Quotes from Code

“Whitney smacked Coop's snout while simultaneously pressing herself deeper into the couch. Coop fixed her with an unblinking ice-blue stare, gray-brown fur bristling along his spine.
"Tory!" Whitney squealed. "He's going to attack!"
"Maybe." I walked into the kitchen and snagged a Diet Coke from the fridge. "Try to protect your throat.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“I see you, Ben. I always have. You're in my pack."
He pulled away.
"What if being packmates isn't enough for me?”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“Hey, check this weirdo out." Hi was inspecting a bust on the mantel. "This face is ninety percent eyebrow. What do you want to bet he owned slaves?"

Scowling to match the carving's expression, Hi spoke in a gravelly voice. "In my day, we ate the poor people. We had a giant outdoor grill, and we cooked up peasant steaks every Sunday."”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“Im studying jerkoffs in the wild," Ben answered dryly. "This seemed like a good chance to view one up close.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“Jason shot to his feet, nostrils flaring. Ben stopped dead.
The cafeteria went still. Everyone watched the boys square off.
"Im not a violent person, Blue." Jason bit off the words. "But Ive had enough of your mouth. Ill kick your ass right here."
Ben's jaw tightened. "You think so, rich boy?"
"You heard me." A vein was bulging in Jason's neck.
Ben's breathing quickened. The tiniest spark of gold flickered in his irises.
My stomach backflipped.
Oh my God! He's going to flare!
"Get him out of here!" I hissed at Shelton and Hi. "Hurry!"
Recognizing the danger, Hi jumped to his feet, planted both hands on Ben's chest and pushed him towards the door, whispering, "Use your head, use your head, use your head!"
Ben tried to hold his ground, but Shelton joined the effort. "Get it together! People are watching. Dont lose control!"
Slowly, the duo managed to back Ben away, but his glare never strayed from Jason. At the exit, Ben shrugged free, and stalked down the hall alone.
I took my first breath since Jason stood.
Crisis averted, but only barely.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“Most Bolton students were scions of the city's wealthiest families. My crewe stuck out like hooker at church. We werent part of their pampered, priveliged world, and many of our classmates were quick to remind us of that fact. Taunting the "boat kids" was practically a varsity sport.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“High school popularity is so fickle.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“Ben sighed loudly. “Can you help Tory or not?”
Jason’s cool slipped a notch. “If you don’t need anything, why are you here?”
“I’m studying jerkoffs in the wild,” Ben answered dryly. “This seemed like a good chance to observe one up close.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“You want to capture a gun-crazed murderer during a Category Four hurricane.” Shelton’s gaze rose to the heavens. “Any idea how dangerous that sounds?”
“Good thing we’re Virals,” Ben said.
Our eyes met. He actually smiled.
“I’m with Tory,” Ben said firmly. “To the end.”
“Thank you.” I felt a rush of affection.
When it really matters, I can always count on Ben.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“Kit leaned forward. “But if you’re up to something, know that I’m ready. The days of Kit the Clueless are over. I’m watching you guys like a . . . like a . . . like a really good watcher of things.” He cocked his head. “An owl, maybe?”
“Up to something?” I flapped a breezy hand. “Pshh. Relax.”

