Chelsea Fine

“You need to leave, Scar."Yes. She should probably leave. She didn't.”

“So...this is the dark dungeon where the very angry Tristan sleeps?""No. This is the dark dungeon where the very dangerous Tristan keeps himself away from the very carless young woman."Clearly, he was in no mood for small talk.”

“I am now scowling.""You are. And its adorable. But only in small doses.""Well, we cannot all be ridiculously jolly like you.""Ah, but we should.”

“Get out of my room, you insufferable man.”

“So you killed my father? You killed my bride?" he growled."She wasn't even your woman."Why did everyone feel the need to remind him of that?”

“Tristan frowned, not sure if he wanted to live forever.He hadn't even wanted to wake up that morning.Forever seemed a bit ambitious.”

“Gabriel sighed and leaned back in the throne. "Are we going to be dramatic now? Maybe I should call for some wine of my own and we can wallow and aimlessly fight through our miserable drunkenness.”

“He looked at her with his green don't-lie-to-me-woman eyes and Scarlet dropped her guilty gaze to the mahogany desktop, searching around until she found a paperweight shaped like a pyramid to stare at.”

“His dark hair was still wet and fell around his head in a tousled way that was too sexy for his own good.Scarlet wanted to run her hands through it - but oh wait. That could kill him.Definitely too sexy for his own good.”

“B-T-W," Heather said. "What's with the death wish?""What are you talking about?""I'm talking about provoking the wicked witch of the west. You look old? Are you trying to get us both killed?""She does look old. Or at least, older than she used to.""It doesn't matter! Two things you never comment on when it comes to girls: their age and their weight. That's male survival 101. Come on!”

“And your plan is what?" Nate said as he and Scarlet followed after him. "You're just going to drive around until you see a sign that says Raven's Secret Hostage Lair?"Tristan wasn't sure what he was going to do, but hanging out in an alley all night certainly wasn't going to bring Gabriel back any faster. "What's the alternative? Go back home, east some Lucky Charms and get some sleep? I don't think so.""Why are you hating on my cereal?”

“Raven made a face at the blood that now stained her fingertips. She wiped her hand on his jeans until the blood was all gone.Gabriel watched her with narrowed eyes and said, "You look old."Heather's mouth fell open.Good God. Don't anger the crazy lady.Raven slapped him, hard. "That's what happens when your supply of fountain water starts to run out and you have to dilute it. You age. Magic can only do so much.""Sucks to be you," Gabriel said.Clearly, he did not value his life.”

“A little heads up would have been nice.Hey Heather, since we're history partners and all, I figured I should tell you I'm a murderer. But I'm hot so it's okay.From now on, Heather was going to do background checks on all her buddies.”

“You know what would be really nice right now? Coffee. I'd really go for some coffee." Just the idea made her salivate.He scowled. "How can you think about coffee right now?""I don't know. Maybe caffeine is how I cope." She thought for a moment. "Although usually I'm a crier. Are you a crier?""No.""Not even sad movies or weddings?""No.""What about commercials with little puppies that need a home?"He blinked. "Please stop talking.""Hmm," she said slowly. "Maybe talking is how I cope." Her hands started falling asleep. "You know what else would be really nice right now?""An off button?”

“I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die-No.Heather took a deep breath and tried to think about something else. Anything else.Like ponies.Ponies were a happy thought. They were nice and gentle and they never kidnapped people or strapped them to cold warehouse pillars.Ponies, ponies, ponies-"Tie him up by the girl and for God's sake don't kill him!" Clare's - er, Raven's - voice was like nails on a chalkboard as it floated into Heather's ears.Any attempts to think of ponies came to an abrupt halt.”

“Is it okay if I love you forever? Even if forever is only for a lifetime?”

“Tristan followed so close behind her she could feel his hot breath on the back of her neck. Again.“Ten foot rule,” called Nate. “Bite me!” Tristan hollered back, more hot breath caressing her skin with his words. A wonderful shiver ran through her body. Damn him and his beautiful mouth and hot breath and his leather-smelling shirt. She assumed he was headed to his own room in the basement, but when she walked into the guest bedroom, he followed her inside. She turned around to tell him to leave her alone, but his bright green eyes derailed her words. He was so pretty… No! No. He was not pretty. He was in danger of dying. Focus on the danger, Scarlet. She glared at him. “What are you doing?” “I’m sleeping with you.” Was he insane? She lifted a brow. “I thought you were mad at me.” “I’m concerned. Not mad.” “Huh. Well either way you’re not sleeping with me.” “Yes, I am.” He was insane. “No,” Scarlet repeated. “You’re not. You could die, Tristan. We can’t touch and we certainly can’t…sleep together.” She felt her face flush. A look of amusement crossed his face. “I meant sleep, Scar.” “Oh. Well.” She cleared her throat. “I don’t want to wake up next to a corpse, so, like…scram.”

“I also want to eat grass and ride a bear … but that could be the drugs talking.”

“Why did you even bring a whip?”“Because Tristan wouldn’t let me bring the Thor hammer. Besides, you never know when you’ll need a whip. What if we need to climb something really tall or swing across a deep chasm?”

“How do I look?”She was wearing a pair of tiny jean shorts and a bright pink T-shirt. Her blond hair was matted on one side and there were dirt smudges all over her arms, legs, and face.Gabriel hesitated. “Like a Barbie doll that got run over by a garbage truck.”“Wow. Really, Gabriel?”

“I’d really love to explain myself, but honestly, you came up out of nowhere and I haven’t had time to put together a good lie.”

“As far as where you belong…” He put a hand over his heart. “Right here. Always. In life and death and everything in between.” He paused. “Never question it.”

