“Dying would be normal for me, and one day, I'd be buried beneath a stone, and nothing would matter anymore. It'd be ordinary, like life. And that terrified me, endlessly.”
―
Rae Hachton,
Black Satin
“Yet even so, Jon Snow was not sorry he had come. There were wonders here as well. He had seen sunlight flashing on icy thin waterfalls as they plunged over the lips of sheer stone cliffs, and a mountain meadow full of autumn wildflowers, blue coldsnaps and bright scarlet frostfires and stands of piper's grass in russet and gold. He had peered down ravines so deep and black they seemed certain to end in some hell, and he had ridden his garron over a wind-eaten bridge of natural stone with nothing but sky to either side. Eagles nested in the heights and came down to hunt the valleys, circling effortlessly on great blue-grey wings that seemed almost part of the sky.” ― George R.R. Martin
“I can’t wait to fuck you again and again, leaving you sore yet begging me for more. You’ll never know when I’m going to drag you into the darkness, pumping my cock into one of your tight holes. And you’ll take every inch like a good little girl. If you don’t, there will be severe punishment.” ― Piper Stone, Roughneck
“The drinking dens are spilling outThere's staggering in the squareThere's lads and lasses falling aboutAnd a crackling in the airDown around the dungeon doorsThe shelters and the queuesEverybody's looking forSomebody's arms to fall intoAnd it's what it isIt's what it is nowThere's frost on the graves and the monumentsBut the taverns are warm in townPeople curse the governmentAnd shovel hot food downThe lights are out in the city hallThe castle and the keepThe moon shines down upon it allThe legless and asleepAnd it's cold on the tollgateWith the wagons creeping throughCold on the tollgateGod knows what I could do with youAnd it's what it isIt's what it is nowThe garrison sleeps in the citadelWith the ghosts and the ancient stonesHigh up on the parapetA Scottish piper stands aloneAnd high on the windThe highland drums begin to rollAnd something from the past just comesAnd stares into my soulAnd it's cold on the tollgateWith the Caledonian BluesCold on the tollgateGod knows what I could do with youAnd it's what it isIt's what it is nowWhat it isIt's what it is nowThere's a chink of light, there's a burning wickThere's a lantern in the towerWee Willie Winkie with a candlestickStill writing songs in the wee wee hoursOn Charlotte Street I takeA walking stick from my hotelThe ghost of Dirty DickIs still in search of Little NellAnd it's what it isIt's what it is nowOh what it isWhat it is now” ― Mark Knopfler, Sailing to Philadelphia
“Lilith,” Piper said cautiously. “That’s it,” Randy whispered loudly. “Piper officially knows every daemon in the city. What the actual hell?” ― Annette Marie, Reap the Shadows
“Piper is something he needs. And yeah, it’s gonna hurt him, and sometimes it’s the hardest damn thing, but love is like that.” ― Annette Marie, Feed the Flames
“How do we defeat victory?" Piper wondered. "Sounds like one of those impossible riddles.""Like making stones fly," Leo said, "or eating only one Fonzie."He popped a handful into his mouth.Hazel wrinkled her nose. "That stuff is going to kill you.""You kidding? So many preservatives in these things, I’ll live forever.” ― Rick Riordan, The Blood of Olympus
“Why do you care so much about Piper?” Lyre asked. Kindra raised her eyebrows. “I already told you: she’s my friend. She’s hilarious and fun and hanging with her is always entertaining.” ― Annette Marie, Steel & Stone Companion Collection
“But please tell me that – that you understand? That I never lied to you, that you were everything I said you meant to me?" (…) ”Piper, I-"He flew back so fast he seemed to vanish. Then he crashed into the bar and Ash was standing in front of him, a hand fisted in the front of the incubus's shirt..(…)”If you touch her again," Ash snarled, pressing his fist into Micah's throat,”if you so much as look at her, I will rip off your balls and feed them to you. Do you understand?” ― Annette Marie, Chase the Dark
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Eleanor Roosevelt” ― Piper Stone, King's Possession
“Finally, he moved. He slid forward, closing the gap between them. When he was a step away, she squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the killing blow. A moment passed.Careful, gentle fingers touched her chin and tilted her face up. She squeezed her eyes tighter."Piper." He exhaled slowly. "Piper, you need to try not to be afraid. I need your help."His touch fell from her cheek then wrapped gently around her uninjured wrist. He pulled her arm up and pressed her hand to the horns on the side of his head. "You know me, Piper. Remember? You weren't this scared before. I need you to be strong this time too."She shivered at his alien voice. Her shaking fingers touched the smooth, cool horns. "Please, Piper." he whispered. "I can't use glamour because my wing is dislocated. I need your help to fix it." A silent pause. "I won't hurt you, I promise.” ― Annette Marie, Chase the Dark
