“On balance, I’d say I prefer performing in front of a few thousand adoring women, but ‘Security Guard at the Castle of the Damned’ comes a pretty close second.   I should be fine, as long as there are no ghosts.”

“After all, a love of art is a fine thing for a young boy, but art is long—and life can be pretty damned long too, without our just desserts!”

“Bridgerton,” he grunted. Damn damn damn. Colin Bridgerton was the last person he wanted to see right now. Even the ghost of Napoleon, come down to slice a rapier through his gullet, would have been preferable.”

“You okay, baby? Cold""I'm fine." I glance quickly behind us and see the two security guys, whose names I forget, standing close by.Moving me in front of him, Christian puts both his arms around me in my shoulder.”

“What silence rules the ghostly hoursThat guard the close of human sleep!(“The Testimony of the Suns”)”

“I wished I could shut it in a locket to wear aroung my neck. I wish a thousand-year sleep would find us, at this absolute second, like the sleep over the castle of Sleeping Beauty.”