The Librarian Read online

  The Librarian

  Christy Sloat

  Crushing Hearts and

  Black Butterfly Publishing

  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, duplicated, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior written consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  Text Copyright ©2017 Christy Sloat

  All rights reserved

  Published by

  CHBB Publishing, LLC.

  This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this novel are fictitious and are products of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual events, or locales or persons, living or dead are entirely coincidental.

  Edited by Cheree Castellanos and Melanie Williams

  Cover & Formatting by Pretty AF Designs

  Praise for

  The Librarian

  “This book is pure magic! A must read for any library dwelling book addict!

  The Librarian has the whimsy of Alice in Wonderland, The romance of Outlander, complete with some major Time Lord responsibilities, but you can skip the Tardis for this time traveling adventure!”

  -A. Giacomi, Author of The Zombie Girl Saga

  “Sloat did a brilliant job of showing the sacrifice and sorrow that can sometimes accompany tragic star-crossed lovers. It’s a beautiful story, expertly weaved that I highly recommend! “

  - Stacey Rourke. Award Winning Author of The Legends Saga

  “Mysterious, lyrical, and wonderful. Jack is the perfect book boyfriend you’ll completely fall in love with!”

  -SJ Davis, author of Ghost in the Machine

  Dedication

  This one is for readers everywhere and the librarians who help us discover the magic in books.

  Prologue

  The waves lapped upon the shore as Gram and I collected seashells. It was one of our favorite traditions to do by moonlight. With my small chubby fingers, I pulled up a perfectly intact shell.

  “Look, Gram! It’s beautiful,” I called to her as she ambled her way toward me. She nodded and smiled. “It’s going to be perfect for your collection, Emme. You shouldn’t let go of the perfect ones in life.”

  I shrugged and kept digging until my small seven-year-old fingers were frozen from the Maine coastal winds that bore down upon us. We eventually made our way back to the library and walked up the steps to the apartment where we lived. Gram’s library was a sanctuary for me. My home now. Without her needing to tell me, I ran a bath and washed the sand from my body and hair. After I was done, I dressed myself in the warmest pajamas I could find. Gram sat at the table drinking tea and kissed me as I approached.

  “You’re growing so fast, Emme. Your parents would be proud of you.” I smiled, not sure how they’d know if I was doing well or not. I saw our shells drying on the counter, knowing they’d be dry and put away in our jars by the morning.

  “Now off to bed with you,” Gram told me as she playfully tugged my hair. I kissed her cheek and went to my room.

  During the night, something woke me from a deep sleep. I sat up hearing whispered voices from somewhere outside my room. I padded across the floor, being careful not to wake Gram, and peeked outside my door. Nothing.

  Opening my door wider didn’t reveal the noise either. I grabbed my robe, knowing just where to look. I had to be fast or she’d catch me, so I swiftly went out the door of our apartment, down the stairs, and into the library. The noise got louder and revealed a man’s voice.

  As I got closer to the small room where Gram did her important paperwork, I saw a man standing with Gram. He was handsome and tall compared to my gray-haired, short Gram. She slumped into her chair and he remained standing.

  “Well, what if I don’t want that future for her? Do I not have any say in the matter?”

  He rubbed his chin. His back was now facing me, and it was then that I noticed his peculiar type of attire. He wasn’t wearing clothes that normal men wore; in fact I had never seen anyone wear pants like his. He looked like an explorer from one of my books with his pants tucked neatly inside of his boots.

  “I’m afraid neither of us has a say; it’s entirely up to Emmeline. If she grows up and begins reading the books, then she will know whether or not she wants to do it. You mustn’t hold her back from her legacy.”

  They were talking about me! I crouched down, hiding in the shadows, hoping to figure out what they were discussing. As it was, I was so confused.

  “You can’t make her protect them, Harold. She will have a choice. She’s my granddaughter!” Gram was angry now, and no one wanted to be around her when she was like that.

  Harold backed up a step and slowly took off his funny hat. “I know how you feel—”

  Gram snorted. “No, you do not. I have lost my son and his wife. I will not lose her. It is too dangerous. She will have a different life than that.”

  “Your son didn’t die because of the gift, Mavis. And you cannot travel. But it will go to her and you know it. Someday you will no longer be here, and she will have to protect your legacy.”

  She made another noise with her nose and said, “My legacy wasn’t something I chose, thanks to you, Harold. I think you meant well, but you and I both know how dangerous this is. Traveling through time to protect history isn’t something that—” She stopped abruptly and focused her eyes onto where I was currently crouched. “I think we have company.”

  I froze. She could see me. I wasn’t as hidden as I thought I was. And Gram was always good at seeing me when I thought I was being sneaky.

  “Emmeline, come here.”

  With wobbly legs I walked into my Gram’s forbidden office, and Harold never turned around to meet my gaze. Instead, he stood still and faced only Gram.

