“Mr. Wiggles seemstaken with you.”“It tried to urinate on me the other day. I prefer notto be ‘taken’ by something like that.”

“I would destroy the city if something happened to you. I can't even bear the thought of it.”

“...Go somewhere else. Somewhere safer.”Anywhere else. God, please. Or he was likely to do something horribly awful, like surrender his sanity and kiss her.”

“She waited until Jeremy's footsteps receded. "I didn't know you had a brother.""Now you do." He continued writing."Do you have any other siblings?""No.""Parents?""I didn't crawl out of Hell, if that's what you are asking.”

“Her jaw dropped. "You - you -"He chuckled and winked at her. Her ire evaporated like the steam from the pot--coiling and disappearing into the air. When he used his wiles on her, he was tantalizing. With that purely happy look on his face he was devastating."You do realize that I will have my revenge?" she said calmly, though her heart was racing. "I could hope for no less." He flashed her a grin, and she gripped the side of the table to keep from moving closer."I dislike you.""Always a comfort to know." He looked at the kitchen clock, a small mantel piece positioned precariously on a shelf. "Right on time for the night."She blinked. She supposed it was something of a nightly ritual. "Wouldn't want to disappoint you, your highness.""Your majesty, if you will.”

“She leaned down, a fraction closer, and for somereason unknown to man, he lifted his head the tiniestbit. Enough so she could brush his cheek with herlips. “Good night, Mr. Merrick.”

“There was a small woven basket waiting on his deskthe next day, still smelling like warmed-from-the-ovensin. A note was attached written with the words“Have a good day!” A drawing of a tiny dog chasinga butterfly completed the absurdity.He stood in front of his desk, just staring at it andthe basket for a full minute. Asps didn’t smell likebaked items, but the latter were no less dangerous.He tented the edge of the cloth cover with hissmallest finger. Three fruit tarts lay inside.Poisoned most likely.”