by Faith Gibson
Nik clapped his brother on the shoulder. “How well do you know Katherine?” Julian had spoken briefly to the female he now knew to be his mate before coming to Egypt.
“Not well, why?”
“I have a feeling she’s going to be just as tough as Sophia and Tessa. She might not be a half-blood, but the fates are choosing females for us who are worthy of being our mates.”
“Except for Frey. Abigail is a married, battered woman. I cannot wrap my head around that. Why would she be chosen for Frey? He’s the toughest of us all, yet he was given someone he cannot have.”
Nik refilled his coffee and sat down, cradling the cup between his hands. “Who says he can’t have her? If she is being abused, he may be the one to save her. It might not be immediately, but I have a feeling they’ll end up together. Somehow. We both know our brother has demons. Who better to help him face them than someone with demons of their own?”
“Truth. I hope it works out for them. All of them. Abbi’s brother is caught in the middle of it as well.”
“Frey will do the right thing,” Gregor said as he entered the kitchen. He stuck his head in the refrigerator and came out with a carton of juice. He shook it then turned it up and drank it all down. He tossed the empty container in the trash bin before grabbing a coffee cup out of the cabinet. “As for our women, you know as well as I do there’s no way either of them is going to stay behind. Sophia started this journey alone. She was willing to search for her parents with no help from anyone. Tessa was ready to come join her. Alone. They are tough and strong willed, not to mention stubborn.”
“You got that right,” a sleepy Sophia said as she padded to where Nik was sitting. He turned his chair sideways, and she sat in his lap. She took a sip of his black coffee and scrunched up her nose as she swallowed. “This is my fight, and there’s no way I’m not going.”
Nik kissed her on her temple and said, “I wouldn’t ask you to stay behind. I understand how important this is to you. Besides, if I left you behind I wouldn’t be able to concentrate. The last time we separated, things didn’t turn out so well. Now, go take your shower, Baby. We need to leave soon.” Nik urged Sophia out of his lap. If she sat there much longer, he would have to excuse himself to their bedroom. The amount of self-control it took to keep his dick in check around his mate was growing by the day.
He fixed her a cup of coffee the way she liked it and took it to her. Sophia was naked, adjusting the water temperature when he walked into the bathroom. He leaned against the door frame, admiring her body. He would never tell her she wasn’t perfect, because she was, but if she gained a few pounds it wouldn’t hurt his feelings. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled when she saw the coffee.
“You are the best mate ever, Nikolas Stone.” She took the cup from his hand and kissed him softly on the lips. “Thank you.” She took a couple of sips before stepping into the shower. Nik left her to it and returned to the kitchen. He had both their backpacks filled and ready to go.
The men were gathered in the living area, drinking coffee and waiting on the women. Sophia and Tessa joined them a few minutes later. Both had their long hair French-braided and looked like they were ready for an adventure. “Ready?” Julian asked.
They each grabbed a backpack and headed to the large SUV Julian had rented. Nik and Sophia climbed into the back seat, Gregor and Tessa took the middle row, and Julian slipped into the driver’s seat. Zeke drove the van that contained their weapons. The trip to the airport was quiet. Nik put his arm around Sophia’s shoulder and held her close. He wouldn’t offer her false promises of bringing her parents home alive. He prayed to the gods they found them safe and sound.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Sophia had never flown in a private jet before. Plush leather filled the cabin. Sofas lined the left side while fat captain’s chairs filled the right. She couldn’t imagine being rich enough to own something like this. Nik stepped up behind her and whispered, “It’s pretty cool having our own jet, huh?” When she frowned at him, he said, “This is the Clan’s jet. You are now part of the Clan, so technically this is yours, too.” Sophia hadn’t thought of it that way. She had her own money from working at the library, and as a watcher, she had her own account funded by the family.
Nik took her backpack and stowed it in the overhead bin with his. They took their seats so the pilot could take off. Once situated, Nik told her, “What’s mine is yours.”
“Even the Audi?” she asked, kidding.
