“Its mouth was wide and its teeth were wickedly pointed. He managed a brief "Hey!" and jerked away from the window...just as the rat hit the glass with a furry, wet thump. It slid down to the alley one floor below, where it staggered around in stunned surprise.”

“Niten’s hand moved and the ragged end of the broken katana caught the crocodile in the center of the chest. Eyes wide, mouth gaping in surprise, it staggered back into the fog. “You talk too much,” Niten whispered.”

“This is getting tedious," Dee muttered. "Drive on. Turn right into the yacht club. I have an idea." He looked at Virginia. "Can you stop them?" He jerked his thumb at the cyclists. Virginia Dare gave him a withering look. "I have stopped armies. Or have you forgotten?""I doubt you'll ever let me," he sighed. Then he stuck his fingers in his ears.Rolling her window down, Virginia placed her flute on the edge of the glass, took a deep breath, closed her eyes and blew gently.The sound was appalling.”

“The SUV was the only car moving. Josh had his foot pressed flat to the floor, and the needle on the speedometer hovered close to eighty. He was becoming more comfortable with the controls—he hadn't hit anything for at least a minute.”

“Nicholas: One of the oldest secrets of alchemy is that every living thing, from the most complex creatures right down to the simplest leaf, carries the seeds of its creation within itself.Josh: DNA.”

“He's never fired a gun in his life," Palamedes said. "He abhors weapons."As Palamedes spoke,the group could see Shakespeare put the tonbogiri to his shoulder,then jerk three times.Two of the attacking vimanas spun out of control,both of them crashing into two more. The flour flaming craft spiraled into the sea."But then he's always been full of surprises," Palamedes added.”

“What are you storing up there?" Virginia Dare yelled from the stairwell below. The immortal was outlined with a translucent green aura that lifted her fine black hair off her back and shoulders like a cloak."Just a few small alchemical experiments...," Dee began.A thunderous explosion dropped the trio to their knees. Bits of plaster rained down from the ceiling and a heavy smell of sewage filled the stairwell."And one or two big ones," he added."We need to get out of here.The entire building is going to collapse," Dare said. She turned and continued down the stairs, Dee and Josh close on her heels. Josh breathed deeply. "Am I smelling burning bread?" he asked, surprised.Dare glanced back up at Dee. "I don't even want to know what that smell is coming from.""No,you don't," the doctor agreed.When they reachd the bottom of the stairs,Virginia flung herself against the double doors but bounced off them. They were padlocked, a thick chain woven through their handles. "I'm sure that breaches a fire code," Dee murmured.”