by Faith Gibson
This was one of the few things Sophia focused on – her inner Gargoyle talking to her. She had never heard of that happening. Maybe it did and no one spoke of it. If she ever got out of there, she would ask someone.
“When you get out of here. I told you, Nikolas will not stop until he finds you.”
“You keep saying that as if you know it for fact,” Sophia said to her inner voice.
“Who are you talking to?” the guard asked. “The dark’s broken you, has it? Maybe now you’ll speak the truth.” He slammed her door shut, the darkness once again her only companion.
Sophia pulled the tray closer to her and picked up the bowl. She carefully spooned the slop into her mouth until it was all gone. She saved the stale bread for later in the day, but she did take a few sips of the bottled water.
“No, not your only companion. I am here, and I will never abandon you.”
“Then help me figure a way out of here,” Sophia pleaded.
Nikolas split most of his time between trying to crack into Sophia’s computer and meditation. He had gone to both the hotel and the bed and breakfast and retrieved Sophia’s things. It was easy at the hotel since he had put his name on the reservation. The inn was another matter entirely. When he went to the front desk to sign Beatrice out, the Waterfords were still staying there. As soon as Nik walked in the door, he was accosted verbally by Yvonne.
“You are one sick, perverted human being. How can you look your wife in the eye when you’re gallivanting and carousing with her mother? You should be ashamed of yourself!”
At first, Nik had no idea what the woman was going on about until she added, “Kissing like that on a public sidewalk. That’s just… wrong.”
Holy shit. She had seen him and Sophia. “I assure you, ma’am, I was not kissing Beatrice.”
“Don’t try to deny it! She admitted as much. And then those people came asking about her. She’s nothing but trouble. All I can say is good riddance.” Yvonne huffed off. It was a good thing, too. Nik didn’t believe in hurting females, but that woman was asking for it.
“Can I help you?” the woman tending the desk asked.
“I’m here to get Beatrice’s things and pay for any extra she owes.”
“That won’t be possible, sir. You’re name isn’t on the registry. You can pay her bill, but I’m afraid her things will have to remain where they are.”
“Did you clean out her room already?” Nik hoped not. He had a plan.
“No, we kept hoping she would return for them herself. But since it’s been almost two weeks, we have no other choice.”
“I will pay for an extra day if you will leave her things where they are. I will make sure she gets them tomorrow.” Nik placed a credit card on the desk, praying his request was granted.
“Very well, but only one more day. We need her room.” The woman swiped his card and printed out a receipt.
“Thank you. You’ve been kind.” Nik folded the receipt and slid it in his back pocket. He was able to exit the small inn with no further run-ins with Yvonne. Looking back on it, seeing Nik kissing Beatrice must have been a great shock to the other woman’s system. Hell, it had shocked him. He returned to the bed and breakfast under the cover of night, thankful the window wasn’t locked. He packed all Sophia’s things in a huge bag and took them to the villa. That was over a week ago.
There was no sign of the people following Sophia, not since the day he caught the blonde woman across the street taking his picture. He had tried to follow her, but an SUV had been waiting on her. If there was anyone left, they were doing a great job of hiding. He knew in his heart something bad had happened to his mate. Whether the blonde and her goons had really captured Sophia, or something else had happened to her, he felt her despair when he meditated.
After seeing Sophia in a vision being chased by someone, Nik had spent hours trying to find her with his subconscious. Now, all he saw was darkness. He could feel her presence, but he couldn’t see her. Couldn’t see anything. Wherever she was, he prayed she was holding on. If something happened to her before he got to her…
His phone rang. He didn’t have to look at the caller I.D. to know it was Julian. “Brother, please tell me you have something.”
“I have something. I’m sending a new program to your computer. You will need to upload it to a thumb drive and install it on Sophia’s laptop. It will work regardless of whether or not you have her password. Once it finishes running, you’ll be able to access all her files.”
