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

-Richelle Mead

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You're My Flame In

Richelle Mead

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

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‎keep Your Love, I Have No Use For It Anymore.

So, Tell Me This: Suppose You Manage To Kidnap Her Again And Take Her Off To The Mall. While You're There A Strigoi Comes At You. What Will You Do? Depends On What Store We're In.

Maybe You're Graduating From Fireballs To Lightning Bolts," Adrian Suggested. "i Bet It'd Be A Lot Like Throwing Ninja Stars. Except, Well, You Could Incinerate People.

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.

In This One Terrified Moment, My Mind Couldn’t Focus On Any Of It. “i’ve Forgotten Everything.” “no, You Haven’t.” His Voice In The Darkness Was Calm And Reassuring. He Smoothed Back My Hair And Pressed One Of Those Half Kisses To My Forehead. “just Relax And Focus." “his Reasonable Words Centered Me And Allowed The Gears Of Logic That Ran My Life To Take Over Again.

Why Not The Bahamas? Or The Corn Palace?

Juliet Had It Easy; She Never Had To Kill Romeo.

Vampire Academy

Since I’m Presuming You Don’t Mean You Finally Bought Him A Leash, Let Me Say Simply That There Is A Big Difference Between Allowing An Animal To Ravage You And Allowing Yourself To Be Ravaged. One Is Common. The Other Is Art. It Is Planned. Crafted, Even. Only Capable Of Being Done By A Master.

I Also Never Would Have Imagined I'd Quote Back A Church Lesson, But When The Rest Of The Crowd Stood Up To Take Communion, I Found Myself Saying To Dimitri: "don't You Think That If God Can Supposedly Forgive You, It's Kind Of Egotistical For You Not To Forgive Yourself?" "how Long Have You Been Waiting To Use That Line On Me?" He Asked. "actually, It Just Came To Me. Pretty Good, Huh? I Bet You Thought I Wasn't Paying Attention." "you Weren't. You Never Do. You Were Watching Me.

When Love And Jealousy Collide On The Slopes, Winter Break Turns Deadly

Love And Jealousy

I Was So Tired Of Being Told Reasonable, Practical Things Whenever Something Went Wrong With My Life.

It’s Adrian Ivashkov Logic. Don’t Try To Understand It. Just Roll With It.

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

Tawny," I Barked. My Voice Held The Authority Of A Drill Sergeant. She Jumped. "i Am Not Making Out With You Until The End Of Time. You Want To Do This, Then You've Got To Work For It. Now, Take Off Your Clothes." "oh," Said Hugh. "i've Waited Ten Years To Hear You Say That To Another Woman.

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.

Giving Advice Was A Lot Harder Than Following It.

I've Lost Someone, Too; Someone I Loved. I Know How You Feel." - Does It Get Easier? "yes. But You'll Never Be The Same Again.

Is It Really So Terrible Being Around Us?" I Blushed. "no," I Said. "but . . . It's Complicated. I've Been Taught Certain Things My Entire Life. Those Are Hard To Shake." "the Greatest Changes In History Have Come Because People Were Able To Shake Off What Others Told Them To Do.

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

Ah, My Daughter,ʺ He Said. ʺeighteen, And Already Youʹve Been Accused Of Murder, Aided Felons, And Acquired A Death Count Higher Than Most Guardians Will Ever See.ʺ He Paused. ʺi Couldnʹt Be Prouder.

Love And Loyalty Runs Deeper Than Blood.

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.

Longing Surged Up Within Me. I Wanted It. Oh God, I Wanted It. I Didn't Want To Hear Jerome Chastise Me For My "all Lowlifes, All The Time" Seduction Policy. I Wanted To Come Home And Tell Someone About My Day. I Wanted To Go Out Dancing On The Weekends. I Wanted To Take Vacations Together. I Wanted Someone To Hold Me When I Was Upset, When The Ups And Downs Of The World Pushed Me Too Far. I Wanted Someone To Love.

All That Mattered Was That He Was Adrian, My Adrian. My Match. My Partner In Crime, In The Long Battle I’d Just Signed On For To Right The Wrongs In The Alchemist And Moroi Worlds. Maybe Marcus Was Right That I’d Also Signed Myself Up For Disaster, But I Didn’t Care. In That Moment, It Seemed That As Long As Adrian And I Were Together, There Was No Challenge Too Great For Us.

