“That’s my cousin, dickwad,” Agent Jaxon Tremain said from Hector’s left. Had Whacky Jacky been next to Dallas, he would have drilled his knuckles into the guy’s bicep. “Watch your mouth.”“By watch my mouth do you mean I should invite your cuz back to my place for a game of Hide the Magic Wand, or my new personal fave, Puff on the Magic Dragon?” Dallas asked conversationally. “And I know what you’re thinking. I’m really into wizardry these days. Well, you’re right.” Hector gave a rusty bark of laughter. He hadn’t observed Dallas in this good a mood in a long time.A low growl escaped Jaxon. “I meant I’d scoop out your liver with a spoon, you idiot!”“Sterling silver or plastic?” Hector asked. In their line of work, details were important. Besides, he liked being part of their banter.”

“Impossible. I merely brought the essentials. Clothes, my favorite boots, face cream, makeup, a few books to read, a couple cans of caviar, lingerie, and my coffeepot. Plus a few other things a girl like me just can’t live without but can’t mention in mixed company because it would be indelicate. You know, because they’re sexual.”- at “lingerie,” Hector and Dallas had stood a little straighter. At “sexual,” they’d moaned. Jaxon punched them both in the back of the head.”

“Dallas popped his jaw. “I do not cackle. I bitch like a he-man.”

“You’re just begging for a piece of me, you know that?” she growled. “I don’t know what gave you the idea I've lowered my standards, but I assure you, I haven’t. I want no part of you.”

“What were you chanting when you gave me your blood?”“More of my vampire magic. I cast a healing spell to aid the powers of my blood.”She sniffled, her nose stuffy. “It was better than Vicodin.”“Vicodin?”“A painkiller from my world.”“A killer of pain. Did you love him?” The words were growled.A burst of unexpected humor gave her strength. “No. In fact, he was hard to shake. He, uh, stalked me, that kind of thing. I had to pretend he didn’texist.”Nicolai kissed her temple and relaxed against her.”

“William: What are you looking for in a woman?Reyes: I’ve found my angel, Danika. She’s all I need.William: Really? That’s, like, weird to me. Men should need many girls. No one girl should be so important.Reyes: How sad for you.William: I’m not sad. You’re sad!Reyes: Why are you so defensive about this?William: Let’s move on. Favorite outfit?Reyes: First, you said girls rather than women. Why is that, I wonder? Because you care about one girl in particular? Anyway, clothes are clothes. I don’t have any favorites.William: Go to hell. I care about no one and I’m proud to admit that! Favorite moment in the series so far?Reyes: The first time Danika looked at me with trust and acceptance in her eyes. I’m still reeling.William: And just so you know, girl was a slip of the tongue. Now. Least favorite moment in the series?Reyes: Every time I had to kill Maddox. William: Really? That would have been my favorite. Anyway, hobbies?Reyes: Do you really have to ask? Yes? Fine. Cutting myself. I’ve started to draw shapes. Like hearts. William: You actually admitted that aloud. [snicker][..]Reyes: Happy for the first time in what seems an eternity.William: Not that you deserve it. Really, I didn’t say girl for any particular reason. So what do you think of the fact that your home has been invaded by women?Reyes: As long as I have Danika, I don’t care who lives with us. William: Who do you think is the smartest Lord?Reyes: Me. Look who I picked to spend eternity with.William: I think you’re the dumbest! Seriously, girl was meant to encompass everyone old enough to be bedded by me. Now, if you knew you only had twenty-four hours before the Hunters found Pandora’s box and killed you, what would you do in the time you had left to live?Reyes: Not even death can keep me away from my angel. I would find a way to change such a fate. Again. William: What kind of underwear are you wearing?Note from William: Bastard flipped me off and left.Final thoughts from William: Reyes’s thoughts about me and my slip of the tongue were ridiculous and unfounded!”

“Twenty-seven.”His brow puckered, and he blinked over at her. “Twenty-seven hundred years, right?”If he were speaking to Taliyah, yes. “No. Just twenty-seven plain, ordinary years.”“You don’t mean human years, do you?”“No. I mean dog years,” she said dryly, then pressed her lips together. Where was the filter that was usually poised over her mouth? Strider didn’t seem to mind, though. Rather, he seemed stupefied. Would Sabin have had the same reaction were he awake? “What’s so hard to believe about my age?” As the question echoed between them, a thought occurred to her and she blanched. “Do I look ancient?”“No, no. Of course not. But you’re immortal. Powerful.”