“Lily," Mom said, "we need to talk."I don't think I'm ruining the surprise by pointing out that nothing good happens when someone starts a speech like that.”

“I'm really about as good at relaitionships as I am at being a vampire. I'm kind of a smart but surprisingly inept kind of girl.”

“Oh please," Scout said."Don't take that tone with me. You know you'd love to have a minion. Someone at your beck and call. Someone to do your bidding. How many times have you said to yourself," Self, I need a unicorn to run errands and such?”

“You look like the cat that ate the canary.""As a vegetarian, I object to that metaphor."Scout grinned teethily at me. "As a carnivore, I object to your pickines. Now spill the goods."-Scout and Lily”

“What do zombies chant at a riot?”“Grrarphsnarg?” he asked, in a surprisingly well-done bit of mindless zombie imitating.“No, but that was really good. Disconcertingly good.”“I was deceased for a time.”“True. But anyway, the rioters get all riled up, and they chant: ‘What do we want? Brains! When do we want them? Brains!’” I fell into a wave of appropriately boisterous laughter; Ethan seemed less impressed.“I truly hope the stipend we pay you doesn’t get spent on the development of jokes like that.”

“I wanted what most people wanted—love, companionship.I wanted someone to touch. I wanted someone to touch me back.I wanted someone to laugh with, someone who would laugh with me, laugh at me.I wanted someone who looked and sawme . Not my power, not my position.I wanted someone to say my name. To call out, “Merit,” when it was time to go, or when we arrived.Someone who wanted to say to someone else, with pride, “I’m here with her. With Merit.”I wanted all those things. Indivisibly.But I didn’t want them from Morgan.”

“Ladies and...ladies" Luc said "since the sexual harassment has already started I assume you've recognized that we have a special guest.”