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.

There are plastic bags with zippers on them. I've seen them in commercials," Dragos said to her. He snapped his fingers, trying to remember the name. "You put food in them.""Ziploc bags?" she asked in a cautious voice.He pointed at her. "Yes. I want one.

You totally love him. He's your widdle snookums.

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?

I’m busy, you’re busy, everybody’s busy. I’ve got a lot I want to say to you, though.” “All right,” Pia told her. “Hit me with it.” “First, I’m so sorry about what my uncle Urien did to you guys. I hate him, he killed my family, and we’re going to cut off his head, and then I have to be Queen, but before that happens let’s do lunch, okay?

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.

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

There were two kinds of storms, Alice thought. One was a friendly kind that you could enjoy watching out the window with a cup of tea. It crashed around in the sky with theatricality but no real malice.This storm was the other, the killing kind. There are horrors that exist in the night, the bitter wind said, horrors that only children and demons can see. There are horrors that exist in the mind as well, that only the individual can bear witness to. The winter wind sang of things that the mind did not quite remember but that fear never forgot, filled as people are with the haunts and tragedies that make up the shadows of their lives. We can’t endure them, the wind whispered, for when the light and warmth are truly taken we are left shivering naked in the dark. Then we hear a nearby husky chuckle that tells us we are prey.

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)

Oh my God, not only is he older than the Grand Canyon, but he’s like the pope and the Fae King and the president of the United States all rolled up into one. To some ancient cultures he had been a god. He was going to hurt her so bad before he killed her so dead, and all she could think of was how hot his kiss had been in the dream and how delicate the touch of his finger was as it traced down her body.

He who rides a tiger is afraid to dismount.

Her music ran through him with electric energy, more joyous than anything he could remember and more painful than silver.

With her face tilted up to his, the subtle edge of moonlight touched along the edge of one high cheekbone, the tilted edge of one eye, and those beautiful, enticing lips. Obeying an impulse he couldn’t put into words, he lowered his head and covered her mouth with his.

Your music hurts, the way sunshine hurts when you’ve existed for a long time in darkness.

He cupped her head with both hands. “You’re full of your own kind of magic, and it’s much more rare and beautiful than all the other spells around you. They are commonplace. You are unique.

Hell is empty, and all the devils are here.” “Unfortunately,” he said as gently as he knew how, “it would appear so.

Just when I was coping with the idea that I’d necked with a werewolf,” she muttered. “Just when I was beginning to flirt with the idea of possibly… possibly inviting sex with a werewolf. I’m trying to imagine how I would tell this story to my best friend. I think it would go something like this: See, I’ve never seen him in daylight. He’s just this werewolf guy.” Beside her, he had stiffened. Very quietly, he said, “Sex?

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?

Lifting his head, he whispered against her wet, throbbing lips, “Too much?” Wasn’t that sweet, Consider even. But oh, hell no. She gasped, “Not enough.

Been there, done that. I’m sure I’ve got a T-shirt somewhere to prove it.

...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.

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.

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.

There was nothing else in the entire universe, nothing but the two of them together. Her curves, his angles. Her light, his darkness. Her softness, his exquisitely aching hardness. Male. Female.

What do you think about having some orgasms to celebrate?

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.

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.

He had not become a sentinel by worrying about what he should or shouldn't do. He would live or die as he always had, by making decision he knew to be right...Graydon didn't hide from life. He flew at it with everything he had.

Eternity might be captured in a single kiss.

He closed his eyes. Swiftly like a predator, the vision of his death struck. This time it would not be denied.The white ground, black rocks, and red drops of his heart's blood growing on the ground like blooming roses. He lost himself in the sensation of liquid warmth flowing between his fingers.When he could finally see again, he found himself kneeling on the floor, shoulders hunched. That damned scene hung like an albatross around his neck, until he almost wished it would go ahead and happen, just so that he could get it the fuck over with.He had carried that albatross for almost two hundred damn years - exactly from the moment when he had responded to a damsel in distress and had embroiled himself in another man's curse.

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.

She paused and unexpectedly stroked her fingers down the feathers of his neck.He froze. She couldn't know how intimate that seemed, or how sensitive he was to her touch even through the sleek covering of eagle feathers. Pleasure at being petted ran down his spine.He should say something or step away. He did neither. Instead, ever so slightly, he leaned into her touch.It was wrong of him, but his wrong button seemed to be broken, and he didn't care.

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

Great, numbskull. Just bloody great. You've already managed to piss off the Queen. What's next on your agenda, setting fire to Disneyland?

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.

Do you have to take note of every little thing I do? I mean every tiny, little thing, Dragos?""Yes," he said simply. "When I look at you, even when things are going to hell, somehow everything is all right.

I'll make you eat those words.""You are very welcome to try," she whispered. Her attempt at cockiness had turned breathy and yearning. "Please, try very hard."A smile lit his hard features. "Trust me, that will be entirely my pleasure.

So, is that your long scaly reptilian tail, or are you just happy to see me?

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.

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.

He was the darkest of voices inside her head, the Night-kind King, and when he turned his gift of persuasion onto her, she wanted to take her soul out of her body and hand it to him.

