Our lips met hungrily, and his clever artistic hands wrapped around my hips. A sudden buzz from my regular cell phone startled me from the kissing.”Don’t,” said Adrian, his eyes ablaze and breathing ragged.”What if...

Think of me.

The tension between us kicked up a notch, and I realized that along with our bodies being nearer, so were our lips.

Not everything about me is cute.””That’s true, some things are cute. The rest are sexy. Astonishing, agonizingly sexy. It’s a wonder I can get anything done at all, when all I ever think about is...

Well, this is a nice surprise,” he said. He looked us over. Jill had changed into her normal clothes during her isolation today, but I still had on the Amberwood blouse and skirt. “Sage, aren’t...

Oh God. She probably thinks we were off doing—you know—romantic type, um, things—

As far as I’m concerned, you’re both.

Already crazy about you, Sage.

If you went twenty-four hours without cigarettes, I’d drink a can of pop. Regular pop. The whole can.”Isaw the glimmer of Adrian’s earlier smile returning. “You would not.””I totally would.” “Half a can would put...

My boyfriend was insanely sexy, vampire or not, and I couldn’t keep my hands off him.

Sage, did you just swear?

Bryan gaped, as though that was more than he’d been expecting. “Oh. Okay. Well, um, there’s a silent film festival downtown next week. Do you think you’d want to go?” I shook my head. “No,...

I’m into anything, so long as you’re with me.

You might not believe this, but there is no one like her at this school.””Oh I believe it,” I said, thinking back to the time Angeline had forgotten her locker’s combination and tried to get...

Do you want me to call you Celery Stick instead of Cupcake or Honey-Pie? It just doesn’t inspire the same warm and fuzzy feelings.

Moroi shied from the sunlight but as I watched Sydney, I knew without a doubt that humans had been made for the sun.

Damn, you have no idea what I have been through today.””Actually I have a pretty good idea.

He broods a little. Okay … a lot.

All that mattered was that he was Adrian, my Adrian. My match. My partner in crime, in the long battle I’d just signed on for to right the wrongs in the Alchemist and Moroi worlds....

Adrian, you’re a genius.

Somehow, Sydney had an internal clock that told her when time was up. I think it was part of her inherent ability to keep track of a hundred things at once. Not me. In these...

He froze, and for one moment, we stood locked in time. I could feel the silk of his shirt against my skin and the warmth of his body. The lingering scent of the overpriced cologne...

He’d moved toward me again. His hands released mine and moved to my waist, and I noticed I wasn’t the only one breathing heavily. He pulled me to him, bringing our bodies together. The world...

Sorry” I’d probably freaked him out

He loves that you love the car more than he does and thinks it’s awesome you’re getting so good in your defense class. Not that that’s a surprise. You’re always so good at everything, and...

He smiled, and it lit up his whole face.

Well, ‘we’ are certainly happy to hear that. Oh, and I’m also happy to watch our darling little love child dragon while you’re in St. Louis.”I grinned back.

Some things are worth the trouble.

Why not see which is brighter: your aura or the sun?

I’m guessing whatever ‘ways’ you have in mind aren’t Jill-appropriate either.” “Put your books away and I’ll show you.

He nodded toward the sub. “This is going to be a blow-off day.”I dragged my mind away from magical intrigue. After being homeschooled for most of my life, some parts of the “normal” school world...

I thought I was so smart. And each time I talked to her, I dismissed her as some dumb, scattered girl. Meanwhile, she was laughing and countering my moves every step of the way. It’s...

He almosted smiled. “There you go again. Why? Why do yo keep helping me?”There were a million answers on my lips, everything from It’s the right thing to do to I don’t know. Instead, I...

Oh… Adrian, I’ve got one more favor to ask you. A big one.” “Fondue?” he asked hopefully.

I don’t think I need to.

I found the candles—atrocious air freshening ones that smelled like fake pine.

Blown away on the wind until there was nothing left.

Obviously,” she laughed.

I’m done with the pouting,” he said. “Done with being moody—well, I mean, I’m always a little moody. That’s what Adrian Ivashkov’s all about. But I’m done with the excessive stuff. That didn’t get me...

Also, I didn’t trust any guy who used more styling products than I did.

Why do you react that way if I don’t mean anything to you?” There was a desperation in his voice, and it was legitimate.

I can’t waste time quibbling over trivial things like pepperoni and mushrooms. If you’d gone to my school in Devonshire, you’d understand. For one of my sophomore classes, they left us alone on the moors...

Who knows more about male weakness: you or me? Use my knowledge, Sage.

I felt the need to clarify we were there for the self defense class, in case he also taught about dog breeding or riding the high seas.

Sure,” she said.

You know how to make turkey? How would you have learnt that?” From what I knew, most dhampirs stayed nearly year-round at their schools from an early age. Not a lot of culinary time.”Hey,” he...

If someone had asked who could stage the best intervention with a crazy woman who had formerly been an undead monster, Sydney Sage would have been my last guess.

I just hoped for the rest.

My God, Sage. Your eyes. How have I never noticed them?”That uncomfortable feeling was spreading over me again. “What about them?””The color,” he breathed. “When you stand in the light. They’re amazing… like molten gold....

I wanted someone a little more approachable,” I explained.”What, like Captain McTropicalShorts back there? Where on earth did you find him anyway?””Just did an Internet search.” Feeling a need to defend my research, I added,...