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It's Like Living In A Retirement Home! Clarence Is Taking A Nap Right Now, And He Eats At Five. It's So Boring." "you've Only Been Here For Two Days." "and That's Been More Than Enough. The Only Thing Keeping Me Alive Is That He Keeps A Hefty Supply Of Liquor On Hand. But At The Rate I'm Going, That'll Be Gone By The Weekend. Jesus Christ, I'm Climbing The Walls." His Eyes Fell On The Cross At My Neck. "oh. Sorry. No Offense To Jesus.

-Richelle Mead

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It's Like Living In

Richelle Mead

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It's Like Living In A Retirement Home! Clarence Is Taking A Nap Right Now, And He Eats At Five. It's So Boring." "you've Only Been Here For Two Days." "and That's Been More Than Enough. The Only Thing Keeping Me Alive Is That He Keeps A Hefty Supply Of Liquor On Hand. But At The Rate I'm Going, That'll Be Gone By The Weekend. Jesus Christ, I'm Climbing The Walls." His Eyes Fell On The Cross At My Neck. "oh. Sorry. No Offense To Jesus.

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Have You Ever Wanted To Put On A Santa Suit?" "i Have Always Wanted To Do That," Said Carter Gravely.

Hey Show Some Respect. They’re Real People With Names. Carla And Krissy” He Frowned. “or Was It Missy?

Because...beacause It's So Good, And There's Only One Chance To Read A Book For The First Time, And I Want It To Last. That Experience. I'd Finish It In A Day Otherwise, And That'd Be Like...like Eating A Carton Of Ice Cream In One Sitting. Too Much Richness Over Too Quickly. This Way, I Can Draw It Out. Make The Book Last Longer. Savor It. I Have To Since They Don't Come Out That Often.

Was It Weird Having A Witch Grandma? Scary? Was She Always, Like, Threatening To Cast Spells If You Were Bad?" "most Of The Time She Just Threatened To Send Me To My Room." "that Doesn't Sound So Scary To Me." "that's Because You Haven't Met Her.

Wait Until Next Time," He Warned. "i'll Do Things That'll Make You Lose Control Within Seconds.

Lissa Knelt Down, Compassion On Her Face. I Wasn't Surprised, Since She'd Always Had A Thing For Animals. She'd Lectured Me For Days After I'd Instigated The Infamous Hamster-and-hermit-crab Fight. I'd Viewed The Fight As A Testing Of Worthy Opponents. She'd Seen It As Animal Cruelty.

This Is Politics. People In Power Never Have To Play By The Same Rules.

For A Moment, I Was Captivated As I Studied Them Side By Side. My Mother: The Perfect Picture Of Guardian Excellence And Decorum. My Father: Always Capable Of Achieving His Goals, No Matter How Twisted The Means. Uneasily, I Began To Understand How I’d Inherited My Bizarre Personality.

Oh My God," He Said. "a Kind Word From Rose Hathaway. I Can Die A Happy Man.

You're A Dhampir," I Breathed. "so Are You." He Teased. "yeah, But I Just Thought—" "that I Was Human? Because Of The Bite Marks?" "yeah." I Admitted, No Point In Lying. "we All Have To Survive," He Said "and Dhamphirs Are Good At Figuring Ways Out To.

See? There It Is Again. My Flame In The Dark.

It Doesn't Matter. Take Eddie's Blood. Take Belikov's Blood. Take Your Own For All I Care. But If She Doesn't Want To Give Hers, Then That's All There Is To It. She Said No. This Conversation Is Done.

Angeline Made A Few More Attempts To Break Away, But When It Became Clear She Couldn't, Those Around Us Began Whistling And Cheering. A Few Moments Later, That Dark And Furious Look Vanished From Angeline's Face, Replaced By Resignation. I Eyed Her Warily, Not About To Let Down My Guard. "fine," She Said. "i Guess It's Okay. Go Ahead." "huh? What's Okay?" I Demanded. "it's Okay If You Marry My Brother." (next Chapter) "it's Not Funny!" "you're Right,"agreed Sydney, Laughing Hysterically. "it's Not Funny. It's Hilarious.

They’re Waiting For You. Go On In.” Adrian Leaned Close To Keith’s Ear And Spoke In An Ominous Voice. “if.you.dare.” He Poked Keith’s Shoulder And Gave A "muhahaha” Kind Of Monster Laugh.

"she Was Right About Something Else Too," Dimitri Said After A Long Pause. My Back Was To Him, But There Was A Strange Quality To His Voice That Made Me Turn Around. "what's That?" I Asked. "that I Do Still Love You." With That One Sentence, Everything In The Universe Changed.

Are You Some Kind Of Mutant Human? Like A Fire User? And I Use Mutant As A Compliment, You Know. I Wouldn’t Think Less Of You.

Compliments You

Rose Hathaway: "was He Right?” Dimitri Belikov: "who?” Rose Hathaway: "victor…he Said It Couldn't Have Worked. The Necklace.” Dimitri Belikov: "what Do You Mean?” Rose Hathaway: "the Spell. Victor Said You Had To Want Me…to Care About Me…for It To Work. Did You? Did You Want Me?” Dimitri Belikov: "yes, Roza. I Did Want You. I Still Do. I Wish…we Could Be Together.” (vampire Academy)

Good God," I Said. "this Is The Most Stereotypical Vampire Food Ever." "only If It Was Raw. What Do You Think?" "it's Good," I Said Reluctantly. Who Knew That Bacon Would Have Made All The Difference? "really Good. I Think You Have A Promising Future As A Housewife While Lissa Works And Makes Millions Of Dollars." "funny, That's Exactly My Dream.

I Found The Candles—atrocious Air Freshening Ones That Smelled Like Fake Pine.

Abe Shook His Head, And Now The Smile Was Gone Altogether. "that's Not The Reason Either. Don't Lie To Me Little Girl." I Felt My Hackles Going Up. "and Don't Interrogate Me, Old Man.

