What's Going On?" He Asked, Looking From

Rose!" I Looked To My Right And Saw Adrian Cutting Across The Lawn Toward Me, Oblivious To The Slush's Effects On His Designer Shoes. "did You Just Call Me 'rose'?" I Asked. "and Not 'little Dhampir'? I Don't Think That's Ever Happened." "it Happens All The Time," He Countered, Catching Up To Me.

What Are You, Rose Hathaway? Are You Real? You're A Dream Within A Dream. I'm Afraid Touching You Will Make Me Wake Up. You'll Disappear.

Piece Of Heaven?" "no, That Other Place I'm Going To Go To For Thinking What I'm Thinking.

Life And Death Were So Unpredictable. So Close To Each Other. We Existed Moment To Moment, Never Knowing Who Would Be The Next To Leave The World. I Was Still In It, Barely, And As I Looked Up From The Ashes, Everything Around Me Seemed So Sweet And So Beautiful. The Trees. The Stars. The Moon. I Was Alive -- And I Was Glad I Was.

I Eyed Dimitri, Recalling A Shadow In My Periphery Back In The Ballroom. "you Followed When I Jumped In Front Of Lissa, Didn't You? Who Were You Going For? Me Or Her?" He Studied Me For Several Long Seconds. He Could Have Lied. He Could Have Given The Easy Answer By Saying He'd Intended To Push Both Of Us Out Of The Way-if That Was Even Possible, Which I Didn't Recall. But Dimitri Didn't Lie. "i Don't Know, Roza. I Don't Know.