Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

stale ozone. Then Kate dropped to the ground like a puppet with

her strings cut. Helen instinctively held out her arms to try to

break Kate?s fall, but the attacker took the opportunity to put a bag

over Helen?s head from behind.

She was too startled to scream. As she was pulled backward

against a soft chest, it suddenly registered in Helen?s head that her

attacker was a woman.

Helen had always known she was strong?and not just strong for

a girl. Strong for a bear. She bent her knees and braced the balls of

her feet against the pavement, ready to give her would-be abductor

the shock of her life. She flexed her back and tried to break out of

her attacker?s arms, and was surprised to realize that she couldn?t.

The unseen woman was just as impossibly strong as Helen. But

Helen had more to lose.

The soles of her sneakers shredded under the pressure of her feet

as she pushed off. She took one step, and then another, walking

right out of her ruined shoes as she dragged the woman along with

her. Then Helen heard a thump, a gasp, and she pitched forward

violently as she was released.

Struggling to get the black velvet bag off of her head, Helen heard

a rapid succession of slaps, thuds, and the quick huffs of stunned

breaths. There was a draft of air and the staccato sound of

someone sprinting away just as she yanked the hood off and

pushed her hair out of the way.

Lucas Delos stood over her, his body tense, his eyes scanning the

distance for something that Helen couldn?t see from her position

on the ground.

?Are you injured?? he asked in a low, unsteady voice, still looking

out over her head. There was blood on his lip and his shirt was

torn. Helen had a bare moment to say she was fine before she