“After a while Lucian spoke curiosity evident in his tone. 'So why do you care so much Giving in to the temptation of a little forbidden snack ' Lucian's laugh was derisive. 'None of your damned business.' 'That's forbidden too in case you forgot. Not that I don't mind a little witch blood myself from time to time. We always crave the illicit don't we I just didn't think my straitlaced uptight brother would indulge in such inclinations.”

“I already fear for my life just because of who I am, you think adding a little inconsequential vampire to the equation will change any of that?”

“Don't be afraid of who you are. You cannot hope to control your power if you do not understand it and who you are. You must protect yourself at all costs even against those you . . . love.' He hesitated lost for a moment and Victoria felt his thoughts flicker briefly into a strange nothingness before moving back to the consciousness she recognized. His words were hard. 'Love is a breeding ground for betrayal. Guard against it.”

“I know what you are, but I also know who you are too. And the ‘who’ is the part that defines us.”

“Then Christian made the fatal mistake of looking into her eyes. Suddenly he couldn’t move a muscle. They smoldered with a terrible black anger even as her mouth returned his kiss. It was as if they were two separate beings, the sweetness of her mouth upon his, and the darkness of her terrible eyes draining the life out of him. Christian could feel her heart racing, the fury of her blood uncontrollable, and he knew that if she couldn’t rein it in somehow, he would be lost. Already his hunger eviscerated him, he could feel the holes in his gut as those eyes, so blackly terrifying—hers but not hers, sucking everything from him, taking, feeding … killing. He felt wetness on his face.Somehow, she’d become the vampire.”

“My father was quiet ' she told him. 'My mother was not. They were polar opposites but you'd think they were a match made in heaven the way he loved her and she him. He'd sit and listen to her play for hours like it was their special language. I miss that the most their music. It made me feel . . . part of something beautiful.”

“In the meantime," Phane said,his mismatched eyes suddenly bright,his tone heavy with sarcasm,"Lucian needs to decide if he's going to change his balas's diaper or let the rest of us pass out from the scent."Bronwyn burst out laughing,but a growl emanated from Lucian's throat."I'll change her diaper after I change yours,little birdie.""My 'Little birdie' isn't so little," Phane returned."Want to see?"Lucian sniffed."And make my eyes bleed?Fuck no!”