“I hope there’s something in there that helps me find her. Otherwise I’m invading her privacy for nothing.”
“Nikolas, I can’t begin to imagine what you’re going through, but do not give up hope. We will find Sophia and bring her home.”
“When are you and Gregor getting here?” Nikolas hated to sound so fucking needy, but he needed his family around him.
“About that. We have another problem. Are you sitting down?”
Nik sank down on the sofa. “I am now. What the fuck is going on, Jules?”
“I told you Dante and Isabelle have been spending time together. What none of us knew was Isabelle has a kid, a son named Connor by her late husband. He has been kidnapped, and Isabelle is now on her way to Greece at the behest of the kidnappers. The kid’s foster father is dead, the foster mother in a coma. Long story short, Tessa was going to disguise herself as Isabelle and go in her place with the kidnappers, but Isabelle got away before that could happen. Gregor and Tessa are on their way with Dante to Greece. I am so sorry we have to postpone our trip to Egypt. I promise you I don’t think Sophia’s life is any less important than Isabelle’s or her son’s. It’s just, well, he’s a kid.”
“I totally understand. Jules, what the fuck is happening? First Kaya then Tessa. Now Sophia and Isabelle? If Alistair is behind all this trouble with our females, it’s only getting started. Imagine all the Clan going through this when they find their mate.”
“Yeah, I’d rather not. I have to tell you, though. Tessa’s disguise threw everyone for a loop. She was the spitting image of Isabelle. Jonas’ creations are like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”
“I’ve witnessed it firsthand, remember? Had Sophia not kissed me, I’d have never known she was really the old woman on the sidewalk.”
“I remember. Listen, there’s something else. It seems one of Sophia’s uncles is there in Egypt looking for her, too. Tessa was going to go, but her mother intervened and called in a replacement. He’s another watcher, and his name is Ezekiel Seymour. I’m texting you his phone number. Other than that, I have no information as to where he’s staying. Hopefully, together you can find her faster. I promise, Brother, as soon as we find Connor and get Isabelle safe, Gregor or I will be there with you. Preferably both of us. Until then, I’ll help you as much as I can from here.”
“I understand. I appreciate all you’re doing. I’m going to get off here and run the program. While it’s doing its thing, I’ll give this Ezekiel a call. Thanks for everything, Jules.”
“I wish I was doing more. I’ll talk to you soon.” The phone disconnected. Nik could swear Julian choked up before he hung up.
Nikolas found a thumb drive in his computer bag and pushed it into the USB port on his laptop. He opened the file Julian created and began transferring it. While that was working, he placed a call to Sophia’s uncle. Ezekiel didn’t answer, so Nik left a detailed message stating who he was and how he could be reached. A few minutes later his phone rang with the man returning his call.
“Hello, Ezekiel?”
“Yes, this is Zeke. I apologize for not answering your call, but with things as tentative as they are, one can never be too careful.”
“No apology necessary. Please tell me you have some kind of lead on my mate.”
“Is it possible we meet in person? There’s a lot to tell you, and I believe some things are better kept off the airwaves, if you know what I mean.”
Nik totally agreed. “That’s an excellent idea
. I’m renting a villa that’s secluded. I think we’ll be safe talking here. I’ll text you the address.”
“Sounds good. I’m coming from Alexandria, so it will take me a few hours to get there.”
“No problem. If you’d like, bring an overnight bag. There’s plenty of room, and I have a feeling we’ll need more than a few hours to go over everything that’s happened since we’ve both been here.”
“Will do. I look forward to meeting you, Nikolas.”
“Please, call me Nik. I’ll see you soon.” Nik hung up, and for the first time in a few weeks, felt a tinge of hope.
While he waited on Sophia’s uncle, Nik transferred the program from his computer to Sophia’s. Once it was installed, he was able to access her files, just as Julian predicted. He was not surprised it worked; his brother was a genius. What did surprise him was the number of folders on the desktop. They were arranged alphabetically, and there were hundreds of them.
