“Call me crazy for asking this, but, um, are Lissa and I going with you?""No""No?""No.”

“This," Adrian said grandly, "is Blake Lazar.""It's nice to meet you," she said.Blake smile radiantly. "May I call you Vasilisa?""You can call me Lissa.""You can also," added Christian, "let go of her hand now.”

“ARE YOU CRAZY?" I ASKED. He gave me the same wordless look he always did when I asked that question.”

“Rose? Is that you?" I peered behind him. Lissa. "What are you doing here?""What are you doing here?" She asked"Ladies, ladies" he said teasingly. "No need to fight over me."I glared. "We're not.”

“Sitting beside Abe was Adrian Ivashkov--my more-or-less boyfriend. Adrian was a royal Moroi--and another spirit user like Lissa. He'd been crazy about me (and often just crazy) ever since we first met”

“Knowing I wasn't going anywhere, I frantically searched for some way to help her. A dark figure caught my eye. "Christian!" I yelled. He'd been staring at Lissa's retreating figure but glanced up at the sound of his name.One of my escorts shushed me and took my arm. "Be quiet."I ignored her. "Go after her," I called to Christian. "Hurry."He just sat there, and I suppressed a groan."Go, you idiot!"My guardians snapped at me to be quiet again, but something inside of Christian woke up. Springing up from his lounging position, he tore off in the direction Lissa had traveled.”

“If you try to turn me against Lissa one more time the stories are going to be about you bleeding because I'll have ripped your throat out!”