Guilt Was Its Own Prison.

He Has No Right To Threaten My Boyfriends. I'm Eighteen. An Adult. I Don't Need His Help. I Can Threaten My Boyfriends Myself.

That Was Sydney Sage," Said Lissa. "i Thought They Were All In West Virginia. Why Isn't She With Rose?" "that," Said Abe Darkly, "is An Excellent Question." "because They Were Apparently Kidnapping Jill Mastrano In Detroit," Said Christian. "which Is Weird. But Not The Craziest Thing I Can Think Of Rose Doing.

Did Belikov Bend The Rules Of Time And Space To Get Here So Fast? He Can Do That, Right?

A Girl Just Asked For Sat Scores Good Enough To Get Her Into Yale. I Think She Was Nine.

I Did, However, Manage To Do It Without Hurting Those Dogs. Very Considerate Of Me. Don't Let It Be Said I'm Not An Animal Lover-that Wretched Kitsune Aside.

Moroi Shied From The Sunlight But As I Watched Sydney, I Knew Without A Doubt That Humans Had Been Made For The Sun.

Life And Death Were So Unpredictable. So Close To Each Other. We Existed Moment To Moment, Never Knowing Who Would Be The Next To Leave The World. I Was Still In It, Barely, And As I Looked Up From The Ashes, Everything Around Me Seemed So Sweet And So Beautiful. The Trees. The Stars. The Moon. I Was Alive -- And I Was Glad I Was.

I Like You Being The Sinner You Are. -adrian Ivashkov

Rose, Do You Think I'd Do Anything That Would Hurt You.- Dimitri To Rose

Mmm. O Positive, My Favorite.” “is It? I Thought It Was A Cabernet Sauvignon.” “so It Is,” Said Adrian, Straight-faced. “my Mistake.

Wise Men Don't Need Concrete Answers. By Definition, They Need Wisdom." ~ Geraki

Sydney Had Been Horrified To Discover My Home Library Consisted Of A Bartending Dictionary And An Old Copy Of Esquire, And At Her Pleading, I'd Promised To Read Something More Substantial. I Was Trying To Think Deep Thoughts As I Read Gatsby, But Mostly I Wanted To Throw Some Parties.

No, Thank You," Said Adrian. "these Hands Don't Sully Themselves With Fighting.

Funny How Someone Telling You Not To Do Something Can Talk You Into It.

Because There Is No Greater Evil Than Ignorance And The Destruction Of Genius. Ignorance Has Been Responsible For More Death, More Bigotry, And More Sin Than Any Other Force. It Is The Destroyer Of Mankind.

She Is Mine, And I Am Hers.

But Also... Well, You And I Will Both Be Lissa's Gaurdians Someday. I Need To Protect Her At All Cost. If A Pack Of Strogoi Come, I Need To Throw My Body Between Them And Her." "i Know That. Of Course That's What You Have To Do." The Black Sparkles Were Dancing In Front Of My Eyes Again. I Was Fading Out. "no. If I Let Myself Love You, I Won't Throw Myself In Front Of Her. I'll Throw Myself In Front Of You.

The Other Problem In My Life Is Dimitri. He's The One Who Killed Natalie, And He's A Total Badass. He's Also Pretty Good-looking. Okay—more Than Good-looking. He's Hot—like, The Kind Of Hot That Makes You Stop Walking On The Street And Get Hit By Traffic.

I Took A Deep Breath. "are You Free Tonight?" There Was A Long, Pregnant Pause. "what About The Man In The Dream?" He Finally Asked. "there Is No Man In The Dream.

Even If I’d Been Wide Awake, I Knew Dimitri Would’ve Taken My Suitcase Anyway. That’s How He Was, A Lost Remnant Of Chivalry In The Modern World, Ever-ready To Help Others.

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.

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.

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.

Bringing Children Into It Was Just Low, I Decided. At Least Heʹd Left Puppies Out.

I Was So Awash In Sensory Overload That I Was Caught Completely Unaware When He Did Push Me Away

Pushing Me Away

Rose, Nothing In This World Could Make Me Hate You." "not Even Trying To Bring My Ex-boyfriend Back From The Dead?

