“Echo was becoming essential, like air.”

“Touching Echo felt like home.”

“My arms and legs were wrapped like tentacles around Echo, my nymph who lay sleeping with her back against me.”

“Echo." Too late. Brainless swept into the foyer.”

“Echo already felt like a heavy drug. The kind I avoided on purpose—crack, heroin, meth. The ones that screwed with your mind, crept into your blood and left you powerless, helpless.”

“Come on, let's go see if Aires taught you pool like he did math.”

“I promise, Echo, i'll take care of you now and forever.”