Richelle Mead

“Don't worry know what you can't change. rest when you can so you'll be ready for tomorrows battle.”

“Watch it." he said at last. "I can make your life miserable." I gave him an icy smile. "You already have, and that's why i've got the advantage. You've done your worst but you haven't seen what i can do yet.”

“Can't you... I don't. Find a hobby or something?""Being charming is my hobby.”

“‎That makes sense," Adrian said"It does?"He glanced at me, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "Yes, little dhampire. Sometimes you make sense. Go on.”

“He shrugged. "She might be wild and disrespectful, but if she has potential—”"Wild and disrespectful?" I interrupted. "Who the hell are you anyway? Outsourced help?”"Guardian Belikov is the princess's guardian now," said Kirova. "Her sanctioned guardian.”"You got cheap foreign labor to protect Lissa?”

“Why on earth would you buy a car like this if you can't drive a stick? There are dozens of cars--new cars--that have automatic transmission. It'd be a million times easier." Adrian shrugged. "I like the color. It matches my living room.”

“I fight everyday to not let the past overtake me. Sometimes I win, sometimes it does.”

“He flipped the dail, and I crossed my arms over my chest as some vaguely European-sounding band sang about how video had killed the radio star. I wished someone would kill this radio.”

“Do you want me to call you Celery Stick instead of Cupcake or Honey-Pie? It just doesn’t inspire the same warm and fuzzy feelings.”

“Who knows more about male weakness: you or me? Use my knowledge, Sage.”

“I certainly hadn't expected to walk away from today's trip with joint custody of a miniature dragon.”

“If I was drunk, I wouldn’t be here at all. And really, this is pretty good for four White Russians.”“White what?” I almost sat down but was afraid the chair might dematerialize beneath me.“It’s a drink,” he said. “You’d think I wouldn’t be into something named that—you know, considering my own personal experience with Russians. But they’re surprisingly delicious. The drinks, not real Russians.”

“I didn’t care that we were out in public. I didn’t care that he was Moroi. All that mattered was that he was Adrian, my Adrian. My match. My partner in crime, in the long battle I’d just signed on for to right the wrongs in the Alchemist and Moroi worlds. Maybe Marcus was right that I’d also signed myself up for disaster, but I didn’t care. In that moment, it seemed that as long as Adrian and I were together, there was no challenge too great for us”

“You're my flame in the dark. We chase away the shadows around each other.”

“How do I know I can trust you?''You can't,' he said bluntly. 'You've got to take it on faith that the enemy of your enemy is your friend.”

“You'll be alive', he pointed out. 'That's what matters. Enjoy what you have, every little detail of wherever you are. Don't focus on where you aren't.”

“It won't be that simple though, will it?' She sounded wise beyond her years. 'Things are going to get worse before they get better, aren't they?”

“Adrian sifted through the bags and pulled out a slice of coconut cream. "If I were a dragon, this is what I'd go for."I didn't argue, mainly because that statement had no logical argument.”

“Adrian suddenly made an abrupt turn onto a side street we'd nearly driven past. I jerked upright as he clipped the curb."What are you doing? Think about your tires!”

“Can you come over to Amberwood? I need you to help me break curfew and escape my dorm.”There were a few moments of silence. “Sage, I’ve been waiting two months to hear you say those words. You want me to bring a ladder?”

“It’s Kahlua, Sage. Packed with sugar and coffee flavor.”

“Worry about staying alive first. Then worry about how you're going to live.”

“I gave him a smile that I hoped was as dazzling as one of his. "I realized I'm in love."Marcus, startled, looked around as though he expected to see my object d'amour in the car with us. "And you just realized this? Did you just have some sort of vision?""Didn't need to," I said, thinking of Wolfe's ill-fated trip to the Orkneys. "It's always been right in front of me.”

“Look, Sage. I don't know much about chemistry or computer hacking or photosynthery, but this is something I've got a lot of experience with." I think he mean photosynthesis, but I didn't correct him. "Use my knowledge. Don't let it go to waste.”

“Adrian suddenly glanced up at me. Our gazes locked, and I felt like he could read my mind. How often did he think about that kiss? And if he really was crazy about me, did he imagine more than just kissing? Did he fantasize about me? What kinds of things did he think about? His lips on my neck? His hand on my leg? And was that leg bare . . . ?”

“Do you know what I see in you now? The usual aura. A steady golden yellow, healthy and strong, with spikes of purple here and there. But when I do this. . . .”He rested a hand on my hip, and my whole body tensed up. That hand moved around my hip, slipping under my shirt to rest on the small of my back. My skin burned where he touched me, and the places that were untouched longed for that heat.“See?” he said. He was in the throes of spirit now, though with me at the same time. “Well, I guess you can’t. But when I touch you, your aura . . . it smolders. The colors deepen, it burns more intensely, the purple increases. Why? Why, Sydney?” He used that hand on me to pull me closer. “Why do you react that way if I don’t mean anything to you?” There was a desperation in his voice, and it was legitimate.”