If I Let Myself Love You, I Won't Throw Myself In Front Of Her. I'll Throw Myself In Front Of You.

Vampire Academy

He Flipped The Dail, And I Crossed My Arms Over My Chest As Some Vaguely European-sounding Band Sang About How Video Had Killed The Radio Star. I Wished Someone Would Kill This Radio.

Wow. What'd He Do To Deserve That? Rescue Orphans From A Burning Building? If So, You Might Want To Make Sure He Didn't Set The Building On Fire In The First Place.

Maybe You Don't Need Beauty Sleep, But Some Of Us Aren't So Lucky.

Did You Hotwire This Car?" I Then Rephrased My Question. "did You Steal This Car?

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.

I Couldn't Recall The Last Time I'd Seen That Much Of Him On Display. It Was Wonderful And Frightening On The Same Time. I Then Said The Stupidest Thing Possible. "you're Not Scared Of Anything." "i'm Scared Of A Lot Of Things. I Was Scared For You" He Released Me, And I Stepped Back. There Was Still Passion And Worry Written All Over Him. "i'm Not Perfect, I'm Not Invulnerable.

That's Pretty Hot," He Said. "punching Me In The Eye?" "well, No. Of Course Not. I Meant The Idea Of Getting Rough With You Is Hot. I'm A Big Fan Of Full-contact Sports." "i'm Sure You Are.

What Was Love, Really? Flowers, Chocolate, And Poetry? Or Was It Something Else? Was It Being Able To Finish Someone's Jokes? Was It Having Absolute Faith That Someone Was There At Your Back? Was It Knowing Someone So Well That They Instantly Understood Why You Did The Things You Did—and Shared Those Same Beliefs?

Sydney, I'm So Happy To See You Again. If There's Anything I Can Do For You, Please Let Me Know. And You Must Be Neil." "your Majesty." Neil Swept Her A Bow So Low That His Forehead Touched The Ground. Above Him, Adrian Rolled His Eyes. "easy There, Lancelot," Adrian Said. "i Don't Think Bowing Is Required When She's In Jeans And Bunny Slippers.

There's A Reason They Say,"pride Goeth Before A Fall.

I Reached Into My Pocket And Triumphantly Flashed The Cr-v Keys Iʹd Swiped When Weʹd Come Back Inside. ʺthe Driver,ʺ I Said. I Didnʹt Get To Drive.

There Would Be No Wedding For Me. No Bridal Hopes. Not With Seth, Not With Anyone. Those Things Were Lost To Me Forever. There Was Only An Eternity Alone, No Lifelong Lovers, Only Those I Shared A Night With…. - Georgina

Ah, Those Two. In A Fight, They’re Lethal. Around Each Other, They Melt.

"well, I'm Supposed To Be Crazy, Right?" [...] "and There Isn't Much I Wouldn't Do For You. The Stupider, The Better."

And I Figured You'd Drive A Four-hour Round-trip Before Giving Up Your Car To Someone Else

Note Even Moroi Give Licenses To Infants, Sage.

I Went To Bed Feeling Melancholy, Wishing I Could Have Poured Out All My Fears And Insecurities To My Mom. Wasn’t That What Normal Mothers And Daughters Did?

Because It Gives Him And Excuse To Be Around Her--without Making It Look Like He Gave In First. That Way, He Can Still Seem Manly." "that's Ridiculous." Especially The Part About Christian Being Manly. "guys Do Ridiculous Things For Love.

Sunshine Had Never Tasted So Sweet As It Did At That Moment.

My Mom Beat Me Up," I Informed My Reflection. It Looked Back Sympathetically.

No," Dimitri Interrupted Gently. He Moved His Face Toward Mine, Our Foreheads Nearly Touching. "it Won't Happen To You. You're Too Strong. You'll Fight It, Just Like You Did This Time." "i Only Did Because You Were Here." He Wrapped His Arms Around Me, And I Buried My Face In His Chest. "i Can't Do It By Myself," I Whispered. "you Can," He Said. There Was A Tremulous Note In His Voice. "you're Strong—you're So, So Strong. It's Why I Love You.

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.

Theyʹre Shooting At Us,ʺ I Said Incredulously. ʺtheyʹre Actually Shooting At Us!