Seth Moved Behind Me, His Presence Steady And Reassuring. Waiting To Catch Me, Even Though I Refused To Fall Just Yet.

How?" I Demanded. "how Could You Have Screwed This One Up?" "when I Got In, They Said The Manager Was On The Phone And Would Be A Few Minutes. So, I Sat Down And Ordered A Drink." This Time, I Did Lean My Forehead Against The Steering Wheel. "what Did You Order?" "a Martini." "a Martini." I Lifted My Head. "you Ordered A Martini Before A Job Interview." "it's A Bar, Sage. I Figured They'd Be Cool With It.

Somehow, Sydney Had An Internal Clock That Told Her When Time Was Up. I Think It Was Part Of Her Inherent Ability To Keep Track Of A Hundred Things At Once. Not Me. In These Moments, My Thoughts Were Usually Focused On Getting Her Shirt Off And Whether I’d Get Past The Bra This Time. So Far, I Hadn’t.

That's Smart. Once Sonya's Able To Talk, We'll Need To Move." He Smiled. "sydney's Turning Into A Battle Mastermind." "hey, She's Not In Charge Here," I Teased. "she's Just A Soldier." "right." He Lightly Brushed His Fingers Against My Cheek. "sorry, Captain." "general," I Corrected, Catching My Breath At That Brief Touch.

Behaviors And Feelings Rarely Line Up

I Clung To That Spark Of Hope, Nurturing It Into A Small Flame That Chased Some Of The Shadows In My Heart Away.

I Don’t Know, Sage. You Threw Yourself In The Line Of Pepper Spray For Me. You Must Like Me Just A Little Bit.” “i— I Figured It’d Be A Shame To Ruin Your Pretty Face,” I Stammered.

My Nails Dug Into His Back, And He Trailed His Lips Down The Edge Of My Chin, Down The Center Of My Neck. He Kept Going Until He Reached The Bottom Of The Dress’s V-neck. I Let Out A Small Gasp, And He Kissed All Around The Neckline, Just Enough To Tease.

Nah. I’m A Consultant, Of Course. Everyone’s Favorite Nondescript Yet Well-paid White-collar Job.

John Cusack Is Standing Over There.” I Followed His Incredulous Gaze To Where A Man Very Like Mr. Cusack Did Indeed Stand, Smoking A Cigarette As He Leaned Against A Building. I Sighed. “that’s Not John Cusack. That’s Jerome.” “seriously?” “yup. I Told You He Looked Like John Cusack.” “keyword: Looked. That Guy Doesn’t Look Like Him. That Guy Is Him.

You're Burned Into My Mind Forever. There Is Nothing, Nothing In This World That Will Ever Change That." And It Was Memories Like That That Made It So Hard To Comprehend This Quest To Kill Him, Even If He Was A Strigoi. Yet...at The Same Time I Had To Destroy Him. I Needed To Remember Him As The Man Who'd Loved Me And Held Me In Bed. I Needed To Remember That That Man Would Not Want To Stay A Monster.

I Looked Back And Forth At Them In Amazement. I Didn't Know If I Was Witnessing A Fight Or Foreplay. I Wasn't Thrilled About Either Option.

You…you Need To Move On,” I Managed. Yes, That Was A Sound Reason. “you Need To Find Someone Else. You Know I Don’t—that I Can’t. Well, You Know. You’re Wasting Your Time With Me.” He Remained Firm. “it’s My Time To Waste.

You Guys Are So Caught Up In Your Polished Images And Your Passive-aggressive Comments That No One Ever Comes Right Out And Says Anything. Well, I'm Going To.

Passive Aggressive

He Used To Talk To Me About Russia All The Time And Had Sworn Up And Down That I'd Love It Here. "to You, It'd Be Like A Fairy Tale," He'd Told Me. "sorry, Comrade. Borg And Out-of-date Music Aren't Part Of Any Happy Ending I've Ever Imagined." "borscht, Not Borg. And I've Seen Your Appetite. If You Were Hungry Enough, You'd Eat It." "so Starvation's Necessary For This Fairy Tale To Work Out?

Okay, So. You, Belikov, The Alchemist, Sonya Karp, Victor Dashkov, And Robert Doru Are All Hanging Out In West Virginia Together.” “no,” I Said. “no?” “we’re, Uh, Not In West Virginia.

I'm Glad You're Better," He Said. His Mouth Sounded Like It Was Almost In My Hair, Just Above My My Ear. "when I Saw You Fall..." "you Thought, 'wow, She's A Loser.

None Of You Appreciate Me. Why Is It So Hard To Believe That I Could Make A Real Contribution In These Dark Rimes?

I Wasn't Fooled. He Was Avoiding Looking At Me. "there's Nothing To Talk About." "i Knew You'd Say That. Actually, It Was A Toss-up Between That And 'i Don't Know What You're Talking About.'" Dimitri Sighed.

‎she Didn't Understand What It Was Like To Be Filled With A Love So Strong That It Made Your Chest Ache—a Love You Could Only Feel And Not Express. Keeping Love Buried Was A Lot Like Keeping Anger Pent Up, I'd Learned. It Just Ate You Up Inside Until You Wanted To Scream Or Kick Something.

I Can Pick A Lock. How Do You Think I Got Into My Parents' Liquor Cabinet In Middle School?

My God, Sage. Your Eyes. How Have I Never Noticed Them?" That Uncomfortable Feeling Was Spreading Over Me Again. "what About Them?" "the Color," He Breathed. "when You Stand In The Light. They're Amazing... Like Molten Gold. I Could Paint Those..." He Reached Toward Me But Then Pulled Back. "they're Beautiful. You're Beautiful.

You've Got To Take It On Faith That The Enemy Of Your Enemy Is Your Friend.

