stop. Let the doctor do that.” Sophia grabbed his hands as her mother continued to mumble. Her father was talking over her mother, trying to calm her.

  The doctor entered the room and removed the IV. While he was working on Sam, Monica roused a little more.

  “Mom, you’re awake. Thank the gods,” Sophia said as she rounded the bed.

  “Sophia? What are you doing here? Where’s Xenia?” Monica asked, clearly confused.

  “Shh, Monica. You need to wake up, Sweetheart. Sophia’s here. She found us.”

  Her mother blinked a few times. “Of course she did.”

  Sophia didn’t miss the knowing look that passed between her parents. She waited until the doctor checked her mother over and removed the IV from her arm as well. When he was satisfied they both would be fine, he told them, “You both need rest and nourishment. The drug in your system will be completely gone in no time.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Ausar, for everything,” Sophia said as she shook the doctor’s hand.

  Nik said, “I’ll walk you out.” She waited until her mate had the doctor out the front door before she confronted them.

  “Mom, I was telling Dad how I found you, but I think that can wait until you’re feeling better.”

  Her mother nodded and reached out for Sam’s hand. “Ezekiel, what are you doing here?”

  Zeke was leaned against the doorframe looking like he’d rather be anywhere but in that room. “Someone has to keep my brother in line,” he said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Sophia could feel the tension building, and she was ready to know what the hell was going on in her family.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  The rest of the morning was spent with Sam hovering over Monica. Sophia didn’t remember her mother being such a delicate flower. Nik was outside talking to Julian on the phone. Zeke was at the stove stirring something that added a wonderful fragrance to the air. Sophia was studying the numbers Xenia had sent. Even though her parents were safe, Sophia still wanted to solve the mystery. She was tapping the eraser end of a pencil on the table and biting the thumb of her other hand.

  “What do you have there?” Monica asked, looking over her shoulder. Her mom had showered and looked much more like herself. Her hair wasn’t as long as Sophia’s, but it was thick and wavy. She could let it air dry and still be beautiful.

  “Something Aunt Xenia found in her safety deposit box. When her father died, he left this for her. It was a set of coordinates and some random numbers.”

  Monica sat down next to her daughter and asked, “May I see them please?”

  Her dad came into the kitchen, but didn’t sit down. He stood in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. Samuel Brooks was a handsome man. Most people mistook him and Sophia for brother and sister considering he looked to be in his thirties. Zeke stopped stirring and glanced over at his brother. Sam nodded.

  Sophia knew this was it. She was going to find out what skeletons had rattled the closet door open. “Can we please wait on Nik?” she asked. Sophia needed her mate for strength.

  “Wait on Nik for what?” he asked as he came in the front door.

  “I have a feeling my world is fixing to tilt on its axis, and I need my rock. Sit, please?” She pulled out the chair next to her and Nik sat. He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips.

  Monica tapped her broken fingernail on the paper. “I know what these are. They aren’t random numbers. They make up a cipher code.”

  “And you know this how?” Sophia asked.

  “My brother, Mercer, was an archaeologist, as was I when I met your father. Mercer was a bit younger, but he was the brilliant one. At first we traveled all over, but once he got the slightest hint of where Cleopatra was buried, he couldn’t focus on anything else. He begged me to continue the digs with him, but I was your father’s mate, and as you know, that pull is stronger than any other. I left Egypt and Mercer and moved to the States with Samuel.

  “Mercer was somewhat paranoid. He would make notations in his journals, but most of the time, only he could decipher them. He was the only one who knew what the numbers and symbols stood for. Even though he was younger, he taught me so much. One of the things he taught me was cipher codes. You take a set of letters and assign a particular set of numbers to those. Only the person with the numbers can read the message.” She paused and wiped a tear from her face.

  “Monica…”

  “No, Sam. I’m okay. Anyway, it’s not quite as simple as that, but you get the gist. These numbers are from the last cipher code he created before he died.”

  “But why would Xenia have these? She said her father gave them to her. That would mean Mercer is…”

  “My brother. Mercer Carmichael, Xenia’s adopted father, is my baby brother.”

  “But that would make you… almost a hundred. I thought you were in your mid-fifties.”

  “I’m so sorry, Sophia. When I got pregnant, Jonas had a fit. He insisted I give my baby up for adoption. There was no one I trusted more than Mercer and his wife. Xenia isn’t your aunt. She’s your older sister.”

  If Nikolas hadn’t been holding on so tight, Sophia would have ran out the door. “And you allowed JoJo to manipulate you into giving up your child? Do I have other brothers and sisters? What else have you been hiding from me?”

  “We were weak. We let him convince us it was the best course of action. As for siblings, no. I refused to have another child until your father agreed we could keep you. I wanted to tell you; I did. But you know how Jonas is. The fewer people who know secrets, the less chance they have of being found out.”

  Sophia didn’t know what to say. She was hurt. Felt betrayed. Then again, who was she to pass judgment? She had kept her own secret for three years. She didn’t feel hers was as life-shattering, but again, what did she know?

  “I guess you can understand why I didn’t tell you about Nikolas. Were you ever going to tell Xenia? Now that’s she’s transitioned and knows about the family, I think you owe her the truth.”

  “And we’ll tell her. Together,” Sam said as he finally sat down next to his mate.

  Zeke turned off the eye of whatever he was cooking and said, “Now that you’re safe, I’m going to see Cyrus. He’s the only sibling left who hasn’t transitioned. I’m going to tell him the truth. I’m going to stay close in case he needs me. Once that’s done, I’m going t
o take a long vacation. Away from Jonas, away from the family.” He left the room and walked out the door.

  Sophia didn’t blame her uncle. If the truth had been kept from her and she had to live without her mate the rest of her life, she’d be pissed, too. “Mom, right before I hopped the bus to New Atlanta, you were looking at a map of Egypt. Did it have anything to do with these codes?”

  Monica nodded. “Yes. Your uncle was sure he’d found the burial place of Antony and Cleopatra. He was on a dig and unearthed a disk. Even though it was buried, it was pristine, as if it had been in a tomb all along. Mercer got the idea that there had been a possible underground shift and a new tomb was somewhere in the vicinity of the disk. His home was robbed and the disk lost forever, but he still had his notes in his head. The only reason he ever put them to paper was in case something happened to him. He wanted Xenia to continue looking for the tomb. This note was his insurance that she would eventually come in contact with me. He knew I would recognize the numbers for what they were. Once the disk was stolen, he gave up his search for the tomb and went after the disk. He was killed before he could find it.”

  “What happened when you were taken?”

  Sam answered, “We had just come home from supper. I felt a charge in the air, like something was off. When we stepped into the house, the lights wouldn’t come on. I went downstairs to check the fuse box, and as I got to the bottom of the stairs, I heard your mother screaming. Then silence. I forgot about the fuses, and before I could get to her, I was injected with something that knocked me out. When we woke up, we were in a dark tomb surrounded by rebels. We were told if we behaved, we would live. We complied. I knew being a half-blood I was stronger than they were, but there were too many of them. I couldn’t risk them shooting your mother. So, we sat in that dank tomb for a month. We were fed stale bread and given a jug of water a day. Not too long ago, someone came to the tomb and told the rebels they were leaving the country, but they had someone else watching them. They were paid half their money and told they would receive the other half when the job was done. If you hadn’t found us when you did…”