Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

Michelangelo?s Adam on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, newly released

from plaster and walking around in three gigantic dimensions.

Helen had never been so afraid of anyone in her entire life.

She took an automatic step back and ran into her shopping cart.

Her breath hitched painfully in the back of her throat as she

stumbled to the side, her hands and feet clumsy with fear. There

was a bright, momentary glimmer, and he twitched away from her,

his body convulsing spasmodically.

Helen smelled the nauseating combination of singed hair and

ozone that always made her think that she had done something

wrong. A brief thought of the Nantucket ferry flashed through her

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mind as she studied the blond monster in front of her, trying to figure

out what had happened. After a stunned second, he collected

himself and leaned closer to Helen with an evil grin on his angelic

face. He was near enough that Helen could feel the heat coming off

his body.

?Hector!? commanded a familiar voice. Helen had only a moment

to register that it was Lucas before she felt him grab her arm and

pull her away from the Goliath that was his cousin. Instantly furious

instead of frightened, Helen rounded on Lucas and threw off

his arm.

?Don?t touch me,? she hissed. She felt light-headed. ?Why can?t

you just stay away from me??

?Why can?t you just stay at home?? he shot back at her. ?Didn?t

you have enough fun last night in the alley??

?I have errands to run! It?s not like I can hide in my bedroom for

the rest of my life just because some woman . . .? Helen realized

she was starting to yell. She stopped herself and lowered her voice.

A thought occurred to her. ?Are you still following me??