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Link Quote Stars Tags Author
0f1b84e The merit of all things lies in their difficulty. success merit Alexandre Dumas
b28465f "Well, I suppose I could follow his advice. Are you hungry?" "Surprisingly enough, not at the moment." "Will miracles never cease?" "Ha," I said" -- twice-bitten merit Chloe Neill
9cfde9b "I looked at Ethan and smiled a little. "I love you," he mouthed. "I love you, too," I mouthed back. "And I'm nauseous," Catcher grumbled. "Let's get on with this. I am seriously in need of a beer and a Lifetime movie." ethan merit Chloe Neill
71e0fd1 "Please stop calling me that. You're still officially the Master." "Oh, I know," Malik said. "But much like Merit, I find it amusing to irritate you." As Malik walked down the hallway and around the corner, Ethan turned his pointed gaze on me. I shrugged innocently. "I can't help it if I'm a trendsetter." trendsetter malik merit Chloe Neill
9a364cb I'll have you in my bed again, Sentinel. And at my side. That is a promise. merit Chloe Neill
fd25d44 Give me something to go on, here. What kind of black magic are we talking? Elphaba,Wicked Witch of the West-type stuff or Slytherin-type stuff? slytherin merit Chloe Neill
ae0b7ab You are caught, Sentinel.' His voice was rough. merit Chloe Neill
f97a2b3 "And that's why we're sending Boobs McGee." I slowly swiveled my head to glare at Catcher. "Seriously. You're, what, twelve now?" *** "Then I guess that settles that," I agreed. "My boobs and I will go." merit Chloe Neill
e44e17a When a gift is deserved, it is not a gift but a payment. payment merit Gene Wolfe
b9795f1 "His(Luc) eyes widened appreciatively as he took in my dress, heels, hair. "You look beautiful." Ethan beat me to a response. "Thank you. But you should compliment Merit as well. She cleans up nicely." Luc snorted, glanced at me. "And you don't look half-bad yourself, Sentinel." "Thank you, Luc. He's just jealous. He prefers to be the arm candy." luc merit Chloe Neill
1bd1b74 "Hey, better than the real thing," I said. "What do you even do with a chimera?" "What wouldn't you do with a chimera?" Jeff asked. "They're like the Swiss Army knife of animals." "Party in the front, business in the back," Catcher agreed. That earned a snort and laugh from me. "Any animal that can be compared to a mullet is a good animal in my book." ombuddies merit Chloe Neill
c37724d "And so, on a night in late May, I found myself standing on the lawn of a Hyde Park mansion of vampires, staring up at the stone-framed visage of a boy in Armani, an enemy who'd become an ally. Ironic, I thought, that I'd given up one ally today but gained another.Ethan ran a hand through his hair. merit Chloe Neill
10c9e94 But she was not even grateful to him for it; nothing good on Pierre's part seemed to her to be an effort, it seemed so natural for him to be kind to everyone that there was no merit in his kindness. morality love merit Leo Tolstoy
42b74fb "Look. I know why you gave me that speech earlier today. I know you have an obligation to protect your vampires. But irrespective of the way that I was made, I have done everything that you've asked of me. I've taken training, I gave up my dissertation, I moved into the House, I got you in to see my father, I got you into the Breckenridge house, and I've dated the man you asked me to." I pointed at the house behind us. "And even though I was supposed to get a few hours free from the drama of Cadogan House tonight with said man, I followed you here because you requested it. At some point, Ethan, you might consider giving me a little credit." I didn't wait for him to answer, but turned on my heel and went to the car. I opened the back door, climbed inside, and slammed it shut behind me. Catcher caught my gaze in the rearview mirror. "Feel better?" "Is he still standing there with that dumbstruck expression on his face?" There was a pause while he checked, then a chuckle. "Yes, he is." "Then, yes, I feel better." merit Chloe Neill
fda52c3 "Go ahead," I told him. "Go see your admirers. Sign some autographs. It's good PR for the House." He slid me a glance, smiled. "Not concerned one of the fans will try to sweep me away with words of love?" "Oh, they'll try to sweep," I said. "But I have no worries you'll come back to me." His smile was meltingly handsome. "Because I love you without measure?" "Of course," I said. Also, I had the car keys." merit Chloe Neill
