"She would be taking the company jet to fly to Los Angeles to visit with the Light Fae Queen, Tatiana, for a week. The diplomatic deal stated that each of the seven U.S. demesne leaders was supposed to send a family member to another demesne to visit for a week to foster good will and peace among the desmesnes'. The whole concept came from a Medieval practice of nobles sending their children to live in other nobles' households as hostages."

"He told her, I don't remember any other lover but you. I don't believe you. I don't. I know the facts of other lovers, but all the real, visceral memory, or any emotion has burned away. Those lovers happened to someone else, the man I was before I met you."

"Hope and carbohydrates were a powerful combination."

"Hi, my name is Cuelebre, Liam Cuelebre. My code name is Double Oh Peanut, but you can call me Rock Star for short."

"London was littered with social clubs and houses of chance, but Malfeasance was not just any gaming hell. It was located in the most notorious part of London and, Graydon had heard, was run by a pariah Djinn named Malphas."

"Why use a sledgehammer when a butterfly net will suffice?"

"He stared at her neck. Realization pulsed. He was looking at the bite he had given her. A hard length was growing against her hip. 'So, is that your long, scaly, reptilian tail, or are you just happy to see me? No, she did not just say that. Did she?"

"His words were almost soundless. 'I've gotten to a really dark place, Melly. The darkest place I've ever been.'You don't have to be there anymore, ' she told him gently. 'Don't you know what happens at the darkest point of the day?'He stroked her soft lower lip with the ball of one thumb. 'What?'She rubbed her fingers soothingly along his muscled forearms. 'A beautiful, brand - new day begins, and it's all fresh and full of promise.' She smiled into his gaze. 'That's why magic in the fairy tales happens at midnight, you know. When you reach that point, you have the power to change everything."

"Screw pretty. I'd rather be strong. Pretty fades over time. Strength gets you through the bad shit."

"Mommy set the phone aside as Liam whined and plucked at her shirt. 'Are you hungry? she asked gently. He nodded. 'I can't nurse you when you're like this, sweetheart, not with all of those razor - sharp teeth.That was the saddest thing he had ever heard in his whole life. He lifted his head and looked at her, grief stricken."

"The stranded Daoine Sidhe knights of the Dark Court gathered at the ring of ancient standing stones under the pale light of the harvest moon. Whenever the Daoine Sidhe gathered, they raised the natural energies of the world around them."

"He had taken to asking himself WWPD? (What Would Pia Do?)"

"They were all Fae, yet not fully Fae. They were among the rarest of all the Elder Races. In modern - day slang, they were 'triple threats, creatures with the blood of three different races flowing through their veins. The strongest, most magical ' the most tainted. The Fae of the Light Court called them 'abomination.' Nikolas called them brothers."

"Try not to be too stupid, will you?'That sounded like some great advice."

"Giving her a slow, coaxing smile that turned the heat in the room up by a thousand degrees, he stroked her lips with the balls of his thumbs as he murmured, 'Can we get back to talking about possibly inviting that werewolf for sex?"

"Maybe your sperm is so mighty, you shoot magic bullets.'His intent expression splintered, and he burst out laughing. Almost as quickly, he sobered again and told her with a completely straight face, 'Of course I do."

"She crooned in his head. Honey, I'm so proud of you for not killing anybody.His gaze flashed to hers, and that flat, assessing expression vanished as he laughed. Squeezing her fingers, he told her, Week's not over yet."

"He didn't know when he was going to get the chance to play WoW again. And it was damn important to do his bit to save all life on Azeroth while he could."

"Dragos, I'm beginning to feel like we're travel cursed. Something always happens when we go away."

"He was a contented dragon, not a tame one."

"He was surrounded by people who loved him, yet he had never felt lonelier."

"If your life is a blank page, that only means you have room to write your story. You have the power to tell that story the way you want to."

"I want to do everything to you, all at once, he muttered. 'I want to stroke you, fuck you, hold you down, lift you up, pin you, take you. I want you to take me. Lord and Lady, Sophie, I don't know that I have any gentleness in me tonight."

"He who rides a tiger is afraid to dismount."

