Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

Maybe then you could let it out and feel a little better.?

Helen had tried to cry, but no tears came. Instead, all that she felt

was this creeping nothing inside her. She knew she should care

about how Matt felt, but she didn?t even care how she felt, not even

when she was fighting for her life against Hector on the mat. Their

workouts had become brief and brutal. Now that Helen no longer

had an emotional block against using her bolts she was learning

how to control them and let them out bit by bit. Only someone who

didn?t mind getting fried could fight her hand to hand. Now,

coupled with the power of the cestus, which made her impervious

to any weapon, Helen had become nearly undefeatable.

Toward the end of their session that day Hector tried to put her

in a Kimura and she electrocuted him for the third time. He

dropped unconscious to the mat. After a moment, she approached

him and nudged him with her toe.

?Are we done here?? she asked him with raised eyebrows when

he came around.

?You still don?t know how to fight,? he mumbled as he wiped

blood off of his lips.

?You bit through your tongue,? Helen said flatly. ?You should

probably take a break.?

Helen went to her corner to drink some water. She saw Claire,

Jason, Cassandra, and Ariadne all staring at her from outside the

fight cage. Jason was the first to move. He took two long strides,

jumped fluidly over the metal fence, and landed next to his shaking

brother.

?I think that?s enough, Hector,? Jason said. ?She doesn?t need any

more training.?

?She can?t even throw a punch!? Hector protested, slurring his

words.