Rachel Caine Quotes & Sayings

Fire is always ready to burn the hand it warms. — Rachel Caine

I don't matter here, Shane. I feel like I just don't matter. Stupid, right?"
"No," he said. He sounded so gentle it broke her heart. "It's how most people feel most of the time, Claire. You've grown up being special, and this is how most people live their lives ... on their own, unnoticed. And they get used to that feeling. It's just new for you. — Rachel Caine

Now, whom are we here to conspire against?' 'Poetry,' I said. 'Namely, Romeo's poetry.' 'Is it that bad? — Rachel Caine

I'm avampire. I havesecret powers ," he said with a full-on fake Transylvanian accent, which he dropped to say, "Actually, your mom let me in. — Rachel Caine

I'd blurted out the question only to keep him from noticing that I was working my hands free, but the Warden behind me, some young brown-haired surfer dude, yelled a warning. "She's getting loose!"
Narc. — Rachel Caine

CLAIRE:your washing right? shane:i'll pay you for it. claire:what? shane:best high score wins claire:no bet 'wash, dish boy — Rachel Caine

Things that Shane doesn't want on his grave:
(1.) I thought it wasn't loaded.
(2.) Hand me a match so I can check the gas tank.
(3.) Killed over Ice Cream — Rachel Caine

Does you costume involve leather?" she'd asked. and he'd said, "Actually, yeah, it might."
it really did. it involved a leather dog collar, leather pants and a leash, and the leash was held by Ysandre, who was in skintight red rubber, from neck to knee high boots. she'd topped it off with a pair of devil horns and a red tridant.
she'd made Shane her dog, complete with furry dog mask.
***"Breathe," Myrnin said. "I'm not much for it myself, but i hear it's quite good for humans."*** — Rachel Caine

That's it? That's your big goodbye?" Eve asked.
Claire looked at Eve mystified. "I think I need guy CliffNotes."
"Guys aren't deep enough to need CliffNotes."
"What were you waiting for, flowery poetry?" Shane snorted. "I hugged. I'm done. — Rachel Caine

Suddenly the enormity of it crashed down on me . . . — Rachel Caine

Also,' Rodriguez finished, 'you looked totally hot on tv, and your sister looks pretty good naked. Now. Tell me about what really happened with Quinn. — Rachel Caine

When you steal a book, you steal from the world. the Library propaganda said — Rachel Caine

So you'll just kill anyone who frightens you. Who could hurt you."
"Well ... yes. — Rachel Caine

I'll be your hands. — Rachel Caine

There are three parts to learning: information, knowledge and wisdom, A mere accumulation of information is not knowledge, and a treasure of knowledge is not in itself, wisdom. — Rachel Caine

Clarity confused me. I was far less forgiving and kind than the general state of disconnection in which I liked to live. — Rachel Caine

Don't play his game. Play yours. — Rachel Caine

You've turned into quite a bossy little thing," Myrnin said. "I think I might like it. — Rachel Caine

I'm not saying a hunt isn't something we crave, but to a man, we hate to be manipulated. And this is our town, as much as any human's. Our home, and our neighbours and perhaps even our friends. You fall into the trap of thinking as Fallon does, that there are only heroes and villains, monsters and victims, and nothing between. We all stand in that space, crossing the line to one side, then the other. Even you. — Rachel Caine

Parting is such sweet sorrow, according to the bards. I wouldn't know, myself. I never parted anyone." He mimed ripping someone in half, then got an odd expression on his face. "Well. Just the one time, really. Doesn't count. — Rachel Caine

I like the sound of that, crashing Monica's party," he glanced at Michael, then quickly away. "What about you? That break some kind of vampire rules or something?"
"Blow me Shane."
"Boys," Eve said primly. "Language. Minor at the table."
"Well," Shane said, "I wasn't actually planning to do it."
Claire rolled her eyes. "Not like it's the first time I've heard it. Or said it."
"You shouldnt say it," Michael said, all seriousness. "No, I mean it. Girls should say 'eat me' not 'blow me'. Wouldn't recommend 'bite me' though. Not around here. — Rachel Caine

I don't see a way in," Eve whispered.
Why are you whispering?" Myrnin whispered back. "Vampires can hear us, anyway. — Rachel Caine

