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Asil Left Bran Alone With His Thoughts Then, Because If He Stayed, Bran Would Argue With Him. This Way, Bran Would Have No One To Argue With But Himself. And Asil Had Always Credited Bran With The Ability To Be Persuasive.

-Patricia Briggs

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Asil Left Bran Alone

Patricia Briggs

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Asil Left Bran Alone With His Thoughts Then, Because If He Stayed, Bran Would Argue With Him. This Way, Bran Would Have No One To Argue With But Himself. And Asil Had Always Credited Bran With The Ability To Be Persuasive.

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A Cowboy, A Lawyer, And A Mechanic Watched Queen Of The Damned,” I Murmured. Warren—who Had Once, A Long Time Ago, Been A Cowboy—snickered And Wiggled His Bare Feet. “it Could Be The Beginning Of Either A Bad Joke Or A Horror Story.” “no,” Said Kyle, The Lawyer, Whose Head Was Propped Up On My Thigh. “if You Want A Horror Story, You Have To Start Out With A Werewolf, His Gorgeous Lover, And A Walker.

Coyote Never Loses. Because I Change The Rules Of The Games My Enemies Play. What Are The Rules Of Your Game?

New Rules. If You Are Smart Enough To Live, You Won’t Hit Charles’s Mate In Front Of His Father.

I Thought You Were Dead. Stupid. As If I'd Die Without Taking You With Me.

You Are A Sick, Sick Man,” I Told Him. “thank You,” Ben Replied, Looking Modest.

Some Truths Are Truths, No Matter Who Says Them.

His Grandfather Had Often Told Him That He Tried Too Hard To Move Trees When A Wiser Man Would Walk Around Them.

I Give You Mercedes Athena Thompson, Our Newest Member." Much Awkwardness Ensued.

Ben Rubbed His Muzzle Over Kyle’s Shoulder In A Way That I Think Was Supposed To Be Reassuring. Kyle Sucked In A Breath. Either It Hurt, Or The Reminder That The Werewolf Was Big Enough To Rub His Shoulder Without Much Effort Wasn’t Exactly Reassuring. “ben, When Was The Last Time You Brushed Your Teeth?” Asked Kyle. Or Else Ben’s Breath Was Really Bad.

Charles Could Care Less About Shoes - And He Suspected He Wasn't Alone Among Men In His Feelings. Shoe, No Shoe, He Didn't Care. Naked Was Good, Though Over The Past Couple Of Weeks He Was Beginning To Think That Dressed In His Clothes Was A Decent Second Best.

Civilization Is Vastly Overrated.

Dont Let The Bastards Grind You Down?" Bran Looked At Me Incredulously.

We Are None Of Us Perfect, And...we Learn To Take These Imperfections And Make Them Only A Small Part Of Who We Are

Obstreperous, ‘huh,” Said Tad. “i See You’ve Been Using That Big Word Of The Day Calendar I Got You Last Christmas.” “that Is Irrefragable,” I Told Him Solemnly.

And Thus Charles Found Himself Wandering Around A Hotel, Trailing Federal Agents As He Held A Cardboard Coffee Cup Holder In Each Hand, Instead Of Out Killing Misbehaving Werewolves.

Wandering Around

"can't Sleep With A Dead Man In My Closet." "you Killed Someone?" Asked Ben With Interest.

Zealots Are Like One Track-pony. Don't Get In Their Way Without Expecting To Get Hurt.

I Don't Like It When I Outweigh My Men.

It Was Complicated. I Understood It, Mostly, But I Had To Think A Little Sideways To Do It.

She Was On The Far Side, Leaving Two Cold Feet Of Mattress Between Them. He Knew That She'd Fall Asleep Like That... And Then Gradually Move Over Until She Was Plastered Against Him. Then He Could Go To Sleep, Too.

Mercy," He Said,"in A Fair Fight Between Near Equals, I'll Back You Every Time. It's The Demons, Vampires, And River Devils I Worry About, And I'm Working On That.

What Do You Mean?” Leslie’s Voice Was Cool, As If She Questioned Witches Who Were Flat On Their Backs Being Threatened By Werewolves Every Day.

Anna Followed, Keeping A Sharp Eye Out For Things He Might Back Into Or Over. She Wondered If Isaac Did This All The Time-and, If So, How He Avoided Getting Photos In The Paper With Captions Like "local Alpha Trips Over Child" Or "wolf Versus Street Sign, Street Sign Wins.

