Cage (Dark World Book 1) (7 page)

“Some mountain makes your warriors and your women? Boring.” Although there was some intrigue. Full grown humans suddenly appearing from a mountain would be a scientist’s dream discovery job on Earth.

“It’s not just any mountain it’s
the
Mountain.”

“How?” Her interest now piqued. He was adamant.

“Special chambers. Mates and warriors are created for a tribe leader, kept in a cryonic state of stasis, then awakened when needed. You still haven’t invited me in.” He stood waiting patiently.

Cyra thought it an odd time for chivalry. “So, if I don’t invite you into the water you can’t come in?”

“No.”

“I want my clothes so I can wash and mend them.”

Cage put them behind his back. “No way.”

“Then I’m not coming out and you can’t come in.”

“You can’t stay in there forever.”

She knew he had a point. Her gaze drifted to the scenery. The jungle atmosphere was gorgeous, until the foliage ruffled. She wondered if something else was in there with her. Too late a thought came to mind and quick as lightning Cage changed. The alligator was huge, then supersized. Its mouth opened to reveal massive teeth. Cyra went under the water, holding her breath as long as possible. When she resurfaced Cage was gone, so were her clothes.

For a long time Cyra stayed where she was. Her skin puckered, her long locks were damp from the steamy air, but not drenched. When she waded up to the edge of the water, shivering as her warm skin was assaulted with cooler air, she noted a brown lump. She gazed around and tentatively climbed out, the water pooling under her feet, and grabbed the skin from the cold floor. Cyra had never felt anything so soft. She dried her body and rubbed at her long locks until her hair sprung into the annoying curls she detested. She tied the wet towel around her. The skin was smallish and she squeezed into it. Her boobs were squashed and high, she knew the bottom of her ass would be seen. It was all she had.

Cyra crept from the spring washing room to the little hole toilet cave, she peeked out and saw Cage sprawled out on the furs, he looked to be asleep. She stood there for a moment shivering in the wet skin. Cage hadn’t made a bed up for her, nor had he left her a fur. She thought it was his way of getting back at her.

Even though the water was warm in the spring room, the air was as nippy in the cave. There was no fire burning in Cage’s bedroom. When she tried to look past the cave walls, it was too dark. Cyra wasn’t certain what to do. If the cave was open anything could come in. She didn’t want to be too far from Cage, he was an ass but he was a scary ass, she doubted anything would take him on.

Cyra padded over to the side near his bed but out of his reach. She sank to her knees shivering, not wanting her bare ass on the cold floor. Goose bumps dotted her arms. She would have taken a fur but there were only two huge thick black furs. One under Cage, the other over Cage. The wet skin would have to do. She huddled over and wrapped her arms around her knees cuddling her body tight. She began shaking, her teeth chattered. She was clean and miserable as hell but she wouldn’t give in to tears—that was something she needed to take control of.

“The clacking noise you make is irritating.”

Cyra gazed up at Cage who stood naked before her. For a second her gaze settled to where he wore a jock strap—except he wasn’t now. Cage’s cock was huge even at rest.

“I’m cold.”

“Then why aren’t you in bed?”

“With you? No way.”

Cage growled. He yanked Cyra to her feet and snatched the wet skin from her. She squealed as he plopped her onto the bed and climbed in beside her. The massive fur on the bed was overwhelming, and heavy when he threw it over her. Cyra groaned as her elbows batted the weight. She bent at the knee and stuck her hands straight out. Within moments her legs buckled and she was pinned spread eagle.

“I can’t sleep like this,” Cyra complained. “The fur is too heavy. It’s going to smother me.”

Cage wrapped his huge arms around her and pulled her to his chest. His shoulders and hips kept the bulk of the fur off her. Cyra didn’t know how he could stand the weight—and all night. She’d look like a pancake come morning without his aid.

“Stubborn female. It’s nice to know humans don’t stink all the time. Go to sleep, and don’t pee.”

Cyra wasn’t scared. She was annoyed. She had never encountered such arrogance. As she fumed, she warmed. Before long she realized it wasn’t her anger making her blissfully warm and sleepy. Cage was a furnace, in a nice way. The air was cold but the fur bed was too warm. Wiggling Cyra stuck her foot out from under the fur, then up to her knee, where she cooled down immediately,
perfect.
She heard Cage chuckle.