"Nikolas. The man's voice was deep, rough, and familiar. Nikolas's flare of aggression subsided as he realized the approaching figure was Rhys. 'When you weren't here to greet us, we got worried. 'I ran into a pack of Hounds, Nikolas replied tersely. Rhys hesitated. 'Is everything ok? 'They're dead. I'm not. Situation handled."

"He told her, You are a wise woman. Pleasure warmed her voice. I do have my moments, don't I?"

"She called me 'my lady, ' she told him in a plaintive voice. 'I don't know who that is. I'm no lady. The last of his fury faded away to be replaced with a quick gleam. He peered under the sheet. 'I can attest to that."

"Almost as if speaking to herself, she continued, I would love to fly. I've always wondered what it be like to have that sense of freedom.A wistful note in her voice tugged at something deep inside him.He replied. I couldn't conceive of living without it. I can't imagine being forever grounded."

"Giving him a grateful nod, Graydon turned away.A heavy hand fell on his shoulder, causing him to stop in his tracks. Dragos' grip clenched, almost to the point of pain.Normally, Dragos was not demonstrative with anyone other than Pia and Liam. Moved, Graydon angled his face away. After a moment, he reached up to grip the other man's hand in return. Only then did Dragos' hold ease and allow him to continue on his way."

"I can't mate with you and hope to live."

"Tiago turned to survey the large, crowded ballroom. 'Good job not killing anybody.'That's what Pia said, ' Dragos told him. 'Night's not over yet."

"He clenched his teeth and muttered, 'I can't get deep enough.'....Putting her mouth to his ear, she whispered, 'Try."

"The universe can bring it. We'll deal with whatever may happen together."

"We could cut loose, you know. Every man for himself. I look after my orgasm, you look after yours. Right here, right now. Quick and dirty."

"What do you have in mind? It was too dark for her to see his smile, but she could hear it in his voice. Probably too many things for the amount of time that we've got, but you never know. I'm an ambitious man."

"I don't know, she lied. 'I need a few days to think it over. Even as she said it, she knew she was going to take the offer. Hell, she might even escape from whatever dark menace haunted her rune readings lately, along with the owner of that predatory, handsome face. Or if she went, she could be running right toward it. Toward him. Ah, well. You' can't fix stupid. And you can't heal crazy."

"Avoid stress, the doctor had said. Eat lots of good food and enjoy this little mysterious bun cooking in the oven. Ha!"

"His true nature, leopard, knight, and prince, 'Just as you see the Wyr in me, I see the Djinn in you.'"

"Behold the Power of the peanut. His body mass may be small, but his influence is mighty. The last holdout in the Tower has officially fallen to him. (Said by Pia about the effect her son 'peanut' had on the Sentinel Aryal)"

"I think you're my hero, ' she said. Only half - kidding.He stared at her, the picture of incredulity. 'Most people, ' he said, 'think I am a very bad man.'She studied his eyes to try to find out if that bothered him. He didn't seem bothered by them. He seemed discomfited by her. 'Well, ' she said at last, 'maybe you're a very good dragon."

"I didn't know I was looking for you, but I was, he whispered."

"Liam can't be a rebellious son and expect to be a sentinel at the same time. I won't allow it. Sentinels obey orders. They have to."

"Personal growth was damn hard work. It also took a lot of time, so it was going to have to take a backseat for a while.Because right now, he had a battle to fight and Vampyre ass to kick."

"A dragon just gave me a piece of jewelry, she said. She took another swig and handed the bottle back to Graydon. 'Have I been added to his hoard?He shook his head and drank too. 'No, cupcake, he said. 'I'm pretty sure you've replaced it."

"Stop looking at my mouth. His eyes darkened, as she saw his pupils dilate. He mouthed back, just as silently. 'What if I don't want to stop looking at your mouth?"

"You are mine. You are always going to be mine. It doesn't matter what came before, the only thing that matters is what is now and going forward. There will never be anyone else for you. Only me. Me."

"Dragos reached for his coffee cup. 'You are always going to be one of my highest priorities."

"How exactly does one break the news to her husband that she's standing in a closet with the dead body of one of their dinner guests?"

"What do you think about having some orgasms to celebrate?"

"She asked, 'Is there anything I can do to help?'He buried his nose in her hair, took a deep breath and sighed. 'You help just be being here.'Well, that bit is easy, ' she told him with a smile. 'Because I wouldn't be anywhere else."