“Would somebody tell me what the hell is going on?" Lyre snarled.”Spider," Ash replied, examining his palm.”A spider?" Lyre repeated mutinously.”A freaking huge spider," Piper corrected, half angry, half humiliated. ”Crawling up my leg. I got in my shirt!"”Can you blame it? I'd want to get in your shirt too.” ― Annette Marie, Chase the Dark
“When Anger and Revenge get married, their daughter is called Cruelty.” —Russian Proverb” ― Piper Stone, Dangerous Addiction
“Come here", he said.”No."”Piper."”i'm fine."He sighed, then reached for her. There was nowhere to escape. He hooked his arm around her and dragged her in front of him.”Just because you're stronger than me doesn't mean you can manhandle me!"”I wouldn't have to if you'd stop being ridiculous.” ― Annette Marie, Reap the Shadows
“Trust is earned, not given.” ― Piper Stone, Cruel Prince
“Walter looked about him lingeringly and lovingly. This spot had always been so dear to him. What fun they all had had here lang syne. Phantoms of memory seemed to pace the dappled paths and peep merrily through the swinging boughs–Jem and Jerry, bare-legged, sunburned schoolboys, fishing in the brook and frying trout over the old stone fireplace; Nan and Di and Faith, in their dimpled, fresh-eyed childish beauty; Una the sweet and shy, Carl, poring over ants and bugs, little slangy, sharp-tongued, good-hearted Mary Vance–the old Walter that had been himself lying on the grass reading poetry or wandering through palaces of fancy. They were all there around him–he could see them almost as plainly as he saw Rilla–as plainly as he had once seen the Pied Piper piping down the valley in a vanished twilight. And they said to him, those gay little ghosts of other days, "We were the children of yesterday, Walter–fight a good fight for the children of today and tomorrow.” ― L.M. Montgomery
“Fucking is primal and almost desperate, so heated that every cell in your body explodes from shared passion. Fucking disregards time or space, the desire to satisfy the other taking over every thought. And fucking is wet and messy, two bodies becoming one. So what I’m going to do to you has nothing to do with sex. I’m going to fuck you like you’ve never been fucked before.” ― Piper Stone, Cruel Prince
“She might have been brained right then but Ash managed to cup one hand behind her head to cushion the impact His other hand had a fistful of the back of her jeans, holding the waist so she didn't slide down him. She had both legs wrapped tight around his middle, her hand clutching his shoulders. Time slowed. The noise of the crowd disappeared. Ash was pressed hard into her, crushing her against the post, his body hot against her front. His bare chest rose and fell as he breathed deep. His hand formed a fist in her hair and pulled her head back until their eyes met in a stare that cut right through her. His irises weren't quite black but close. His strength was all around her, holding her, pinning he helplessly. She met his stare her teeth bared fiercely. Then she grabbed his head and yanked his mouth down onto hers.It wasn't a gentle kiss. Ash's mouth met hers and it was like a flame meeting oil- fire and raging heat. She arched into him as he shoved her into the post, pressing them even tighter together. His mouth moved with hers, against hers, fierce and carnal and demanding. She clamped her fingers over the back of his head and pulled him closer still, demanding even more. His hand tightened in her hair and she tilted her head farther back as their kiss deepened into something even wilder. Seconds later - minutes later? Ash pulled back with one last nipping bite to her bottom lip that made heat plunge through her middle. They held there, faces inches apart, both panting for air. Piper wasn't sure she could have unlocked her legs from around him even if she'd wanted to. Which she didn't. She'd never had her legs around such perfect abs in her life.That's when, belatedly, she noticed the crowd's reaction. They were all on their feet and the noise level was deafening. They were screaming and cheering.So swiftly Piper squeaked in surprise, Ash pulled her off the post. The next thing she knew, he'd flipped her over his shoulder in a fireman carry. The air whooshed out of her. Ash turned and lifted one hand in a gesture of triumph, his other arm clamped over the back of her thighs to keep her in place."Well," the announcer called jubilantly, "It seems the Dragon has claimed his prize!” ― Annette Marie, Chase the Dark
“This isn’t about just sex, Catherine. Sex is nothing more than a man getting pleasure then refusing to provide his partner with anything they need. Fucking is primal and almost desperate, so heated that every cell in your body explodes from shared passion. Fucking disregards time or space, the desire to satisfy the other taking over every thought. And fucking is wet and messy, two bodies becoming one. So what I’m going to do to you has nothing to do with sex. I’m going to fuck you like you’ve never been fucked before.” ― Piper Stone, Cruel Prince