Back To Prison. Maybe If You Fake A Heart Attack, I Can Make A Break For It. (rose Hathaway Says To Lissa Dragomir)

What's That?" He Asked, When I Stood Beside Him Again. "halos," I Said With A Grin. "for Heavenly Creatures Like Us." "that Might Be A Stretch.

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

Why On Earth Would You Buy A Car Like This If You Can't Drive A Stick? There Are Dozens Of Cars--new Cars--that Have Automatic Transmission. It'd Be A Million Times Easier." Adrian Shrugged. "i Like The Color. It Matches My Living Room.

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

I’ve Seen All I Need To. I’m Going To Go Drink Now In A Futile Effort To Wipe Away The Memory Of This Debacle.

I Can Be A Good Friend, Or A Bad Enemy.

That's What I Was Supposed To Say.

Vampire Academy

Sorry, Sage. Last I Checked, You Aren’t An Expert In Social Matters..." "at Least I Take Action. You? You Let The World Go By Without You. You Have No Spine. You Don’t Fight Back." “you Don’t Know The First Thing About Me, Adrian Ivashkov. I Fight Back Plenty.

I Said Earlier That Dead Things Don't Always Stay Dead. Well, I'm One Of Them. Don't Worry - I'm Not Like The Strigoi. But I Did Die Once (i Don't Recommend It).

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

I've Given Up On You...love Fades. Mine Has.

Vampire Academy

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

Vampire Academy

..sage Is Convinced One Extraneous Calorie Will Make Her Go From Super Skinny To Just Regular Skinny. Tragedy.

None Of The Bravado He Usually Showed Was There. I Guess There Was "usually" And Then There Was Being Held In The Grip Of A Really Ripped, Really Tall, And Really Pissed Off Russian Guy.

Vampire Academy

That's The Great Thing About Being A Writer. You Dream Up Amazing Questions... And Then Dream Up Even More Amazing Answers.

What Are You, Rose Hathaway? Are You Real? You're A Dream Within A Dream. I'm Afraid Touching You Will Make Me Wake Up. You'll Disappear.

Jerome Sighed And Set Down His Fork. "are You Still Doing That, Georgie? Don't I Suffer Enough Without Having To Endure The Humiliation Of A Succubus Who Moonlights As A Christmas Elf?" "you Always Said I Should Quit The Bookstore And Find Something Else To Do," I Reminded Him. "yes, But That Was Because I Thought You'd Go On To Do Something Respectable. Like Become A Stripper Or The Mayor's Mistress.

I’d Seen Him Fight Before, But It Never Got Old. He Was Captivating. He Never Stopped Moving. Every Action Was Graceful And Lethal. He Was A Dancer Of Death.

If You're Strigoi," The Boy Interrupted Loudly, "then Why Don't You Have Horns? My Friend Jeffrey Said Strigoi Have Horns." Dimitri's Eyes Fell Not On The Boy But On Me For A Moment. Again, That Spark Of Knowing Shot Between Us. Then, Face Smooth And Serious, Dimitri Turned To The Boy And Answered, "strigoi Don't Have Horns. And Even If They Did, It Wouldn't Matter Because I'm Not A Strigoi.

You’re A Solid Person, Sage. You’re Easy On The Eyes, If A Little Skinny, And Your Ability To Memorize Useless Information Is Going To Totally Hook In Some Guy.

Taking A Deep Breathe, I Made One Of The Hardest Decisions Of My Life. I Walked Away.

I Don't Remember You Being This Reasonable Before, " Lissa Said. "it's Because Everyone Has Different Definitions Of 'reasonable. ' Mine's Just Misunderstood, That's All. " Christian's Voice Was Lofty. "i Think You Must Be Misunderstood A Lot, " She Laughed. His Eyes Held Hers, And The Smile On His Face Transformed Into Something Warmer And Softer. "well, I Hope This Isn't Misunderstood. Otherwise, I Might Get Punched. " Leaning Over, He Brought His Lips To Hers. Lissa Responded With No Hesitation Or Thought Whatsoever, Losing Herself In The Sweetness Of The Kiss.

Adrian Ivashkov: "rose Hathaway, I Can't Wait To See You Again. If You're This Charming While Tired And Annoyed And This Gorgeous While Bruised And In Ski Clothes, You Must Be Devastating At Your Peak." Rose Hathaway: "if By 'devastating' You Mean That You Should Fear For Your Life, Then Yeah. You're Right.