Nik opened the one titled Aliases and scrolled through the numerous names listed. Clara and Beatrice were two of the many alter egos Sophia had created. Within each subfolder was the photo, the credentials needed for a drivers’ license and passport, along with the address used for credit cards. With these folders open, Nik plugged the various names into his own computer program and prayed one of the names would show up.
He closed that folder and opened the one with his name as the title. He was eager to see how much information his mate had on him and how long she had known they were mates. He opened a folder with pictures in it and froze. Some of these had to be several years old. One was at a charity fundraiser for the hospital. Nik and Julian were shaking hands with the Mayor after presenting them with a huge donation. He clicked through the hundreds of photos, some taken as recently as a month ago, right before Sophia left for Egypt.
When the buzzer at the gate interrupted the silence, Nik realized he had spent hours going through the information Sophia had on him alone. He cleared his mind and spoke into the microphone. “Yes?”
“Nik, it’s Zeke.” The man was holding his photo I.D. up to the camera.
“Great, come on in.” Nik said as he pressed the button that opened the gate. He wished he had more time alone to go through the other files. Sophia’s computer was filled with information on not only the half-bloods but the Stone Society as well. He wasn’t sure how he felt about his privacy being invaded for so long. He couldn’t dwell on it now, though. Now, he had to meet with her uncle and find the woman.
Chapter Eighteen
Nikolas opened the door and welcomed Ezekiel inside. “Zeke, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I only wish it was under different circumstances.”
“Likewise,” Zeke replied. For some reason, Nik had been expecting an older man. If he was Sophia’s uncle, he should look like an uncle, not a good looking thirty-something blond. He and Dane could almost pass for twins. The only difference was Dane’s eyes were the color of a deep sea, whereas Zeke’s were closer to sapphire.
“I’ll show you to your room before we settle in.” Nikolas led Zeke down the hall to one of the larger bedrooms. It was on the other end of the house from the master suite, but it was nice and offered plenty of privacy.
Once back in the living area, Nik asked, “Would you care for a drink?”
“I’ll have whatever you’re having, thanks.”
Nik refilled his glass of Scotch and poured one for his guest. He handed the glass to Ezekiel and asked, “So, do you have any idea where our girl could be?”
Zeke took a sip of the liquor and nodded. “We think she’s in jail.”
Nik inhaled and swallowed his Scotch the wrong way. He coughed and beat himself on the chest until he could speak again. “Jail? Why would she be in jail?”
“May I sit?” Zeke didn’t wait on Nik to agree. He went ahead and took one of the overstuffed armchairs and leaned back. “Let me start at the beginning.” Zeke explained everything that had happened since he arrived in Egypt, including Sophia meeting up with Xenia. He recounted the feeling both he and Xenia got when they visited the Valley of the Queens. “It was faint, but I swear it was her scent. I know it’s a long shot, but the timing fits. She showed up in Luxor the day before the murder. She hasn’t been seen since.”
“Dammit! If she is the killer, I saw her being put into an ambulance. Dammit to the deepest pits of hell. She’s hurt.” Nikolas began pacing the floor.
“You were there?”
“Not exactly. I was trying to get there and had trouble with my transportation.” There’s no way in hell Nik would admit to being bested by a stinky camel.
“Nik, if she was injured, they would have taken her to the hospital. Xenia and I have tried to find out who they arrested. Even Xenia being a citizen of Egypt isn’t bearing any weight. We’ve been locked out at every turn.”
Nik stopped pacing and went to his laptop. He sat down and started typing away on the keys. “If she’s been arrested, I’ll find out. Did you contact the Embassy?”
“And say what? I think my niece murdered someone. Can you please tell me if she’s in jail?”
“No, you could say she is missing, and you believe she’s been wrongfully imprisoned. If Sophia did kill that guard, she had to have a good reason. I can’t see her murdering someone in cold blood, but then again what do I know? Other than she’s my mate and has known it for years.”
