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
69/395
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??