“I love you," I whisper."And I love you." He smiles, his lips seeking mine. "Always have. Always will.”

“He pulls me into his arms, his touch calm and soothing, but unable to erase the truth. "I have to go," he finally whispers. "But Ever, if you want to love me, if you truly want to be with me, then you'll have to accept what we are. I'll understand if you can't.”

“No matter what happens, we'll always be together, always find a way to locate each other. No matter which guise my soul decides to wear, I will always return to you. Just like I always have returned to you.”

“Have I ever told you how much I love you, Ever? Have I? Ever, Ever?”

“You must let the color to set for as long as it is possible.The darker the stain,the more that he loves you," she says,her English halting,broken, but the message is clear. Emphasized by the meaningful look she shoots Vane and me."Oh,we're not-" I start to say. We're not in love! But Vane's quick to stop me.Slipping an arm around my shoulder, he presses his lips to my cheek, bestowing on the old woman the kind of smile that encourages her to smile back in a startling display of grayed and missing teeth. His actions stunning me stupid, leaving me to sit slack faced and dumb-with heated cheeks,muddied hands, and a rising young breakout start draped over my back.Having never been in love,I admit that I'm definitely no expert on the subject. I have no idea what it feels like.Though I'm pretty sure it doesn't feel like this.I'm pretty dang positive Vane's just cast himself in yet another starring role-playing the part of my dashing young love interest,if only to appease this strange,Moroccan woman we'll never see again.Still,Vane is an actor,and an audience is an audience-no matter how small.”

“It's not that kind of love. It's the real kind. The unconditional kind. The nonjudgemental kind. Not the physical kind. I love you as a fellow soul who inhabits this earth. I love you as a fellow immortal. I love you because I finally understand what made you the way you are. And if I could change it, I would. But I can't—so I choose to love you instead. And my hope is that my acceptance of you will spur you to do something good too, but if not—" I shrug. "At least I can say I tried.”

“Damen, seriously, you must know I don't love you because you're immortal, I love you because you're you.”