I love you," he said. It came out in a rush, as if he couldn't wait to get it out. "I love you and Jesus, you scare me. Having to give you up was the hardest thing I've ever done, Claire; I can't do it again. Please tell me - please tell me that you're coming back for good. Or at least, if you leave, let me go with you." - Shane, Fall of night — Rachel Caine

You're kidding. I thought all geniuses read Latin. Isn't that the international language for smart people?-Shane (Glass Houses) — Rachel Caine

The look in his eyes turned a little wild. "That's the only reason I'm letting you go. If I had any choice
"
"You do," she said "Wed can all sit here and let him die. Or you can let Eve go on her wild-ass rescue mission and get herself killed. Or you can let sweet, calm, reasonable Claire go do some talking."
He shook his head. His long, elegant hands, which looked so at home wrapped around a guitar, closed into fists. "Guess that means there's no choice."
"Not really," Claire agreed. "I was kind of lying about that choice thing. — Rachel Caine

No matter what any of you have done, you haven't all done it. Because it's not right to judge a class of people by the actions of one, or a few. That's not justice. It's prejudice, and I don't like it. Justice means judging each person individually."
Jesse's lips slowly curled into a smile, and her eyes warmed as well. "High-minded," she said. "I'm not sure you'll find a lot of people living up to your standard."
Claire shrugged. "Doesn't matter if they do or not. It's my opinion, I'm not trying to make anybody else agree. But I don't want them forcing their opinions on me."
"And thus beging the war," said Lady Grey, who'd once been queen. — Rachel Caine

Are you all right?" The question surprised Jess, and it broke through his black shell enough to make him throw a look at his friend. "No." I didn't think you were. Everyone wants you to be. That must be worse, that they think you should be fine. — Rachel Caine

She thought, just for a second, that they were going to bare fangs at each other . . . and then Myrnin smiled. "I suppose I should say thank you."
"It would be customary," Oliver agreed.
Myrnin turned to Claire. "Thank you."
Somehow, she guessed that wasn't what Oliver had expected; she certainly hadn't. It was the kind of snub that got most people hurt in Morganville, but then again, she guessed Myrnin wasn't most people, even to Oliver.
Oliver didn't react. If there was a small red glow in the depths of his eyes, it could have been a reflection from the lights. — Rachel Caine

Ahh ... maybe we should be going," Shane said. "Ditch the shoes, Eve. We'll be running now."
"I love these shoes!"
"More than your circulatory system?"
Eve silently kicked off the stilettos and backed up. — Rachel Caine

Morley joined them, and after a long, uncomfortable moment, Mrs. Grant decided to ignore his presence. The
guards didn't. Their knuckles were white on their weapons.
May I assist?" he asked, and put his hands behind his back. "I promise not to eat anyone."
Very funny," Mrs. Grant said. Morley gave her a grave look.
I wasn't joking, dear lady," he said. "I do promise. And I never make a promise I don't intend to keep. You
should feel quite secure."
Well, I'm sorry, I don't," she said. "You're just - "
Too overwhelmingly dashing and attractive?" Morley grinned. "A common problem women face with me.
It'll pass. You seem like the no-nonsense sort. I like that."
Claire smiled at the look on Mrs. Grant's face, reflected in the white LED light of the lantern she was holding.
You are really - odd," the older woman said, as if she couldn't quite believe she was even having the
conversation. — Rachel Caine

I'm glad I've escaped a hell I had hardly even recognized when I was burning in it. — Rachel Caine

Hey! Sorry, lady, but nobody's staking anybody at this party! I hung a disco ball for this. — Rachel Caine

You know what we call pedestrians in Morganville? Mobile bloodbanks. — Rachel Caine

The world doesn't end, Claire. In the morning, the survivors start to build again. It's way of things. The human way. — Rachel Caine

This won't stop her from getting elected," Shane said. "Stupider people get elected all the time. It's America. We love the sleazy. And the crazy." "I would like to think better of us," Claire said, "but yeah. You're right. — Rachel Caine

You're kind of a psycho. I get that."
"I might be," Monica agreed, and gave her a slow, strange smile. "You're one smart little freak. Now run away, smart little freak, before I change my mind and stick you in one of these old suitcases for some architect to find a hundred years from now."
Claire blinked. "Archaeologist."
Monica's eyes turned winter cold. "Oh, you'd better start running away now. — Rachel Caine

Claire ... bitch!'" Her voice sounded raw and hoarse. "You ... think this ... makes us ... friends?'"
"God, no,'" Claire said. "But I think you kinda owe me. — Rachel Caine