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

My Boyfriend Was Insanely Sexy, Vampire Or Not, And I Couldn't Keep My Hands Off Him.

We All Stared At The Scoreboard In Stunned Silence. Only Carter Was Able To Get Anything Out. "that," He Told Robert Exuberantly, "is How A Bird In The Hand Gets Up Before The Early Worm." "that Doesn't Make Any Sense," Said Roger. Carter Pointed At The Scoreboard. "neither Does That, But There You Have It.

Because It's Simple, I Love You, And I Don't Want To Keep Pretending Like I Don't. -rose To Dimitri

I Want You To Go Back To Tucson And Bring Me The Bottle Of Tequila I Keep In My Liquor Cabinet. And Don't Scare Tim." Volusian Remained Motionless In That Way Of His. "my Mistress Grows Increasingly Creative In Her Ways To Torment Me." "i Thought You'd Appreciate It." "only In So Much As It Inspires Me To Equally Creative Means To Rip You Apart When I Am Able To Break Free Of These Bonds And Finally Destroy You." "you See? There's A Silver Lining To Everything. Now Hurry Up.

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

As Long As We’re Together, That’s How We’ll Be. No Trembling. No Faltering. We’re Unstoppable.

No, But ..." But I Had Felt Something From Another Person. Someone Who Spent Time With Alec. The Last Card In My Head Flipped Over. "i Know Who It Is. It's Him. That Guy." "of Course," Said Carter Dryly. "i Knew It Was That Guy. It's Always That Guy.

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

Well, You've Finally Got A License To Kill. It's About Time.

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

I Don't Want To. Believe Me. But I Can't Help It. Rose Said In Time, I'll Learn The Control To Keep His Feelings Out, But I Can't Do It Now. And He Has So Much, Sydney. So Much Feeling. He Feels Everything So Strongly— Love, Grief, Anger. His Emotions Are Up And Down, All Over The Place. What Happened Between Him And Rose . . . It Tears Him Apart.

Well, Well, Well," I Said. "if It Isn't The People Responsible For Unleashing Rose Hathaway On The World. You've Got A Lot To Answer For.

You Never Really Realize How Many People Care About You Until They All Turn Out To Support You.

Throughout History, People With New Ideas—who Think Differently And Try To Change Things—have Always Been Called Troublemakers.

It's Worth It. It's Worth Giving Up The Sun And Magic.

There Was No "me" In Alchemy. Well, Phonetically There Was, But That Wasn't The Point.

The Training Part," I Guessed. "yup. You're Going To Be Dimitri's Partner." A Moment Of Funny Silence Fell, Probably Not Noticeable To Anyone Except Dimitri And Me. Our Eyes Met. "guarding Partner," Dimitri Clarified Unnecessarily, Like Maybe He Too Had Been Thinking Of Other Kinds Of Partners.

He'd Barely Seen Me Coming, And Despite The Horribleness Of What I'd Just Done, I Kind Of Wished One Of My Instructors Had Been There To Grade Me On Such An Awesome Performance.

Adrian Tipped My Face Up Toward His And Kissed Me. Like Always, The World Around Me Stopped Moving. No, The World Became Adrian, Only Adrian.

I Had An Accident." "that Seemes To Happen A Lot." "it Wasn't My Fault." "it Never Is." "i Just Have Bad Luck." "or You're Just Trouble." "you Got A Problem With That?" "no Problem At All." "oh My God! Are You Going To Help Or Not?

Do Not Do That Again," He Said Stiffly. "don't Kiss Me Back Then," I Retorted. He Stared At Me For What Seemed Like Forever. "i Don't Give 'zen Lessons' To Hear Myself Talk. I Don't Give Them Because You're Another Student. I'm Doing This To Teach You Control." "you're Doing A Great Job," I Said Bitterly.

She Has Very Strong Ideas About Family - Ideas That Probably Sound Kind Of Sexist To You. She Believes All Dhampirs Should Train And Put In Time As Guardians, But That The Women Should Eventually Return Home To Raise Their Children Together. But Not The Men? No, He Said Wryly. She Thinks Men Still Need To Stay Out There And Kill Strigoi.

