“Jack came whirling in like a little gay tornado with Duchess following him.”

“ Duchess was barking her head off as she raced after a snarling, hissing, yowling white ball of Maleficent. Aphrodite was chasing after the dog, screaming for her to ''Come! Stay. Be good, damnit!'' Damien was close behind her, flailing his arms and yelling ''Duchess! Come!'' All of a sudden the Twins' cat, the huge and very stuck-up Beelzebub joined in the chase, only he was tearing around after Duchess. ''Ohmygod! Beelzebub! Honey!'' Shaunee ran into my view, yelling at the top of her very healthy lungs. ''Beelzebub! Duchess! Stop!'' Erin wailed, right behind her twin. Darius suddenly burst out into the hallway, and I stepped back behind the curtains, not sure is my shrouding could be detected by him. Apparently he didn't notice me, or anything else, because he ran into the Council Room. I peeked through the drapes and could hear him telling Neferet that she was needed on the school grounds-that there was an 'altercation.' Then Neferet was hurrying out of the room and down the hall, following Darius into the dog-barking, cat-yowling, kid-screaming craziness. I noticed that through all of it I hadn't seen hide nor hair of Jack. Talk about an excellent diversion!”

“I'm gay. I know things.”

“Like at the DMV when you've passed your driver's test and had a really bad picture taken and you're waiting for them to bring you your license?" Jack said."Exactly, only without the filth and peasants," Aphrodite said.”

“And kissing him is like sucking on alcohol-soaked feet.”

“Really? Well, you'd definitely be interested in the fact that I just read To Kill A Mockingbird."I smiled and elbowed him. "Everyone's read that."I've read it five times."Nu-uh."Yep. I can even quote parts of it."That's bullpoopie."And then Stark, my big, bad, macho Warrior raised his voice, put on a little girl's Southern drawl, and said, "'Uncle Jack? What's a whore-lady?'"I do not think that's the most important quote from that book," I said, but laughed anyway.Okay, how about: 'Ain't no snot-nosed slut of a schoolteacher ever born c'n make me do nothin.!' That one's really my favorite."You got a twisted mind, James Stark.”

“You know about Star Trek?" came out of Stark's mouth before his brain could stop it.Again, the warrior shrugged. "We do have satellite.”