otp

Max." Fang let go of my hand. "Right now, it's really all about__s." He swooped down to the right in a big semicircle, ending facing me. Slowly we climbed upward, until we were almost vertical, flying straight up to the sun. While carefully synchronizing our wings__hey almost touched__ang leaned in, gently put one hand behind my neck, and kissed me. It was just about as close to heaven as I'll ever get, I guess. I closed my eyes, lost in the feeling of flying and kissing and being with the one person in the world I completely,utterly trusted. When we finally broke apart, we looked down at the others, who were way far below us now. Angel was shading her eyes, looking up at us with a big smile. She was sitting on a dolphin's back, and I hoped soon someone would explain to the dolphin that he shouldn't let Angel take advantage of his good nature. Still looking up at us, Angel gave us a big thumbs-up. "She approves," Fang said with a hint of amusement."Jeez," I wondered aloud. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Adrian tipped my face up toward his and kissed me. Like always, the world around me stopped moving. No, the world became Adrian, only Adrian. Kissing him was as mind-blowing as ever, full of that same passion and need I had never believed I__ feel. But today, there was even more to it. I no longer had any doubt about whether this was wrong or right. It was a culmination of a long journey . . . or maybe the beginning of one.I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. I didn__ care that we were out in public. I didn__ care that he was Moroi. All that mattered was that he was Adrian, my Adrian. My match. My partner in crime, in the long battle I__ just signed on for to right the wrongs in the Alchemist and Moroi worlds. Maybe Marcus was right that I__ also signed myself up for disaster, but I didn__ care. In that moment, it seemed that as long as Adrian and I were together, there was no challenge too great for us.I don__ know how long we stood there kissing. Like I said, the world around me was gone. Time had stopped. I was awash in the feel of Adrian__ body against mine, in his scent, and in the taste of his lips. That was all that mattered right now.

And besides_._._. I don__ want to leave you. Er, you guys.__e smiled, and it lit up his whole face. __ell, __e_ are certainly happy to hear that. Oh, and I__ also happy to watch our darling little love child dragon while you__e in St. Louis.__ grinned back.

Oh, look, the lights are so pretty,_ I said dreamily, having just noticedthem.I smiled at the way the lights were dancing overhead, pink and yellow andblue. I felt some pressure on my arm and thought, I should look over and seewhat__ going on, but then the thought was gone, sliding away like Jell-O off ahot car hood.__ang?___eah. I__ here.__ struggled to focus on him. ____ so glad you__e here.___eah, I got that.___ don__ know what I__ do without you._ I peered up at him, trying to seepast the too-bright lights.__ou__ be fine,_ he muttered.__o,_ I said, suddenly struck by how unfine I would be. __ would be totallyunfine. Totally._ It seemed very urgent that he understand this.Again I felt some tugging on my arm, and I really wondered what that wasabout. Was Ella__ mom going to start this procedure any time soon?__t__ okay. Just relax._ He sounded stiff and nervous. __ust...relax. Don__try to talk.___ don__ want my chip anymore,_ I explained groggily, then frowned.__ctually, I never wanted that chip.___kay,_ said Fang. __e__e taking it out.___ just want you to hold my hand.___ am holding your hand.___h. I knew that._ I drifted off for a few minutes, barely aware ofanything, but feeling Fang__ hand still in mine.__o you have a La-Z-Boy somewhere?_ I roused myself to ask, every word aneffort.__m, no,_ said Ella__ voice, somewhere behind my head.__ think I would like a La-Z-Boy,_ I mused, letting my eyes drift shutagain. __ang, don__ go anywhere.___ won__. I__ here.___kay. I need you here. Don__ leave me.___ won__.___ang, Fang, Fang,_ I murmured, overwhelmed with emotion. __ love you. Ilove you sooo much._ I tried to hold out my arms to show how much, but Icouldn__ move them.__h, jeez,_ Fang said, sounding strangled.

That night, before bed, he goes first to Willem's side of the closet, which he has still not emptied. Here are Willem's shirts on their hangers, and his sweaters on their shelves, and his shoes lined up beneath. He takes down the shirt he needs, a burgundy plaid woven through with threads of yellow, which Willem used to wear around the house in the springtime, and shrugs it on over his head. But instead of putting his arms through its sleeves, he ties the sleeves in front of him, which makes the shirt look like a straitjacket, but which he can pretend__f he concentrates__re Willem's arms in an embrace around him. He climbs into bed. This ritual embarrasses and shames him, but he only does it when he really needs it, and tonight he really needs it.

No matter how long or how difficult, we will undo whatever that Moroi boy has done to you." to me.

No matter how long or how difficult, we will undo whatever that Moroi boy has done to

And as he reached for William's leg, the way a small child will reach for its mother's, there welled up through a small hole in the bottom of Mercer's soul a relief surpassing any he'd ever known in waking life.

Relax, having kids is years away. But can you imagine? Your brains, my charm, our collective good looks... then add in the usual physical abilities dhampirs get. It's really not even fair to everyone else.