72ac1e5 Aw, sad face. I came up with that totally off the cuff. No props for off the cuff? merit Chloe Neill
b26ee12 What we have not chosen we cannot consider either to our merit or our failure. merit Milan Kundera
6e4ae1a I walked inside and paused for a moment to breathe in the scent of paper and dust--the perfumes of knowledge. merit Chloe Neill
865a3f8 "I believe I've got it covered," Malik said with an admirably straight face and smooth tone. "But I wouldn't mind taking a break before getting to the next round. Grabbing a bite to eat." Ethan glanced at me, questioning eyebrow arched. Have you infected him? You're hilarious, I said." -- malik merit Chloe Neill
cc61436 "You know what I need?" I asked. "A chocolate fountain?" Ethan suggested. "A complete paper set of the Encyclopedia Britannica? A lifetime supply of grilled meat?" "I like all those ideas, but I was thinking a magical spray I can use on Mallory to wash the crazy off her." "Like Lysol for evil?" Paige asked." paige merit Chloe Neill
f0cfb99 "PAPER TOWERS The library was on the second floor of the House, not far from my room. It had two floors--the first held the majority of the books and a balcony wrapped in a wrought-iron railing held another set. It was a cavalcade of tomes, all in immaculate rows, and with study carrels and tables thrown in for good measure. It was my home away from home(away from home. I walked inside and paused for a moment to breathe in the scent of paper and dust--the perfumes of knowledge. The library was empty of patrons as far as I could tell, but I could hear the rhythmic squeal of a library cart somewhere in the rows. I followed them down until I found the dark-haired vampire shelving books with mechanical precision. I knew him only as "the librarian." He was a fount of information, and he had a penchant for leaving books outside my door." library deep neill merit drink Chloe Neill
e055db4 He humphed and grabbed a carton of milk, then chugged directly from the cardboard spout. Mallory and I watched him, the same grimace on both our faces. Sure, I did the same thing with OJ, but he was a boy, and it was milk. That was just gross. humor mallory double-standards merit Chloe Neill
40b6f6e "Ethan sidled next to me, a hand propped on the shelf. "Come here often?" he said. "Excuse me?" "I see you're here in this"--he gestured at the shelves--"library all alone. You must be a student here?" He traced a fingertip down the hollow of my throat, lifting goose bumps on my arms. Since my mind hardly worked when he did things like that, it took a moment for his words to register. Was he initiating a bout of role-playing ... about a library? "Ethan Sullivan," I marveled. "You have a library fantasy." He smiled slyly. "I have a doctoral-student-turned-vampire fantasy." merit Chloe Neill
2f8309d "Screw them," Ethan finally said. After a moment of utter shock, I enjoyed my second biggest smile all night. Malik's wasn't much smaller. "I'm sorry," I said, "did you just say 'screw them'?" merit Chloe Neill
3c4e58f "He has to pay people who have a sense of humor. Since he's lacking one," I added, when Ethan didn't laugh. "I understood the joke, Merit," he quietly said, sparkling emerald eyes on me as we began to sway. "I didn't find it funny." "Yes, well, your sense of humor leaves something to be desired." Ethan spun me out and away, then pulled me back again. Stuck-up or not, I had to give him props--the boy could move. "My sense of humor is perfectly well developed," he informed me when our bodies aligned again. "I merely have high standards." "And yet you deign to dance with me." "I'm dancing in a stately home with the owner's daughter, who happens to be a powerful vampire." Ethan looked down at me, brow cocked. "A man could do worse." "A man could do worse," I agreed. "But could a vampire?" "If I find one, I'll ask him." The response was corny enough that I laughed aloud, full and heartily, and had the odd, heart-clenching pleasure of watching him smile back, watching his green eyes shine with the delight of it." merit Chloe Neill
7924f2f You look ho-ot. Sure you don't wanna drop this vampire business and join the Pack? We've got better . . . insurance. merit Chloe Neill
