Page 77 of Donovan
“You’re alive,” I rasped, my voice breaking.
Finn let out a choked sound, somewhere between a laugh and a sob. “So are you.”
I held onto him a second longer, feeling the warmth of his body, the solid proof that this wasn’t some dream I was about to wake up from. Then, slowly, we pulled apart.
Declan, beside me, had relaxed slightly, but his stance remained wary, his sharp gaze still assessing Gabriel.
Gabriel’s head tilted, his expression shifting. “We have additional company.”
Finn and I turned just in time to see two figures emerging from the tree line.
My stomach dropped.
Asher.
And beside him stood Gael. A chill ran through me.
Declan went rigid. Gabriel stiffened. Before I could even process what was happening, both of them had weapons drawn.
“We’re not here to fight or cause trouble,” Asher said quickly, raising his hands in a placating gesture.
I barely heard him. I was still staring.
My brother. My older brother.
He looked… different. His face was still Asher’s, but there was something off. His skin was paler, his eyes sharper, his movements too fluid, too unnatural.
Like his body hadn’t quite settled into itself yet.
He wasn’t human anymore.
“Asher, you’re…” My voice cracked.
“He’s a vampire,” Declan confirmed, his voice hard as steel. His weapons stayed firmly aimed at Gael.
Asher let out a breath. “Gael changed me to save me.”
The tension in the clearing thickened instantly.
Declan’s glare darkened, his whole body radiating barely contained fury. Beside him, Gabriel’s lip curled, looking equally unimpressed.
And Gael? Gael just smirked.
He didn’t seem the least bit concerned that two very capable fighters were seconds away from trying to kill him.
If anything, he looked amused. Relaxed. Like this whole situation was a joke to him.
I disliked him immediately.
But Asher… Asher was alive. Changed. Different. But alive.
And if Gael was the one who had made that happen, then… what could I really do about it?
“We have a lot to talk about,” Finn said, breaking the thick silence that hung between us.
I exhaled slowly, nodding. “We do.”
My gaze flickered back to the cabin, its warm glow spilling out. The fire inside crackled softly, promising comfort after the long, cold night.
