Page 3 of Okay, I Regret a Little
Chapter 3
Faust
M
ost everyone knew about the problems between the witches and the eagles, even the guards. My fellow coworkers were tossing cells but focusing heavily on the eagles. I knew better. This was an inside job. My focus was solely on Rei and the witches.
Rei was safe for now, unless the Aether Circle had gotten to a guard. I had my feelers out, and I didn’t think that had happened yet. They were still trying to get to someone on the inside. I was focused on the witches for now.
I knew who was responsible. I also knew I couldn’t do a damned thing about it since she was currently in medical with three cracked ribs and a busted nose. She could have been magically healed, but we didn’t do that shit here. They would allow her coven to heal her when she was released, and they got their yard time.
Most people were smart enough not to piss off the witches because of that. The whole feud with the eagles started after everyone got their yard time taken away because of a riot. By the time they got it back, one eagle had a wound that had gone septic, and he died. He could have gone to medical for antibiotics, but some supernaturals were superstitious as fuck and only went with magical healing.
It was so fucking stupid, and it caused a prison gang war. That was all over now, but the guards here were just ignorant. They didn’t pay attention. Yeah, I was personally vested in this because of Rei, but I would have homed in on Venus right away. She was a troublemaker, and I didn’t respect her at all.
Inmate 567 was someone Irespected. She was like me. She was a professional assassin until she got caught on a technicality. She was good too because I knew they didn’t catch her for everyone she’d ever killed. I also knew she kept doing it here in prison. The tiny little witch was talented. It always looked like an accident, but there were just a few too many accidents here for it to be natural. Yeah, I see you, Wren Foley.
And now I needed her help. Fucking Brody beat her and stuck her down in solitary. I quickly found that out because he was bragging about it. I might be an asshole and a professional killer, but I wouldn’t have pulled that shit here. She was distraught that they had killed her friend. The people here were the worst of the worst, but it didn’t hurt to throw some kindness their way when needed. Dickhead.
They had called every single guard in to search the prison. They would toss cells all day and eventually pin this on some poor sap who didn’t hide their shiv well enough. I’d seen this a million times. I could have told them to look harder at Astrid’s fellow witches, but I knew all their cells would be clean. These people might be criminals, but most of them weren’t dumb enough to leave a bloody toothbrush in their cell after they’ve used it to gut someone.
I needed someone who knew the witches the best. She wasn’t involved. Someone made a point to have her far away when the deed took place, or she wouldn’t have reacted the way she did. I could use that.
I was usually a lone wolf. Playing with others was how you got caught. It was how this witch in the hole went down. Still, I was good, and I’d seen her work here in prison. She was good, even if she got caught. I could use her help, and she didn’t deserve that beating or a stint in the hole.
I stomped down to solitary and found her cell. I flung the door open and closed it behind me. She was sitting on the floor with her back to the wall. Fuck, she was tiny. She was almost as small as Rei. I’d seen some of heraccidentshere in Silverhold, and they would have dwarfed her. I could respect this witch in a way.
Brody had done a number on her. I knew the rumors about me here. The prisoners all knew I was killing them, even if they couldn’t prove it, but the guards and the warden were totally clueless. This inmate just looked at me like she didn’t fear me at all. She didn’t care that I could kill her right here and get away with it. She looked like she just accepted it. She flung her arms out and just stared at me.
“Well? Get it over with!”
I collapsed on the nasty floor next to her and sighed.
“I’m not here to hurt you.”
“Everyone likes to spread their rumors, but I know the truth about you, Faust. I know why you’re here.”
“I’m not here to silence you. We have a mutual problem living the high life in medical. We both know they can toss the cells all day and not find who really killed Astrid. We both know I can’t pin this on Venus either because of where she is.”
“Why do you give a shit about witch drama? What do you get out of stopping Venus?”
“I have my reasons.”
She grunted.
“Please, don’t tell me it’s that fucking fox. Do her nipples taste like that peanut butter pie you throw our way sometimes? She’s gorgeous, I’ll give you that, but why is everyone up her ass?”
My wolf let out a little growl. Who else was up my mate’s ass, and why? It better be platonic because I had ways of making them disappear. Was it that gargoyle and sphinx she’d been hanging out with? I knew she was sitting with them because she didn’t want the foxes figuring out her secret, but they had better have only adopted her because they liked strays. She wasmymate, and wolves didn’t share.
She just groaned.
“I know that growl. She’s your fucking mate, isn’t she? You’d better not lay a finger on her while she’s in here. The system doesn’t care if she wanted it, and it’s fated. You’ll get thrown in here with us as a rapist. I can admire what you do in here in a way and the fact that you haven’t been caught yet. Don’t go down because you fucked an inmate. And don’t be obvious about it either. If word gets out about it, she’ll have more than Venus after her ass.”
“I’m not an idiot. The witches will be gunning for Rei next. Probably you too. I don’t know jack shit about you except what’s in your file, but I’ve admired your handiwork here in prison. There’s an art to it. I don’t want to see some petty witch kill you either.”
Wren punched my arm. It was surprisingly hard considering her size.
“I hope you aren’t hoping for some foxy witchy threesome because I don’t bat for your team.”
I nudged her with my shoulder.
“Work respect. I have no intention of ever wanting to bang you. Will you help me take care of your coven?”
Wren held out her hand.
“Now that we’ve gotten it out of the way that I will nevereverhave sex with you, I could use your help. I have a world of pain planned for them.”
I grabbed her hand and shook it.
“Good. Let’s get you out of the hole.”
