Vicious (Villains, #1)

by V.E. Schwab

Life—the way it really is—is a battle not between Bad and Good, but between Bad and Worse. —Joseph Brodsky

It perplexed him, how someone about to play God could pray to Him, but it clearly didn’t bother his friend.

The worst part of going numb was that it took away everything but this, the smothering need to hurt, to break, to kill, pouring over him like a thick blanket of syrup until he panicked and brought the physical sensations back.

The absence of pain led to an absence of fear, and the absence of fear led to a disregard for consequence.

Plenty of humans were monstrous, and plenty of monsters knew how to play at being human.

“When no one understands, that’s usually a good sign that you’re wrong.”