Page 51 of Okay, I Regret a Little
Chapter 35
Faust
I
thought I had the resolve to last seven years with Rei in my office without laying a finger on her. I had my principles, and I wasn’t like Brody. But I would be damned if my cock didn’t jump to attention when she looked at me like she wanted to rip my clothes off and have a go at it on my desk. I was glad she stopped because my wolf was ready to claim her right there.
I know I told Rei to lay off her magic and stop shocking Brody with his baton, but honestly? I could have watched her do that all day. I would have held him down and let her. He was a bully. I’d hold him down and let someone I didn’t even like wail on him because he probably had it coming.
For some reason, today in my office with Rei was different. She hadn’t confided in me what she was, but she was a lot more open with everything else. I felt like I knew her better and how to spoil her when she got out of here. I could even start while she was behind bars. I learned some little things that made her happy that were doable in my office.
I felt good. We were making progress. I didn’t have to like it, but Wren, the sphinx, and the gargoyle weren’t a threat to me. I got way more time with Rei than they did. I could give her more. And I would have a life with her outside these walls. They wouldn’t. They were never getting out. Some people with life sentences who had been here a very long time tried to appeal on the grounds that because of our lifespans, they learned their lessons and suffered enough. It was seldom granted, but I had seen inmates transferred to less secure prisons if they made an excellent case.
I thought nothing was going to spoil my good mood. Not even babysitting Brody in the mess hall. Warden Snow at least listened a little. There were more guards in there than usual, and it was all to keep him safe. Warden Snow wouldn’t usually have cared if someone died in here, but two witches that close together would have made her look bad to her coven.
Witches stuck together. The various covens had their little vendettas against each other, but they took offense if someone who wasn’t a witch came at them, even if they hated that coven. The witches got alotmore perks in here than the other prisoners. Every supernatural group had their own religion and who they worshipped, but only the witches had a temple in Silverhold.
I was in a good mood, but I wasn’t slacking in my duties. I knew if another riot broke out, it would divide my attention. The entire prison would make a beeline for Brody and Venus, but a witch might break away to get at Rei. If someone saw me get her out of there a second time and it got reported back that someone died because I left, I’d lose my job.
All seemed to be going well. The mess hall was quiet. I knew they were plotting, but I didn’t think the hit would be super obvious. There was too much of a risk of getting shanked yourself if someone started a riot to get at Venus or Brody.
I was just relaxing when the power cut out entirely. That wasn’t supposed to happen. The power here didn’t even go out during terrible storms. There was a backup generator, but it didn’t kick on instantly. There were no windows in the mess hall. It was pitch black in here. Fuck!
I gave in to my wolf senses. My sense of hearing and smell went into overdrive. I could see a little better in the dark. I saw Brody conjure a light in the palm of his hand and disappear. He was following a woman, and I could just make out that it was Venus.
If I was that fucking witch and I didn’t have any magic, I’d try to flee too because this was the perfect time for someone to kill her and get away with it. I could hear inmates screaming and shouting, but I was trying to find Rei.
The backup generator finally kicked in, and my gaze fell on her table. Rei was gone, and so were her friends. Did Venus go after them? Fuck. I knew Rei could control electricity, but could she cause an entire prison back out? What was she up to? Fuck the moon. She wasnotgetting her sentence extended after that look she gave me in my office.
I’d recognize Rei’s scent anywhere. I followed the trail. I eventually caught up with Brody, who was following Venus. I kept my distance. I didn’t need them to see me for now.
Why was Rei’s trail taking me to the old guard’s wing? Venus stopped at the door and turned to Brody. She knew he was following her. Brody stalked prey like a rabid baboon. If he were in the forest, he would have gone hungry, then been killed by something bigger than him. I was that something bigger if he hurt Rei.
“Help! They are trying to escape!”
Brody swore and took off running. Venus pulled a shank from her jumpsuit.
“Oh no you don’t, Rei,” she growled. “This ends now. Die shifter bitch!”
Venus shrieked and tried to run into the room. How was she even getting in there? They covered the door with steel. Venus didn’t make it very far. She didn’t even set foot in the door. A bolt of blue electricity flew out and hit her right in the chest. Venus slammed against the wall and slumped over.
Fuck! Brody saw that. I wanted Venus dead, but I didn’t want Rei doing it in front of witnesses. She’d never get out. She’d never get out of solitary. I took off running. There were no cameras in the old guard’s offices. Maybe I could kill Brody and pin it on Venus to save Rei.
Brody finally realized he wasn’t the only guard here and stopped for me to catch up. The steel door had been completely melted. When I peered into the room, Rei was standing there with Wren, the sphinx, and the gargoyle. She flung out her hands, and this swirling red mass appeared.
Did Rei do all this to escape? Why hadn’t she told me? She told me so much in my office today. Did it mean nothing? She didn’t trust me with what she was, and she didn’t trust me with this either. And she was leaving with my competition. Did I mean nothing to her?
Rei and her group didn’t realize we were there. They were focused on that red mass. I couldn’t see Brody, or I would have stopped him. Before I could even open my mouth, he flung magic at Rei’s back. I saw blood on her shirt before she collapsed on the floor.
She might have been breaking out of here and leaving me, butno onehurt my mate. Before I could even think about the consequences, I grabbed Brody and snapped his neck. The red cloud was gone now that Rei was out. I rushed over to her and checked on her. She was still breathing, but she lost a lot of blood and was white as a sheet.
I needed to get her to medical, but the gargoyle jumped in front of me and shifted. His gray wings spread out and blocked my view of Rei. What the actual fuck was going on here that more people than Rei had their magic back? I didn’t know how I’d fare in a fight with a gargoyle, but I’d undoubtedly die trying to get to Rei.
He put his hand on my chest.
“I don’t want to fight you. We both know Rei needs magical healing. They don’t do that here. Let Wren do it.”
Did all three of these fuckers have their magic back? They’d have to if they wanted to pull this off successfully. How did they do that? I was furious at Rei, but I didn’t want her to die. I knew when to fight and when not to. I stepped back and let Wren do her thing.
