“You can be a lousy vampire. You can be a lousy human. What you are doesn't mean anything. It's what you do with what you are that counts.”

“You bit me on the neck? What kind of a sorry-ass vampire wannabe are you, anyhow?”I grabbed for my dirt-covered purse that lay by my feet. I kept a can of pepper spray in it for protection, or at least I used to. Did I still have it? Did those things have an expiration date? Didn’t matter. If I had to, I’d just use it to bash him over the head.I’m not a wannabe.” He actually had the audacity to look insulted. “I am a vampire.”Psycho, I thought. Total psycho.”

“Don't be sorry.' His eyes remained serious. 'Believe me, Samantha, that kiss - it was enough to something very important to me.''What?''That I'd do anything to find a way to kiss you again.”

“I'm not going to marry you.""I'm not asking you to.""Good."He eyed me. "And you can wipe that horrified look off your face because it's obviously not true.”

“She raised an eyebrow. "I thought I sensed something oddly human about you. From the moment I though it was simply residue from your recent and ill-advised horizontal romp with that girl""What makes you think we were horizontal?" Darrack's lip twitched”

“I stared blankly at Rhys for what felt like about three days.“Me?” I finally sputtered.He nodded.“You’re kidding, right?”“Not kidding.”I laughed then, and it sounded slightly hysterical. “I’m notgoing to marry you.”“I’m not asking you to.”“Good.”He eyed me. “And you can wipe that horrified look off yourface because it’s obviously not true.”“Do I look horrified?”“Yes, you do.”I grimaced. “Nothing personal, Rhys, but—”He held up a hand. “Say nothing else. I shouldn’t have evenmentioned it to you. I’ll find another dragon to help me.”“Second opinions are really important,” I said.He just glowered at that.We rode the rest of the way back to Erin Heights in silence.Now I had even more information crowding my already full brain.Maybe that Irena chick should go see a shrink, herself. She wasone crazy dragon lady.”

“I don't think he can hurt. Wizards and witches go hand in hand, after all. Didn't you read Harry Potter?" Eden stared at him. "Well, yeah." "I didn't read the books," he continued. "But I did get to see the movies. A previous host was a fan. He even wore dress robes and pretended he'd been sorted into a house. Hufflepuff, if you can believe it. Who liked Hufflepuff best? I mean, seriously.”