“Bran grabbed my hand,pulled me to a chest, and swung the heavy lid open. A white cloth covered the contents. He jerked it aside. Human heads filled the chest."Oh God."He scooped a mummified head from the chest by a scalp lock and thrust it at me. "All of them are mine."This was officially the weirdest version of "come down to my place and I'll show you some etchings" I've ever been hit with.”

“He scooped me up and suddenly I was pressed against his chest. “Were you worried about me?”"No, I’m ranting for fun, because I’m a disagreeable bitch!”

“He whirled in the water and grinned at me. Damn, he was a handsome bastard. I realized he was half-naked. Blue swirls of tattoos painted his chest. When God made that chest, he did to tempt women.”

“I turned and bumped my head against his chest a few times. It was the nearest hard surface.”

“I’ve seen your foot up close.” Curran pointed to his chest. “I’ve seen it here.” He moved his hand to his jaw. “Here.” He touched the place over his cheek where my kick had cut him. “And here.”

“Torch strode over and stared at the fiver"What's this?""Some change for you. Buy your flunkies some decent clothes." I dipped my fingers into the jar and smeared think fragrant paste on my face. Torch frowned, mirroring the expression on my aunt's face."Change?"Oh, for crying out loud. "It's money. We don't use coins as currency now, we use paper money." He stared at me. "I'm insulting you! I'm saying your poor, like a beggar, because your undead are in rags. I'm offering to clothe your servants for you, because you can't provide for them. Come on, how thick do you have to be?"He jerked his hand up. A jet of flame erupted from his fingers, sliding against the ward. I jerked back from the windows on instinct. The fire died. I leaned forward. "Do you understand now?" More fire. "What's the matter? Was that not enough money?”

“He snarled. I showed him my teeth.A rolled-up newspaper landed on my head and then on Jim’s. “None of that in myhouse!”Oh my gods. The alpha of Clan Cat just got smacked with a rolled-up newspaper.”