“Ashdowne tilted his head, struck by an alarming feeling. "She's beginning to make a strange sort of sense to me," he said with a mixture of wonder and horror.Finn, taking his words as a joke, burst into laughter once more, and Ashdowne tried to join in. But he couldn't quite ignore an insidious voice that kept whispering of his doom.”

“She tilted her head, considering the sensation. "It is strange."He gave a hiss of laughter at the words. "It only gets stranger, darling. But we shall try for something more.”

“He kept his hand on her lower back as they headed for the house.Halfway up the walk, she could take the tingling no longer. She whirled and hugged him. He squeezed her back and whispered something into her hair. She listened to his breathing and relaxed in the circle of his arms.“Should we get inside before your Dad pulls up and finds me ravishing you on this cement path?” he said, more clearly now. She could hear the snicker in his voice.”

“With Blue here, he was beginning to feel as if possibly he'd overdone it with the helicopter. He wondered if it would make Blue feel better or worse to know that it was Helen's helicopter, that he hadn't paid anything today for the use of it. Probably worse. Remembering his vow to at least do no harm with his words, he kept his mouth shut.”

“He is Monroe's son." I pointed at Ren. "And he's your best hope to win this war." "He's what?" Shay's voice was dead quiet. I'm what?" Ren kept his own voice to a whisper, but the look he'd thrown me was a bit alarmed.”

“Mel.” “Hmm?” “Don’t leave me again, okay?” Clay whispered in a voice choked with emotion as he pulled her tighter against him and tilted his head to rest his cheek on top of her head. “’Cause that ’bout killed me.”