Oh please," Scout said."Don't take that tone with me. You know you'd love to have a minion. Someone at your beck and call. Someone to do your bidding. How many times have you said to yourself," Self, I need a unicorn to run errands and such?"
Not bad for a 'common soldier,' hmm?" I quietly asked, then resheathed my katana and headed back toward the chapel. I could feel his gaze on my back as I walked away, so I decided to play it up. I paused at the sanctuary door, then looked back over my shoulder and smiled vampishly through hooded eyes. "Coming?"
Scout released me, then wiped tears from beneath her eyes. Catharsis, I guessed. "I've said it before and I'll say it again--you seriously rock, Parker." "Tell me again, Green," I said as we switched on flashlights and headed through the tunnel. "Seriously, you rock." "One more time." "Don't press your luck."
And our safe word?" "Wonderwall." Lindsey turned around and cast Luc a sardonic look. " Your safe word is the name of an Oasis song?" "Blondie, I am the arbiter of all things fashionable in this House. Why not music?" "Spoken by a man wearing cowboy boots. I mean, seriously. Who wears cowboy boots ?"
His eyes widended again, then flicked to something behind me. He shook his head, looked back at me. His voice low, intimate, insistent. "Come back from this, Merit. You don't want to fight me." "I do," I heard, in a voice that was barely mine. "Find steel," she advised him. We advised him. He stood there a long moment, silently, still, before nodding. Someone offered him a blade, a katana that glinted in the light. He took it, mirrored my s..
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."
I stood there for a moment, playing emotional catch-up.He drove down from the Navarre House just to surprise me with flowers.And not It's -Valentines's Day-and-I-feel-olbligated flowers.These were just-because flowers.
He stepped forward to keep our bodies aligned, and took my chin in his hand. "I will have you. Body, mind, and soul. And I won't share you with anyone else."
Sullivan, just pick it up." "My way is more genteel." "Your way is more tight ass." "Your respect for me, Sentinel, is astounding." "I'd respect you more if you took a bite of that dog." "You don't respect me any." "Like I said, I'd respect you more. More than none."
Ethan sighed, then put a hand on my cheek. "I don't tell you this enough, but I am incredibly proud of the vampire you've become. I want you to know that."
Mallory!" Catcher's voice boomed down the stairs. Mallory fixed her mouth into a tight line and walked me into the kitchen. "Ignore it," she advised. "Much like the bubonic plague, it'll go away if you give it enough time." "Mallory! You weren't finished! Get back in here!"
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!
Fair enough" I gave him. "But you've got really nice shoes." He blinked, then cast a dubious glance at his boots. "They were in my closet." I snorted and plucked at the sleeves of his jacket. "Please you've been planning this outfit for a week."
I wouldn't let you leave the House if I didn't--there's too much at stake." "At stake. Ha-ha." At his frown, I winced. "Sorry. I kid when I'm nervous."
Who's Baumgartner?" I asked. President of the 155." At my blank stare, Catcher clarified, "My former union, Local 155 of the Union of Amalgamated Sorcerers and Spellcasters."
We'll see if she can rise to the occasion, do what needs to be done." "We'll see if she can manage not to kill her Liege and Master, especially if he continues talking about her like she's not in the room."
He grinned at me, his ridiculously blue eyes tripping my heart. "You say what's on your mind, don't you, Parker? I like that." I rolled my eyes. "You have to stop flirting with me, Shepherd, or we're never going to get anything done." "Flirting? You're the one who's getting me all riled up." "Oh, please. You're all, 'Here, Lily, have some candy.' It's obvious who's flirting here." "Then maybe I should kiss you."
The room fell heavily silent. After a minute of continuing to flay Morgan with that narrowed gaze--and Morgan staring back defiantly--Ethan slowly lifted green eyes to me, and I saw something different there. Respect.
Ethan extended his hand. "Mr. Merit. Thank you for your help." My grandfather shook his hand, but he also shook his head. "Thank your Sentinel. She's a fine representative of your House." Ethan looked at me, pride-and love?-in his eyes. "We're in agreement there."
Ethan opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. "That's an interesting analysis." reruns have been rolling nonstop on cable," Luc said. Huh. That was an interesting bit of information about our guard captain."
I tried to tune out the sensation and, embarassed at the silvering of my eyes-I have to admit, I had a sudden, new sympathy for men faced with hiding their arousal-I squeezed them shut.
You string some letters together, and you make a word. You string some words together, and you make a sentence, then a paragraph, then a chapter. Words have power.
You've got better boobs," I acknowledged. And just as we'd done each time we'd had this boobs-versus-legs conversation, we looked down at our chests. Ogled. Compared."
From a House of vampires to a house of politicians," he muttered as we walked to the front door. "Said the most political of vampires," I reminded him, and got a growl in response." --
Lily," Mom said, "we need to talk." I don't think I'm ruining the surprise by pointing out that nothing good happens when someone starts a speech like that."
You're thinking about him naked, aren't you?" "Unfortunately." She patted my arm. "And to think--I was actually hesitant about dating him. Oh, and speaking of which. Chaps. Enough said."