You gave me a forever within the numbered days and I'm grateful.

No literally the only thing that's stopping us from getting married is the fact that we haven't 'met yet

Snow's table manners are atrocious - it's like watching a wild dog eat. A wild dog you'd like to slip the tongue.

Still, for what Androma did to him, he should hate her, should want her dead.But seeing her before him, melting into rage and riot, her glowing grey eyes reflecting the electricity that swam around her swords...Godstars, she was magnificent, a creature that deserved to release her wrath on the world. It would be worth every drop of blood about to be shed to bring her to Cyprian's feet.

Jacin__ fingers curled around his knife. It was torture. Jacin looked more afraid than when he__ stood on trial. More afraid than when his torso had been stripped raw from the lashings. This was the last time she would ever see him. This was her last moment. Her last breath. Suddenly, all of the politics and all of the games stopped mattering. Suddenly, she felt daring. __acin,_ she said, with a shaky smile. __ou must know. I cannot remember a time when I didn__ love you. I don__ think such a time ever existed.__is eyes filled with a thousand emotions. But before he could say whatever he would say, before he could kill her, Winter grabbed the front of his shirt with both hands and kissed him. He thawed much quicker than shed expected. Almost instantly, like he__ been waiting for this moment, he grabbed her hips and pulled her against him with a possessiveness that overwhelmed her. His lips were desperate and starved as he leaned into the kiss, pressing her against the rail. She gasped, and he deepened the kiss, threading one hand into the hair at the nape of her neck. Her head swam, muddles with heat and a lifetime of desire. Jacin__ other hand abandoned her hip. She heard the ring of steel as the knife was pulled from its scabbard. Winter shuddered and kissed him harder, filling it with every fantasy she__ ever had. Jacin__ hand slipped out of her hair. His arm encircled her. He held her against him like he couldn__ get close enough. Like he meant to absorb her body into his. Releasing his shirt, Winter found his neck, his jaw. She felt the tips of his hair on her thumbs. He made a noise and she couldn__ tell if it was desire or pain or regret or a mix of everything. His arm tensed against her back. His weight shifted as he raised the knife.

Jacin said nothing else. Neither did she. After the first ring was completed, she leaned her head against his thigh, making herself more comfortable as she picked out a sunburst orange. Overhead, Jacin sighed, and she felt the faintest brush of fingertips against her hair. A hint, a suggestion of togetherness, before he became a statue once more.

Winter__ head snapped around, away from Scarlet. Scarlet__ pace slowed, dread pulsing through her as she, too, heard the footsteps. Pounding footsteps, like someone was running at full speed toward them. She reached for the knife Jacin had given her. A man barrelled around the corner, heading straight for the princess. Winter tensed half a second before he reached her. Grabbing Winter__ elbow, he yanked back the red hood. Scarlet gasped. Her knees weakened. The man stared at Winter with a mixture of confusion and disappointment and maybe even anger, all locked up in eyes so vividly green that Scarlet could see them glowing from here. She was the one hallucinating now. She took a stumbling, uncertain step forward. Wanting to run toward him, but terrified it was a trick. Her hand tightened around the knife handle as Wolf, ignoring how Winter was trying to pull away, grabbed her arm and smelled the filthy red sleeve of Scarlet__ hoodie, streaked with dirt and blood. He growled, ready to tear the princess apart. __here did you get this?_ So desperate, so determined, so him. The knife slipped out of Scarlet__ hand. Wolf__ attention snapped to her. __olf?_ she whispered. His eyes brightened, wild and hopeful. Releasing Winter, he strode forward. His tumultuous eyes scooped over her. Devoured her. When he was in arm__ reach, Scarlet almost collapsed into him, but at the last moment she had the presence of mind to step back. She planted a hand on his chest. Wolf froze, hurt flickering across his face. ____ sorry,_ said Scarlet, her voice teetering with exhaustion. __t__ just_I smell so awful, I can hardly stand to be around myself right now, so I can__ even imagine what it__ like for you with your sense of

Max.God, but she was stubborn. And tough. And closed in. Closed off. Except whenshe was holding Angel, or ruffling the Gasman__ hair, or pushing somethingcloser to Iggy__ hand so he could find it easily without knowing anyone hadhelped him. Or when she was trying to untangle Nudge__ mane of hair.Or-sometimes-when she was looking at Fang.He shifted on the hard ground, a half-dozen flashes of memory cyclingthrough his brain. Max looking at him and laughing. Max leaping off a cliff,snapping out her wings, flying off, so incredibly powerful and graceful thatit took his breath away.Max punching someone__ lights out, her face like stone.Max kissing that weiner Sam on Anne__ front porch.Gritting his teeth, Fang rolled onto his side.Max kissing him on the beach, after Ari had kicked Fang__ butt.Just now, her mouth soft under his.He wished she were here, if not next to him, then somewhere in the cave, sohe could hear her breathing.It was going to be hard to sleep without that tonight.

No matter how far I go, I'm still your person. We stand together now.