“Baby, I’ll buy you a brand new Audi or any other car you want.”
Sophia didn’t need a new car, but the idea of him buying her whatever she wanted made her heart swell. She had fairly simple tastes and didn’t spend a lot of money on superfluous things other than books and good electronics. And bright shades of nail polish. One thing she was looking forward to was moving into his home with him. Her house wasn’t small, but it wasn’t suitable for a large family. She hadn’t been kidding when she told him she wanted a bunch of kids. Sophia didn’t want to start having babies just yet, but she didn’t want to wait too long, either.
During the short flight, Julian asked questions about their lives, but mostly, he was interested in Jonas. As a fellow genius, he was curious about the Gargoyle. Zeke spoke about his father, but was more guarded than Sophia and Tessa. They were forthcoming with stories of training with him and learning in his lab. Before she knew it, they were landing. Instead of stopping on the tarmac, the plane rolled into a private hangar so they could unload the weapons without bringing attention to what they were doing. Once they departed the plane, they transferred their equipment into a large van and climbed inside. It amazed Sophia how Julian had arranged everything so quickly in a foreign country.
As they drove to where the rebels were camped out, Julian pointed out the road that led to the house he’d rented. He gave them the address, told them what the house looked like, and informed them there was a security system in place. They each had the code to the alarm, and they knew where Julian had hidden a key. They had no need to stop there now, so he continued driving. When they were approximately a mile out from the rebel camp, they parked the van and got out. It was still dark out, but the moon was waning toward new and lent its light over the sand. The terrain was hilly which gave them an advantage. Everyone was dressed in khaki from head to toe. Their backpacks were military issue camouflage, so they also blended in with the area. The weapons were black, but hopefully by the time they were close enough to be seen, the rebels would already be taken out of action.
The plan was for the men to go in first while the women remained on a hill watching. Since the males were Gargoyles, they could disarm the rebels without getting harmed. Sophia and Tessa were equipped with both regular and night vision scopes even though they had excellent eyesight. On the off chance a rebel got away from the men, the women could shoot at them.
Sophia surprised them all when she checked and loaded her own rifle. Everyone except Tessa. They both had trained with numerous weapons over the years. As watchers, they never knew what kind of situation they’d be thrown into. Even Ezekiel had been impressed. Sophia smiled to herself as Nik watched her, his mouth agape. So far he knew her to be the mousy librarian. He had seen a little of her adventurous side when she was disguised as Beatrice and Clara. Now, he was going to see what his mate was really made of. Gregor grinned at Tessa and rubbed his ass. What the hell was that about?
The hike to the rebel camp took about thirty minutes. They stopped several times to listen and make sure they were the only ones in the area. When Julian and Zeke did recon the day before, the two of them had been able to get close without being spotted. Once their group was about seventy-five yards out, Sophia and Tessa chose separate vantage points to watch the males from. Sophia kissed Nik, and without speaking aloud, told him to be careful with her eyes and her lips. He tugged the long braid hanging over her shoulder then took off with the other males toward the caves.
Since Julian and Zeke hadn’
t ventured into the hole in the side of the hill, they didn’t know who or what they would find inside. It could be the tombs Xenia had sent them to, or it could just be caves where the rebels were camping. Sophia settled into the sand on her stomach and waited. If Nikolas were a human, she would be scared. Since he was a Gargoyle, she was calm. Unless the rebels surprised the males with swords, they were safe. She glanced over at her cousin who was also on her stomach. While the males were carrying automatic weapons, she and Tessa had chosen long range hunting rifles. Tessa was looking through the scope of her gun, finger tapping the trigger guard.
Sophia chose to watch through her binoculars so she could keep an eye on the surrounding area. She was quick enough that if one of the rebels was to get away, she would still be able to set her sights on him and take a shot. Scanning the area, she observed several dirt bikes and a couple of SUVs parked haphazardly away from where the rebels had made camp. A narrow road led away from the site. The four males separated and went in from different angles. There were seven rebels outside the entrance. The goal was to disable the rebels, not kill them, since they were at an extreme disadvantage.