Vampire Academy

I Realized I’m In Love. It's Always Been Right In Front Of Me.

Relax, Jailbait," Said Avery. "a Drunken Kiss Is Nothing Compared To A Drunken Fall. God Knows I've Kissed Plenty Of Guys Drunk." "and Yet, I Remain Unkissed Tonight," Mused Adrian.

I Think Adrian Really Likes You. Like, In A Wanting-to-be-serious Way." "nope. He Likes Me In A Wanting-to-get-the-clothes-off-the-cute-dhampir Way.

You Will Lose What You Value Most... It Hadn't Been Me That Rhonda Was Talking About. It Hadn't Even Been Dimitri's Life. What You Value Most. It Had Been His Soul.

Why Are You Hanging Around, Then? Aren't You Worried About Getting Hit?" "aw, You'd Never Hurt Me. My Face Is Too Pretty.

Well, She Was Talking To Me. That's Enough To Make Anyone Lose Their Temper. And I Accused Her Of Sleeping With My Dad Because He Was The Soundest Evolutionary Choice.

She Might Be Unarmed, But Rose Hathaway Was In Possession Of Many Weapons.

What Is It With You And Frozen Desserts Why Do You Always Want Them?" "because We Live In A Dessert.

Can't You... I Don't. Find A Hobby Or Something?" "being Charming Is My Hobby.

Meant To Be Alone

Oh, So That's Why You're Up Here. For A Pity Party." "this Isn't A Joke. I'm Serious." I Could Tell Lissa Was Getting Angry. It Was Trumping Her Earlier Distress. He Shrugged And Leaned Casually Against The Sloping Wall. "so Am I. I Love Pity Parties. I Wish I'd Brought The Hats. What Do You Want To Mope About First? How It's Going To Take You A Whole Day To Be Popular And Loved Again? How You'll Have To Wait A Couple Weeks Before Hollister Can Ship Out Some New Clothes? If You Spring For Rush Shipping, It Might Not Be So Long.

And Sometimes, If I Was Really, Really Lucky, He’d Smile At Me. A Real Smile, Too—not The Dry One That Accompanied The Sarcasm We Tossed Around So Often. I Didn’t Want To Admit It To Anyone—not To Lissa, Not Even To Myself—but Some Days, I Lived For Those Smiles.

Okay," I Said, Clasping Her Hand. "i Swear It. The Next Time I Do Something Stupid That Might Get Me Killed, You Can Come Along.

Don't Touch Her," He Growled. There Was A Note In His Voice That Would Of Scared Me If It Had Been Directed Toward Me. He Shoved Me Behind Him, Putting His Body Protectively In Front Of Mine With My Back To The Table. Guardians Came At Us From All Directions,and Dimitri Began Dispatching Them With The Same Deadly Grace That Had Once Made People Call Him A God.

If We Could Manage Any Sort Of Trust Again... Well. That Would Make Me Happier Than You Can Imagine

I Left The Clinic In A Daze That Had Nothing To Do With My Head Injury. Clear Up In A Week Or So? How Could Dr. Olendzki Speak So Lightly About This? I Was Going To Look Like A Mutant For Christmas And Most Of The Ski Trip. I Had A Black Eye. A Freaking Black Eye. And My Mother Had Given It To Me.

I Want Her To Be Happy. It's Worth Sacrificing Myself.

I Opened My Eyes And Met His Dark, Earnest Gaze. "it's Okay," I Said. "it's Okay Now. I'm Here I'll Always Be Here For You.

I Thought I'd Finally Get To Relax With Dimitri.

You Will Lose What You Value Most, So Treasure It While You Can.

Wheel Of Fortune

I Can't Believe You've Been Here All Day And Didn't Come Visit. ", Tatiana Said. "aw, I Figured You Had More Important Things To Do Than See Me, " Adrian Told Her. "besides, I Quit Smoking, So Now We Won't Be Able To Go Sneak Cigarettes Out Behind The Throne Room Together. " "adrian!" Chastised Nathan, Turning Bright Red. It Occurred To Me Then That I Could Have Based A Drinking Game Around How Many Times He Exclaimed His Son's Name Disapprovingly.

Ooh. Top Secret Angel Business, Huh? What’re You Going To Do? Dance On A Pinhead? Lobby For National Cute Puppy Day?

But It's Not The Name I'd Give To A Conqueror Of Worlds... I Would've Gone With Thundro Or Ragnor. I Might Just Call Him Thundro Anyway.

I'm Sorry." "be Sorry You Lied," He Said, Pressing A Kiss To My Forehead. "don't Be Sorry You Loved Him. That's Part Of You, Part You Have To Let Go, Yeah, But Still Something That's Made You Who You Are.

It Wasn't The Kind Of Touch That Said, Hey, I've Got A Plan, So Hang In There Because We're Going To Get Out Of This. It Was More Like The Kind Of Touch That Simply Said, You Aren't Alone. It Was Really The Only Thing He Could Offer. And In That Moment, It Was Enough.

I Want Your Opinion.ʺ ʺthat,ʺ Adrian Said, ʺis Not Something I Hear A Lot.ʺ

While I'm Fine With You Two Dating And Being Happy, Please Try Not To Break His Heart Too Much When The Time Comes.

You Are So Beautiful, It Hurts Me Sometimes. -dimitri To Rose

Nothing Happened Here, Okay? None Of This Did.” His Eyebrows Rose. “really? Because I Could Have Sworn That Something Happened When My Hand Was Between Your—” “no!” - Dorian And Eugenie

How We Love Others Is Affected By How We Love Ourselves, And For The First Time In A Long Time, I Was Whole.

The Question Was Which Spell Did I Make? Which Did I Have Time To Make? The Answer Was Eerily Simple. I Had Time To Make All Of Them.

But Perhaps The Best Part Of All Was That I, Sydney Katherine Sage, Guilty Of Constantly Analyzing The World Around Me, Well, I Stopped Thinking.

