Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

?I think she was running after someone. I don?t know,? Matt said

skeptically. ?I just heard from Gretchen that Helen was chasing

some guy, then she screamed and fell down.?

?Is that true?? Lucas asked Helen with a tense face. She nodded,

and he smiled back at her, his worried eyes softening for her sake.

He plucked some of her hair off her sweaty forehead and looked

back over his shoulder.

?I?m on it,? said Jason too quietly for a mortal to catch, and then

Helen heard his rapidly retreating footsteps.

?I should go with him,? began Hector?s voice from someplace that

Helen still couldn?t see.

?No, you shouldn?t,? ordered Lucas sharply. ?I need you to get the

girls. They could have whatever sickness Helen has, and they might

need you. Right??

?Right,? Hector said without bitterness, suddenly understanding

Lucas?s hidden meaning. Cassandra and Ariadne were unaware,

unprotected, and therefore in the most danger of being attacked by

the stranger. Hector ran off so silently that Helen couldn?t even

hear his feet brush against the grass, and she couldn?t help but be

both impressed and a little frightened by his skill.

?Matt, can you help me get Helen up? If you could just grab her

feet . . .? Lucas asked in an apologetic voice.

?Sure, no problem,? Matt said as he slipped his hands behind her

knees. ?Jeez, Len, you smell awful! Did you have to fall into every

cranberry bog on the island?? Helen chuckled briefly, but it hurt to

laugh so she stopped.

Helen initially wondered why Lucas would ask Matt for help

when he didn?t need it, but as she listened to them talk and work

together to carry her to Hector?s SUV she realized that Lucas had

to be one of the smartest people she?d ever met. Not only did asking