Daylight was breaking, and the guards should be rousing soon. The Gargoyles didn’t hesitate in making quick work of subduing the rebels. Only one of them woke before he was rendered unconscious, but Gregor had him in a choke hold that would make any professional wrestler proud. Unless someone deep inside the cave came outside, their group now had the advantage.
Nik motioned to the women, and they stood and made their way down the embankment to where the males were dragging the rebels away from the entrance. They quickly bound the guards’ hands and feet before placing gags in their mouths. Julian had gone ahead into the cave to stand sentry. If there were more rebels inside, they didn’t want to be caught unaware. Before following, Sophia strapped the rifle over her shoulder and removed a handgun from the holster at her hip. The rifle was good for long range, not close quarters.
They entered the mouth of the cave and met up with Julian. Torches were lit and placed in metal holders along the inside corridor. Sophia didn’t have to be an archaeologist to know this was not some rough cave the rebels were using as a hideout. The inner walls were smooth and the floor sloped much like those in the Valley of the Queens. The farther they walked into the tomb, the thinner the air became. The smell of urine and feces wafted through the hallway. Sophia prayed it was a good sign that the odor was strong.
If front of the group, Julian stopped, holding up a fist. The corridor split off into a tee. Julian pointed at Gregor, Tessa, and Zeke indicating they should go right. She and Nik were to follow him to the left. Sophia was sandwiched between the two brothers, and she was okay with that. She wasn’t of the mindset that everyone was created equal. The males had special skin and wings thus making them virtually indestructible. She had enhanced senses, strength and speed, but she could easily be killed. Sophia would gladly walk between her two protectors.
Voices were audible coming from in front of them. They stopped and listened to guards yelling at each other. A loud whistle sounded, and one of the rebels yelled, “Get the prisoners out of here. We’ll hold off the intruders.” Julian barely had time to raise his weapon before shots were fired at them from around a corner. Nikolas put himself between Sophia and the gunfire, so she placed her back to his in case there was someone coming at them from behind.
Between shots, Nik asked, “Do you hear that?”
Sophia had to strain, but the sound of a vehicle starting caught her ears. “Shit! They’re getting away.” She didn’t wait on Nik or Julian. She ran as fast as her shifter legs would take her, returning the way they’d come in. Tessa was right behind her. The rapid sound of automatic weapons blasted where she’d left Nikolas, but she didn’t slow down. He could take care of himself. When she reached the mouth of the cave she stopped and poked her head around the corner, Tessa at her back. The rear door of one of the SUVs was being shut. Right before the door closed, Sophia saw the silhouettes of two people on the back floor. The rebel who closed the door banged on the metal, indicating the driver should take off.
Sophia ran toward him, yelling at the car to stop. The rebel turned, gun raised. She didn’t give him time to shoot first. She pulled the trigger on her already raised pistol. “They’ve got my parents,” she yelled to Tessa. Sophia shoved the gun into the holster on her hip right as Nikolas and Gregor exited the cave.
“Sophia, what are you doing?” her mate yelled after her.
“Going after my parents. They’re in that car,” she yelled as she reached one of the parked dirt bikes. Thankful she had studied all kinds of motorcycles, Sophia reached under the seat and turned the fuel switch on. Tessa was right beside her, slinging a leg over her own bike. Nik and Gregor had caught up with them.
“Dirt bikes?” Nik asked.
Sophia said, “It’s more reliable than a camel.” She smirked at him right before she kick-started the bike. She rolled on the throttle, getting impatient. “Are you coming?”
Nik shook his head and muttered, “Lara fucking Croft.”
Gregor laughed and said, “Pretty fucking sexy, if you ask me.”
Sophia let off the clutch and slung sand behind her as she took off after the SUV. The vehicle wasn’t too far ahead of them. Instead of going out the way that led to the main road, the SUV took off across the narrow road she had spotted earlier. While the vehicle was four-wheel drive, the sand still proved to be a deterrent. The dirt bike only fared slightly better in the loose terrain. Tessa was more proficient at riding since she had a motorcycle of her own she rode all the time. Sophia had only ridden a few times. Still, she was holding her own.