If It Makes You Feel Any Better, You’re Not As Bad As Keith. He Was Here Earlier Today And Was So Nervous, He Literally Kept Looking Over His Shoulder.” Lee Paused Thoughtfully. “i Think It Might Have Been Because Adrian Kept Laughing Like A Mad Scientist At Those Old Black-and-white Movies He Was Watching.

Black And White

Unbelievable," I Said. "first You Wanted To Hide Her Away To Keep You Alive. Now You Actually Want Her Out In The World To Use Her Compulsion For Your Own Psycho Plans.

Knowing I Wasn't Going Anywhere, I Frantically Searched For Some Way To Help Her. A Dark Figure Caught My Eye. "christian!" I Yelled. He'd Been Staring At Lissa's Retreating Figure But Glanced Up At The Sound Of His Name. One Of My Escorts Shushed Me And Took My Arm. "be Quiet." I Ignored Her. "go After Her," I Called To Christian. "hurry." He Just Sat There, And I Suppressed A Groan. "go, You Idiot!" My Guardians Snapped At Me To Be Quiet Again, But Something Inside Of Christian Woke Up. Springing Up From His Lounging Position, He Tore Off In The Direction Lissa Had Traveled.

We Can Take Her. Besides, He Deserves Someone Who Doesn't Shop At Gap Kids. -rose To Lissa On Mia And Aaron

It's Okay," I Said Soothingly. "you're Just Getting Your Stride Back. Once You're Up To Full Power, I'll Go Crack A Rib Or Something So We Can Test It." She Groaned. "the Horrible Part Is That I Don't Think You're Joking.

I Left Her There Crying As I Walked Toward The Gate. A Piece Of My Soul Had Died When Dimitri Had Fallen. Turning My Back On Her Now, I Felt Another Piece Die As Well. Soon There Wouldn't Be Anything Left Inside Me.

I Spent The Rest Of The Day Doing Little More Than That. I Skipped Dinner. I Shed A Few Tears. But Mostly, I Just Sat On My Bed Thinking And Growing More And More Depressed. I Also Discovered The Only Thing Worse Than Imagining Dimitri And Tasha Together Was Remembering When He And I Had Been Together. He Would Never Touch Me Again Like That, Never Kiss Me Again.

Everything‟s Fine,” I Said, With A Tight Smile. “kiyo Was Just Giving Me His Latest Explanation About How My Son Is A Terror To Be Feared.” Dorian Scoffed. “little Thundro? A Terror? Hardly, Unless Perhaps We‟re Discussing Diapers.

Maybe Instead Of Stalking Her, You Should Go Out With Someone Else." He Sighed. "you Don't Think I've Tried? How Can Anyone Compare? You Might Not Believe This, But There Is No One Like Ageline At This School.

I Brought My Lips Down To Hers, And It Was Like Everything That Had Ever Happened To Me Had Simply Been A Warm-up For This Moment, That This Was Where My Life Truly Began.

I Didn't Like Having Reasonable Arguments Thrown At Me.

Considering Adrian Had Once Gotten Bored While Reading While Reading A Particularly Long Menu, I Had A Hard Time Imagining He'd Read The Hugo Book In Any Language.

Yeah? What'd You Name All Those Cats?" Death, Famine, Pestilence, War, And Mr. Whiskers." You Named Your Cats After The Riders Of The Apocal--wait. Mr. Whiskers?" Well, There Are Only Four Horsemen.

He Stepped Back And Threw His Arms Out. "i'm Always Crazy Around You Rose. Here, I'm Going To Write An Impromptu Poem For You." He Tipped His Head Back And Shouted To The Sky: "rose Is In Red But Never In Blue Sharp As A Thorn Fights Like One Too.

You Fixed Yourself. You Didn’t Need Me.” “no, Sydney.” My Voice Was Ragged. “i Do Need You. You Have No Idea How Much I Need You.

Takes A Lot Of Tries Before You Hit Perfection." He Paused To Reconsider That. "well, Except For My Parents. They Got It On The First Try." (adrian)

Wait. You Think I'm Going To Die? That's Why You Slept With Me?

Day 24. Situation Is Growing Worse. My Captors Continue To Find New And Horrific Ways To Torture Me. When Not Working, Agent Scarlet Spends Her Days Examining Fabric Swatches For Bridesmaid Dresses And Going On About How In Love She Is. This Usually Causes Agent Boring Borscht To Regale Us With Stories Of Russian Weddings That Are Even More Boring Than His Usual Ones. My Attempts At Escape Have Been Thwarted Thus Far. Also, I Am Out Of Cigarettes. Any Assistance Or Tobacco Products You Can Send Will Be Greatly Appreciated. -prisoner 24601

I Don't Care," Said Seth. "i Would Have Done It. I Would Have Sold My Soul For You. You And Me...i Told You. Something's Always Going To Keep Us Near Each Other...even If We Aren't Together.

Love Is Rarely Flawless,” Carter Pointed Out. “humans Delude Themselves By Thinking It Has To Be. It Is The Imperfection That Makes Love Perfect.

Um, Thanks,” She Said. It Was Nice To See One Woman Finally Immune To That Accent. That Wasn’t To Say Rose Wasn’t A Sucker For Accents. She Just Preferred Hers From The Other Side Of Europe.

I Saw Something In His Pretty Green Eyes That I Had Never Seen Before: Anger. They Were Like Emerald Fire

But I Couldn't Help Myself, Couldn't Help The Way I Felt As I Recalled The Bliss And Rush Of A Vampire's Bite.

All The Best, Sydney P.s. "the Red Hurricane" Is What I Named The Car. P.p.s. Just Because I Like You, It Doesn't Mean I Still Don't Think You're An Evil Creature Of The Night. You Are.

