Cage (Dark World Book 1) Read online

  “I love you, too.”

  Cage had everything he wanted in his arms. Death to anyone or anything who would take her away. The new dark world be damned. Cage and his warriors would be ready for what lay ahead.

  Chapter 11

  Cyra studied the inside of the alien vessel. The ugly buggers weren’t advanced, but they were intelligent. Everything within was supersized to accommodate the large aliens. It took Cyra a while to figure out what was meant for what when the overlarge buttons seemed more a child’s Lego. The computers were simplistic, rustic even. There was a chamber filled with disgusting rotted skin she assumed was their food. The odor made her nauseous. Another chamber was obviously a place to torture their captives.

  Everything around Cyra made her feel on edge until the chambers were cleared out. Once void of the repugnant smells and evidence of heinous activity, Cyra was able to get down to business. For the most part, the teaching came naturally to her. The annoyance was she could hear Cage growl every time Roar came too close. Cyra was getting frustrated; she had to be near Roar and his warriors to teach them how to control the vessel. With Cage acting rabid, it was taking away valuable time.

  “Cage, for heaven’s sake,” Cyra squealed when she turned and ran into his chest. “We’ve been out here, going through this every day for two weeks. Every day you get more overprotective. What’s your problem?”

  “Don’t you know?”

  He sounded livid and Cyra was at a loss. “No, I don’t.”

  Roar chuckled. “It appears our tribe leaders and warriors will have our hands full, if we are successful.”

  “How can you not know you are carrying my heir?” Cage demanded. He spun on Roar. “Learn faster. You know what this is doing to me and my warriors. My mate is to be protected daily; she should be inside the cave with the protection up.”

  Cyra’s mouth hung open for a moment. “Carrying? How do you know?”

  Cage looked dumbfounded. “How can you not?”

  “It takes certain signs for women to know on my planet, a small test.”

  “My body sensed the second you conceived. It goes against every tradition for you to be roaming around out here,” Cage railed.

  “I will not be forced to spend my pregnancy caged—Cage,” Cyra yelled.

  Cage ran a frustrated hand over his face. Cyra could see he battled to control his temper. She turned back to the console.

  “One more time, Roar. These panels control flight, shields and air quality. This is for hyper drive. I’ve punched in the coordinates of Earth—there and back. Don’t touch any of these and you’ll be fine. Get your female and get out. Then the next leader can go, hopefully by then we will have more ships in operation.”

  “Oh no,” Cage bellowed. “After this ship leaves, you are headed home where my warriors and I can keep a close eye on you.”

  Cyra rolled her eyes. “I don’t think so,” she muttered.

  “What was that?” Cage asked.

  Cyra turned to Roar. “Good luck out there. I mean that. It will be nice to have another female to talk to.”

  “You’re done?” Cage sounded relieved.

  “They are as ready as they’ll ever be. Whether or not they are a success will remain to be seen. Roar’s mate is out there. I remember playing with her; the Mountain has shown me.” Cyra clapped Roar on the back. And Cyra was glad though the Mountain slumbered, there were simple images she could remember when necessary. “Are you ever in for a treat.”

  Roar winced. “I understand sarcasm,” he said.

  “Good.”

  “Do you at least know her name?” Roar asked.

  “No, we used to call each other by nickname. Hers was T Tauri Wind. You may want to check out stars as you travel.”

  “What does Cyra mean?” Cage asked.

  “It means throne.”

  “What’s a throne?” Roar asked.

  “It’s a place where a ruler sits,” Cyra said and felt the blush creep up her face. “The others called me Throne, but as a child it meant nothing to me.”

  “It has meaning,” Cage said and circled her within his arms.

  “It’s time to gather my chosen warriors and leave,” Roar said.

  Roar thanked Cyra for her help and clasped an arm with Cage. Cage nodded and he and Cyra disembarked. They watched as the remaining warriors entered the ship. Cyra and Cage watched as the ship hovered for mere seconds before zipping into the air—it was gone.

  “Good luck,” Cyra whispered.

  Cage had his chest pressed to her back. “Do you think we will see them again?”

  Cyra closed her eyes and took a deep breath, she smiled. “Yes, but they are on a daring adventure, and a dangerous one. The Mountain gave me an image that will go against what you know. Human females are born. They may not fall in love with a tribe leader because he says so. The tribes have many warriors to choose from.”

  Cage looked dumbfounded. “That can’t be possible. How would they procreate?”

  Cyra lifted an eyebrow and Cage shuffled his feet. “I’m sure the warriors can figure out what goes where.”

  “But they will need protection.”

  “Then tribe leaders are going to be very busy for the next hundred years. Maybe it’s why the Mountain chose humans as suitable mates. There are some weird and wonderful images from Earth and our females are well traveled, and very imaginative.”

  “The Mountain is quiet in my thoughts.” Cage sounded troubled.

  “You were told what you needed to know. Your work is done and so is mine. The Mountain is quiet in my thoughts too, it’s moved on to another. I have only my memories to look back on.”

  “Do you think the Mountain will ever speak to us again?”

