Quotes from Ilona Andrews

Don't say anything up front," I murmured. "We can just let them sort of come to terms with it . . ." The door swung open. An older African-American woman stood in the doorway. She wore an apron, and she had big dark eyes, just like Jim. "Dali, this is my mother," Jim said. "Mom, this is Dali. She's my mate.

All Maud had was an ability to read people and an innate understanding of violence and its degrees and uses. Within seconds of meeting an opponent, she knew exactly how to provoke or calm them and how much force she would have to use to stop, cripple, or kill them. Person or animal, Maud could take its measure and push them to the desired result. That's what made her so good at navigating vampire politics.

It is an up close and personal war, fought with savage weapons," Odalon said. "At first when you're young and dumb and you hear about it, you think it will be glorious. That you will be like the hero of old, ripping through the ranks of your enemy. Then you find out what six hours of fighting with your sword is really like. The first hour, if you survive, is exciting. The scent of blood is intoxicating.

Lord Megobari," a man announced. I turned. At the far entrance, between two djigits, Hugh d'Ambray strode into the hall.

She shook her head. "Matias, do you ever relax? Do you even know what that word means?" He smiled. "I do. I have even been known to allow myself a sensible chuckle on occasion.

You're the best husband ever," I told him. "No more fucking roofs, Kate. I mean it.

Am I not a master of my craft?" He paused, glaring at me. "Of course you are," I said, trying to keep my voice soothing. This would end in disaster. "Then you will bring this Grand Burger to me and I shall make it. You will taste it and you will weep, for it will be the best Grand Burger to ever grace a human mouth." He spun around dramatically and stalked off into the kitchen. "We should get him a cape," Sean said.

Killing another human being is the hardest thing you will ever do. But to fight in this war, your kills must be instantaneous. Any hesitation gives your enemy an opening to end you. You die, they win. Acknowledge to yourself that you hesitate. Don't engage unless you must. Remember your job. You must live through this.

Good people didn't hate without a reason, so they grasped at any pretext, no matter how small, that gave them permission to hate. A line in a holy book. The color of a person's skin. The brand of their magic. They were not in the habit of taking a second look or giving chances. Their fear was too great and their need to defend themselves too dire. They always lost at the end. Life was change. It would come to them, as inevitable as the sunrise, despite all their flailing

He invited me to his pity party, and I really want to leave.

You and Rogan aren't done." Grandma pointed her fork at me. "Just watch. Fate will throw you two together. One day you'll just run right into him and boom! True love." "Well, if Fate ever does throw us together, I'll be sure to punch her in the face.

The shaman whirled and twisted, his movements born from the grace and speed of a hunter closing on its prey, wild and strangely primal, as if every layer of civilization had been ripped away from him and what remained was a creature, fruit of the planet that birthed it, as timeless as life itself. It was impossible to look away.

Human women, like vampire women, come in all varieties. For example, I don't like violence, but I will kill to protect my family and my guests.

You must understand the nature of a thing before you can end its existence.

Just staying sharp. Keeping you safe keeps me in shape.

Failure is the best teacher, and fear is the best motivator.

He'd thrown his arm in front of her to shield her from the crash. What a dirty move. That bastard.

Fear not the darkness Fear not the night You are not forsaken We remember you

She'd been around long enough to know that it was a rare man who fully accepted responsibility for his actions, who didn't offer any excuses.

If you remove adversity, you remove ingenuity and creativity with it. There is no need to strive to make something beautiful or better if it already is.

muster and pushed her blond hair away from her face. "Kate, like when will

When people had trouble of a magic kind, the kind that cops couldn't or wouldn't handle, they called the Mercenary Guild. If the job happened to fall into my territory, the Guild then called me.

I'm saying that it's illegal, dangerous, and possibly unethical, but we should definitely do it.

Maud stood up, turned to Seveline and Onda, and said in Ancestor Vampiric, "Did you get all that or do you need me to translate it for you into your backwater gibberish?