“That was a shock to me as well. I didn’t know until Xenia told me.”
“It seems our little bunny is full of surprises,” Nik murmured.
“Bunny?”
“You know that thing she does with her nose? It’s cute, like a bunny.” Nik grinned. He was pissed at his mate, but he still found her mannerisms endearing. “Look, here it is.” Nik motioned for Zeke to come see what he was pointing at.
“Is that Sophia’s computer?” Zeke asked when he saw the other laptop.
“Yes, I was hoping it would give me a clue as to where she is.”
“How did you get access? I’m pretty smart, but I couldn’t crack her password. I retrieved her things from the Luxor Embassy Hotel when she didn’t return. Another laptop was there.”
“My brother Julian is a genius. I’d put him right up there with your father. Now, these are the patients taken to the hospital on the day of the murder. There is no one fitting Sophia’s description. I’ll bet you money they took her straight to the prison, and she was seen in the infirmary there. If something has happened to her because they were negligent, I’ll kill them all myself,” Nik fumed.
“Slow down. We need to figure out a way to see if she’s actually in the prison. Can you hack their records as well?”
“Of course I can.” Nik typed away and within two minutes he was looking at the people detained in the Luxor jail.
When Zeke looked over his shoulder he corrected him, “No, that’s a small holding facility. The prison is in Cairo.”
“You mean to tell me they transported an injured woman from Luxor to Cairo with no medical attention first? I doubt the ambulances here are adequate for more than a fucking hangnail.” Nik had to calm his Gargoyle. The beast was roaring inside his head, begging to be turned loose. “Calm the fuck down!” he chastised.
“Excuse me?” Zeke backed up.
“Not you. Sorry, but my beast is ripping my insides to shreds right about now. I’m calm.”
“Yeah, I can’t imagine what it’s like being a full-blood. Having half a monster inside is bad enough.” Zeke returned to where he’d originally been standing.
As Nik banged away on the keys he looked up at his guest and asked, “You think we’re monsters?”
“Don’t you?” Zeke shrugged. “I’ve seen the damage done when the shifter half is out of control.”
“So have I, but we call them Unholy. Gargoyles are nothing like the creatures we hunt.” Nikolas returned his attention to the computer. “There were twenty-two women detained the day of and the day after the murder. Most were picked up for prostitution or petty c
rimes. There is no record of Sophia, Clara, or anyone matching her description or crime being locked up.”
“Dammit. Now what?”
Nik shoved his chair away from the table and retrieved his Scotch. After downing it and pouring another glassful he said, “Now we call the Embassy.”
“And tell them who is missing? When Xenia and I gathered her things from the Luxor hotel, she had checked in as Clara, not Sophia. Her disguise was nowhere to be found.”
“Then we tell them Clara. I have her Beatrice disguise. If she’s been held for this long, is her disguise even holding up?”
“Those are extremely durable. My father knows what he’s doing.”
“Clara it is then.” Nikolas found the number for the American Embassy and gave them a call. After explaining their situation, the consulate he spoke with requested they come to the Embassy in person. The two of them loaded up in Nik’s rental vehicle and headed downtown.
The lock turned, and the cell door opened. Sophia was flat on her back with her knees bent and twisted away from her. She was lying partially on top of the empty tray. The guard would have to either move her or pull it from beneath her. “Move your ass, bitch,” he snarled. When she didn’t move, he kicked at her with his boot. She had been ready for the kick and didn’t flinch when it was delivered. The man bent down and shook her. “Wake up.” Sophia had calmed her breathing to the point it was barely detectable.
“Fuck,” the guard cursed before speaking into his radio. “The American isn’t breathing. Hurry up.” He stepped out of the cell into the hallway. She didn’t blame him. The stench coming from both her and the bucket was enough to cause the strongest stomach to hurl. Within a few minutes, another guard was outside her cell.