You Shook His Hand?" Adrian Asked Incredulously … “with All That Red-hot Passion, It’s A Wonder You Guys Can Stay Away From Each Other

Anger Based On Calculated Reason Is More Dangerous Than Anger Based On Blind Hate

Since...since When?" I Finally Managed To Ask. "since...forever." His Tone Implied The Answer Was Obvious.

There's A Guy Chasing Me!" I Called As I Headed Out The Door.

It Occurred To Me That I Was Standing Face To Face With The Hero Of A Love Story Nearly As Dramatic As My Own.

She Felt So Much Emotionally, She Would Say, That A Physical Outlet - Physical Pain - Was The Only Way To Make Her Internal Pain Go Away. It Was The Only Way She Could Control It.

There Were Drinks And Food In Full Force, And Some Moroi Guy Had A Guitar Out And Was Trying To Impress Girls With His Musical Skills—which Were Nonexistent. In Fact, His Music Was So Awful That He Might Have Discovered A New Way To Kill Strigoi.

You Know, Aunt Tasha Makes Jokes About How Youʹd Actually Be A Better Queen Than The Others, Except Sometimes . . . I Donʹt Think Sheʹs Joking.

It’s Kahlua, Sage. Packed With Sugar And Coffee Flavor.

Me, I Always Wanted Frost Power.” “frost Power?” “yeah.” Seth Gestured Dramatically Toward My Coffee Table. “if We’re Talking Superhero Abilities. If I Had Frost Power, I Could Wave My Hand, And Suddenly That Whole Thing Would Be Covered In Ice.” “not Frost?” “same Difference.” “how Would Frost And/or Ice Power Help You Fight Crime?” “well, I Don’t Know That It Would. But It’d Be Cool.

Under Normal Circumstances, You Inviting Me To The Bedroom Would Be The Highlight Of My Day.

Propriety's Never Been Adrian's Strong Suit.

Adrian: I Can Visit People In Their Dreams. Christian: Stop. I Can Feel There Is A Comment Coming On About How Women Already Dream About You. I Just Ate, You Know.

All This Time…ever Since I Sold My Soul, I’ve Been Clinging To This Idea That There Is Something Pure And Decent Out There. That There Was Something To Give Me Hope That Even If I Was A Lost Cause, At Least There Was Something Bright And Good In The World. But There Isn’t. If There Was, Seth Wouldn’t Have Fallen. Erik Wouldn’t Have Died. Andrea Mortensen Wouldn’t Be Dying.” -georgina To Carter

Whoa, Dimitri," I Said, Tossing My Bag On The Floor. "i Realize This Is Actually A Current Hit In Eastern Europe Right Now, But Do You Think We Could Maybe Listen To Something That Wasn't Recorded Before I Was Born?” Only His Eyes Flicked Toward Me; The Rest Of His Posture Remained The Same. "what Does It Matter To You? I'm The One Who's Going To Be Listening To It. You'll Be Outside Running.

Dmitri Was At A Total Loss. It Was A Common Reaction For People When I Agreed To Do Something Reasonable.

Well, If The Excitement's Over, I Think I'll Take A Bath.' 'wow. The Harsh Lifestyle Of A Succubus. I Wish I Had Your Job.' 'hey, Our Side's Always Recruiting. You Might Need To Be A Little Prettier To Be An Incubus, Though. And A Little More Charming.' 'untrue. Mortal Women Go For Jerks. I See It All The Time.' 'touché.

I Don’t Belong To Anyone. I Make My Own Choices." "and You’re With Adrian," Said Dimitri. "but I Was Meant For You.

Adrian's Face Was The Picture Of Perfect Politeness And Restraint, Meaning Something Disastrous Was About To Happen.

Meaning Something

Melbourne, I Always Knew You'd Need To Learn About This Kind Of Thing. I 'd Just Kind Of Hoped You'd Learn It On A Real Guy.

If You Want Some Advice—which I'm Sure You Don't—you Guys Should Lay Off On The Magic. Christian Still Thinks You're Moving In On Lissa." "what?" He Asked In Mock Astonishment. "doesn't He Know My Heart Belongs To You?" "it Does Not. And No, He's Still Worried About It, Despite What I've Told Him." "you Know, I Bet If We Started Making Out Right Now, It Would Make Him Feel Better." "if You Touch Me," I Said Pleasantly, "i'll Provide You With The Opportunity To See If You Can Heal Yourself. Then We'd See How Badass You Really Are.

You Know, You Still Owe Me Pancakes. I Think I Could Go For…apple Cinnamon Ones Now. “ “apple Cinnamon? You Sure Are Demanding.” “it’s All Right. I Think You’re Man Enough For It.” “thetis, If I Actually Believed You Had Either Apples Or Cinnamon In Your Kitchen, I’d Make Them For You Right Now.” I Didn’t Answer. I Was Pretty Sure I Had Some Year-old Apple Jacks, But That Was About It.

What’s Going On?” He Demanded. “the Usual, Old Man,” I Replied Cheerily. “danger, Insane Plans... You Know, The Stuff That Runs In Our Family.

We Can Retreat And Retreat And Let Ourselves Get Backed Into Corners Forever,” She’d Said Once. “or We Can Go Out And Meet The Enemy At The Time And Place We Choose. Not Them.” Okay, Tasha, I Thought. Let’s See If Your Advice Gets Me Killed.

Who Are These People?" My Mother Asked. "guess," Replied Abe Flatly. "who Would Be Foolish Enough To Break Into Court After Escaping It?

If I Propose, You'll Know It. For One Thing, I'll Be Hyperventilating.

If I Could Dream, I Know I'd Dream About You.i'd Dream About The Way You Smell And How Your Dark Hair Feels Like Silk Between My Fingers. I'd Dream About The Smoothness Of Your Skin And The Fierceness Of Your Lips When We Kiss. Without Dreams,i Have To Be Content With My Own Imagination—which Is Almost As Good. I Can Picture All Those Things Perfectly.