“Kit’s not so good with similes,” I said, wiping down a steel counter. “I would’ve gone with a hawk, or maybe the Hubble telescope. I guess owl works.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“Whom to invite? Upon which gallant young men should I bestow the honor of walking me across a ballroom three time?
Such a hot ticket. I don’t want to start a riot.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“Ben smiled for the first time all afternoon. It was nice to see. When he deigned to flash his pearly whites, Ben went from sullen boy to charming young man. I much preferred the latter.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“Jason’s my friend,” I said quietly, “but he’s not a Viral. He’s not part of my pack. He’ll never mean as much to me as you do.”
Ben’s eyes snapped to meet mine. He started intently. I felt my cheeks burn.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“When Ben turned, his dark eyes danced with yellow light. Already handsome, flaring took his attractiveness to a whole new level. Ben’s coppery skin practically glowed in the evening light. I turned quickly, surprised by the color rising to my cheeks.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“Great!” I rubbed my hands together. “Which one first?”
Anders’s eyebrows rose. “Tory, that’s a hefty request. Those machines are extremely expensive. We rarely log time on them for side projects.” He pauses, lips pursed. “Your teacher couldn’t have reasonably expected you to conduct a full microscopic analysis. How would you? I think you’ll be okay with just the swab.”
“Of course we will.” Hi elbow-jabbed my side. “Tory’s such a kidder. Let’s run the mass spectrometer.” He flashed a “get a load of this guy” face at Anders while aiming a thumb back at me. “What a joker!”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“Tell me why, Ben. Why would you want to trick us in the first place?”
Ben stopped pacing. Looked directly at me. “Don’t you know?”
I shook my head, confused.
“To impress you, Victoria Brennan.” His voice cracked. “I wanted you to think I was special.”
The words rocked me.
Oh, Ben.
He’d started this madness . . . for me?
“You were spending all that time with Jason,” Ben said softly, staring at his shoes. “Skipping around town with your new perfect guy. Cotillion this. Fund-raiser that. I hated it. Hated him. When I finally told Rome, he said I needed to amaze you. Said I needed to figure out a way to make you see me.”
“I see you, Ben.” I rose and grabbed his hand. “I always have. You’re in my pack.”
He pulled away. “What if being packmates isn’t enough for me?”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“Hey, check this weirdo out.” Hi was inspecting a bus on the mantel. “This face is ninety percent eyebrow. What do you wanna bet he owned slaves?”
Scowling to match the carving’s expression, Hi spoke in a gravelly voice. “In my day, we ate the poor people. We had a giant outdoor grill, and cooked up peasant steaks every Sunday.
“That is General Clemmons Brutus Claybourne, you twit,” a voice said dryly. “He commanded two companies during the Revolution, before dying at Yorktown. You might show a little respect.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“Be petulant, selfish, and happy? Or be generous . . . and miserable.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“She gave me a conspiratorial wink. “He’s cute.”
Gross.
Whitney discussing my friends was straight-up creepy.
Though he is cute. No denying that.
“I dunno. Maybe.”
“Would you like me to speak to his mother?” Whitney leaned close. “If you’re uncomfortable inviting a boy, we could arrange for him to ask you.”
I wanted to punch her face.
He already offered, you dolt. Everything’s not as simple as you are.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“I wore a white tank and jeans, shooting for “sexy casual.” Hoping it wasn’t “left farmhouse, got lost.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“Deer in headlights.
Cornered suspect.
Mouse in the open, owls circling.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“What are you two doing in here?” Mike Iglehart wore an eye-blistering white lab coat and a surly expression. “This isn’t some teenage make-out room.”
My face flushed scarlet. “Excuse me?”
“We were using the computer!” Ben barked. “That’s it.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“Whitney eyed him, wary of a wolfdog sneak attack. Please.
Recently, I’d been working on Coop’s begging. Kit had put his foot down—no four-leggers tableside during meals. No exceptions.
Coop obeyed me most of the time. When it suited him.
I didn’t mind if Coop ruffled Whitney’s feathers—she was a self-important, dog-hating whiner. But it put Kit in a tight spot. Best not to make waves.
Another accommodation for the bimbo.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“Jason had attended debutante balls. Knew the drill. My crew would have to conduct research on YouTube. Jason was popular on the cotillion scene. My guys weren’t even on the radar. Asking Jason would get Whitney off my back. Inviting only Morris Island boys might plummet her into a depression.”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

“a monster. Morris was exposed and sitting smack in her path. No one really”
― Kathy Reichs, quote from Code

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Popular quotes

“Creo que la verdad está bien en las matemáticas, en la química, en la filosofía. No en la vida.
En la vida es más importante la ilusión, la imaginación, el deseo, la esperanza. Además, ¿sabemos acaso lo que es la verdad? Si yo lo digo que aquel trozo de ventana azul, digo una verdad. Pero es una verdad parcial, y por lo tanto una especie de mentira. Porque el trozo de ventana no está solo, está en una casa, en una cuidad, en un paisaje. Está rodeado del gris de ese muro de cemento, del azul claro del cielo, de aquellas nubes alargadas, de infinitas cosas más. Y si no digo todo absolutamente todo, estoy mintiendo. Pero decir todo es imposible, aun en este caso de la ventana, de un siempre trozo de la realidad física. La realidad es infinita y además infinitamente matizada, y si me olvido de un solo matiz, ya estoy mintiendo. Ahora imagínese lo que es la realidad de los seres humano con sus complicaciones y recovecos, contradicciones y además cambiantes. Porque cambia a cada instante que pasa, y lo que éramos hace un momento no lo somos más. ¿Somos, acaso, siempre la misma persona? ¿Tenemos acaso siempre los mismos sentimientos? Se puede querer a alguien y de pronto desestimarlo y hasta detestarlo. Y si cuando lo desestimamos cometemos el error de decírselo, eso es una verdad, pero una verdad momentánea, que no será más verdad dentro de una hora o al otro día, o en otras circunstancias. Y en cambio el ser a quien se la decimos creerá que ésa es la verdad, la verdad para siempre y desde siempre. Y se hundirá en la desesperación.”
― Ernesto Sabato, quote from On Heroes and Tombs

