by Faith Gibson
Once she retrieved her luggage, Sophia made her way to the taxi stand. She waited while the driver put her bags in the trunk, and when he got in and closed his door, she told him where to. If there was anything to be thankful for, it was the fact whoever had her parents had brought them to an English speaking country. Her Spanish was good, her French decent, her Italian passable. She had only started studying Italian when she figured out Nikolas Stone was her mate. She couldn’t think of the gorgeous male now. She had to keep her mind sharp and worry about getting her parents home safely. Once she’d accomplished that, only then would she think about a future with the hot Gargoyle.
The note Sophia received instructing her to travel to Egypt had listed an address for a hotel in Giza. She made a reservation there under her name, but instead of actually staying in Giza, Sophia made a reservation in Cairo using an alias, Clara Fort. She would use the size of the Nile Grand Hotel as well as its busy location to her advantage. She had also made a reservation at a bed and breakfast downtown under a false name. The people following her would probably continue to tail her for a while, but eventually she would give them the slip. That was the plan, anyway.
Sophia might be new to traveling abroad, but she was not a novice when it came to hiding out. She learned from the best. JoJo had told her his story… from the time he met Caroline and was ostracized, to cloning Tessa, to the present. He taught her as much as she could learn about chemistry and physics. She secretly watched Tessa. She followed her cousin when she went out in New Atlanta. She snuck into Tessa’s home when she was out of town. The feisty redhead wasn’t the only one who could bypass an alarm, pick a lock, or install hidden cameras. Sophia might not be experienced, but she wasn’t scared. Not really. She was ready to put her knowledge to the test.
Sophia checked into the large, posh hotel. The bellman aided her with her luggage since she had several pieces. When she packed, she had no idea how long she would be away or what equipment she would need. She had brought only the basic electronics, fearing the larger pieces would cause her to be detained by customs.
As soon as she tipped the bellman, she turned and took in her room. Sophia had wanted to book a suite, but she figured most of her time would be spent at the bed and breakfast anyway. The room was large even if standard size. It was nicely furnished and would suit her needs for the little time she would be there. She tossed her bags on one of the double beds and began unzipping the one containing her disguises. A scratching noise came from outside her door. “What the hell?” she asked herself as a piece of paper appeared underneath. So much for not going to the hotel as they instructed. Since she didn’t have a gun on her, she reached out with her shifter senses to detect footsteps running down the hall. When she found no sign of life outside her door, she walked over and picked up the note. It was typewritten, same as the previous one had been.
Travel by ferry to the Giza Zoo. Have a seat across from the leopard.
As with most of the world, the near apocalypse brought social devastation to Egypt but not to Cairo. The larger cities waned for a bit, but most bounced back quicker than their smaller, sister cities. Giza, once a booming tourist attraction, was still trying to find its way back on the map. It surprised Sophia that the zoo was actually open. Her original note told her to go to Giza. Now she understood why. The fact she received another clue meant they knew exactly where she was. No date or time was listed on the note telling her when to be there. Normally Sophia liked puzzles. When her parents’ lives were on the line? Not so much.
She pulled out her laptop and turned it on. While waiting on her computer to boot up, Sophia unpacked her clothes, separating them into two stacks: those she would wear as herself and the ones she would don as her alter egos. Having watched her grandfather these last few years had taught her so much more than sitting in a class at the university had. Tessa had been a teacher of a different sort, only she hadn’t been aware of her younger cousin’s presence. If she ever found out how Sophia had repeatedly duped her, she’d probably be one pissed off redhead. Sophia would worry about that if and when it happened. Now, she needed more information on the Giza Zoo.
The zoo was not as thriving as it once had been, but it still had a goodly amount of animals. This ought to be fun. Animals didn’t like shifters because they sensed the beast inside the human body. No puppy or kitten for her when she was little. It wasn’t nearly as bad with half-bloods as it was with Gargoyles. They may look human, but they were truly all shifter. She had once asked JoJo why the Gargoyles looked human when they weren’t, and he said the only explanation he could come up with was so they would fit in the human world undetected.
