“Miss Rasputin, what a delight to finally meet you,” said the vamp, speaking with only the faintest hint of an accent.“Let’s hope you still feel that way in a few minutes, Mr. Delacroix.”“Pierre, please. And may I call you Evangaline?” Pierre smiled at her winsomely.“No, you may not. My name is Ms. Rasputin to you.”Her answer took the vamp aback, but he recovered quickly and smiled again showing off his small pointed canines. Pierre’s dark eyes flicked over to Ryker in his feline form and he raised an aristocratic brow. “My, what a big pussy you have.”“You know what they say, the bigger the better.”

“What are you planning to dowith all my points?”Points? It took Jenny a moment to remember what he was talking about. Points, when he smiled. She turnedaround slowly and put her hands on her hips.“Your points? Those are my points. I earned them. You can’t have them.”Gareth scowled and shoved his hands into his pockets.“Bollocks. I had to smile very hard for every single one of them. And if you don’t take this elephant and marry me, Iswear to God you’ll never get another point again.”Jenny’s world froze. Outside, she could hear the clear voice of a blackbird singing. It was overwhelmed by theringing in her ears. She turned to Gareth slowly.“What did you say?”“I said, you’ll never earn another point again. I haven’t smiled since you left me, and I miss it.” He kicked at the ground, his eyes tracing the dust. “I miss you.”“No, before that.”“Take this elephant—”“After.”He looked up. That feral light shone in his eyes again, but this time the wild look was a plea. A lion yearning to befreed from its cage. “Take me.” His voice was thick and husky. “Please. Jenny. I’m begging you.” She didn’t know what to say in answer. He’d shocked the words right out of her skin. She could only stare, as some frozen expanse inside her tingled to life. It hurt to want.”

“What's the purpose of having faith when you know bad things are bound to happen?''Then it wouldn't be called faith,' he said, with a small smile and a twinkle in his eyes. 'The world may throw its darkness at you, but if you can still manage to see the light through it, then you'll know you're strong enough to walk through fire.”

“You know what my grandma used to say?”“There’s no place like home?” I asked, trying again for a smile, this one less trembly than before.“No,” he said, still looking serious, still holding on to his end of the CD. “Tomorrow will be better.”“But what if it’s not?” I asked.Walcott smiled and let go of the CD. “Then you say it again tomorrow. Because it might be. Younever know, right? At some point, tomorrow will be better.”

“I have a vamp body for you," Andrea said. "It's in the freezer."I gave her a nice smile. "You shouldn't have.”

“What did he mean, 'insatiable lust'?"She hastened to explain. "Well, 'insatiable' means unable to satisfy-""I know that," he said in a biting tone. "Why did he say that about you?"Sara rolled her eyes and shrugged. "It was nothing. I merely tried to kiss him once the way you kissed me..." Her voice faded as she realized that her parents were watching the pair of them in dumbfounded silence.Isaac was the fist to speak, a smile twitching the corners of his mouth. "I've seen and heard enough, Mr. Craven. If you and my daughter are already talking about 'insatiable lust,' I think I'd better give you my approval... and hope for a quick wedding.”