Dare (BLOOD Brothers Book 5) by Heather Long

Author:Heather Long [Long, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2025-12-26T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter

Eighteen

BONES

The SUV was too full of breathing.

Too many small, uneven inhales. Too many soft, strangled sniffles. Too much fear packed into one metal box rattling down a port access road.

And every sound carved itself somewhere under my ribs.

Still, my head stayed clear. It had to.

Voodoo drove like the vehicle was an extension of him. Lunchbox kept watch out the back window, every muscle coiled. Grace sat in the middle row, kids anchored around her and Goblin like gravity.

I watched all of it. I always did.

Alphabet’s voice crackled again in my ear, cool and clipped. “Sending the final pin drop. Maintenance outbuilding behind an old inspection lot. Cameras are down. No foot traffic. You’ve got fifteen minutes before someone with guns and bad intentions realizes those vans aren’t on schedule.”

“Copy,” I said.

Grace didn’t look at me, but she was listening. She always was.

The smallest kid—little girl with the stuffed toy missing an eye—had her face buried in Goblin’s fur. The dog didn’t move except to give a low, steady thrum of protective noise from his chest. Nico sat plastered to Grace’s left, staring out the window like the world was made of monsters.

He wasn’t wrong.

Lunchbox leaned forward between the seats. “If they’re running blackout on that bigger transport, we’re not dealing with an average delivery.”

“Never said we were,” I muttered.

“We need more than the four of us,” Voodoo said. “And maybe a tank.”

Lunchbox snorted. “I can be a tank.”

“You’re shaped like one,” Voodoo added with a laugh.

“Thank you.” Lunchbox grinned. “I’ll take point.”

The kids startled at the laughter, but little Nico proved to be a trooper and he smiled.

The safe building Alphabet found came into view—a squat concrete block at the edge of the old port inspection lot, fenced off and abandoned. Perfect for hiding. Perfect for protecting.

“Voodoo,” I said, “circle once.”

He did, slow. My eyes tracked everything—the sightlines, the blind corners, the possible exits, the two routes that could be used to funnel an ambush. Nothing moved except a gull picking at a paper bag.

“Clear,” I said.

We rolled up to the rear of the building. Lunchbox hopped out first, crowbar in hand, to sweep the perimeter. I took a second sweep of the interior—doorframe sturdy, floor dusty, windows boarded.

Secure enough.

“Grace,” I called softly. “Bring them in.”

She unbuckled, then led the kids out to follow her. Nico’s hand was in hers, the other children linked hands together, a chain of ducklings sticking so close they looked tied together. Goblin herded them with soft nudges, tail down but wagging just enough to say safe safe safe.

I stood in the doorway, a Glock in hand, a pair of clips and a taser. Once they were inside, I passed Grace what she needed. “One is already in the chamber. If anyone comes through that door that isn’t us, you shoot first and ask questions later.”

Grace’s eyes shone even though she was shaking. “We’ll be fine.”

“Yes, you will.” I touched two fingers to her chin, then tapped her comm unit. “You’ll be able to hear us, but I want you to mute your end unless we need something or you do.

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