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..
|
|
library
deep
neill
merit
drink
|
Chloe Neill |
5355f02
|
It was a fabulous outfit, but it was so urban-fantasy book cover.
|
|
|
Chloe Neill |
c2c9b17
|
if you can't make a joke at a time like this, what's the point of living?
|
|
laughter
life
|
Chloe Neill |
3fa5d4f
|
Have you ever had one of those days where you give up on being really clean, and settle for being clean? Where you don't have time for the entire scrubbing and exfoliating regime, so you settle for the basics? Where brushing your teeth becomes the most rigorous part of your cleaning ritual? Yeah, welcome to Monday morning at St. Sophia's School for (Slightly Grimy) Girls.
|
|
|
Chloe Neill |
92e6448
|
Love wasn't perfection. It wasn't always roses and candy. Hell, it wasn't even mostly roses and candy. Sometimes it was battling back fear that loomed like a leviathan, trying to find a way through misery, being grateful to have a companion who knew your strengths and weaknesses, and loved you not just in spite of them, but because of them. Love was acceptance. Love was bravery. Love was sticking it out.
|
|
|
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 |
5e273e7
|
Sometimes," my grandfather put in, "even if you can't be what you want, making the most of what you be isn't a bad second choice. You have a chance to remake yourself, baby girl."
|
|
|
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 perfectl..
|
|
merit
|
Chloe Neill |
42fa2bf
|
I ignored the teasing tone of the man who stood beside me, the four-hundred-year-old Master vampire who ruled Chicago's Cadogan House and the parts of my heart that weren't devoted to great books and good pizza.
|
|
|
Chloe Neill |
b6f2838
|
I gripped the hem of his shirt and pulled it upward and over his head,taking a long moment to enjoy the view:smooth,eternally golden skin over lean muscle.
|
|
|
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 |
3748eb8
|
How did men manage to offer a compliment that transitioned from sweet to utterly salacious in the span of a few words?
|
|
|
Chloe Neill |
415595a
|
You're my world," he said, putting down the glass. "You're mine to protect."
|
|
|
Chloe Neill |
9324d3a
|
Because I love you. Because love, to some, is a weakness. A pressure point. Because I would give up anything for you, including the GP. And because I don't mean to give up either.
|
|
|
Chloe Neill |
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 |
e287131
|
Morgan threw tantrums that would impress a two-year-old.
|
|
morgan
|
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..
|
|
merit
|
Chloe Neill |
a9fc7f5
|
Diamonds are forever. Magic not so much.
|
|
|
Chloe Neill |
ed17273
|
Every time I breathe, I breathe for you. Every time I speak, I speak for you. And every time I howl, I howl for you.
|
|
|
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'..
|
|
merit
|
Chloe Neill |
7fe19fd
|
Why, Sullivan, I think I just kicked your ass.
|
|
merit
|
Chloe Neill |
aaba4a4
|
Take of your shirt,"he said. But I hadn't won Ethan Sullivan-and he hadn't won me-by my playing the wilting lily to his alpha predator.I lifted my head. "I am not your possession." "Aren't you?" At my refusal,he moved forward and gripped the hem of my shirt."
|
|
|
Chloe Neill |
4c8fb83
|
Oh, I get it. You're doing the girlfriend--what's her name? Megan?" "Merit," answered the girl at the table. "And it's a pretty good costume." I opened my mouth to object, to proclaim that I wasn't doing Ethan's girlfriend, I was Ethan's girlfriend, and I was doing Ethan."
|
|
|
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 |
62b4156
|
Is Buffy the Vampire Slayer her personal savior?
|
|
|
Chloe Neill |
50dc07e
|
My spreadsheets bring all the girls to the yard. Hi, Merit.
|
|
|
Chloe Neill |
f989f09
|
There are those among us who have erred, deeply and significantly. Who have wounded the world and broken themselves. The worst of them lose themselves in their errors. The best of them crawl back, one foot at a time, and seek to amend their breaches. That is the way of the brave.
|
|
perseverance
life-lessons
life
gabriel-keene
chloe-neill
perspective
life-lesson
|
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 |
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 |
7e2414b
|
Sweet and geeky Jeff, lover of games, knew how to move.
|
|
|
Chloe Neill |
1e6dbd6
|
Take that back to the GP, Mr. Cabot. And should the urge arise, feel free to tell them to fuck off.
|
|
|
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 |
f6f9c96
|
I swore an oath. I'm not happy to be a vampire. It's not the life I'd have picked. But it's mine now, and I'll honor that.
|
|
|
Chloe Neill |
96e4eda
|
Girl! I hope you did lots of nasty with Our Dear Sullivan and made us all proud. Please bring him back in a good mood. And eager to give us all raises. We need shoes. Hearts, Lindsey.
|
|
|
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 he..
|
|
luc
lindsey
merit
|
Chloe Neill |
5b055aa
|
Vampirligi nasil buluyorsun?" "Eger vampirlik bir ev olsaydi," dedim ciddi anlamda dusundukten sonra " tadilat gerektiriyor bu derdim."
|
|
komik
vampir
|
Chloe Neill |
ac82373
|
Mallory leaned toward me. "FYI, your eyes are silver. I'll just add 'horny' to the list of reasons that happens." I nodded absently."
|
|
|
Chloe Neill |
57ad376
|
I swear to God, the sups in this city could have their own reality show.
|
|
|
Chloe Neill |
277e74c
|
My first few weeks as a vampire had been inordinately busy. Like The Young and the Restless, but with slightly dead people.
|
|
|
Chloe Neill |
93551b0
|
That guy," Lindsey said, "is a douche. Asterisk, I hate him. Footnote, he can suck it."
|
|
|
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 |
992801a
|
Procastination can be very satisfying.' He laughed ruefully, 'As you pointed out, it may be a very human emotion, but there's undoubtedly something satisfying about pretending the world is fine and you problems will keep until you're ready to deal with them.
|
|
|
Chloe Neill |