“My mother slept the same way, it must be a female thing,” he mumbled.

Every reference Cage made was to his mother, and Cyra wasn’t certain if she should be weirded out. Then she realized Cage had no sisters, no aunts, no grandmothers, there had only ever been one woman in his life—ever, until now. There was no one else to compare Cyra to. Cyra seemed to do a lot of things his mother did. That was weird.

Warmth permeated her skin. Cage’s breath was even.

“Cage?”

“Hmm?”

“What if something creeps in and tries to kill me?”

Cage pulled her closer, her ass rested against his cock until she shifted. “If something did,” he began gruffly, “which it won’t, you had best look the other way. Once I’ve gutted it into a million pieces, I’ll want to return to my warm,
dry
, bed.”

Cyra knew he wasn’t joking. He would kill for her, the idea was baffling. She was his prisoner, not his wife. Cyra had other males to compare him to. There was only one man in her life who would’ve killed for her, and her father was gone. Cyra gazed out into the bleak darkness, her mind took flight with fears and she scooted back into Cage’s cock. She shifted again until he held her still. She didn’t feel right sleeping naked beside a male commando.

“Cage, where are my own clothes?”

“Gone.”

“I can’t ever go anywhere then. I’d be too embarrassed and scared to wander naked around so many males. I really am a prisoner.”

Perhaps it was the sadness in her voice that made Cage get up; Cyra groaned when the weight of the fur pinned her again.
Imprisoned by a dead animal, ironic, nicely played dead animal.
Cage went to a rock shelf and returned with something he handed her. It was her panties. She could see they were clean. Cyra battled to get a hand loose and wanted to yell triumphantly when she wiggled her fingers in the air.

“Something tells me you’ll need these. It’s too bad we can’t pad and supersize them.” She wasn’t certain if it was disdain or sarcasm, or both, she heard in his words.

It was a small token, but Cyra grabbed them and donned them, again battling the fur until Cage sighed and held it off of her. Cage climbed back in beside her and again pulled her into his arms. The small barrier at her juncture was useless, but it made her feel comfortable enough to close her eyes and ponder sleep.

“Cage?”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you.”

“If you really want to thank me, keep them dry.”

I’ll try, but you try sleeping with a nightmare.

* * * *

The human female had been his prisoner for two days, and Cage still wasn’t sure what to make of her. Cage watched Cyra wander around his room. Her long hair swished at her ass that peeked out from under the wrap she insisted on wearing. Every once in a while she cast him a woe begotten look. There were so many fears within her he couldn’t at times keep pace. Images the likes he had never seen built within his thoughts consuming him. Animals from the very large to the very small swirled as she avoided dark corners. Furred beasts, winged creatures, slithering creatures, creatures with fangs. Some were cute, and he had no clue why Cyra would fear insects. Human females were a skittish lot. His own female would have been lying beside him, fear free, and making his heir.

As Cage lay on his bed watching her pace, he shifted his mental thoughts from her fears to her movements. The pads of her bare feet caressed the cave floor as she limped about favoring an ankle. Her hands fluttered to small objects collected by his mother. He didn’t mind her touching the few items. A colorful rock, a twisted tree limb, leaves of various colors. It was good for her to familiarize herself with items on his planet.

A tentative smile splayed for a brief second on her lips when her fingertips caressed a motella. She held up the hand-sized petrified rock-tree-leaf. Cage and his mother had found it on one of their many walks. The colors entwined in various lines, not unlike a motella in the sky—as Cyra would call a rainbow. Her words were strange, soft, and childish at times. Why would anyone put rain in a bow?

Cyra peeked out the connecting hallway and glanced back at him. Cage said nothing, wondering if she would be brave enough to explore. She feared him, but she was also attached at the hip to him. Cage didn’t mind; it was instinct to keep a female as close as possible. The next room was Zenon’s. His warriors wouldn’t hurt her. She was an odd novelty and harmless. Cyra took a few tentative steps into the hall, her hand lingering on the hard rock as she rounded the corner. She slipped from his view. Cage waited a few moments and donned his man covering; Cyra wasn’t as skittish when he had something on, another strange human trait. He hoped Zenon wore his or she would be in for a surprise.

