How’d you get to be so good at this?””I had a good teacher.””Better not have been Myrnin or I’ll have to kick his predatory ass.””I mean you, dummy.””Oh.

He’s not doing anything he shouldn’t be doing, right?” “Like what?””Like hitting on you.””Ew. No, of course not. He doesn’t see me that way.” Michael shook his head and went back to his coffee.”What? You...

Okay, no, I’m not, but right now let’s pretend I am.

Silver nitrate and water in a super soaker,” he told her. “My own invention. Ought to be good at twenty feet, kind of like wasp spray.”Oh. “You get me the nicest things.””Anybody can get jewelry....

I promise.”And she kissed him, and kissed him, and kissed him, while the sun came up and bathed Morganville in one last, shining day.

I don’t matter here, Shane. I feel like I just don’t matter. Stupid, right?””No,” he said. He sounded so gentle it broke her heart. “It’s how most people feel most of the time, Claire. You’ve...

You look like a Goth factory exploded all over you!” he called as she ran down the hall.”Love you, too, jackass!

Shane looked…pale. Pale and shaken and—how predictable was this?—pissed.

Claire, I-Look, my life is one long series of screw-ups and bad decisions, and I know that. I own that. But you…I just want you to be happy. And it cuts me when you’re not.””I’m...

More than your circulatory system?”Eve silently kicked off the stilettos and backed up.

Let’s say she’s a friend of the family.

I seriously am.

Pics or it didn’t happen.””Dude, little busy for pics. You know, throwing flame.

Welcome to Morganville.You’ll never want to leave.And even if you do…well, you can’t. Sorry about that.

She was staring at you.”What can I say? Irresistible.’ ‘Shane, it’s not funny. I just—you should be careful.’Always am.’ Which was an absolute lie. Shane’s eyes fixed on hers, and she felt a burst of...

Hey, Dark Princess? Here’s your crap. Also, bite me.

And then I heard the ring of metal on concrete, and I went cold, because one of them had found a piece of rebar lying around, and I knew with sudden certainty that these guys...

Just wanted to remind you that we’re out of milk again. And hot sauce.””Why are those two always out at the same time? Because those do not go together.””I suspect Shane. He’d put hot sauce...

Now defend what is ours, my partner.”He grinned … grinned! … and whirled to meet Myrnin in midleap as Myrnin attacked.

When I want to be lectured on strategy, I’ll consult someone who’s actually won battles,’ Amelie said. ‘Not one who ran away from them.”Snap,’ Eve said.’You know what they’re talking about?’ Shane asked.’Don’t need to...

Parents had some kind of sin radar, Claire thought. They always called when you were in the middle of something you just knew they’d consider wrong. Or at least risky.

You know what we call pedestrians in Morganville? Mobile bloodbanks.

I always thought he was sweet.

I wonder, sometimes, if your generation speaks English at all,” Amelie said.

Yeah, he only loves you for your mind,” Shane said…

I never did have much, so having it rough came with the territory. I was conditioned for it.

This is the biggest damn IPod I’ve ever seen,” Claire said, which made him choke on his beer. “Kidding. I have seen a jukebox before.

I’ll do it!””No, you won’t,” Shane and Michael said, at virtually the same time. Shane continued. “You’re barely on your feet, Claire. You don’t go anywhere, not without me.””And me,” Michael said.”Hell,” Eve sighed. “I...

I make it my business to know everything about silver. And I saw your notes. I study up on everything when it comes to your boss, anyway.” There was a flicker of jealousy about that,...

Nobody’s cut out for this town,” Shane said. “Nobody sane anyway.””Says the kid who came back.””Yeah, kind of proves my point.

You’re seriously going to worry about what people think right now?””No, I’m worrying about people taking pictures and putting them on Facebook. That crap never dies. Kind of like you, Mikey.”Michael, straight-faced, said, “He’s got...

Epic fail, beautiful.

And next time? Eat the stupid cupcake.

You are just landmark stupid, aren’t you? Has Guinness called yet about that world record?

You couldn’t be romantic if your life depended on it.” “You know what’s lucky? Most bad guys don’t ask you to be romantic on command, so that probably won’t matter.

Faster!” Shane yelled. Eve hit the gas hard, and whipped around a slower-moving van. The firing ceased, at least for now. “You see why I didn’t want you to stop?””Okay, your father is officially off...

And about Shane, I swear, if he doesn’t snap out of it, I’m going to punch him in the face. Well, punch him in the face and then run like hell.” – Eve Rosser

You’re much shorter than my mom.””Brat,” she said, surprised into a giggle.”That’s no way to talk to a vampire.””Bloodsucking brat.””Better” he said.

I’ll add it to the five thousand you already owe me, though.”He blew her a kiss, and she stuck her tongue out at him, and that was the end of the subject, thankfully.

She can go with us to the lab and keep Myrnin pinned down while we pull the plug, if he’s not… you know, better.””Define BETTER with that guy.””Not all fangs and raaaaar.

Because you’ve got guy parts, you’re automatically a better mechanic than me? I don’t think so,” Eve said, and bailed out of the passenger side.

Look, I hate good-byes, too. But sometimes, we need them just to survive.

Now we’re in the middle of a three-sided vampire war. Which would be an awesome video game, but I’m really not interested in playing for real. I like my reset buttons.

Anybody else think that was weird?’ Shane asked as they got into the car. Eve sent him an exasperated glance; the three of them were, of course, in the backseat. Amelie had the front, with...

She came awake, stomach rumbling, and opened her eyes to see a plate being held right under her nose. When she reached for it, Shane snatched it back. ‘Nuh-uh. Mine.”Share!’ she demanded.’Man, you are one...

Hey!” Claire called after him, as she leaned her backpack against the wall.”No onions!””Your loss!””I meant for YOU! Not if you want to get kissed tonight!””Damn, girl. Harsh.

Gear up, Warrior Princess. We’ve got some adventuring to do.

I’ve got yours.

Claire stretched out against the wall and kissed it. “Glad to see you, too,” she whispered, and pressed her cheek against the smooth surface. It almost felt like it hugged her back.”Dude, it’s a house,”...

I guess in my beer-soaked mind it would all just magically work out, and she’d be so happy to see me she’d forget about everything else. Because everybody loves having the drunken self-pitying boyfriend banging...