“Ben reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me back to him. His lips tickled against my ear as he whispered, "I will do anything to save you, Eloh. Anything. Don't mistake this for something else.”

“I stood still, unable to move as he gently placed his lips on my forehead. The softness of his kiss left a deeper mark on me than Kandek's brand ever could have.”

“Not caring who heard, I let loose a wail I left I'd been saving up my whole life. It traveled through my body, beginning in my lungs and spreading to the tips of my fingers and toes. I screamed until there was nothing left inside that hadn't been stripped raw.”

“I had someone's arms to fall into and I wasn't going to wait one more moment to free him.”

“Ivy held no claim over me," he said softly. "You, on the other hand, you claimed me from the moment I first saw you.”

“There will always be sadness, child, but until you're dead life goes on. Don't waste it lying in bed.”

“Then his lips were on mine and I lost myself, overwhelmed by the surge of Trey’s emotions as they flooded through me. I kissed him back wanting to forget my fear of being discovered of putting him in danger and focus only on how good it felt being in his arms. After all relinquishing some control was a sacrifice worth making if it meant I could continue to live in this fantasy with Trey. But the dreaded tingling in my teeth started up again and I reluctantly pulled away.”