Curran scrutinized Mart’s face. “I can’t figure out if he wants to kill you or screw you.” “I’ll be glad to make the choice for him.” Curran looked back at me. “Why is it you always attract creeps?” “You tell me.” Ha! Walked right into that one, yes, he did.

People around me die. They drop like flies. I've gone through life leaving a trail of dead bodies behind me. My mother is dead, my guardian is dead, my aunt is dead—because I killed her, and when my real father finds me, he'll move heaven and earth to make me dead.

Nothing kills a party like an oversize metal hedgehog.

He caressed my cheek. "You came for me," I whispered. "Always," he told me.

Seducing him in the tub smelling of vinegar was out of the question. There had to be some boundaries.

Nice plan. Take the gullible outsiders, walk them around for a bit, then feed them to the giant tortoise.

You will tell me what you know now," he said. "Or?" He said nothing, so I elaborated. "See, this kind of threat usually has an 'or' attached to it. Or an 'and'. 'Tell me and I'll allow you to live' or something like that.