“She watched me with a creepy sort of detached curiosity, as if I were a bug crawling across the sidewalk in front of her. I wondered briefly if she was the ant stomper type.”

“I liked that about her. I liked how laid back she was, when she wasn’t trying to stab me.”

“You knew better!” she yelled, and I spun towardmy mom. She stood, and she was crying, and Icouldn’t stand it, but there was nothing I could do.“You were grounded, and you went out drinkinganyway. Sabine just got arrested for the same thing andyou saw her in that place, but it didn’t sink in, did it?You went out and partied, and Tod paid for it. You gothim killed!” Her legs folded and she dropped to herknees on the carpet.”

“Okay, you’ve primped enough. Now go bug someone else,” Ethan said, shooing me out the door. “I have to clean the bathroom.” “That should be interesting,” I quipped. “Maybe I should stay and watch.” “Maybe you should stay and help.” Cupping one hand behind my ear, I grinned, pretending to listen. “I think I hear Marc calling.”

“Yeah. She wants him back and has decided I'm in her way. But I have news for that little sleep-terrorist--it's going to take more than a couple of bad dreams to scare me off, so I hope she has something bigger up her sleeve.”

“Hey." Her grin grew as she glanced from me to Nash, then back. "You're blocking the fridge.""There's a cooler in the other room." Nash nodded toward the main part of the house.Emma shrugged. "Yeah, but no one's making out in front of it.”

“I see you all the time, but you've never seen me, because Kaylee said if I got too close to you, I'd suffer eternity without my balls.""Jeez, Tod!" I shouted, my anger threatening to boil over and scald us all.The reaper leaned closer to Emma and spoke in a stage whisper. "She's not as scary as she thinks she is, but I respect her intent.”