b1c1ec4 Though why should we expect age to mellow us? If it isn't life's business to reward merit, why should it be life's business to give us warm, comfortable feelings towards its end? What possible evolutionary purpose could nostalgia serve? time personality history philosophy mellow merit memory nostalgia Julian Barnes
b585ee1 "I accept that he has a past. I wasn't a saint before we met." She slid me a glance. "I wasn't." "You were a nerdy English lit student; you were as close as it gets without beatification." -- merit Chloe Neill
a92a6fa "I glanced mildly at Lindsey. "Did you spike his blood with caffeine?" "Die Hard marathon was on TV last night," she said. "He's been weaponized since then." luc merit Chloe Neill
4684593 "There are few things in the world that he loves more than this House, Merit. Possibly only one." At the knowing gaze in his eyes, my cheeks flushed. "And in all the world, he entrusted one girl, one scholar, with the right to defend it." merit Chloe Neill
c6d9627 "Jeff opened blue eyes, grinned at me. "If you're feeling left out . . ." I almost threw out an instinctive no, but I decided to throw him a bone. "Oh, Jeff. It'd be too good--you and me. Too powerful, too much emotion, too much heat. We'd come together and boom"--I clapped my hands together--"like a moth to a flame, there'd be nothing left." His eyes glazed over. "Combustion?" "Totally." He was quiet for a moment, his index finger tracing a pattern on the knee of his jeans. Then he nodded. "Too powerful. It'd destroy us both." I nodded solemnly. "Probably so." But I leaned over, pressed my lips to his forehead. "We'll always have Chicago." "Chicago," he dreamily repeated. "Yeah. Definitely." He cleared his throat, seemed to regain a little composure. "When I tell this story later, you kissed me on the mouth. With tongue. And you were handsy." I chuckled. "Fair enough." merit Chloe Neill
5223678 "Do you have a room preference?" I asked Ethan. "Whichever you prefer," he said, "since I'll be staying with you." There was no equivocation in his voice. No question, no request for permission. It was a statement, an announcement of something he meant to do. Something he would do. "Of course you will," I said. "It would be rude to muss two of her bedrooms. We might as well bunk up and save her the trouble." Ethan rolled his eyes. "That isn't exactly the reasoning I had in mind." "Oh, I know," I said, walking back to the first bedroom. "But if I don't keep a check on your ego, you'll become insufferable." He made a sarcastic, but pleased, grunt." merit Chloe Neill
7fe19fd Why, Sullivan, I think I just kicked your ass. merit Chloe Neill
5b2f6ac "You're wearing your medal," he said. I grazed the gold with my fingertips. "I wasn't sure if I should, if it was dressy enough?" "You should. Consider it your dog tag." "In case I get lost?" "In case you're fried to ash and that sliver of gold is all that's left of you." Vampire tact, I thought, left something to be desired." merit Chloe Neill
583ebfa "We need to give you two a couple name," I said, taking a seat on the opposite side of the table. "Lucsey, perhaps?" Luc didn't bat an eyelash; he simply turned a page of the newspaper. "Call us what you want, Sentinel. We already have a name for you." That was alarming. Not that there was a way to avoid it, but I wasn't sure I wanted them discussing my relationship around the Ops Room table. "No, you don't." "Yes, we do." Lindsey stirred her spoon noisily around the walls of the yogurt cup to get the remaining drops. "You're Methan." "We're what?" "Methan. Merit and Ethan. Methan." luc lindsey merit Chloe Neill
4fdedc1 "You're so immature." "Blue hair. That's all I'm saying." "Bite me, dead girl." I showed fang and winked at her. "Don't tempt me, witch." merit Chloe Neill
de5c28e "Liege," I said deferentially. "She's more obsequious to you than she ever has been to me," Ethan observed with a tilted eyebrow. "Better leadership skills," Malik said with a smile," malik-washington merit Chloe Neill
38c2525 "The man was walking power and confidence, and he was all mine. "Seriously," Lindsey whispered, "well done." "I know, right?" lindsey merit Chloe Neill
98a8ed8 "I tried to help. They were ganging up on one of the girls. I got hit in the head." "With a stiletto," Jonah helpfully threw in. "She got hit in the head with a stiletto." merit Chloe Neill
