The Mechanic's Mate

by Mikea Howard

  Securing the final button, her heart raced as the dark colored high collar shirt she took from Kara’s closet fastened against her neck like her previous rope collar. With nervous fingers, she tucked the shirt’s hem into black slacks Helena had made.

  She rummaged through their room, finding a perfect sized shoulder sack so she could gather some supplies while warning her father. While unsure if Eridon’s message meant her father would be in danger, he still should get out of town or just stay elsewhere until they captured her psychotic sire.

  How could I not have thought about my father? I am the worst daughter ever. Please let him be safe.

  Breathing deep, Sadie tried to relax and plan out every step. The original plan included shifting so she could get through the woods faster, but she nixed that bad brainchild. Her skills still remained lousy, so attempting the shift without Domek could be dangerous. Although filled with super wolf skills, they qualified as novice, nowhere near an expert, regardless of the strength she felt deep within. The power likening her triumph of working on those giant engines transforming rumbles into gentle purrs. Always confident covered in grease while working with gargantuan engines, but not so much in life, Sadie still felt scared to death, in spite of the new shift in her belief in herself.

  Can I do this? Maybe I should tell Domek so he’ll help me. No, No, he’ll never let me go. Pop’s life depends on this.

  Sadie cast an eye around the room, praying it wouldn’t be her last time, throwing the black knapsack over her shoulders. Insubstantial with nothing in it now, the pack would be full after heading to her shop. Because of Smitty, an idea had begun percolating about powering engines without diesel . . . something quiet for all enclave wolves. Using as much stealth as possible, she headed out for her second solo foray into the woods.

  She moved with swift, if not smooth, grace and speed through endless trees toward Eureka. Still clumsy as ever, but making good time . . . is that a song? If not, it should be. Humming, and making up ridiculous lyrics to pass the time, she avoided worrying about Domek’s superfluous disappointment. As Sadie’s mind wandered an awareness of confusing thoughts grew. At first she thought such distance from her alpha caused the discombobulation, but she noticed a low level hum that continued to get louder as Eureka’s proximity grew closer. Goddess, it’s like poison! Sadie continued on as the engines got louder, and made her pity Eridon for dealing with this every day.

  No, he suffers by choice. I will not pity him!

  Arriving at the boundary lines without incident, constant pulsing of movement reminded her of just how busy life could be on the other side. The hum of the city’s core, incessant rumbling of passing vehicles, great amounts of smog, and oil scent permeating every inch of air.

  How did I never notice this?

  She tried to stay focused. Pop’s wellbeing rode on her success, but the horrendous noise of Eureka proved distracting.

  Okay, just three more blocks . . . I can do this.

  Either keeping in the shadows, or blending in with quick moving crowds as they came available, she attempted to stay inconspicuous as she walked. Just another person strolling through the city. Nothing to see here. Their constant presence kept her aware of all the sickening smells floating around, making sure Eridon’s didn’t hide in them.

  Arriving within minutes, common sense kicked in while heading for the front door. More than likely he had someone watching every entrance, so she continued past it. Slipping into the side alley’s shadows, Sadie hefted herself up into one of the street level windows her dad often kept open. He insisted it cooled their shop down, because the opening would catch the occasional cross breeze. At least it did when diesel trains screamed by, redirecting them.

  Sadie shook her head trying to clear the rumble of city noise from it, then glanced around their workshop. Heading straight for her table she pulled the backpack off, setting it down. Sadie filled the pack with pieces that would work for conduction, like wires, flat metal segments, and other lighter weight chunks of metal and plastics. While digging around she found a box of guns she and Pop had dismantled along with some small plastic tubes. An idea sparked, so she shoved as much as possible in with her other treasures. Closing the bag’s ties she put it on, checking the weight. The pack had a heavy pull, which would slow her trek back, but Sadie just couldn’t bring herself to leave anything behind. Missing her work here in Eureka, Sadie needed every item, although the pieces would evolve into something somewhat different.

