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“hey, Adam,” I Said. “i Thought You'd Want To Know That Warren And Darryl Made It Out Of The Vampire Den Alive.” I Sucked In My Breath. “you Didn't Actually Agree To Their Meeting On Marsilia's Grounds?” He Laughed. “no, It Just Sounded Better Than Saying They Made It Out Of Denny's Alive. It Might Not Be Romantic, But It's Open All Night And Set In The Middle Of A Brightly Lit Parking Lot With No Dark Places For Skulking Parties To Ambush From.”

-Patricia Briggs

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“hey, Adam,” I Said.

Patricia Briggs

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“hey, Adam,” I Said. “i Thought You'd Want To Know That Warren And Darryl Made It Out Of The Vampire Den Alive.” I Sucked In My Breath. “you Didn't Actually Agree To Their Meeting On Marsilia's Grounds?” He Laughed. “no, It Just Sounded Better Than Saying They Made It Out Of Denny's Alive. It Might Not Be Romantic, But It's Open All Night And Set In The Middle Of A Brightly Lit Parking Lot With No Dark Places For Skulking Parties To Ambush From.”

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You Play Games With People's Lives.(...) You Forget That They Are Fragile.

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

The Trick To Going Wherever You Want Unchallenged In A Hospital Is To Walk Briskly, Nod To The People You Know, And Ignore The Ones You Don’t. The Nod Reassures Everyone That You Are Known, The Brisk Pace That You Have A Mission And Don’t Want To Talk

All Life Is Rife With Possibilities. Seeds Have Possibilities, But All Their Tomorrows Are Caught By The Patterning Of Their Life Cycle. Animals Have Possibilities That Are Greater Than That Of A Fir Tree Or A Blade Of Grass. Still, Though, For Most Animals, The Pattern Of Instinct, The Patterns Of Their Lives, Are Very Strong. Humanity Has A Far Greater Range Of Possibilities, Especially The Very Young. Who Will Children Grow Up To Be? Who Will They Marry, What Will They Believe, What Will They Create? Creation Is A Very Powerful Seed Of Possibility.

Reincarnation?” He Shrugged. “i’ve Never Seen Any Evidence That It’s Real. But I’ve Never Seen Anything That Disproves It Either. I Believe The Afterlife Is Better Than What We Have Here—and It Would Take Something Extraordinary To Make Someone Willing To Come Back.

Never Accept The Blame For What Evil People Do. We Are All Responsible For Our Own Actions.

Bran Was The Only Person I Knew Who Could Use Words Like "blackguard" And Make Them Sound Like Swear Words-but Then He Could Have Said "bunny Rabbit" In That Tone Of Voice And Weaken My Spine With The Same Shiver Of Fear.

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

Wizards Don't All Look Alike.

Evil Must Always Be Fought.

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

What Would A Racist Call Werewolves? Wargs? She Kind Of Liked That One, But Suspected That Racist Bastards Didn't Read Tolkien.

This Was Not A Man Who Wanted To Give Up His Mate. This Was A Man Trying To Do The Honorable Thing—and Give Her A Choice, No Matter Hiw Much It Cost Him.

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.

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

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.

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

A Second Floor Window Opened, And Kyle Stuck His Head And Shoulders Out So He Could Look Down At Us. “if You Two Are Finished Playing Cowboy And Indian Out There, Some Of Us Would Like To Get Their Beauty Sleep.” I Looked At Warren. “you Heard ‘um Kemo Sabe. Me Go To My Little Wigwam And Get ‘um Shut-eye.” “how Come You Always Get To Play The Indian?” Whined Warren, Deadpan. “cause She’s The Indian, White Boy,” Said Kyle.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Zee Said, Grumpily, “liebling, This Is Not A Good Idea.” “zee,” I Told Him, “i Am Completely Out Of Good Ideas And Am Doing My Best With The Bad Ones I Have Left.

Over The Years, She'd Learned Not To Question Him To Closely—mostly Because He Wouldn't Answer Her.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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Don’t Fuss. I Love You Just As You Are, Mercy. I Don’t Need To Swallow You Whole, I Don’t Need To Be In Your Head At All Times. I Just Need To Know That You’re There.

