“There’s no need in both of us dying tonight. (Kiara)I took an oath to save every life I could. I’m not about to back out on it now. I might be a lot of things, but a coward has never been one of them. (Syn)”

“I had a lot of other ideas, now and then, but every time I took a second look at one, it got sick and died.”

“I’ve spent my entire life listening to people tell me why I can’t be loved and how I’m nothing but a worthless piece of shit. I always told myself that I didn’t care, that I didn’t need anyone else. It was a lie, you know. I do care and I want Kiara. If it costs me my life to be with her, it doesn’t matter. I’ve already lived past my prime, anyway. I get up every morning with more pain in my joints than the day before. If I have to die, I’d rather die knowing someone cared about me, just once. Is that really too much to ask? (Nykyrian)For us? Yes. It is. We are the gutter and the gutter is all we’ll ever be. Don’t reach out for the stars. They’ll burn you until there’s nothing left. (Syn)Then let me burn. (Nykyrian)”

“I never took you for a coward, Stevie,’ he said quietly and her gaze swung back, angrily. ‘DidI make you mad? Good. I’m glad. Because you make me mad. If today didn’t change anythingfor you, then you’re either a liar or a fool. And I never took you for either of those, either.’ Heleaned closer, until he could see every dark eyelash. ‘I’m not a coward or liar, but I might be afool because I’m not giving up on you. Nor am I giving you up. So consider yourself on notice,Detective Mazzetti. Things will be different when you get out of here. I’m not going to waitforever, because we don’t have forever. If things had been any different this morning, we mightnot even have this moment. So if you’re not “ready”, then you’d best spend your time in herefiguring out how to get “ready”

“I have cookies.”“Cookies?” My brows rose.“Yeah, and I made them. I’m quite the baker.” For some reason, I couldn’t picture that. “You baked cookies?”“I bake a lot of things, and I’m sure you’re dying to know all about those things. But tonight, it was chocolate and walnut cookies. They are the shit if I do say so myself.”

“You stubborn bastard. Take it from someone who knows firsthand, there’s a lot to be said for forgiveness. Grudges seldom hurt anyone except the one bearing them. (Acheron)And there’s a lot to be said for knocking enemies upside their heads and cracking skulls open. (Urian)To everything there is a season, and tonight ours is to stand together or lose everything. I’m not fighting for Stryker or to save your sister. I’m fighting to protect the ones I love. The ones who will suffer most if War isn’t stopped. (Acheron)”