Chapter 22: Sparks in the Dark
The next morning starts off like the others—cold, bleak, and filled with the sounds of the unforgiving ocean crashing against the rocks outside my window. I’m up before the sun, staring at the ceiling, trying to shake off the weight of another restless night. Thoughts of Sev haunt my sleep, keeping me awake long after I’ve turned off the lights. There’s something about him that pulls at me, something dangerous and magnetic, like a flame drawing in a moth.
I need to stay focused, to keep my distance, but I can’t stop thinking about him. His eyes, the way they bore into me, the way his voice slides through the air like a whispered secret. It’s intoxicating, and it terrifies me.
I shake off the thoughts as I get dressed, choosing a simple outfit—a fitted sweater and dark jeans. Practical, but neat. I tie my hair back into a bun, making sure everything is in place. I need to look professional, composed. I need to keep my guard up.
Today, I’m scheduled to continue my observations in the common areas—the canteen, the rec room, places where the inmates gather when they’re not locked away in their cells. It’s a vital part of the experiment, understanding how they interact with each other in a less controlled environment. But it’s also risky. Tempers flare easily in these confined spaces, and the guards can only do so much to keep things under control.
As I make my way to the main building, the wind bites at my cheeks, and I pull my coat tighter around me. Captain Hayes is waiting for me at the entrance, his expression as unreadable as ever. He gives me a curt nod, falling into step beside me as we head inside.
“You ready for today?” he asks, his voice low.
“As ready as I can be,” I reply, my breath misting in the cold air.
“Good,” he says, his eyes scanning the area as we walk. “Just remember to stay close to the guards. We’ve got eyes on everything, but it’s still dangerous out there.”
“I’ll be careful,” I promise, though a part of me wonders if I’m walking into more than I bargained for.
The common areas are a hive of activity when we arrive. Inmates mill about, some clustered around tables playing cards, others watching TV or talking in low voices. The tension is palpable, a constant undercurrent that hums through the air like static electricity. It’s clear that everyone here is on edge, ready to snap at the slightest provocation.
I move through the space, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible, but I can feel their eyes on me, feel the weight of their stares. Some of them are curious, others hostile. A few of them, like the Sevens, just watch with that calculating look that makes my skin prickle.
Sev is nowhere to be seen, but I can feel his presence, like a shadow lurking just out of sight. My heart pounds as I weave through the crowd, making my way toward the back of the room where the guards have set up a small observation station. I need to focus on the task at hand, on the data I’m here to collect, but it’s hard to concentrate with the tension thrumming through my veins.
And then, out of nowhere, it happens.
I’m passing by a group of inmates, my attention on the notes in my hand, when one of them suddenly lunges at me. His hand shoots out, grabbing my arm with a grip like iron, and I gasp, the shock of it sending a jolt of fear through me.
Before I can react, before I can even process what’s happening, the inmate jerks me toward him, his breath hot against my skin as he snarls something unintelligible. The room seems to freeze around us, everything narrowing down to the feel of his fingers digging into my flesh, the sound of my heart pounding in my ears.
But then, just as quickly, he’s gone.
There’s a blur of movement, a flash of something dark and powerful, and the next thing I know, Sev is there, his hand around the inmate’s throat, slamming him back against the wall with enough force to make the entire room shudder.
The inmate’s eyes bulge, his mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for air, but Sev doesn’t loosen his grip. His face is a mask of controlled fury, his eyes locked onto the man in front of him with an intensity that makes my blood run cold.
“Touch her again,” Sev growls, his voice low and deadly, “and I’ll break every bone in your body.”
The inmate makes a choking sound, his hands scrabbling at Sev’s arm, but it’s no use. Sev is a force of nature, his strength overwhelming, and the inmate is powerless against him.
“Sev,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “Let him go.”
For a moment, I’m not sure if he hears me, if he even registers my presence. But then, slowly, his gaze shifts to mine, and I see something flicker in his eyes—something dark and dangerous, but also… protective.
He releases the inmate with a shove, sending him sprawling to the floor in a heap. The room is dead silent, all eyes on Sev as he steps back, his chest heaving with barely restrained rage.
“Get out of here,” he snaps at the inmate, who scrambles to his feet and bolts for the door, not daring to look back.
I stand there, my heart racing, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. I should be scared, I should be furious, but all I can think about is the way Sev looked at me, the way his touch sent a jolt of electricity through my veins.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his voice softer now, more controlled.
“I… I’m fine,” I stammer, though my legs feel like jelly. “Thank you.”
He studies me for a moment, his gaze intense, and I feel a flush creeping up my neck. There’s something about the way he looks at me, like he can see right through me, like he knows things about me that I don’t even know myself.
“Stay close to the guards,” he finally says, his voice a low rumble. “It’s not safe here.”
“I know,” I reply, my voice barely above a whisper.
But even as I say it, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m safer with him than I am with anyone else.
He takes a step closer, his hand reaching out to brush a strand of hair from my face, and the touch sends a shiver down my spine. I should step back, I should put some distance between us, but I can’t move. I’m rooted to the spot, held captive by the intensity of his gaze, by the heat that seems to radiate off him in waves.
“Liberty,” he murmurs, my name rolling off his tongue like a secret. “Be careful.”
The way he says it, the way he looks at me, it’s like he’s warning me, but also… something more. Something that makes my heart race and my breath catch in my throat.
“I will,” I whisper, my voice trembling.
For a moment, we just stand there, the air between us charged with something electric, something dangerous. I know I should walk away, I should put some distance between us, but I can’t. There’s something about him that pulls me in, something that makes me want to stay, even though I know it’s a bad idea.
But then, as quickly as it started, the moment is over. He steps back, his expression hardening as he turns away, and I’m left standing there, my heart still pounding in my chest, my mind racing with everything that just happened.
“Stay safe, Professor,” he says over his shoulder, his voice once again cold and controlled.
And then he’s gone, disappearing into the crowd of inmates like a shadow, leaving me standing there, shaken and confused.
I don’t know what just happened, but I do know one thing: this is far from over. The tension between us, the electricity that crackled in the air—it’s just the beginning. And I have a feeling that things are about to get a whole lot more complicated.