Richelle Mead

“Mmm. O positive, my favorite.” “Is it? I thought it was a cabernet sauvignon.” “So it is,” said Adrian, straight-faced. “My mistake.”

“Eddie became about one percent less tense.”

“It doesn't matter. Take Eddie's blood. Take Belikov's blood. Take your own for all I care. But If she doesn't want to give hers, then that's all there is to it. She said no. This conversation is done.”

“If it makes you feel any better, you’re not as bad as Keith. He was here earlier today and was so nervous, he literally kept looking over his shoulder.” Lee paused thoughtfully. “I think it might have been because Adrian kept laughing like a mad scientist at those old black-and-white movies he was watching.”

“I want her to be happy. It's worth sacrificing myself." -Eddie”

“My name's Jet Steele.”

“Do you know anything about silent films?" "Sure," I said. "The first ones were developed in the late nineteenth century and sometimes had live musical accompaniment, though it wasn't until the 1920s that sound became truly incorporated into films, eventually making silent ones obsolete in cinema.”

“Thanks for looking out for her, Sage. You're okay. For a human."I almost laughed. "Thanks.""You can say it too, you know."I walked over to Latte and paused. "Say what?""That I'm okay...for a vampire," he explained. I shook my head, still smiling. "You'll have a hard time getting any Alchemist to admit that. But I can say you're okay for an irreverent party boy with occasional moments of brilliance.""Brilliant? You think I'm brilliant?" He threw his hands skyward. "You hear that, world? Sage says I'm brilliant.”

“I was no better at reading people than I had been ten seconds ago, but in that moment, I suddenly gained a flash of understanding into the mystery that was Adrian Ivashkov. People didn't believe in him very often. They had low expectations of him, so he did as well. Even Eddie had sort of written him off: 'He's Adrian'. As though there was nothing to be done for it.I also suddenly realized that, as unlikely as it seemed, Adrian and I had a lot in common. Both of us were constantly boxed in by others' expectations. It didn't matter that people expected everything of me and nothing of him. We were still the same, both of us constantly trying to break out of the lines that others had defined for us and be our own person. Adrian Ivashkov — flippant, vampire party boy — was more like me than anyone else knew.”

“How?" I demanded. "How could you have screwed this one up?""When I got in, they said the manager was on the phone and would be a few minutes. So, I sat down and ordered a drink."This time, I did lean my forehead against the steering wheel. "What did you order?""A martini.""A martini." I lifted my head. "You ordered a martini before a job interview.""It's a bar, Sage. I figured they'd be cool with it.”

“I don't suppose that she gave you the job based on looks alone?"Adrian had been staring off but now flashed me a big smile. "Why, Sage, you sweet talker.""That's not what I meant! What happened?"He shrugged. "I told the truth.""Adrian!""I'm serious. She asked me what my greatest strength was. I said getting along with people.""That's not bad." I admitted."Then she asked what my greatest weakness was. And I said, 'Where should I start?'""Adrian!""Stop saying my name like that. I told her the truth. By the time I was on the fourth one, she told me I could go.”

“I decided the Alchemists needed an entire department devoted to handling Adrian Ivashkov.”

“Sage," he said. "What are you wearing?"I sighed and stared down at the dress. "I know. It's red. Don't start. I'm tired of hearing about it.""Funny," he said. "I don't think I could ever get tired of looking at it.”

“Now I see some family resemblance. I was starting to wonder if Jill was adopted, but you two kind of look like each other.""So does our mailman back in North Dakota," said Adrian.”

“I changed my mind," he said. "I'll take you up on helping me get a job."I almost swerved into oncoming traffic.”

“You are an exceptional, talented, and brilliant young woman. Do not ever let anyone make you feel like you’re less. Do not ever let anyone make you feel invisible. Do not let anyone—not even a teacher who constantly sends you for coffee—push you around.”

“I have to get back there." I said to Adrian. "Into that door."He arched an eyebrow. "What, like sneaking in? How very black ops of you. And oh, you know— dangerous and foolish.""I know." I said, surprised at how calm I sounded as I admitted that. "But I have to know something, and this may be my only chance.""Then I'll go with you in case that guy comes back," he said with a sigh. "Never let it be said Adrian Ivashkov doesn't help damsels in distress.”

“Can't you . . . I don't know. Find a hobby or something?""Being charming is my hobby," said Adrian obstinately. "I'm the life of the party— even without drinking. I wasn't meant to be alone.”

“You should've just gotten a kids' meal.' Adrian told me, pointing to my half-eaten burger and fries. 'You could've saved me a lot of money. And gotten a toy.”

“You're one to talk, Sage." He pointed an accusing finger. "At least I take action. You? You let the world go by without you. You stand there while that asshole Keith treats you like crap and just smile and nod. You have no spine. You don't fight back. Even old Abe seems to push you around. Was Rose right that he's got something on you? Or is he just someone else you won't fight back against?”

“I don't want to. Believe me. But I can't help it. Rose said in time, I'll learn the control to keep his feelings out, but I can't do it now. And he has so much, Sydney. So much feeling. He feels everything so strongly— love, grief, anger. His emotions are up and down, all over the place. What happened between him and Rose . . . it tears him apart.”

“Adrian gave the picture a nod of approval before handing me the phone. "Okay, even I can admit that's pretty cute."I found myself overanalyzing the comment. What had he meant in saying 'even he' could admit it? That I was cute for a human? Or that I had just met some kind of Adrian hot-girl criteria?”