b9660ad "I think Luc was right," he added when they were out of earshot. "I can hardly take you out anymore." "I just took out a vamp twice my weight while wearing a cocktail dress and three-inch heels. I think I deserve some credit for that." merit Chloe Neill
51aa240 "Hello, everyone and Probies," Jeff said. "Especially a very healthy Merit." "Hello, my knight in shining armor," I said, taking a seat. "Or at least my knight with a very shiny reflective blanket." merit Chloe Neill
53ab1ca "But I'll admit that he's kind of offensively delicious" "Like salt and vinegar potato chips" "Exactly" mallory merit vampire urban-fantasy Chloe Neill
c2c8508 If it was appropriate to judge a person based on her footwear - and it obviously was - I decided I liked her immediately. humor shoes merit vampires chloe neill
fffc487 "It sucks because you're trying to do the right thing, but the result isn't showing it. You're at the stage where good intentions meet crappy abilities. Welcome to my first eleven months as a vampire." "You've only been a vampire for ten months." "My point exactly." merit Chloe Neill
ad9951c "You were cut?" "Yeah, but I'm okay. Just a little sore." Devilishness shined in Malik's eyes. "What was the weapon again? Paring knife? Melon baller?" He squeezed his thumb and forefinger together. "One of those cinnamon-flavored toothpicks?" merit Chloe Neill
3b94790 "Because sometimes women cry when there's good news. Tears of relief. You know, catharsis." His expression was utterly blank. "Haven't you ever cried when you, I don't know, you get a new batch of that fancy stationery you like with the watermarks on it?" He looked bewildered. "That's what you think I'd cry tears of relief about?" "You do like your office supplies." merit Chloe Neill
8d6b5b6 "I lightly grasped the edges of my shirt and dropped into a neat curtsy, batting my eyes coquettishly. "Thank you, Liege," I said, Gratefully Condescending. "You're still not in Cadogan attire, you know." I frowned, awash in the disheartening realization that I'd tried again, and failed, at playing Cadogan vampire. Was I ever going to be able to be good enough for Ethan? I doubted it, but faked a smile and cheekily offered, "You should have seen what I was going to wear." Ethan rolled his eyes." merit Chloe Neill
3aed4a5 "He was smiling--a kind of honest, humbled, sweet smile. "Maybe I'm getting better at this?" he asked. "Better at wooing you in the manner in which you should be wooed?" merit Chloe Neill
df840d8 "I strongly recommend the therapeutic application of fuzzy-chested vampire to grief. It works miracles." "I am sincerely glad to hear that. But if you keep talking, I will poke your eyes out with a toothpick." merit Chloe Neill
c8c428d "Ethan chuckled. "It hasn't escaped my attention, Sentinel, that you cringe every time I mention our future." "I don't cringe. I only cringe when you pretend-propose." He had a penchant for going down on bended knee--and straightening a hem or helping me with a shoe. "Nobody finds that amusing." "I find it excessively amusing. You do realize, don't you, that the proposal won't always be fake?" -- merit Chloe Neill
bf06bc2 "I nearly bit one of them, and yadda yadda yadda, we learned they had nothing to do with the color change." "You can't yadda yadda yadda nearly biting a fairy," Paige said." merit Chloe Neill
f32f8a7 "If you use the word 'halt,' I will hit you." "Not halt," he breathlessly said. "Upstairs. Now." merit Chloe Neill
5ebfe3a "It's your job to be worried," I said lightly, squeezing his hand. "That's why we pay you the big bucks. Which you are apparently going to hand over to the NAC in order to keep that car in the garage." "Never fear, Sentinel. I will still be able to keep you in bacon." "Damn right," I said. "You know your priorities." Ethan rolled his eyes and slapped me on the butt." merit Chloe Neill
e891abd "I had a sense of your passion when we met, Merit. When you first stormed into my House with fire in your eyes." "That wasn't fire. That was sheer, unmitigated fury." merit Chloe Neill
