“They call her my singer—because her blood sings for me.”

“Mel? Mel, I love you. Mel, come back . Mel, Mel, Mel."It's Jared's voice, trying to call me back the way Wanda called back the Healer's host, the way she taught Kyle to call to Jodi.I can answer him. I can speak now. I can feel my tongue in my mouth, ready to move into whatever shape I ask it to. I can feel the air in my lungs, ready to push out the words. If I want this. "Mel, I love you, I love you."This is Wanda's gift to me, paid for with her silver blood. Jared and I, put back together again as if she'd never lived. As if she hadn't saved us both. If I accept this gift, I profit from her death. I kill her again. I take her sacrifice and make it murder. "Mel, please? Open your eyes."I feel his hand on my face, cradling my cheek. I feel his lips burn against my forehead, but I don't want them, not at this price. Or do I?”

“Because through the heavy water, I heard the sound of an angel calling my name, calling me to the only heaven I wanted.”

“Alice: "No one will dare to call you plain when I'm through with you."Bella: "Only because they're afraid you'll suck their blood.”

“And then the third wife did something that the Cold Woman did not expect. She fell to her knees at the blood drinker's feet and plunged the knife into her own heart.”

“And it was different because I'd already lost her so many times, so many ways, in my head. And different because she was never really mine to lose.And different because this wasn't my fault.”

“Of course, then you nearly crushed to death in front of my eyes. Later I thought of a perfectly good excuse for why I acted at that moment - because if I hadn't saved you, if your blood had been spilled there in front of me, I don't think I could have stopped myself from exposing us for what we are. But I only thought of that excuse later. At the time, all I could think was, 'Not her.”