“No, Michael was all good. Killed, dismembered, buried, reborn…yeah, just another day in the life.”

“Seriously,” Shane said, “this kind of is the worst situation we’ve ever been in, right?”“Speak for yourself,” Michael said. “I got myself killed last year. Twice.”“Oh yeah. You’re right—last year really sucked for you.”

“You okay?""Fine.""Your heart's beating really fast.""Gee, thanks. That's very comforting that you can hear it."He smiled, and it was the old Michael, the one she'd first met before all the vamp stuff."Yeah, I know it is. Sorry. Just stay behind me if there's trouble.""You sound like Shane.""Well, he did say he'd kill me if I got you hurt. I'm just looking after my own neck.""Liar.”

“But – Michael, you said you didn’t know Oliver, and–”“I didn’t, until he killed me. We were never formally introduced.”

“He (Michael) was gone in a whisper of air, hardly making any sound at all, and Claire shivered and leaned against Shane’s solid, very human warmth. His arms went around her, and he touchedhis lips lightly to the back of her neck. “How can you smell this good after the kind of crappy day we’ve had?”“I sweat perfume. Like all girls.”

“She keeps asking me where we're going.""Yeah," another voice said. It was Shane, pulling up a chair beside Claire. "Girls do that. They've always got to be taking the relationship somewhere.""That's not true!""It is," he said. "I get it; somebody's got to be looking ahead. But it makes guys think they're-""Closed in," Michael said."Trapped," Shane added. "Idiots," Claire finished.”

“Maybe you're not his type." Michael said"Oh, now you're just being insulting.”