Blood & Bones: Cage (Blood Fury MC 5)

Cage doubted any of the buildings in their compound were built to code, so he wondered if the staircase could manage the weight of all three of them at once. Since Shade led the way, Cage slowed down and held out a hand to Dodge to get him to stop. As soon as Shade hit the upper landing, Cage followed and waved for Dodge to proceed.

Ozzy stood guard at the opening of one door, while Rook stood at another. Both had their guns in their hands and pointed into the rooms. What Cage could assume were bedrooms.

“Got half the women in here. He’s got the other half,” Ozzy said gruffly. “Those assholes taken care of?”

“Yeah. The ones in this house. Still too many breathin’,” Shade answered.

Cage peered over Dodge’s shoulder to see about a dozen women of various ages. Some sat on a bed, the rest sat on the floor around it. Only a few were crying and looked scared. The rest? If it was possible, they’d shoot poisoned daggers from their eyes.

Well, fuck them.

All were wearing the same style of homemade dresses and their hair was worn similar.

A goddamn cult. That was what it was.

Brainwashed motherfucking cult.

“Only twelve women in here. And some teens. My count had twenty-six total,” Shade said. “Brother, you got the rest in there?”

“Fuck no,” Rook answered. “Another twelve. And some kids.”

“Fuck. Two women unaccounted for,” Cage stated the obvious.

“Maybe they’re down with Dyna,” Rook suggested.

“No one mentioned any women with Dyna,” Ozzy grumbled.

“Or they’re hidin’ out somewhere in this house,” Shade said with his head tilted like he was listening for any movement of the two missing women.

“Could be. Keep your eyes and ears open,” Cage ordered. “This ain’t lookin’ like forty kids, either.”

“Nope. Not close to forty here,” Dodge said after checking the room Rook was guarding. “Not even fuckin’ close. Must got them elsewhere. Maybe with the two other women.”

“Can’t worry about that shit now,” Shade said. “Need to pick kids young enough not to fight, big enough for effective shields.”

Fuck, Cage hated that word.

Rook jerked his chin to a room with a closed door. “Youngest are in that room. We kept the older ones with the women to keep an eye on them. Ain’t trustin’ anyone with Shirley blood, no matter how fuckin’ young they are.”

Shade went to another bedroom with a closed door and Cage followed him.

“This one. This one. And that one.” Shade pointed out three kids with his huge knife like he was picking out prime cuts of beef at a fucking butcher. “Got a knife?” he asked no one in particular.

“Yeah,” Cage answered. He was taking one of those kids.

“Got one, too.” Dodge moved into the room with Shade, his own knife now in hand.

Jesus Christ, this was happening.

“Want us to stay here and keep watchin’ these brain-washed bitches?” Ozzy asked.

“Fuck no,” Cage answered. “Soon as we got Dyna, we’re splittin’.”

“What about burnin’ this fuckin’ house down first?” Rook asked. “Another warnin’ since they didn’t take the last one seriously.”

“Gonna take too long,” Cage said. He didn’t want to discuss any future plans that had to do with the Shirleys in front of the women. Or even the kids. He didn’t want them knowing that they weren’t finished with them. He wanted that to come as a complete fucking surprise.

They could burn down the house but it was summer and dry. It might light up the surrounding forest, catching the PD’s attention and bringing them and firefighters up the mountain.

Last thing they needed was the pigs getting involved and doing an investigation. The Shirleys would never go to the pigs on their own. Even to report murders. Like the Fury, they didn’t want law enforcement or any government agencies involved in their business. Even if it had to do with threats to their safety or their compound. They distrusted any and all government.

That was good for his club since it would make it easier to thin out the Shirley herd. On their own schedule. To do it smart and efficiently.

The three kids Shade had picked out to use for their safety, and Dyna’s exchange, were boys all around the age of three or four. Not strong enough to fight, but large enough to use as a damn shield and light enough to carry.

Three Shirley spawn to exchange for his one and only baby girl.

They needed to move. Darkness was creeping in by the minute.

Shade gave the women a warning to stay upstairs until their menfolk came and retrieved them. He also warned them to not try anything stupid or the boys would die. Cage wasn’t sure if Shade meant that last part and he didn’t want to find out.

However, if the Shirleys harmed Dyna in any way, the three boys would be sacrificed. Because, no one... Not one fucking person would get away with that. He would do what he needed to do to avenge his daughter. His blood. His little monkey.