679b723 "An image of Luc's face flashed on my screen, his finger waggling. "Time to go outside!" it said. "Time to go outside!" I tried to silence it, reduce the volume, and turn off the phone, but to no avail. Luc had definitely created a reminder for our outdoor guarding duties--and there was no way to turn it off. I grimaced at the phone and showed it to Ethan. "We have a monster on our hands." luc merit Chloe Neill
549c586 He was an imperialistic, self-righteous pain in the ass. But he was my pain in the ass, you know? And tonight, I won't be with him. That definitely feels strange. merit Chloe Neill
297ad51 "Why the long face?" "Is there anyone who isn't infatuated with you?" I smiled at him, with teeth. "If not, it's because you haven't assigned them to me yet. Mata Hari at your service. Would you like to add him to the list?" "I don't appreciate your sarcasm." "I don't appreciate being handed out like a party favor." merit Chloe Neill
72e9533 "I'm glad to know you have a sense of humor." "I'm a vampire, not a zombie." "Good to know." merit Chloe Neill
3f0c5db I took a moment before heading inside to share the evening's most important news in a quick text to Mallory: ETHAN EATS TOAST WITH A FORK. It took a moment before she responded. DARTH SULLIVAN = PRETENTIOUS HOTTIE, she responded. mallory-carmichael merit Chloe Neill
5c88df6 "Luc is busy protecting our vampires." "Luc is your bodyguard. He swore an oath to protect you." An irritated shake of his head. "You're in this already." "Luc was there when you explained the raves, helped you plan for my involvement, and I'm sure you've brought him up to speed about what we learned so far. He knows everything that I know." "Luc was busy." "I was busy." "Luc isn't you." merit Chloe Neill
4c41bfa "Next steps?" I asked, turning him back to business once again. "A stiff drink?" "Have I finally driven you to alcohol, Sentinel?" merit Chloe Neill
187e8ee "Opportunities to wear denim to the office don't come along very often in Cadogan House." Ethan chuckled, then pushed off the bureau and pulled a black suit coat from a valet stand. "I hear the Master can be such a pain in the ass." He definitely had his moments." -- merit Chloe Neill
da20ff4 "Luc would have put my head on a pike if you'd taken a hit." "How do you know I didn't?" I opened my mouth, then closed it again. "Did you?" His eyes went to sultry slits. "Do you want to look and see?" "Not especially." Liar, liar, pants on fire." merit Chloe Neill
a08f5fb "And I agree that you should be basking in my glory . . . especially since I took a stake through the heart to save your life." I couldn't help but grin. "And it didn't even take you twenty-four hours to remind me." "One uses the tools at one's disposal, Sentinel." merit Chloe Neill
e2a937f "Sullivan, just pick it up." He glanced at me, spearing a chunk of hot dog with his fork. "My way is more genteel." I took another gigantic bite, and told him between chews, "Your way is more tight ass." "Your respect for me, Sentinel, is astounding." I grinned at him. "I'd respect you more if you took a bite of that dog." merit Chloe Neill
6e471c5 Would you put it past Darth Sullivan to figure out a way to haunt you postmortem? He's probably holding staff meetings in the afterworld. Offering up performance evaluations. Issuing dictates. merit Chloe Neill
6ce9bd0 He wore a gray hoodie with the green Jakob's Quest logo across the front. Dear God, I thought. The RG had a Jeff. merit Chloe Neill
a528583 "You'll be careful out there?" Ethan asked. A line of worry appeared between his eyes. "I will. But we're just going for pizza. And Luc knows where I'll be, just in case of a zombie apocalypse." merit Chloe Neill
94b76dd "You didn't have to adjust under the watchful eye of Gabriel Keene." "You're right. I only had to adjust under the watchful eye of Ethan Sullivan. That was an utter cakewalk." merit Chloe Neill
39b3968 "Ethan groaned. "To business already, Sentinel? So much for, 'Good morning, Liege. I love you, Liege.'" He managed a remarkably bad imitation of my voice, then feigned sweeping hair over his shoulder. "I don't do that." "You do," he said, grinning. "But my larger point still stands." I rolled my eyes but sat up, sheet strategically around my breasts, and smiled at him. "Good morning, Liege," I said in a husky voice. "I love you, Liege." "That's more like it," he said." merit Chloe Neill
