Caging the Bengal Tiger

by Trinity Blacio

  "How could you have known Kraig would snap?" Isaac asked him, waiting for Anthony. "Is there some kind of sign that I should know of that signals when a man has lost his ability to think straight?"

  "No, but it was my responsibility as head of my family," he stated. She so wanted to reach over and comfort him, but Isaac kept her pinned down.

  "Yes, it is, but again no one knows when a man will snap. Some men are not cut out to be a warrior. We have seen this time after time. You know this," Isaac added, waiting patiently for Anthony to accept it.

  "Still not easy," he mumbled. "The only good thing is that no man touched the females while they were held at the house."

  "Well, that’s a plus. At least your man was honorable and we now have ten more females that could be mates to our warriors," Isaac leaned over, holding onto her. "You can't be in two places, or can you?" Isaac said and she heard the teasing in his question.

  Anthony laughed and slugged his shoulder. "All right smart ass, lay down, you made your point."

  Lying back down, he smiled and winked at her. "Of course I made my point. Dan, did you call your office yet?" Isaac turned to look at him.

  "I need to go in and resign. I've informed my boss that I won't be back and recommended that my partner take my place. I didn't inform him of what happened. It isn't his business, plus I'm sure he'll notice when I walk in there that I'm different," Dan said, looking up at the ceiling.

  "Do you want me to go with you? I loved going in there. They always had a fresh supply of cakes, donuts, plus I want to visit with Sally." Lacey kissed Isaac's chest and leaned over Dan to grab her controller, grinning. "Watch."

  Rolling onto her back, Lacey punched in the sequence of numbers and watched as her 60 inch TV came down from the ceiling. “If you don't mind, it helps me sleep a little," Lacey said and looked over to see Dan's expression. "What? You don't like my TV?" She teased.

  "Damn, wait till football season starts," Dan said.

  "Yea, it's good, but I like my hockey myself. More bloody," she teased and all of them laughed.

  "I haven't watched TV in over three months. What do you like to watch, Lady Cat?" Dan asked.

  "I love watching the Walton’s. They're the family I never had. Sometimes I'd lay here in bed and dream of having a family like that. In some ways we are, us sisters." She put her hand on her stomach. "If I am pregnant, I want our children to have what you had, Dan. A home where they can laugh and play with others, not be afraid of what’s around them. Maybe someday we can live somewhere where there is a forest and land where we can run and be free, not afraid of being hunted."

  Under her, Isaac stiffened. Both Anthony and Dan sat up looking at Isaac. "What is it?"

  Meeting Isaac's gaze, Lacey sighed. "What do I have to do?" she asked knowing his friends’ mate was waiting.

  "Bullshit, she's in her cycle!" Anthony yelled and jumped up. "I don't like this. It would be a different if she was used to our ways, but she just changed, she could be pregnant and hell, Isaac we haven't had much time with her." Anthony grumbled.

  Slowly getting up, Lacey moved into Anthony's arms and hugged him tight. "I'll be fine, she'll help me, Anthony. It's the least I can do if they're coming here to help us. We need all the help we can get, Anthony. Nothing is going to change between us. I'll just be her host while they are here on Earth. Is that so bad? Plus our children will have an added protection, how can I not agree?" Lacey rubbed her cheek on his chest.

  He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around him and slowly lowered herself on him. He moaned, burying his face in her hair. "I swear you have driven me crazy for the past three months, lady. I should paddle your ass for giving me so much trouble," he grunted and turned her so her back was against the wall as he pumped in and out of her, hard. This was not a gentle loving. No, she and Anthony both needed it hard and quick.

  "Love me, Anthony, claim me," she panted and held onto his shoulders. His thrusts were powerful and quick. "Not going to last..." she grunted.

  "Then don't, come baby, you too, Anthony," Isaac said next to them, his fingers rubbing against her clit, but she also knew he was grabbing Anthony's balls as they both moaned, coming together in a powerful quick orgasm.

  "I'm so not moving," Lacey mumbled as Isaac pulled her into his arms when Anthony released her.

