Page 35 of Caged
“Sure. Maybe some of them keep odd hours, but they probably are up in their rooms, not on the first floor. I sneak in and make my way down to the basement. All I need to confirm is whether or not their basement has been turned into a freak petting zoo of missing girls, and then I’ll get out.”
“Even if Kasey and Monroe are still at Sigma, why do you assume they’d be in the basement? What are you expecting to find, like a pod farm from a sci-fi movie?” Ele challenges.
“I… I don’t know!” I stammer in frustration. “Do either of you have any better ideas? We can’t just sit around and do nothing! The cops obviously aren’t going to do shit. Come on, we saw Kasey there on Friday night, and she looked loopy as fuck! She told us she was scared! We all saw Mad Max Kieren basically strong-arm Kasey away while losing his shit over the two-minute conversation we managed to have with her. It was like he was worried she’d tell us something he didn’t want us to know. Shit is not okay!”
I take a breath to steady myself. “Two women, well, four if you count Kasey and Monroe, have gone missing at Dornell this year alone. And I know this is a very stressful university, and I know the statistics are bad for incidents where students take their own lives, but I can’t shake this gut feeling that these disappearances are connected. This ties back to Sigma in some way. I know it does. These young girls, they remind me of my sisters. If one of them went missing, and the University and law enforcement ruled it a suicide without proof of a body, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night. I would chase every lead or crazy conspiracy theory I could find. Call me insane, but I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”
Silence permeates our apartment. I slump down into my chair and fight back tears of hopelessness.
Ele exhales a long sigh. “Fuck, well, I can’t believe I’m asking this but, when do we do this?”
My eyes flick up to hers with disbelief.
“I’ll go too. Ele can be the getaway driver. I’ll be the lookout,” Viv agrees.
My wide smile bounces between them, and I open my mouth to speak, but the words catch in my throat. I suck my bottom lip between my teeth and swallow down the emotional lump threatening to undo my conviction.
“Thank you,” I manage, but it’s not what I wanted to say. It’s not what I would have said if it were her. Because I would never have to convince Monroe. Never would I feel the need to plead my case. She would already be downstairs, heading for her car, going to fill up the gas tank, and telling me,‘Ride or die, Gabi. Ride or fucking die.’
15
MONROE
Seven Months Prior to Present Day,
The February Full Moon Ceremony,
Junior Year, Dornell University
“I’ve already told you a thousand times, Monroe. It’s an initiation.”
Kieren threads a string of what looks like a black leather bikini top under my breasts. The material digs into my ribcage as he ties the bottom ends together along the middle of my back. Next, he tightly cinches the top two strings around the nape of my neck. I frown when I look down at the leather triangles, which are barely big enough to cover my nipples.
I huff in frustration. “But you haven’t told me what exactly happens at this initiation, and now you’re dressing me in BDSM lingerie.”
“I’m dressing you this way because all the Little Sisters getting initiated will be in their bras and underwear, and it would be weird, not to mention prohibited by the Sigma initiation rules, if you were fully clothed.”
“What initiation rules? Who made up these rules, and why only a bra and underwear?”
“Jesus Christ, Monroe. I fucking told you. Anyone initiated must bear and offer their whole and true selves to the Brotherhood, and such purity of form cannot be tainted or obstructed in any way, including by material coverings. I didn’t make the rules. The rules are outlined in the Sigma Charter, which was written centuries ago by Sigma’s founding members. I’m sure your sorority did something similar when you initiated new pledges.”
“I guess, but it was different. It was a born-again thing, and everyone wore white. And it was all women. What does ‘bear and offer’ mean?” I ask, recalling words from his lecture.
“Use your imagination,” he answers gruffly.
I huff a grumble at his lack of information.
Kieren drops to his knees and unbuttons my jeans, pulling them and my underwear down my legs as he helps me step out one foot at a time.
“Should I be nervous?”
“You’ll be with me the entire time, so no.”
Kieren cups his hands around my backside, pulling me into him. He plants a lingering kiss below my pubic bone, inhaling my scent.
“Fuck, I wish there was time to eat this pussy before the Ceremony.” His warm breath caresses my center. “Maybe just a taste,” he growls. My breath hitches as his wet tongue parts my labia and works broad strokes against my clit. Restrained sucks turn hungry and I worry I’ll lose my balance. The intimacy ignites something feral within my bones, and I fist his hair, yanking him closer so I can grind my clit against his face. Just as I feel the build of my orgasm, he shoves me away as if I’ve done something wrong.
“Kieren,” I plead through gritted teeth.
