Page 80 of Finn
The scent of old paper and leather-bound volumes greeted him as he pushed the door open.
The flickering light of a single lamp cast long shadows on the shelves, but Asher didn’t bother turning on more lights.
He liked the dimness. It matched his mood.
He approached the desk where he’d left his research scattered across its surface.
His hands moved automatically, sifting through reports and files, each one meticulously detailing vampires from Beric’s nest.
But it was one name that kept drawing his attention.
Gael.
Asher stared at the grainy photo clipped to one of the reports.
The vampire’s beautiful features and sharp eyes seemed to glare back at him, even in black and white.
Gael the Reaper, they called him. A monster known for leaving bodies behind in his wake. Always clean, precise, and brutal.
And somehow, he’d survived.
Asher clenched his fists at the memory of the woods. He’d gone back, intending to clean up the mess Finn had left behind.
To his disbelief, Gael’s body had been gone, the ground where he’d fallen marked only by faint traces of blood.
He’d checked for tracks, but the rain had washed most of them away. Still, he knew.That bastard’s alive.
The thought sent a chill down his spine, but it also stoked the fire in his gut.
Gael wasn’t just a vampire; he was one of Beric’s top enforcers. He wouldn’t take defeat lying down.
Asher pulled another report closer, scanning the text. Gael was known for his pride and his ruthlessness.
That was the danger.
He’d been humiliated, shot down by a human and left in the dirt.
Asher had made himself a target the moment he pulled that trigger. But that didn’t scare him.
Bring it on,he thought, his lips curling into a grim smile.
The door creaked open behind him, and Asher didn’t look up as Donovan stepped inside.
“You’re still at this?” Donovan asked, his tone skeptical.
“Just tying up loose ends,” Asher replied without looking away from the papers.
Donovan sighed and pulled out a chair, sitting across from him. “You’re obsessing over this Gael too much”
“Because he’s dangerous,” Asher pointed out.
“They’re all dangerous, Asher. That’s the job,” Donovan said.
Asher finally looked up, his eyes narrowing. “This isn’t just another job. This one’s personal.”
Donovan studied him for a moment, then leaned back in his chair. “You’re worried about Finn,” Donovan observed.
“I’m not worried,” Asher said sharply, though the lie tasted bitter.