  "Don't move, sleep, and when you wake, she'll be with you. Her name is Ina. She can't wait to speak with you and is very excited, Hong says. I love you, Lady Cat," were the last words she heard before her eyes closed.

  ***

  Isaac settled her on the bed, and nodded for Dan and Anthony to follow him as they settled in his woman's body. Hong-Danty had informed him that her cycle would be over when she woke. that she was indeed carrying their child. They were going to be parents and he wanted to give his woman the dream she always wanted, but to do that they had work to do.

  He pulled the kitchen chair out and sat down, staring at her as she slept. "She carries our child. When Lacey awakens in the morning, her cycle will be done. With Ina's presence, she'll be adding to the protection of our child. Her cycle's will be once every three months, but won't be as bad now that she is pregnant." He turned and looked at both Anthony and Dan.

  "I want to give Lacey that dream. I don't want to worry about who is going to attack. So starting tomorrow, we pick up the pace around here. Dan, check in with work. Anthony, you and I will be going over the plans with Lacey for those locations we discovered. How many do you have in your clan, Anthony?" He turned his gaze on Anthony who had gotten up and grabbed three beers.

  Handing him a beer, Anthony popped his can open. "I have over 400 men, but only about 100 of them have the capabilities of our warriors."

  "Wait a minute, I don't understand something?" Dan asked, setting his beer down. "What do you mean have the capabilities of a warrior? Doesn't everyone transform or shift like I did?"

  "No. You were dying Dan. Our king brought you over himself. He knew you were meant to be with us. Only a select few are given our powers and abilities, but then there are mistakes like that of this Koti. We're far from perfect. We do make mistakes, but when we do it, it can become deadly, as you've seen." Isaac explained.

  "What happens with the others? What does Anthony mean half?" Dan asked, glancing towards the bed when Lacey moaned.

  "They will have to feed like we do, they will live a long life or what you call immortal, but they will not be able to leave Earth, visit other places, have the gifts we do to protect the gates. In other words they couldn't survive off of Earth." Isaac sat up slowly and frowned. Something was not going as planned. "What’s wrong?" he asked his friend Hong-Danty.

  "The cat in Lacey is deciding if it wants to allow Ina inside with them. It seems your woman's cat is another entity in itself. This is not just an entity either. You did not inform me she was royalty?"

  There was a pause and Isaac did not like not knowing what was going on. He got up and moved to the bed. That's when he noticed that her skin was rippling, fur replacing skin. Lacey was shifting.

  "What's going on?" Anthony asked next to him as the three of them watch Lacey shift into her cat, but there was something different about it.

  "I have no idea," Isaac said and sat down on the bed slowly. "Lacey, can you hear me?"

  "She is sleeping. There is no need for you three to worry. We are doing fine. However, I ask why I should share my Lacey with this Ina? Aren't' I enough protection for her and the baby she carries?" the strange new voice said to him.

  "We need help fighting these men that would destroy this world. Ina and her man have volunteered to stay with us here to help fight against that threat. They can only take a form on Earth if they have a host. Since Hong is with me, he asked his mate be with mine. Why haven't you made yourself known to us or to Lacey before now?"

  The cat laid her head down on her paws, her tail moved back and forth. "We are one, Lacey and I. She knows we are speaking. Usually she does all the speaking for us, but this
is a risky venture here and one that once done cannot be undone. What you ask for Lacey, you ask for me also, but it does get lonely now with so many of our kind destroyed. I will allow this since you say it is important to all of us." With that decision the cat left, shifting back to Lacey's human form where she stirred, but did not wake.

  "Now that was different? Did you know her cat could speak?" Dan asked, and he shook his head.

  "No, and I wish I would have known. I'm going to have a little talk with our woman when she wakes. It seems she’s more than just a little royalty. Even Talhrn is asking to speak with her now. He'll be here tomorrow." Isaac said and turned his attention to Anthony.

  "While he is here bring the first 50 men here. Our King will decide who stays and goes. As far as the others, we're going to have to figure out who is honorable and who isn't. It's time to start cleaning house. We've gotten lax here on Earth and it will stop." He crawled into bed and pulled their mate on top of him. "Come tomorrow we will be busy." Isaac stated and waited till they crawled into bed. The TV volume was still on low to help Lacey sleep. He wrapped his arms around her.