“Yet even so, Jon Snow was not sorry he had come. There were wonders here as well. He had seen sunlight flashing on icy thin waterfalls as they plunged over the lips of sheer stone cliffs, and a mountain meadow full of autumn wildflowers, blue coldsnaps and bright scarlet frostfires and stands of piper's grass in russet and gold. He had peered down ravines so deep and black they seemed certain to end in some hell, and he had ridden his garron over a wind-eaten bridge of natural stone with nothing but sky to either side. Eagles nested in the heights and came down to hunt the valleys, circling effortlessly on great blue-grey wings that seemed almost part of the sky.” ― George R.R. Martin
“I can’t wait to fuck you again and again, leaving you sore yet begging me for more. You’ll never know when I’m going to drag you into the darkness, pumping my cock into one of your tight holes. And you’ll take every inch like a good little girl. If you don’t, there will be severe punishment.” ― Piper Stone, Roughneck
“The drinking dens are spilling outThere's staggering in the squareThere's lads and lasses falling aboutAnd a crackling in the airDown around the dungeon doorsThe shelters and the queuesEverybody's looking forSomebody's arms to fall intoAnd it's what it isIt's what it is nowThere's frost on the graves and the monumentsBut the taverns are warm in townPeople curse the governmentAnd shovel hot food downThe lights are out in the city hallThe castle and the keepThe moon shines down upon it allThe legless and asleepAnd it's cold on the tollgateWith the wagons creeping throughCold on the tollgateGod knows what I could do with youAnd it's what it isIt's what it is nowThe garrison sleeps in the citadelWith the ghosts and the ancient stonesHigh up on the parapetA Scottish piper stands aloneAnd high on the windThe highland drums begin to rollAnd something from the past just comesAnd stares into my soulAnd it's cold on the tollgateWith the Caledonian BluesCold on the tollgateGod knows what I could do with youAnd it's what it isIt's what it is nowWhat it isIt's what it is nowThere's a chink of light, there's a burning wickThere's a lantern in the towerWee Willie Winkie with a candlestickStill writing songs in the wee wee hoursOn Charlotte Street I takeA walking stick from my hotelThe ghost of Dirty DickIs still in search of Little NellAnd it's what it isIt's what it is nowOh what it isWhat it is now” ― Mark Knopfler, Sailing to Philadelphia
“Lilith,” Piper said cautiously. “That’s it,” Randy whispered loudly. “Piper officially knows every daemon in the city. What the actual hell?” ― Annette Marie, Reap the Shadows
“Piper is something he needs. And yeah, it’s gonna hurt him, and sometimes it’s the hardest damn thing, but love is like that.” ― Annette Marie, Feed the Flames
“How do we defeat victory?" Piper wondered. "Sounds like one of those impossible riddles.""Like making stones fly," Leo said, "or eating only one Fonzie."He popped a handful into his mouth.Hazel wrinkled her nose. "That stuff is going to kill you.""You kidding? So many preservatives in these things, I’ll live forever.” ― Rick Riordan, The Blood of Olympus
“Why do you care so much about Piper?” Lyre asked. Kindra raised her eyebrows. “I already told you: she’s my friend. She’s hilarious and fun and hanging with her is always entertaining.” ― Annette Marie, Steel & Stone Companion Collection
“But please tell me that – that you understand? That I never lied to you, that you were everything I said you meant to me?" (…) ”Piper, I-"He flew back so fast he seemed to vanish. Then he crashed into the bar and Ash was standing in front of him, a hand fisted in the front of the incubus's shirt..(…)”If you touch her again," Ash snarled, pressing his fist into Micah's throat,”if you so much as look at her, I will rip off your balls and feed them to you. Do you understand?” ― Annette Marie, Chase the Dark
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Eleanor Roosevelt” ― Piper Stone, King's Possession
“Finally, he moved. He slid forward, closing the gap between them. When he was a step away, she squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the killing blow. A moment passed.Careful, gentle fingers touched her chin and tilted her face up. She squeezed her eyes tighter."Piper." He exhaled slowly. "Piper, you need to try not to be afraid. I need your help."His touch fell from her cheek then wrapped gently around her uninjured wrist. He pulled her arm up and pressed her hand to the horns on the side of his head. "You know me, Piper. Remember? You weren't this scared before. I need you to be strong this time too."She shivered at his alien voice. Her shaking fingers touched the smooth, cool horns. "Please, Piper." he whispered. "I can't use glamour because my wing is dislocated. I need your help to fix it." A silent pause. "I won't hurt you, I promise.” ― Annette Marie, Chase the Dark