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.

Blood tricked down Molly's neck from the stinging cut Justine had given her. She thought, dear lords and ladies, all I want in the whole wide world is a bath, a pina colada, and the chance to stake this bitch in the heart.

She had tried to imagine him as a young Gladiator in the arena. Back then he must have been as dangerous as a lean, half-starved alley cat. Now, the alley cat had long since vanished. What stood in his stead was a scarred and even more deadly lion who carried the weight of having lived for many years in his prime.

He groaned, "Goddamn, you're so hot.""I know," she whimpered as she moved restlessly under his weight. "I'm burning up."At that, he had to lift his head and grin down at her. "No, baby," he said gently, rocking his hips to begin moving in her. "That wasn't what I meant. I meant, you're so hot."Her eyebrows quirked, and dimples appeared in her cheeks as she suppressed a grin. "Yeah, I knew that.

Tell me what the fuck you want me to do, and I'll do it.

She made a hungry, eager sound, parted her lips and took the tip of his cock in her moth. Belatedly her mind caught up with what she had done.Um, maybe she should have asked first. If somebody had grabbed her crotch and helped himself without so much as checking in with the rest of her, you can bet your ass she would react with a strategically aimed knee to the privates.Just because he had an erection didn't mean he was willing or prepared to act on it....Her face flooded with heat. Pulling back, she muttered, "Sorry."Incredulity sharpened his gaze, "You're sorry?"Her shoulders crept up to her ears. "I just grabbed hold and started sucking. Then I thought maybe I should have asked first."Amusement bolted over his hard features, completely banishing his moody isolation.Then, sobering -- or at least appearing to -- he said, "Melly, please suck me off. Fasten your sexy mouth around my cock and pull on me until I don't have anything left to give. My God, just looking at the erotic shape of your lips makes me want to spill all over your gorgeous face.

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.

Oh soldier, how did we come to such a place?

:

”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.

I didn’t know I was looking for you, but I was,” he whispered.

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?

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

You can have all the right reasons in the world. They don’t mean shit, my friend, if what you do causes harm.

Hope and carbohydrates were a powerful combination.

I can’t get enough of you,” he said against her neck. “When I walk away from you I feel like I’ve cut myself off from breathing.

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.

Kids these days," Dragos said quietly. "They grow up so fast." "Supersonic fast," Pia said just as quietly.

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

We have to get you a haircut sometime today. You're starting to look like a sulky rock star." "Well, I am a rock star," he said, deadpan

Dragos never lifted his head from his task. He said in a quiet voice, "Tell me you're in control, and I will believe you..." Straightening his shoulders, Liam replied steadily, "I'm in control.

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.

Love is like a lion. It's fierce and strong. It conquers fear and uncertainties, and it knows how to fight. Love fights to win and keep its mate, to do the right thing, to give to others in service, no matter what the cost.

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

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

Mom's smiles were the most beautiful thing in the world, and they almost always made things better. They almost even made an early bedtime okay, but not quite.

Suddenly, she burst out, "I want to punch her evil, lying face."Liam caught a flash of hot gold as Dad looked at them, narrow-eyed, in the rearview mirror. Dad said, completely seriously, "I can make that happen.

That night he ate so much spaghetti, Mom said he was in danger of turning into a big noodle, which made him laugh so hard, he fell out of his chair.

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

What was the point of spying if you couldn't keep it a secret?

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.

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.

She was the real treasure, more precious than sapphires, diamonds and gold.At the core of his ancient, cynical heart, he was an acquisitive creature, after all.

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

His father read aloud, quietly, his voice steady and gentle, while he pressed a hand to Liam's delicate back, supporting his position....She realized Dragos was reading the quarterly profit percentages from a stockholders' report.

Well, dude,” said Khalil, “sometimes you just have to get over shit.

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.

He was a contented dragon, not a tame one.

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

Aryal whispered, "If I start slapping people, I might not be able to stop.

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.

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

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

Giving her a slight smile, he whispered, "I'm putting my hand to your cheek right now." The stubborn strength that had kept her knees locked threatened to give way. Closing her eyes, she whispered back, "I'm putting my arms around you, and leaning my head on your shoulder." "And I'm stroking your hair, and kissing you." He took a deep breath. "And I am always, always going to hold on to you with all of my strength. Always, Pia.

She smiled and whispered, "I'm kissing you right now." He swore softly, frustration evident in the snap of his voice. "I'm kissing you too." With that she had to be content enough to walk away.

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

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.

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.

Pinning her wrists on either side of her head, he growled telepathically, Open your legs. Hunger pulsed. God, she loved it when he got growly and autocratic. Arching in a stretch that rubbed her torso against his, she put her mouth lightly against his and whispered, "Make me...

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

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?

The love has got to be bigger than everything else. The isolation, the separation, the danger. When the love is bigger than all of that – you just do it. You pay the price in uncertainty and sometimes bereavement, because every moment you’re together is worth the cost.

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.

Why use a sledgehammer when a butterfly net will suffice?

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.

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.

I want you too, so much,” she whispered. He murmured in her ear, “Then take me.

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.