Cage Read online

  “That’s great,” she told him unenthusiastically knowing she’d just been caught out by her team. “We’re under attack on Deck B in two places. Your arrival brought our forces here rather than reinforcing down there supporting them. So, we need to get to it.” She told them firmly feeling more herself and under control by the second.

  “Your name female?”

  Why did that sound like an invitation?.... Her stomach did a flip. It seemed personal somehow….

  Marlea frowned again. She was in the middle of the battle of her life and all she could do was dote on this guy… She shook her head, not liking how he was affecting her. “I am Head of Security on this vessle. Marlea Pitmore, these are my men.”

  The female was …….. different. Commanding. “I am Commander Cage. The Cyborg Empire is scouting these trading lanes for pirates. It seems you caught some.”

  That voice…… Dark, warm, velvety….. Her nipples hardened. WTF!..... She needed to focus. “I’m not sure who caught who,” she told him. “But I want them off my fucking ship and we need to get a move on people are dying.”

  He gave her a slow nod and his eyes glazed over. Then cleared. “Please tell your people to stand down when we approach. We will support your efforts. My men are going to go in two forces. Front and back. Where do you wish to be?”

  Marlea stared at him. He was taking over?... She didn’t think so. She stood straight. “Computer advise the First Officer we have unexpected support. The Cyborg Empire has arrived. They are identified by….” She looked them over. They were all wearing black mesh clothing. That was a problem, some of the pirates were wearing black too. “Being big, bad and too good looking.”

  Did he just smirk at her comment?.... Marlea engaged her riffle and recharged it. Her people did the same. “I’ll be leading my people.” She turned on a dime and jogged away. If he was here to help, then they could mop up!.....

  Cage stared after the female. Intriguing. A female leader. Competent and used to being in command. He’d scented her desire for them, it wasn’t unusual for females or males to desire them, it was one of the things the Designers had wanted. Just another weapon at their disposal. It made the humans vulnerable. His data registered that her scent had been interesting. Every humans scent was unique and once a Cyborg had it, if they needed too, it made them easier to track.

  Never before had a female’s scent registered so keenly with him. Cage ran a diagnostic. The information flowed across his optic. Nothing showed as faulty. He connected his neuro net to his team. Split in two. Half with Bane around to the first breach and come at it from the rear, the rest with me.

  Affirmative, came the replies.

  Cage moved off in the same direction as the female. He had the intense urge to back her up. To protect. Make sure she was not harmed. He started to jog increasing his speed homing in on her scent. He didn’t understand the pull towards her but kept going. His hearing far superior to humans he could hear her and her people moving ahead of him as he got closer moving faster than they could. Cage smiled his hunter instincts kicking in. No one out marches a Cyborg…..

  She was irritated and tried to throw it off. She had bigger fish to fry here than dealing with an overbearing Cyborg and her hormones screaming ‘fuck me’. That irritated her too. Since when did she go all goo goo over a man?.... OK not technically a man. She ranted at herself taking two stairs at a time. A Cyborg. Clearly that was a first…… Disgusted with herself and her body, her nipples a constant reminder brushing against her clothes just how turned on she was. She increased her pace, taking the stairs faster, moving down as quickly as she dared. Her people keeping up with her. At least going down was easier than going up….. she panted rounding the last turn on the staircase before the landing on Deck B. Thank the gods…..

  Marlea stopped before the exit door and pulled out her drinking bottle, her throat suddenly very dry. The stairs or the Cyborg?..... She ignored the thought nodding to the others on her team who did the same. Taking several long pulls it gave them all a moment to pull it together. Putting the bottle back on her belt, she took several deep breaths facing the exit expecting her point people to move passed her. Instead a large body moved in beside her. Marlea looked up. She hadn’t heard him move then looked behind her. His troop, or half of them were with him. She’d not heard any of them either. She looked back up at tall dark and deadly.

  “We will go first,” he told her. Marlea raised both eyebrows and pierced her lips taking a defiant stand. He clearly saw it and changed his words. “We would welcome taking point.” He clarified.

  Marlea glanced behind her and her people looked relieved. It hit her square in the gut. They’d been through a lot. Had he seen that and made the offer?.... Did she look like them too?.... It went against everything she stood for. Glancing back at him she gave a nod. They could now hear the fighting beyond the door. He glazed over for a second and she realised he was speaking with his men. Two moved forward going passed them as Cage moved in front of her. Protecting her?..... If she hadn’t seen them, she’d have never known they’d moved at all. It was unnerving. A reminder they were not human.

  In the same action she’d done only so much faster, one readied to pull the door, the other raised their rifle. All the other Cyborgs moved up behind them. Marlea went to join them and was held back by one large muscled arm.

  “I do not wish to upset you but joining us will prevent us doing what we do best.”

  That pissed her off. “And why is that? I’m trained for this.”

  “You are not trained to be with Cyborgs female.”

  She couldn’t argue with that. “What do you do best?” she asked bitingly.

  “Killing them.”

  He’d turned from her and a mili second later, the door was pulled and his people rushed passed and into the corridor the door closing firming on her and hers before she could even think.

