Sherrilyn Kenyon

“Don’t you two girls have something better to do, like pick out toe lint? (Acheron)”

“I didn’t even know he knew any mellow shit. Dear gods…is he ill? (Urian)I don’t know. In nine thousand years, I’ve never seen him like this before. (Alexion)I’m beginning to get scared. This has to be a sign of the Apocalypse. If he breaks out into Air Supply, I say we sneak up on him, drag him outside and beat the holy shit out of him. (Urian)”

“Damn, Atlantean, what did you do? (Julian)I apparently made a new friend. (Acheron)I made a friend like that once. The bastard almost gutted me. (Julian)”

“You go to him for advice? He’s only what? Five years old? I swear I own older sweaters. (Tory)”

“Leave it to you…look, the reason I’m calling is I have a colleague here in my office who has something we need you to take a look at – I personally have never seen anything like it, and I think from a historic point of view you’d be very interested in it, too. Any chance we can stop by?...Yeah, it’s some really old shit – nice phraseology, by the way.”

“I can’t believe this night. I was supposed to be applauded and instead, I’m ruined. I swear to God in heaven if I ever see that man again, I will commit murder. (Tory)Well, if you need help moving the body, you know where Kim and I live. (Pam)”

“You freaking, flippin’, moronic frat boy!”

“You better hope that I never see you walking down the street while I’m driving my car! (Tory)”

“You punk asshole. What was this? A game for you? This is my life’s work you just annihilated and for what? Shits and giggles? Or was this nothing more than a fraternity prank? Please tell me that you didn’t just ruin my integrity to get some kind of drinking points. This is something I’ve been working for since before you were born. How dare you make a mockery of me. I hope to God that one day someone degrades you like this so that you’ll know, just once in your spoiled pompous life, what humiliation feels like! (Tory)”

“Oh, this I have to see. I love it when you go for the vernacular.Jugular.”

“Tell me, Acheron, is there anyone you will ever trust enough to release your soul? (Artemis)You know better. You’ve tutored me too well on how vicious women are. On how much love ruins and destroys. Thank you for the lesson, Artemis. It was just what I needed. And I assure you, it’s one I’ll never forget. (Acheron)”

“No, Simi. No food. (Acheron)No, Simi. No food. The Simi don’t like this, akri. Katoteros is boring. There’s nothing fun there. Only old dead people who want to come back here. Bleh! (Simi)Simi...(Acheron)I hear and obey, akri. The Simi just never said she would do so quietly. (Simi)”

“Oh, see then, the Simi is not in trouble. I just kill the Greek god and all’s fine. (Simi)You can’t kill a Greek god, Simi. It’s not allowed. (Acheron)There you go again, akri, saying no to the Simi. Don’t eat that, Simi. Don’t kill that, Simi. Stay here, Simi. Go to Katoteros, Simi, and wait for me to call you. I don’t like being told no, akri. (Simi)”

“Who did you eat this time? (Acheron)It wasn’t a who, akri. It was something that had hornies on its head like me. There were a bunch of them actually. All of them had hornies and they made a strange moo-moo sound. (Simi)”

“I’m not the whore here, Acheron. You are. Bought and sold to anyone who could pay your fee. How dare you think for one minute you were ever worthy of a goddess. (Artemis)You’re right, my lady. I’m not worthy of you or anyone else. I’m just a piece of shit to be dumped naked in the street. Forgive me for ever sullying you. (Acheron)”

“Go and rot, you worthless bastard. (Artemis)I may be a worthless bastard, but better that than a frigid whore who sacrificed the only man to ever love her because she was too self-absorbed to save him. (Acheron)”

“There will never be peace between us. Ever. You shattered any hope of it when you watched your brother kill me and refused to speak up on my behalf. (Acheron)I was afraid. (Artemis)And I was butchered and gutted on the floor like an animal sacrifice. Excuse me if I don’t feel your pain. I’m too busy with my own. (Acheron)”

“I don’t like your hair black. (Artemis)And I don’t like your head attached to your shoulders. Guess we can’t all have what we want, huh? (Acheron)”

“But then, his revenge had been more direct. He’d hunted down the ones who’d killed his sister and nephew – those who’d survived his mother’s attack – and he’d made them wish they’d never been born with nerve endings.' (Acheron)”

“So that’s it then. You’re just going to be mean to me. (Artemis)Mean to you? Mean? Fuck you, Artemis! I was butchered on the floor by your brother while you watched it happen. Then, when I was finally happy someplace, gods forbid, you tricked me into drinking your blood to bind me to you. And you think I’m mean? Bitch, please, you haven’t seen mean yet. (Acheron)”

“Hey, aren’t we forgetting something? (Savitar)Your dignity? (Takeshi)No, you have me confused with you again. Aren’t you supposed to be training him? (Savitar)So you admit my superiority by deflecting my attention to the neophyte. (Takeshi)”

“Savitar, Savitar, Savitar. At least I won. Wasn’t it you who had to cry to the counsel to come save your ass from an attack of a four-year-old? (Takeshi)Four-year-old…tarranine demon. Don’t forget the most important part. Those bastards are hatched full grown and it wasn’t just one. It was a swarm of them. (Savitar)So you admit you had help? (Takeshi)Oh, that’s it, sensei. You’re tasting sand. (Savitar)”

“Have you been drinking this morning? How did you miss me? I swear I’ve fought old women with better reflexes. (Takeshi)The fact you fight old women tells me just how rusty you’ve become. What? Your ego needed the boost and they were the only ones you could find you could beat? (Savitar)”

