Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

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?Who are you?? Helen asked, her voice crackling. She jerked her

mouth away from the suspicious glass of liquid and felt her arms

strain against bonds. She was tied to a bed. Still unbearably weak

from whatever drug she had been given, Helen knew it would be a

while before she was strong enough to break free. She looked

around frantically. She was in a hotel room that was lit by candles.

It was still night, and she could hear wind and rain battering the

window behind the closed curtain.

?Look at me, Helen! Who do you think I am?? the woman asked

so forcefully it momentarily stopped Helen from panicking. ?Here,

I know you?ll need proof. I would.?

The woman took out an envelope full of pictures. They were pictures

of herself, when she was in her late teens. In one picture she

was holding a tiny baby. In another she was sitting and talking to a

young Mrs. Aoki while two baby girls, one blonde, one blackhaired,

played together on the floor. In yet another she was kissing

Jerry over her swollen, pregnant belly.

?Beth,? Helen whispered, her eyes darting over the pictures that

she had spent a hefty portion of her childhood searching for.

?My real name is Daphne. Daphne Atreus. I guess it would be too

much to ask for you to call me ?Mom?, huh?? Daphne said with a

wry smile.

Helen gestured to her bound wrists. ?You guessed right,? she

replied, starting to get angry. ?You want to tell me why you

knocked me out and tied me up??

?Because we are out of time, and if I were you I would hate me so

much I wouldn?t even give me a second to explain,? Daphne replied

with a loving look on her face. ?Unless I had been knocked out and

tied down first.?