As Cage rounded the corner Cyra ran smack into his chest. Zenon rounded the corner as well—minus his man covering. Cyra struggled from his arms and fled to his room. He watched her thinking her fear must be great to maintain the speed at which she moved with an injury. Cage leaned against the cave wall and smiled.

“She fears your cock,” Cage said.

Zenon looked like he could be knocked over by a baby praefuge. “
My
cock? She’s the one who pees at will. I need a rag for my floor.”

Cage grimaced, wondering if she made it to the female’s room in time. “It must be some Earth thing. I only caught a glimpse of a certain fear, regarding males, but she was moving too fast and it dissolved before taking hold.”

Zenon nodded then looked anxious. “Cage, would you not reconsider what you are about to do? The warriors will do as you ask, but to put a female through what you intend isn’t right.”

“I won’t hurt the female I choose. She will do whatever is asked of her willingly.” It was a sore point with Cage. He knew a female wouldn’t resist, but he also knew what he intended was wrong. A necessary evil.

“I know you would never intentionally harm one of our females.”

Zenon’s words were tight and Cage didn’t miss the play on words. “I have not harmed the Earth female.”

“She is fearful. She hardly touched her breakfast this morning. She looks so sad and lonely.”

“I’ll let her wander the perimeter outside. The warriors will know how far to let her roam. As for any female the warriors bring me, they must know our survival is at stake. I can’t bear to watch my tribe die. I swear I will do whatever it takes to make the female I choose happy. I will be as gentle as I can and when she conceives I won’t touch her again. This isn’t a game, it’s our lives. I need my heir to keep you and my warriors safe. One of our females will understand. She will know, because I will make her understand there is no malice involved in what we need.”

“What you will do will hurt you,” Zenon said.

Cage knew he was right. He would never be loved—ever. It was a sacrifice he would make for his warriors. Cage straightened his shoulders and turned to go.

“Cage?”

“Zenon, I have made my choice.”

“Your human female fears the one male who is supposed to keep her safe.”

Cage cringed. “Then I will try harder to lessen her fear. These animals she shows me, I can transform them away from her sight. It’s not really the animal, it’s how it’s mega sized that causes the real fear.”

Cage knew Zenon wanted to talk more about Cyra and the planet’s females, but Cage wasn’t interested in what his warrior wanted. He cringed at his callousness. He would call the emotion for what it was—his own inability to contemplate what he must do. The fault wasn’t Zenon’s, he was a good warrior. His room was empty when Cage returned. The safe perimeter on the cave’s walls was down, but he knew Cyra wouldn’t leave without his permission. There was nowhere for her to run. She was trapped on the planet. When he pushed back the door to the female room, he saw her in the pool with panties in hand grumbling furiously.

“I’m stuck on a planet with commandos. Not just commandos, but naked ones who have huge-ass cocks. Can my life possibly get any worse?” Cyra ranted.

Cage smiled. The curve of her back was sweet. The water was hot and she had turned a brighter pink at her ass and thighs. Human skin was an oddity. It appeared she had no control over when she would change color. As she turned, Cage squatted down to appear less threatening. When Cyra saw him her face reddened.

“Do you mind?” she snapped.

Her arm crossed over her rounded breasts. Her hair was dry and curled in waves to caress her ass. She was angry. Cage sensed no fear of him.

“When you were searching my home, a thought flickered in your mind, a small fear really. I caught a glimpse and it was gone. I want to see it.”

Cyra scowled at him. “You won’t be happy until you scare me to death.”

“That is the last thing from my thoughts. You know I’m under the beasts I turn into. In exchange, you can wander free, outside. I swear no harm will come to you.”

She pondered his suggestion; Cage could see her thoughts flicker. She was trying to remember what she had seen that would be so interesting to him. Nothing came to mind. Cage held up her wrap and Cyra walked to him while awkwardly sticking each foot into the holes of the washed panty. It looked uncomfortable to Cage and she slipped a few times.

Why anyone would wear something so cumbersome is beyond me.

Cage followed her to his room. His bed was higher than the few lighter furs he had given her placed near his bed. She didn’t like to sleep close to him and yet the heavy furs of his bed would suffocate her. He settled having her within arm’s reach. The idea was annoying; he’d be dealing with two females who didn’t like him soon.