Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

?Like it just switched on,? Ariadne said. She looked over at Helen

and Lucas, sharing the same idea as her twin.

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?What if I wanted it to be something else?? Helen asked, ignoring

the strange stares she was suddenly getting from everyone. Cassandra

shrugged.

?I don?t know. Maybe try changing it?? she asked with an excited

look. ?But I?d take it off first! You never know,? she added quickly.

Helen unlatched her necklace and tried to think about sexy

things, but she couldn?t come up with anything. After a moment

she realized that it didn?t matter what she thought was sexy, but

what other people thought that would be important. She needed a

guinea pig. She looked at Hector, focusing on him alone, and she

felt her necklace change shape in her hand.

?Helen!? Hector exclaimed.

Helen looked down and saw that she was holding a tiny scrap of

lace that more closely resembled diamond-encrusted dental floss

than underpants. Everyone burst out laughing, pointing at Hector

and making fun of his trashy taste. She looked at Lucas, concentrated,

and it turned back into her necklace. He grinned.

?I told you. I love that necklace,? he said openly.

His gaze was so warm Helen felt she had to do something to divert

all the stares they were getting. She looked around the room,

pointedly seeking out a new victim. Everyone wisely decided to

scatter.

?Don?t even think about it!? Ariadne shrieked, running out of the

room so Helen couldn?t focus on her.

?Come on! That?s not fair!? Jason said. He backed away from her,

alternately covering his eyes so he couldn?t see her and covering his

face so she couldn?t see him.