“It’s best to pretend they’re the fun kind,” Jeffrey said. “You’ll have to get used to them. We get forty-five minutes in the Happy House, then fifteen minutes for showers. Then it’s back in our cells with two meals per day. Rinse and repeat.”
“What’s the Happy House?” Marcus asked.
“It’s the recreation room. The guards named it. They throw all the inmates together for free time, and whatever happens, happens,” Jeffrey said dully.
“But why is it called the Happy House?” Marcus asked fearfully.
“You shouldn’t have to ask, Marcus,” I said.
A loud argument had already broken out across the room, and the guards next to us rushed to break it up. A few hung back, but I heard asnapas they unholstered their weapons.
“Isn’t this… dangerous?” Marcus asked. “Throwing us all into a room together?”
“They keep the worst of the worst locked up during recreation time,” Jeffrey explained. “Some of these guys have caused so much trouble that they have their own rec time. Can’t be trusted around anyone else. Some guy got beheaded last month.”
“That’s thelastthing I wanted to hear,” Ivy said, squeezing closer between Chancey and me.
Jeffrey laughed. “It’s far from the worst thing that’s happened here. Personally, I think that’s the way I’d want to go— being ripped apart by a vampire. Quick and fast, you know?”
“That can be arranged,” a mocking voice came from behind us.
We all turned, and someone cracked their knuckles as the voice approached. Another pair of footsteps followed.
“It wasn’t an invitation, Deuce,” Chancey sneered.
Fuck no. I’d been hoping this asshole had died down here. Deuce was in Cellblock 9 because of me, after I’d blamed a murder on him a few months ago.
“But I’mhungry,” Deuce shot back.
“Look, buddy,” Jeffrey said. “You’re not getting anywhere near this jugular. If you eventhinkabout it, my friends here will rip you apart.”
“Please,” Deuce scoffed. “I’ve already beaten thembothin fight club.”
His buddy punched his fist into his palm. “I think another fight’s due. Bandit’s the one who got us sent down here in the first place.”
A chill traveled down my spine when I realized who it was.Digger. He was a warlock who was at the Institute because he’d killed his whole family. I planted nightshade in his cell after he threatened Ava, which had earned him a one-way ticket to Cellblock 9. I apparently had a habit of getting assholes sentenced.
Not like they didn’t deserve to be here. Digger had a reputation for roofying people’s drinks, and Deuce had threatened my friends more than once. I was still pissed at him for shoving Ava out of her wheelchair. Maybe I’d get a fair shot at him down here in this madhouse.
The gang members took a step toward us, and my friends shied back.
I wasn’t going to back down to these motherfuckers. I planted myself in front of my friends. “What are you going to do, knock my teeth out again? Fight club was child’s play.”
“You insulting me, Bandit?” Digger sneered.
I’d forgotten he was missing a few teeth. He was probably jealous I’d regrown mine. The potion I’d received from the infirmary was fucking awful, but my teeth were back to normal.
“If I can send you to Cellblock 9, I can send you straight to hell,” I said. “Believe me, you don’t know what I’m capable of.”
“With those cuffs on? Not much, I bet.” Digger laughed maniacally. “I’ve been on my best behavior, saving my magic just for you.”
Everything happened so fast. Magic crackled in Digger’s hand, the same time Jeffrey yelled, “Get down!”
The spell blasted in my direction, but I ducked the same moment a gun clicked. A noxite dart sped through the air, but I couldn’t tell where it went. I didn’t think it’d landed before a guard grabbed Jeffrey.
“Stealing a guard’s gun is an offense punishable by death!” the guard roared.
“He was going to—” Jeffrey started, but he was immediately cut off as the guard hissed like a wild animal.