“Would somebody tell me what the hell is going on?" Lyre snarled.”Spider," Ash replied, examining his palm.”A spider?" Lyre repeated mutinously.”A freaking huge spider," Piper corrected, half angry, half humiliated. ”Crawling up my leg. I got in my shirt!"”Can you blame it? I'd want to get in your shirt too.” ― Annette Marie, Chase the Dark
“When Anger and Revenge get married, their daughter is called Cruelty.” —Russian Proverb” ― Piper Stone, Dangerous Addiction
“Come here", he said.”No."”Piper."”i'm fine."He sighed, then reached for her. There was nowhere to escape. He hooked his arm around her and dragged her in front of him.”Just because you're stronger than me doesn't mean you can manhandle me!"”I wouldn't have to if you'd stop being ridiculous.” ― Annette Marie, Reap the Shadows
“Trust is earned, not given.” ― Piper Stone, Cruel Prince
“Walter looked about him lingeringly and lovingly. This spot had always been so dear to him. What fun they all had had here lang syne. Phantoms of memory seemed to pace the dappled paths and peep merrily through the swinging boughs–Jem and Jerry, bare-legged, sunburned schoolboys, fishing in the brook and frying trout over the old stone fireplace; Nan and Di and Faith, in their dimpled, fresh-eyed childish beauty; Una the sweet and shy, Carl, poring over ants and bugs, little slangy, sharp-tongued, good-hearted Mary Vance–the old Walter that had been himself lying on the grass reading poetry or wandering through palaces of fancy. They were all there around him–he could see them almost as plainly as he saw Rilla–as plainly as he had once seen the Pied Piper piping down the valley in a vanished twilight. And they said to him, those gay little ghosts of other days, "We were the children of yesterday, Walter–fight a good fight for the children of today and tomorrow.” ― L.M. Montgomery
“Fucking is primal and almost desperate, so heated that every cell in your body explodes from shared passion. Fucking disregards time or space, the desire to satisfy the other taking over every thought. And fucking is wet and messy, two bodies becoming one. So what I’m going to do to you has nothing to do with sex. I’m going to fuck you like you’ve never been fucked before.” ― Piper Stone, Cruel Prince
“She might have been brained right then but Ash managed to cup one hand behind her head to cushion the impact His other hand had a fistful of the back of her jeans, holding the waist so she didn't slide down him. She had both legs wrapped tight around his middle, her hand clutching his shoulders. Time slowed. The noise of the crowd disappeared. Ash was pressed hard into her, crushing her against the post, his body hot against her front. His bare chest rose and fell as he breathed deep. His hand formed a fist in her hair and pulled her head back until their eyes met in a stare that cut right through her. His irises weren't quite black but close. His strength was all around her, holding her, pinning he helplessly. She met his stare her teeth bared fiercely. Then she grabbed his head and yanked his mouth down onto hers.It wasn't a gentle kiss. Ash's mouth met hers and it was like a flame meeting oil- fire and raging heat. She arched into him as he shoved her into the post, pressing them even tighter together. His mouth moved with hers, against hers, fierce and carnal and demanding. She clamped her fingers over the back of his head and pulled him closer still, demanding even more. His hand tightened in her hair and she tilted her head farther back as their kiss deepened into something even wilder. Seconds later - minutes later? Ash pulled back with one last nipping bite to her bottom lip that made heat plunge through her middle. They held there, faces inches apart, both panting for air. Piper wasn't sure she could have unlocked her legs from around him even if she'd wanted to. Which she didn't. She'd never had her legs around such perfect abs in her life.That's when, belatedly, she noticed the crowd's reaction. They were all on their feet and the noise level was deafening. They were screaming and cheering.So swiftly Piper squeaked in surprise, Ash pulled her off the post. The next thing she knew, he'd flipped her over his shoulder in a fireman carry. The air whooshed out of her. Ash turned and lifted one hand in a gesture of triumph, his other arm clamped over the back of her thighs to keep her in place."Well," the announcer called jubilantly, "It seems the Dragon has claimed his prize!” ― Annette Marie, Chase the Dark
“This isn’t about just sex, Catherine. Sex is nothing more than a man getting pleasure then refusing to provide his partner with anything they need. Fucking is primal and almost desperate, so heated that every cell in your body explodes from shared passion. Fucking disregards time or space, the desire to satisfy the other taking over every thought. And fucking is wet and messy, two bodies becoming one. So what I’m going to do to you has nothing to do with sex. I’m going to fuck you like you’ve never been fucked before.” ― Piper Stone, Cruel Prince
