75ebf98
|
Life is trade; we trade our labour for its fruit, we trade hours of study for knowledge, we trade pleasure for pleasure or sometimes for wealth, security, or offspring.
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
7e570c0
|
You're a fucking mess," Curran's voice said." --
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
3dc4ee2
|
Once an opponent fell into a pattern, they became predictable--and they could be defeated.
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
f92fa0c
|
NO." CURRAN STRODE TO THE CAR, HEADING DOWN the street away from the temple. "No what?" I knew what, but I wanted him to spell it out. That way I could shut him down better."
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
754f79f
|
But if you have doubts, why don't you go stand over there. I'll shoot you and we'll find out if it hurts.
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
7eb27ef
|
The moment you looked into his gray irises, you knew he would tolerate no challenge to his authority, and if his eyes turned gold, you knew you were going to die. In a fit of cosmic irony, he had fallen in love with me. I challenged his authority on a weekly basis.
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
68a9008
|
That's a lovely story," Sean said. "We should go back."
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
d468100
|
Curran growled deep in his throat. "That's impressive but not really informative, Your Furriness."
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
ef8390d
|
When unsure of the stranger's intentions, the best policy is to open a meaningful dialogue. "Hey, dickhead! Who taught you to shoot, Louis Braille? That arrow missed me by a mile."
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
076275a
|
Fine. You won't tell me why your crew worked me over. You won't let me see Derek. That's your prerogative. We'll do it your way. James Damael Shrapshire, in your capacity as the Pack's chief security officer, you have permitted Pack members under your command to deliberately injure an employee of the Order. At least three individuals involved in the assault wore the shapeshifter warrior form. Under the Georgia Code, a shapeshifter in a warr..
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
352a583
|
You know," she said, stirring her tea, "the fastest way to get him off your back is to sleep with him. And tell him you love him. Preferably while in bed."
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
3903400
|
Just staying sharp. Keeping you safe keeps me in shape.
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
b57eaab
|
A dollar for your thoughts." "The usual price is a penny, not a dollar. Had I known how bad you were with money, I would've reconsidered this whole mating thing."
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
f30f194
|
Are you out of your mind?" It's not polite to lie to your best friend. "It's a possibility."
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
c1de70b
|
It's worth a try. Maybe he'll be so happy you noticed his pork sword, he'll forget all about trying to kill us." Pork sword. Kill me now."
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
ecc0e2c
|
The rim of the cup shuddered. Her fingers were shaking.
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
00b7e97
|
Even a cry in the wilderness must be acknowledged, because someone might have heard it.
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
fa3ae11
|
The girl showed him her stained finger and reached toward him slowly, aiming for his face. "No," William said. "Bad hobo." The finger kept coming closer."
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
1e771e9
|
As he passed me, he leaned to Curran and handed him a paper fan folded from some sort of flyer. Curran looked at the fan. "What?" "An emergency precaution, Your Majesty. In case the lady faints." Curran just stared at him. Raphael strode toward the Pit, turned, flexed a bit, and winked at me. "Give me that," I told Curran. "I need to fan myself." "No, you don't."
|
|
raphael
kate
|
Ilona Andrews |
391fbaf
|
when sleep mugged him.
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
c125a95
|
Why don't you just leave? Leave and live your life the way you want to. You're free to make your own choices." "No," he said. "Freedom is an illusion. We are bound by restraints on every turn. Family, clan, religion, morals, duties; all those are restraints. For someone on the crossroads of worlds, you're naive." "If you can't have your freedom, then what's the point of all this?" "Give"
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
1790459
|
then you saw the vampires, smeared in purple and lime-green sunblock, patrolling those snow-white walls
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
66eb37b
|
I guess there wouldn't be any harm in telling it this once," Raphael said."
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
115374f
|
you think I would be old enough? I'm a grown
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
376857f
|
It's not always about one's personal happiness. Sometimes it has to be about the obligation we have to others. A duty to pay back for the gift you were given.
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
432adfe
|
We make our own choices in life. Our actions shape our lives, and we alone are responsible for them." "When"
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
73c33a4
|
He was charming and funny and a bit scary, which was always a draw in my book.
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
1592425
|
I turned and there he stood, wearing a loose T-shirt and sweatpants. A modest shapechanger, how refreshing. You wouldn't even know that he had changed, save for the glistening sheen of dampness on his skin. He looked me over slowly, judging, taking my measure. I could blush demurely or I could do the same to him. I chose not to blush. A couple of inches taller than me, the Beast Lord gave an impression of coiled power. Easy, balanced stance..
