J.R. Ward

“Scratch what I said before. I think I am falling in love with you. Right here. Right now.”

“But come on, like she hadn't seen every aisle in his grocery store already?”

“Reilly's closet looked like Marilyn Manson's. Assuming he'd been reborn as an accountant.”

“It...is for me?" "Aye. So what say you, lover mine.”

“Come here. I need to hold on to you." She felt the same way. And when there was no distance between them, it was like coming home.”

“She’s a female of worth. Hell, the brothers and I are half in love with her and not just because she’s our queen. Not that we’re, you know, inappropriate about it or anything.”

“I must confess. Of all of the brotherhood, he was the one I loved first and he remains the one I love the most. For me, he is just the...one.”

“We don’t have to talk about Zsadist.That’s okay. He’s the most interesting part of me.”

“The guy stroked his goatee. "What do you call twenty guys watching the world series?""The New York Yankees," Butch replied.”

“Darkness will never take me... because I have you. Light of my life, Marissa. That's what you are."-Butch and Marissa”

“He's into you, isn't he. Answer the question, Marissa. Flyboy with the superhero plasma... he wants you, doesn't he?"-Butch and Marissa”

“As her eyes scanned his face, he feared that she saw everything, right down t the core of him. Where his obsession with her was the strongest.-Butch and Marissa”

“Don't think I was the only reason he healed. You're his light, Marissa. Don't ever forget that.”

“Butch didn't live in his own place. He didn't spend his own money. He had no job, no future. He was a well-kept pet, not a man.”

“He was one giant, violant fuck-you to the world.”

“The chanting grew louder, deep male voice pumping.She looked to the brothers, the tall, fierce men who were now part of her life. Wrath pivoted and put his arm around her. Together, they swayed to the rhythm that swelled, filling the air. The brothers were as one as they paid homage in their language, a single powerful entity.But then, in a high, keening call, one voice broke out, lifting above the others, shooting higher and higher. The sound of the tenor was so clear, so pure, it brought shivers to the skin, a yearning warmth to the chest. The sweet notes blew the ceiling off with their glory, turning the chamber into cathedral, the brothers into a tabernacle.Bringing the very heavens close enough to touch.It was Zsadist.His eys closed, his head back, his mouth wide open, he sang.The scarred one, the soulless one, had the voice of an angel.”

“Go home, Butch. I'm not going to do anything stupid." [Vishous to Butch]"Stupider, you mean.""Semantics are for shit.”

“Shit... you're not coming with me, are you?" [Butch to Vishous]"I don't feel like killing anyone anymore.""Oh. Good. The idea that you might only cripple the guy makes me feel a fuck of a lot better about leaving you here.”

“Okay, big guy, as much as I'm enjoying this, I don't think my tan's improving much considering it's pitch dark." [Butch to Vishous]"You don't have a tan.""See? This is getting me nowhere. So how about we head home?”

“Hey,maybe I could have a talk show, since you aren't going to be my June Cleaver anymore. I could call it the O'Neal Hour. Sounds important, doesn't it?" [Butch to Vishous]"First of all, you were going to be June Cleaver-""Screw that. No way I'd bottom for you.""Whatever. And second, I don't think there's much of a market for your particular brand of psychology.""So not true.""Butch, you and I just beat the crap out of each other.""You started it. And actually, it would be perfect for Spike TV. UFC meets Oprah. God, I'm brilliant.""Keep telling yourself that.”

“Fuck. Even when I was in love with you. Or some shit.Butch clasped his hands to his chest. "Was? Was? I can't believe you've lost interest." He threw one arm over his eyes, all Sarah Bernhardt. "My dreams of our future shattered-""Shut it, cop."Butch looked out from under his arm. 3are you kidding me? The reality show I had planned was fantastic. Was going to pitch it to VH1. 'Two Bites Are Better Than One'. We were going to make millions.”

“Oddly, she felt safe... as if the patient would protect her because of the vow he'd given her, and Red Sox would do the same because of his bond with the patient.Where the hell was the logic in that, she wondered. Gimme an S! A T! An O! A C! Followed by a K-H-O-L-M! What's it spell? HEAD FUCK.The patient leaned down to her ear. "I can't see you as the cheerleader type. But you're right, we both would slaughter anything that so much as startled you.”

“You going to try the rest of your gear on?" he asked on an exhale. "Or you want to whine about your pants a little more?""Don't make me flip you off.""Why would I deprive you of a favorite hobby?" [Vishous to Butch]”

“One thing, though," Qhuinn murmured."What?"The voice that came out his throat was unlike anything he'd ever heard from himself before. "If any guy breaks your heart or treats you like shit, I will bust him apart with my bare hands and leave his broken, bloody body for the sun."Blay's laughter rumbled around the tiled walls. "Of course you will--""I'm dead fucking serious."Blay's blue eyes shot over his shoulder."If there are any who dare to hurt you," Qhuinn growled in the Old Language, "I shall see them staked afore me and shall leave their bodies in ruin.”