I would never build a lawn trimmer," Myrnin said. "What did the lawn ever do to me? — Rachel Caine

She dug in her backpack, found her cell phone, and checked for coverage. It was kind of lame in Morganville, truthfully, out in the middle of the prarie, in the middle of Texas, which was about as middle of nowhere as it was possible to get unless you wanted to go to Mongolia or something ...
Claire started dialing numbers. The first person told her that they'd already found somebody ... The second one sounded like a weird old guy. The third one was a weird old lady. The fourth one ... well, the fourth one was just plain weird. — Rachel Caine

At least this way we're safe in a room with a door that locks. And the sign says they have HBO."
That stands for Horrible Bloody Ohmygod." Eve said. "which is the way they kill you. When you think you're safe. — Rachel Caine

we're just paper on a shelf, in the end — Rachel Caine

He took the slide of and, before she could stop him, removed the glass top and licked the sample.
She fought the urge to gag. He didn't seem at all bothered. He stood quite still, closing his eyes, and then said, "Hmmm. A bit salty, bitter aftertaste ... iron ... hydroxide." He smiled then, and looked at her as if he was quite proud of himself. "Definitely iron hydroxide. That is a binding agent, is it not?"
"You are insane," she said. "You can't go around ... licking things that come out of a water treatment plant. That's just ... unsanitary."
"Life is unsanitary," he said. — Rachel Caine

You looked like the sexiest woman in the world."
"Well, in fairness, I am the sexiest woman in the world."
"And you're always right."
"You are so brilliant to recognize that. — Rachel Caine

Your personal dignity was always more important to you than mere emotion, wasn't it? — Rachel Caine

I do hope nobody else here has any other surprises planned, because if you so much as think about harming one another, I will oblige them. This is neutral ground. Violators will be gruesomely and violently shown the error of their ways. Clear? — Rachel Caine

Take the back door," she said. "Claire, you and your strang friend-"
"Eve," they both said simultaneously, and Eve held out her fst for a bump. "Or, you could call me Eve the Great, Mistress of All She Surveys. Eve for short. — Rachel Caine

You know," Shane said twenty minutes later, "I'd feel a whole lot better about the two of us if you didn't think I was the go-to guy for breaking and entering. — Rachel Caine

I don't like this, he said. I don't like knowing you can't forgive me, Claire. Please, I said I was sorry, what do you want me to do? Beg?I will. I'll get on my knees right here if you want. — Rachel Caine

That's convenient. — Rachel Caine

Only as equals can we keep the peace. It is not in our nature, but it is the only way to survive. — Rachel Caine

It's only a hunting spider, it won't hurt you." -Myrnin
"So not the point!" -Claire
"Oh, pish. It's just another living creature. Nothing to be frightened of, if handled properly. I think I'll call him Bob. Bob the spider." -Myrnin
"You're insane." -Claire — Rachel Caine

He began to realize how much he had to learn about how different the world was from the theory of it. Wolfe — Rachel Caine

Myrnin: "There is no drama so great as that of a teenage girl."
Claire: "Except yours. — Rachel Caine

Hacks didn't destroy, they just ... creatively amended. — Rachel Caine

Chief Hannah Moses," she said. "You must be Mrs. Grant." "Heard of me?" "You left an impression. You may be the first combat librarian I've ever met." That earned an almost-full smile from the other woman. "I think most librarians are combat qualified," she said. "It's not as peaceful a job as it looks. — Rachel Caine

It's part of the marriage vows. Didn't you read the fine print? To have and to harass. — Rachel Caine

even the required Smart Librarian glasses. — Rachel Caine

OMG OMG OMG, Shane is totally crushing on the new roomie! I can't believe it. I always pictured Shane going after blond beach hotties. Who knew he liked big brains and teeny little bodies? Although, to be fair, she is cute as a button. (Why do we say that? What's so cute about a button, anyway?) — Rachel Caine

Bathroom, maybe? Which is where I need to go."
"Ooh, me, too," Eve said.
The boys rolled their eyes, like they'd planned it.
"What? It's what girls do. Get over it. — Rachel Caine

What's your name?' she asked, and surprised herself. But for some reason, she wanted to know.
Dean's brother - he hadn't been just some nameless Bad Guy Number Four. This vampire wasn't, either. He had a name, a history, maybe even people who cared what happened to him.
'My name is none of your business,' he said, and continued to stare out the window, even though there was nothing but blurry brick out there.
'Can I call you None for short? — Rachel Caine

