Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

in his hand. Her eyes blossomed with fear. The pupils opened up

and reflex tears beaded on their dark surface like dew. She was

lovely in terror?a perfect, pleading mask of alabaster white skin,

wide eyes, and, best of all, her mouth, an open oval of red surprise

like she was waiting to be kissed. Creon wanted to hold her like

that for days, but a split second of enjoyment later and he heard a

snap.

Like a switched-off TV, the light in her eyes contracted to pinpricks,

and then went completely dark.

Creon dumped her body in the water and ran back to the citadel

so quickly no normal person could see him pass, even if they were

standing inches away.

Still shaking with a half-sickening thrill, he went straight up to

his room, and froze when he opened the door. His mother was

waiting for him. She was sitting next to his packed suitcase with

her narrow, manicured hands folded neatly in her lap, holding

something. Her head fell to the side as she stared at him. His

mother only needed to look at him to know that the meeting that

she had arranged, the meeting that was supposed to be nothing

more than a polite gesture, had ended violently.

?Did you have to kill her?? she asked seriously and without reproach.

Mildred was nothing if not practical.

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?She provoked me,? Creon said as he moved past his mother and

grabbed the handle of his suitcase. ?Besides, it?s better this way

and you know it.?

Mildred dropped her eyes and nodded, accepting that her son

was right. More than one reporter had ?disappeared? over the

years.

?Given the situation, I approve of you leaving the country for a