“Gallows humor is part of having a doctor in the house. Deal with it.”

“The bottom line is...if you were in the civilian population, you'd be a serial killer. Working for the government means you get to wave the American flag around when it suits you, but the truth is, you do what you do because you enjoy picking the wings off of flies. And everybody's an insect in your eyes.”

“The mind...the mind was the most powerful force for and against someone.”

“Among the problems with shame was that it in fact did not make you shorter or quieter or less visible. You just felt like you were.”

“Out into the staff quarters. Over to the entrance to the movie theater. Tohr stopped dead. “If this is another Beaches marathon, I’m going to Bette your ass until you can’t sit down.” “Aw, look at you! Trying to be finny.” “Seriously, if you have any compassion in you at all, you’ll let me go to bed—” “I have peanut M&M’s up there.” “Not my style.” “Raisinets.” “Feh.” “Sam Adams.” Tohr narrowed his eyes. “Cold?” “Downright icy.” Tohr crossed his arms over his chest and told himself he was not pouting like a five-year-old. “I want Milk Duds.” “Got ’em. And popcorn.” With a curse, Tohr yanked open the door and ascended into the dimly lit red cave.”

“If I can live through the events,” she said, “I can get through the memories.”

“Okay, you shouldn’t be able to sit up,” Manny muttered. Was he? Oh, hey, check it… And as for the doctor’s second dose of surprise? Nice guy, but he was being a dumb-ass human when it came to the feeding thing. With this kind of hunger for that particular female? Tohr was frickin’ Superman, capable of bench-pressing a Hummer while he juggled Smart Cars with his free hand.”

“Often people with fine countenances and fit bodies were mistakenly assumed by others to have the brains to match.”

“It looked like Tohr and the kid had a lot in common: Courtesy of their tempers, both were now dressed in the Captain Asshole costume—which included, for no extra charge, the cape of disgrace, the booties of shame, and keys to the Fuck Up mobile.”

“Three a.m. in downtown Caldwell, New York, gave you just enough obstacles to keep shit amusing.”

“I feel like I am wlaking down into a porn movie" V mutteres as they took the steps with care."Wouldn't that require more black candles for you", Zsadist cracked.....”

“Vishous, son of the Bloodletter, was not the kind of male anyone addressed like that. Except, apparently, for Wrath. In this case, the Brother with the tattoos on his face and the perverted reputation and the hand of death did exactly what he was told. He shut the fuck up.Which said volumes about Wrath. Did it not.”

“He grabbed something off the floor and held it in front of his hips as he stood up. She drank in the sight of him: The tattooed slave bands around his wrists and neck, the plug in his left earlobe, his black eyes, his skull-trimmed hair. His body was as starkly lean as she remembered, all striated muscles and hard cut veins. And he threw off raw power like a scent.”

“Qhuinn didn't know what the fuck was up. People fucking poofing it in and out of the fucking foyer, shit going south... until Autumn came the fuck back. If there had ever been a time to drop the f-bomb, tonight was it.”

“How can you stand to have me near you?" "The only thing I can't handle is your leaving.”

“Did television execs have souls? Now, that was an existential question and a half.”

“May I take your vein for a moment? I find myself... curiously depleted"Okay, right. Talk about your Johnny-on-the-spots: He locked them in and all but tore off his arm and threw it at her.”

“Thank fuck you're not a Yankees fan.""Don't use the Y-word. We're in mixed company.”

“If you're going to insist on being reasonable, I'm going to stop hanging with you.”

“Oh. Good. The idea that you might only cripple the guy makes me feel a fuck of a lot better about leaving you here.”

“Do not kill him. That shit would totally bum Jane out.”

“Cause nothing said lovin' like a shitload of motion detectors.”

“Rule number four for me as a writer? Plotlines are like sharks: They either keep moving or they die. ~J.R. Ward”

“Unfortunately, beer was only a short-term answer. And head transplants had yet to be approved by the FDA.”

“Souls were the same. They, too, had useless baggage that impeded their proper performance, these annoying, holier-than-thou bits dangling like an appendix waiting for infection. Faith and hope and love...prudence, temperance, justice, and fortitude...all this useless clutter just packed too much damn morality into the heart, getting in the way of the soul's innate desire for malignancy.”

“Phury knelt beside him and stroked his face. "I've only ever had you to live for. If you die I have nothing.I'm utterly lost. And you are needed here." Zsadist tried to reach out, but couldn't lift his arms as Phury stood up. "God, Z, I keep thinking this tragedy of ours is going to be over. But it just keeps going, doesn't it?" Zsadist blacked out to the sound of his twin's boots heading from the room.”