“I'll do my bit tonight, but forgive me if it's a little harder to keep going than normal. Forgive me if I'm not superwoman after all.""Not superwoman?" he exclaimed, putting a hand on his chest in mock surprise. "You've lied to me all these years!”

“Ma petite ...''No, you've done enough talking. It's my turn. If you harm Richard Zeeman, I'll kill you.''He means that much to you?' There was surprise in his voice. Great. 'No, you mean that little'.”

“See if he's alive." It was a messy job, and I'd have done it myself, but I trusted me more than Larry to keep the vampires away. He'd saved me once tonight, but I still trusted me more.”

“I did not run to him, but I did wrap my arms around him, press my ear to his chest, hold on to him as if he were the last solid thing in the world. He stroked my hair and murmured to me in French. I understood enough to know he was glad to see me and that he thought I looked beautiful. But beyond that it was just pretty noise.It wasn't until I felt Zerbrowski behind me that I pulled away, but when Jean-Claude's hand found mine, I welcomed it.Zerbrowski was looking at me as if he'd never seen me before. "What?" It came out hostile."I've never seen you be that ... soft with anyone before."It startled me. "You've seen me kiss Richard before."He nodded. "That was lust. This is ..." He shook his head, glancing up at Jean-Claude, then back to me. "He makes you feel safe.”

“I'm not sure there are enough white roses in the world to make me forget Richard." I held up my hand before she could interrupt. "But I'm not sure there are enough cozy afternoons in all eternity to make me forget Jean-Claude.”

“Nicky looked down at me with a knowledge on his face that he was holding the monster in his arms. I'd have comforted him, but it would have been all lies.”

“It makes me nervous when you keep answering all my questions with 'I don't know.' ""Me, too," I said.”