The note specifically said to take a boat to Giza. That seemed odd considering she could take a taxi and be there a lot quicker. Sophia searched the internet for ferries traveling the Nile. She found one that left early the next morning, so she booked it. Since the note didn’t specify when, she made the choice for the next day so she would have the rest of the afternoon to check into the bed and breakfast and store the majority of her equipment at the smaller inn.
Sophia was ready to do a little recon. She transformed herself from the twenty-something young lady she was to an older grandmother type she would never be.
After calling for a taxi, Sophia grabbed two suitcases and rolled them to the door. She reached out with her shifter senses. Not hearing anyone in the vicinity, she eased into the hallway. She needed to be certain whoever followed her didn’t see an old lady leaving her room. When she reached the front of the hotel, she made her way to the cab waiting for her at the curb. She allowed the driver to stow her luggage in the trunk as she got into the back seat. She gave him directions to another hotel. Once there, he removed her bags, and she paid him. She then hailed a different taxi and rode the seven blocks to the bed and breakfast.
Her second temporary residence was a small, two-story building. It was within walking distance of The Nile Grand, but she’d taken the taxis just in case. She entered the small hotel and admired the few Halloween decorations adorning the lobby. Beatrice Nightingale checked into a room on the second floor overlooking the park across the street. Sophia requested the second floor for safety reasons. Should someone try to get in her room through an exterior window, they would have a harder time if her room was higher up. With only two suitcases, Sophia rolled her own luggage to her room. Unlike the hotel’s opulence, this room was small and quaint. That suited Beatrice just fine.
Once in her room, Sophia unpacked the clothes from one suitcase, hanging the grandmother type clothes in the closet so they could unwrinkle. There were also items someone like Tessa might wear. She hung those up as well. The bag containing half of the gadgets and disguises she left intact. She would remove the items as she needed them and store the unneeded ones under the bed. Keeping her current persona in place, Sophia grabbed a few things out of her case and deposited them into her large handbag. Checking her reflection in the mirror, Sophia was pleased with what she saw. She hauled the purse over her shoulder, and Beatrice headed out to do some sightseeing.
There were plenty of people walking on the crowded sidewalks, so Sophia decided against another taxi. She kept her senses open to anyone who might be following. She couldn’t believe the man who’d been tailing her at the airport had been so easy to lose. Still, he had to be somewhere close by. It was possible she had lost him when Beatrice left the hotel, but she would remain on high alert.
Beatrice ambled through several shops as a tourist would do. She was about to step back out onto the sidewalk when she caught sight of the blonde woman from her flight. She was not alone. Walking beside her was the same man from the luggage carousel as well as the large one Sophia could sense. All three of them were scanning the area. Sophia had a feeling she knew who they were searching for.
Chapter Two
Nikolas was getting desperate. When he asked the other librarians for Sophia’s schedule, neither one would give him the information he sought. The look on both th
eir faces when they refused his request had been one of pity rather than disdain. Why wouldn’t they tell him the truth? If they thought they were protecting Sophia, he could accept that. If it wasn’t that… Was it possible she had a boyfriend? Nik hoped not. He’d hate to have to kick a human’s ass.
Even though he felt bad about invading her privacy, he attempted to run a background check on her. He wasn’t as adept at hacking as Julian, but he was no slouch. His research on the girl had come up with the bare minimum. He didn’t want his brother to know what he was up to, but at this point he was getting desperate. He had a decision to make. Would he involve Julian, or would he wait it out? He wanted to know more about the cute librarian. He decided to give it one more try before getting Jules involved.
Nik drove downtown and parked outside the library. As soon as he reached the inside of the tall building, he knew Sophia wasn’t there. He couldn’t sense honeysuckle anywhere. Still, he climbed the three flights of steps to the area where she usually worked. When he reached the information desk, a young girl looked up from the computer. “Can I help you?” she asked with a bright smile.