Don't run I never liked fast food — Rachel Caine

Tota est scientia
Knowledge is all — Rachel Caine

I Promise," Shane said. "You'd better, jerkface," Eve said. "How's the head?" "Taped. It's fine, chicks dig scars. Wait, did you just call me jerkface? Are we back in grade school?" "I love you," Eve said. He closed his moth, fast, because obviously that was not what he'd expected. "I, uh, okay, love you too. Can we stop that? It's uncomfortable." "Jerkface." "Much better. — Rachel Caine

Are you armed?" Oliver asked her. She glanced down at her backpack and instantly, instinctively held back. "No." "Lie to me again and I'll put you out on the street and do this myself." Claire swallowed. "Uh, yeah." "With what?" "Silver-coated stakes, wooden stakes, a crossbow, about ten bolts ... oh, and a squirt gun with some silver-nitrate solution." He smiled grimly at the dark windshield. "What, no grenade launchers?" "Would they work?" "I choose not to comment. — Rachel Caine

Won? He's one of them! How exactly is that winning?"
Michael shook his head, moved up behind her, and put his hands on her shoulders. He kissed the nape of her neck gently. "I don't know, Eve. I'm just telling you what I heard. He got some kind of agreement out of the vampires. And it was because Amelie loved him."
"Yeah, loved him enough to kill him and turn him into a bloodsucking fiend," Eve said grimly. "How sweet. Romance isn't dead. Oh, wait. It is. — Rachel Caine

Turn down the porn soundtrack! Trying to concentrate here!-Shane — Rachel Caine

(Djinn are essentially vapor.)
"I blew him away. — Rachel Caine

I think we can all agree. SHINEY. — Rachel Caine

I think that's my new band name," Shane said. "Asshat and Nerd Girlfriend. It's got a ring to it. — Rachel Caine

She was also wearing vampire bunny slippers. Myrnin had given them each a pair for Christmas, since they'd all found his so hilarious, and as Eve marched toward Claire, the rabbit slippers' mouths flapped up and down, their red tongues flashing and plush teeth biting the ground. — Rachel Caine

In real life, you don't get a reset, and you don't get extra lives, and I got the crap pounded out of me. — Rachel Caine

I guess in my beer-soaked mind it would all just magically work out, and she'd be so happy to see me she'd forget about everything else. Because everybody loves having the drunken self-pitying boyfriend banging on their door at, Jesus, four thirty in the morning. — Rachel Caine

Jackass!" Eve yelled.
"You know, when people say that, I just hear the word awesome," Shane said. — Rachel Caine

Here," Myrnin said, his voice still gentle and low. "Amelie said you had to work. No one said you had to work alone." He picked up the next part and slotted it in, took the screwdriver from Claire's numbed fingers, and fastened it with a couple of deft, fast movements. "I'll be your hands."
She wanted to cry, because it was so sweet, but it wouldn't do any good. — Rachel Caine

Go to hell and take that with you! She shouted it right in Amelie's face. Eve
was an exotic blaze of color against Amelie's white fury.
And then she slapped the Founder in the face. — Rachel Caine

Mirnin: Where's Shreve? — Rachel Caine

Hess laughed. "You know, I thought you were a mousy little thing when I first saw you, Claire, but you're not, are you? Not underneath."
Oh, I am mousy," she said."All this scares the hell out of me. But I don't know what else to do, sir, except try.
Even a mouse bites. — Rachel Caine

Really?" Claire said, and couldn't help but smile. "That's what creeps you out. Waxing. You can take on vampires and draug and killers, but you're afraid of a little chest-hair pulling? — Rachel Caine

That's kind of a leap, but the Russian judge gave you a nine point five for style, so okay. — Rachel Caine

Girl, we need to get you on a study program, fast. You're not going to last a week around here if you can't keep up with the pop culture references. How about Lord of the Rings? Firefly? Doctor Horrible? No? Clearly we have a lot of work to do. — Rachel Caine

Shane settled his flamethrower more comfortably on his shoulders. "Ladies? After you."
"Rude," Claire said.
"I was being polite!"
"Not when you have a flamethrower. — Rachel Caine

