“Does Curran not involve you in his strategic sessions?” Ghastek asked. “Nope, I’m just here to look pretty.”

“I love you,” he murmured. “That means I’m not just here for the pretty parts. I’m here no matter what.”

“The vampire stared at me, his mouth slack as Ghastek assessed his options. I took a couple of forms from my desk, put them into the vamp's mouth, and pulled them up by their edges."What are you doing?" Ghastek asked."My hole puncher broke.""You have no respect for the undead.”

“What are you doing here?” I asked. I was breathless, not certain any longer if it was my nearly plummeting to my death or his nearness that was making it so hard to draw in air.“Protecting you. What does it look like I’m doing?”

“You’re the most experienced investigator I’ve got who’s not tied up in something, and I can’t ask the Consort to look look into it, because A) she and Curran are working on something else and B) when the Consort gets involved, half of the world blows up.”

“I’m a cold-hearted bastard. I’m insular, I’m jaded, a workaholic, I’m ruthless and I’m self-serving. I don’t do forever, I rarely even do “I’ll call you tomorrow”. And just because I’m here now it does not mean if you ask me to stay I will.”