Even After All This Time, I Keep Forgetting That Heroes Can Be Found In Unlikely Places And Persons -- Like Mechanics Who Can Turn Into Coyotes.

If You Could Just See Your Face,” She Told Me. “you Look Like A Cat In A Bathtub.

See You Tomorrow,” He Said, Instead. “all Right.” Then, Impulsively, I Asked, “do You Have A Place To Sleep Tonight?” “sure,” He Said With A Smile, And Started Off As If He Had Somewhere To Be. I Could Have Bitten Off My Tongue Because I Pushed Him Into A Lie. Once He Started Lying To Me, It Would Be Harder To Get Him To Trust Me With The Truth. I Don’t Know Why It Works That Way, But It Does—at Least In My Experience.

Then He'd Come Back Home And Found Out That War Didn't Cause Fear- Love Did.

Taking Out Werewolves, I Gather And Surmise, Is Akin To Taking Out A Seal Team.

Alpha And Omega

C’est Moi, C’est Moi,’tis I,' I Told Him. It Seemed Appropriately Melodramatic, Though I Didn’t Know If He’d Catch The Reference. I Shouldn’t Have Worried. Unexpectedly, He Laughed. “trust You To Quote Lancelot Rather Than Guinevere.

Cheeses Crusty, Got All Musty, Got Damp On The Stone Of A Peach.

There Was I Thinking Being A Shifter Had Its Upsides. Looks Like I Was Wrong.

Sometimes I Have The Urge To Conquer Large Parts Of Europe.

A Dominant Wolf's Desire To Protect Was A Strong Instinct- Samuel Was Very Dominant. Give Him An Inch, And He's Take Over The World- My Life, If I Let Him. Mercy

Coffee Or Orange Juice?” “water Is Fine.” His Eyebrows Went Up. “uh-oh,” Auriele Said, But She Was Smiling. Darryl Was Not. “are You Implying That My Coffee Is Not The Best In Four Counties? Or My Fresh-squeezed Orange Juice Is Less Than Perfect?

When A Man Is On The Verge Of Passing Out From Pain, It Seemed Wrong To Notice How Beautiful He Was.

Ms. Thompson, It Said In Heavy Block Letters, Please Keep Your Feline Off My Property. If I See It Again, I Will Eat It.

My Grandfather Would Have Loved To Have Met You," He Told Her Huskily. "he Would Have Called You 'she Moves Trees Out Of His Path.' " She Looked Lost, But His Da Laughed. He'd Known The Old Man, Too. "he Called Me 'he Who Must Run Into Trees,'" Charles Explained, And In A Spirit Of Honesty, A Need For His Mate To Know Who He Was, He Continued, "or Sometimes 'running Eagle.' " " 'running Eagle'?" Anna Puzzled It Over, Frowning At Him. "what's Wrong With That?" "too Stupid To Fly," Murmured His Father With A Little Smile.

He Stepped Back With Exaggerated Courtesy. But When I Walked Past Him, He Swatted My Rump. Hard Enough To Sting. “you Need To Be More Careful,” He Growled. “keep Interfering In My Business And You Might Get Hurt.” I Said Sweetly As I Continued To Jesse's Room, “the Last Man Who Swatted Me Like That Is Rotting In His Grave.” “i Have No Doubt About It.” His Voice Was More Satisfied Then Contrite.

If She Know How Strongly He Felt, She'd Have Run Out The Door. He Wasn't Used To The Possessive, Or The Savage Joy She Brought To His Heart. It Ate At His Control, So He Turned His Attention To The Music. He Understood Music.

Mine, ... Mine Is What She Is.

You Should Be Home Sleeping. What Is The Use Of Having A Man In The House, If He Cannot Take Care Of You For A While?” “mmm,” I Said. “i Give Up. What's The Use Of Having A Man In The House?

One Of The Oddest Things About Being Grown-up Was Looking Back At Something You Thought You Knew And Finding Out The Truth Of It Was Completely Different From What You Had Always Believed. (bone Crossed)

Being A Martyr Is Highly Overrated.

But That Was The Trouble With Ancient Artifacts - No One Really Knew What They Did.

Samuel Laughed Out Loud. "you Still Haven't Figured It Out, Have You, Mercy? He Never Was Mad About The Car. He Was The First One At The Scene Of The Accident. He Thought You'd Killed Yourself. We All Did. That Was A Pretty Spectacular Wreck.