Is It Possible To Specialize In More Than One Element?" She Laughed And Shook Her Head. "no. Too Much Power. No One Could Handle All That Magic, Not Without Losing Her Mind." Oh. Great.

It Won't Be That Simple Though, Will It?' She Sounded Wise Beyond Her Years. 'things Are Going To Get Worse Before They Get Better, Aren't They?

I Didn't Realize When I Brought Him Back Here That You'd Inflict More Damage." I Said, Once I'd Finished The Story. "i Was Defending Your Honor." Adrian Gave Me That Devil-may-care Smile That Always Managed To Both Infuriate And Captivate Me. "pretty Manly, Huh?

It’s As Easy As We Choose To Make It,” He Murmured, Pressing His Forehead To Mine. “at Least, This Decision Is. Nothing’s Truly Easy, Georgina. Love And Life . . . They’re Wonderful, But They’re Hard. We May Mess Up Again. We Have To Be Strong And Decide If We Can Still Go Forward, Even When Things Aren’t Perfect.

Are We Going To New Orleans?" "no", She Said, Backing Out Of The Spot. "we're Going To West Virginia." "i Assume By 'west Virginia,' You Actually Mean 'hawaii,'" I Said. "or Some Place Equally Exciting.

We're The Same! Even Sonya Says We Are. We've Always Been The Same, And We're Both Acting The Same Stupid Way Now! We Hold Ourselves To Higher Standards Than Everyone Else.

I Decided Then That If The Two People I Loved Most Were Safe, I Could Leave This World. The Dead Could Finally Have Me. And Iʹd Fulfilled My Purpose, Right? To Protect? Iʹd Done It. Iʹd Saved Lissa, Just Like Iʹd Sworn Iʹd Always Do. I Was Dying In Battle. No Appointment Books For Me.

Life’s Like That. As We Grow And Change, Some Things We’ve Experience Before Take On New Meaning. It’ll Happen For The Rest Of Your Life.

Rest Of Your Life

I Just Told You To Be Quiet. That's One Step Away From Asking You To Wash My Laundry And Make Me A Sandwich.

Tradition Or Not, I Sometimes Thought Putting Children On An Old Guy’s Lap Was Already Creepy Enough. We Didn’t Need To Mix Alcohol Into It.

Eugenie, My Sweet, Your Outraged Protests Are Adorable, But They Only Continue To Slow Us Down. If You Want Me To Help You, Then Let Me. If You Don't, Then Take Me To One Of Those Places Where Human Women Wear Revealing Clothing And Quickly Lose Their Virtue Through Alcohol.

You're My Flame In The Dark. We Chase Away The Shadows Around Each Other.

Roza." His Voice Had That Same Wonderful Lowness, The Same Accent . . . It Was All Just Colder. "you Forgot My First Lesson: Don’t Hesitate.

Hey, A Guy Can Hope. I Mean, It’s Not Impossible That A Car Full Of Scantily Clad Sorority Girls Might Break Down Outside And Need My Help.” “that’s True,” I Said. “maybe I Can Put A Sign Out Front That Says, ‘attention All Girls: Free Help Here.’” “‘attention All Hot Girls,’” He Corrected, Straightening Up. “right,” I Said, Trying Not To Roll My Eyes. “that’s An Important Distinction.” He Pointed At Me With The Pool Stick. “speaking Of Hot, I Like That Uniform.” This Time, I Did Roll My Eyes.

Are You Sleepwalking?' A Voice Asked Behind Me. "i Was Testing Dorm Security," I Said. "it Sucks.

Then, His Struggles Stopped. His Eyes Stared At Me, Stunned, And His Lips Parted, Almost Into A Smile, Albeit A Grisly And Pained One. "that’s What I Was Supposed To Say..." He Gasped Out. Those Were His Last Words.

We Take Everything For Granted, But When I'm With Angeline, I See The World Through New Eyes. She Makes My World Better. It's Why She's So Great.

Doug Returned Five Minutes Later And Shook His Head. "sorry Kid. She's Single, But She Doesn't Think You're Her Type. She's Into The Goth And Vampire Scene. You're Too Mainstream For Her." I Was Sipping A Glass Of Water And Nearly Choked On It. "that," Said Peter, As Soon As Doug Was Gone, "is What We Call Irony." "how Is That Possible?" Exclaimed Cody. "i Am A Vampire. I Should Be Exactly What She Wants." "yeah, But You Don't Look Like One," I Said. If Gabrielle Had Been A Trekkie, He Might Have Had A Shot Tonight.

You Have To Protect Her. The More She Uses It, The Worse It'll Get. Stop Her, Rose. Stop Her Before They Notice, Before They Notice And Take Her Away Too. Get Her Out Of Here." [...] "don't Let Her Use The Power!. . .save Her. Save Her From Herself!

Oh," He Said, Knocking A Red Ball Into A Hole. "it's You." "you Were Expecting Someone Else?" I Asked. "am I Interrupting Your Social Calender?" I Made A Big Show Of Glancing Around The Empty Room. "i Don't Want To Keep You From The Mob Of Fans Beating Down Your Door." "hey, A Guy Can Hope. I Mean, It's Not Impossible That A Car Full Of Scantily Clad Sorority Girls Might Break Down Outside And Need My Help.

Sydney Might Not Be An Expert In Personal Relationships But Puzzles Were Familiar Territory.

But What Are Loyalty And Caring Really Worth?" "to Me? Everything.

Really, It's My Fault. It Was There. A Hundred Times There. How Often Did I See It? I Knew. It Kept Happening. Over And Over, You'd Say You Were Through With Him...and Over And Over, I'd Believe It...no Matter What My Eyes Showed Me. No Matter What My Heart Told Me. My. Fault.

Rose,” He Said, Forcibly Trying To Keep A Serious Tone, “i Can Think Of Many Words To Describe You, Sexy And Hot Being At The Top Of The List. You Know What’s Not On The List? Sane.

