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 manhimself 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 Icouldn'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 thestartling eyes. His build was definitely larger than my father’s, but his face, the wide-set jaw andsloped 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 oneof 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 hementioned 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'sin the warehouse, the one’s he'd been conversing with, stared with equal parts curiosity andcontempt.

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

“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 Iswore 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'swhen 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 aboutthe witches that want me d**d.” I retorted, losing some of my steam when his eyes remainedunbreakably hard.

I knew the look from staring at Asher half a dozen times. Deacon cared about Bridgette, but he wasa man carved from steel, honed by cruelty and a past most likely laced with darkness. He'd b**ndown 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 didof 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 washedover 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 yourmagic, 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'tright.

“No, I didn’t use magic on her.”

Deacon watched me, his expression rigid and unfaltering. I'd long mastered the art of keeping aVampire 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 takethe throne. As it turns out, I'm the one that defected. When the eldest child takes over, there's noneed for a back-up anymore. The only mistake my brother ever made, other than getting his headchopped off by you, was letting me live.” Deacon huffed, launching into an explanation I knew washorrendously shortened. “I was banished, but I wasn't alone. My brother had already been King forsome time, long enough for some of his people to see him for the madman he was. Some of thoseVampire's decided to come with me. Now, tell me about Bridgette.”