Libra Ascending: An Epic Urban Fantasy Romance (Zodiac Guardians Book 1) by Tamar Sloan (adult books to read .TXT) 📗

As his muscles lock like they’ve jumped straight to rigor mortis, Tristan closes his eyes.

Yep, a suit would’ve been good.

12

Brielle

The afternoon sun bastes Brielle with its warmth as she rides to the public library after school. Mr. Jackson, her fifth period history teacher, had assigned a ten-page essay on the Civil War due Monday. Brielle wants to get it out of the way tonight so that she doesn’t have to worry about anything during her dinner with the Pierces tomorrow.

And now that Tristan is no longer an issue—apparently dating Cassandra—Brielle has nothing better to do.

As she locks her bike to the rack on the front lawn of the library, she wonders why the thought of the two of them together bothers her so much. She’s the one who rejected Tristan. She’s the one who insisted they just be friends.

Brielle shakes her head. If Tristan had shown interest in any other girl, she probably wouldn’t care. But it’s Cassandra. How could Tristan go so quickly from Brielle to her? From sweet and simple to fake and evil?

She clenches her jaw as she ascends the library steps, begrudging the fact that Tristan’s still distracting her. Time to focus on more important things, Brielle.

Scanning the signs hanging over the aisles of book shelves, she spots the history section. She’s decided to write her paper on Abraham Lincoln’s politics during the Civil War, then she can use some of his biography to make up the ten pages.

Once in the History section, she narrows in on books about the Civil War. There are dozens of books on the topic. The Underground Railroad. Slavery in the Civil War. A Chronology of Battles during the Civil War Era. Nothing stands out except for a biography on Abraham Lincoln, but that won’t offer enough targeted information for the paper. She needs information specifically on the President’s part in the war.

She tucks the biography under her arm, then goes to the front desk to ask the librarian for help. The desk is vacant, and Brielle looks around. Stacking books on the shelf closest to the desk is the Eye Patch Guy. He’s worked at the library for ages. Many of her classmates are afraid of him. He doesn’t look like the type of person who would be a librarian. All gray hair and rough edges, and biceps that don’t come from stacking books. And there are always new rumors in circulation about how he lost his eye: he was shot in the face during some battle in the military; he was tortured by the mafia and is hiding out here as the assistant librarian; he took it out himself just to scare children.

Brielle doesn’t believe any of the gossip, or really care, but the man is intimidating regardless, and she’s not thrilled about having to approach him and ask for assistance.

“Excuse me,” she announces her presence as she comes up behind him.

He doesn’t turn around, or halt his robotic book stacking. “What do you want?”

She clears her throat. “I was hoping you could help me find some books about President Lincoln’s politics during the Civil War.”

“Did you look in the History section?” His voice is gruff, and he remains facing the bookshelf. Is he doing that because he knows his eye patch makes people uncomfortable? On second thought, he doesn’t seem like the kind of person who cares about what other people think.

“Yes, I did, but it didn’t quite have what I was looking for,” she says, waving her book in the direction of the History section.

He sighs and looks over his shoulder. His wizened features don’t change from the frown they’re set in, but the lingering way he looks at her makes her wonder if there is any truth to some of the rumors. He stares at her for too long without speaking, and she’s so uncomfortable that she wishes she’d just kept looking on her own.

“Ugh! Where’s the librarian?” an irritated high pitched voice complains behind her. Brielle would recognize Suki’s nasally voice anywhere, mostly because she can’t stand hearing it.

Eye Patch Guy finally surrenders the staring contest to flick his dark gray eye at the desk.

He sighs again before saying, “I can help you find what you’re looking for,” then struts over to the computer at the desk. Brielle reluctantly follows, stopping a safe distance away from Suki, who gives her an up-down look with her characteristically scrunched nose like everything smells bad.

“I thought this was a public library, not a homeless shelter,” Suki says, smiling with pride at her insult. Then she addresses Eye Patch Guy. “I need you to find a book for me.”

Suki doesn’t usually act this nasty to authority figures, and Brielle is embarrassed for her that she’s doing so to Eye Patch Guy. But it’s somewhat satisfying to see him respond to her with such disdain, returning the lack of respect she was displaying to him.

“Find it yourself.”

She crosses her arms. “But you’re helping her!”

“She’s not a spoiled brat.”

The look of outrage on Suki’s face is priceless, with her thin glossy lips hanging open in a perfect O. Brielle bites her lip to smother the smile that aches to bloom. This may be Brielle’s favorite moment of all time. Maybe Eye Patch Guy isn’t so bad after all.

He looks over the screen to Brielle. “The book you want is in the Politics section. Presidential Letters by J. Huff. Looks like it’s a compilation of letters written from President Lincoln during the war.”

“Thank you,” Brielle says, unleashing her wide grin.

“Any time.” He waves, turns around and walks back to his book stacking, leaving Suki standing there like she doesn’t exist.

Brielle shrugs at Suki, who’s so angry Brielle can practically see waves of heat radiating from her. Suki makes a high-pitched “humph”, then stomps into the maze of shelves. With a spring in her step, Brielle heads back into the rows looking for the sign that reads Politics. It’s all the way in the