Rachel Caine

“Morley joined them, and after a long, uncomfortable moment, Mrs. Grant decided to ignore his presence. Theguards didn’t. Their knuckles were white on their weapons.May I assist?” he asked, and put his hands behind his back. “I promise not to eat anyone.”Very funny,” Mrs. Grant said. Morley gave her a grave look.I wasn’t joking, dear lady,” he said. “I do promise. And I never make a promise I don’t intend to keep. Youshould feel quite secure.”Well, I’m sorry, I don’t,” she said. “You’re just—”Too overwhelmingly dashing and attractive?” Morley grinned. “A common problem women face with me.It’ll pass. You seem like the no-nonsense sort. I like that.”Claire smiled at the look on Mrs. Grant’s face, reflected in the white LED light of the lantern she was holding.You are really—odd,” the older woman said, as if she couldn’t quite believe she was even having theconversation.”

“I am never taking a trip with either of you ever again.' Eve said. 'Ever.'Excellent' Shane said. 'Then next trip, we hit the strip bar.'I have a gun, Shane,' Eve sighed.What, you think i actually loaded yours?'Eve flipped him off, and Claire laughed.”

“Shane looked down at the staked vamp at his feet. 'Claire?''Yes?''You staked a vampire with a number two pencil.''I didn’t actually check the number.''Have I told you lately how freaking awesome you are?'She tried to smile, but her heart was fluttering in her chest now, and not in a good way. 'Compliments later. We really need to get out of here and get to the car. Any ideas?''Find another pencil and I’ll pin this one down, too,' Michael said.'You know how weird that sounds, right?' Shane said. 'Right, never mind. Number two pencil, coming up. Why do I feel like we’re taking a test?”

“You know, I thought you were a mousy little thing when I first saw you, Claire, but you're not, are you? Not underneath."Oh, I am mousy," she said. "All this scares the hell out of me. But I don't know what else to do, sir, except try. Even a mouse bites.”

“Can I come back and see you sometime?""Long as you bring me some chocolate," Gramma said, and smiled. "I'm partial to chocolate.""Gramma, you're diabetic.""I'm old, girl. Gonna die of something. Might as well be chocolate.”

“Yeah, and by the way? How much does it suck that I'm an adult if I kill somebody, and not if I want a beer?”

“Run first,' Shane said. 'Mourn later.'It was the perfect motto for Morganville.”

“Besides," Shane said "I want to see Monica's facewhen she catches sight of the two of you. Kodak moment.”

“Define better with that guy. Not all fangs and raaaaar.”

“Her eyes burned, her muscles ached, but in some strange and secret place, she was happy to finally be doing something that wasn't just protecting herself, but protecting other people, too.”

“Me neither,” Shane put in. “Homie don’t play that.”“I wonder, sometimes, if your generation speaks English at all,” Amelie said.”

“You were leaving, and you didn't even know if I was okay.”

“Girl, it's an umbrella, not a Lamborghini,”

“Eve: She told me last!Shane: Boyfriend!Michael: Landlord!Eve: Crap. Right. Next time you sell your soul to the devil, I get first contact!”

“Oliver: You turned me down. So why, I wonder, did you decide Amelie would be a better choice?Claire: She smells better. And she made me cookies.”

“If you ask me if I'm okay again, I'm going to smack myself in the face just to punish you.”

“Shane dragged Eve's suitcase into the room and dumped it on the floor beside her bed. “Hey, Dark Princess? Here’s your crap. Also, bite me.”

“Mom and Dad had a lot to answer for, she decided. She couldn’t even be rude to evilvampires who’d caged her boyfriend and were preparing to roast him alive.”

“Expecting anybody else?' Shane asked Eve. 'Your distant cousin Jack the Ripper dropping by too?''Screw you, Collins.”

“Another thing I don't want on my tombstone," Shane said.You have others?" Claire asked.He held up one finger. "I thought it wasn't loaded," Shane said. Second finger. "Hand me a match so I can check the gas tank." Third finger. "Killed over ice cream. Basically, any death that requires me to be stupid first.”

“Shane was silent a moment, then let out a long breath. "I bet I could convince you if I could get through these bars. . . .""You'd get arrested all over again.""Well, you're just that tempting. Jailbait." He kissed her fingers, which made her shiver all over; his lips lingered warm on her skin, reminding her of what it felt like to be alone with him, in that timeless...”

“Eve was still frowning at the pasta like she suspected it was going to do somethingclever, like try to escape from the pot.”