  “What have I told you about sneaking around at night?” Gram asked sternly.

  “Umm…not to,” I said shakily, almost in tears.

  “Now get your tushy back upstairs and into bed.” I did as she said, never once looking at the man in the eyes.

  As I walked back to my room, my brain tried hard to figure out what they were speaking about. Traveling through time? Legacy? It was confusing for a seven-year-old to know what those words meant. I would ask her about it in the morning. If I didn’t have the nerve to do that, then I would look it up in the library.

  But as I felt sleep pull me back under, I had already forgotten the whole conversation and the words in which I was to learn.

  One

  I set out to run the path around my dorm’s building after my long day in class. It was my release after being swarmed with lecture after lecture and being forced to read books I didn’t want to read. The lights from the street lamps lit my way as I ran along the curvy trail. I didn’t want to stay out here too late. We did, after all, have a huge day planned for tomorrow. As I ran, all the things we had to do to set up tomorrow’s run filled my mind along with the stress of finishing up my year at Berkley. I would be sad to leave my friends behind, but England was calling to me. I had this all worked out for years, and it was finally within my grasp. I looked forward to finishing up the rest of my college life and becoming a teacher. I could actually see it play out in front of me like a movie. So far, it went as planned. I spent my one year here in California, and I joined a sorority, got great grades, and made new friends. I would stay in England perhaps and teach there if I wanted. I was only nineteen and had accomplished so much alr
eady. It helped that I took accelerated classes in high school, giving me extra credits. The only downside to that was missing out on actual teen-life. I didn’t date then nor did I have a lot of friends. I made up for that here at Berkley though.

  I wouldn’t be stuck in Bay Ridge like everyone I graduated with. I would be living abroad. I would have tea in the mornings and in the afternoons. I wouldn’t be suffering freezing temperatures like I grew up with in Maine, choosing not to be subjected to a life on the Maine coast any longer.

  Saving all of my money, I got grants so I could go to school. I did everything with the focus that in the end I would be happy. I wouldn’t be like Gram, not that being like her was a terrible thing, but I wouldn’t be the town librarian. She had hoped that I would take the reins after she retired and I would take over the library. But I just couldn’t see myself sitting at a desk and re-shelving books every day. Gram was good at her job. She read to the kids every Tuesday, and she helped the seniors every Thursday. She got three computers for the library and set them up so people in Bay Ridge could actually have Internet. That’s another thing I didn’t miss. The service there was terrible.

  Taking the corner at high speed, I felt my muscles tighten up as I ran faster and faster. There was always this feeling of exhilaration while I ran. I craved it on stressful days, like my muscles yearned for the torture the run put them through. I sighed as I felt the burn in my legs, and at the same time my stress sort of melted away. The study session I had with Harmony was gone out of my mind for just a second. Then a guy came out of nowhere, and I crashed into him with a smack.

  He fell, actually he tumbled, and I smacked my face on the grass.

  “Oh my God, are you all right?” He laughed.

  He held out a hand, and I took it as he pulled me up and my face burned with embarrassment. I was really tired, and no matter how graceful I was as a runner, I always seemed to hurt myself when I ran after a long day. I brushed off my knees and the guy did the same. Thankfully I fell face first into the grass, not the concrete.

  “I think I’ll live. But these yoga pants are done for,” I told him as I stuck my finger through the large hole at the knee. I looked up, and as the street light shone down on his face, I could see him fully. He was gorgeous, and I recognized him. I’d seen him around and drooled over his hot body a few times.

  “I’m Emme by the way. Sorry for running into you.”

  I pulled my hair back off of my sweaty face and gathered it into a high ponytail. I suddenly wished I wasn’t standing in front of him so grossly slick with sweat. He didn’t seem to mind, though, as he checked me out.

  “I’m Eric, and you can run into me anytime you want. You belong to Alpha Chi Beta, don’t you?”

  “Yep.” I was proud of my sorority and even prouder that he knew I was part of them. “Are you coming tomorrow?”

  He nodded, and I knew a guy like him would be up early to watch the 5k we had put together. Of course any guy who wasn’t there was a complete idiot or not into girls.

  “The Undie 5k is a great idea,” he said eagerly. “I can’t wait.” I bet he couldn’t.

  It really was a genius idea. Harmony was the one who came up with it. Once we started sign-ups, at least half of the student body was there begging to sign up. Girls wanted to strip down to their panties so that they could show off their assets and hopefully gain the attention of some guy they were hopelessly pining for. The guys were there checking out the hot girls who would be stripping down and running in their skivvies. We made sure it was only a girl run. That was my idea. No guys in their tighty-whities would be running. No one needed to see guys junk flopping around as they ran. No thank you. The event was limited to only female students who were participating and anyone that donated to the run, we made sure. We were using the money for our sorority and donating fifty percent to cancer research. We had made bank on this run, and I was proud that we were sending quite a bit to the fund.