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
5c0866e
|
She had only two modes of operation: complete control or complete insanity.
|
|
humor
insanity
|
Ilona Andrews |
9e96cf7
|
Bran snapped into the room in a corkscrew of mist, jerked my robe open and down to clamp my shoulders, and kissed me. His teeth clicked against mine. I kneed him, but he expected it and blocked with his leg. He realized his tongue wouldn't make it into my mouth and let go. "I'll still get you," he promised. Curran lunged at him and caught tendrils of mist. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. "Did he hurt you?" Curran said. If my eyes..
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
3980e03
|
He tossed the dumbbell aside. It went flying and hit with a loud thud, leaving a dent in the pavement of the roof. Curran strode toward me, eyes blazing. "If I let her go, I'll need a replacement. Want to volunteer for the job?" He looked like he wouldn't be taking no for an answer. I swiped Slayer from its sheath and backed away from the edge of the roof. "And be girlfriend number twenty-three soon to be dumped in favor of girlfriend numbe..
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
b5d6213
|
I thumbed through the outfits and my hands grazed leather. A black leather jacket. I could dimly recall wearing it at some point. Must've been during my "Oh look, I'm tough!" days. I slipped it on and looked in the bedroom mirror. I looked like a bravo. And it was hot. Oh well. It was better than nothing. I took the jacket off, changed my T-shirt for a dark gray tank top, slipped on the tangle of the back sheath, and put the jacket on again..
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
9d7a7d5
|
If I were on my own, packing some power, and for some reason not wanting to be found, I might lay low for a while. But I'd know sooner or later I'd have to come out and play, because whoever's looking for me would eventually find me. I'd start building some connections. The thing about a lone wolf? Once you corner it, it has no one to turn to.
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
ef0d1b4
|
Of course, with my luck, the Shepherd could be a crazy numismatist just dying for a Kennedy fifty-cent piece. Maybe I could set a trap with a handful of change. Here, Shepherd, here boy, look, I have a Susan B. Anthony dollar, you know you want it.
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
0899d71
|
Curran's hair fell to his shoulders. Long, blond, luxuriously wavy, it framed his face like a mane. He sat in a room in the Pack Keep, reading a battered paperback under a cone of electric light from a small lamp. He didn't raise his head as Jim ushered me into the room and closed the door. Just me and the Beast Lord. And the night, spilling into the room through the wide-open window. Jim hadn't said a word to me on the way over here. I w..
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
4b8306a
|
Few things are more frightening than the thought of your god coming to life. There is no such thing as privacy between a deity and his worshipper. There are no secrets, no glossed-over failures. Only promises kept and abandoned, sins committed and imagined, and raw emotion. Love, fear, reverence. How many of us are ready to have our lives judged? What would happen if we were found wanting? Andrea
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
6b59c46
|
Every woman should be told she's attractive. Men are seduced by their eyes, women by their ears. I would tell you every night and every morning." He"
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
a279bea
|
Now the muted setting made sense: a neutral setting, soothing light, a book. The deep magic fed the beast within him. It took a monumental effort of will to restrain it. With the flare so close, Curran was a powder keg with a short fuse. I had to be careful not to light that fuse. Nobody outside the Pack, except for Andrea, knew I was here. He could kill me right now and they would never find my body. We shared a silence for a long moment. ..
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
887a60f
|
Often wrong, but never in doubt. Once you decide what you need to do and how to go about it, you can't afford to second-guess yourself. You just do it." The"
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
8b94ac0
|
Someone knocked. I paused, the chicken halfway to my mouth, and glared at the door. The knocking persisted. It wasn't Derek. His knock would be careful, almost apologetic. This bastard knocked like he was doing me a favor. I looked at the chicken, glanced to the door, stuffed a whole piece into my mouth, and went to see who dared to make demands on my time. The door swung open, revealing Curran. He wore old jeans a green sweatshirt and carr..
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
0c0dca4
|
When she looked at him with those dark eyes, Nassar felt the urge to say something intelligent and deeply impressive. Unfortunately, nothing of the kind came to mind.
|
|
romance
funny
humor
|
Ilona Andrews |
4088eee
|
THE SKULL GLARED at me out of empty eye sockets.
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
83a9ff6
|
It's been over a year since I've had sex.
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |
dd6d121
|
Suffer none who would seek to stand on the ground you have chosen.
|
|
|
Ilona Andrews |