“Heather turned her voice up full volume. “Gabriel Michael Archer, wake up this minute!”With his eyes still closed, he grumbled, “My middle name isn’t Michael.”“I don’t care. Wake up!”

“I totally kicked Ashman ass over there! I was all like hi-yah and you wanna piece of me? I was a super slayer! Buffy’s got nothing on me.” …“It was life and death out there, guys. Life and death. They just kept coming at me and I just kept putting them down … I mean, sure, I screamed like a girl a few times and accidentally stabbed myself at the beginning, but still.”

“And because Scarlet loved pancakes...That’s what he would do. Make pancakes and flee.”

“Heather Awry (The Archers of Avalon, #2) “Okay, if my B-F-F goes rogue and starts trying to chop me into pieces, I fully expect your immortal hotness to protect me, got it?”

“Scarlet watched a leaf fall to the ground, lying dead amoung the other leaves on the forest floor. "A brief life seems pointless."Tristan thought for a moment. "Isn't that what life is, though? A brief opportunity to exist? A short gift?”

“But there are some kinds of love that you can’t lose, no matter how hard you try. So there’s no need for him to be afraid.”

“He stood there, drinking her in like he was a thirsty man and she was water in the desert. Because his soul...his foolish and hopeful soul...wanted her just as much as she wanted him." ~ Anew: The Archers of Avalon”

“Why did you date all of those girls?” “Sometimes, you’re just looking for something that’s right.” Oh, it was a line. It was so a line. But it was a good line.”

“I love her guts”

“Gabriel shuffled around the trunk again, searching for faux arrows—arrows designed to injure but not kill. “All these arrows are sharp—and have blood on them.”“Yes, well, I left my cotton candy arrows at home next to my teddy bear.”

“Gabriel glanced down. “Seriously, Tristan? You drive around with a trunk full of weapons?”“Of course.”“Why?”“Because I’m the family bad guy.”

“Before he knew he was immortal. Before life was no longer fragile. Those were the days when life truly meant something.When life was hard but worthwile, and love was valuable because your days were numbered.That was living.”

“Knowing death is nearby gives you a chance to live...deliberately." -Tristan”

“Tristan was silent for a few moments, looking at the leaves before them. "Life isn't about the past and the future. It's about today." He paused. "It's about five minutes from now and two seconds ago. It's moments, you know? Not years. Years aren't what define us.”

“Sucking in air, Heather said, “Fluffy—Mrs. Allen’s ferocious dog—chased me all the way down Pine Street trying to tear me to shreds with his razor fangs. I barely got away.”Scarlet scrunched her face. “Isn’t Fluffy a Chihuahua?”Still panting, Heather said, “Yes. A demon-possessed, human-eating Chihuahua.”

“Are you okay? You seem ...soggy.""Soggy?""Yes." Heather nodded. "Like you're a depressed spaghetti noodle or something.”

“Well, where's the hussy now? Is she in Avalon? Does she live in New York? Is she allergic to strawberries? Because I will send her a gift basket that'll make her wish she'd never laid eyes on Gabriel's deceitful-albeit delicious-body!”

“You know what I need to do?""Buy earrings?""I need to fully embed myself in Gabriel's life. I need to get to know the real Gabriel Archer.""You need to buy new earrings," Heather said.Scarlet ignored Heather and went on."No more excuses. The time has come. Today, I am going over to Gabriel's house after school.""Good for you. Now let's talk about shoes." Heather put her magazine down. "They suck.”

“I’m somewhat disgusted at myself for thinking such dramatic, girlie thoughts. But I can’t help myself. He rocks my world. You know how parents always say things like, “If all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you jump too?” Well, if Carter jumped off a cliff, I wouldn’t just jump off after him. I’d throw myself over the ledge and dive toward the earth below so I could catch up with him and hold his hand while we plummeted to our deaths.Yeah.I’m that much of a sicko.”

“Life is what we make it.”

“Love.Not the kind you see in the movies or hear about on the radio.The real kind.The kind that gets beaten down and bloody, yet perseveres.The kind that hopes even when hope seems foolish.The kind that can forgive. The kind that believes in healing. The kind that can sit in silence and feel renewed.The real kind of love.It's rare and we have it...”

“He's not the most popular guy in school. He's not the hottest guy to ever live. But to me, he's everything.”

“They’re not really homes. More like houses where we sleep.Where we eat—if we’re lucky. Where we cry and fight.Where we bleed and break. Where we cower and scream.Where we give up. Where we sigh.Where we barely survive.”

“If you're referring to yourself as a 'grown-up', then you're still totally a kid. 'Grown ups' call themselves adults”

“I never...." she says between kisses, "got to kiss your hurt away..." Another kiss."when we were little..." her lips move to my forehead. "and I always wanted to." ~ Sophie”

“Yeah, we won't have much as we start this new life.But we'll have us.We'll have love.We'll have family.....Carter Jax has already made all my dreams come true.And it's only the beginning." ~Sophie”

“Calm down, Braveheart." Gabriel searched through the weapons. "I'm trying to find something not quite as fatal as...a scythe? Really?"Gabriel held the wicked half-moon blade up and looked at Tristan. "What are you, the Grim Reaper?""Yes. Yes, Gabriel. I'm the Grim Reaper. You caught me. I drive around in my car full of weapons collecting souls.”

“She tucked her lips in and eyed the pancakes Tristan pulled from the pan. "Making a midnight snack?"She tried to sound light and casual. Normal. Friendly.Not because Tristan deserved it, but because she wanted pancakes. And Tristan, apparently, was keeper of the pancakes.”