“Do you have any idea how stubborn you can look ? Our children better never give me that look, althought I won't mind if they give it to you. You'd deserve it.”

“She touched his jaw with gentle fingers. "Promise me you will never leave me like that again.Next time let me go with you."Her eyes were eloquent, pleading, so much so that he had to look away. "Do not ask me for what I cannot give you. I would give you the moon if you asked, cherie, but I cannot allow you to place yourself in danger.Not for any reason.Not even to help me.”

“I know you so well, dragon king, you only get that particular look on your face when you're burning to give me one of your lectures.""Do I give you lectures ?""Oh, I don't mind. I think you're kind of cute when you do, and I don't really listen anyway.”

“The dawn will be upon us in a couple of hours. We need to leave this place.""I won't go with you," she insisted stubbornly."If your pride dictates that you must fight me, you may try to do so." His voice, with its Old World cadence and formality, was almost tender.Her eyes deepened to purple. "Stop giving me your permission! I am Mikhail and Raven's daughter, a Carpathian like yourself and not without my own powers. I have the right to my own choices!""If it pleases you to think so.”

“I look at you, and I see the most beautiful woman on the face of the earth. Inside and out you are beautiful. I know you better than anyone else could ever know you, because I can see into your thoughts and read your memories. The very light in you, our tremendous capacity for loving, humbles me.”

“Stay out of my mind. You certainly weren't invited.' Her hands went to her hips. 'And just for the record, your mind needs to be washed out with soap! Half the things you think we're going to do are never going to happen. I could never look at you again.”

“You are weak, Savannah. I can feel it when our minds merge.""Stay out of my mind. You certainly weren't invited." Her hands went to her hips. "And just for the record, your mind needs to be washed out with soap! Half the things you think we're going to do are never going to happen. I could never look at you again."He laughed. Aloud.An actual, real laugh. It welled up unexpectedly and emerged low and husky, with genuine amusement. Gregori nearly leapt the distance between them and dragged her into his arms, grateful beyond imagining.She flung a pillow at his head. "Go ahead and laugh, you arrogant jerk." She wished she had a two-by-four handy.”