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

You can’t have both...Brielle pushes away the frightened whisper in her head.

There’s only one way to find out.

17

Tristan

She said yes!

Tristan has to mentally restrain himself from jumping up and giving a triple backflip a red-hot go. She must feel this, too—the undeniable draw from somewhere deep down in her soul. Instead, he allows himself a grin, the motion feeling like it stretches from here to Gemini I.

He leans forward, anticipation tingling over his skin. “Maybe tonight?”

Brielle’s lips part, her body subtly angling closer. He can sense she wants to, but she’s fighting it.

Tristan holds still, letting her decide, hoping she chooses what’s happening between them.

But Brielle’s eyes widen and she jerks back. “I can’t. I have the dinner with the Pierces tonight.”

Disappointment stabs Tristan like a blade, but he ignores it. She said she can’t. That’s different from a “no thanks.” “Well, once that goes great, maybe the day after that?”

Brielle shakes her head ruefully, sliding a smiling glance his way. “You’re an all-in kinda guy, aren’t you?”

Tristan grins. When the fate of the universe depends on it, it’s pretty necessary. “You noticed?”

“A little hard to miss,” she replies, wrinkling her nose.

Tristan doesn’t think he’s ever seen anything so adorable. He finds himself entranced. Speechless.

Could it have finally happened? Could he have found his soulmate?

Brielle flushes, glancing at her watch. “We’d better get back. Lunch is almost over.”

And yet something awesome has just begun.

Leaping to his feet, Tristan turns around and extends his hand. “Always the sensible one, huh?”

Brielle squints up at him, her smile returning. “You noticed.”

Tristan’s laughter starts somewhere deep in his happy place. It dances out, spinning crazily through the air.

But then Brielle places her hand in his. Instinctively, Tristan grabs it, and the laughter dies as he’s flooded with awareness. And warmth. And something he can’t name…

Without thought, he pulls her up. Brielle is as wide-eyed as he must be as they stand facing each other, hands clasped in the space between them. The mundane world around them fades away. All Tristan can see, all he wants to take in, is the girl before him.

It’s like everything just realigned when he never realized how out of whack it was. Like the Universe itself is drawing them together. Like a new center of gravity has just formed between them.

When the bell rings, they both jump as they’re yanked out of the bubble of awareness that had ballooned around them. Brielle jerks her hand back and Tristan rubs the back of his head ruefully. It seems the real world wasn’t that far away after all.

“We’d better…ah…go,” Brielle stammers.

Tristan picks up his lunch tub. “Yeah, don’t want to be late.”

From what he’s seen, Brielle’s spent her life trying to play by the rules. If she really is a Zodiac Heir, it’s probably why she’s struggled to blend in, to be normal. But until Brielle sees the truth for herself, she’s going to shy away. He can’t blame her. Although it’s his normal, it’s a lot for someone else to take in.

They fall into step beside each other as they walk across the lawn. Tristan wonders if his feet are even touching the grass. Their hands brush and warmth floods him again.

He wonders how her powers would tie in with his, if she’s the Gemini Twin. He can’t see the link between her lie detection and his visions, but he does know the Universe works in mysterious ways.

Tristan and Brielle. He can already feel it’s going to be one hell of a love story.

They reach the lockers and Tristan leans against them as Brielle fiddles with the code on hers. “You’ve got History next, don’t you?”

Brielle’s brows contract as she flits a glance at him. “You know my schedule?”

Tristan’s had to make sure he knows her every move. Because if Brielle’s who he believes she is, then Chardis wants her just as much as he does.

And that sure as hell ain’t gonna happen.

Tristan shrugs. “I figured if I’ve got Geography, you’ve got History.”

Brielle nods thoughtfully. “Yeah, I’ve got History.” She smiles. “I’m handing in an assignment early.”

Tristan’s about to point out that’s impressive—he doubts he’ll ever hand anything in early—when a voice skims over his shoulder.

“Rush job, huh? I bet that’ll work out for you.”

He spins around, surprised. He was so focused on Brielle he never heard Cassandra approach. Something frowns inside him. That’s never happened before. He can’t afford not to be on high alert at all times.

Brielle turns away. “It’s none of your business, Cassandra.”

Cassandra crosses her arms. “You make it my business when you break up my best friend’s relationship.”

Tristan’s frown is strongly considering finding a way to the outside. What’s Cassandra talking about? Nor does he like the snideness in her tone.

Brielle flushes as she slams her locker closed, her gaze flickering to Tristan. “I don’t have time to talk about this. What Suki does with her own time is her choice.”

“And yet you had time to talk to Suki and destroy her life and Zayn’s.”

Brielle spins around, her eyes flashing. “Did she tell you she cheated on him? More than once?”

Cassandra’s lip curls. “She said they’re exactly the rumors you’d start spreading.”

Tristan slips in between them, raising his hands. “I doubt Brielle would—”

But Brielle steps around him. “I don’t spread rumors.”

There’s an anger in Brielle’s voice that tells Tristan that Cassandra just struck a chord. It sure isn’t something he could see Brielle doing. Especially if she can see when a person’s lying. Honesty is something she’d value.

But Cassandra meets Brielle’s anger, possibly looking to raise it. “You’re jealous of Suki just like you were of me, and you know it.” Cassandra turns to Tristan. “Has she told you she tried to sabotage my adoption?”

Brielle gasps and Tristan instinctively steps between them again. “I think everyone needs to take a chill pill right about now.” He relaxes as if to show them what he’s talking about. “Plus, the bell’s already—”

“Cassandra. Brielle. We do not