Not True,” Said Adrian. “all Guys Mean The Same Thing When They Want To ‘get To Know A Girl Better.’ You’re A Wellbred Young Lady, So I Understand Why You’d Be Too Innocent To Understand. Good Thing You’ve Got Me Here To Interpret.

Not Into Older Guys, Huh?" Asked Adrian Once We Were Alone. "you're Imagining Things," I Said. "clearly, My Stunning Beauty Has Clouded Your Mind.

A Gun I Had Been Brought Down By A Gun. It Was Practically Comical. Cheaters, I Thought. I’d Spent My Life Focusing On Hand To Hand Combat, Learning To Dodge Fangs And Powerful Hands That Could Snap My Neck. A Gun? It Was So… Well, Easy. Should I Be Insulted? I Didn’t Know. Did It Matter? I Didn’t Know That Either. All I Knew In That Moment Was That I Was Going To Die, Regardless.

I Have It On Good Authority That Victor's Going To Have Car Trouble. Also That Robert Really Likes Cheerios, So If You Want Some, You're Out Of Luck. He Doesn't Seem Like The Sharing Type.

I Stopped. She Was Bleeding After All. Perfect Lines Crossed Her Wrists, Not Near Any Crucial Veins, But Enough To Leave Wet Red Tracks Across Her Skin. She Hadn;t Hit Her Veins When She Did This; Death Hadn't Been Her Goal.

Okay, But If You Try To Get Me To Pray With You, I Walk.

She Studied Him For A Few More Seconds. “you Look Too Pretty To Be Useful.” I Gasped In Spite Of Myself. Adrian Chuckled And Shook Her Hand. “truer Words Were Never Spoken,” He Said.

Rose Was So Full Of Life And Passion That Sometimes She Seemed More Human Than I Was.

I Didn’t Get Her Cutting At All. She’d Done It Sporadically, Ever Since The Accident And It Scared Me Each Time. She'd Try To Explain It To Me, How She Didn't Want To Die—she Just Needed To Get It Out Somehow. She Felt So Much Emotionally, She Would Say, That A Physical Outlet—physical Pain—was The Only Way To Make The Internal Pain Go Away. It Was The Only Way She Could Control It.

I Secretly Wondered If Dimitri's Problem Might Be That He Was Jealous. He Hadn't Pulled Lissa Aside To Yell At Her. The Thought Made Me Slightly Happy, But Then I Remembered My Earlier Curiosity About Why Dimitri Had Even Wandered By.

I'm Like A Fine Wine. I Get Better With Age. The Best Is Yet To Come.

You Can't Save Everyone, Though God Knows You Try.

But When The Other End Of The Line Picked Up, It Was His Voicemail That Answered, Not The Man Himself. "i Know How Devastated You Must Be To Miss Me," His Cheery Voice Said, "but Leave A Message, And I'll Try To Ease Your Agony As Soon As Possible.

Our Gazes Locked, So Much Passing Between Us. In Those Moments, I Wasn't In A Tent With Him, On The Run From Those Who Regarded Us As Villains. There Was No Murderer To Catch, No Strigoi Trauma To Overcome. There Was Just Him And Me And The Feelings That Had Burned Between Us For So Long.

What Were You Thinking?" I Demanded Once We Were Moving To The Music. I Was Trying To Ignore His Hands. "do You Know How Much Trouble You May Have Gotten Me In?" Adrian Grinned. "nah. They All Feel Bad For You. You'll Achieve Martyrdom After Dancing With A Mean, Wicked Vampire. Job Security With The Alchemists.

The Ghost Of A Smile Flickered Across His Lips. ‘you’re Always The Voice Of Reason. Just Try Listening To Yourself Once In A While.

So That's How You're Going To Fix The Family Problem. Little Dragomirs. Good Idea.

Family Problems

I Think We Got In More Trouble With Aunt Tasha,ʺ Said Christian. ʺshe Was Kind Of Pissed Off That We Didnʹt Tell Her What Was Going On. I Think She Probably Wanted To Blow Up The Statues Herself.

You Managed To Get Him A Duster, But You Couldn't Find Me A Pair Of Jeans?

Rose, I Cheat At Cards And Buy Liquor For Minors. But I Would Never, Ever Force You Into Something You Don't Want.

But All I Could See Was Her. No Skill Of Mine, No Artist Anywhere, Could’ve Immortalized How Gorgeous She Was. It Was Impossible To Believe She’d Ever Had Any Doubts About Her Body. The Firelight Shone On Her Skin, Golden And Perfect, Making Her Look Like Some Radiant Goddess Of Legend. I Wanted To Kneel Before Her And Offer Eternal Obedience.

You Forgot My First Lesson: Don't Hesitate.

But What I Found Most Interesting Was That Aaron Had Apparently Found A Way To Pass The Time Without Her. Beside Him, Holding His Hand, Was A Moroi Girl Who Looked About Eleven But Had To Be Older, Unless He'd Become A Pedophile During Our Absence.

Wanting And Needing Are Two Different Things.

Two Different Things

Me? I Didn’t Believe In Hopeless.

We Had An Endless Supply Of Topics, Both Of Us Eager To Put Forth All We Knew On Anything And Everything. Most Of The Meal Was Spent Discussing The Intricacies Of The Organic Certification Process. It Was Pretty Awesome.

Anything And Everything

He Smiled And Tapped My Nose. "two Thank-yous In As Many Days. I Don't Suppose I'll Get To See Any, Uh, Special Gratitude?" I Scoffed. "nope. You'll Just Have To Imagine It." He Gave Me A Half-hug And Released Me. "fair Enough. But I Have A Good Imagination.

Who Knows More About Male Weakness: You Or Me? Use My Knowledge, Sage.

He Was Too Perfect, Despite Being One Of The Most Imperfect People I Knew.

