I'm sure I look like a drowned cat.'You look fine. The wet look works for you.'I scowled. 'Now I know you're lying.

How long have you been standing there?'Just long enough to see you give Daemon the middle finger.'He deserved it.

Honestly, as much as I love my brother, I’m not sure how I feel about him hanging out in your bedroom.” He reached out with a muscular arm and used his fingers to brush a few strands of hair off my cheek, tucking them behind my ear. I shivered, and he smiled. “I feel like I need to mark my territory.” “Shut up.” “Oh, I love it when you get all bossy-pants. It’s sexy.

You disappoint me, Cassandra. Your legends paint you differently,' Daemon said softly, his voice thick with malevolence.'I'm a Priestess serving at this Altar,' she said, working to keep her voice steady. 'You're mistaken, if you think--'He laughed softly. She stepped back from the sound and found herself pressed against the counter. 'Do you think I can't tell the difference between a Priestess and a Queen? And the Jewels, my dear, name you for what you are.'She bent her head slightly in acknowledgment. 'So I'm Cassandra. What do you want, Prince?

Have you taught her to kill, Priest? Can you teach her such a thing? She's so wise in her innocence, so innocent in her wisdom.

It was Jaenelle's voice, but...She was medium height, slender, and fair-skinned. Her gold mane--not quite hair and not quite fur--was brushed up and back from her exotic face and didn't hide the delicately pointed ears. In the center of her forehead was a tiny, spiral horn. A narrow strip of gold fur traced her spine, ending in a small gold and white fawn tail that flicked over her bare buttocks. The legs were human and shapely, but changed below the calf. Instead of feet, she had dainty horse's hooves. Her human hands had sheathed claws like a cat's. As she shifted position to slip another shard into place, he saw the small, round breasts, the feminine curve of waist and hips, the dark-gold triangle of hair between her legs.Who...?But he knew. Even before she walked over and looked at him, even before he saw the feral intelligence in those ancient, haunted sapphire eyes, he knew. Terrifying and beautiful. Human and Other. Gentle and violent. Innocent and wise.*I am Witch,* she said, a small, defiant quiver in her voice.*I know.* His voice had a seductive throb in it, a hunger he couldn't control or mask.

Because I know what I feel in here. And I'm not the type of person to run from anything, no matter how hard it is. I'd rather face-plant against a brick wall than live for the rest of my life wondering what could've been. And you know what? I didn't think you were that type to run, either. Maybe I was wrong.

Darling, no one would ever dream of performing an operation on a child without testing it first. And no one in a thousand years would take a child's daemon away altogether! All that happens is a little cut, and then everything's peaceful. Forever! You see, your daemon's a wonderful friend and com panion when you're young, but at the age we call puberty, the age you're coming to very soon, darling, daemons bring all sort of troublesome thoughts and feelings, and that's what lets Dust in. A quick little operation before that, and you're never troubled again. And your daemon stays with you, only...Just not connected. Like a... Like a wonderful pet, if you like. The best pet in the world!Wouldn't you like that? (Marisa Coulter).

Daemon clung to Surreal as she flew along the Winds, too weak to argue, too spent to care. His heart, however... His heart held on fiercely to Jaenelle's soft, sighing caress of his name.Everything has a price.

I think it's obvious if you're wanted here or not.'Daemon,' hissed Dee, her cheeks red. She turned to me, tears in her eyes. 'He's not being serious.'Are you being serious, Daemon?' Ash turned in his lap, head cocked to the side.My heart was already pounding in my chest when his eyes met mine. His were sheltered. 'Actually I was being serious.' He leaned over the table, staring up at me through thick lashes. 'You're not wanted here.'Dee spoke again, but I was beyond hearing. My face felt like it was on fire. People around us were starting to stare. One of the Thompson boys was smirking while the other looked as though he wanted to crawl underneath the table for me. The rest of the kids at the table were staring at their plates. One of them snickered.I'd never been more humiliated in my life.