  As much as I hoped to run the 5k, I had to work it. Although, I would still be stripping down to my undies; it was the one thing Dawn insisted we make a requirement for all of us. We had to be in our undies so we showed the school that we were like them. So many people thought all sorority girls were snotty bitches—granted some were—but not all of them. I agreed to strip knowing that someday I would look back and hopefully laugh about these days. Besides, what is college for if not to have fun and be a little reckless?

  “Will I see you there?” Eric asked me with a smile.

  I nodded and bit my lip. I hadn’t really let myself get too attached to guys here. Sure some girls want relationships, but I wasn’t ready for that, especially since I was leaving soon.

  “Yeah, I’ll be there. Come by and see me,” I said as I backed away from him slowly.

  He nodded and said, “I can’t wait.”

  I ran back to the dorm, ignoring the pain in my knees. I could feel Eric’s eyes on me as I ran. I made sure to run slowly so that he could see me better. I wasn’t afraid of flirting; I actually liked it. It was fun to meet a guy and hang out and maybe, if the timing was right, hook up. I was all for meeting new people. I wasn’t ready for a serious relationship. It seemed I was at the right school for that since none of the guys I had met called or even hinted at a date after things got physical. It didn’t ever hurt my feelings. I was here on a temporary basis only and didn’t need any loose ends to tie up before I went to England. I already had Gram calling me every week, asking me when I was coming home. I could just imagine how awful a long distance relationship would be.

  I reached the dorm, and by then my knee was aching so badly that I was seriously limping. I opened my door and found Harmony and Dawn, my sorority sisters, fighting over which panty and bra set to wear tomorrow.

  “I already told you I like the blue, now you’re trying to get me to like the gold,” Harmony accused. “Gold is for hookers, and we, my friend, are not hookers.”

  I laughed. Harmony was my hippie friend. She was into free love and peace, but not selling her body. Her name fit her personality for sure.

  Getting her to agree to wear the underwear was like pulling teeth. Finally she gave in when she realized it was for a good cause. She’s a sucker for those.

  “Harmony, you don’t like gold? Fine, but I hate the blue. We’ll have to go out and exchange these for a different color,” Dawn huffed putting her hand on her hip. I knew Dawn’s tactic here, and I stood back to see what Harmony would do. Harmony hated shopping malls and everything they stood for. I bit my lip and watched her face, waiting.

  She looked from the pile of underwear to me and back again. She threw her hands up and said, “Fine! Let’s go to the mall.”

  My mouth fell open in shock. I couldn’t believe she chose that over the gold underwear. Dawn picked them up and found the receipt inside her purse, then turned to me and said, “Get dressed, Emme. We’re going shopping.”

  I saluted her and found a new pair of comfy yoga pants. My limp was getting worse by the time we got to the car.

  “What the hell is wrong with your leg?” Dawn asked in irritation.

  “I fell, but it’s okay because I fell into this hot guy. So I hurt myself for a good reason,” I explained. They stared at me, then burst out laughing like I said the funniest joke they’d ever heard.

  “Only you could make hurting yourself sound fun,” Dawn said.

  We piled into the car and drove to the mall. It was a quick fifteen minute ride from our campus if we took the highway, which we did. Luckily, since it was now dark, the mall was dead. Dawn pulled the car into a handicapped space, and I shook my head as she pulled out her grandpa’s card and hung it onto the mirror.

  “What?” she asked, feigning ignorance. She pointed to my knee and said, “You’re injured.”

  After limping through most of the mall, we finally made it to the lingerie store
. I could stay in there all day smelling perfume and picking out cute undies. I had a thing for adorable underwear. I liked to look sexy, and there was nothing wrong with that.

  “How about pink?” I asked holding up a pale pink panty and bra set.

  Both girls shook their heads and argued over a floral pattern. I sighed and looked up and found a black and hot pink set that stood out and practically begged me to take it home. I reached out and ran my fingers over the lacey pattern. It was beautiful and so my style.

  “This…this right here,” I told the girls. They stopped bickering and stopped to stare.

  “Wow, you really have a passion for shopping,” Harmony said quietly.

  “No, Harmony, my passion isn’t for shopping. I have an eye for beautiful things, and this is beautiful,” I explained. I felt a slight buzz in my pocket—my phone.

  I pulled it out and answered right away. The caller was my best friend from back home, Rose.

  “Rose, what’s up?”

  She sighed, and I could hear a tremble in her voice. “Your Grandma Mavis is here. They brought her in via ambulance, Emme.”

  I dropped the bra and panties and backed out of the store slowly as if getting away from the beautiful things would lessen the heart-pounding fear that I felt at that moment.

  “Is…is she all right?” My voice cracked, and I knew instantly it was a stupid question.

  You know when you feel the bad news is real bad? Like when you get that call in the middle of the night and you know it’s not good news because it’s so late at night and who would be calling you? The fear of the answer Rose had for me was tightening around my throat like a noose.