“Your mother was a goatherder. (Savitar)It’s an honorable profession. (Takeshi)Yeah, for a goat. (Savitar)”

“Ah, you fight like a sissy demon. (Takeshi)Sissy demon? Have you ever met a sissy demon? (Savitar)I killed three this morning. (Takeshi)”

“Then shut up or grab a sword and come help. (Takeshi)Is that a challenge? (Savitar)It would be if I didn’t know for a fact that you’re too lazy to rise to one. (Takeshi)”

“Just remember, anger is always your enemy. You must keep your emotions in check. The moment you lose control of them, you lose the fight every time. (Takeshi)”

“He doesn’t anger easily. This is good. (Takeshi)Yes, I’m more of a simmer slowly until it boils over and ruins everything kind of man. (Acheron)”

“Surprise me, Atlantean. Attack. This isn’t a dance party. (Takeshi)You know, this isn’t building my confidence. In fact, I think I’m just going to lie here for a bit and take in some sun. (Acheron)”

“Never take your eyes off your opponent. And never think you don’t have to work for a victory. Even now, you could surprise me. (Takeshi)”

“I have much to teach you. Come and learn the art of war from the one who invented it. (Takeshi)”

“And I’m calling in a favor. (Savitar)Sav, you can’t keep doing this. I’m running out of places to put the bodies. (Takeshi)”

“Tell me what happens if I throw this with all my power. (Savitar)(Acheron frowned until he saw an image in his head. It was the stone traveling through the air…it sped until it hit a man in his shoulder, wounding him. No, not any man. A soldier. His arm now lame, the stone’s wound forced him to become a beggar…Eight score people would then die because the soldier could no longer protect them in battles that wouldn’t even be fought for years to come. But one of those people who died…)It goes on and on and on. One tiny decision: Do I throw the rock or do I drop it? And a thousand lives are changed by one innocuous decision. (Savitar)(He let the rock fall to the ground. Now it was harmless again and history wrote itself forward the way it was supposed to.) You and I are cursed to understand how the tiniest decision made by every being can go onward to affect the rest of the universe. And if I stop something as simple as a rock throw, it could cause catastrophic consequences.”

“Have any of you taken a look out at Greece in the last, say, hour or so? (Hermes)What? Are they reacting to the fact I cursed the Apollites? (Apollo)I don’t think that bothers them nearly as much as the fact the island of Atlantis is now gone and the Atlantean goddess Apollymi is cutting a swathe through our country, laying waste to everyone and everything she comes into contact with. And in case you’re curious, she’s headed straight for us. I could be really wrong here, but I’m guessing the woman’s extremely pissed. (Hermes)”

“You know the saying, don’t kill the messenger? Hold that thought really, really close to your hearts. (Hermes)”

“I know and I’m sorry. (Epithymia)So am I. I’m sorry I ever trusted you with the one thing you knew I loved above all others. You ungrateful bitch! I hope your actions haunt you into eternity. (Apollymi)(Apollymi blasted her sister to death.)”

“I helped you. I did! I put him where you told me to. (Basi)You didn’t do shit, except whine and piss me off! (Apollymi)(Apollymi blasted her into oblivion.)”

“You had every right to be afraid. But your bastard bitches were wrong. It won’t be my son who destroys this pantheon. It is I! (Apollymi)”

“Beware the viper in your closet. Isn’t that another thing you’re always saying, Father? Ambition and jealousy are at the heart of all betrayals. (Ryssa)”

“This is so unfair to you. (Ryssa)Life isn’t about being fair. It’s not about justice. It’s all about endurance and how much we can suffer through. (Acheron)”

“It’s a gift. (Artemis)Nothing is ever freely given. (Acheron)”

“Guards! Take the bastard out and beat him! (Styxx)Tell me something, brother. What angers you most about me? The fact I share your face or the fact I know exactly what your best friend wants to do to you…and how often? Good to see you again, Lord Dorus, especially clothed. (Acheron)”

“I don’t like this, Artemis. I’m not a dog to be chained outside your house because you’re afraid I’ll piss on your rug. (Acheron)”

“Actions that sometimes seem mean aren’t. Rather they are done by the ones we love in order to protect us without our knowing it. (Acheron)”

“You’re a slave? (Eleni)I was. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come here. (Acheron)Take your cloak off and sit, Acheron. You’ve done nothing to apologize for. I admire you all the more for stopping to help us. It’s nothing for a nobleman to do so, yet they seldom bother to help those less fortunate. For a freedman to speak up in defense of another takes great courage and character. What you did is all the more noble and kind, and I would be honored to have you sit at my table with us. (Acheron)”

“Remember what I’ve told you. Looks can often deceive you. A poor man can don the robes of a prince and a prince can be shoeless in the street. We judge people by what their actions are, not by the clothes they wear. (Eleni)”

“Are we even now? Or do you want to rape my body as much as you’ve raped my soul? (Acheron)”

“I’m sick of being everyone’s regret. My mother died in shame because she’d borne me. My father and brother despise me and my sister can barely look me in the eye! (Acheron)”

“I’m through begging for mercy. No one heeds it when I do anyway. Better I should die on my feet with all the dignity a whore can manage than crawling on my belly like a worthless slave. (Acheron)”

“Beat him until there’s no skin left on his back. If he passes out, wake him and beat him again. (Father)Love you, too, Father. (Acheron)”