“God, he was probably too young to be this old, but life had a way of being about experience, rather than calendar days.”

“I want to be with you, too,” he said. “I’ll come to your room after dawn.”Qhuinn didn’t want to ask. Had to. “What about Saxton?” “He’s gone on vacation.” Reaaaaaaaaaaaaaally. “For how long?” “Just a couple of days.” Too bad. Any chance of an extension…for like a year or two? Maybe forever? “Okay, it’s a—” Qhuinn stopped himself before he finished that with date. There was no sense kidding himself. Saxton was away. Blay wanted to get laid. And Qhuinn was more than willing to supply the male with what he wanted.”

“...but her eyes had had too much in them and his heart way too little for things to keep going.”

“Last fight I had with the bitch ended way too soon."Eddie rolled his eyes and glanced at Jim. "It was in the Middle Ages and he still hasn't gotten over it.”

“Then again, he supposed the healing process, in contrast to trauma, was gentle and slow... The soft closing of a door, rather than a slam.- John”

“God, I miss you,” he said in a voice that cracked. “Every night. Every day…”

“Throe accepted the soup and went over to where Xcor had been sitting. Sinking down to the floor, he put the brass box on the far side of himself and began to eat.Xcor joined him on the stain of the blood he had shed during the day, and in silence, they completed their reunion. But it was not over, at least not on Xcor’s part.His regret stayed with him, the heaviness of the burden of his actions altering him forever, like an injury that had scarred over and healed wrong.Or rather, in this case … healed right.”