Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

?I figured,? she said, nodding. They smiled at each other, and

then suddenly they both turned their heads at the sound of hurried

footsteps coming toward the nurse?s office.

Jerry stood up and faced the door, putting himself in front of

Helen. A tall, impossibly fit man in his early forties burst into the

room. Helen jumped off the cot and stood on the other side of it,

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glancing around instinctively for another exit. There wasn?t one.

Helen had the feeling that she was going to die.

In the corner of the tiny office, one of the sobbing sisters appeared.

She was hunkered down on her knees, her face covered by

her filthy hair, moaning names and saying ?blood for blood? as she

hit her forehead repeatedly against the wall.

Helen put her hands over her ears. She pulled her eyes away from

the horror in the corner and mustered enough courage to look back

at the large man. A spark of recognition passed between them. She

had never seen him before, but somehow she knew that she should

be very afraid of him. At first his angular face was set with determination,

but it quickly morphed into shock and then confusion. His

eyes zeroed in on Jerry,

and a nearly comical look of disbelief derailed

what might have been a terrible fight.

?Are you . . . are you the father of the young lady that attacked my

son?? he asked in a halting voice.

Jerry nodded curtly. ?My daughter, Helen,? he said, gesturing

back to her. ?I?m Jerry Hamilton.?

?Castor Delos,? the big man replied. ?My wife, Noel, won?t be able

to make it. And Helen?s mother??

Jerry shook his head. ?It?s just Lennie and me,? he said with

finality.