It Was Adam, But He Was Too Late. He Couldn’t Love Me Anymore. He Would Be So Angry With Me. I Had To Hide. He Didn’t Love Me So He Might Hurt Me When He Was Angry. When He Calmed Down, That Would Hurt Him. I Didn’t Want Him Hurting Because Of Me. There Was Nowhere For A Person To Hide. So I Wouldn’t Be A Person. My Eyes Fell On The Shelves That Lined The Far Back Corner. A Coyote Could Hide There.

Mmm, He Rumbled Into My Ear. I Thought That Being Married Meant That I Never Go To Bed Hungry.

Why Is It That All Cars Are Women? Because They're Fussy And Demanding.

Intelligent Men Are Dangerous.

Are We Going To Portland?" I Asked. "or Multnomah Falls?" He Smiled At Me. "go To Sleep." I Waited Three Seconds. "are We There Yet?" His Smile Widened, And The Last Of The Usual Tension Melted From His Face. For A Smile Like That, I'd...do Anything.

A Werewolf Tossed Me Against A Giant Packing Crate While I Was Trying To Rescue A Frightened Young Girl Who'd Been Kidnapped By An Evil Witch And A Drug Lord.

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He Loved Her Beyond All Reason And Didn't Expect Her To Love Him Back. He Was Just Waiting For Her To Wise Up.

He Was Like Superman, But With Fangs And Oddly Impaired Morals.

It's Only Fair To Warn You That You Sealed Your Fate Tonight. When You Knew You Were In Trouble, You Came To Me. That Makes Twice, Mercy, And Twice Is Almost As Good As A Declaration. You Are Mine Now... Ben Says You Might Run. If You Do, I Will Find You And Bring You Back. Every Time You Run, Mercy. I Won't Force You, But... I Won't Leave Or Let You Leave Either. If You Can Fight That Cursed Fairy Drink, You Can Certainly Overcome Any Advantage Being An Alpha Gives Me If You Really Want To. No More Excuses, Mercy. You Are Mine, And I Am Keeping You.

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Fear Makes Idiots Out Of Us All, At Some Time Or Other.

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Adam Didn't Approve Of Wal-mart.

Yes,' He Said Sincerely. 'such A One Deserves Peanut Butter On The Seat Of His Pants.

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People Will Do Amazing Things To Ensure Their Survival.

Americans In Particular Are Oddly Innocent In Their Faith That Science Holds Explanations For Everything.

She Understood His Passion Because She Felt The Same Way: As If Nothing Was More Important Than The Touch Of Her Skin To His, As If She'd Die If He Left Her.

Such A Small Thing To Cause So Much Trouble.

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Survivors Can't Always Choose Their Methods.

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If Creation Was Given No Limit, Ultimately Everything Would Cease To Exist.

The Conflict Between The Creatures Of Native Lore And The Immigration Of The European Preternatural Hosts Is Hinted At In 'blood Bound' And Reflects The Conflicts Between The Human Immigrants And The Indian People Who Were Already Here.

Christmas Garland And A Rock?" He Said, A Smile In His Voice."why Not An Ornament?" "wolves Aren't Fragile," I Told Him. "and They're... Stubbon And Hard To Move

It Is Not Wise To Give Something Old And Powerful Something They Care About. And I Am Very Old.

Never Accept The Blame For What Evil People Do. We Are All Responsible For Our Own Actions." She Was Lecturing Him, So She Stopped. "sorry. Hang Around With Bran Too Long, And See If You Don’t Start Passing Around The Marrok’s Advice As If He Were Confucius.

There Is No Cash In Battling Evil: Just The Opposite In My Experience

If You Leave Me Naked And Waiting On The Bed Without Making Love To Me, I’ll—” I Didn’t Get To Finish The Threat. I Think It Was The Word “naked,” Though Maybe It Was “bed,” But Before I Finished My Sentence, He Was On Me. Mercy To Adam

He Had Lived A Very Long Time, And Only Since He Gained Anna Had He Learned To Fear. He’d Discovered That He Had Never Been Brave Before—just Indifferent. She Had Taught Him That To Be Brave, You Have To Fear Losing Something.

Adam Swore Harshly. "new Werewolves Are Dangerous, Woman. Especially When They Are Cold And Hungry." He Looked At Mac, And His Voice Changed Completely, The Heat And Anger Gone, "mercy, Come Here." I Didn't Look Down To See What He'd Noticed In Mac's Face. I Took A Step, But Mac Was Wrapped Around My Left Leg. I Stopped Before I Fell. "uhm. I'm A Little Stuck For The Moment.