“I will have a deeper and personal relationship with my life. I will not have a casual fling with my life. I will find peace in that. I want to contribute to the world around me. Casual debauchery is not fulfilling. I want to send good messages and good meanings along the way. The journey is about spreading love and understanding. Not using each other. Not distraction. Tools for presence in life. I want to bond with like-minded people who echo my appreciation and awareness for them.”
― Hannah Hart, quote from Buffering: Unshared Tales of a Life Fully Loaded

“It is just an illusion here on Earth that one moment follows another one, like beads on a string, and that once a moment is gone, it is gone forever.”
― Kurt Vonnegut, quote from Slaughterhouse-five: The Children's Crusade, A Duty-dance with Death

“We should have just killed him, that's a lesson, don't get creative with revenge”
― China Miéville, quote from Kraken

“Kristin comes down the stairs, and the pressure on my chest snaps. I take a moment to turn away, inhaling deeply, blinking away tears. She sets the plate on a table behind the couch, and half tiptoes back up the stairs.

Thank god. I don’t think I could have handled maternal attention right this second. My body feels like it’s on a hair trigger.

I need to get it together. This is why people avoid me. Someone asks if I want a drink and I have a panic attack.

“You’re okay.” Declan is beside me, and his voice is low and soft, the way it was in the foyer. He’s so hard all the time, and that softness takes me by surprise. I blink up at him.

“You’re okay,” he says again.

I like that, how he’s so sure. Not Are you okay? No question about it.

You’re okay.

He lifts one shoulder in a half shrug. “But if you’re going to lose it, this is a pretty safe place to fall apart.” He takes two cookies from the plate, then holds one out to me. “Here. Eat your feelings.”

I’m about to turn him down, but then I look at the cookie. I was expecting something basic, like sugar or chocolate chip. This looks like a miniature pie, and sugar glistens across the top. “What . . . is that?”

“Pecan pie cookies,” says Rev. He’s taken about five of them, and I think he might have shoved two in his mouth at once. “I could live on them for days.”

I take the one Declan offered and nibble a bit from the side. It is awesome.

I peer up at him sideways. “How did you know?”

He hesitates, but he doesn’t ask me what I mean. “I know the signs.”

“I’m going to get some sodas,” Rev says slowly, deliberately. “I’m going to bring you one. Blink once if that’s okay.”

I smile, but it feels watery around the edges. He’s teasing me, but it’s gentle teasing. Friendly. I blink once.

This is okay. I’m okay. Declan was right.

“Take it out on the punching bag,” calls Rev. “That’s what I do.”

My eyes go wide. “Really?”

“Do whatever you want,” says Declan. “As soon as we do anything meaningful, the baby will wake up.”

Rev returns with three sodas. “We’re doing something meaningful right now.”

“We are?” I say.

He meets my eyes. “Every moment is meaningful.”

The words could be cheesy—should be cheesy, in fact—but he says them with enough weight that I know he means them. I think of The Dark and all our talk of paths and loss and guilt.

Declan sighs and pops the cap on his soda. “This is where Rev starts to freak people out.”

“No,” I say, feeling like this afternoon could not be more surreal. Something about Rev’s statement steals some of my earlier guilt, to think that being here could carry as much weight as paying respects to my mother. I wish I knew how to tell whether this is a path I’m supposed to be on. “No, I like it. Can I really punch the bag?”

Rev shrugs and takes a sip of his soda. “It’s either that or we can break out the Play-Doh”
― Brigid Kemmerer, quote from Letters to the Lost

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