Alpha Asher By Jane Doe
Chapter 178

"What the f**k?" I deadpanned, staring at what could easily be my father's clone like the man himself had risen from the grave and sewn his head back on.

I couldn't process the thoughts churning in my head enough to formulate any other response, but I couldn't help but feel as though those three words summed things up brilliantly.

He had the same thick hair, composed of the darkest onyx, that Holly and I inherited, along with the startling eyes. His build was definitely larger than my father’s, but his face, the wide-set jaw and sloped nose-that was the same.

The man who claimed to be my uncle — as if that wasn't the weirdest thing I'd ever said, raised one of his dark eyebrows. “Well said.”

“You're Deacon?” I managed, my voice a touch suspicious.

He nodded imperceptibly, “That's what I'm called.”

“The former King doesn't have a brother. I spent nearly all of my time by his side, and never had he mentioned a brother. How is this possible?” Tristan grimaced, hovering protectively at my side. Deacon snorted at Tristan’s reaction, his broad shoulders shifting in the process. The other Vampire's in the warehouse, the one’s he'd been conversing with, stared with equal parts curiosity and contempt.

Deacon's entire demeanor changed. Like a switch had been flipped, the cruel and almost humorous light to his eyes vanished, blown out like a candle whose wisps of smoke trickled and faded into the air.

“Everyone, get the f**k out.” His tone was flat, not too loud but not too quiet.

Without pause, the Vampire's surrounding us began to move, bustling towards the fallen shelves, headed in the direction we had come from.

“You can stay, Dina.” He grunted at the last second.

The African American Vampire who'd stopped our bike in the middle of the road nodded, and I swore a wave of understanding passed between the two, one I wasn't sure I'd ever understand. Once every single Vampire was out of sight, Dina’s mate included, Deacon shattered the tension- filled silence.

“I want you to tell me everything you know about Bridgette, and if she was with any other Vampire's when you found her.” His entitled demand coaxed a dry laugh from my throat.

"Yeah, and I want you to tell me how my father has a secret brother, and everything you know about the witches that want me d**d.” I retorted, losing some of my steam when his eyes remained unbreakably hard.

I knew the look from staring at Asher half a dozen times. Deacon cared about Bridgette, but he was a man carved from steel, honed by cruelty and a past most likely laced with darkness. He'd b**n down the world for her, but he'd never let it see him break.

“Look, she’s still alive. I didn't have her tortured or anything. What information she gave me, she did of her own free will."

Deacon didn't let his relief show, but I had a feeling it washed over him the same way it had washed over me when I heard Asher's voice two night's ago and realized he was alive.

"You didn’t use any magic on her?” He narrowed his eyes as he asked. “Yeah, I know about your magic, and I'm not talking about the shadows, either.”

I wanted to know how he knew, and while I planned on asking that very question, the time wasn't right.

“No, I didn’t use magic on her.”

Deacon watched me, his expression rigid and unfaltering. I'd long mastered the art of keeping a Vampire out of my head, but I couldn’t help but reinforce my walls as his stare turned penetrating. “I was what the royal family called a “back-up child. * If my brother were to\ defect, then I would take the throne. As it turns out, I'm the one that defected. When the eldest child takes over, there's no need for a back-up anymore. The only mistake my brother ever made, other than getting his head chopped off by you, was letting me live.” Deacon huffed, launching into an explanation I knew was horrendously shortened. “I was banished, but I wasn't alone. My brother had already been King for some time, long enough for some of his people to see him for the madman he was. Some of those Vampire's decided to come with me. Now, tell me about Bridgette.”

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