Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

looked so confused, so wounded, that Helen?s eyes started leaking

tears, even though she had promised herself the night before that

she would never cry again.

?What is it?? he asked, bewildered and in pain.

?We can?t do this,? she said, shaking her head in a rapid motion.

?What are you talking about?? He tried to get her to look at him

as he reached for her hands. ?Helen, we?re free. There are two other

Houses left to preserve the Truce. We can be together.?

?We can?t do this,? she repeated, balling her hands into fists so he

couldn?t take them.

?Why?? he asked in a strangled voice, sensing that Helen was being

honest with him, but still not understanding why. ?Have your

feelings for me changed so much in one night? Did you stop wanting

me??

?That?s not it,? she said, agonized. ?I wish I didn?t want you.?

?How can you say that?? Lucas asked, relieved to know that at

least Helen still felt the same about him. ?I know you?ve been

through a lot today, and maybe you?re not ready right this second.

That?s fine, we?ll wait as long as you want. . . .? He tried to pull her

into his arms, just to hold her, but she pushed hard against his

chest and turned her face away from his.

?We?re first cousins!? she cried out hopelessly, her shoulders beginning

to jump up and down with uncontrollable sobs. ?Jerry

wasn?t my father, Lucas. Ajax was.?

Luke?s whole body went still with fear and in the silence that followed,

all Helen could hear was the sound of the rain on the glass

roof.

?That?s not possible,? he whispered, even though he could hear

that she wasn?t lying. He shook his head. ?No. We saw the Furies

when we met. We can?t be related.?