“What is it that you want with me, Baka?”He looked at her in a predatory way that, she sensed, had nothing to do with blood. “The same thing any man who isn’t blind would want from you.” Elora arched a right eyebrow and took another sip of golden liquid as she waited for him to spell it out. “Your phone number.”

“I know a man who is in love with my friend. He loves her absolutely. The only thing he wants in return is for her to love him.” Saiman arched his eyebrows, imitating me. “And?” "You’re the exact opposite of him. You lack the capacity to love, so you want to smother mine as well.”

“For years, every conversation she had with a man had been colored by calculation. Would she put him off is she spoke her mind? What did he want her to say? When a man took a mistress, he purchased not just the rights to her body, but the content of her thoughts. Sir Mark wanted her as she was, not as he wished her to be. The thought made her head hurt.”

“He looked at the carpet, where moments before the creature had lain, then at her again. She didn't seem rattled. "Who are you, Buffy?"She smiled. "Did that look like a vampire?" She sat down next to him and took a sip from her own whiskey.”

“Is there any other way to Erudite headquarters?" I say. "Not that I now of," says Cara. "Unless you want to jump from one roof to another." She laughs a little as she says it, like it's a joke. I raise my eyebrows at her. "Wait," she says. "You aren't considering---?”

“I want your innocence. I want your blind, unquestioning devotion toyour father, your acceptance of who and what he is. I want you to look atme the way you look at him, knowing the worst. I want you to trust me,even when your brain tells you you shouldn't, I want you to ignorecommon sense and your lifelong need to protect yourself. I want you togive yourself to me, body and soul.”