Nikolas (22 page)

“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 was 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.

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.

They both laughed. Nik wasn’t ready to share Sophia with the rest of their families, but now that she was safe, they needed to locate her parents. He asked her, “Are you ready to go out there?”

Sophia twisted her damp hair and secured it on top of her head with a clip. “Now I am.”

Sophia allowed Nik to lead her into the living area. His fingers were entwined with hers, and she never wanted to let go. He was her lifeline. He was her life, period. She was grateful he forgave her for keeping their being mates a secret. She wasn’t sure she’d be as forgiving. All talking ceased as they entered the room. She felt like a specimen under a microscope. Everyone started asking questions at the same time, so she held up her hand. “I
’m hungry. I’ve eaten slop for however long I’ve been gone. How long
have I
been gone? What’s the date?” she asked Nik.

He let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Today is the twenty-fourth. You were gone for three weeks.”

Sophia soaked in the information. She knew it could have been a lot worse. “Who do I have to thank for getting me out of there?”

“Keene,” Xenia answered.

Keene frowned and added, “My father to be precise.”

“I am in debt to your father, then.” She looked up into the face of her mate and told him honestly, “I knew you would try to find me, but I had given up hope. I thought I would die in that place.”

“Egyptian laws suck. Their judicial system is nothing like it is in the States. But I would never have stopped until I had you back.” Nik kissed her temple. He had to be a little disappointed that he wasn’t the one to break her out of jail. As her mate, he would feel she was his responsibility. She had lived with a Gargoyle and a half-blood long enough to know how the males thought.

“I haven’t eaten anything with substance or taste for three weeks. I could really go for something with a little flavor to it. I know you all have questions. So do I. If someone will feed me, I will tell you all about what I remember. Then you can fill me in on everything that’s happened here.”

Nik led her to the table and pulled out a chair. “What would you like to eat?”

“Pizza. Tacos. A cheeseburger and fries. Make those chili cheese fries. Bacon. Lots of bacon.”

Nik smiled, “And which one do you want the most?”

“All of them.” Everyone laughed, but she was serious. “Whatever you have is fine. I doubt I can eat a lot anyway considering I was given so little these last few days.” She probably should have kept that tidbit to herself, because Nik’s claws popped out and his breathing came faster. “Stop, Nik. Calm down. It’s over. I brought it on myself. If I hadn’t have gone off alone, I wouldn’t have gotten arrested.”

Nik did retract his claws, but he didn’t immediately calm down. He retreated into the kitchen and stuck his head in the refrigerator. While he was looking for something to feed her, Tessa asked, “So, who killed the guard?”