“But she loves me. Me. Just the way I am.”

“I am part-demon, part-human. What else does that make me?" She answered his question with one of her own. "I am part-centaur, part-human. Does that make me a mutant?" "It makes you a miracle." She held his gaze. "Exactly.”

“I'm her protection! I don't care if it's in this world or the next. Just show me how to get where she is, and I'll be there for her. ~Stark”

“She turned her face to me. 'Can you tell I've been crying?'"For the gazillionth time, no. You look fine.'Shit. I knew it. I look terrible.''Aphrodite! I just said you look fine.''Yeah, well, fine is fine for most people. For me it's terrible.”

“Your dad would stake me out to freeze if I let you fall and hurt yourself." He offered me his arm, which I latched onto gratefully."He wouldn't stake you out," I panted as we forced our way through the hard top layer of snow that was almost thigh deep. "He'd just shoot you.""Well that's a comfort.”

“You can borrow my two-carat diamond stud earrings," Aphrodite said. I stopped and looked back at her. "Huh?"She shrugged. "That's as close to a declaration of love as you're gonna get from me.”

“That man is such a damn turd monkey.""Grandma!" I said. "Oh, Zoeybird, did I just call your mother's husband a damn turd monkey out loud?""Yes, Grandma, you did."She looked at me, her dark eyes sparkling. "Good.”