  Bloody hell. He’d done that deliberately!.... Marlea rushed the door and gave it a yank. Nothing. It was jammed.

  Fucker! Had he locked that on her?.... “Computer open exit to Deck B on staircase C.”

  “Unable to comply.” The firepower and action beyond the door increased. She guessed the Empire had engaged the enemy.

  Damn it!.... “Why the fuck not?”

  “I have been locked out of that system.”

  Marlea gripped her fists. She didn’t like the way this was going. This was her job. Who the hell did he think he was!.... She didn’t need to ask who’d locked her own computer out. She had a bloody good idea who it was. She gritted her teeth. He was fighting beyond the damn door….

  “Find me another way onto that floor.”

  “A service hatch from the floor above will allow you access.”

  “Send me directions.” Her wrist data pad pinged. Marlea looked at it. She knew where that was. “With me,” she told her troops and turned going back up the stairs to the next level. Pulling the door, she was relieved it opened fearing he’d done the same to all the doors around that level. Cautiously she swung her rifle around checking for anyone who shouldn’t be there. Nothing. Nodding to her team they filled in behind her. “The access tunnel is 100 yards up on the right.”

  They dashed towards it and Marlea checked her wrist for confirmation and identified the right access. “Here. Get the cover off.” As people got to work removing it, one checked it was clear. “Ok down we go. Carefully we only have a ladder and don’t know if they’ve been compromised. Down two floors. Go.” Her people filed in one after the other. She took up the rear. As she moved the access panel back in place she smiled. Cage had something coming…. No one locked her out of her own systems.

  Cage took in the fighting going on ahead of him. They’d moved in quickly identifying themselves to what were clearly Marlea’s other comrades struggling to hold position. Pushing through, they took the fight on. Within minutes his neuro net pinged. He opened his access port.

  Coming to you now.

  Good we have this
to finish and the other to deal with.

  Affirmative.

  As the rest of his team joined in the fighting, it was soon clear the pirates were outnumbered. His people cut through them with ease. The ships personnel taking a much-needed step back and allowing them access. They were no match for Cyborgs.

  I want that landing craft secured.

  Affirmative.

  Three of his men moved forward securing anyone still alive in their way. Cage turned to the ships personnel around him breathing and glad to see them. “Who’s in charge here?”

  “I am.” A man stepped forward who’d been caring for some injured. “Egar Fredericks, Security First Officer.”

  “You held well here. There is the original breach on the aft side. We will go and support them. You see to your men here.” He nodded and went back to his injured.

  Cage opened his neuro net. Get us to the other breach as quickly as possible. They have been holding longer.

  Affirmative. The data crossed his optic and his men moved out.

  Marlea stepped onto Deck B. Pulling up the schematic of the ship she guessed the Cyborgs had gone to the nearest action. Egar was leading on that. He was an excellent First Officer. She would go straight to the Captain. Nodding to her people, she headed off in that direction with them following her.

  It was clear this had been a pincer move. Hitting this level in two places while distracting them at the same time on two other decks. Trying to split their forces and then trying to take them out while joining up in the middle. She wasn’t about to let that happen.

  As they ran to join them. Her mind lingered on Cage. He’d acted without permission and infiltrating their ships systems to lock her out was an act of piracy in itself. She wouldn’t be letting that go.

  They could hear the fighting up ahead as they got nearer. Marlea touched her ear piece. “Computer contact First Mate Barney.”

  His voice came over the system. “Marlea, got our hands full here.” She could hear it over the comms. He was shouting above the din, out of breath and stressed. Fighting was going on in the background.

  “Coming at you in 5 Barney.”

  She heard the ‘thank fuck’ before the comms went off.

  Marlea smiled and called back. “Going in hot people. Shoot to kill.” She roared her “Charge!” and rounded the corner, her people roaring with her shooting at anyone not in their uniform.

  He heard the female’s voice as he approached the second breach. Strangely his systems told him he wasn’t surprised to hear it. She was determined. The odds on keeping her out of this floor were slim but he’d tried to do it anyway. He wasn’t sure why. Her voice pushed him on.

  They turned the corner and the fight was in full battle.

  He instantly looked for the female and couldn’t see her. An emotion penetrated his sensors. He didn’t have time to dissect it. He zeroed in on her scent as they ran into the fight. His senses constantly searching for her. Moving his knives swiftly he took care of business moving in her direction as his men did the same around him. Finding some space, he moved towards her. Spotting her taking on two assailants. The urge to go to her strong, he watched as she fought and held her ground. Using both a riffle and a knife she butted and struck. The rifle little use in such close quarters but she’d turned it around and was using it like a battering ram, then striking quickly and decisively with the knife.

  His data told him what he could see. She was well trained and didn’t need his help here. Keeping an eye on her, he took on his next victim and worked the circle around her.

