Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

energy as her bolt demanded to be released. She had held it too

long.

Lucas wouldn?t leave her, and Helen knew she could kill him if

she didn?t do this right. She racked her lightning-filled brain and

luckily remembered fourth-grade science class. Desperate to rid

herself of the monster she had summoned, she slid on her knees to

the exit door at the end of the hall and rammed her shoulder

against it.

As soon as she came in contact with the metal release bar that

ran across the middle of the door it glowed orange with heat and

started melting. She barely moved fast enough to open it before the

whole door turned into a solid block of smoldering metal. Tumbling

down the short flight of steps and crawling outside on her

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knees, she threw herself forward onto her hands. With a welcome

sigh she discharged her bolt into the one place that it would be

safely dismantled?the ground.

After a few seconds she felt herself get pulled up from the forgiving

earth and carried away.

?Are you injured?? Lucas asked anxiously.

?Just wicked tired,? she sighed, a little surprised at herself for using

the word wicked. She was too weary to care. ?Really, put me

down,? she demanded when he didn?t respond. He stopped and

balanced her on her feet. She rubbed her tongue across her teeth

and then sucked at the roof of her mouth.

?Wow, I?m thirsty! And I think I know why! It?s like lightning,

right? So that means I?m generating the electic?I mean, erlecic?I

mean, the bolt?by ripping apart the water in my body! That makes

total sense,? she said, hearing herself sound like a cheerleader who

had suddenly figured out how her pompoms were made.