  Progressing up their rickety stairs with slow steps, Sadie smelled the air. Eridon had been here. She sped her pace toward Pop’s room, lousy with worry for him. Returning to a reasonable heart rate, she experienced true relief at the sight of him sitting at his desk studying a large text. He raised his head, jumping up without a word knocking his chair away. Her dad hustled around his desk, beaming wide while wrapping her in a tight embrace.

  He whispered, “Oh, Sadie, my girl, I have been so worried, but you’ve gotta skedaddle.”

  “What?” she squeaked as he shushed her. She replied quieter, “Dad, you need to get out of here too. Eridon will hurt you. He’s totally off the track. Don’t squabble with me about this. Go. Now.”

  Still whispering, “I know dear, but he believes that I am oblivious, focused on my work, and not any real threat. Please, don’t worry about me. I failed at parenting till now. I can fix that mistake by keeping you safe. I have to send you away.” He squeezed tighter. “I’ll leave too, but I can’t yet. Please trust me . . . just go.”

  “But, Dad—”

  “Enough. He checks here twice each day. I knew as long as he checked he hadn’t found you, praying that it meant you were safe. He has not been by yet tonight. I have been so worried. But now, please . . . I know I don’t show how I feel enough, but you are all that matters.” His eyes grew wide when a dog’s barking echoed throughout the quiet room. “He’ll be coming. Please, head out back!”

  Pop herded Sadie downstairs to the back door faster than he’d ever moved before. Dispensing a quick hug he shoved her out, slamming the door shut. Standing there a moment, scanning both ways, she drew the alley’s stench in deep, desperate to resist an urge to sneeze.

  Sadie kept her back braced against the building wall, side stepping away. Hands grabbed her upper arm through an open door, and yanked her in. Gasping, a hand covered her mouth, and then spun her around. Her wide gaze of shock met familiar intense green eyes.

  Chapter 18

  “Shhh, Sadie, a bruiser comes around to guard the back when your old goof goes to the front.” Molly shifted her hand down grabbing Sadie’s, pulling her farther into the bakery. “He’s the only one who goes in, but he always has one or two hard boiled goons with him.”

  “Eridon?” Sadie asked.

  “Is that his name? I don’t know. He’s the oilcan with the murky brown aura, the one that was courting you.”

  “Murky brown aura?”

  Molly avoided the question by insisting, “Sadie, we need to focus on get’n you outta here. Something is wrong with that man. I always wanted to say something, but I didn’t know how and my mother reminded me to mind my business, and stop acting like a clothesline. Then you went missing . . . Oh, when I saw you sneaking into your workshop . . .”

  “You saw me sneaking in?” Worst werewolf ever!

  “Oh I just have a sense about things, I’m sure you weren’t too obvious.” Molly offered a little smile.

  “How?” At Molly’s quizzical look, she continued, “How do you see aura’s and sense things?” She knew this information fell on the lowest rung of priorities but the buzzing in her head caused her focus to disintegrate. All thoughts ran off on other tangents. Sadie had always been curious but this bordered on extreme even for her. Maybe she had spent too much time with Kara, the queen of questions. Ugh, Sadie, focus!

  Molly smiled.
“Oh, it’s just in my genes. My whole family can . . . Oh goodness, Sadie. Being Edisoned like this, you’re making me just as scatterbrained as you.”

  Sadie concentrated every ounce of energy into focusing on Molly’s green eyes. Long auburn hair that left curls around a pale, pretty face. She flared fuller than herself at the hips which, considering Sadie’s recent starvation, wasn’t saying much. Even though she never cared much when others thought so, she didn’t want Molly to think her jingle-brained. “I’m not crazy you know.”

  “I know. No crazier than me.” Molly gentled her tone. “I don’t mean to be rude. You know my father always said that you had brains so full with information it made you fluky. You have so many ideas in your head you’re always thinking a million things at once and you need to devote yourself to one project or person. It’s also why he says you need caretakers. You give everything to that one thing and forget about caring for yourself. That’s why when you didn’t show up after two days for your loaf of bread I would bring it to you.”

