“Oliver...''What?''I do like you.''But?''I just don't want you to think that I'm... that is, I'm really not looking for...''Hey.' I could hear the faint smile in his voice. 'It's a book, not an etching.”

“Did somebody whisper something? I look left then right. Uh oh. I think I'm hearing voices now. Not, I AM hearing voices I THINK I'm hearing voices. Okay not voices, just a voice. Is thinking you heard it better or worse than knowning you heard it? Does the distinction matter?”

“This book I'm reading says if you want to be as thin as a stalk of celery, then that's what you should be eating. I'm not sure I want to look like celery, but I know I don't want to look like a biscuit.”

“This is really disturbing. I think I'm being scarred as we speak. It's like paranormal porn."Alexis did look a little pale. "Do you want me to turn it off?""No, are you kidding? I have to see what happens. It's like a car accident, but with tongue. You don't want to look, but you have to.”

“What are we going to do kitten?”My toes curled at the deep octave of his voice. "I don’t know."“I have a few ideas.”I cracked a grin. “I'm sure you do.”“Wanna hear about them? Although, I'm much better at the show part rather than the tell.”“Somehow, I believe you.”“If you didn’t, I could always give you a teaser.” He paused, and I could hear the smile in his voice. “You bookish people love teasers, don’t you?”

“Claire, I-Look, my life is one long series of screw-ups and bad decisions, and I know that. I own that. But you...I just want you to be happy. And it cuts me when you're not.""I'm happy with you."She heard the smile in his voice this time. "So what do you really want? A storybook life in Vampireville, with your life on the line every day and a half?""I'm considering it," she said. And she was.”