23
" What is that?” the woman asked. “One of your little vampires,” I said. “You send more body parts our way, we send you more heads.” “We could send you a head, too,” she yelled. “You have only two hostages; we have a dozen, and three of them are your masters, which means if they die, you die.” “Thaddeus,” Marius yelled, “you wouldn’t dare.” “Thaddeus isn’t in charge of these negotiations; I am, and I so fucking would. "
― Laurell K. Hamilton , Hit List (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #20)
24
" It had been Haven, our local Rex, lion king, going apeshit and shooting Nathaniel, my live-in sweetie, wereleopard to call, and one of the loves of my life. Haven had meant to kill him, but Noel, one of the weakest of our werelions, had put himself between Nathaniel and that bullet. He’d lost his life to save Nathaniel’s, and I’d barely known Noel. Haven had been jealous, and wanted to hurt me as badly as possible; that he’d chosen Nathaniel’s death as the most painful thing he could do to me was something I still hadn’t looked at too closely. "
― Laurell K. Hamilton , Hit List (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #20)
26
" We have the right to deputize not only if we are without backup, but if we feel that an individual’s skill set is of benefit to the execution of our warrant and will save civilian lives. Mother of God, Edward, this gives us carte blanche to form a fucking mob.” “There’s potential for abuse, yes.” “Potential for abuse, there’s potential for pitchforks and torches,” I said. “Anita, come on, no one would use pitchforks or torches anymore. It’d be flashlights and guns. "
― Laurell K. Hamilton , Hit List (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #20)
35
" They wanted the bodies to match the other bodies, at least superficially. They hoped the police would think it was the same killers.” “But it’s not,” Edward said. “The first body and the third were savaged. They were literally torn apart. There were internal organs and guts everywhere. It was like a disorganized killer with maybe an organized partner directing, or controlling him. This is all organized. He, or they, are doing the kills like they’ve been told to, matching the first kill, but their heart isn’t in it.” “What do you mean?” he asked. “This was a cold kill like the second one. The other two kills, the murderer took joy in it.” He came down beside me on the balls of his feet, too. “My kills are neat and clean, but I enjoy my work. "
― Laurell K. Hamilton , Hit List (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #20)
36
" He came down beside me on the balls of his feet, too. “My kills are neat and clean, but I enjoy my work.” “You enjoy the planning and being faster, stronger, just better than whoever you’re hunting, but do you actually enjoy the kill?” “Yes,” he said, and he was looking at the body as he said it. I studied his profile. I asked him something I’d never asked him before. “What is it you enjoy about it?” He turned those pale blue eyes to me. They’d faded so the blue was grayish. It was never a good sign when his eyes changed to that cold winter sky color. “I like watching the light die in their eyes,” he said, his voice as cold and unemotional as his own eyes. I met that winter gaze and said, “That’s why you like a close kill. "
― Laurell K. Hamilton , Hit List (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #20)
39
" Do I go in the bathroom, or do you?” He frowned at me. “Why?” “I’m not comfortable with you dressing in front of me.” He gave a half-laugh. I think I’d surprised him. “You live with shapeshifters, and they go around nude all the time.” “Seeing my friends and lovers nude is fine, but seeing you nude, no.” He studied my face. “It really would bother you.” “Yes.” He frowned again. “Why?” “If I’m having sex with someone it’s okay to see them nude, but if sex isn’t an option, then no nudity.” He laughed, abrupt and surprised. “You’re still a prude, and you always will be.” “It wouldn’t bother you to strip in front of me?” “No, why should it?” I sighed. “Fine, I’m a prude. I’ll go into the bathroom while you dress.” “No, I’ll dress in the bathroom.” He was still smiling, his face shining with the remains of his laughter, as he gathered up his clothes. "
― Laurell K. Hamilton , Hit List (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #20)