The Mechanic's Mate (22 page)

Chapter 36

As the iron and oil scent grew thicker, Domek knew he had to be nearing the hideout. Odors of the others, the ones who pinned him down and beat him, irritated his nostrils. They must move through this area often, he’d need to go into stealth mode sooner than anticipated.

That meant shifting to his black wolf. With his senses heightened and enhanced ability to slink about the shadows and lower brush, it appeared the most logical choice. Now he just needed to convince his still healing body of it.

Taking a deep, chest filling breath his ribs still twinged with pain.
Better, but still not fully healed.
He would just have to chance it. Being broken with Sadie by his side, beat perfect but wanting to die without her.

He stripped off his clothes, stashing them in a hollow log nearby. Covered by lichen and flowers, the hole smelled like the skunk family that made it home not long ago. It would be effective masking his scent left on the clothing. No need to be stealth if any wind picked up his scent alerting the rogues of his arrival.

Taking the waist satchel, he tied it loosely around his neck, the only location as wolf to carry something without losing it at a run. His ancestors learned this after many attempts tying it around chests or waists, losing it down their wolves’ rump and legs during a hard run. The lack of opposable thumbs made it impossible to tie it back on without shifting.

Dom eased through the transformation. The sinking sensation of loneliness rolled over him doing it without her . . . he didn’t like it. Both he and his wolf enjoyed being responsible for Sadie and her cinnamon wolf. His memory gleaned through each shift since she turned his world upside down. To provide for, transition with, teach, and play with her, just like any proper mate of a bitten wolf would.

Now in black wolf form, he stalked toward the cave keeping his nose to the ground, ears alert, and eyes focused on any movement. He stood about a half mile away when it became visible through the trees. Lowering himself onto his belly, making sure he blended in with the darker shadows he spied on Eridon’s associates. Some simply loitered about the entrance, while others unloaded crates from a truck into the cavern.

It would be a challenge getting in through them. He had to figure out a way to pick the rogues off one or two at a time, but any attack would make too much noise and alert the others. Almost on cue a rustling came from the underbrush a couple feet from the men. One leaning against the entrance drew a gun, shooting toward the movement. A large fox, or possibly a coyote took off running the opposite direction of Domek’s current location, heading for Eureka. Only two goons made a break after it, firing at the orange blur bolting across the woods. Now he needed to deal with the three rogues left behind.

So focused on their task of unloading the truck, bringing them to him didn’t appear a viable option. Studying his surroundings, he assessed his position and possible paths to get up closer. The cave, more like an underground cavern, had an entrance in the side of a small hill covered in shrubs and trees. He stalked around it, going up and over the top, searching for a spot from which to leap down to take one’s throat. The surprise attack would hopefully give him an advantage, allowing him to take out the other two without alerting anyone.

He needed to do it fast. The two chasing after that animal would return soon. So he crept, quietly as possible. Spying a perfect launch point further behind the hill, he ascended it while staying in the shadows. As his muscles tensed, ready to spring, he heard it. The quiet call, just audible with wolf ears, echoed loudly through his heart. Sadie had screamed somewhere deep within. He spun around, abandoning his current task, following the direction of the sound, finding a smaller rear entrance.

Of course Eridon would have a way to escape if anyone charged the front entrance. Always a coward, he cares only about his own survival.

Domek shifted back to human, removed the satchel from his neck, and opened it up rummaging for the pouches, grabbing one with yellowish brown powder. He heard her muted scream again and squeezed through the entrance, unable to focus his vision with the sudden lack of light. Using his senses of smell and hearing, he pinpointed the direction in which to move while palming the pouch tight. He advanced, blind in the dark, increasing his speed as his eyes adjusted.

When Sadie finally screamed herself hoarse, Eridon bit her earlobe, causing a quick gasp of pain, whispering, “I can smell your sweet blood, and with those screams . . . What you do to me mate.” He continued grinding his erection into her hip. “I’m going to lay you down and fuck you while I paint that blood all over you. How’s that sound, mate?”

