Sherrilyn Kenyon

“What are you? Stupid? Of course they have a guard. What part of ‘You’re a prisoner’ did you miss? (Delphine)”

“That depends on the man. I like breasts myself. A nice rack goes a long way in getting me to do just about anything. Even stupid things. (Phobos)You are so offensive! (Delphine)Oh, please, I’m ten thousand years old. You’re lucky I’m not more chauvinistic than I am. Babe, I’ve come a long way. (Phobos)”

“Fuck off and die, you putrid bastard. (Jericho)”

“You think we stand a chance? (Delphine)Like an icicle on the equator. (Phobos)”

“Swear it on your life. (Zephyra)That I can never do. (Stryker)Why can’t you? (Zephyra)Because you are my life, and I can’t live another day without you. (Stryker)”

“Your mama-akra sent that to you, akri, to hurt the heathen-god. Now it’s Dimonique time. The Simi can’t be bothered we no Greek god messing with the one who pays the plastic bills. Can the Simi have that black metal card she loves so much? (Simi)”

“So are we going to continue glaring angrily at each other while we pose in our tough stances? Or use our time to work out a plan that hopefully doesn’t end with our mutual deaths? (Acheron)”

“Then know that I’ll be laughing at your ineptitude every time your enemies strike you, and if you fail to return with my daughter, I’ll have your heart and your head for decorations. (Zephyra)Your words are noted, my most prickly rose. And I shall endeavor to keep your amusement at a bare minimum. (Stryker)”

“You know you’re the only man alive I’d ever follow after what I’ve been through. You’re also the only one I respect. (Urian)And you’re one of the extremely few I trust. (Acheron)Brothers? (Urian)Brothers to the end. Now before we get all girly and cry, get your ass upstairs and prepare for what’s coming. (Acheron)”

“I want the honest truth about something. Could you really fight with someone who did as much damage to you as my father has done to me? (Urian)I subjected myself to the goddess who drugged me to the point I couldn’t protect my sister and nephew the night they were brutally slaughtered, and they were the only two people in the universe who’d ever given two shits about me. Later that same day, she stood back and let her twin brother butcher me on the floor like an animal, yet within hours after that I sold myself to her to protect mankind. For the sake of the Dark-Hunters, I subjected myself to her cruel whims for eleven thousand years. So, yeah, Urian, I think I could manage to suck it up for an hour to protect the rest of the world. (Acheron)”

“You stubborn bastard. Take it from someone who knows firsthand, there’s a lot to be said for forgiveness. Grudges seldom hurt anyone except the one bearing them. (Acheron)And there’s a lot to be said for knocking enemies upside their heads and cracking skulls open. (Urian)To everything there is a season, and tonight ours is to stand together or lose everything. I’m not fighting for Stryker or to save your sister. I’m fighting to protect the ones I love. The ones who will suffer most if War isn’t stopped. (Acheron)”

“Well, I guess I’m just not as special as you are. (Urian)No one knows their true mettle until it’s been tested. This is yours. Whether you pass or fail is entirely up to you. I can’t tell you what to do, but I know where I’ll be tonight. (Acheron)”

“We all have regrets, Urian. Nothing that lives is immune from that nasty emotion. (Acheron)So what? You want me to go kiss and make up? (Urian)Hardly. But I want you to set aside your own hurt and anger to see clearly for a minute. This isn’t about you and your father anymore than it’s about me and Nick hating each other over something we can’t change. This is about saving the lives of a million innocent people. People like Phoebe who don’t deserve to be hunted and killed. If I can stand at the side of my enemies for the greater good, so can you. (Acheron)”

“You are such an optimist. My Spidey-sense is tingling all over the place. (Tory)That’s from eating the ice cream. Relax. (Acheron)Relax. Trust me. It’ll be all right. Isn’t that how I ended up dead? (Danger)Stop feeding her anxiety. (Acheron)Anxiety. The Simi’s never eaten that before. Is that tasty? (Simi)Not really. (Danger)Oh. Maybe we should put barbecue sauce on it. Everything’s better with barbecue. (Simi)”

“Works for me. For the ones we love, today we’re allies. Tomorrow we resume our natural order of mortal enemies. Gentlemen, and I use that term loosely for all of us, have we an accord? (Acheron)”

“I’m not Sisyphus trying to restrain death. Illyria is a soldier. If it’s her time, it’s her time. I’m not at war with Atropos. It’s her will to take us whenever she likes. My only goal is to die with dignity. (Stryker)”

“He offers you a chance to surrender. (Female Gallu)I told him to quit sucking the blood of idiots. It’s now infected his own intellect. (Stryker)”

“Because I cursed him to it. (Acheron)Be glad I’m not physically there or I’d slap you upside the head. You know how free will works, so stop the whining and get off the cross. Someone needs the wood. (Savitar)”

“Relax, Phyra. I’d be more concerned if he were in here with my son than with my daughter. The biggest threat he poses is he might want to borrow her shoes. (Stryker)”

“Enough, children. In case you haven’t noticed, we have a major situation playing out. We have to find and stop War, corral the gallu, protect Apostolos, and get Savitar out of here. (Apollymi)Why the later? (Jared)Because I hate his guts. (Apollymi)I hate you, too, precious. (Savitar)”

“For the record, we’re not friends. (Stryker)For the record, I don’t care. (Savitar)”

“Not many people carry out thoughts they know going into it are stupid…morons not included. (Apollymi)”

“You’re the one who unleashed him. (Savitar)Yeah, well, let’s move on from the blame game. I was having suicidal thoughts and it seemed like a good idea at the time. In retrospect, not so much. (Stryker)”

“I can’t touch him. (Jared)Well, don’t you suck. (Stryker)Oh, believe me, I couldn’t agree more. Just be grateful it’s not contagious. (Jared)”