  “Oh? I never realized—”

  “Well I had to. What would people think if the people who lived next to my bakery starved to death?” she asked handing over a roll. “Hmm, let me get a slant.” She pursed her lips, nodding. “I have just the disguise to get you out of here.”

  “Yes, but he’ll recognize my scent.” Her eyes widened in realization. “Oh goddess, my scent, you’re in danger too now. I shouldn’t have come. Now you and my dad . . .”

  “I don’t think that cat can smell you in here with the smell of the breads cooking. I know he can’t hear us through the oven’s noise. He’d already be breaking down the doors if he could.”

  “But my dad,” Sadie trailed off, the loud fan took over all her concentration, the obvious culprit for loss of focus. Think!

  Molly interrupted her inner turmoil with a quiet laugh. “Your dad has been doing a ducky job lying to that man. I believe your old suitor spends so much time deceiving others that he can no longer tell when someone’s deceiving him. We’ll help get your old man somewhere safe as soon as we can, now that he has seen you. Pop refused to leave until he knew you were okay. Now enough static, you have to get somewhere safe too.”

  “I have to move fast . . . get a good head start,” Sadie said, tapping her chin.

  “I can drive you. Your father got my dad’s jalopy Zephyr running again.”

  Sadie smiled almost mirroring what Molly had said earlier. “He had to, what would people think if the car next to my mechanic shop didn’t run?”

  Molly, appearing to hold back a laugh asked, “Where do you need to go? Where have you been?”

  “Somewhere you can’t take a car. Can you drive me to the town’s east border?”

  “Oh . . . there. Are you . . .” Molly stopped herself, reaching for Sadie’s hand. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, then opening them, she made an odd face. “Never mind, I see it now. Okay.”

  Sadie put on her disguise as Molly went out to start the engine and cast a careful eyeball down the alley for anyone lurking in its shadows. The baker walked back in, and nodded at Sadie wrapped in the long cape.

  “Well aren’t you the goat’s whiskers? Not the most kippy but that getup is the best I can do. Sorry,” she said, helping tuck her hair under the hood.

  Sadie grinned. “The best we can do is a red riding hood?” Then she said with a mischievous thought, “Can I keep this?” As long as I get to the enclave alive Domek might enjoy it. She pictured him being the Big Bad Wolf to her Little Red Riding Hood. Pictured telling him what big teeth he had, and . . . some other big things she enjoyed. Goddess I have to get back to him.

  “Oh gosh, I didn’t even think of that! You slay me, of course you can.” Molly clapped her hands together. “Okay I have the boiler running, so we’ll scram and I’ll drive you as far as the road goes. Will you be able to let us know you got back safe?”

  “I don’t think so, but I’ll try. Please get my dad to safety.” She steadied herself with a deep breath. “Okay, let’s blouse.”

  Molly stepped out first checking the alley, hopping in the driver’s seat. Sadie ran out after her, drew air deep into her lungs, and knew his scent moved closer. She jumped in the passenger side, attempting to stay calm. “Go.”

  Domek had told her that in most instances wolves could smell about a half mile away. But Sadie assumed with the smog and bakery scents interfering Eridon could be much closer. She guessed he made his way to her flat and prayed that Pop would be okay.

  Molly proved to be a terrible driver, maneuvering the huge beast way too fast; she obeyed none of the road’s laws. Sadie sat forward because of the full backpack, and almost went through the windshield every time Molly hit the brakes. Blessedly she got there lighting quick. The east end sat farther from the flat but closer to Blue Wolf enclave, she hoped that driving would cut at least twenty minutes from going on foot. However, she’d based that timing on her pace, not Eridon’s, who moved much quicker.

  “Thank you, Molly.”

