"I also never would have imagined I'd quote back a church lesson, but when the rest of the crowd stood up to take communion, I found myself saying to Dimitri: "Don't you think that if God can supposedly forgive you, it's kind of egotistical for you not to forgive yourself?""How long have you been waiting to use that line on me?" he asked."Actually, it just came to me. Pretty good, huh? I bet you thought I wasn't paying attention.""You weren't. You never do. You were watching me."

"What was love, really? Flowers, chocolate, and poetry? Or was it something else? Was it being able to finish someone's jokes? Was it having absolute faith that someone was there at your back? Was it knowing someone so well that they instantly understood why you did the things you did-and shared those same beliefs?"

"The greatest and most powerful revolutions often start very quietly, hidden in the shadows. Remember that."

"We're the goddamned hottest vampire hunters ever."

"I remembered those frantic seconds when I'd thought all I loved and knew, all that was Sydney Sage, would be lost from this world. My battered friends and I had just had a brush with death, dancing with this evil. We'd destroyed it, but it was terrifying how touch and go it all had been. At any moment, the Strigoi could have gained the advantage and killed one or all of us. Life and death were inextricably bound together, and we wavered between them. But we'd triumphed over death tonight. We were alive, and the world was beautiful. Life was beautiful, and I refused to waste mine."

"History is important because it teaches us about past. And by learning about the past, ypu come to understand the present, so that you may make educated decisions about the future."

"I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. I didn't care that we were out in public. I didn't care that he was Moroi. All that mattered was that he was Adrian, my Adrian. My match. My partner in crime."

"This isn't a Christmas special! This is my life. In the real world, miracles and goodness just don't happen."

"Vladimir did great things-so could she. Besides, they come first, right?""Not always."I stared. I'd had they come first drilled into me since I was a child. It was what all guardians believed. Only the dhampirs who'd run away from their duty didn't subscribe to that. What he said was almost like treason."Sometimes, Rose, you have to know when to put yourself first."

"I was so grateful to see Lissa okay that I missed what Eddie had already noticed. "You guys, where are Victor and Robert?"Lissa's face crumpled, and even Adrian looked grim. "Damn it," I said, needing no explanation.Lissa nodded, eyes wide with distraught. "We lost them."

"Don't judge the past by the standards of today. It won't work. They're incompatible."

"A ghostly smile flickered across his face. "If you weren't so psychotic, you'd be fun to hang around." "Funny, I feel that way about you too." He didn't say anything else, but the smile grew, and he walked away."

"And afterward, after it was done, it was too much, and I felt like I was going to... I don't know.... explode, and it was just too much, I had to let it out you know? I had to-I interrupted her hysteria It's okay, I understand.That was a lie. I didn't get her cutting at all. She'd done it sporadically, ever since the accident and it scared me each time. She'd try to explain it to me, how she didn't want to die - she just needed to get it out somehow. She felt so much emotionally, she would say, that a physical outlet - physical pain - was the only way to make her internal pain go away. It was the only way she could control it."

"Dorian used to watch you like a starving man who wants meat. Now he looks at you like he wants seconds."

"I wasn't fooled. He was avoiding looking at me. "There's nothing to talk about.""I knew you'd say that. Actually, it was a toss-up between that and 'I don't know what you're talking about.'"Dimitri sighed."

"Only now, standing with him, I realized it wouldn't be enough. It would only hurt more now, knowing exactly what I could never have again. I would never make love with Seth again, never have these intimate moments of comfort and rapport. He wasn't mine anymore. He never could be again."

"Okay, God, I thought. Get me out of this and I'll stop my half-assed church-going ways. You got me past a pack of Strigoi tonight. I mean, trapping that one between the doors really shouldn't have worked, so clearly you're on board. Let me get out of here, and I'll...I don't know. Donate Adrian's money to the poor. Get baptized. Join a convent. Well, no. Not that last one."

"I'm not a warrior or a goddess, I said at last.Adrian leaned closer. "As far as I'm concerned, you're both."