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

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

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You Forgot The ‘my Precious,’” Anna Said Dryly. “if You Want To Act Like A Freaking Nutcase, You Have To Do It Right.

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

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.

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

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Let's Save Tomorrow's Troubles For Tomorrow.

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

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.

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.

Adam Didn't Approve Of Wal-mart.

He Bit The Nape Of My Neck And I Moaned.

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.

Much Awkwardness Ensued.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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The Only Certainty Life Contains Is Death.

Certainty Of Death

Certainty In Life

Pack Is For Comfort When You Hurt, I Thought, Putting My Head Back Down. And For The First Time In A Long Time, Maybe The First Time Ever, I Appreciated Being A Part Of One.

You Will Eat This And Go To Sleep, So Your Pronouns Get Their Antecedents Back.

This World Has Need Of Song And Sword.

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)

It Is One Of Those Lessons That Every Child Should Learn: Don't Play With Fire, Sharp Objects, Or Ancient Artifacts.

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

He Stopped What He Was Doing And Pulled Out His Magic Phone. Okay, The Phone Wasn't Magic, But It Does Things My Computer Struggles With.

He'd Woken Up After Flying From Boston To Montana To Find His Da Cooking Breakfast For Them: Sausage And Pancakes Shaped Like Deer. It Wasn't Just Any Deer, Either - They Looked Like Bambi From The Disney Cartoon. Charles Didn't Want To Know How His Father Had Managed That

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

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.

Intelligent Men Are Dangerous.

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

Love Is Not Necessary For Sex.

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.

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.

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

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?

"i Thought Indians Built Fires With Fiction." .... "i Can Do That, But I'd Like To Eat Sometime In The Next Day Or So. Sterno And Bic Are Much Faster."

Any Idiot Can Put Up A Website.

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

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.

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.

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?

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

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

No-pocket Jeans Are Only Slightly Less Irritating Than Thong Underwear.

A Man Says A Lot Of Things In Summer He Doesn't Mean In Winter.

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!

It's Easier To Dismiss Ghosts In The Daylight.

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.

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.

When Is The Last Time You Were A Tourist?” She Asked Archly. He Just Looked At Her. Charles, She Had To Agree, Was Not Tourist Material. “right,” Anna Told Him. “buck Up. You Might Even Enjoy It.” “you Might As Well Have ‘hapless Victim’ Tattooed Across Your Forehead,” He Muttered.

I Was Too Busy Fighting The River To Worry About Adjusting My Beliefs In Accordance To Reality.

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

I Don't Get Mad, I Get Even.

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 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.

You Okay Now ?" He Asked. "okay." He Tightened His Arms And Lifted Me Off My Feet. "mercy?" He Growled Into My Ear. I Wrapped My Legs Around His Waist. " Yeah" , I Said. "me Too.

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.

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

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

His Brother Maintained That What Sent People Backing Away Was Neither His Size Nor His Mother's Blood, But Solely The Expression On His Face. To Test Samuel's Theory, Charles Had Tried Smiling - And Then Solemnly Reported To Samuel That He Had Been Mistaken. When Charles Smiled, He Told Samuel, People Just Ran Faster.

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.

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

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

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.

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

Being Different

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

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

Some Truths Are Truths, No Matter Who Says Them.

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.

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.

When I Write, I Get Glimpses Into Future Novels.

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.

My Foster Mother Always Laughed And Said It Was His Reputation For Knowing Everything That Allowed For Him To Appear Infallible: All He Had To Do Was Walk Through The Room And See Who Looked Guiltiest When They Saw Him. Maybe She Was Right, But I Tried Looking Innocent The Next Time, And It Didn't Work.

Knowing Everything

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

Werewolf Games,' Mercy Said Solemnly, 'play For Keeps, Or Go Home.' She Was So Cute Sometimes It Made Adam's Heart Hurt.

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

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.