“I’m looking for Sophia. Is she here?” he asked, already knowing the answer.
The girl shook her head. “No, I’m afraid not. She’s taken a leave of absence.”
“What? When?” Nikolas was happy to get more information from the girl than the other women had offered, but it wasn’t the information he wanted to hear.
“A couple of days ago.”
Nik began pacing the room. He ran his hands through his hair but stopped when the girl said his name, “Mr. Stone.” When he looked at her, she continued, “I have something for you.” She held out an envelope. It wasn’t your basic everyday number ten. It was fine linen stationery in a pale shade of peach. His name was written in a beautiful cursive on the outside.
Nikolas muttered, “Thank you,” and took off down the stairs. He would read her words to him in private. He opened the door to his Audi and slid into the driver’s seat. His heart was tapping out a beat that did not match his usual calm. He didn’t use his Gargoyle abilities to slow it down, either. He relished the feeling of adrenaline coursing through his five hundred-year-old body. Even flying and taking down Unholy didn’t give him the jolt this envelope did. Allowing the claw on his index finger to elongate, he carefully sliced open the paper. He retracted the sharp nail before pulling the letter out. Inhaling deeply, he unfolded the peach paper and scanned the short message:
Nikolas, I am so sorry to have to leave just when you found me. Yours, Sophia
Nik turned the paper over, looking for more writing on the back. When he found none, he reread the note. What the fuck did that even mean? Just when he found her. And she signed it yours. If she was his, why the fuck had she disappeared on him? Why would she take a leave of absence now? He had too many questions and not enough answers. Fuck invading her privacy. He was going to confront her at home.
Being Beatrice allowed Sophia to follow the blonde and her companions. She couldn’t believe she’d been wrong about them. When the three of them split up, she decided to follow the woman. After a few blocks, the woman hailed a taxi, so Sophia did the same. “Where to?” the man asked in a thick Egyptian accent.
“Follow that taxi, please.” If the driver was suspicious, he didn’t let on. They rode for almost twenty minutes, arriving at the zoo. She pretended to fumble around in her purse for money, giving the other woman time to get out of her own taxi. When she was almost out of sight, Sophia shoved the money in the driver’s hand. She hurried to the entrance and arrived just in time to see the woman paying for her ticket. Sophia ducked behind a small family, purchased her own ticket, and headed in the direction the blonde had gone. Considering the woman had been in New Atlanta, Sophia had no doubt she had misjudged who was following her. Now that she knew all three passengers had been together, she would have to be more cautious. If the blonde was in bed with whoever was holding her parents captive, more than likely she was headed to the leopard enclosure.
Before she reached the area, Sophia hid behind a clump of bushes, watching the other woman to see what she was up to. The blonde sat on the same bench Sophia had been instructed to sit on. She glanced around before removing something from her pocket. The woman leaned forward and placed her hand underneath the bench. When she sat up, her hand was empty. The woman didn’t immediately stand up. She pretended to be a tourist, enjoying the view of the large cat in front of her. She glanced around the area before rising and walking off. She was headed straight toward Sophia. As she passed by, Sophia put her camera in front of her face and clicked.
Once the blonde left the area, Beatrice walked toward the bench, curious as to what was placed beneath. Was it a bomb? If so, it would need to be detonated by hand or else anyone that sat down would be a victim. Were they watching now? Was someone waiting for Sophia Brooks to sit on the bench so she could be killed? She walked closer to the bench and listened. She didn’t hear ticking, so she sat her somewhat heavy bag on the seat where the blonde had been. Again, she reached out and didn’t hear anything out of the ordinary.
Sophia decided to take a chance, as stupid as it was, and pushed her bag out of the way. Sitting down, she placed her purse in her lap and dug around. She pulled out a pack of gum and accidentally dropped it on the ground. As she bent over to retrieve the gum, Sophia felt under the bench for whatever had been placed there. If they wanted her dead, surely they would have killed her somewhere less public. Her fingers touched a cold, metal object. This is what they wanted her to find. She pulled a round disk off the underside of the bench and palmed it. She placed it in her lap while she unwrapped a piece of gum and stuck it in her mouth.