  “Of course, Sadie.” She smiled. “I wish we could have spent time talking before all of this . . . back before . . . But don’t worry, we’ll take care of your father. Be safe!”

  With that Sadie hopped out, stepped over the train tracks, and ran for the woods. This feels familiar. She ran at top speed straight toward the enclave. At least I know where I’m going this time. The farther away from Eureka, the more her mind focused. Her breathing, heartbeat, and nothing else echoed in her head. Thanks to the backpack’s extra weight, she had to stop for a moment catching her breath. On the inhalation his scent hit her. Ohgoddess ohgoddess. Eridon followed not far behind and based on her prior information, a half mile away at most.

  Sadie pressed on harder, running again. Her legs burned and lungs ached. She pushed herself beyond her limits knowing that if she could just get to Domek, she would be safe. The crunching underbrush coming from behind warned her he’d soon catch up.

  “Sadie! You’re not fast enough and I’m getting angry.” The clear threat cut through the woods indicating he tailed even closer than she’d calculated.

  Real panic set in when she heard something crashing through the forest up ahead. Molly had mentioned that Eridon had help when he’d visit her dad at their flat. Did that mean others moved in up ahead to cut her off? She took a deep breath again, unsure if relief or even more panic overtook her. She now knew Domek headed her way . . . and he was angry too.

  Chapter 19

  Seeing red and tasting blood didn’t even begin to describe the chaos in Domek’s mind right now. How in the hell could she be so foolish going into Eureka? If she had concerns that took her to the city, she should have told her alpha. But instead, she snuck out while he briefed Marek’s security enforcers to prepare for their search. She would be disciplined for this unacceptable behavior. Domek just had to find Sadie first. Keep her in a tight hold then bend her over the spanking bench.

  He wouldn’t have known either, if he hadn’t searched for her after the meeting. Oddly anxious to be together, he went hunting for her. Sadie’s stealth still lacked in skill, so some Scrubs who had been out earlier that day, picking herbs, saw her pass by, headed in Eureka’s direction.

  Without wasting a moment, Domek sprinted for the forest, toward the east border. Once there he would have had no idea what to do since Sadie never mentioned where her flat resided within the city. All he knew of her city life summed up to her being a mechanic. So he assumed home would be near their shop, however had little idea where even that would be. Checking the industrial area first should allow his nose to locate her. Safe, his search would lead him to where she would be safe. If Eridon finds Sadie . . . does anything nefarious . . . he’d nail him to a tree to suffer through the rest of his days. The rogue’s cries of agony will herald a warning that any wolf under his protection, especially S
adie, must not be messed with.

  Too much leniency had caused her blatant disobedience. He’d seen multiple bruises left by Eridon, and had been conscious of Sadie’s healing rope burns. Quite certain how she’d gotten them. He’d avoided bringing those memories into sessions, by taking her lessons slow, easing her into life as a wolf. Had Domek behaved as the true dominant she needed, Sadie never would have risked his displeasure.

  This run took entirely too long. Contemplating changing for speed, he knew that would mean dumping every stitch of clothing right here. Leaving him in wolf form, or walking about in a natural state. Based on Sadie’s difficulty with people being naked around her, the people of Eureka wouldn’t be accepting of it. Nor would they accept an enormous wolf trotting through the streets. Damn Dieselheads with their closed minds. They impeded Sadie’s search and recovery.

  Inhaling, he sensed Eureka drew near. Air around here hung thick, as though smog cleaved through the forest’s pure air. A faint smell mixed in with it raised an alarm. Pulling the scent deeper within his lungs, Domek detected a faint odor of honeysuckle . . .

  Sadie! That girl will not escape my wrath!

  Adrenaline entwined her sweet floral smell. She had to be terrified, running at a frantic speed. Stopping, he ripped everything off, shifting in record time. Domek ran at full speed in her direction. Another scent followed hers . . . nose rotting iron and oil. His wolf ears perked up at loud crunching of additional feet striking the forest floor.