I Like That People Can Just Look At You And Know That You Are Taken, That You Are Mine.” He Closed His Eyes And Laughed. “and Yes, I Know That Sentiment Is At The Top Of The Women’s Liberation Movement’s List Of Things Not To Say To A Modern Woman

Identity Was Partly Heritage, Partly Upbringing, But Mostly The Choices You Make In Life. ~ Bran

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.

She Sees Ghosts,” Said Samuel, Impatient With My Whining. I See Dead People,” I Deadpanned Back. Oddly, It Was Uncle Mike Who Laughed. I Hadn’t Thought He’d Be A Moviegoer.

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.

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.

Tim Was Dead. And He's Always Been A Loser. I'd Be Damned If I Was Going To Be The Victim Of A Loser - Or Anyone Else.

Are You Done Yet?' Issac Called Charles Tilted His Head Back And Called Back, 'i Suppose That's Why They Call You The Five Minute Wonder.' Anna Could Feel Her Eyes Round And Her Mouth Drop Open 'i Cant Believe You Just Said That' She Paused And Reconsidered. 'i Am So Telling Samuel You Said That.' Charles Smiled. Kissed Her Gently, And Said 'samuel Won't Believe You.

Women Are The Bloodthirsty Sex," Said Ric Sadly. "we Get The Reputation, But It Is Only Because The Women Stand Behind Us, And Say, Kill It. Squish It.

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

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

There Isn’t A Person In This City More Dangerous Than A Wolf Whose Mate Is In Danger.

A Stupid Ruler Is Much More Of A Problem Than An Insane One.

But You Can't Marry Someone To Fix Him, Even If You Love Them.

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 Lick The Guests, Darling. Bad Manners.

I Narrowed My Eyes At Him. "stuff That. I'll Write A Doctoral Thesis. Then I Can Go Do What Most Of The Other People With Doctoral Degrees In Anthropology Do." "what's That?" Asked Calvin. "you Don't Need To Encourage Her," Said Adam Seriously, But His Eyes Laughed At Me. "the Same Thing That People With Degrees In History Do," I Said. "fix Cars Or Serve Frnech Fries And Bad Hamburgers.

Bran Was Stripping Her Futon Down To The Bare Mattress When She Entered Her Apartment. It Was Sort Of Like Watching The President Mowing The White House Lawn Or Taking Out The Trash.

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.

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.

Honey, ... When A Wolf Watches A Lamb, He's Not Thinking About The Lamb's Mommy.

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

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

Mine, ... Mine Is What She Is.

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

That Is The Freakiest Thing That Ever Happened To Me.” I Nodded Toward The Mess. “and If You Knew My Life, You’d Realize Just How Freaky That Is.

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.

Do They Always Flirt With Biblical Quotes?" Asil Asked Tad. In Long-suffering Tones, Tad Said, "they Can Flirt With The Periodic Table Or A Restaurant Menu. We've Learned To Live With It. Get A Room You Guys."

Don't Make Light Of Any Man's Pain.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

Trying Is Always Enough.

A Man Who Will Risk Nothing For Love Is Not A Man

Do You Have Any Idea How Much I Love You?” He Asked. ”enough To Accept My Apologies?” I Suggested In A Small Voice. ”heck No,” He Said, And Pushed Off From The Wall, Stalking Forward. When He Reached Me, He Put His Hands Up And Touched The Sides Of My Neck With The Tips Of His Fingers – As If I Were Something Fragile. ”no Apologies From You,” He Told Me, His Voice Soft Enough To Melt My Knees And Most Of My Other Parts.

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.

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

Alpha And Omega

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Survivors Can't Always Choose Their Methods.

People Who Know Other People’s Secrets Can’t Afford To Do Things That Impair Their Ability To Control Their Mouths.

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

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

She Crawled,” Ben Said. There Were Tears In His Voice. That Was Wrong. Ben Barely Even Tolerated Me On The Best Of Days. “she Crawled To The Bathroom To Clean Herself Again. If It Weren’t For The Two Subs In The Pack, I’d Be On The Bottom. And She Wouldn’t Stand Up In My Presence For Guilt.

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?

I Like What You've Done To Your Face," Ben Said, Tapping His Eye.

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.

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.

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

Knowing Someone Desires You Is The Greatest Aphrodisiac

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—

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