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

“Well, you know what? I hope she is. I hope you two live happily ever after in your little alien world.”

“Brielle, please don’t—” He moves closer again.

She puts her hand up like it’s a stop sign. “Don’t. I’m done with you, Tristan. Go back to your Zodiac Girl and leave me be. I have more important things going on in my life. Not like you care, but the Pierces just agreed to adopt me. And if you don’t mind, I’m going home with them for a celebratory dessert. Good night.”

She spins around and stomps to the Buick, refusing to look back no matter how much she wants to.

Time to close the book on the Tristan chapter of her life.

As soon as Brielle makes the decision to be in the moment and focus on this first time at the house she would forever after call home, thoughts of Tristan stay away.

Frank and Beatrice live on the outskirts of town where grass fields seem to stretch to the horizon. Theirs is a lovely two story colonial style house with white wooden walls and blue shutters on the windows. The house sits at the forefront of a property that’s probably three acres, its boundaries marked by a charming white-picket fence.

Frank pulls up the sloping cobblestone driveway to the garage, and Brielle can’t believe this is their house. Soon to be her house. It’s exactly what she would have pictured for her dream home. She can already see herself playing catch with Frank in the backyard, or sunbathing with Beatrice on the deck chairs on the front lawn.

She opens her door and climbs out of the car, making her first steps on the property and she can’t believe this is actually happening. Is this how Cinderella felt when Prince Charming brought her to the castle to live happily ever after?

“Come on in,” Frank invites after he unlocks and opens the kitchen door inside the garage.

“I’ll get dessert started,” Beatrice says as she skips ahead of him, then pauses and looks at Brielle over her shoulder. “What do you like on your ice cream? Chocolate or caramel?”

“Both,” Brielle answers, and Frank chuckles.

Beatrice lightly slaps him on the shoulder. “She really is just like you.”

Brielle blushes at that comment and follows them in.

The house is just as perfect and cozy inside as it looks on the outside. Hardwood floors that shine like amber under the warm lighting, granite counters atop ornate cabinets and an island with stools she can imagine having breakfast at. Past the shorter arm of the L-shaped counters is the living room, furnished with reclining brown couches that look like heaven to sit on and relax in front of the huge flat-screen on the brick wall above the fireplace. And there are so many windows. It’s night right now, but Brielle imagines they would look gorgeous with the morning light streaming in.

“Let me give you a little tour while Bea works her magic,” says Frank, tipping his head toward the living room.

Brielle follows as he takes her through the house: the living room, the game room, his study, Bea’s craft room, their bedroom, a guest room. And finally…

Frank places his hand on the doorknob of the last door across from their bedroom at the end of the hall. “We weren’t super sure what style you’d like, but we figure you can always redecorate it however you want.” He opens the door and ushers her inside.

The room is twice the size of her room at the orphanage, and the elegantly carved queen bed is three times the size of her current bed and covered in more blankets and pillows than she can ever imagine needing but can’t wait to try out. There are two dressers that match the bed, and a long closet with sliding doors that takes up one entire wall.

“It’s perfect,” she says through a lump in her throat.

“Good, I’m glad,” says Frank. Then after a pause, he says, “That boy earlier, is he your boyfriend? You seemed pretty upset with him.”

Brielle shakes her head, her Tristan-free bubble popping. “No, he’s definitely not my boyfriend. Just some boy from school, apparently dating a girl I don’t have the best history with.”

“Ah, I see.” He nods, obviously uncomfortable about the topic but pursuing it anyway. “Well, if you ever want to talk about him, or the girl, or anything, I want you to feel free to talk to us.”

She smiles, the tense knot his question had formed in her stomach loosening. “Of course. I would like that.” And in a gesture that’s so natural she doesn’t notice until it’s happening, she hugs him, and he hugs back.

And it feels perfect.

“Dessert’s ready,” Beatrice calls from the kitchen, and they withdraw from each other to join her.

Brielle looks out the windows that line one side of the hallway, savoring the way the grass sparkles in the light of the mostly full moon and trying to see if the stars are more visible this much farther away from the big city.

Right as she starts to turn away, a cluster of shadows dash across the edge of the yard. She doubletakes, blinking a few times as she stares at the spot she thought she saw them. The grass is still, and there’s nothing out there. Not even a breeze blows through the trees. Maybe it was bats or nightingales.

Or Eye Patch Guy following her again.

Her pulse pounds for an instant before she tells herself she’s being paranoid. It’s probably nothing.

She sighs, ready to turn away and continue down the hall when a dark spot she’d been staring at in the grass moves, followed by more dark blotches.

Those were the shadows she’d seen. They really had moved. And they’re coming toward the house!

What she’s seeing doesn’t make sense. What’s casting those shadows? They seem to be in the shape of a person, but there are definitely no people out there. Could they be invisible? Or has she just finally lost