I Need It! I Need It! It's A Royal Heirloom!" "adrian?" "what Are You Doing Here?" "looking For You. Come On, We Need To Go. I'll Drive You Home." "no, I Can't. Not Until We Get It. He Stole It!

What Do You Think Dimitri? Is This A Good Idea, Dimitri? Please Give Us Your Blessing So That We Can Fall Down And Worship You, Dimitri.

Knowing Lissa Missed Me Hurt Almost More Than If She'd Completely Written Me Off. I'd Never Wanted To Hurt Her. Even When I'd Resented Her For Feeling Like She Was Controlling My Life, I'd Never Hated Her. I Loved Her Like A Sister And Couldn't Stand The Thought Of Her Suffering Now On My Behalf. How Had Things Gotten So Screwed Up Between Us?

I Looked Around At Us All: Me In My Nightgown, Kiyo Bare-chested, Dorian In His Extravagant Robes, And Tim In His Native Getup. God, I Muttered, Standing Up, We All Look Like The Village People.

It’s Easy To Want Peace And Love In Hypothetical Situations—then Reality Sets In, And Sometimes We Have To Do What’s Ugly.

You Are An Exceptional, Talented, And Brilliant Young Woman. Do Not Ever Let Anyone Make You Feel Like You’re Less. Do Not Ever Let Anyone Make You Feel Invisible. Do Not Let Anyone—not Even A Teacher Who Constantly Sends You For Coffee—push You Around.

Dad Told Uncle Seth Not To Screw Things Up,” She Informed Me As We Washed Our Hands. “he Said Even If Uncle Seth Is Famous, Him Getting A Woman Like You Defies Belief.” I Laughed And Smoothed Down The Skirt Of My Dress. “i Don’t Know About That. I Don’t Think Your Dad Gives Your Uncle Enough Credit." Brandy Gave Me A Sage Look, Worthy Of Someone Much Older. “uncle Seth Spent Last Valentine’s Day At A Library.

Christian Stretched Out Beside Her And Pulled Her Close. ʺbut For What Itʹs Worth, I Think Youʹd Be A Great Queen Too, Princess Dragomir.ʺ ʺyouʹre Going To Get Dirty,ʺ She Warned. ʺalready Am. Oh, You Mean From Your Clothes?ʺ He Wrapped His Arms Around Her, Heedless Of Her Damp And Muddy State. ʺi Spent Most Of My Childhood Hiding In A Dusty Attic And Own Exactly One Dress Shirt. You Really Think I Care About This T-shirt?ʺ

Sydney: "you Can Be Jet If You Want, But We Are Not Posing As A Couple Again" Adrian: "are You Sure? Because I've Got A Lot More Terms Of Endearment To Use. Honey Pie. Sugarplum. Bread Pudding." Sydney: "why Are They All High-calorie Foods? And Bread Pudding Isn't Really That Romantic." Adrian: "do You Want Me To Call You Celery Stick Instead? It Just Doesn't Inspire The Same Warm And Fuzzy Feelings." - The Indigo Spell

I Think It’s More Like A Shirt That Says, ‘i’m Going To Have To End This Date Early So I Can Go Prepare My Power Point Presentation

Promises. I Was Drowning In Promises.

Where Are You Going?" He Asked. "to Break Someone's Heart," I Replied.

No, I Can Just Read You. Finally. I Can't Believe How Blind I Was. I Can't Believe I Never Noticed. Victor's Comment...he Was Right." She Glanced Off At The Sunset, Then Turned Her Gaze Back On Me. A Flash Of Anger, Both In Her Feelings And Her Eyes, Hit Me. "why Didn't You Tell Me?" She Cried. "why Didn't You Tell Me You Loved Dimitri?

Love In The Real World Doesn’t Usually Work Out The Way Stories Make Us Think It Should. We Don’t Always Get Fairy-tale Endings. People Split Up And Move On. Just Because You Love Someone Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Love Someone Else.” - Georgina To Brandy

It Was The Most Convulted, Ridiculous Piece Of Logic I'd Heard In Awhile... It Was Something I Would Have Come Up With.

Not At All. I'm Saying There's A Fire In You That Drives Everything You Do, That Makes You Need To Better The World And Those You Love. To Stand Up For Those You Can't. It's One Of The Wonderful Things About You.'' ''only One, Huh?'' I Spoke Lightly, But His Words Had Thrilled Me. He'd Meant What He Said About Thinking Those Were Wonderful Traits, And Feeling His Pride In Me Meant More Than Anything Just Then.

I Steeled Myself For The Next Response. I Knew It Was Going To Be One Of The Zen Life Lessons. [...] Instead He Kissed Me.

ʺthings Are Going To Get Worse Before They Get Better, Arenʹt They?ʺ

Did You See That Dress?” "i Saw The Dress.” "did You Like It?” He Didn't Answer. I Took That As A Yes. "am I Going To Endanger My Reputation If I Wear It To The Dance?” When He Spoke, I Could Barely Hear Him. "you'll Endanger The School.” I Smiled And Fell Asleep.

You Should Make Her Call You ‘miss Georgina,’” Added Hugh With A Mocking Southern Drawl. “or At Least ‘ma’am.’” Niphon’s Presence And Jerome’s Lecture Had Put Me In A Grouchy Mood. “i’m Not Doing Any Mentoring. She’s So Gungho To Take On The World’s Male Population, She Doesn’t Even Need Me.” The Three Men Exchanged More Smirks. Cody Made Some Hissing And Meowing Sounds, Scratching At The Air. "this Isn’t Funny,” I Said. "sure It Is,” Said Cody.

I Know," She Said, Guessing My Thoughts. "i Know Exactly How You Feel." "does It Get Easier?" I Asked. Unlike Sydney, Olena Had An Answer. "yes. But You'll Never Be The Same.

Giving Advice Was A Lot Harder Than Following It.

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