The road turned into dirt, and the SUV started going faster. Visibility was minimal with the dirt being kicked up from the vehicle they were chasing. Gunfire sounded and bullets riddled the ground in front of Tessa. The rebel in the passenger seat was leaning out the window and firing. Tessa banked hard to the right to avoid being hit, and the loose terrain caused her to lose control. She leaned with the bike, kicking the back end around so that she slid with the bike instead of flying over the front of it. Gregor stopped to check on her, but she yelled out, “I’m fine, keep going.”
Nik sped up and was soon in front of Sophia. They kept to the driver’s side of the SUV and closed the gap. Her mate yelled, “Are you sure your parents are in that vehicle?”
“I saw two people. If it’s not them, someone else needs rescuing.”
Nik shook his head but gave her a smile, and Sophia took that as a good sign. When Gregor caught back up, Nik asked his cousin, “What do you say we have a little fun?” Gregor grinned, obviously knowing what his cousin had in mind. Nik told Sophia, “Back off a little. I don’t want you getting shot.”
When she nodded, Nik and Gregor opened the throttle and closed the gap between them and the SUV. Nik was on one side, Gregor the other. Nik let his wings unfurl and pointed the motorcycle toward the loose sand to the left. As he rose into the sky, the dirt bike teetered a couple of times before coming to a stop on its side. Gregor did the same thing on his side of the vehicle. By that time, Tessa had dusted herself off and caught up with Sophia.
The women kept their distance in case the SUV decided to make any sudden stops. Gregor didn’t bother dodging the bullets coming from the rebel on the passenger side. They bounced off his thick skin as he pulled the man through the open window. He held the man in one hand while wrenching the rifle away with the other before tossing the rebel to the ground. As Gregor flew back to the SUV, he rendered the weapon useless, tossing it to the sand.
His wings disappeared right before he opened the door and got inside. On the driver’s side, Nikolas was holding onto the door frame, punching the driver through his open window. Nik let go and hovered above the vehicle as the door flew open and the driver was sent flying across the sand. The SUV rolled to a stop. When Sophia and Tessa got close, they turned the bikes off and put the kickstands down. Gregor climbed ou
t of the SUV smiling. Nik’s wings disappeared behind him, leaving only a shredded shirt.
Sophia ran to the vehicle and opened the back door. Two unmoving bodies were on the floor board, their heads covered with black cloths like the one she’d been forced to wear. She climbed in and removed the first hood. She sucked in a breath and cried out, “Dad!” Her father was unconscious, but he had a pulse. She removed the second hood, grateful to find her mother was also alive. “We need to get them medical attention.” Tessa climbed in beside her and started checking them out.
Sophia laid her head on her father’s chest and let the tears fall.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The hum of tires turning over the ground alerted Nikolas to the fact they had company. He and Gregor placed their bodies in front of the door, but relaxed when they saw it was Julian and Ezekiel. The two males exited their vehicle, Julian shaking his head. “I see I’ve missed the fun again,” he said pointing to his brother’s shredded shirt.
Nik grinned, “Hey, someone had to have our backs.”
“Is that Sam and Monica?” Zeke asked, looking at the bodies in the back of the SUV.
“Yes. They’re both alive, but we need to get them to a doctor,” Tessa said as she climbed out of the back of the vehicle while Sophia remained inside with her parents.
“Are there any rebels left?” Nik asked Julian.
“No, we took care of the rest of them. Let’s get Sophia’s parents to the rental house. I’m going to call Brock Tyson and see if he knows of a doctor who makes house calls.”
Zeke looked in on his brother and sister-in-law and squeezed Sophia’s hand. “They’re tough, just like you.” He moved aside, and Nik climbed into the cramped back with Sophia, wishing the second row of seats wasn’t there. Gregor angled into the driver’s seat with Tessa riding shotgun. Julian and Zeke went back to the other SUV and led the way.
