by Mikea Howard
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 aro
und 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.
Chapter 37
Sadie’s heart beat in her throat as Eridon pulled his arm back for another blow, knowing Domek couldn't take much more. Screaming in protest, her shrill tone transformed to a sorrowful howl, the sound ricocheting off cavern walls. With a clink, the shackles fell to the ground around her paws. The pain of bones breaking and reknitting passed without notice; nothing existed beyond Eridon trying to kill her love. She dove straight for the mecha arm—still drawn back—clamping down on wires and tubes, tearing them loose as she yanked her muzzle back.
Arm hanging limp at his side, he turned his head screaming, “You bitch!”
She and the cinnamon wolf both honed in on the real prize. The front of his throat, his trachea, with carotid pulses pounding on either side. Without pause she lunged for it. Hot blood filled her mouth as she bit down and tore back to rip out his airway. Diving back in, she gnawed deeper this time, trying for the spinal cord. Since all wereanimals are hard kills, Sadie had to make this one stick.
Feeling vertebrae crumble between her jaws, all of her strength drained and she couldn’t achieve her goal of separating head from body. Frustration overcame her, she needed absolute certainty Eridon could never recover from this. She fell back away from him, sighing with relief, her body shifting back to human.
So it's true, we die in this form.
The shift poured over her, devoid of pain. She turned her head, viewing Domek moving. Still alive. Thank you goddess.
Floating in a haze, she fought for air as her body was lifted into warm arms. When she opened her eyes again, her alpha's face greeted her. Still tasting copper, she smiled at him, sure it looked quite macabre with blood stained teeth and lips.
Her strong, virile Domek’s voice cracked in panic. “I love you, Sadie. You can't leave me now.” Using his quiet stern alpha tone, he added, “I command it. I command you to stay with me.”
Sadie tried raising her arm to put a hand on his face, to smooth away his worry, but could only get halfway there. He reached out immediately, grabbing her hand and placing a kiss in her palm, and pressed it to the bristles on his cheek.
“I love you too, Alpha,” she whispered stroking her thumb along his cheekbone, “but I don't think we have a say in this.”
“Do you accept me as your mate? Please, Sadie.”
“No, Domek. I won't risk dragging you with me to death.” Hot tears ran down Sadie’s face, but whether they came from her, or him, she couldn’t tell.
“You don't know that will happen, and it doesn't matter. I don't want to continue without you.” He sniffled taking a deep breath, stating in an unsteady voice, “I won’t be able to continue without you. I’m begging you; just say the words, Sadie.”
“No . . . I can’t.” Sadie stared at his beautiful face. Even beaten and bloody, it remained the most spectacular thing she had ever laid eyes on. Ice-blue eyes she could practically swim in, thick black hair that she loved grabbing onto as he buried his face in her folds. She needed to memorize it, to carry with her.
Mind beginning to cloud over, an invisible line tugged her soul away. While fog floated over her, she imagined if things had gone as she wished. Envisioned their mating where she said 'I accept you as my mate', the celebrations, and lovemaking that would follow.
Through the gray mist enveloping her mind she heard more pack entering the cave.
“Eridon is dead,” spoken from a voice she believed to be Marek's, but it sounded so far away.
Although her body vibrated with the deep rumble from Domek's voice, it too sounded distant and muffled. She couldn’t understand the words. Other voices joined in, fading to whispers. Sadie found herself in a thickening haze.
With a loud cutting snap of shears the mist cleared revealing a bright gold colored room. Her hand held a thin, fraying thread. Sadie’s eyes traveled the thread’s length to an old woman holding scissors with the freshly cut end resting in her palm. On the crone’s right sat the mother, and further in, the maiden, all behind a loom creating an intricate tapestry.
She knew these women. She’d read their story to the pups, and many times just to herself. Knew why she stood here.
“So that was my life?”
The crone wrinkled her brow huffing. “No, that was Eridon's.”
“Doesn't mine go with his?”
The maiden giggled. “Look about your other wrist.”
She glanced down. Tied to her wrist coiled a thicker strand of thread. This line appeared thick, like the light jute rope Domek used during her punishments. Its length ran from her wrist, winding along the floor to the tapestry, twisting with another thread.
Sadie frowned. “What is this? I don’t understand.”
The mother answered this time saying, “As you became more tightly woven to your true soul mate, when you accepted him as your life mate, a stronger bond formed. Your first one remained incomplete because, being made in deception with closed hearts, it materialized thin . . . weak. So while it was strong enough to pull you here, you have a stronger tether to your mate on earth.”
The crone said, “I cut the bond with his life.” She chuckled. “First time that’s ever happened.”
Sadie shook her head in dismay exclaiming, “But I didn't say the words to Domek.”
A musical chuckling came from behind the tapestry as the most beautiful petite woman stepped around it. Her long f
lowing hair shifted from blue to white to green like a flowing river. She had an inner glow, radiating like luminescence found deep in the ocean. Her bright blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and berry colored lips highlighted perfect pale skin. She wore an earth-toned gown that hung over one shoulder draping to the floor. The stark contrast from water to earth colors of the goddess somehow managed to accentuate her beauty.
“I heard the words,” she intoned, admiring the piece the three women worked on. She handed the maiden a new thread asking, “Didn't you hear it?”
“Clear as day,” a singsong voice replied.
“Oh goddess.” Sadie, tears brimming, knew different. “But that was just me imagining. Picturing what life would have been like, if I hadn’t . . .”
The goddess grinned at her with love, as she would a child, saying, “Yes I am . . . You know I should take offense that you say that so often.” She chuckled indulgently. “Anyhow, your heart said it loud enough for us to hear.”
The mother stated under her breath, “It practically shouted the words.”
Sadie startled at a deep rumbling laugh heralding the entrance of a man piled high and wide with muscles. His skin had a dark olive tone, clear by the amount he showed. Tattoos marked his body similar to those she saw on sailors and diesel militia. However his resembled a more tribal pattern exactly like the ones original found on the Picts of the British Isles. The markings ran in thick flowing lines following his impressive musculature. A black swirl twisted between his abdominal muscles blending into the hair that trailed down to hide beneath a fur kilt. His long wavy brown hair highlighted with amber had wooden beads strewn throughout. A wide grin through his full goatee made deep dimples above his neatly trimmed beard, which extended in a tight line along his jaw.