“Whatever happened to the dragon?"I mustered my primmest tone. "He has a name, you know."Adrian pulled back and gave me a curious look. "I didn't know, actually. What'd you decide on?""Hopper." When Adrian laughed, I added, "Best rabbit ever. He'd be proud to know his name is being passed on.""Yes, I'm sure he would. Did you name the Mustang too?""I think you mean the Ivashkinator."He stared at me in wonder. "I told you I loved you, right?"Yes," I assured him. "Many times.”

“A piece of heaven?" I managed to ask.He slowly shook his head. "No. The other place. The one I'm going to burn in for thinking what I'm thinking.”

“The color," he breathed. "When you stand in the light. They're amazing...like molten gold. I could paint those..." He reached toward me but then pulled back. "They're beautiful. You're beautiful." -Bloodlines”

“physical pain to make the mental pain go away”

“I’m going to just go on loving you, even if it’s hopeless.” -Adrian-”

“I’m still here, still in love with you, and care about you more than any other guy ever will." -Adrian-”

“Look at it this way," Ms. Terwilliger said, after several moments of thought. "The callistana thinks of you two as its parents.”

“I tried to dredge up the same reaction other girls had around Marcus, but nothing happened. No matter how hard I tried, I just didn't have that same attraction His hair was too blond, I decided. And his eyes needed a little more green.”

“The bond was so strange at times. Jill was jealous on Adrian's behalf.”

“He shook his head in mock sympathy. "I tell you, Sage. Sometimes I think I am the one who needs to take out the restraining order on you.”

“His eyes were on his heart, completely caught up in his work. 'Just something kicking around in my head. Reminds me of you. Fiery and sweet, all at the same time. A flame in the dark, lighting my way.' His voice... his words... I recognized one of his spirit-driven moments. It should've unnerved me, but there was something sensual about the way he spoke, something that made my breath catch. A flame in the dark.”

“Adrian frowned.'Is that a noose?''It's a tie!' I cried, trying not to feel offended. He laughed, clearly delighted at this.'My mistake.”

“A flame in the dark”

“He looked up at me with angelic eyes. "Doing what?""You know what. You're luring me in. You know I can't resist-”

“I love you, and beneath all that logic, calculation, and superstition, I know you love me too.”

“One day she's throwing a book at me. The next, we're making out behind the library.”

“Yes, I-- I think I love her. Is that nuts?”

“He was too perfect, despite being one of the most imperfect people I knew.”

“Sage.” He laughed. “I’m into anything, so long as you’re with me.”

“Adrian tipped my face up toward his and kissed me. Like always, the world around me stopped moving. No, the world became Adrian, only Adrian. Kissing him was as mind-blowing as ever, full of that same passion and need I had never believed I’d feel. But today, there was even more to it. I no longer had any doubt about whether this was wrong or right. It was a culmination of a long journey . . . or maybe the beginning of one.I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. I didn’t care that we were out in public. I didn’t care that he was Moroi. All that mattered was that he was Adrian, my Adrian. My match. My partner in crime, in the long battle I’d just signed on for to right the wrongs in the Alchemist and Moroi worlds. Maybe Marcus was right that I’d also signed myself up for disaster, but I didn’t care. In that moment, it seemed that as long as Adrian and I were together, there was no challenge too great for us.I don’t know how long we stood there kissing. Like I said, the world around me was gone. Time had stopped. I was awash in the feel of Adrian’s body against mine, in his scent, and in the taste of his lips. That was all that mattered right now.”

“I realized I’m in love. It's always been right in front of me.”

“It doesn’t matter,” said Adrian, smiling. He rested a hand on my shoulder. “Some things are worth the trouble.”

“In this one terrified moment, my mind couldn’t focus on any of it. “I’ve forgotten everything.”“No, you haven’t.” His voice in the darkness was calm and reassuring. He smoothed back my hair and pressed one of those half kisses to my forehead. “Just relax and focus." “His reasonable words centered me and allowed the gears of logic that ran my life to take over again.”

“Adrian shook his head, still smiling. "I've said over and over, I'd do anything for you. I just keep hoping it'll be something like, 'Adrian, let's go hot tubbing' or 'Adrian, take me out for fondue.'""Well, sometimes we have to--did you say fondue?" Sometimes it was impossible to follow Adrian's train of thought. "Why in the world would I ever say that?"He shrugged. "I like fondue.”