She Crawled On Top Of Him, Naked And Warm And Soft, Smelling Like A Miracle That Had Saved Him From A Lifetime Of Aloneness.

I Would Slay Dragons For You,” He Told Her. “i Suspect That Finding An Unoccupied Bedroom Will Be Easier.

Um. Charles Thinks That His Wolf Has Chosen Me As His Mate." "in Less Than One Full Day?" It Did Sound Dumb When He Said It That Way. "yes." She Couldn't Keep The Uncertainty Of Her Her Voice, Though, And It Bothered Charles. He Rolled To His Feet And Growled Softly. "charles Also Said I Was An Omega Wolf She Told His Father. That Might Have Something To Do With It As Well." Silence Lengthened And She Began To Think Tha The Cell Phone Might Have Dropped The Connection. Then The Marrok Laughed Softly. "oh His Brother Is Going To Tease Him Unmercifully About This.

Apparently Deciding Charles’s Brief Introduction Wasn’t Good Enough, His Brother Reintroduced Himself. “dr. Samuel Cornick, Elder Brother And Tormentor. Very Nice To Meet You, Anna—

Usually The People I Do Know Are Sufficient To Spawn Any Number Of Nightmares Without Inventing Any.

Cheeses Crusty, Got All Musty, Got Damp On The Stone Of A Peach,” I Agreed. He Looked Blank, So I Repeated It With Proper Emphasis. “ Cheez-zes Crusty. Got Al -musty. Got Damp On The Stoneofapeach.

Charles Looked At Her Thoughtfully. "people Talk To You," He Said. "that Could Be Useful.

I Think I’ll Just Go Take A Shower,” I Said. It Wasn’t Until Samuel Stiffened That I Remembered I’d Just Come Out Of The Shower. So Much For Playing Normal.

Leslie Had Learned Two Valuable Things About The Fae That Day. They Were Powerful And Charming -- And They Ate Children And Puppies.

Wizards Don't All Look Alike.

It Wasn't Hard To Follow The Scent Of Blood To The Living Room Where The Fae Had Been Killed. It Had Been A Violent Death, Perfect For Creating Ghosts.

And That's When Anna Realized That What The Wolf Had Been Asking Bran For Was Death. Impulsively, Anna Stepped Away From Charles. She Put A Knee On The Bench She'd Been Sitting On And Reached Over The Back To Close Her Hand On Asil's Wrist, Which Was Lying Across The Back Of The Pew. He Hissed In Shock But Didn't Pull Away. As She Held Him The Scent Of Wilderness, Of Sickness, Faded. He Stared At Her, The Whites Of His Eyes Showing Brightly While His Irises Narrowed To Small Bands Around His Black Pupil. "omega," He Whispered, His Breath Coming Harshly.

Mine" He Said. Adam's Eyes Narrowed. "i Don't Think So. She Is Mine." It Would Of Been Flattering,i Thought,except That At Least One Of Them Was Talking About Dinner And I Wasn't Certain About The Other.

I Was In The Middle Of A Dream About Garbage Cans And Frogs - Don't Ask, And I Won't Tell.

Only Cowards Torture Women.

I Liked Lost In Space,” Stefan Said. “the Movie Or The Tv Series?” “the Movie? Right. I Had Forgotten About The Movie,” He Said Soberly. “it Was Better That Way.

Someday, I'm Going To Meet Some Supernatural Creature Who Tells Me Everything I Should Know Up Front And In A Forthright Manner - But I'm Not Going To Hold My Breath.

During My Last Year Of College I Wrote The Same Ten Pages Over And Over Again. Those Ten Pages Became The First Few Pages Of My First Novel. I Can Still Recite The Opening Paragraph From Memory - Only Now I Cringe When I Do It Because They Are - Surprise! - A Classic Example Of Overwriting, In Addition To Being A More Than A Little Pretentious.

Anger Is Stupid, And Stupidity Will Kill You More Surely Than Your Opponent's Blade.

In This Dream, I Wasn’t A Coyote Shapeshifter Trying To Hold A Werewolf, I Was Coyote’s Almost Daughter, And I Had All The Strength Of The World In My Arms.

Time Was Such An Odd Thing. One Moment You Could Talk To Someone, Then Suddenly, They Were Gone.

Baking Is Like Washing--the Results Are Equally Temporary.

Asil Has Appointed Himself My Guardian?" Asked Charles Softly. Asil Was Overstepping Himself. "he Was Bored, He Told Me," Said His Father. He Gave Charles A Small Smile. "i Have Given Him A Job So He Doesn’t Get Bored Again.

