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

it would. It sounds crystal clear, as if there isn’t a layer of protective metal over his face.

She can’t see his eyes, only a black glass-like cover over where they should be, but she knows they’re blazing with concern.

She nods rapidly, too flooded with adrenaline to speak.

He exhales heavily and lowers his shoulders. “Thank pitch!” He pulls her into a relieved hug, and she’s surprised by how firm yet flexible the metal is against her exposed arms. What could it possibly be made of?

Her motor skills a second behind reality, she hugs him back, a wave of relief and amazement that they’re both alive washing over her.

When Tristan eventually pulls away, she finds her voice. “I can’t see your face. Are you alright?”

“I am for now,” he says. “We need to get to my house asap before I realize I’m not.”

She peers down the alley. “Do you think it’s safe?”

“I think I killed every Skin who foolishly stayed behind. The rest fled. Along with Adalind.” He says her name through clenched teeth.

“I’m so sorry, Tristan,” Brielle confesses, her heart aching with betrayal. “This is all my fault.”

He shakes his head. “No, it’s not. Adalind had us both fooled. I should have been able to sniff her out from the beginning.”

Brielle looks away, knowing the truth—that if anyone should have been able to see through Adalind, it’s her. She never pushed her lie-detection with Adalind. Maybe if she had, she’d have known long ago that the great pretender was just that.

Her wandering eyes fall on Eye Patch Guy’s corpse. “So, he was with you after all.”

“What do you mean, ‘after all’?”

The memory from last night flashes in her mind. “He came by the orphanage last night, told me I was in danger. It scared the crap out of me. I didn’t know if he was crazy or…” She slowly turns her head toward Tristan. “...if the danger he was warning me of was you.”

“I didn’t know until last night that he was a royal Gemini guard sent to help Zarius. He must have come by our house right after he scared you at the orphanage. Alden was a good man.”

Alden. Much better than Eye Patch Guy.

Tristan kneels near Alden’s face, then looks up at Brielle. “He cared about you, you know. I know you only knew him as the crazy librarian, but he’s been watching over you your whole life, keeping you safe from a distance.”

Blood floods Brielle’s face, neck and shoulders, a fresh heat steaming the sweat beads on her skin. Some deep, longing part of her heart breaks.

This strange man she never really knew was the closest thing to family she had on this planet. How different would things have been if he’d gone the route of Zarius and adopted her, raised her as his own? She could have known her purpose all her life, could have understood the powers she always believed were a curse. And she’d have had a dad, or something like it.

Now he’s dead and she’ll never get to know him, never get to ask the questions that are buzzing through her mind.

Never get to thank him for watching over her.

Tristan must see her tears building because he turns back to Alden and closes his lifeless eyes with his fingertips. “Rest in peace, Alden of Gemini I.”

Brielle is on the verge of breaking down, succumbing to the sorrow that’s suddenly overwhelming her. And if she doesn’t get a hold of herself soon, she’ll crumble and be useless.

She turns her back on the two, wipes her eyes and sniffles, taking a wobbly breath. “What are we going to do with them? We can’t just leave all these bodies here.”

She hears Tristan stand and come up behind her. “The Skins will clean this up. They always do. Their secret is as great as ours. Alden will disappear without a trace,” he says, his voice heavy. Tristan straightens his shoulders. “But he’d want us to get you safe and for you to be reunited with your stone, there’s nothing else we can do for him. That’s our top priority.” He offers his hand. “Come on, they might come back with reinforcements. We need to get in and out of my house before that happens.”

Brielle places her hand in his, hurting that Alden doesn’t even get a proper burial, but knowing that there’s no other choice. Together, they sprint out of the alley and down the road to his house. As they move, she still doesn’t trust the shadows surrounding them, fearing one might jump out at them the moment she turns her back.

They approach his house with caution, wary of any Skins still hiding in the darkness. They tiptoe up the walkway, Tristan using his armored body as a shield in front of Brielle. He grabs the doorknob, hesitantly turns it and pushes the door open.

The house looks fine, nothing seems out of place. Tristan seems surprised by that fact, but proceeds forward anyway.

“Everything is too quiet, too perfect,” he whispers as he tucks Brielle behind him. “Keep your eyes open.”

Brielle follows close behind him. Despite the caution that sizzles through every inch of her body, it’s anticipation that drives her forward. This is the moment that will truly change her life forever. The moment she’ll find out who she really is.

As they make their way down the dark stairs of the basement, she holds onto one silly hope—that she is, indeed, the lost Gemini Princess Tristan has been looking for.

23

Tristan

Tristan opens the door, not sure why he’s still so edgy. Maybe it was the fight. Maybe it was seeing Alden killed. But whatever it is, it means he keeps his suit on as he pushes the door open.

That, and he’s not entirely sure how to get it off, yet.

Although, the thing is so cool he’s thinking it might be his new go-to outfit. A couple of days practice, and Tristan’s pretty sure he’ll be joining Superman in the sky.

Keeping Brielle’s hand