Rachel Vincent

“There’s still time to find him. And people assuming Marc’s dead doesn’t make him dead. How often does Marc hold to the status quo?”

“It was an addiction. A pointless, self-destructive addiction. But really, is there any other kind?”

“Had I just begged for an audience with Death?”

“I was fine with that. The very idea of Death knowing my name made my skin crawl. Even if this particular Death was only one of many, and almost too pretty to look at.”

“If Eastlake High School were the universe, I would be one of the moons circling Planet Emma, constantly hidden by her shadow, and glad to be there. Nash Hudson would be one of the stars: too bright to look at, too hot to touch and at the center of his own solar system.”

“What took you so long?” Nash asked, as he slid into the passenger seat and pulled the door closed.“I stopped to donate all your underwear to the homeless. You’re gonna wanna take care of those tighty whities—they’re all you’ve got left.”He leaned against the door, either too tired or too drunk to sit up. “And to think, most people don’t understand your sense of humor.”“Fools, all of them.”

“This was the Big One. This was humiliation, disappointment, and dissolution all wrapped up together, tied with a big red bow of disgrace. The gift that keeps on giving.”

“Why do they call it losing your virginity, anyway? It's Not Like I don't know where I left it." "You'd be surprised how many people don't.”

“Kaylee, this means something to me.” His hands trailed down my arms to cup my elbows, and his gaze held mine. “With anyluck, we’re going to have millions of moments over the course of eternity, and I plan to love every one of them. But we’ll neverhave this moment again, and this is very important to me.” The twists of blue in his eyes coiled so tightly the color was almost gone,lost among pale shades of a need so deep it couldn’t possibly be captured in a kiss, or a touch. “I need to know that this is importantto you, too. I need to know that this isn’t like last time. That you’re not doing this just so you can say you’ve done it. Because that’snot good enough for me. That’s not good enough for us.”

“My stomach flip-flopped, and I let his words play over in my head. “So, no costume?”Tod shrugged. “Nah. Don’t get me wrong—it’s hot. But it’s hot in an obvious kind of way. It’s not really you.”I frowned. “Because I’m not obviously sexy?”“Because you are obviously sexy. Some girls may need costumes to make guys want them, but I couldn’t possibly want you morethan I do right now, no matter what you were wearing. Or not wearing.”I stared up at him. “How is it possible that every time you open your mouth, I—” fall more in love with you “—melt a little more?”

“Is that a joke? Please tell me you're joking. -SophieI never joke about carnivorous bunnies. -Luca”

“Sneak out." He shrugged, as if that should have been a no-brainer. But that was easy for him to say. He was dead. What else could they do to him, take away his birthday?”

“My hands wrapped around his waist, traveling up the broad expanse of his back, mooth and hard, and..."Give it a rest, already," Tod snapped from somewhere behind his brother. "It already smells like sex in here, and you're both still dressed. You have no idea how messed up that is.”

“We haven’t met… I’m Kori Daniels. If you don’t get that gun out of my face, I’m gonna take it, then I’m gonna break your jaw so I can unhinge it and shove your pistol down your throat. That way the bullet goes through the long way.”

“I signed on for the role of ‘boyfriend,’ not ‘conscience.’ If you want wholesome and ethical, you’ll have to look elsewhere. But I promise that won’t be half as much fun as this is….” His hand slid down my side and over my hip, and my heart beat faster.”

“The world lost something when you died, Tod, and I know that wasn't easy for your family. But the world's loss was Kaylee's gain. I hope the two of you have the forever her mother and I never got.""I will do my damnedest to make sure of that.""I know you will.”

“She just got out of the hospital. Why don't you go gossip behind her back, like decent people?”

“Dad, I can count the number of normal school days I've had this year on one hand.”

“His gaze burned into mine, like he could see past my eyes into parts of me no one had ever seen, and I knew I was seeing the same in him. No one else had ever seen him so vulnerable before, like if I pushed him away, he might crumble into pieces that could never be put together again. Yet there was strength, too. He was strong beneath that fragile need, and I knew that I could never fall with him next to me. If I tripped, he would catch me. If I lost my balance, he would find it.”

“Bold. Risky. Dramatic. I approve.”

“Hey." Tod squeezed my hand to draw me out of my thoughts. "I think death looks good on you.”

“I can't believe they even bothered filling that faculty position again. They might as well rename the class Defense Against the Dark Arts. I mean, seriously, who would answer an ad for this job?”

“My mother turned towards me with a coffeepot in each hand, her jaw dangling somewhere near her collarbone. You’d think she’d never seen me naked, when I knew for a fact I’d been born that way.”

“A smart woman would have shut up. Did I? Hell no. Intelligence is overrated anyway.”

“Sometimes I suspected Ryan was merely visiting the real world, on vacation from his permanent residence in la-la land.”

“Okay, you’ve primped enough. Now go bug someone else,” Ethan said, shooing me out the door. “I have to clean the bathroom.” “That should be interesting,” I quipped. “Maybe I should stay and watch.” “Maybe you should stay and help.” Cupping one hand behind my ear, I grinned, pretending to listen. “I think I hear Marc calling.”

