She blew out a breath between gritted teeth. “Sometimes I really want to”—a frustrated sound—“bite you!” He froze. “I might let you.” “I won’t do it if you’d enjoy it.

In her lived an innocence of soul of which she seemed unaware.

My mother," he said, "has invited us to a ball." Elena pulled a blade from one of the butter-soft forearm sheaths that had been a gift from Raphael. "Excuse me while I stab myself in the eyes-and disembowel myself while I'm at it.

If I were to splay you out on my desk and thrust my fingers into you right now, I think I’d find different.

Eternity would mean nothing without you. For no power on this earth would I trade my Elena.

You can run,” Dorian said in a neutral tone that did nothing to lessen the intensity of his expression, “but sooner or later, you run out of places to run to.

He was strong. And his heart, it was breaking.