"No," Dimitri interrupted gently. He moved his face toward mine, our foreheads nearly touching. "It won't happen to you. You're too strong. You'll fight it, just like you did thistime.""I only did because you were here." He wrapped his arms around me, and I buried my face in his chest. "I can't do it by myself," I whispered."You can," he said. There was a tremulous note in his voice. "You're strong-you're so, so strong. It's why I love you."

"Adrian was completely deadpan. 'So. You're saying my sister is dressed like a prostitute."

"Relax, having kids is years away. But can you imagine? Your brains, my charm, our collective good looks... then add in the usual physical abilities dhampirs get. It's really not even fair to everyone else."

"You have no idea how cute you look with all those snowflakes in your hair, he murmured."And you look cute with hypothermia. I hope to God you can get a real coat while you're here."

"Through the metal grating on my carrier door, Adrian's face suddenly appeared, peering in at me. "What new, pussycat?"

"Don't worry know what you can't change. rest when you can so you'll be ready for tomorrows battle."

"Blake smiled radiantly. EoMay I call you Vasilisa?EoEoYou can call me Lissa.EoEoYou can also,Eo added Christian, Eolet go of her hand now."

"You did not just say that. I have a feeling we're on the verge of hugging and coming up with cute nicknames for each other."

"We're pieces on a gameboard, Dr. March, and some of us are more powerful than others. You. Me. Her. We're the ones the gods want. We're the ones they're fighting over."

"Lure him out. Send in a 'customer' with a message from me needing to meet him. I'm not the kind of person he can ignore-well, that he used to not-never mind. Once he's out, we can get him to a place we choose."I nodded. "I can do that.""No," said Dimitri. "You can't.""Why not?" I asked, wondering if he thought it was too dangerous for me."Because they'll know you're a dhampir the instant they see you. They'll probably smell it first. No Strigoi would have a dhampir working for him-only humans."There was an uncomfortable silence in the car."No!" said Sydney. "I am not doing that!"

"I slept with her because she was hot and wanted me. Maybe we're dealing with the supernatural, but I'm still human."

"It made you happy..."

"The rage that had expolded inside me diffused. I didn't know where it had come from. I had a short temper and often acted impulsively,but this had been intense and ugly even for me. Weird."

"His eyes widened. "Are you some kind of mutant human? Like a fire user? And I use mutant as a compliment, you know. I wouldn't think less of you."

"You did what you did out of love. I can't be mad at you over that. It was stupid, but that's how love is. Do you have any idea what I'd do for you? To keep you safe?"

"It was one thing to accept I couldn't have Dimitri. It was something entirely different to realize someone else could."

"Don't take the high ground and assume you already know what you'll do. The truth is, when it comes to someone you love, you'll find there isn't anything you won't do."

"She kept the wish to herself, as she should have, and simply blew out the candle.I clapped and whistled and then dove into my own cupcake, dying to know how my creations tasted. And seeing as I'd done the hard work-frosting and decorating-I felt like I could take credit and call them my creations. All Cassie had done was get the ingredients, come up with the recipe, and do all the measuring and mixing."

"Sage. He laughed. "I'm into anything, so long as you're with me."

"Is it really so terrible being around us?"I blushed. "No," I said. "But . . . it's complicated. I've been taught certain things my entire life. Those are hard to shake.""The greatest changes in history have come because people were able to shake off what others told them to do."

"No one was normal, not really."

"Do you think I'm pretty?I think you're beautifulBeautiful?You are so beautiful, it hurts sometimes."

"Malicious or not, strong leaders always attracted followers."

"You're better than this. Better than whatever it is you're going to do now."

"Only a true best friend can protect you from your immortal enemies."

"Love fades. Mine has."

"A gun. I had been brought down by a gun. It was practically comical. Cheaters, I thought."

"Oh... Adrian, I've got one more favor to ask you. A big one." "Fondue?" he asked hopefully."

"Setting out around midnight, I couldn't help shaking my head, "We're the goddamned hottest vampire hunters ever." I muttered."

"Too bad. Family members hit you by accident. Psychopathic whores tend to come back for more."

"I wanted to bring Lissa back, and I wanted to return to Adrian's arms again, return to his lips and all this life..."Hathaway! Good God, do I have to hose you down?"

"The book's always better than the movie."