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

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.

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.

Is She For Real?” He Paused And Reconsidered. “are You For Real? Spells? Magic? I Mean, Don’t Get Me Wrong. I Drink Blood And Control People’s Minds. But I’ve Never Heard Of Anything Like This.

Nice Blouse, Sage,” Adrian Told Me, Deadpan. “it Really Brings Out The Khaki In Your Pants.

My Life Didnʹt Need To Be On The Line For Me To Enjoy Dessert.

I Looked At You... And Saw Your Goodness, Your Hope, And Your Faith. Those Are What Make You Beautiful. So, So Beautiful. So It Was't My Hair?

The Only Thing True About What You Just Said Was The Storybook Damsel Part - And That Only Because You're Pretty Enough To Be One.

Escape Plan Number Seventeen," I Told Her. "run Away And Open A Juice Stand In Fresno." "why Fresno?" "sounds Like The Kind Of Place People Drink A Lot Of Juice.

Nothing He Said Could Change What I Think Of You. I've Had My Mind Made Up About You For A Long Time... And It's All Good.

How Was It That Adrian Ivashkov, Who Never Seemed To Take Anything Seriously Was The Only One Among These "responsible" People Who Paid Attention To Such Small Details? How Was He The Only One To Really Understand The Magnitude Of What I Was Feeling?

Do You Think I'm Pretty? I Think You're Beautiful Beautiful? You Are So Beautiful, It Hurts Sometimes.

Something Clenched In My Chest, And For A Moment, The Whole World Narrowed Down To The Green Of His Eyes.

You Can't Fool Me, Comrade. You Want To Put On A Cowboy Hat And Keep Lawless Bank Robbers In Line.'' "no Time. I Have Enough Trouble Keeping You In Line.

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.

Look, Rose. You Don't Have To Keep Up With The Hard-to-get Thing. You Already Got Me.

Can You Ever Get Off For Good Behavior?" He Joked. I Gave Him What I Hoped Was A Seductive Smile As I Found My Seat. "sure," I Called Over My Shoulder. "if I Was Ever Good.

I've Heard That The Soul Often Recognizes Truth When It Hears It, Even If The Mind Does Not.

Oh God. She Probably Thinks We Were Off Doing—you Know—romantic Type, Um, Things—

Love Is . . .” An Old Memory With Adrian Came Back To Me, And Some Of The Turbulent Emotion I Always Carried Within Me These Days Welled Up In My Chest. It Was Stupid, Feeling So Lovesick When He’d Been Gone Less Than A Day, But I Couldn’t Get Him Or The Ways He Described Love Out Of My Head. “. . . A Flame In The Dark. A Breath Of Warmth On A Winter’s Night. A Star That Guides You Home.

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.

Hey Sydney," She Said, Giving Me A Small, Crooked Smile As She Entered The Room. Her Flashing, Dark Eyes Were Friendly, But They Were Also Assessing Everything In The Room, Much As Eddie's Gaze Was. It Was A Guardian Thing. Rose Was About My Height And Dressed Very Casually In Jeans And A Red Tank Top. But, As Always, There Was Something As Exotic And Dangerous About Her Beauty That Made Her Stand Out From Everyone Else. She Was Like A Tropical Flower In This Dark, Stuffy Room. One That Could Kill You.

Speaking Of Sonya...i Was Thinking Of Something Earlier. Something Wolfe Said." "why, Adrian. Were You Paying Attention After All?" "don't Start,sage," He Warned.(p 211)

For A Moment His Eyes Locked Onto Me With An Intensity That Left Me Breathless.

Sometimes Talking To You Is Like Talking To Myself: Pretty Damned Annoying.

You Look Confused," Said Adrian. I Shook My Head And Sighed. "i Think I'm Just Overthinking Things." He Nodded Solemnly. "that's Why I Try To Never Do It.

You Make Learning Fun. Like A Children’s Book Or After School Special. Tell Me About Your…um, Athenian Women.

Everything Iʹd Been Taught About Eluding Someone Came Rushing Back To My Head. What I Wanted To Do More Than Anything Was Look Around And See If I Had A Follower, But That Would Have Definitely Attracted Attention.

