Kiersten White

“Bleep if I was going to stage a rescue in a freaking pantsuit.”

“Well, that was fabulous. Way to be cryptic and a traitor, Raquel. “Looks like Raquel joined Team Force Evie to Do Supernatural Crap.”

“Well, that’s interesting,” I said.“What’s interesting?” Jack called from the other room.“Something is interesting?” Lend shouted.“No! Nothing!”

“I added watching Lend walk to the things I missed most about him.”

“So, we’ve got a problem,” I said.“What?” Lend yelled.“We’ve got a problem!” I shouted.“No, I heard that. I mean, what’s the problem now?”

“If he wakes up, I swear I’ll do anything. I’ll open gates, I’ll help all the paranormals, I’llnever judge people wearing Crocs again. Just let him wake up. Please.”

“You stink like a faerie, all flowers and sunshine and evil manipulation.”

“I—What on earth just happened?”“Well, nothing on Earth, obviously.”

“Do you have any sort of plan?” Jack asked.“Not really.”“Eh, just as well. It’ll be less of a disappointment when you fail.”

“I still had an irrational desire to do an interpretive dance about rainbows, but it was a small price to pay for being healed.”

“Actually, you’re way off.”“Oh?” the guard asked.“Yup. She’s not a werewolf, she’s a chupacabra. Have you noticed a lot of missing goats lately?”

“...lying spread-eagled in the hall with only my ankle insidethe room that kept me prisoner here. They really should have thought of that and tagged my neck or something.”

“Reth laughed.I punched him.It hurt.Me, not him, unfortunately.”

“Ah, stupid, you know I love you, too.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t mouth off to the elemental I kinda hoped was myfuture mother-in-law.”

“I want to get you out of here.""Don't you mean you want me to get you out of here?"He took my hand—yeah, my hand again. I was liking this. A lot. "No, I mean I want to get you out. This shouldn't be your life. You deserve a lot more. Like a locker.""And a driver's license?""Let's not get carried away.”

“Don't go alone," Lend said, his voice tight with concern. "I'll take Jack." "Oh, wonderful, take the other psychotic guy in your life to go find the first one.”

“We've got a problem!" I shouted."No, I heard that. I mean, what's the problem now?""I have the solution!" Jack interrupted."What?" I sat up, all ears."Bells!""What?" Lend and I asked at the same time."Get her a kitty collar with bells on it. That way you can hear her coming and get someplace where you won't be hurt by collapsing immediately into sleep.”

“Something smashed to the ground. Jack looked at me, all the mugs forgotten. "I'm not going to let anyone kill you." He grinned. "If I don't get to, no one should.”

“Jack shook his head. "Not one of my many talents, sadly. But if you have a cherry stem I can show you a really cool one.”

“Jack furiously chopped vegetables. "Captain Dependable! Wait, we vetoed that one. The Divine Door Maker? Too much? Hmm...Handsome Hero, but maybe I should move away from alliteration. Something sleek. Our Lord and Master Jack.”

“Now, now, you aren't afraid of monsters in the dark, are you?" I caught a flash of her eyes, winking wickedly at me."No," I said, shivering. After all, I was one of them.”

“Let’s see, how did that one go…'Eyes like streams of melting snow,’ and so striking, by the way. ‘Cold with the things she does not know. Heaven above and Hell beneath, liquid flames will end her grief. With her fire, at last release. With her fire, at last release.”

“Ignorance was bliss. Or at least less painfull”

“I closed my eyes. I used to think I was protecting the world, too. But it wasn't that simple. Nothing was. Who were we to decide that anyone or anything didn't deserve the spark of life they had been given?”

“My life is a black hole of boredom and despair.""So basically you've been doing homework.""Like I said, black hole.”

