“Tiny gold sparks flared in his irises. "You're in my rooms in my bathtub naked and you're still mouthing off."Did he expect anything different? "Hey, I didn't kick or punch you in the throat. I consider this progress. And you haven't choked me again, which is some sort of record for you...”

“So, tell me,” he whispers. “How fast did you climb those fourteen stories?”Thomas makes a disapproving sound in his throat, but I break into a grin. Storm’s past. Metias loves me again. “Six minutes,” I whisper back to my brother. “And forty-four seconds. How do you like that?”“That must be some sort of record. Not that, you know, you’re supposed to do it.”

“You're here," he said simply. "Do I know you?" I asked, which came out more haughtily than I had intended. "You will," he answered, kicking off the tree and walking toward me. "After all, you're wearing my locket. And I've been waiting for you.”

“You didn't have to take a punch for me, you know,' he said. 'I'm a lover, not a fighter.''You're a freak is what you are,' I said.He stuck out his hand. 'Come on, slugger. Walk with me. You know you want to.'And the thing was, despite everything I knew-that it was a mistake, that he was different from the others-I did. How he knew that, I had no idea. But I got up and did it anyway.”

“His eyes were cold steel, his mouth fixed in a hard line. "I like my face the way it is," he said icily. "You scar it with your nails as you did my chest and I swear I will give you equal scars. Think about that, Sam, before you use your claws again."Tears sprang to her eyes. "You're cruel, Hank. You leave me nothing.""And what did you leave me when you stole my heart?" he asked softly.She stared back at him, searching his eyes, seeing only naked honesty.”

“His skin was a pretty colour, it made me jealous. Jacob noticed my scrutiny.What?" he asked, suddenly self-conscious."Nothing. I just hadn't realised before. Did you know, you're sort of beautiful?"Once the words slipped out, I worried that he might take my implusive observation the wrong way.But Jacob rolled his eyes. "You hit your head pretty hard, didn't you?" "I'm serious."Well, then, thanks. Sort of."I grinned. "You're sort of welcome.”