“He referred to you as his little snack.""He's a sweetie.”

“You've been here before?" Derek asked, his gaze firmly fixed on Rowena's ass shifting under the shimmering green silk a few steps above us. "Wiggles," I told him. He blinked, then realized I wasn't referring to Rowena's backside.”

“You were joking about the whole please and thank you thing, right?""Meant every word." A little light danced in his eyes and he very deliberately said, "Baby."No.He laughed. "You should see your face right now.""Don't call me that.""Would you prefer 'darling'? Or maybe 'cupcake'?" He winked.”

“Would you say the shapeshifter was in distress?”“Hell yeah, he was in distress. His tail was on fire.”“He ran like his tail was on fire?”“No, his tail was on fire. Like a big, furry candle on his ass.”

“When a lion stalks a herd, he sneaks in close, lies down, and surveys them to choose his victim. He takes his time. The deer or buffalo have no idea he’s near. He finds his prey and then he explodes from his hiding place and grabs it. Even if another, perfectly serviceable animal ends up within his reach, he isn’t going to alter his course. He has chosen, and he would rather go hungry than change his mind.”

“Give me a few minutes.”“You have time.” He sat in the grass.“Are you just going to sit there and watch me?”“Yes. Watching pretty peasant girls is what we poor little rich boys do best.”“Peasant?”He shrugged. “You started the name calling.”

“Secret to what?""Secret to shutting you up," he said. "I just have to beat you till you're half-dead, then give you chicken soup and"--he raised his hands--"blessed silence.”