  Even dealing with his brothers, and his sister whenever she decided to show up, Isaac never imagined the responsibility of having a family would be so daunting. Now he understood why his father would go to the training fields each day for an hour. It was the only way to release the extra pent up tension. Yes, they would have to build a room for them to work out. Especially for Dan. He turned his head and looked at the man.

  Already signs of tension could be seen in his face. He'd start him on his training as soon as he got back from the police station. He and Lacey could go while Anthony, Talhrn and he could inspect the rest of the men.

  "Sleep, Isaac and quiet worrying. I know the perfect place for your training center and we'll be all right as long as we have each other," Lacey kissed his chest and peaked up at him smiling.

  Just her smile eased the tension enough that he could relax. "You were supposed to be sleeping, Lady Cat." He placed a kiss on the top of her head.

  "Hmm, really? Now how am I to do that when my handsome warrior is all tense and needs some snuggling time?" Lacey said.

  Next to him, Anthony laughed, as did Dan. "Snuggly time? Isaac?"

  Her foot swung and kicked Anthony in the leg. "Don't laugh. You'll need me one day to snuggle with you, wait and see."

  "Aww, baby, I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just teasing, I promise. I would love to cuddle with you anytime," Anthony leaned over and kissed her.

  "We'll see. So are you going to tell me now about being pregnant? How long do we carry the baby?" She lifted up her head and looked at him, and he had to laugh. "You know like how long do I carry the baby or is anything weird going to happen?"

  "Well, you'll carry it for at least a year, and then you'll give birth to an egg. It will take from two days to five to hatch," Isaac said, smiling as her eyes got big and she mouthed egg?

  "Yes, an egg. You will not get as big as a human, but big enough. The eggs usually weigh about ten pounds when born," he held her down when she would have rose up. "Relax, we'll help."

  "Eggs," she mumbled and lowered her head down sighing. "Eggs. You know tiger's eat eggs."

  Smiling, he shook his head and closed his eyes. Yes, Lacey would always keep them on their toes, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Lacey stood at the side of the bed and stared down at the bed. Supposedly they didn't need much sleep, her ass. All three of them were snoring away. Not waiting, Lacey turned and headed towards the door. She needed to check on her sister and the other women.

  She still couldn't believe her heat was over so quickly. Having Ina was a blessing and she was funny too. She got along well with her cat.

  Making sure the door closed behind her, Lacey made her way down the tunnel to the kitchen. She knew Abby would be there with coffee going. Lacey stopped and frowned. "Ina will coffee hurt the baby?"

  "No. Have all you like. I'll let you know if anything shouldn't be ingested. Warriors are a tough bunch and their children seem to have immunity to almost everything. I want to thank you both for allowing me here. It would be hard to stay away from my male while he was here."

  "He won't wake Isaac will he since we left my quarters? And it's no problem. Thank you for coming to help us." Lacey stepped into the kitchen to see Abby taking a sip of coffee with her sister right next to her.

  "Hi, Abby. How are you doing?" Lacey asked taking the cup Abby held out to her.

  "I'm doing better. I'm surprised your men allowed you out and about by yourself," she came to the table with her sister following her.

  "I'm not leaving the compound. Plus they were sleeping like babies. So how did it go last night? Are all the women settled? I was thinking of asking Maya about buying the rest of the buildings on this block. Isaac was saying something about setting up a training facility for the men here. With more women coming, we should have some extra rooms built that they can use." Lacey sat down across from her sister and took another sip of her coffee. "Did you sleep okay?" She asked her sister and Betsy glared at her.

  "Like you care," she mumbled.

  "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't. I really didn't know you were alive, Betsy," she said placing her coffee on the table. "I would have gone back if I had known." She looked up at her sister who stared at her.

  "It wouldn't have done any good. He would have just killed me and taken you. So how long have you been here?" She asked, sitting back, looking around, but jumped when a roar filled the tunnels. "What was that?" She asked looking at the door behind her.

