“I fight everyday to not let the past overtake me. Sometimes I win, sometimes it does.”

“He was hiding from his problemsin a bottle, something that went against every piece of my nature. Me? I couldnʹt let my problems win without a fight.”

“Adrian shook his head, still smiling. "I've said over and over, I'd do anything for you. I just keep hoping it'll be something like, 'Adrian, let's go hot tubbing' or 'Adrian, take me out for fondue.'""Well, sometimes we have to--did you say fondue?" Sometimes it was impossible to follow Adrian's train of thought. "Why in the world would I ever say that?"He shrugged. "I like fondue.”

“‎That makes sense," Adrian said"It does?"He glanced at me, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "Yes, little dhampire. Sometimes you make sense. Go on.”

“Sometimes I do. Sometimes I look at him...and I remember how it was when I kissed him and felt that love. It makes me want that back. I want to feel it again. I want to return to it. Other times though...other times, I'm so scared. I listen to these guys...and to Jerome...and then the doubts gnaw at me. I can't get them out of my head. We've been sleeping together, you know. Literally. It hasn't been a problem so far, but sometimes I lie awake watching him, thinking this can't last. The longer it does...I feel like...like I'm standing on a high wire, with Seth at one end and me at the other. We're trying to reach each other, but one misstep, one breeze, one side-glance, and I'll fall over the edge. And keep falling and falling."Carter leaned toward me and brushed the hair away from the side of my face. "Don't look down then," he whispered.”

“Sorry, Sage. Last I checked, you aren’t an expert insocial matters...""At least I take action. You? You let the world go bywithout you. You have no spine. You don’t fight back."“You don’t know the first thing about me, Adrian Ivashkov. I fight back plenty.”

“You are so beautiful, it hurts me sometimes. -Dimitri to Rose”