“I don’t believe in soul mates, not exactly. I think it’s ridiculous to think that there’s only one person out there for us. What if your ‘soul mate’ lives in Zimbabwe? What if he dies young? I also think ‘two souls becoming one’ is ridiculous. You need to hold onto yourself.”— Richelle Mead
“But once in a while . . . I don’t know. I feel so close, Rose. So close to the edge. Like if I allow myself one small misstep, I’ll plunge away and never come back. It’s like I’ll lose myself.”— Richelle Mead
“I don’t balance you like you need.””What the hell does that mean?” he exclaimed.My heart ached for him, and I was so sorry for what I’d done…but this was the truth of it all. “The fact that you have to ask says it all. When you find that person…you’ll know.”— Richelle Mead
“I also never would have imagined I’d quote back a church lesson, but when the rest of the crowd stood up to take communion, I found myself saying to Dimitri: “Don’t you think that if God can supposedly forgive you, it’s kind of egotistical for you not to forgive yourself?””How long have you been waiting to use that line on me?” he asked.”Actually, it just came to me. Pretty good, huh? I bet you thought I wasn’t paying attention.””You weren’t. You never do. You were watching me.”— Richelle Mead
“You and me are going to have so much fun, Rose. Picking out curtains, doing each other’s hair, telling ghost stories….”— Richelle Mead
“Is it really so terrible being around us?”I blushed. “No,” I said. “But . . . it’s complicated. I’ve been taught certain things my entire life. Those are hard to shake.””The greatest changes in history have come because people were able to shake off what others told them to do.”— Richelle Mead
“What we had was love. We were like two halves of a whole, always ready to support each other. Neither of us was perfect, but that didn’t matter. With him, I could defeat this rage that filled me. He believed I was stronger than it. And I was.”— Richelle Mead
“That creature’s staying?’ It figured. Her daughter-in-law transforming into an animal? No problem. Having to take care of a cat? Crisis. (Sydney Sage-Ivashkov)”— Richelle Mead
“All we can go on is what we think, how we see the world. If you can’t trust your own mind what can you trust?”— Richelle Mead
“This college would probably have the same problem as the last one did.”I frowned, “What’s that?””Homework.”— Richelle Mead
“Everything’s about my personal entertainment. The world is my stage. Keep it up- you’re becoming a star performer in the show.”— Richelle Mead
“It is terrifying,” said Adrian. “And weird, for lack of a better word. And part of you knows… well, part of you knows something’s not right. That your thinking’s not right. But what do you about that? All we can go on is what we think, how we see the world. If you can’t trust your own mind, what can you trust? What other people tell you?”— Richelle Mead
“Call me crazy for asking this, but, um, are Lissa and I going with you?””No””No?””No.”— Richelle Mead
“With a few swift steps, Adrian stood in front of me again. The wall was only a couple inches behind me, and I had nowhere to go. He made no threatening moves, but he did clasp my hands and hold them to his chest while leaning down to me.“No, you will listen. For once, you’re going to hear something that doesn’t fit into your neat, compartmentalized world of order and logic and reason. Because this isn’t reasonable. If you’re terrified, believe me—this scares the hell out of me, too. You asked about Rose? I tried to be a better person for her—but it was to impress her, to get her to want me. But when I’m around you, I want to be better because… well, because it feels right. Because I want to. You make me want to become something greater than myself. I want to excel. You inspire me in every act, every word, every glance. I look at you, and you’re like… like light made into flesh. I said it on Halloween and meant every word: you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen walking this earth. And you don’t even know it. You have no clue how beautiful you are or how brightly you shine.”— Richelle Mead
“What were good and evil, really, but stupid categories? Stupid categoriesthat restricted people and punished or rewarded them based on how they responded to their own natures, natures they really didn’t have any way to control.”— Richelle Mead
“what’s your name?”what?” i asked, squinting at the light.your name.” I reconized Dr. Olendzki peering over me.you know my name.”I want you to tell me.”Rose. Rose Hathaway.”Do you know your birthday?”Of course I do. Why are you asking me such stupid things? Did you lose my records?”Dr. Olendzki gave an exasperated sigh and walked off, taking the annoying light with her. “I think she’s fine,”— Richelle Mead
“Not into older guys, huh?” asked Adrian once we were alone.”You’re imagining things,” I said. “Clearly, my stunning beauty has clouded your mind.”— Richelle Mead
“Wow.” I hadn’t thought Dimitri could be any cooler, but I was wrong. “You beat up your dad. I mean, that’s really horrible…what happened. But, wow. You really are a god.”He blinked. “What?””Uh, nothing.”— Richelle Mead
“Roza.” His voice had that same wonderful lowness, the same accent . . . itwas all just colder. “You forgot my first lesson: Don’t hesitate.”— Richelle Mead
“By the way, my name’s Rose Hathaway. I’m seventeen years old, training to protect and kill vampires, in love with a completely unsuitable guy, and have a best friend whose weird magic could drive her crazy.Hey, no one said high school was easy.”— Richelle Mead
“That’s pretty hot,” he said.”Punching me in the eye?””Well, no. Of course not. I meant the idea of getting rough with you is hot. I’m a big fan of full-contact sports.””I’m sure you are.”— Richelle Mead
“Well he didn’t treat my mother very well. He did some horrible things.””Like…” I hesitated. “Blood-whore things?””Like beating-her-up kinds of things” he replied flatly.”Oh God,” I said “That’s horrible. And she…she just let it happen?””She did.” The corner of his mouth turned into a sly, sad smile. “But I didn’t””Tell me, tell me you beat the crap out of him”His smile grew, “I did.”— Richelle Mead
“It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay. You can let go of the sword.””I can’t. I can’t leave him alone. I have to protect him.””You have.”— Richelle Mead
“Sweat isn’t a bad thing,” he said, leaning his head against the wall thoughtfully. “Some of the best things in life happen while your sweating. Yeah, if you get too much of it and it gets old and stale, it turns pretty gross. But on a beautiful women? Intoxicating. If you could smell things like a vampire does, you’d know what I’m talking about. Most people mess it all up and drown themselves in perfume. Perfume can be good…especially if you get one that goes with your chemistry. But you only need a hint. Mix about 20 percent of that with 80 percent of your own perspiration…mmm.” He tilted his head to the side and looked at me. “Dead sexy.”— Richelle Mead