“He curled his finger under her chin as he rasped, "I'm goin' tae get it right this time, you know.""I believe that, Scot." She gazed up at him with all the love she felt. "That's why you're still the dark horse I'm betting on.”

“I’ve got a fortune in gold. Ah, was that a flicker in your eye? Do you like me better now that you know I’m rich?” He curled his finger under her chin. “Because I’m all right with that.”

“This is what it's all been about with you," he said in an even tone. "All the fear, all the running. The nightmares." When she nodded, he said, "You called him the devil.""He is." What are you thinking, Scot?"But you... married him?"MacRieve's disgusted with me. "Basically? Yes.""Ceremony and everything?"She swallowed. "He tricked me into it. I-I was only sixteen."A muscle ticked in his cheek and his irises grew pale. "Then know this..."She stopped breathing."Lass, I'm about to make you a widow--”

“I've a sense for these things. Tonight you're aching for a man."At that, she glanced away. "You might be right, Scot," she said casually, then faced him once more. Her voice a purr, she said, "But are you the man I await...where I ache?”

“She murmured, "You're unfinished.""Aye, precisely.""I need to go."When she moved to get up, he shoved her against his side and slapped her arse to keep her there. "You stay with me."She snapped, "What do you want from me, Chase?"He drew his head back in confusion. "I want everything. You're mine, Regin.”

“Ara?"She jerked her face up. "Huh? Where were we?"But his expression had grown serious, the lesson forgotten. He interlaced his fingers and said, "We are bound.""Bound?"He collected a piece of rope, knotting it."Oh, you mean bound?"He gave a nod, then drew in the sand.An infinity symbol? "Clever demon, how did you know that...?"He was gazing at her with a question in his eyes."Bound forever?" And somehow she met his gaze and lied, "Yes, demon. Bound forever."As if to make her feel guiltier, he gathered her into his arms, cupping her face against his broad chest. His voice a deep rumble, he said, "Carrow is Malkom's."She wanted to sob."Yes?""Yes," she answered, wishing that it could be so simple between them. Demon meets girl. Girl might be falling for demon.”

“Holly's forgiven you?" "Almost mostly. But she still gives me slack about it when she's sick. I take it as a husbandly badge," he said, puffing out his chest. "Sick? You told me she was fully immortal." "Yeah, but she still throws up some, because, well, the thing of it is... Ah, fuck, Rydstrom, I knocked her up." "You're going to be a father?" Gods help the world. I'm going to be an uncle? "I got Holly, like, on the first shot. Nix is calling me Bull's-eye and the Womb Raider.”