Myrnin wasn't especially tall, but he was just . . . strangely cool. Long, curling, lush black hair that fell to his shoulders. His face was vampire-pale, but it suited him, somehow, and he had the kind of sharp features that would have made him a star if he'd wanted to be in the movies. Big, expressive dark eyes and full lips. Definitely cover-model material. — Rachel Caine

Hey, Mikey? You get her hurt and I'll end you.'
'You let anything happen to Eve and I'll do the same,' Michael said. He'd just finished kissing Eve, too. 'While you're at it, don't get yourself killed, either, bro.'
'Ditto. And don't kiss me.'
Claire cocked her head at him, exasperated. 'Seriously, Shane? Ditto? That's the best you can do?'
Shane and Michael exchanged identical looks and shrugs. Guys.
'Let me show you idiots how it's done,' Eve said, and hugged Claire fiercely. She kissed her on the cheek. 'I love you, CB. Please take care of yourself, okay?'
'I love you, too,' Claire said, and suddenly her throat felt tight and her eyes burned with tears. 'I really do.'
Shane and Michael watched them with identical expressions of blank bemusement, and finally Shane said, 'So basically, it's what I said. Ditto. — Rachel Caine

It smelled like Lysol and desperation. — Rachel Caine

Why?" Eve asked between breathless pants. she wasn't much of a runner either.
"Someone's coming" Shane said. "Shhhh."
Eve choked and strangled on a cough, and muttered "got to cut down on the cigarettes."
"you don't smoke," Claire whispered.
"then i'm completely screwed. — Rachel Caine

She went back to Shane and settles in on his lap again, arm around his neck. His circled her waist. "I thought you had to go," he said. "And don't think i didn't see you kissing on my best friend."
"He deserved it."
"Yeah. Maybe i ought to kiss him, too."
Michael, on his way out, didn't bother to turn around for that one. "Oh sure, you always promise. — Rachel Caine

When giants fought, ants were crushed. — Rachel Caine

I can always stuff you back in the bottle and shove a tampon in the top instead of a stopper, and all the other Djinn will point and laugh- — Rachel Caine

I never did have much, so having it rough came with the territory. I was conditioned for it. — Rachel Caine

When I want to be lectured on strategy, I'll consult someone who's actually won battles,' Amelie said. 'Not one who ran away from them.'
'Snap,' Eve said.
'You know what they're talking about?' Shane asked.
'Don't need to know to get that one. She smacked him so hard his momma felt it. — Rachel Caine

Patrick walked in dressed in an utterly unmentionable bathrobe. I was pretty sure that Disney wouldn't have approved of what their cartoon characters were doing on that dark blue satin background. On the other hand, I was really glad he had on the bathrobe. — Rachel Caine

Don't read it. Just shred and burn, or your eyes will melt. — Rachel Caine

He started to touch the mechanism under the keyboard,
then pulled his hand back with a snap.
"Ah," he said. "Must deactivate the security ... Turn around, please."
"What?"
"Turn around, Claire. It's a secure password!"
"You have GOT to be kidding."
"Why ever would I joke about that? Please turn. — Rachel Caine

Hey, we had fun. In the sense of next to none at all, I mean. Next time, can we at least stop at a mall? May be see a movie? Avoid the mass murder of our enemies, maybe? — Rachel Caine

If he had any kind of a clue, he wouldn't be caught dead with that stuff. See what I did there? Caught dead? I crack myself up. Eve sipped more coffee she probably, at this point, didn't need. — Rachel Caine

Myrnin was heading for Kim when she picked up a crossbow lying on a table nearby and shot him pointblank in the chest.
He staggered backward, muttered, Not again — Rachel Caine

Anybody else think that was weird?' Shane asked as they got into the car. Eve sent him an exasperated glance; the three of them were, of course, in the backseat. Amelie had the front, with Michael.
'Ya think? In general, or in particular?'
'Weird that we got through the entire thing, and I didn't have to hit anybody.'
There was a moment of silence. Michael said, as he started the car, 'You're right, Shane. That is strange. — Rachel Caine

I almost get killed at most parties. Hence, you can tell that's how much I love them. — Rachel Caine

Why did you destroy Manny's office, then?"
"I
can't breathe
"
"That is the point of choking you," I pointed out. "Haste, please, if you want to live."
-Cassiel — Rachel Caine

Moi?" He put his hand over his heart and did his best wounded-innocent look. "You must be thinking of some other uncouth jackass. Which makes me jealous, by the way. — Rachel Caine