People Really Want To Set Up These Rivalries Because There's A Lot Of Vampire Books Out There. People Want To Believe We're All Fierce Rivals, And Really There's Just So Much Camaraderie With Authors. Everyone Kind Of Boosts Each Other.

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 Were Totally Unprepared For Her.” “that's For Damned Sure.

So Far I’m Not Seeing A Lot Of Difference Between Me And A Carnival Con-man.

I'd Accepted A While Ago That There Were Too Many Reasons For Me To Even Think About Him Romantically Anymore. Every Once In A While, I Slipped A Little And Kind Of Wished He Would Too. It'd Have Been Nice To Know That He Still Wanted Me, That I Still Drove Him Crazy. Studying Him Now, I Realized He Might Not Ever Slip Because I Didn't Drive Him Crazy Anymore. It Was A Depressing Thought.

What Hope Is There?” I Asked. “if Even Angels Fall, What Hope Is There For The Rest Of Us?” “there Isn’t,” He Said. “we’re On Our Own. And We Have To Make The Choices We Think Are Best For Our Own Survival.

Thats Why Your Doing This? Because Lissa Told You To?

Abe Swept In, Resplendent In A Gray And Yellow Suit That Coordinated Bafflingly Well With Adrian's Paint Job.

We All Have Moments Of Weakness. It’s How We Recover From Them That Really Counts.

We Can Be Together, Rose. Soon. We're Almost There. And Nothing Will Ever Keep Us Apart.

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.

I Know How You Guys Feel About Us. I'm Not Stupid, And Believe Me, I've Tried To Get You Out Of My Head. But There Isn't Enough Liquor Or Art Or Any Other Distraction In The World To Do It. I Had To Stop Going To Wolfe's Because It Was Too Hard Being That Close To You, Even If It Was All Just Pretend Fighting. I Couldn't Stand The Touching. It Was Agonizing Because It Meant Something To Me－and I Knew It Meant Nothing To You. I Kept Telling Myself To Stay Away Altogether, And Then I'd Find Excuses… Like The Car… Anything To Be Around You Again.

Dorian Used To Watch You Like A Starving Man Who Wants Meat. Now He Looks At You Like He Wants Seconds.

I’ve Come To Ask You Where Seth Is.” "funny,” Said Andrea. “we Were Going To Ask You The Same Thing.” I Was Taken Aback. “how Would I Know?” They Both Just Stared. "i Don’t!

Hey, Big Spender,” I Said. He Looked Appreciative But More Amused Than Anything Else. He Reached Into His Pocket And Pulled Out A One Dollar Bill. “hugh,” I Said. “don’t Insult Me.” With A Sigh, He Produced A Five And Tucked It Underneath My Bra Strap. “hey, Seth,” Cody Suddenly Said. I Looked Up And Saw Seth Standing In The Doorway. A Look Of Comic Bemusement Was On His Face. “hey,” He Said, Studying Me. “so…you’re Paying For Dinner?

Right," I Scoffed, "alpha Yam Ergo." Adrian Nodded Solemnly. "a Very Old And Prestigious Society." "i've Never Heard Of Them," Said The Girl Who'd Claimed The First Shirt. "they Don't Let Many People In," He Said. In White Paint, He Wrote His Fake Fraternity's Initials: Aye. "isn't That What Pirates Say?" Asked One Of The Girls. "well, The Alpha Yams Have Nautical Origins," He Explained. To My Horror He Began Painting A Pirate Skeleton Riding A Motorcycle. "oh, No," I Groaned. "not The Tattoo." "it's Our Logo," He Said.

I Tried To Dredge Up The Same Reaction Other Girls Had Around Marcus, But Nothing Happened. No Matter How Hard I Tried, I Just Didn't Have That Same Attraction His Hair Was Too Blond, I Decided. And His Eyes Needed A Little More Green.

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

What's Purple Mean?" Adrian Put His Hand On The Door. "gotta Go, Sage. Dont Want To Keep Dorothy Waiting

We Had Just Paid The Check When Dimitri's Cell Phone Rang. "hello?" He Answered. And Like That, His Face Transformed. That Fierceness I So Associated With Him Softened, And He Practically Glowed. "no, No. It's Always A Good Time For You To Call, Roza." Whatever The Response On The Other End Was, It Made Him Smile.

