“You can burn brighter than they can, if you have too.”
“Be proud to act like a normal human being. Keep daylight hours, get a regular job, and mix in the company of people with a fixed sense of right and wrong.”
“What s that you re holding? he asked, noticing the pamphlet, still rolled up in her left hand. Oh, this? She held it up. How to Come Out to Your Parents. He widened his eyes. Something you want to tell me? It s not for me. It s for you. She handed it to him. I don t have to come out to my mother, said Simon. She already thinks I m gay because I m not interested in sports and I haven t had a serious girlfriend yet. Not that she knows of, anyway. But you have to come out as a vampire, Clary pointed out. Luke thought you could, you know, use one of the suggested speeches in the pamphlet, except use the word undead instead of-- I get it, I get it. Simon spread the pamplet open. Here, I ll practice on you. He cleared his throat. Mom. I have something to tell you. I m undead. Now, I know you may have some preconceived notions about the undead. I know you may not be comfortable with the idea of me being undead. But I m here to tell you that the undead are just like you and me. Simon paused. Well, okay. Possibly more like me than you. SIMON. All right, all right. He went on. The first thing you need to understand is that I m the same person I always was. Being undead isn t the most important thing about me. It s just part of who I am. The second thing you should know is that it isn t a choice. I was born this way. Simon squinted at her over the pamphlet. Sorry, reborn this way.”
“So this was different. I was amazing now - to them and to myself. It was like I had been born to be a vampire. The idea made me want to laugh, but it also made me want to sing. I had found my true place in the world, the place I fit, the place I shined.”
“Niall had been able to mask the odor of fairy from Eric in the restaurant, but I saw from the flare of Eric s nostrils that the intoxicating scent clung to me. Eric s eyes closed in ecstasy, and he actually licked his lips. I felt like a T-bone just out of reach of a hungry dog. Snap out of it, I said. I wasn t in the mood. With a huge effort, Eric reigned himself in. When you smell like that, he said, I just wanna fuck you and bite you and rub myself all over you.”
“This college would probably have the same problem as the last one did. I frowned, What s that? Homework.”
“I can’t help being a gorgeous fiend. It’s just the card I drew.”
“Oh, don t mind me, came an extremely sarcastic voice near the wall. “You two go ahead and make out–I ll just sit here and bleed quietly.”
“Believe in angels? Then believe in vampires. Believe in me. There are worse things on earth.”
“Of course, everyone s going to freak out when you show up at school. Freak out? Why? Because you re so much hotter now than when you left. She shrugged. It s true. Must be a vampire thing. Simon looked baffled. I m hotter now? Sure you are. I mean, look at those two. They re both totally into you. She pointed to a few feet in front of them, where Isabelle and Maia had moved to walk side by side, their head bent together. Simon looked up ahead at the girls. Clary could almost swear he was blushing. Are they? Sometimes they get together and whisper and stare at me. I have no idea what it s about. Sure you don t. Clary grinned. Poor you, you have two cute girls vying for your love. Your life is hard.”
“Some are born to sweet delight, Some are born to endless night.”
“He ll come back, Simon said again. For you.”
“Realization hit his face like a bomb. His hand trembled on my cheek, and he looked down to the ground, no longer able to hold my gaze.”
“ Huging my pillow to my chest, I told myself, At least soon you won t have so much time to miss him. Soon school will start again, and then you ll be busier. Wait. Am I reduced to HOPING for school to start? Somehow, I have discovered a whole new level of pathetic.”
“There are two types of men, Karolina. The ones who can admire the greatness of the little flower. Or the ones who try to control it.”
“Yo, cop. We re heading for Screamer s. You wanna come? Butch looked up at the doorway. Vishous was in the hall with Rhage and Phury behind him. The vampires had expectant looks on their faces, like they honestly wanted to hang with him. Butch found himself grinning like the new kid who didn t have to sit alone at lunch after all.”
“He squeezed my shoulder and smiled at me. I realized that I hadn t kissed him hello, I always kissed him hello. Of course, I was still covered in blood and other bodily fluids, and none of them were his, but he might not understand that that was why I hadn t wanted to get too close. Some of my confusion must have shown on my face, because his smile widened. He turned me around by the shoulders, gave me a little push towards the bathroom, and slapped me on the ass. Get cleaned up, I ll take care of things here. I can t believe that you just did that, I said. Did what? he said, and he was grinning at me. I could probably count on one hand the number of times Micah had grinned at me. His eyes were sparkling with laughter as if it were all he could do not to let it out. I was happy to see him having a good time, really I was. But I wasn t sure what was funny, and I didn t have the courage to ask. It was probably something that would be at my expense, or something I d just done that he found cute. I was not cute. Confused, fucked-up, bruised, but not cute. Nathaniel and Damian knew better, but as I passed Gregory, I had to say, If you touch my ass, I will rip you a new one. I said it as I moved past him, not even pausing. You re no fun, he growled. I looked back just before I turned out of sight of him. Oh, I m a lot of fun, just not around you. He snarled at me. Bitch. Woof, woof, I said, and finally made it into the bathroom.”