Nikolas (30 page)

“Holy shit. You were right, Julian. The fates are making it hard on all of you,” Tessa said.

“This is why I’m not in such a hurry to be with Katherine.” Julian filled them in on the rest of the story. Nik was seriously ready to go home so he could support Frey.

“All this happened while we were fighting the rebels. Frey and Abbi are getting married in a couple of days. If we leave today, we can make it to the wedding.”

“Wow, they didn’t waste any time, did they?” Sophia asked.

“When you know it’s right, why wait?” Nik asked her.

“Abbi is human, so Frey is honoring her way of doing things. I would marry her as quick as I could, too, if I were in his shoes. Honestly, I know how he feels. When you come that close to losing your mate, you do whatever it takes to bind them to you,” Gregor said as he pulled Tessa to him and held on tight.

“Such a romantic, Stone,” Tessa said, but Nik could see the tears misting her eyes.

“Good morning everyone,” Monica said quietly. “I overheard your conversation, and I think it’s wonderful you’re going home. However, I have something I need to tell you.”

Nik was glad to see his mate’s mother happy. She was more than happy, though. She was excited.

“Sophia, I told you I knew what the numbers were. After your father and I explained to Xenia that we’re her parents, we talked about Mercer. She forgave us, by the way. When we were reminiscing about my brother and his love for ciphers, she remembered another set of numbers she’d seen before. She went home and found a journal that she originally thought to be gibberish. Instead of it being nonsense, I explained to her what she had in her hands. It was the last code needed to decipher the numbers he left for her in the safety deposit box. Together, we cracked the code. Sophia, we know where Cleopatra and Antony are buried.”

Nik thought Sophia would have been more excited at the bomb her mother dropped on her. If Monica truly knew the location of the tomb, this would put them all in the history books. While everyone in the room was whooping it up and congratulating Monica, Sophia stopped cooking and walked over to Nik. He was becoming accustomed to her movements. As strong a female as his mate was, whenever her parents were around, she needed to have him close. At first he thought it was the mate pull, until he reached out to check her vitals. Whenever her mother shared a secret, or in this case, some exciting news, Sophia’s heart rate sped up and her shifter pushed for control.

Since Nik’s shifter had a line to Sophia’s, he pulled the beast forward and let it make the connection. All Nik had to do was hold his mate. Within seconds, she was calming down and back in control. He wanted to talk to Dante about how the calming effect worked. His cousin had a special ability none of the others seemed to have in that he could touch someone and ease their moods.

“This is great news, Mother. You and Xenia will be famous.”

Monica stepped closer to Sophia, but Sam stopped her. He took his mate’s hand and said, “No, sweetheart. Not only your mother and Xenia. This will include you, as well. You are the reason we were reunited. This is to be a family project. My three girls will make the discovery together.”

Nik knew his mate was torn. He started to tell her it was okay, but Julian stepped up to her and took her hands in his. If this was anyone else, Nik’s claws would be out. He knew whatever Julian had to say was important. “We all want to go home; no one more than me. Our big brother is getting married. He has been through a terrible ordeal, but he has come out the other side a victor. He is gaining a family. Not only does he have Matthew, but also a sweet little girl he’s going to adopt. But you know what? Sixx can set up a live video feed,
and we can be there with them in spirit. This discovery of Cleopatra and Antony’s tomb will be nothing short of a miracle. This is history in the making, and as much as I want to be in New Atlanta with Geoffrey, I honestly want to be here just a little more.

“I want to be part of something that will go down in the history books. As Gargoyles, we have to hide our true natures, hide any good we do from the public. I have lived over five hundred years. The last fifty I’ve done so sitting back, looking at the world through a computer monitor. For once, I want to be part of something exciting. I want to be on the front lines when this discovery is made. I need to see it with my own eyes instead of going home and reading about it on a laptop. Sophia, think about it. You don’t have to take credit if you don’t want to, but if you miss out on this once in a six million lifetime chance, you’ll regret it.” Julian squeezed her hands before letting go.

“Six million, huh?” she asked.

Nik knew his brother had rounded the figure. Julian knew the exact percentage, but didn’t want to show off.

“Give or take three hundred seventy-four,” he added with a wink.

Sophia turned and looked up at Nik. “Are you okay with missing your brother’s wedding? You and I can fly home if Julian wants to stay here.”

“Baby, I think Frey would kick all our asses if we passed up this opportunity. As soon as we get home we can visit him and his new family. Personally, I think you’ll kick your own ass later if you miss out on this.” Nik felt the same way Julian did. He wanted to be part of something extraordinary.

“If you’re okay with it, let’s do it.”

“Yes!” Tessa yelled. “Lara fucking Croft, get your digging clothes on.” Tessa had used the cover of being an archaeologist for years to travel the world visiting her cousins. Now, she was going to get to participate in a legitimate dig that could possibly change history.

Everyone laughed, including Sophia’s parents. Sam wiped the tears off Monica’s face and kissed her on the lips. Nik was glad Sophia agreed to stay. As badly as he wanted to be there for Frey, this was a story they could pass down for generations to come.

Xenia arrived shortly after breakfast. Before the group began planning their expedition, Sophia asked to speak with her outside. Once alone, Sophia said, “I promise you I didn’t know.”

Xenia stepped closer and put her arm around Sophia’s shoulder. “I know you didn’t. Sam and Monica explained it all to me last night. Honestly? I’d rather have you as a sister than a niece.”

“So you’re not upset?”

“Oh, at first I was mad as hell, but what good is it going to do anyone? I could thumb my nose at them and cut them out of my life. Or, I can forgive them and have more family than only you, Keene, and Zeke. I might never call them mom and dad, especially considering I look old enough to be their parent.”

“Stop it, you do not. You’re beautiful.”