His Heart's Occupied Elsewhere," Said Ben From Behind Me. "and Even If It Weren't He's Not Interested In Your Kind. But, I'm Available And Ready." "you Don't Have A Heart," I Told Him.” Just A Gaping Hole Where It Should Have Been. " "all The More Reason For You To Give Me Yours. " I Pounded My Forehead Against Warren 's Back. "tell Me Ben's Not Flirting With Me. " "hey," Said Ben Sounding Hurt. "i Was Talking Cannibalism, Not Romance.

Mercy Is Not A Proper Indian Name."..........."rash Coyote Who Runs With Wolf. We Could Shorten It To Dinner Woman.

Where Does A Werewolf Sleep? Anywhere He Wants To.

That’s A Pretty Lame Superhero Name,” I Told Him. “scooby-doo Is Already Taken,” He Said With Dignity. “anything Else Sounds Lame In Comparison.

The Best Way For Me To Protect You Is To Encourage You To Be Able To Protect Yourself.

He Was Obviously Dead. But Since He Was A Vampire That Wasn't As Hopless A Thing As It Might Have Been.

Might Have Been

The Main Thing To Remember Is That Making Love Is At Onces The Silliest And The Most Sacred Act Humans Can Perform.

Tis The Gift To Be Gentle, ’tis The Gift To Be Fair, ’tis The Gift To Wake And Breathe The Morning Air, To Walk Every Day In The Path That We Choose, Is The Gift That We Pray We Will Never Never Lose.

We’d Spent Years As Adversaries, Two Predators Sharing Territory And A Certain, Unwelcome Attraction. Somehow, During All Those Years I Spent Outwardly Acquiescing To His Demands While Making Sure I Held My Own, I’d Won His Respect. I’d Had Werewolves Love Me And Hate Me, But I’d Never Had One Respect Me Before. Not Even Samuel. Adam Respected Me Enough To Act On My Suspicions. It Meant A Lot.

You'd Tell The World What Your Best Friend Wore To Sleep If You Thought It Made A Good Enough Story.

Happiness Is German Engineering, Italian Cooking, And Belgian Chocolate.

For The Traditional Fantasies, A Lot More Of My Research Comes From Reading Rather Than Doing. I Like My Worlds To Feel Real, So I Do A Lot Of World Building Research.

My Father Said That A Silent Person Is Trying To Hide Something.

Charles Preferred His Deer To Taste Like Meat And His Pancakes To Look Like Pancakes. Brother Wolf Thought He Was Too Picky. Brother Wolf Was Probably Right.

When I Die Of Heart Failure The Next Time You Frighten Me Like That, You Can Put That On My Gravestone —‘i Didn’t Mean To Startle Her

A Man Learns With Age, If He Is Lucky.

Yes,” I Told Him. “i Think The Guy Playing The Pirate King Was Awesome.” He Stopped Where He Was. “what?” I Asked, Frowning At The Big Smile On His Face. “i Didn’t Say I Liked The Pirate King,” He Told Me. “oh.” I Closed My Eyes—and There He Was. A Warm, Edgy Presence Right On The Edge Of My Perception. When I Opened My Eyes, He Was Standing Right In Front Of Me. “cool,” I Told Him. “you’re Back.” He Kissed Me Leisurely. When He Was Finished, I Was More Than Ready To Head Home. Fast. “you Make Me Laugh,” He Told Me Seriously.

I Could Hear Him Laughing. Son Of A Bit*h. I Would Kill Him. I Didn't Care If He Was Coyote Or The Son Of Satan.he Was A Dead Man Walking.

Paranoia: The Gift Of The Survivor And The Burden Of The Overtired, Stressed, And Terrified.

Warren Made A Noise, The First One I'd Heard Out Of Him Since We'd Come Into The Room. I'd Have Been Happier If He Hadn't Sounded Scared. "easy, Warren," Adam Told Him. "you're Safe Here.” "if You Die On Us, You Won't Be," Said Kyle With A Growl That Would Have Done Credit To Any Of The Werewolves In The Room.

I Was Talking Cannibalism, Not Romance.

I Thought You Couldn't Make It Here Until Morning," I Said. "i Hurried.

Trouble Seems To Follow Me Around, Waiting To Club Me With A Tire Iron.