  Cyra nodded after a while. “When it calls us home.”

  Cage turned her in his arms, he looked dumbfounded. “When it calls us home?”

  “I was given a gift for my services. The night after we made love and you took Zenon home. The Mountain opened to accept him, and there was a brief window. I requested to be with you forever. It seems the Mountain has agreed. It simply answered ‘yes’ and was silent. It was enough.”

  Cage spun her around until he settled her and placed his hand on her belly. “Let’s go home. Our warriors deserve a celebration. We will celebrate you.”

  * * * *

  “Um, there’s a problem,” Kai whispered as he held the newborn in his arms.

  Until the Mountain saw fit to create a new warrior for Cage, he was able to accept Kai in place of Zenon. Cage rose from the bed beside Cyra filling with concern over Kai’s words. Kai held the baby for his inspection. Cage’s concern grew.

  “What’s wrong?” Cyra asked.

  “Um, our son is fine,” Cage said uncomfortably. The baby was pink like his mother and missing a vital part. He glared daggers at Kai and whispered heatedly to him. “It must have fallen off inside, find it.”

  “Then what?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Cage, give me my baby,” Cyra demanded.

  Cage wrapped the baby up and with hesitance moved to hand him over. Cyra un-swaddled him. She smiled, which confused Cage more.

  “Well, I’m sorry he’s not the son you were expecting, but she’s perfectly healthy.”

  “She?” both Cage and Kai said simultaneously.

  “Yes she, what’s the matter, did you think the poor thing lost his manhood in there?”

  “No, no of course not,” Cage and Kai muttered.

  “I’m uncertain how this is possible,” Cage said marveling over the infant. “Tribe leaders have only male offspring. It’s what the Mountain gives us.”

  “Look around, Cage,” Cyra said and chuckled. “You’ve been given a lot of things you hadn’t expected.”

  It was true. The Mountain gave them male heirs to protect the warriors. With the females gone, the half-human males would need their own females to create more heirs.

  Cyra cried out. Cage raced to take his fema
le babe. He cuddled her close feeling stupid. His mate was full of surprises. A female baby? Cage had never in his wildest dreams thought he would be gifted with a female baby. The females on his planet only ever had males. His concern deepened as Cyra howled again.

  “What is it? What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “I think maybe I’m not done yet.” Cyra groaned and cried out.

  “What do you mean? Not done?” Cage asked.

  “I mean we’re having twins.” The look she cast in his direction startled him with her gritted teeth and angry glare.

  “Twins?” Cage was mystified and almost fell over. There hadn’t been a multiple birth in his tribe, ever. Then again there had never been a female birth ever either. He had heard of twin heirs once, but never witnessed anything in the ancestor’s history to verify one. “Humans can have twins?”

  “Humans can have multiple births.” Cyra gasped and grew red pushing.

  Cage watched the miracle of birth as a head appeared followed by a shoulder and the baby slipped out. Kai cleaned the baby in a clean skin.

  “A son, Cage. You have a son. Look for yourself; this one came with external parts.”

  Cage could have been knocked to the ground by a single fingertip he was so amazed. He took his camouflaged son into his arms. “Two offspring. Cyra, you really are amazing. We will have two to fill our lives.”

  “Oh,” she said. She sounded a bit sad. “I always wanted four.”

  “But how can there be more births?” Cage asked. “We already have two. That is the multiple birth you spoke of, right? I thought you meant two, maybe one then one later. But now you’ve given me two at once and say there will be more. How?”

  “Sex, Cage. Remember a discussion we had? My aunt had many children. But you cut me off and we were interrupted.”

  “You mean you can give me, our tribe many offspring? As many as four? You weren’t joking?” Cage was incredulous, he never thought her to be a liar, just exaggerating. “Your aunt had six males right? You said three more before I cut you off and Roar interfered, they were females, right? Can we have more than four? Is it really possible?”

  Cyra yawned. “Depends on how good a father you are.”

  Cage cuddled both of his offspring in each arm. He knew as he gazed into their sweet faces he was going to be the best father ever. If his mate wanted four heirs, his mate would have four, more if he was lucky. There would be so much love in the tribe. The warriors would become twice as fierce. Nothing but the best for the mother of his children. Nothing but the best for his children.

  A warm stream washed over Cage’s arm, dampening his excitement momentarily. He sighed. His female babe, it seemed, was already taking after her mother. He chuckled when Kai groaned. Life was about to become highly entertaining.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  C. L. Scholey

  Please call me Connie! It’s been fantastic working with great publishers and following my dream of writing. When I’m not writing, I’m busy looking after my children, husband, grandkids and the family pet, our newest addition, a mastiff pup named Aramis, after the Three Musketeers.

  I’m currently working on way too much, as normal, but I love every second of it. Please feel free to contact me at [email protected]

  Look me up on my web page www.clscholey.com or join me on Twitter and Facebook. I look forward to hearing from you.

  For your reading pleasure, we invite you to visit our web bookstore

  TORRID BOOKS

  www.torridbooks.com