“Amanusa sighed. She held out her hand to her husband who helped her to her feet. "Back to the salt mine Grey calls a workroom. I left my students practicing lancing.""Good god," Grey exclaimed. "The floors will be awash in blood.""Hardly. They're practicing on themselves. Most of them haven't managed to pierce the skin yet." Amanusa shook her head in mild disappointment.”

“She made a slow turn as she loosened her ponytail and shook her head; her hair streamed down her back like a glossy black waterfall. She finished her spin. Her focus landed on me, and the air caught in my throat. My Wolf stirred.Clare.Her body went rigid; her sultry gaze hardened as she stared at me.Clare Walker. I'd know those moonlit eyes anywhere.She ran and grabbed hold of the stage right pole. Her feet left the floor as she wrapped her legs around the brass and spun.What in god's name is she doing working in a fucking strip club?”

“When she looked in the glass and saw her hair grey her cheek sunk, at fifty, she thought, possibly she might have managed things better--her husband; money; his books. But for her own part she would never for a single second regret her decision, evade difficulties, or slur over duties”

“She has gathered that the man in the grey suit whom her father called Alexander also has a student, and there will be some sort of game. "Like chess?" she asks once. "No," her father says. "Not like chess.”

“He…He’s beautiful.” “I already called dibs,” I informed her and banged my hands twice on the table, demanding she adhere to the dibs rule. She snapped her attention back to me. “No, you didn’t! You never said dibs.” “DIBS!” I practically shouted at her. Her shoulders shrugged in defeat.”

“She threaded her fingers through my hair and I nearly whimpered at the feel of them, my eyes rolling to the back of my closed eyes. I clutched her waist tightly, inhaling her breaths as I practically swallowed her beautiful tongue.”