“Hey,” Shane said from the other side of the bars. “Trade you cigarettes for a chocolate bar.”Funny,” Eve said. She was almost back to her old unGothed self again, though there were still red splotches on her cheeks and around her eyes. “How come you’re always behind bars, troublemaker?”Look who’s talking. I didn’t try to outrun the cops in a hearse.”That hearse had horsepower.” Eve got that moony look in her eyes again. “I love that hearse.”

“Don’t,” Michael said. It was soft, and it was a warning, through and through. “You try to hurt her again and I’ll pull your arm off.”

“You can’t be serious,” Eve said. “Guys. People get eaten in places like this. At the very least, we get locked in a room and terrible, evil things get done to us and put on the Internet. I’ve seen the movies.”"Eve,” Michael said. “Horror movies are not documentaries.”

“I knew we’d wear them down,' Eve said. 'After all, we really are amazingly cool.' And now it was Eve’s turn for the high five with Shane. 'For a bunch of misfit geeks, slackers, and losers.''Which one are you?' Shane asked. She flipped him off. 'Oh, right. Loser. Thanks for reminding me.”

“You know," Shane said twenty minutes later, "I'd feel a whole lot better about the two of us if you didn't think I was the go-to guy for breaking and entering.”

“There's a ghost in this house! An unquiet spirit!"Unquiet spirit?" Shane said under his breath. "Is that politically correct for pissed off? You know, like Undead American or something?”

“Turn down the porn soundtrack! Trying to concentrate here!-Shane”

“Mom logic.”

“Does it give you déjà voodoo how alike the houses are?""That's déjà vu, and I hate you right now”

“Whatever, crazy chick who maybe lives here and maybe also breaks into Michael's house when they're all gone. I'm out. Have a nice delusion. -Shayne”

“Fides mihi.”

“I'm fine with Nature's way, as long as Nature keeps it out of *my* way.”

“Goodness,' Myrnin said quietly. 'I don't think I should be watching this. I don't think I'm old enough.”

“As she turned to concentrate on the portal, Eve tugged on Claire's shirt. "What?""Ask him where he got the boots.""You ask." Personally, Claire wanted the vampire bunny slippers.”

“Because you've got guy parts, you're automatically a better mechanic than me? I don't think so," Eve said, and bailed out of the passenger side.”

“Silver nitrate and water in a super soaker," he told her. "My own invention. Ought to be good at twenty feet, kind of like wasp spray."Oh. "You get me the nicest things.""Anybody can get jewelry. Posers”

“There is no such thing as unlimited trust. At some point, all beings with free will can, and will, betray you when you're no longer pursuing the same goals.”

“I didn't bring you here," he said. "You think you're Miss Special Destiny of the year?""No," I shot back, furious. "And I don't damn well want to be - whatever the hell you are. But sometimes there isn't a choice. Right?""Careful. You might accidentally make some sense. Ruin your reputation.""You are infuriating!""Yep," he agreed. "It's been said.”

“You're dead," I repeated. "So why are you in my dream?"He raised the bill of his olive drab ball cap with one finger. " Good question. Morbid, isn't it?""What?""Dreaming about dead peolpe. Creepy. You ever see a therapist about that?""I'm not -" Even in dreams, I couldn't win an argument. Even when he was dead.”

“Excuse me? You're a lady?""I bought a title on the Internet. I own one square inch of Scotland. And you're changing the subject.”

“As I was smoothing on the last handful across the top of my thigh, I noticed I had company. Lewus was standing there watching me, eyes half-closed but not in the least sleepy. He'd put on his blue jeans, but nothing else... very sexy.I couldn't help but take in the view.”

“No, no era una superheroína, pero era otra cosa. Era una persona... con recursos.”

“Y si eres tan lista como pareces, deberías saber que es una estupidez creer que la ciencia lo resuelve todo. A veces suceden cosas. Cosas que la física o las mates o esa mierda que se mide en el laboratorio no puede explicar. Las personas no pueden reducirse mediante leyes o principios, Claire. Son... chispas. Chispas de algo hermoso y formidable. Y algunas chispas brillan más que otras”

“Doorman: Good morning Mr. PeaknisMr. P.: Go to hell”

“The weather isn't what you think it is. Not by a long shot.”

“Don't do me any favors, Glass Ass," Jason snapped.”

“In this whole screwed up town, you're the only thing that's always been right to me," He whispered. "I love you, Claire" said Shane.”

“Hang on - Slow down. I'm not going anywhere. You know that, right? You don't have to put out to keep me here. Well, as long as you eventually..." Shane said."Shut up" Claire said.”