Sending a prayer up to Gaia that he would first undo the shackles to position her, she fought the repulsion and vomit creeping up. She rubbed herself against him answering, “Of course, Master.” Taking a deep breath, sandalwood and evergreen invaded her senses. Glancing over Eridon’s shoulder she met an angry set of ice-blue eyes staring daggers their way.

Dammit! So close to getting these cuffs off.
Not that she could definitely kill her sire, but she wanted to try before Domek came in attempting to save her. He wouldn’t do what needed done. This could end with them both in shackles.

Eridon chuckled. “Well look who came to join us.” Without turning around yet, he continued, “You gave us plenty of time to get reacquainted.”

Domek stood there naked, arms stiff at his sides, hands balled into fists, and face red with anger. Sadie tried to remember the last thing he must have heard.

That fathead couldn’t possibly believe I meant that. Could he?

Eridon stepped away turning to face Domek. The new position unblocked her alpha’s view. His expression of anger morphed into one of horror. Sadie dropped her eyes down to assess the damage done while she’d screamed. Standing unsteadily, she slumped over, her body riddled with bites and hickeys. She fell forward onto hands and knees.

How he could believe I wanted this?
He knows me.

Sadie heard a quick intake of shock, sure this position revealed flesh missing and barely attached bits of skin. Rivulets of blood running down her thighs and arms tickled, contrasting the pain pulsing through her ruined back. Staring at the red droplets leaving trails down pale wrists, collecting in small pools on the rock beneath her palms, hopelessness overwhelmed her.

She craned her neck up at Eridon’s smug expression, then to Domek whispering, “Please, kill him, Alpha.” She sobbed. “Kill me so no one else has to endure him.”

Domek couldn’t believe his eyes. When she called that bastard master, his heart stopped. But Eridon’s abuse canvassing her body clearly crossed every line, despite initial appearances. His logical mind screamed that he knew better, his little rabbit would
never
ask for this. She was trying to trick the rogue. His rage took over. But not his usual hot-headed fury filled with top volume yelling. A new cold, calm, psychotic madness grabbed hold this time.

He stalked toward them staring at Sadie’s back. “You sadistic son of a bitch. What have you done to her?” His gaze slowly moved up Eridon. “I should have put you down as a boy. It’s my fault that you still live, just like it’s my fault you’re a wolf.”

The rogue squinted, skeptical at first, but with a slight smirk, replied, “Yes, how typical of you to be so narcissistic. Assume you caused all of this. All about you. From you. With you. Why how
does
the world turn?” Eridon opened his arms out wide and flailed his good hand about dramatically. “By Domek’s own hands of course!”

“Just tell me rogue, why? Why my fated mate? I suspected you listened in on my private conversation with Otik, and Oldrich confirmed it. But I just don’t understand
why
. What on Gaia’s green earth could you gain from this? Since you claim it’s not about me, what is it about?”

“Strength, Dom”—making a metal fist in front of his face—”this world worships money and strength. The genius of those who create all the advancements in our lives get looked upon as less, when compared to those with strength. It was the
sole
reason you were alpha and I, only beta.” He began pacing, his volume increasing with his movement. “Why should our goddess gift you with a fated mate? One that made you even stronger! No, I couldn’t let that happen.”

Eridon’s escalating agitation became evident when his mecha opened and closed in a twitching, stuttered movement. As though its wires received too much information from the muscles and couldn’t comprehend such spastic signals from his neurological system.

Domek palmed the pouch in his fist, knowing he’d have to keep Eridon distracted until the chance to knock him out came. Without a stroke of luck or unconsciousness, getting the powder into his mouth would be impossible. After the hit his chest took last time he confronted him, he didn’t want to take his focus off the rogue for too long, so Dom quickly glanced in Sadie’s direction, assuring she’d be okay.