0dcda16 "You and Ethan had some kind of something?" "You're fishing. And we didn't have something or anything. We're just bummed it's Valentine's Day and I'm spending it with you guys." "Yeah, well, tone down the magic. You're giving me split ends." merit Chloe Neill
8b22c63 "Sullivan may have a heart of coal, but I bet he looks really good in orange. And stripes. Rawr," she said, curling her fingers like a cat." mallory-carmichael merit Chloe Neill
7b7fc12 "His lips so soft, yet so stern, he pressed his mouth to mine. "I will have both of you," he said. "My Sentinel and my city. And the GP will learn exactly how stubborn we both can be." kissing ethan sentinel merit lips vampires Chloe Neill
a63e11f Ethan arched an eyebrow and began to lean in.... Then he reached around to pluck something from the table behind me. When he pulled back, folder in hand, I rolled my eyes at my reaction. The man just unbalanced me. merit Chloe Neill
080c6e0 "Ethan scrubbed his hands over his face. "I hate it when you're right." I bit back a grin that only would have gotten me into trouble, and let my mouth do it for me. "Then you must hate me often." I disappeared into the bathroom before Ethan could throttle me." merit Chloe Neill
f195761 "He wants you," Lindsey said. "Physically and otherwise. Maybe you only need to remind him that you can handle yourself." "How?" "Girl, you're the Sentinel of this House, and you've been trained by Catcher and Luc and Ethan. He's in the training room right now. Get down there and kick his ass." I smiled slyly. Now, that was a plan that made sense." lindsey merit Chloe Neill
b19859d "I believe there's something you'll need, Sentinel." Ethan slid from his chair, dropped to one knee on the carpet. My mind had to race to keep up, but my heart pounded madly. Ethan looked up at me, grinned. "That thing, of course, is this." He held up a small dessert fork. "You dropped your fork, Sentinel." My blood pounded in my ears. I stood up, swatted his arms with slaps. "You are a jerk." He roared with laughter. "Ah, Sentinel. The look on your face." He doubled over with laughter. "Such terror." I kept swatting. "At the thought of marrying you, you pretentious ass." He roared again, then picked me up and carried me to the bed. "My pretentions are well earned, Sentinel." "You have got to stop doing that." "I can't. It's hilarious." Only a man would think fake proposals were so funny." -- merit Chloe Neill
21b97d7 "I knew there were Web sites devoted to Ethan. I might, in a moment of curious weakness, have visited Ethan SullivanIsMyMaster.net and smiled at the bloggers' obvious adoration. But underwear? Underwear! "Pretty hot, isn't he?" asked the clerk. I was bewildered. Of course he was hot. But he was my hot." merit Chloe Neill
64f99f5 "The assholes took their toll." "Assholes often do." "That's a Billboard Top Forty song waiting to happen." "Sung to the tune of 'There'll Be Sad Songs,'" I suggested, then offered up a lyric. "'There'll be assholes, to make you cry.'" "'Assholes often dooo,'" Mallory sang." merit Chloe Neill
77bc455 Woe is Merit, the immortal vampire with the never-gray hair and long legs and hot blond boyfriend. merit Chloe Neill
17fada1 Ethan nodded and fell in line behind Nadia, who trotted back up the stairs, her hair bouncing on her shoulders as she moved. Really-- it was like watching a shampoo commercial. merit Chloe Neill
ffb438a "I'm going to change clothes." Ethan lay down on the bed, one arm behind his head, ankles crossed. "All right," he said. "I'm ready." "Dirty. Old. Man." merit Chloe Neill
5b64503 "I'm here," he said. "Be still." merit Chloe Neill
742c6ca Together the magicks swirled and danced around us, invisible but tangible, like an breeze. This wasn't defensive or offensive magic. It wasn't used to gather information, for strategy or diplomacy, or to fight a war against supernatural enemy. It simply was. It was fundamental, inexorable. It was nothing and everything, infinity and oblivion, from the magnificent furnace of a star to the electrons that hummed in an atom. It was life and death and everything in between, the urge to fight and grow and swim and fly. It was a cascade of water across boulders, the slow-moving advance of mountain glaciers, the march of time. magic caroline-merit chicagoland-vampires magick magicks chloe-neill merit Chloe Neill
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