“Looks like I missed a party. Good. I wasn’t really in the mood to off demons this evening. Haven’t had my coffee yet. (Jared)You drink coffee? (Stryker)No, but it was my pathetic attempt at humor. (Jared)”

“I assumed he’d kill me, not my people. (Stryker)The man’s name is War. Did that not clue you in about his personality? This would be tantamount to meeting Peone and expecting the goddess of retaliation to forgive you and blithely walk away to let you live a happy life. (Zephyra)”

“So I conjured one of the brokers and promised him my soul if he’d protect her. (Zephyra)You can’t do that. Only a demon can. (Stryker)You’re such a brainiac, baby. And to think, I thought I married you for those amazing abs. Who knew all that brainpower was buried under those bulging biceps? (Zephyra)”

“You snide halitosis-breathing worthless shit sack! (Stryker)”

“One single word and I swear I’ll rip your tongue out. (Zephyra)”

“What he never counted on was me and the degree to which your mother’s purity would affect you. (Menyara)You’re so full of shit, Menyara, you ought to be a cow pasture. (Nick)”

“I have you here. Why shouldn’t I be pleased? (Stryker)I can think of a million reasons, starting with the fact that I want to kill you more than I want to breathe. As for the others, would you prefer them in order of importance or alphabetically? (Zephyra)”

“He says he’d rather be dead than leave me. According to him, we’re family. I guess that makes me the psycho uncle no one wants to talk to. And he’s the kid with only imaginary friends for company. ‘Normal’ Rockwell, here we come. (Jared)”

“If you leave here, War can find you again. What are you going to do if that happens? (Tory)Leave bloodstains on his best shirt. (Acheron)”

“The man hates your guts more than Stryker does. You’ll be lucky if he doesn’t pull your spine out through your nostrils. (Tory)Nice to have Miss Merry Sunshine back again. Any other Eeyore outlooks you’d like to share? (Acheron)”

“How you figure that, grom? Your mother’s the Destroyer. It’s a title she not only earned, but one she relishes. And you’re sending me in with only a few Charonte as backup. What did I ever do to you? (Savitar)Man up, Sav. You’re whining like a little girl. (Acheron)If your mother has her way, she’ll turn me into one, and I look like shit in pink. Thanks, kid. (Savitar)”

“Little brother, I don’t mean to be a downer, but we’re talking about War here. There’s no way to mitigate damages. He won’t let us. I was there with twenty-five Chthonians to fight him and he spanked our hides like we were Lemurian slave women. Two of us had our hearts ripped out and shoved down our throats while he laughed, then he licked the blood clean from his fingers and came at the rest of us. (Savitar)”

“She lacks our ability to see the future. Her powers are destruction, not prophecy. I’m sure had she known he would one day threaten you, she’d have killed him herself. And now you know why I take pity on no one. All compassion does is come back and bite the fat of your arse. (Savitar)”

“Should we start making preparations here? (Tory)Punk-ass won’t come to my island! He knows better. You don’t tap on the Devil’s shoulder unless you’re willing to dance to his tune. (Savitar)”

“I’m giving you that chance now. (Stryker)It’s too late. Too many centuries have passed. There was a time when I lived only to hear a kind word from your lips. But that ship sank under an assault of bitterness that no amount of charm or guile will recover. (Zephyra)”

“Medea? Don’t worry. Satara’s rooms are far enough away that you won’t be subjected to the sounds of wild monkey sex. (Stryker)Ew! You were right, Mum. I should have allowed you to cut his throat. Get me out of here as quickly as possible. (Stryker)”

“She’s my wife. (Stryker)Was. You seem to have forgotten an important verb tense. (Zephyra)”

“A woman after my own heart. (Stryker)You’re absolutely right about that. Nothing would please me more than ripping that organ out of you and feasting on it. (Zephyra)”

“In every house, there was always one malcontent jealous prick out to destroy everyone else just for spite. The entire history of the earth was written in the blood of those betrayed by the very people they’d foolishly trusted. (Stryker)”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. I thought you were the most powerful of beings. Even the gods fear you. (Stryker)We all have predators. The entire universe exists in a system of checks and balances. I just met my zero balance. (War)Are you honestly telling me that the most powerful creature on this planet is a pathetic Cajun guttersnipe who offed himself because one of my men killed his mommy? (Stryker)”

“A clever enemy would kiss my hand, then stab at my back while I was distracted. (Stryker)A coward’s action. Truly. Don’t insult either one of us with such a suggestion. I don’t believe in petty juvenile attacks. I go after what I want, and when it’s the life of an enemy I don’t want there to be any mistaking my intention. If you’re worth my hatred, then you’re worth my letting you know that I’m coming for you. (Zephyra)”

“It’s what made her the warrior she is. She hates all humans for their cruelty, just as I do. They are all animals fit for nothing but slaughter, and I enjoy wholeheartedly playing the butcher. (Zephyra)”

“I have my work cut out for me where you’re concerned, don’t I? (Stryker)Not really. Hate you today. Will hate you tomorrow. What say we don’t waste any time? Give me the sword and let me have your throat now. (Zephyra)”

“I want you to know that I fought you fairly. Equal to equal. I could have used my powers against you, but I didn’t. (Stryker)Should I warm to oven and bake you a batch of hero-cookies? (Zephyra)”

“I’ll abide by my word, but you will never win me back! Believe me, in two weeks I will slice open your throat, drink from your blood, and then pierce your heart and laugh while your body explodes into dust. (Zephyra)Beautiful imagery. You should write for Hallmark. (Stryker)”

“You bit me? (Stryker)We use what we have. (Zephyra)That’s such a girl move. (Stryker)But it works. Maybe if you fought like a girl and not a stunted baboon, you’d actually win. (Zephyra)”