  "I have a feeling it’s Isaac, damn," she mumbled and took another sip of coffee.

  "Where are you?" he snapped.

  "You know I'm sitting here talking with my sister and Abby. I have gone nowhere, so calm down," Lacey shook her head. "I swear I thought they said females were bad. So what do you have planned for today?" She asked Abby.

  "I thought I'd show the new women around. Why? Do you have something you need me to do?" She asked and laughed when her mates came running into the room. "Wow, they must have really missed you," she teased.

  Rolling her eyes, Lacey turned in her seat to see the three of them with only pants on looking down at her. "What? You three obviously needed the sleep more than I did so I let you sleep. Isaac what time did you want to go over the plans with the women? You have a list of who is pairing up with whom?" She asked taking another sip of coffee before Anthony took the cup out of her hand. "Hey, I need that, give it back." She tried to grab the cup, but he held it up.

  "It's not good for the baby, plus you need breakfast not this," he stated.

  "Anthony, I have never lied to you and I would appreciate the same respect or we are going to have serious trouble. Now hand it over," she growled.

  "You need to come back to the room," Isaac said, not moving.

  "No," she slowly stood facing off with Isaac. "I have not left the building. I'm enjoying my coffee, which I know for a fact will not hurt the baby since I asked. But you are going to have one pissed off lady here if I don't get my coffee and you three back the hell up."

  "Now this is not good for the baby. You need to calm down Lacey, even though they are acting like they are infants," Ina stated and a calming breeze ran up from her toes to her head.

  Sitting down she sighed. "Dan, what time do we leave? Maybe we can stop at that gas station at the corner. They have these little greasy breakfast sandwiches..." she frowned hearing Ina.

  "No, no, no," she said and Lacey couldn't help but laugh.

  "Great, I have a woman in my head that loves to sing and tease me. Well forget those sandwiches, but I'm sure we can hit those donuts?" She punched the air when Ina sang yes, yes, yes in her head.

  Even Isaac laughed and shook her head. "Anthony, give her coffee back and if you want her to eat, I suggest you can make her breakfast now. Dan, go get ready since it's obvious Lacey is ready. We'll meet with the women
around noon after Anthony and I meet with Talhrn at 10. Betsy, how are you doing? Did you sleep all right?"

  Her sister nodded. "First time in years I didn't have to worry. Thank you Lacey for that box. It helped," Betsy said taking her cup to the sink. "If you'll excuse me, I need to take a shower and I'm sure you need to speak with my sister alone. Are you coming Abby?" Betsy asked as Abby stood and followed her.

  "You guys don't have to leave. Damn it, Abby, we always talk in the morning," she pouted but left them leave. To her right Anthony started digging out things in the fridge and started making breakfast. Taking Abby's seat, Isaac looked over at her. "You scared me, Lacey. I woke and you weren't in my arms." He reached over and took her hand into his squeezing it.

  "I'm sorry, Isaac. I always had early coffee with Abby. We sit and just bullshit while we wait for the coffee to kick in. Then we'd go workout. I didn't think this would upset you so much," she sighed and gulped down the last bit of coffee before getting up. "If you'll excuse me, I'll grab my things so Dan doesn't have to wait."

  "Come here, Lacey," Isaac reached out and pulled her to his lap. "What's wrong?" he kissed her cheek.

  "It's hard for me, Isaac. I'm not going to lie. Change scares the crap out of me, but I'm trying. I wake up early as does Abby. It's just an automatic alarm I guess, but we both like the quietness in the morning before everyone is up and roaming around. I guess that's going to change too," she smiled at him. "I'm really sorry I scared you." She slid her arms around his neck.

  "How about we start our own ritual?" Isaac wrapped his arms around her. "Why don't you and I have coffee in our room? We can even take a walk if you'd like. Just you and I. I know Dan likes to work out maybe after our coffee, you and Dan could work out, then you can have breakfast with Anthony. That way we each get to spend some time with our woman before the day starts. But please don't leave the room without us knowing about it. You're carrying our child now and we are going to be very protective of you."