“What is it about women and luggage? You don’t have to bring everything you own, and it shouldn’t take this long to throw some clothes into a bag. In fact, if it will save you any time, just leave the underwear out all together.”

“No, you should stay right where you are, or my estranged brother and I will settle our difference by seeing who can break more of your bones."Tod glanced at him, brows raised. "You want to settle our differences?"Nash frowned. "No, I want to break every bone in his body, and I didn't think you'd let me do it alone."Tod nodded. "Good call.”

“Careful, pot" Tod said. "Someone might notice your resemblance to the kettle.”

“If you live in the dark long enough, you start to forget what light looks like.”

“I spent two hours trying to question reapers without sounding like I was questioning them. What do you think it says about us as a group, that every reaper I know is either irritable, egotistical, voyeuristic, or some combination of the three?""That you fit in well?”

“Tod crossed his arms over his snug white T-shirt, silently giving me the floor. Fortunately, I was prepared. "Sabine ambushed me in the hall this morning and gave me a lecture on sex."Tod's brow's rose halfway to his hairline. "I hope you took notes...”

“For those who may not know this, Madeline recruited me specifically to help hunt and take out a serial soul thief-""I call him Cap'n Crunch," Luca interrupted, and was rewarded with a roomful of frowns. "You know. Because he's a cereal thief?”

“He's lying, Kay," Nash said, fists clenched at his sides. "Hellions can't lie, but we all know reapers can.""Careful, pot," Tod said. "Someone might notice your resemblance to the kettle.”

“Levi will kill me the minute he sees me, and I don't trust Madeline. There's something in her eyes..." "I believe that's integrity and dedication in her job." "Yeah. It's disturbing.”

“Are you going to deliver whatever threat Avari sent you with, or are we going to have to start guessing?" Tod said. "I gotta warn you, I'm insanely good at charades.”

“Why? Why is this happening to me?" Sophie asked.Sabine rolled her eyes. "Because you're the beautiful fairy princess and the evil Lord of Hell can't secure his kingdom until he's feasted from your flesh and slaked his thirst with tea brewed from the ashes of your incinerated bones."Nash groaned, and Tod laughed out loud.Sophie hiccuped, and turned to me, frowning. "Is she serious?”

“If you want to call yourself my friend, you should know that position comes with boundaries." Sabine frowned. "I'm no good with boundaries." "Yes, and the ocean is damp. Can we be done with the understatements now?”

“Sophie glanced from me to Sabine, then back, scowling. "I'm not scared of her. I can handle myself." "Yeah, and hissing kittens think they're badass too," Sabine said.”

“She got to you, too, huh?" I said, sliding onto the bench seat across from him. "Actually, I called her." Luca grinned. "I'm vomiting from a possible case of food poisoning. You?" "Sudden onset menstruation." He nodded respectfully. "Classic." "Yeah, but I should have gone for something more long-term. Yours will get you out of the whole afternoon. Ferris Bueller would be proud.”

“Near-death experiences release a lot of endorphins, resulting in a natural high," Tod whispered. "And it's totally true that one passion feeds another." "You know we're way past 'near-death', right?" "My endorphins aren't listening to you.”

“How long until you have to go...reap?" I whispered as my arms slid around his neck. Like we were dancing. Only we weren't moving, and there was no music. "Don't know. Don't care." "Won't you get in trouble if you miss something?" "See my previous answer.”

“But I'll be fine. I'll be with Tod. He's a good guy, you know." He just hides it under all the sarcasm and curls.”

“Tod's eyes widened and his irises swirled in tight twists of blue. "Well, I don't see that I have much of a choice, considering that's part of Reaper Law." "There's a Reaper Law?" "Of course. 'A reaper is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous...'" He shrugged. "It gets boring after that. But this situation is clearly covered under the 'helpful' category."I rolled my eyes. "I think that's the Boy Scout law.""They took it from us. But they left out all the good stuff.”

“Sabine gestured to him with the half-eaten crust. "I like him. Not sure why he's wasting his time with the pole dancer, though."Tod laughed out loud and I groaned. "Sophie takes ballet and jazz. She's not a pole dancer.""There's more money in pole dancing," Sabine insisted.”

“Her dark-eyed glare narrowed on me. "You could have least given him a shirt, Kaylee.""Like you're an expert on when it's appropriate to wear a shirt." Sabine bristled."This seems headed into girl-fight territory," Tod said. "Should I make popcorn?”

“Why do I always have to be the one who says 'stop'?" I demanded, my voice little more than a moan."You don't. In fact, at this point I'm considering a petition to that word stricken from the English language." His grin was almost lazy, the gleam in his eyes an effortless challenge. "If I did, would you sign?”

“Hey, do you wanna go out for..." His words melted with a sigh when he noticed Tod, but then he rallied with a smile. "Hi, Tod, I didn't realise you were here. In my daughter's bedroom. With the door closed.""Happy to be here," Tod said, and I groaned out loud.”

“I don't want to wear your dad's clothes. He hates me.""You'd rather wear mine?"Nash scowled.”

“I love you, Kaylee. More than I've ever loved anyone. More than I will ever love anyone. If I could freeze this moment in time and never have to let you go, I would do it without a second thought.”