Drink It,” I Told Her. “it’s Good For What Ails You. Caffeine And Sugar. I Don’t Drink It, So I Ran Over To Your House And Stole The Expensive Stuff In Your Freezer. It Shouldn’t Be That Bad. Samuel Told Me To Make It Strong And Pour Sugar Into It. It Should Taste Sort Of Like Bitter Syrup.” She Gave Me A Smile Smile, Then A Bigger One, And Plugged Her Nose Before She Drank It Down In One Gulp. “next Time," She Said In A Hoarse Voice, “i Make The Coffee.

When I Write, I Get Glimpses Into Future Novels.

Read Good Books. Read Bad Books - And Figure Out Why You Don't Like Them. Then Don't Do It When You Write. If You Are A Science Fiction Or Fantasy Writer, Going To Conventions And Attending Panels Is Very Useful.

If She Kept Wondering About How Much Of Her Life Bran Engineered, She’d End Up On A Funny Farm Knitting Caps For Ducks.

Your Woman Tells Me You Will Hunt Me Down And Eat My Marrow While I Live." "did She?" Charles Looked At Her, And She Saw The Approval In His Face. She Doubted Anyone Else Would Have Read Anything At All. His Voice Was A Caress, Just For Her. "would You Like That, Love?

Most Of The Pack Would Rather Have Darryl Mad At Them Than Auriele.

The Cool Thing About Writing Is That There Is Really Never A Typical Day. Sometimes I Get A Rhythm Going And Head Off To Work Every Morning And Come Home At Night. Sometimes I'll Write For Two Days Straight And Then Be Utterly Blank For The Next Two.

Let's Save Tomorrow's Troubles For Tomorrow.

If It Looks Like A Hallway, Feels Like A Hallway, And Acts Like A Hallway—is It Important To Figure Out That It Isn’t A Hallway?

People As Old And Powerful As He Should Never Be Given Someone To Love. For Anna He Would Destroy The World.

The Devout Belief That The World Is Explainable Is Both A Terrible Vulnerability And A Stout Shield.

Mine. He Was Mine, And Not Even Death Would Take Him From Me—not If I Could Help It.

I Told Them," He Said In A Clear, Carrying Voice, "that They Should Not Give Someone As Old And Powerful As I A Daughter To Love. That It Would End Badly.

You Can't Cage An Eagle For Long Without Destroying It.

There Is Something Incredibly Arousing About Being Wanted. I Pulled My Hand Back And Sucked In A Deep Breath. “adam,” I Said.

To Make Great Art, You Had To Expose Your Soul, And Some Things Should Be Left Safely In The Dark.

The Elders Were Closer To The Maker Of All Things And Should Be Deferred To Whenever They Made Their Will Known.

I Hope This Means You'll Quit Asking Me To Kill You. It Gives Me Indigestion.

Not That I'd Really Been Planning On Keeping The Attack Secret; It Had Just Been An Option I'd Wanted To Keep Open If I Could.

Evil Must Always Be Fought.

Nothing Says You're Sorry Like A Dead Bunny.

It Is Hard To Accept Being Different, Hard To Have People Avoid Looking At You, And Still Believe In Yourself.

Being Different

Some People Are Like Slinkies.they Aren't Really Good For Anything, But They Still Bring A Smile To My Face When I Push Them Down A Flight Of Stairs.

Never Trust A Mechanic Who Drives New Cars. They're Either Charging Too Much Money For Their Work, Or They Can't Keep An Old Car Running - Maybe Both.

Over A Lifetime Of Dealing With Difficult Women, I Have Learned It Is Often Better To Give Into Their Demands Immediately.

A Man's Immortality Can Be Found In His Children.

I Was Going To Have To Come Up With A Rank For Myself Besides Alpha's Mate. In The Pack, I Was Just Mercy- But If Ten More People Called Me The Alpha's Mate, I Was Going To Hit Someone. It Sounded Like A Chess Move.

Heart Turned To Me, His Face Thoughtful. “yesterday Morning. Yes, That Means That Daphne Hadn’t Been Home For Two Days Before That.” He Smiled At Me. “you Were Supposed To Be The Alpha’s Eye Candy.” Adam Laughed. “what?” I Asked Him. “you Don’t Think I’d Be Good Eye Candy?” I Looked Down At My Overalls And Grease-stained Hands. I’d Torn Another Nail To The Quick. “honey Is Eye Candy,” Said Ben Apologetically. “you’re . . . Just You.” “mine,” Said Adam, Edging Between Heart And Me. “mine Is What She Is.

