-Elias Carter:
Lying on my back, I let out a long sigh, staring at the ceiling of my dimly lit room. The file rested loosely in my hands, the pages filled with useless details that told me nothing real. Next to me, Raine was sprawled out horizontally, her head resting on my stomach, flipping through her file with a look of deep concentration.
The low hum of the prison's ventilation system was the only sound in the room, broken only by the occasional shuffle of papers as one of us turned a page.
I exhaled sharply, letting my head sink into the pillow.
"I can't take that guy out of my head."
Raine's fingers stilled. She didn't say anything at first, but I felt her shift slightly against me. Then, slowly, she tilted her head up to look at me, a teasing smile creeping onto her lips.
"Do you have a crush?"
I scoffed, grabbing a pillow and chucking it at her. She barely dodged, laughing as she pushed herself up on one elbow.
"Seriously, Raine," I muttered, rubbing a hand over my face. "The way he looked at me… I don't get it. It was like he was trying to say something. But not with words. Like…" I struggled to find the right way to describe it, shaking my head. "I don't know. There's just something weird about him."
Raine let out a soft chuckle, sitting up properly now. "I think you're falling in love."
I gave her an unimpressed look. "Right. Because nothing says romance like a convicted prisoner staring you down in the dark."
"Hey, some people are into that."
I rolled my eyes, but her teasing grin didn't last long. Her expression shifted, becoming more thoughtful as she glanced back at the file in her hands.
"No, but I get what you mean," she murmured. "He doesn't seem like the others. Not even like the guys he's locked up with."
I frowned. "Yeah… That's what I was thinking."
Raine flipped to the next page of Damon Voss's file, scanning the limited information we had. "Something about him is terrifying," she said finally, her voice quieter now. "It's like… he's something more than a half-blooded demon. More than just a guy from the Undercity. More than a mafia boss."
I didn't reply right away.
Because I knew she was right.
The way Damon looked at me back in that cell—it wasn't just anger. It wasn't just defiance. It was like he saw something in me that I didn't even see in myself.
Like he knew me.
And that thought alone sent a chill up my spine.
Raine sighed, closing her file with a quiet thud. I glanced at the clock.
Midnight.
We had the night shift.
Raine caught my eye, and without needing to say anything, we both knew it was time.
I sat up, tossing the file onto the nightstand. "Let's go babysit some criminals."
She snorted. "Try not to swoon over your new crush while we're at it."
I shot her a glare, but I couldn't deny the truth.
Not a crush but Something about Damon Voss was impossible to ignore.
And I had a feeling this was only the beginning.
—-
The prison corridors were unnervingly quiet at this hour. The air was thick with the scent of metal, sweat, and something stale—like the very walls had absorbed years of confinement. Raine and I walked side by side, our boots clicking against the cold stone floor as we made our way toward the secured section.
Our section.
The one holding the four prisoners who had somehow burrowed their way into my mind.
The dim lighting cast long shadows along the walls, making the place feel even more suffocating. Guards were stationed at every checkpoint, their expressions blank with the kind of exhaustion that came from routine.
When we finally reached the reinforced door leading to the high-security cell, the stationed officer gave us a brief nod and input the access code. The metal door unlocked with a loud clunk, sliding open with a mechanical groan.
Inside, the cell was exactly as we left it.
Jaxon Reyes, the massive one, sat on the floor against the farthest wall, his arms resting on his knees, his brown eyes unreadable. Luca Moreau was perched on the lower bunk, glasses slipping down his nose as he read a book, completely absorbed in it.
Kai Sorrentino leaned against the bars, the dim light casting sharp shadows across his scowling face, the shaved sides of his head emphasizing his sharp jawline.
And then, there was Damon Voss.
Seated in the center of the cell, elbows resting on his knees, fingers loosely intertwined. His long black hair framed his face, and those eerie, glowing red eyes were locked—again—on me.
I met his gaze.
He didn't look away.
Not even for a second.
I exhaled through my nose, trying to shake off the unsettling feeling in my chest as I took my position near the cell. Raine settled in next to me, arms crossed, scanning the prisoners lazily.
Then, after a long moment, she shifted slightly closer, her voice a whisper.
"I think he has a crush on you."
I turned my head slowly, giving her an incredulous look.
"Raine," I murmured, deadpan. "If my type was incarcerated and possibly homicidal, I would have signed up for a pen-pal program, not law enforcement."
Raine barely suppressed a snort, biting her lip to keep from laughing.
Damon, however, still hadn't looked away.
And I was starting to think he never would.
Raine smirked, nudging my side with her elbow. "Oh, come on. You have to admit, he's got that whole mysterious, brooding bad boy thing going for him."
I gave her a flat look. "Yeah, so does every serial killer documentary ever."
She let out a small laugh, but when she glanced back at the cell, her expression turned more serious.
Damon had finally broken eye contact with me—not because he was looking at something else, but because he had closed his eyes, his fingers tapping against his knee in slow, deliberate motions.
Raine lowered her voice. "Jokes aside, I wasn't messing with you. There's something different about him."
I nodded. "I feel it too."
Luca turned a page of his book, the sound unusually loud in the quiet cell. Jaxon hadn't moved an inch, his massive frame still as stone. Kai, on the other hand, was glaring at the wall like he was trying to burn a hole through it.
It was unsettling how quiet they were.
Most prisoners we dealt with had something to say—pleas for freedom, insults, bargains. These four? Not a single word.
I adjusted my stance, feeling the weight of their files tucked into my belt. I wanted to read them again. There had to be something we were missing.
Raine sighed beside me, rolling her shoulders. "I hate these shifts."
I smirked. "Why? Because they're quiet? Or because you're worried my future prison boyfriend might steal me away from you?"
She made a face. "Elias, if you ever get kidnapped by him, I am not saving you."
"Good to know where we stand."
The silence stretched between us again, the cold air pressing against my skin.
Then, Raine's voice dropped to a near whisper. "But seriously. Be careful."
I glanced at her.
She wasn't joking anymore.
Her blue eyes flickered toward Damon. I followed her gaze—only to find that his eyes were open again.
And he was looking directly at me.
I swallowed, my fingers instinctively tightening on my belt.
I didn't know what his deal was.
But something told me that by the end of this, I would.
And I wasn't sure I wanted to.