“Why are you sad, Dorian?"He couldn't lie to her. "The leopard wants you to see it.”

“Dorian gave a smug grin. “My mate thinks I'm the most gorgeous leopard she ever saw.”“Show us the footage before your head explodes,” Lucas muttered, but his own cat was grinning to see Dorian so happy. The sentinel had been latent most of his life, unable to shift into leopard form. Now that he could, he did so at every opportunity. “Have you managed to catch a rabbit yet?”A single eloquent finger. “Fuck you.”Lucas snickered. “What about trying for a turtle?”Dorian lunged out of the chair and went for Lucas’s throat.”

“You can run,” Dorian said in a neutral tone that did nothing to lessen the intensity of hisexpression, “but sooner or later, you run out of places to run to.”

“Sometimes I remember that I can't always protect those I love." Under his fingers, her hair was soft and silky.She didn't try to tell him that he wasn't God, that he couldn't protect everyone. He knew that. But knowing and believing were two different things. What she did say succeeded in stopping his heart. "I wish you'd love me.""Why?""Because then maybe you could protect me, too." Haunting sorrow whispered through her tone.”

“Take her to the kitchen,” came the order. “If she lies, throw her in the cauldron."“He was jesting about the cauldron, wasn’t he?You cannot have a cauldron big enough for a person?”Bard halted, sighed, looked at her with those wide, liquid eyes.“We,” he said, “have knives.”

“Make me forget." A whisper, a plea.Not giving her what she wanted wasn't even an option. He switched their positions so she was under him. "Aren't you afraid I'll take advantage?"She wiped away her tears. "Please do.""Ask nice.""Why don't I make you angry instead? That gets me kissed a lot.”

“You're not a restful individual to be around"Ashaya to Dorian”