“Better be careful talking about how good my cooking is. Roslyn might get jealous.”The vampire madam let out a soft laugh. “Oh, I’ll freely admit that your cooking is much better than mine, Gin. But I have certain skills you don’t, especially in the bedroom. I think that Xavier far prefers those, even over a plate of the Pork Pit’s best barbecue.”Roslyn gave Xavier a sly look, and the giant’s grin widened.“Well played, Roslyn,” I murmured. “Well played.”

“This is really good,” Donovan Caine said, attacking his third strawberry pancake. “You sound surprised,” I said. He shrugged. “I just didn’t think an assassin would be able to cook like this.” “Well, I do get lots of practice with knives. You could say I’m multitasking.” The detective froze, his fork halfway to his mouth. “I’m kidding. I enjoy cooking. It relaxes me.”

“There's nothing I can do that's going to drive you away, is there?" I murmured.Owen flashed me a sly grin. "Finally figuring that out, are you?I nodded.His grin deepened. "Well, it sure took you long enough.”

“Where the hell are you!?" Finn screamed in my ear. "We've been looking everywhere for you!"I winced at his voice blaring out at me. "I'm fine. I'm back at the train yard. LaFleur jumped me behind the Pork Pit and decided to take me for a little drive tonight.""Well, I hope that you had the good sense to kill her for interrupting your evening," Finn sniffed. "And for making us worry.”

“Be real. I'm going up against three of the world's most vicious ubervillains. I have a very, very slim chance of survival. I have a better chance of winning the lottery, and I don't even play.”

“What do you think?” I asked. “Is it too much?” Finn tilted his head and gave me a critical once-over. “You’re dressed up as an ice queen dominatrix. I don’t think there is such a thing as too much.”

“Can you play the piano like Beethoven? Or sing like Carly Simon? Can you take fie pages' worth of quotes and turn them into a usable story ten minutes before deadline? I don't think so, unless you have more hidden talents I don't know about. We all have our special sills. They don't make us better or worse than each other. Just different”