“No," he said, voice thick and husky. His fingers dug into the chair's arms. "You'd better not get too close."I stopped, laughing softly. "You don't strike me as the assaulting type, Mortensen.""Yeah, well, there's a first time for everything.”

“Jesus," I said. "That was bad."Seth looked startled—and then hurt. "Bad?""No, not performance bad—more like dirty, wicked bad. The kind of stuff that gets an R rating.""What, we can't do that?" He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around my waist, nuzzling my neck."Well, yeah...er, well, damn it. We're not supposed to be. Not at all. It's just that last time, it was like...I don't know. It was making love. This time it was...""Fucking?" he supplied."Oh God," I groaned. "Seth Mortensen just said 'fucking' out loud. The end times are near.”

“I'm not really qualified to install a security system," said Dimitri."Really? There's something you can't do?" Adrian's voice was so soft that I could barely hear him, and he was sitting right next to me.”

“I want pancakes.”“What? Right now?”“No. For breakfast.”“Oh.” He yawned. “You’d better get up early then.”“Me? I’m not going to make them.”“Yeah?” His sleepy voice carried mock sympathy. “Who’s going to make them for you then?”“You are.”“Am I? You think I’m going to make you pancakes? Is that how you think it’s going to be?""You’re so good at,” I whined. “Besides, if you do, I’ll sit on the counter in a short robe while you cook.” His soft laughter segued into another yawn. “Oh. Well then.” He kissed my ear again. “Maybe I’ll make you pancakes.”

“No," I said softly, feeling all the energy run out of me. I was tired. So, so tired. "I don't want a war. I...I can't unleash something like that."Then, for the first time so far, Dorian spoke."I can," he said.”

“Oh God," I groaned, "Seth Mortensen just said 'fucking' out loud. The end of times are near.”

“He sighed and then focused his eyes right on me. It was like drowning, drowning in seas of green. There was nothing in the world except for those eyes."I want to kiss you, Rose," he said softly. "And I want you to want me too.”