“Dimitri Belikov had arrived.”

“Why do you want to ask her out?" I asked. "I mean, she's great. But are you just doing this to distract her from Micah and give her a safe alternative? Or do you, um, like her?""Of course he likes her," said Adrian, quick to defend Jill's honor.I had a feeling that there was really no good way for Lee to answer at this point. If he expressed interest in her, Adrian's bizarre chivalric instincts were going to kick in. If Lee wasn't interested, Adrian would no doubt demand to know why Lee didn't want to marry her then and there. It was one of those fascinating — but weird — quirks of Adrian's personality.”

“Hey, Sydney. I thought I saw your car out there." He glanced around. "Is, uh, Jill with you?""Not today." I said. New insight struck me as I recalled that Lee attended school in Los Angeles. "Lee, have you ever dated a human girl at your school?"Adrian arched an eyebrow. "Are you asking him out, Sage?"I scowled. "No!”

“Oh," he said, knocking a red ball into a hole. "It's you.""You were expecting someone else?" I asked. "Am I interrupting your social calender?" I made a big show of glancing around the empty room. "I don't want to keep you from the mob of fans beating down your door.""Hey, a guy can hope. I mean, it's not impossible that a car full of scantily clad sorority girls might break down outside and need my help.”

“Yeah. Rose." Jill sighed and stared vacantly ahead. "She's all he sees when he closes his eyes. Flashing dark eyes and a body full of fire and energy. No matter how much he tries to forget her, no matter how much he drinks . . . she's always there. He can't escape her.”

“It's like living in a retirement home! Clarence is taking a nap right now, and he eats at five. It's so boring.""You've only been here for two days.""And that's been more than enough. The only thing keeping me alive is that he keeps a hefty supply of liquor on hand. But at the rate I'm going, that'll be gone by the weekend. Jesus Christ, I'm climbing the walls." His eyes fell on the cross at my neck. "Oh. Sorry. No offense to Jesus.”

“your eyes... they're beautiful.you're beautiful."*sigh*”

“She accused me of wearing pants from the salvation army.""Rose, your pants ARE from the salvation army.""That's SO not the point!”

“That which is dead doesn't always stay dead....”

“But what I found most interesting was that Aaron had apparently found a way to pass the time without her. Beside him, holding his hand, was a Moroi girl who looked about eleven but had to be older, unless he'd become a pedophile during our absence.”

“Turning away, I stared at the long road winding off ahead of me.I sighed. This trip might take awhile."Then start walking, Rose," I muttered to myself.I set off, off to kill the man I loved.”

“Because...Beacause it's so good, and there's only one chance to read a book for the first time, and I want it to last. That experience. I'd finish it in a day otherwise, and that'd be like...like eating a carton of ice cream in one sitting. Too much richness over too quickly. This way, I can draw it out. Make the book last longer. Savor it. I have to since they don't come out that often.”

“I told you,” said Dimitri, eyes both amused and sharp.”

“I tried to be a better person for her– but it was to impress her, to get her to want me. But when I’m around you, I want to be better because… well, because it feels right. Because I want to. You make me want to become something greater than myself. I want to excel. You inspire me in every act, every word, every glance. I look at you, and you’re like… like light made into flesh. […] You have no clue how beautiful you are or how brightly you shine.”

“No puedo creer que no quieras nada. Va a ser un cumpleaños aburrido."Libertad", pensé yo. Ése era el único regalo que anhelaba: libertad para tomar mis propias decisiones, libertad para amar a quien yo quisiese.No importa -dije en cambio.¿Qué es lo que...? -se detuvo. Lo comprendió. Siempre lo hacía.”

“Me tocaría pensar en algo entonces, algo que supondría deshacernos de las defensas mágicas de la Academia y diez veces más la misma cantidad de guardianes que teníamos aquí. Ah, sí, claro, sin problemas.[pp. 22]”

“Por todos los santos, qué noble que es este grupo.Son todos unos espartacos ,¿no es así?”

“¿Menores?¿Menores? Seguro.Menores y a la vez mayores.Apenas si han visto nada de la vida y ya han visto demasiado.Una está ungida por la vida y la otra está ungida por la muerte...pero es por ellas por quien te preocupas?Preocúpate por ti, dhampir.Preocúpate por ti y preocúpate por mi nosotros somos los menores”

“Tasha y yo debería invertir en máscaras en plan fantasma de la ópera”

“Estos dos estaban ta enamorados y acaramelados el uno con el otro que yo sentía necesidad de ir a lavarme los dientes después de estar con ellos”

“For once, you're going to hear something that doesn't fit into your neat, compartmentalized world of order and logic and reason.”

“love is stupid. it makes you do stupid things. Don't be sorry you loved him. that's part of you, part you have to let go, but still something that's made you into who you are. ”

“The Guardians wouldn't abandon the last Dragomir. And I wouldn't have abandoned Lissa even if there were a million Dragomirs.”

“You've got to take it on faith that the enemy of your enemy is your friend.”

“Los ojos se le llenaron de vida, después de un leve parpadeo miró a Lissa y sonrió.Era como estar viendo una peli de Disney”

“Las mayores y más trascendentales revoluciones suelen comenzar en silencio, ocultas en las sombras-me contempló-Recuerda eso”

“y entonces, de pronto, apareció él, estaca en mano, corriendo por el pasillo como si fuera la muerte vestida con un guardapolvo”

“The book's always better than the movie.”