“Tru only matched his grin and walked on. Pen caught up with him, tugging on his arm. “What is it?” “I took a walk yesterday when you were working.” “A walk.” “Yup.” “Had you shifted?” “Yes, I had.” Pen caught his humor, although she couldn’t understand its origins. “And?” “I may have used their freshwater reserves as a latrine. And then encouraged the other skinwalkers to do the same.” She giggled like a little girl being told a dirty joke. “That’s remarkably crude.” “I like to think of it as clever and resourceful.” “That, too.”

“Beckendorf walked up with his helmet under his arm. 'She likes you, man.''Sure,' I muttered. 'She likes me for target practice.''Nah, they always do that. A girl starts trying to kill you, you know she's into you.'Makes a lot of sense.”

“I'm not very good with anything physical...' she began as they turned down a hallway she had never seen.He flashed her a grin as they walked. 'I find that hard to believe.'She caught the innuendo in his voice and felt a blush creep to her cheeks.'You know what I mean.”

“Livia kissed his chin. “Blake, I need you to do something for me. Will you do something for me?” Livia felt a little dirty about forcing him to agree before she told him how much she was asking.“I’ll do whatever you wish.” Blake inclined his head in a solemn gesture.“Will you walk in the sunlight if these are covering you?” Livia held out her sunshields.Blake looked at the items. Then he nodded and took the mask.Livia knew this was a risk. Hell, she was half sure she was delirious with lack of sleep and desperation. But she had an insatiable need to heal. I may lose him, but goddamn it, I have to try.”

“There was a little girl, who had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead. When she was good . . .” His voice trailed off in the middle of the sentence.Laura found herself caught in the intensity of his gaze and muttered the end of the rhyme. “. . . She was very, very good, and when she was bad . . .”Gabriel finished what he had started, grinning at his own wit. “. . .She was better.”Laura’s eyebrows arched as she hid a quick smile. “That’s not the way I learned it.”Gabriel picked up his fork and dug back into his salsa-spiced eggs. “If you’d been a boy, you would have.”

“Varian cringed as Merewyn faced him. If he looked half as bad as he suspected, he wouldn’thave blamed her had she run for the door. “You don’t have to do this.” She stepped into his arms. “Yes, Varian, I do.” She brushed the matted hair back from his face. “I don’t care what you look like. It’s you I love, not your looks. Your humor, your kindness, even that little snuffle snore you make when you sleep.” “I don’t snore.” She laughed. “Yes, you do.” And with that she pulled his lips to hers.”