"His heat warmed her, even as her insides turned to ice."

"Once upon a time, he might've chased her and tumbled her in the sheets with the promise of more in the future."

"No monster would hold the hurt I see in your eyes or carry the guilt you do every day."

"They shot one of ours. The lines deepened around his grey eyes. 'I'd waste the whole army for spilling a drop of my crew's blood."

"The last thing I remembered was joining the crew in a rendition of 'Take to the Sky, but the rest of the time blurred after I drank absinthe with the Captain."

"Since her time in the necromancer's clutches, she was still recovering lost memories from the quicksand of her mind. They'd drop like nuclear bombs, freezing her at the worst time as visuals which should've stayed forever buried bubbled to the surface."

"Go figure, that happened to be his same style of flirtation as well - annoy her half to death until, before she could stop herself, she confessed her deep darks and bonded with him to a degree she never had before."

"I sent a silent prayer up to the Phoenix to keep her safe a little longer, because I would tear the shifters limb for limb until I got my baby sister back."

"Ice upon ice, and yet, inside, she melted and mourned all the same."

"Like a firework, a person's life flashed brightest right before expiration."

"My hands trembled, so I took a deep drag to calm my frayed nerves. I just wanted to forget that terrible sight, but questions multiplied in my mind as the smoke furled."

"The shadows along the streets were personal, and, every passing day, they seemed to grow longer and hungrier"

"We'd never talked about his parents, like he was some underwater Peter Pan."

"Despite the way she rallied, the haunted look in her eyes was enough to break him, as lost and lonely as an abandoned child's."

"Now, now. I placed a hand on his back. 'Jealousy colors you black, Geoff. If you wanted to be a pretty princess too, I would have bought you a crown. I'll be back soon."

"Geoff's arm emanated with a solid warmth I longed for after our days aboard S.S. British - Craphole."

"Better to leave with good memories than have the last ones be the embarrassing, smoking ruin of what once had been a fantastic friendship."

"He might have perfect form and better swordsmanship, but I had one thing on my side that stacked the deck in my favor. I was absolutely crazy."

"You've never had someone you love snatched, I shot back, annoyed by her ignorance. 'Any sense of safety kind of bites it after that. You watch your back because no one else can."

"When honor and glory get your squad killed and your brothers - in - arms shoved under the rug, you stop believing in the terms."

"She glanced outside at the sky, filled with clouds and smog. All the pollution, all that hell - even the stars didn't stand a chance."

"She felt him smile against her neck and bit down, the sensation sending shivers through her. 'Bad girl. If you keep doing that, I'll have you stripped and on your back before you can blink."

"The Cottage Diner's homey lights glowed onto black asphalt which just sucked up the beams to spit out more shadows."

"Alanna Carrington, head witch of the Philadelphia Coven, hurtled his way, and with her, trouble was a guarantee."

"Feeling a little calmer? she asked, leaning against the desk again.Dax snorted. 'Mellow as anything. I'm ready to curl up and take a nap now. Don't mind if I purr."

"A lazy smile reached his lips. 'The mere sight of me shirtless takes your mind there? Good to know. I'd rather a solid fuck than getting my kumbayas out."

"Every flutter in her chest when he sat beside her, every flush to her cheeks after a compliment, and every longer - than - average embrace would end tonight."

"The night had darkened to the murky sort where the air hung like descending clouds and the overhead branches made the liquid darkness even more impenetrable."

"Took long enough, she called out, not wanting to admit how the sight of him made her throat hitch, how the man was so gorgeous she lost her mind. 'I thought you drowned in the mirror from staring into your reflection too long."

"Ignore the reek of feces in the air, the bloodstains on the ground, and you have yourself a glorious night."

"If you're supposed to work with someone, I'd recommend not getting all hot and bothered with them the night before. The word of the day was 'tense."

"The tides rolled up to crash against the shore while we sat feet from one another with the remnants of all we'd left unsaid driving us apart."

"My dad had always said to not trust something unless it's taken a tumble in the dirt. He'd meant it for people, and for things. Shiny and new didn't exist for humankind any more."

"Shards flew everywhere, slicing her hands, her forearm, and cascading to the floor like snow glistening on a winter morning."

"As the sky faded to night, her anger dissipated - but not in a healing way, just dulled, like forged iron sizzling in a cold pail of water."

"He'd never forgotten the sweep of her soft mouth against his, the taste of her sweetness, like strawberries, and the way she fired his insides to life."

"Flirt with the old ladies and you'll be fine, I muttered, shoving my stuff into the cubby. He hung his green hoodie on the hooks right beside me. 'Is that how you get by? 'Doesn't work on the old ladies for me, but the old men on the other hand? I paused and glanced at my nails. 'Yeah, doesn't work on them either."

"He looked so frustrated and perfectly serious, and yet here we were talking about his missing seal pelt."

"The water glittered under the moon's careful watch, and, in the distance, steeples cut stark black silhouettes into the landscape of the distant city."

"Truth be told, loneliness had seeped into her bones with the passing of time until it had become her normal way of life."

"While the club - kid lifestyle might've once appealed to him, after he discovered even drugs wouldn't dull his sharpened reality, he went into each round cold."

"Luckily, common sense had never been a strong suit of mine and my feet moved faster than my brain."

"The choice lay out for me. Stay on land or plunge into the icy depths of the sea. I always chose the sea."

"The rest of them looked proper when they did it, but somehow Edward made even this gesture appear like in seconds he'd rip off her corset and do away with her skirt."