I Jerked My Chin Toward Frost’s Body. ‘all That Is Required For Evil To Prevail Is For Good Men To Do Nothing.’ Hao Said, “life Is Not Safe. A Man Might Spend His Whole Time On Earth Staying Safe In A Basement, And In The End, He Still Dies Like Everyone Else.” Half-naked, Covered With The Same Filth We All Were, He Still Gave The Impression Of Being In Control Of Himself And His Environment.

For Adam, Screwed-up Bonding Thing Or Not, I’d Wait Forever. “really?” He Asked In A Tone I’d Never Heard From Him Before. Softer. Vulnerable. Adam Didn’t Do Vulnerable. “really What?” I Asked. “despite The Way Our Bond Scares You, Despite The Way Someone In The Pack Played You, You’d Still Have Me?” He'd Been Listening To My Thoughts. This Time It Didn't Bother Me. “adam,” I Told Him, “i’d Walk Barefoot Over Hot Coals For You.

Maybe I Should Go Back To Teaching School About Crazy People Instead Of Being One. (jim Alvin)

Take A Note: It Usually Works Better If You Wait Until I Do Something Stupid Before Getting Mad At Me.

Humans, Werewolves, Or, Apparently, Vampire, It Doesn't Matter; Get More Than Three Of Them Together And The Jockeying For Power Begins.

Vampire Politics Make The Very Complicated Dance Of Manners That Is Werewolf Protocol Look Like The Hokey Pokey.

I Was Going To Fight Vampires, And My Name Wasn't Buffy--i Was So Screwed.

I Suppose We Must Work On Being Gracious And Grateful Until We Can Do For Ourselves. Someday The Wheel Of Fate Will Put Us In A Position To Be Of Use To Them, And We Will Remember How Much Easier It Is To Give Help Than It Is To Accept It.

Anna Looked At Brother Wolf. ‘i’d Like To See Someone Try To Put A Radio Control Collar On Charles. It Might Be Fun To Watch On Youtube.

Yes, Well," Said His Da With A Hint Of A Grow That Told Him Just How Worried Bran Had Been About Him, "that'll Teach You To Dodge A Bit Quicker Next Time." "sorry," He Apologized Meekly As He Sat In The Passenger Seat. "good," Said Bran, Shutting The Door Gently. "don't Let It Happen Again." -bran And Charles

The Warmth Of His Body Shouldn’t Have Felt Good. He Was Angry And Every Muscle Was Tense. It Was Like Being Leaned On By A Very Heavy, Warm Brick. A Sexy Brick.

Adam Has Always Had . . . Heroic Tendencies.” I Touched Adam’s Arm. “he’s My Hero.” There Was Another Pause. . . “that Is The Most Romantic Thing I’ve Ever Heard You Say,” Bran Said. “be Careful, Adam, Or You’ll Turn Her Into A Real Girl.” Adam Looked At Me. “i Like Her Just The Way She Is, Bran.” And He Meant It, Greasy Overalls, Broken Fingernails, And All.

I Am The Reality Of All Coyotes. The Archetype. The Epitome. You Are Just A Reflection Of Me.

Stefan: "indian With A Dot, Not A Feather.

Death Is Not Such A Bad Thing. What Would Be A Bad Thing Would Be Living Without Challenges. Without Knowing Defeat, We Cannot Know What Victory Is. There Is No Life Without Death.

Sometimes Broken People Stay Broken.

Mercy?” “just A Minute,” I Told Adam. “i'm In The Middle Of A Revelation.

If It Would Benefit You, I Would Kill Every Wolf Here. But There Are Things That You Need To Do -- And Interfering With That Is Not Protecting, Not In My Book. The Best Way For Me To Protect You Is To Encourage You To Be Able To Protect Yourself.

Love Thy Enemies, It Says In The Scriptures. My Foster Mother Always Added, "at The Very Least, You Will Be Polite To Them.

I Didn't Like Anyone Except Me Having Their Hands All Over Him. There Had Been Possession In Wolf's Touch, And Adam Belonged To Me.

Wolves Eat Coyotes," Gordon Said[...] If He Weren't An Old Man, I Had Some Rude Things I Could Have Said To That. "yes," Observed Adam Blandly. "i Do." Yep. That Was The One That Came To Mind. And He Didn't Even Blush When He Said It. Maybe Gordon Would Miss The Double Entendre. But He Grinned Cheerfully At Adam.

He Can Stop Me In My Tracks, But He Can't Make Me Do Someting I Don't Want To

He Sighed. " I Don't Think An Apology Will Do, Mercy. Because An Apology Implies That You Wouldn't Do It Again. And, Under The Circumstances, You Wouldn't Do Anything Differently, Would You?" "no.

