I'm not dating Balthazar. I'm pretend dating him. Which involves some not pretend hand-holding. And maybe some not pretend kissing. But it's all actually pretend, see? I groaned. My explanations were making my head hurt already.

All of my best friends are dead people. Someday I've got to figure out how that happened.

I wonder how much of the rest of his clothes I could convince him to take off, then wonder where that thought came from. Well I guess I know.

He frames my face with his hands as he says, "Tess. Only you could be brave enough to die with me. But I want you to live for me." We kiss, as desperate as though we were drowning. When our lips part, Alec says, "Forgive me.

What had seemed like love was betrayal

It wasn't badass. I don't really do badass.

You'll live forever, and being remembered by is the only immortality I'll ever need. If i only live on as a part of you--Bianca, that's my idea of Heaven