“Just like my sister. At first I balked at the idea until Monica started talking about her brother. Mercer and Sadie couldn’t have kids of their own. They tried for years. When Monica needed someone to take me in, she knew her brother was the one. It was a win-win for everyone.”

“Everyone except you.”

“No, including me.” Xenia turned Sophia around to face her and placed her hands on Sophia’s arms. “Little dove, I couldn’t have hand-picked better parents. I had a life filled with adventure and knowledge. While Mercer was out digging, Sadie doted on me like you wouldn’t believe. When I was old enough, Mercer began taking me with him. I have lived a life most people only dream about. I was raised in a loving home by parents I practically worshiped. I’m glad Monica allowed her brother to be my father. That might not make sense to you, but it’s the truth. It does hurt that I was lied to all those years, but now I know the truth, and I have family when I thought I had none.”

“Wow. You’re really something, you know that?”

“Eh, it’s in the genes. Now, let’s go make history.”

Sophia’s heart healed in that moment. She had a sister whose spirit was as beautiful as her face.

Once inside, Xenia explained how the digging permits worked. She was a history professor at the University as well as experienced in archaeological digs. She would be allowed to lead the expedition with no trouble. Laws of the Council of Antiquities had become much more relaxed since the apocalypse. Julian produced documentation showing each of them to have a profession in a field relevant to the dig. If her father’s notes were still accurate, they wouldn’t have to do much digging to find the tomb. He believed it to be hiding in plain sight.

Keene was in debt to his father even further. Brock was using his power to have the permit pushed through quickly. Instead of the approval taking a week or more, it should only take a couple of days. While waiting on approval, they poured over maps, comparing recent copies to ones Mercer had stored among his things. The more they discussed the dig, the more Monica came to life. Sophia had never seen her mother so excited about anything. Ever. She had given up her life’s work when she mated with Sam. Sophia knew she would do the same to be with Nikolas. Good thing their jobs within their families were closely related.

While the others were making plans and gathering tools, Sam pulled Sophia aside. “Can I talk to you?”

“Sure,” she responded. She felt the same way about her father as Xenia had Mercer. Even when she was spending so much time with Jonas, Sam had been her hero. “What’s up?”

“I want to make sure we’re good. You haven’t said much, and you won’t look at me. Sophia, I’m so sorry. I know now keeping your sister from you was a mistake. Can you ever forgive me?”

“Xenia and I were talking earlier. When she described her love for Mercer, it was tangible. I could reach out and grab hold of it. That’s how I feel about you, Daddy. You were always my hero, larger than life.”

“You said were. Am I not still your hero?”

“I think you know the answer to that. I couldn’t ask for a better father, but now, I also have the perfect mate. I look back at you and Mom and the love you’ve shared. That, too, has been tangible. It’s
my turn to have that kind of love. That kind of life. The kind of life where I know my mate is going to stand beside me and protect me. Nikolas Stone is kind, caring, funny, sexy as hell, and strong. He’s perfect. I just wish…”

“What do you wish?”

“That Uncle Zeke could have that kind of life, too.”

Sam pulled Sophia in for a hug. “Me, too, sweetheart. Me, too.”

Ezekiel would give anything if he was back on the Stone Society jet. He should have spent the extra money and booked his seat in first class. Instead, he was cramped between a large man who snored for ten hours straight and a teenaged girl who smacked her chewing gum. Not only that, but he felt nauseous the whole trip. If he wasn’t part shifter, his blood pressure would be through the roof. He was headed home to California to unwind for a couple of days. He needed to swap out his clothes as well. The weather in Montana would be getting cold soon, and he didn’t think his desert gear would work too well.

The plane landed on time, not that it mattered to Zeke. Rarely was he on a schedule, and today was no different. He had no one waiting at the end of the walkway welcoming him home. He had no time clock he had to punch. No real responsibility other than his brother Cyrus.

The customs line was extremely long, so Zeke mentally prepared to wait. “Ezekiel?” an older woman’s voice asked. Standing several passengers ahead of him was a familiar face. The woman came backwards through the line and stopped in front of him. She was short, so he had to look down. “Are you Ezekiel Seymour?” she asked.

“Yes ma’am.” He racked his brain trying to remember who she was. She was still pretty, and her eyes reminded him of someone.

“Good heavens, you haven’t changed a bit. You look like you did when we dated.”

“Dated?” He smiled all the while trying to remember her name.

She laughed. “You don’t remember me, do you? I’m Sheila Varner. I was Sheila Bentley back then. You have to remember my daughter, Stella. Where’d she go?” Sheila looked around and grabbed a younger woman by the arm. “Here she is. This is my Stella, all grown up.”

Zeke felt like he’d been punched in the gut. Stella was a younger, prettier version of her mother. His brain kicked in, and he remembered dating a woman a couple of times who had a toddler. Holy fucking shit. Stella held out her hand, and against his better judgment, Zeke shook it. He thought he was going to lose his lunch. Stella must have felt the pull, because she jerked her hand away. “What the hell?” she murmured.

Zeke turned to Sheila and lied, “I’m not the man you dated; that must have been my father. I’m Ezekiel, Jr.” There’s no way Zeke was letting something as trivial as him dating Stella’s mother thirty years ago drive her away.

Sheila laughed, cocking her head sideways as she studied him intently. “Well that sure makes a lot more sense. You’re the spitting image of Zeke. I swear; you could pass for twins. You even have the same scar above your eye that he did.” Sheila continued talking, asking questions about the senior Ezekiel Seymour, and Zeke answered her questions as vaguely as possible about someone who didn’t exist. The line crept closer to the check-in point, and Zeke was trying to think of some way to get Stella alone later.

“So, Ezekiel, where are you coming from? We just got back from Egypt. Those pyramids were something else.”