Knowing Someone Desires You Is The Greatest Aphrodisiac

When Life Doesn't Meet Your Expectations, It Was Important To Take It With Grace.

Dance When The Moon Sings, And Don't Cry About Troubles That Haven't Yet Come. (moon Called)

Charles Was Most Comfortable By Himself Or, If That Wasn't Possible, With His Pack In The Wild. Talking For Hours In A Crowded Auditorium Was Not On Any List Of Things He Enjoyed—or Things He Was Good At. At Least No One Had Died. Yet.

Public Speaking

Some Of The Fae Have An Odd Idea Of Bride Send-offs," He Explained "including, According To Zee, Kidnapping." "i Forgot About That." And I Was Appalled Because I Knew Better. "bran And Samuel Are Probably More Of A Danger Than Any Of The Fae," I Told Him. "someday, I'll Tell You About Some Of The More Spectaculare Wedding Antics Samuel's Told Me About." Some Of Them Made Kidnapping Look Mild.

I Don’t Think You’re Supposed To Be Able To Get At That Information,” Said Leslie. “don’t Look,” Said Goldstein, Peering Over Charles’s Shoulder. “we Don’t Know Anything About Illegal Hacking.” He Whistled Cheerily.

I Don't Get Mad, I Get Even.

After I Shut The Door Behind Me, I Heard Darryl Say "of Course Eating Him Would Work Too.

He Didn't Say Anything More, Just Waited For Me To Tell Him What I'd Been Thinking. It Was Pure Speculation, And I Was Opening Myself Up To Ridicule By Saying Anything At All. I Sat On The Stool And Realized That I Had My Loyalties, Too.

Want To Play Some Battleship?” I Wasn’t Leaving Him Alone With That Thing In There. Chad Armed Himself With A Notebook, And We Went To War. Historically, War Has Often Been Used As A Distraction For Problems At Home.

Knowledge Is A Better Weapon Than A Sword.

Wizards Are A Secretive Lot.

My Father Would Take You Wherever You Wanted To Go," He Told Her Softly. "i Was Pretty Sure I Could Talk You Into Staying, But I Underestimated How Badly Hurt I Was." "stupid," She Said Tartly. He Looked Up At Her, And Whatever He Saw In Her Face Made Him Smile, Though His Voice Was Serious When He Answered Her Charge. "yes. You Throw My Judgement Off." -charles And Anna When He Thought She Was Leaving Him And Changed When He Was Injured

I Don't Break; I Bounce.

I Used My History Degree About Twice A Year Whether I Needed To Or Not.

Fortunately, He'd Found That Most People Were Easy To Locate At Five Thirty In The Morning. .

She'd Never Have Allowed Herself To Be Held By Anything As Mundane As A Few Bars And A Reinforced Door

I'm Not Threatening To Kill Myself. But You Need To Know This About Me Because—if You Want To Be My Mate—i Won't Be Like Leo. I Won't Let You Sleep Around With Anyone Else. I Won't Be Forced Either. I've Had Enough. If That Makes Me A Dog In The Manger, So Be It. But If I Am Yours, Then You Damned Well Are Going To Be Mine." - Anna To Charles

When We Got To The Moron Who Was Sitting In The Only Path To The Stairway, Adam Caught My Waist And Lifted Me Over Before Stepping Over The Man Himself. “scott?” Adam Said As We Headed Upstairs. “yeah?” “unless Someone Shoots You, Skins You, And Throws The Results On The Floor, I Don’t Want To See You Lying In The Walkway Again.” “yessir!

Is It Like A Harry Potter Thing?" He Turned His Head Then. "a What?" "a Harry Potter Thing," She Said Again. "you Know, Don't Say Voldemort's Name Because You Might Attract His Attention?" He Considered It. "you Mean The Children's Book." "i Have Got To Get You To Watch More Movies," She Said. "you'd Enjoy These. Yes, I Mean The Children's Book.

Don’t Try Threatening An Alpha. They Don’t Like It.

She Wondered That Hope Was So Much Harder Then Despair.

So In The Sweltering Heat Of A July Night, I Sang A Christmas Carol To A Room Full Of Fae, Who Had Been Driven Out Of Their Homelands By Christians And Their Cold-iron Swords.

Dragons And Legends...it Would Have Been Difficult For Any Man Not To Want To Fight Beside A Dragon.

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