Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

to find out who your people were.?

?Thanks,? Helen muttered, still overwhelmed.

?You can?t control the lightning yet, it sort of jumps out of you

when you?re upset,? Lucas said after a long pause. He was looking

at her strangely.

?Is it like a Taser?? Helen asked anxiously, suddenly snapping

out of her trance.

?Yeah,? Hector said as if he was recollecting both sensations and

comparing them in his mind. ?But stronger.?

?Does it really hurt?? Helen said quietly. She felt sick to her

stomach.

?I guess,? Hector said with a condescending shrug. ?You know, if

you put in some real training, you could probably generate a lethal

charge soon.?

?That won?t be necessary,? Helen said, jumping to her feet, horrified

with the suggestion. And with herself.

?Wait, Helen, it could be a good thing,? Jason replied. ?You could

learn how to use your bolts instead of fighting.?

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?You don?t have to use them to kill. Just to knock people out,?

Lucas amended, aware now that something was disturbing Helen

deeply.

He couldn?t know that what he was saying to make it better only

made it worse. Helen thought of Kate?s unconscious body?how

Kate had convulsed in that nauseating way when the blue light

flashed. How her head had lolled back and her mouth fell open uncontrollably

when Helen had picked her up off the ground. She

couldn?t get the horrifying images out of her head so she started

pacing around, wringing her hands to dispel the nervous energy

she felt. She knew everyone was staring at her. She looked up and