  He was here…. Her gut clenched on seeing him. She wasn’t surprised. They looked good at what they did. She expected they’d cleared up the other breach and moved on towards this one. She dispatched her second attacker and gave him a kick in the balls for good measure, then looked over to where he was taking on several pirates. So fast…. Precise…. Almost a beautiful deadly dance…. A strike to her left caught her unguarded, cutting deep into her side. Fuck!....... She’d allowed him to distract her….. Marlea berated herself. She knew better than to get side-tracked or distracted in a battle. Resisting the urge to cover the wound with her hand, she held onto her riffle and knife and struck the offending weapon away. The pirate leered at her and looked at the wound he’d created.

  Fuck that hurt….

  Her anger boiled over. Not even dead mister…. She roared and charged. Striking and hitting in a frenzy until something wrapped around her middle and pulled her off the dead body and moved her away. She was heaving and shaking.

  He’d smelt her scent mixed with the heady intoxicating aroma of her blood the moment she’d been injured. Part of him roared knowing she’d been hurt with an incessant need to go to her and get her to safety. He found her in a blood rage, striking a dead male over and over again. Grabbing her, feeling her pain, he encased her in his arms and moved her away from the battle. Her blood now on his body and in the air all around him.

  He put her down, turning her around still holding her up. “Can you stand female?” She still looked under the control of blood rage. He tried again grasping her face and pulling it up to him. “Female, can you stand?”

  This time she looked at him and nodded. Cage steadied her, bracing her against the wall. Opening her uniform jacket, he ripped up the side of her shirt exposing the wound. He took an intake of breath. It was deep. Blood soaked and running. She’d been lucky it had missed vital organs but she was likely to bleed out.

  “You are lucky. It missed vital organs.” He told her holding the cloth to the wound. “You could bleed out before medical attention arrives. I wish to apply my nano’s it will stop the bleeding and heal you. Do you agree?”

  The blood haze was dissipating in her system. Her adrenaline crashing. She was starting to come down. Her body started to shake. “Look at me female. Do you agree?” Focusing on him she nodded.

  She looked towards the battle, two Cyborgs had come to stand in front of them guarding from any further attack while the battle continued on, the last of their attackers were fighting like their lives depended on it. She guessed they did. Marlea felt his hands on her skin. He’d asked her something and she tried to focus passed his hands on her and the rage she’d had when being hurt. He asked again, this time she heard him. He wanted to help her. She nodded. He had one hand on the breastbone of her chest keeping her in place the other on her waist and looked down. Kneeling before her he was bent over her wound. Then his lips were on her. His tongue running over the wound, licking and sucking, cleaning her up. Tingling started immediately drawing heat into her body. It soared.

  Her legs felt like jelly, her clit pulsed, and her body shuddered. Holy shit… whatever he was doing… it was magic….

  Cage couldn’t hold back the growl that escaped his lips. The female was in his mouth, in his body and on his tongue. Her taste… like nothing else in his entire existance. Her desire saturated the air around him. His nano’s mixed with her DNA. Nothing had been so…… intoxicating. He could feel his nano’s transferring to her body and registered when his diagnostic told him his saliva wouldn’t be enough. The damage was too deep and the female’s essence was filled with potent desire rather than aiding her recovery. He pulled away and stood. Her eyes followed him unfocused.

  “The nano’s are not enough. I need to inject you. Do you agree?”

  He was going to inject her?..... She couldn’t help but look down his body. He was aroused. Just like she was.

  “I need to hear you say it female.” He told her firmly. Her taste on his tongue he wanted……. Things.

  It brought her a little control. “Yes, I agree.”

  Taking the nano shot they all carried, he injected her next to the wound and watched as it immediately dealt with the injury. “You need to sit for a moment. They will burn up energy working. It’s why you felt hot.”

  Marlea sat feeling the ridiculous need to laugh. “Honey that wasn’t the nano’s, that was all you….” She told him closing her eyes lean
ing back against the bulkhead.

  She’d called him ‘honey’. The female was drifting. He opened his neuro net to his two guards. Guard her with your lives.

  Affirmative.

  His need to see her safe, sent him back into the battle. He would crush them all.

  ***

  Marlea came too blinking. The battle was clearly over. She suppressed a yawn. Had she fallen asleep?..... Immediately remembering her side, she checked it. Apart from a red area and a bit sore, it was healed. She stared at it in disbelief. How was that possible?..... Then looked up at what was going on around her. She had two guards. They’d come over when Cage had his mouth on her…. Heat rose and infused in her cheeks. That had been….. She swallowed and pushed that thought away.

  She watched as both hers and the Cyborg men cleaned up. Dead and wounded had been separated. Damage was being assessed. Emergency repairs were in operation. She saw the ships First Officer down on the floor a flow blanket over his body. Marlea got up using the wall for support. Her guards turned towards her. “Don’t fuck with me, I’m seeing to my people.” She told them and they stood aside as she gingerly walked over to him. Before she got there, it was clear he was already gone. Marlea bent down and touched his shoulder. She’d let him down. She’d not been fast enough to help him. Picking up the flow blanket she covered his face.

  “It is not your fault,” he told her. Her remorse and sorrow hit his nose. She slowly stood and turned towards him.