Instead of standing immediately, Sophia decided to enjoy the scenery for a while longer. Sensing the shifter inside her, the big cat hissed and kept its distance. Sophia raised her camera and snapped a picture of the gorgeous animal. So as not to torment it any longer, she stood and left the area, dropping the disk in her bag before walking off. As curious as she was to find out what the object really was, she continued her visit around the zoo, not wanting to draw attention to herself for leaving too soon.
After a couple of hours, Sophia made her way back to the bed and breakfast. If JoJo knew she had walked around that long with an unknown object in her possession, he’d probably revoke her watcher card. Not that there was an actual card she received, but still… Once in the privacy of her small room, Sophia removed the gold disk from her bag and studied it. It was larger in diameter than any American coin, but not heavier. One side contained miniscule hieroglyphs. The other side was smooth. The outer edge contained a groove that ran the circumference. She placed her thumbnail into the groove and pulled. It did not come apart.
It was almost dinner time and her stomach let her know it. Sophia placed the disk inside the room safe and locked it up. She checked Beatrice’s reflection to make sure the prosthetic needed no adjustment. When she was pleased with her appearance, Beatrice headed down to the dining room. There were two couples, one older and one younger, seated at the table when she arrived. She smiled at them all as the older woman introduced them. “We’re the Waterfords. I’m Yvonne; this is my husband, Fred, our son Garrett, and his wife, Millicent.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Beatrice Nightingale,” she said through the transmitter at her throat. The voice coming out of her mouth belonged to a sweet little lady who visited the library once a week with her grandchildren. She understood the mechanics behind the transmitter having watched her grandfather design the device. Still, she was amazed how something so small could be so powerful.
“So, what brings you to Egypt? And alone I might add,” Yvonne asked.
Sophia didn’t appreciate the other woman’s judgmental tone. “Oh, my dear, I’m not alone. The pyramids were on my bucket list, so my daughter and her husband brought me here on vacation. They love the fast paced life and are staying at one of those large, posh resorts.
I prefer something smaller, quieter,” she said while she waved her arm indicating the room. “Are you on vacation as well?”
“Yes, Garrett and Millicent are on a belated honeymoon,” Yvonne said with a frown.
“That explains why the kids are here. Why are you here?” Sophia couldn’t resist. She’d bet her last pound the woman had yet to untie the apron strings. Millicent did her best to hide her amusement. Garrett rolled his eyes. Fred looked at the ceiling. Yep, Sophia was right.
Yvonne huffed, “I’m here because they are too young to travel so far alone. I don’t know why they couldn’t have gone to the beach like a normal couple. It would have been so much cheaper.”
Sophia turned her attention to the “kids”. “Too young? What are you, late twenties? Why, you’re my age.”
Millicent raised her eyebrows. “Your age?”
“Oh, silly me. I meant my daughter’s age. Heaven knows I’m not young. But you two, you’re definitely old enough to travel without a chaperone.” Sophia winked at the young woman as Yvonne gasped beside her.
“Now listen here!” Yvonne started to speak her mind, but she was cut off as dinner was carted into the dining room.
After the servers left the room, Millicent grinned and asked, “So, Beatrice, what else is on your bucket list?”
Oh shit. She hadn’t thought about what she would like to do besides Nikolas Stone. “Well, let’s see. I would love to fly through the air like a bird, so jumping out of a plane is on the list.” I want to fly with Nikolas, see his massive Gargoyle wings spread out. “I collect books, and I want to go to the British library one day.” I want to see Nik’s personal library. “I think riding a camel in the desert is something I definitely want to try while I’m here.” I want to ride Nikolas Stone, in the desert, at the beach, in the shower… Sophia mentally chastised herself. Get a grip, woman. She had to get her mind off her mate. “So, Garrett, what do you do for a living?”