Staring at Domek, Eridon walked toward her saying, “She looks so weak doesn’t she, Dom.” Lowering himself into a squat, grabbing a bunch of hair at the scalp, he pulled her head back. “You know, my original plan consisted of locating your mate, and just bumping her off” —he slid his mecha hand across her throat to mime slitting it—”to keep the owl’s prophecy from being completed.” Letting go he stroked his hand over her hair, and rested it there. “I changed my mind after spending time with her during my enhancement. I always felt so strong disciplining her. You should've seen it, Dom. The self-loathing when I made her bleed for disappointing me . . . goddess it would make me hard. I’d have to take her again right then.”

Sadie glanced past Eridon to her alpha and could tell his limit of the rogues psychobabble just hit breaking point. She knew he only pretended to not be affected by the monster’s rant. His eyes glowed with berserker rage as he dove for the rogue and tackled him, landing on top. Because the fucking creep had been squatting, he fell just short of nailing his skull against the rock wall. Without delay, Domek grabbed both sides of Eridon’s head, slamming it against the ground.

That damned mecha she wished she never built glinted in the dim light. It made contact with her alpha’s cheek and knocked him off the other man. The force sent him flying at her, still kneeling there, tipping her over with his momentum. Until that point Sadie just sat there, frozen like an audience member watching their battle, but Domek’s body slamming into her woke her from inaction. Blinking, she shook her head and pulled on the shackles. She could never be useful chained to a wall.

Domek spoke in a near whisper, “Be still, little rabbit. I have this almost contained. I’ll free you soon.” He grimaced, launching himself up at Eridon before he stood.

Only contained . . . That’s what I’m afraid of.

Domek’s tackle landed him at the monster’s thighs. The force of his hit driving Eridon’s hips against the wall, but bending his torso over Domek’s back. Eridon locked his good arm around her alpha’s chest, latching on, bringing his mecha arm down repeatedly against his spine, kidney, and hip.

Domek obviously didn’t want her caught in the crossfire of this fight, but had to wrest this sociopath off his back. If he’d just move closer she could use the chains binding her to help. She could wrap them around that rotter’s neck and strangle him. Instead of coming toward her though, Dom spun around, straightened with force, and slammed the rogue into the wall of jagged rock then repeated the action multiple times. Eridon’s arm around his chest went slack, followed by sliding down and off Dom’s back. His body crumpled onto the ground, his posterior a torn, bloody mess, rivaling her own.

How you like them apples you fucking monster?

The pouch of paralyzing powder had been knocked from his hand while fighting, so Domek scanned the ground for it. Damn if the rock floor wasn’t identical to the pouch in color. Finding it required time he couldn’t spare, so it would just have to wait.

First he wanted Sadie free of her shackles. He assumed keys would be on her keeper’s person as another sick symbol of strength over her. He leaned over the crumpled body digging through his pockets.

There you are.

“It’s all right, baby, I got you.” He lulled while approaching, but because she continued to pull on the shackles in a panicked state he used his dominant power, commanding, “Sadie, be still.”

She stopped struggling immediately. Glancing up, her eyes skirted around him. They got wide and she shouted something as a hard object hit the back of his skull with such force it spun him around, flipping him ass over teakettle. Once he hit the ground Eridon loomed over him sneering through the sea of stars flowing over his vision. He stood there, nostrils flaring, holding a large blood covered rock clamped in his mecha hand, menace in his eyes.

Dizzy, Domek reached back coming forward with wet fingers matching the red on the rock. Enough blood to be almost certain he cracked his skull. He tried pushing himself upright, but couldn’t quite get all his limbs coordinated enough to complete the task.

“Stay down!” Eridon commanded.

Domek guffawed. “Even holding a weapon, you will never dominate me you weak, sickly boy!”

Eridon’s hand opened, dropping the rock. He jumped on top of him, striking blows to Domek’s head with that damn diesel contraption. Through the warm liquid flowing into Dom’s eyes, he stared at the rogue and could tell the adult werewolf no longer threw the punches. Instead, the weak human boy trying to survive in the scrub encampment took revenge for his purported hard life.

With the blood and stars making him spin about while lying completely still, he could only block some of the blows. He hoped Marek and the others got here soon, because subduing Eridon might require a little bit of help.