“So, are you two going to get married already or waht?"I laughed. "Excuse me?"Carlee rolled her eyes. "Please. You don't even look at other guys. And I have never seen a guy that crazy about a girl before. You're like, his entire world."I shrugged, smiling. "I can't imagine ever finding someone better than Lend. He just--knows me. Totally. Everything. And miraculously he still likes me.""Likes? Girls, he head-over-heels-freaking-loves you.""It's mutual!”

“Jack might look my age, but he was like a little kid on a sugar high --- in need of a good spanking. --- Good heavens, that sounded creepy.”

“What’s the point in hating something if you aren’t proactive?”

“...I don't understand this gap you see between us, but can't you meet me somewhere in the middle?" "The middle of what?" "I don't know, the middle of tomorrow and forever, the middle of life and death, the middle of normal and paranormal. Where we've always been." I bit my lip, nodding against his forehead. "There's a place for us there, right?" "Always." He put his lips to mine, sealing our own little spot in the world. Together.”

“Be prepared,' that's my motto." He smiled smugly at me. "That, and 'Sleep whenever possible.' Oh, and 'If you don't notice it's gone, what's the harm in me taking it?”

“Evie: "Can we not talk?"Jack: "But you're such a charming conversationalist. Still, if you'd prefer to simply bask in the glory of my company, I understand. You're probably overwhelmed by holding my hand and want to enjoy the moment.”

“Evie-you-GAH!" Lend shouted, and I looked up at him, surprised.”

“No. I came here to see you. I didn’t believe the rumors,but after hearing it on so many continents I had to come andsee for myself.”

“I've got a nine iron that says otherwise.”

“Just as he reached for my neck, I tased him. I was there to bag and tag, not to kill. Besides, if I had to carry separate weapons for every paranormal I took out, I'd be dragging around a full luggage set. Tasers are a one-size-fits-all paranormal butt-kicking option. Mine's pink with rhinestones. Tasey and I have had a lot of good times together.”

“I sighed. I hate the vamp jobs. They think they're so suave. It's not enough for them to slaughter and eat you like a zombie would. No, they want it to be all sexy, too. And, trust me: vampires? Not. Sexy. I mean, sure, their glamours can be pretty hot, but the dry-as-bone corpse bodies shimmering underneath? Nothing attractive there.”

“ You hungry?" he asked, pulling out.”

“Lend's dad, two werewolves, and a vampire. It was like the setup to a bad joke or something. A doctor, two werewolves, and a vampire walk into a bar. "What'll you have?" the bartender asks. "We were thinking him," the vampire answers, eyeing the doctor. Okay, jokes weren't my strong point.”

“Mmm. Cupcakes.”

“The only life I want is one with you.”

“Can't he be lonely and unbalanced around someone else's girlfriend?”

“That's more like it. You're much prettier when you aren't talking. True of most people, I've found.”

“Wake up,' a voice like water rippling over rocks whispered in my ear.”

“Wait, so am I allowed to put my shirt back on? Or did you want me to remove my pants, too?”

“She stared at him in that vapid, intoxicated way employed only by women under a vamp's control. Or the way I sometimes got when faced with cupcakes.Mmm. Cupcakes.”

“Faeries and vampires were glittery now? Honestly.”

“When I caught up, I grabbed Jack’s arm. “What are youdoing here?” “Hiding! That’s how you play the game, right? I thoughtthe title hide-and-seek was fairly self-explanatory. Thenagain, you are blond.” “So are you, idiot. Again, what are you doing here?”

“Any other iron on you?” he asked impatiently.“Just my tongue stud.”His look was a mixture of curiosity and horror.“I’m kidding, you idiot. Let’s go.”

“Marry me. Nay, marriage will cost us precious moments together. Let us make sweet, passionate love right here. Let me bear your children.”A primal growl signaled Miss Lynn getting over her shock at being thus addressed. She lunged forward; Jack deftly rolled off the bench, jumping up out of her reach.“Goodness, I didn’t expect you to be quite this enthusiastic about my advances. If I don’t play hard to get, how will I ever know whether or not you respect me?”