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

firmly in his, Tristan pauses as he listens. All the lessons with Zarius on hearing the tiniest of sounds have become obsolete. Although the suit protected him from all but the biggest hits the Skins could throw at him, it’s like walking around in a super-sensitive skin. Everything’s in high definition.

But Tristan doesn’t hear a sound coming from the basement, let alone anywhere else in the house.

“Zarius? Tess?” he calls out. Maybe that’s why he’s nervous. If they aren’t at home, where are they?

There’s no answer, but Tristan didn’t really expect one. Maybe the silence is a good thing. Maybe Zarius and Tess escaped before the hordes of Skins surrounded the place…

Two steps down and Tristan freezes.

“What is it?” Brielle whispers, panic creeping into her voice.

Tristan looks around the basement, his heightened vision taking in every shattered piece of furniture, every hole in the wall, every inch of destruction.

“Bastards,” he mutters.

The Skins have annihilated the basement.

The next thought has Tristan releasing Brielle’s hand and shooting down the stairs. “Zarius! Tess!”

Please don’t let them be among the carnage.

Tristan reaches the bottom of the stairs, scanning frantically. There’s broken glass, wood splintered everywhere, but no sign of his parents. Tristan lets out his breath, the panic seeping from his body.

They’re not here. They got away in time.

Brielle appears on the stairs. “Tristan?”

“It’s all safe. For a second there I was worried that Zarius and Tess…” He shakes his head. “But they’re not here.”

Brielle looks around, taking in the destruction. “The Skins, they’ve been here.”

Tristan kicks at a chair leg and it skitters only to lodge into a pile of smashed who-knows-what. “Yep. They redecorated.”

It’s then that Tristan sees his pod. Or what’s left of it.

He rushes over, falling to his knees as he picks up the largest piece remaining. Looking like an overgrown piece of eggshell, it’s no bigger than his hand. Brielle comes to stand behind him, resting a hand on his shoulder. How odd that the suit protects him from damage, but he can feel that gentle offer of comfort. “What was it?”

Tristan’s body sags. “My pod.” He looks up at Brielle. “We all arrived in one of these.”

But his has been annihilated.

“I’m so sorry, Tristan.”

Remembering what else came in that pod has Tristan shooting to his feet. “No, no, no.” He takes in the wreckage. Nothing has been left standing. “Please, no.”

He ploughs through the broken furniture to the other end of the room, falling to his knees as he clears away the debris.

Brielle kneels beside him. “What? What are you looking for?”

“The gems,” Tristan breathes.

There are no Zodiac Guardians without their gems.

He uncovers the vent placed low in the wall. It looks undisturbed, but the Skins are twisted enough to take what’s behind it and put everything back so it wasn’t discovered straight away. So that someone like Tristan would think everything’s okay.

His hands, still covered in the dark suit, tremble a little as he reaches out. With a quick swipe he pulls the vent down, revealing the safe behind it.

It looks undisturbed.

Punching in the code, Tristan holds his breath. Please let them be there. Please…

The door pops open with a click, exposing the dark interior. Two black boxes sit within.

Tristan falls back on his heels. “Thank pitch.”

He draws them out, feeling their familiar weight. He looks at Brielle. “This is what they were trying to find.” Destroying everything in the process would’ve just been done for pleasure.

Brielle’s face floods with relief. “That’s good.” She glances down at the slim cases, her eyes widening. “They’re the stones?”

Tristan nods, realizing they’re getting closer to the moment that could change his destiny. And Brielle’s.

He stands, Brielle following him. “Half of them, anyway.”

Brielle looks at him for long moments. “Do you think you could take the suit off before we…you know? I can’t see your face.”

“Oh, of course.” Tristan grins but then realizes Brielle can’t see it.

He raises his hand to his chest, feeling the gem that’s embedded there in the suit. This time, he whispers the word. “Akash.”

In a blink, the suit withdraws. Plate after tiny plate retreats, absorbing into the next. Before Tristan realizes what’s happened, it’s gone. Impossibly, undeniably, relegated back into the stone.

“Now, that’s cool,” says Tristan in awe.

A second before he collapses with a groan.

“Tristan!” Brielle falls to her knees beside him. She gasps when she sees him. “Oh god.”

It’s like all of the pain the Skins inflicted hits Tristan at once. His chest feels like it’s been excavated, his face like it’s been pulverized. He thought he was running on adrenaline, but it’s quite possible the suit was the one holding him up.

Tristan picks up the second box, holding it out to Brielle. “Nanites.”

Although she’s confused by the strange word, Brielle takes the box and opens it. Inside sit several glowing vials. “What are they?” she breathes.

Tristan keeps his breaths as shallow as possible. “Alien biotechnology. They…heal.”

Brielle slips one out, holding it up. The yellow-green liquid glows gently, seeming to move of its own volition within the glass cage. “What now?”

“Normally…we’d inject them.” Tristan works not to grimace. Who knew talking took up so much lung capacity? “But the first aid kit…” Is in about a million pieces. He holds his hand out. “I’ll drink it.”

Brielle’s eyes widen again at the thought of ingesting the luminous liquid. “Okay.” She draws the word out as she removes the lid and passes it to him.

Tristan doesn’t give himself time to think. He throws the content of the vial into his mouth, his body stiffening as the liquid slips over his tongue and down the back of his throat. It’s…warm and gelatinous…and gross.

He wipes his mouth. “They obviously don’t have berry flavor on Gemini I.”

He drops his head back and it clunks on the floor but he doesn’t care. Right now, every inch of his body weighs a tone.

Brielle scoots around, gently lifting his head and resting it on her lap. “Is that better?”

“Mm.” Tristan lets his eyes flutter closed as her fingers gently push the hair back