“And in the horror of his realization over Simone was the knowledge that he'd never really loved Satara. He'd wanted to know love so badly that he'd contorted the concept of it to fit a relationship that it had no part in. This time love had come up behind him and clubbed him on the head when he hadn't been expecting it.”

“You are so fierce," she whispered. Yet for her. hebled. He, who'd sworn he wouldn't cross Noir, had done so. Not just because Noir had threatened him. She didn't believe that. From the very beginning, he'd protected her in a way few people had. Jericho hated the world, yet he'd been her self-appointed guardian.”

“I'm a fucking idiot.No, he was a man in love with a woman who meant the entire universe to him.Like I said, you're a fucking idiot.And for the first time in his life, he was happy being stupid because the only alternative would be existing without her, and now that he'd tasted the sunlight she brought into his world, he never wanted to live in the darkness again.Please don't send me back to the night.”

“He was through playing games. When it cam to Soteria he had no sense of humor what so ever. Anyone who threatened her ended their own life. For her, he'd do anything even end the world.”

“As a child, he had hardened his heart and learned to take their punches. He had learned to spit back and take down anyone who cast a jaundiced eye or who made a comment about either him, his mother, or his sister.He’d told himself that he didn’t need anyone’s love or caring. And so he had learned to live like a feral animal, always ready to strike out when someone tried to touch him.”

“Ash paused as he entered the house to find the three women lined up and... singing to... dear gods, anything but this."Fergilicious."All he needed was for Simi to be here and off-key with them since it was her favorite song and he'd spent the better part of the last year cursing whoever was dumb enough to introduce that song to a hormonal teenaged demon. Worst part? Simi wanted him to call her Similicious.”

“Solin seemed to take his brother's challenge in stride as heturned to Geary. "So tell me, lovely lady, where on earth didyou happen to find my wayward brother?"She glanced at Arik over her shoulder to see him watchingher before she answered."Floating in the sea, but he won't tell me how it is he came tobe there.""Knowing Arik, I'm sure he angered someone who threw himin, hoping he'd drown.""Actually they threw me in hoping I'd land on someone elseand drown them.Unfortunately, you swam away too fast.”