“Gary didn't get up until 11:30, but I managed to squeeze ten minutes alone with him in the kitchen before Chris drove me home. Asked him how things had gone with Samantha.'Not entirely successful.''Told you so.''Might have been better if I hadn't spotted the open balcony door and decided to climb up and sneak in.''You idiot Gary. Bet Samantha freaked out.''Actually, no, she didn't. But the girl whose flat I broke into did. Those balconies all look the same you know.''Oh my God.''Yeah she made quite a fuss. Wouldn't let me explain- just ran out screaming and called the police. Thank God Samantha was next door and heard her. She managed to convince the girl I wasn't a vampire or pervert prowler but an upright citizen who'd made an honest mistake.''Idiot, you mean.'Gary grinned. 'She may have used that term.”

“So tell me what's wrong, Liz.'Liz stared at Julian's picture again. 'Oh Julian, Julian,' she sobbed. 'How could this have happened to us?''It's Julian isn't it?' I said, gently. 'Something's happened.'Liz stopped sobbing. 'Of course it's Julian, you idiot.'Charming.”

“As I hurried along I was thinking how great it was to earn real money I don't have to ask my parents for. At last! I've worked out that I could probably handle as many as four dogs at a time. If I take them out just on school days I could earn 200 euros a week for five hours' work and have the weekends free to shop and spend it. It's going to be brilliant.I should have asked Stephanie what kind of dog it was. I eyeballed a Great Dane warily, my face about level with its. Bloody hell it was huge. Size of a pony. Wasn't sure whether I was expected to walk it or stick a saddle on its back and ride the thing.”

“Samantha, what have I told you?' demanded Mr. Green.'That I should be seen, and not heard, until I turn eighteen. When I can say 'Good-bye, I'm returning my key' before moving out of home.' chanted Samantha.”

“Hey,Gary," Savannah said, "do you want to go on a vampire hunt?"Greogri swung around to pin her with his brilliant silver gaze. Do not even start. He used the beauty of his voice like the weapon it was, compelling and mesmerizing.Savannah blinked, then smiled sweetly up at him. "Really,Gary. I saw it one of those tour brochures. Isn't that the perfect place to look for those society types? They must hang out around those kinds of things?""A vampire hunt?" gary echoed incredulously. "For real?""I have the brochure at home." She studiously avoided Gregori's furious gaze.She wore the little secret smile again, the one that always drove Gregori crazy, turned him inside out, and melted his heart. She was up to no good. He had no doubt of it. It has occurred to me that you need a good spanking.Her smile grew smug. I said I was willing to try anything once, lifemate, but i think it best if we wait until we are alone,don't you?”

“It wasn't the "I love you" she heard that made her let him go. It was the "Come with me" that she didn't.”

“She was in big trouble now."You stupid man," she said to the body on the floor. "Why did you have to lunge at me like that? Why couldn't you have left well enough alone? I told your father I wasn't going to marry you. I told him I wouldn't marry you if you were the last idiot in Britain."She nearly stamped her foot in frustration. Why was it her words never came out quite the way sheintended them to? "What I meant to say was that you are an idiot," she said to Percy, who, notsurprisingly, didn't respond, "and that I wouldn't marry you if you were the last man in Britain, and- Oh, blast. What am I doing talking to you, anyway? You're quite dead.”