One Of The Few Downsides To Being Awakened Is That We No Longer Require Sleep; Therefore We Also No Longer Dream. It's A Shame, Because If I Could Dream, I Know I'd Dream About You.

I’m Not A Warrior Or A Goddess,” I Said At Last. Adrian Leaned Closer. “as Far As I’m Concerned, You’re Both.

Books Were A Lot Less Messy Than Orgasms.

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

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.

Adrian Gave Me A Look That Said I Was Wasting His Time. "because Jet Sounds Badass.

When I Look Into His Eyes, I Could See Without A Doubt That He Loved Me More Than Anyone Else In The World, That I Was His Salvation, The Same Way That He Was Mine.

You Know I Love You, Right?” The Urge To Kiss Her Goodbye Was So Strong That I Almost Broke Our Rules. She Smiled, Beautiful And Golden In The Late Morning Light. “not As Much As I Love You.” “oh, Man. This Is My Dream Come True: Having An ‘i Love You More’ Debate. Here, I’ll Start. I Love You More. Your Turn.” Sydney Laughed And Opened The Door. “i’ve Taken Debate Classes. You’d Lose To My Logic.

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.

Can We Go Back To The Part About Moroi Girls Hanging Out In La?" Asked Adrian Hopefully. "can You Direct Me To Some Of The…oh, Let’s Say, More Open-minded Ones?

All Right," I Managed To Say, Just Before I Crumpled To The Floor. "let's See What You've Got.

You're Beautiful, Roza. So Beautiful It Hurts Me.

Yeah? Can You Draw A Skeleton Riding A Motorcycle With Flames Coming Out Of It? And I Want A Pirate Hat On The Skeleton. And A Parrot On His Shoulder. A Skeleton Parrot. Or Maybe A Ninja Skeleton Parrot? No, That Would Be Overkill. But It'd Be Cool If The Biker Skeleton Could Be Shooting Some Ninja Throwing Stars. That Are On Fire.

The Incident With Dawn Hadn't Been One Of My Finer Moments. I Honestly Hadn't Expected To Break Any Bones When I Shoved Her Into A Tree. Still, The Incident Had Given Me A Dangerous Reputation. The Story Had Gained Legendary Status, And I Liked To Imagine That It Was Still Being Told Around Campfires Late At Night. Judging By The Look On The Girl's Face, It Was.

Even Christian—the Poster Child For "smartass"—looked Grim.

I'm Really Not Good With Impulse Control.

Impulse Control

I Find Prostitutes Vastly Important.

Maybe Under All That Guilt And Certainty That He Couldn't Love Again, He Still Wanted Me. I Would Have Liked To Have Found Out. But I Didn't Have The Time. Instead, I Punched Him.

He Leaned Closer To Me And Then Seemed Shocked As He Realized What He Was Doing. "why Would You Do That? Why Would You Do That For Me?

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

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

You Will Not! It's Wrong." "what, Kissing You, Or Kissing You In Pies And Stuff?

He Anxiously Touched His Hair. "i Think My Hair Gel's Frozen.

Can You Come Over To Amberwood? I Need You To Help Me Break Curfew And Escape My Dorm.” There Were A Few Moments Of Silence. “sage, I’ve Been Waiting Two Months To Hear You Say Those Words. You Want Me To Bring A Ladder?

Did You Follow Me From The Party?" "yes" "i Didn't Even Know You Were There." His Dark Clothes Indicated He Must Have Been On Guardian Duty At The Party. "so You Saw The Illustrious Janine Cause A Commotion By Dragging Me Out." "it Wasn't A Commotion. Hardly Anyone Noticed. I Saw Because I Was Watching You.

I Couldn't Stop Staring At The Cave, Back Where Dimitri Was, Back Where Half Of My Soul Was.

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

I Didn’t Care About Anything Except Her And The Way Touching Her Drove Me Wild, Even As Her Calm And Steady Presence Soothed The Storms That Raged Within Me.

I’d Been Raised To Be Practical And Keep My Emotions In Check, But I Loved Cars. That Was One Of The Few Legacies I’d Picked Up From My Mom. She Was A Mechanic, And Some Of My Best Childhood Memories Were Of Working In The Garage With Her.

It Was Worth It. You Looked... Happy.

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Dorothy L. Sayers

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