“Couldn't Lissa have healed that black eye away?""Its a badge of honor. Makes me seem manly.”

“It was with some surprise that I saw that the person waiting for me at the airport's exit was Adrian. A grin spread over my face, and I picked up the pace. I threw my arms around him, astonishing both of us. "I have never been happier to see you in my life," I said. He squeezed me tightly and then let me go, regarding me admiringly. "The dreams never do justice to real life, little dhampir. You look amazing.""And you look . . ." I studied him. He was dressed as nicely as always. His dark brown hair had that crafted messiness he liked, but his face—ah, well. As I'd noted before, Simon had gotten a few good punches on him. One of Adrian's eyes was swollen and ringed with bruises. Nonetheless, thinking about him and everything he'd done . . . Well, none of the flaws mattered. " . . . Gorgeous." "Liar," he said."Couldn't Lissa have healed that black eye away?" "It's a badge of honor. Makes me seem manly.”

“since I’m still healing from my gunshot wound. That I wear like a badge of honor. My baby gave me this injury. ‘Cause she loves me.”

“Go to hell," he said, but there was a desolate fear in his eyes and I couldn't look away."Been there. Trust me. It's so overrated.”

“She was my assignment.""From The Eye?""No, from the Boy Scouts. That Witch Dating badge just kept eluding me.""Well, you must have at least three Total Douchebag badges by now, so that has to count for something.”

“Heal my heart and make it clean, open up my eyes to the things unseen, show me how to love like you have loved me.”