Lili St. Crow

“Call them fangs, Dru. That's what they are.”

“Peachy.”

“Yap, yap, little dog.”

“I wished Graves would look at me. But he just stood there, glaring out from under his hair. I'm sure he could have painted fuck-off on his forehead and it would have been more subtle.”

“I just bonked a werewulf on the noggin. Jeez.”

“I don't have an accent. Northerners just talk funny.”

“Maybe it was tact that made Benjamin sigh. He didn't roll his eyes or look pained, which was pretty damn magnanimous of him.”

“I wasn't sure if the word boys should mean dim or incomprehensible. I was hovering between the two, with a healthy dose of testosterone-poisoned.”

“You've got a better chance with me, Dru. Don't do something stupid again. If something happens, it's you and me against the world. Got it?”

“It is our honor," Amelia said, and it was the weirdest thing-it sounded like she really meant it. People don't often say exactly what they really mean.”

“He smelled like smoke too, and under it was the edge of apple pies-spice and goodness. Jesus. Even after all that he smelled like a bakery.”

“Another big ripping sound. Jesus. Had they brought supernatural dynamite in to tear the whole place apart?”

“And if it took me more than thirty seconds of thinking, he wouldn't let me flounder. He would jump right in and explain. Not like so many others who liked to call themselves teachers.”

“My legs were on fire. All of me was burning and my back was a solid bar of pain. But it didn't matter.What mattered was Graved next to me, also rubbing my back and laughing like he'd just found Christmas in his pants.”

“He was so close it was hard to breathe. It was exactly like being next to an oven baking a really spicy apple pie.”

“Yeah, well things change. Now I want to be here." Another long, seconds-ticking pause. Dust danced in one fading gleam of gold coming through a low window, following long lazy swirls down to the ground. "With you.”

“The rest of it spilled out in an incoherent jumble, but he nodded every once in a while. I liked that about him. He was so smart you didn't have to hold his hand and walk him through everything. He could fill in the blanks on his own.”

“So you're a dom, huh? Nice." I stabbed my pancakes again. "Kinky.""You're the one who ties people up, babe.”

“Gee, thanks." I couldn't sound more sarcastic, but I was willing to give it a try. My breathing evened out. "What are you here for, then? Tea and cookies?" My mouth wanted to water. He smelled like cookies. Cinnamon ones, with dabs of apple-pie filling.”

“I crossed my arms over my chest. Jeez, it was cold in here all of a sudden. And had he always smelled this good? Was it a cologne? Eau de Christmas Pie?”

“I guess since the groin is the center of a guy's world, he rarley guesses it isn't the center of yours.”

“And that must be Mr.Graves. My, aren't you the handsome one? If I had space free on my guards I might almost break the tradition and offer you a Trial challenge.""That's assuming I'd take it."[...]"Oh, Kir. Relax. Mr. Graves has a sarcastic sense of humor. It's something to apreciate in a man. Boy humor is so juvenile.""It wasn't sarcasm. It was pointiong out a fallacy in your logic, babe."Anna's jaw actually dropped.”