“He scowled at me."You aren't any fun.""Party pooper extraordinaire,that's me.”

“Supposedly you could kill them by saying their name but a)how would you find it out in the first place,and b) its a little hard to talk when your lungs are slowly filling up with water. Still,legend had it they were occasionally benign,giving music lessons and even marrying mortals every now and again.I didn't get the impression this one had any intentions of taking vows."So you aren't going to be best friends.""I dunno-he could be fun at a pool party. Assuming you hated everyone you invited.”

“He reached out and put his hand on top of mine. My heart skipped a beat - he liked me, too!"You're worried about what's killing the paranormals aren't you?"Crap. He didn't like me.”

“Be prepared,' that's my motto." He smiled smugly at me. "That, and 'Sleep whenever possible.' Oh, and 'If you don't notice it's gone, what's the harm in me taking it?”

“I nodded and smiled enthusiastically. "Party!""Lend'll whine.""He's cute when he whines.""There's something wrong with you," she said.There were a lot of things wrong with me, but loving Lend was definitely not one of them.”

“And then I picked up the nearest object-a shoe-and threw it at Jack's head."What are you doing in here, you little weasle?"He picked up my shoe from where it had clattered to the floor after hitting the door behind him. "How do you walk in these heels?" He sat and removed his own shoe,trying to jam his foot into my purple sling-back.I stalked over and yanked it awway. "What are you, five? Answer my question."He looked up at me, impossibly big blue eyes wide with innocence. "I thought we were friends, after you made me strip and all.""I'm calling Raquel.""Fine,fine. I was just doing some reconnaissance?""Reconnaissance?""Oh,sorry,that's a big word,isn't it? It means I was scoping the scene, getting the-""I know what it means! What,is IPCA investigating me now? Screw them, they can forget about any help from-""Do you ever let anyone else finish a sentence?" He smiled at my glare, flashing his dimples. "That's more like it. You're much prettier when you aren't talking. True of most people, I've found. Anyhow, I needed to see the address Raquel gave me so that I could find it again.”

“That's more like it. You're much prettier when you aren't talking. True of most people, I've found.”