Crimson Debt Quotes

“If you were truly mine, I would never share you.”
“Possessive, are you?”
“Extremely.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“I am standing on one side of the chasm, holding out my hand to you, yet you refuse to reach for me.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“You should be flattered, he said mildly. Not many breathers affect me this way.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“I can be cuddly. Corbin's voice dropped and his eyes were hooded. And tender, and gentle, and passionate.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“Sorry. I had an execution that ran over.” Corbin frowned. “You come from executing one of my kind and act like it means nothing? Tell me, Addison, how would you feel if I said something like that to you? ‘Sorry I couldn’t be on time, I was draining some human dry and it took longer than I thought.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“Addison is my consort and as such she is under my protection both day and night. I will ill anyone attempting to harm her. Is that clear?”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“This is for your stubborn insistence on willfully endangering us both.” Smack!”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“It’s not you—it’s what you are,”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“He wasn’t just fucking me anymore—he was breeding me. Claiming me as his own, marking me so that no other male would come anywhere near me. Corbin owned me now—he had stamped his mark on my heart as surely as he was marking my body. I was his… utterly and completely his.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“The most difficult promises to keep are the ones we make to ourselves,”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“Do you have a message for Master Corbin before you go?” the little vamp asked. “No,” I said shortly. “Wait—yes. Tell him if he thinks giving me his private number will inspire me to make a booty call, he’s sadly mistaken.” The androgynous vamp gave me a puzzled look. “A booty call? You will call his buttocks on the telephone? I do not understand.” I stifled a snicker. “You don’t have to. Basically it means I’m not interested in fucking a vampire.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“Pretty on the surface and fucking scary underneath.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“Corbin moved toward me, still holding his cock loosely in one hand. It looked like a club and I was fairly sure he was about to use it on me.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“Are you happy, darling?” “Very.” I sighed. “It’s funny, I never would have thought I could be happy with a vampire.” “We are an irritating bunch,” Corbin agreed with a hint of laughter in his deep voice. “Still, I hope over the next few centuries you can learn to put up with me.” “Centuries…” I sighed and shook my head. “It’s too much to take in right now.” “Then don’t try. Simply sleep,” he urged. “Sleep in my arms as I wanted you to the first night I brought you here.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“You’re blood bound—that means Taylor can only drink from you.” “What?” Now he looked really upset and pissed off. “She has to what? You’re kidding me!” “I assure you, my friend, this is not a joke,” Corbin growled warningly. “Taylor is your responsibility. Do you not remember the part of your vows where you promised to protect and nourish her?” “I thought that meant like… I don’t know, bringing home the bacon or some shit like that,” Victor protested. “I didn’t know I would actually be the bacon.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“Damn it, Addison—I was prepared to die. I never asked you to give your life to bring me back. To risk a horrible and painful death out of some twisted sense of obligation and duty.” “Is that what you think?” I demanded. “Listen to me, you big asshole—” I reached up and poked him angrily in the center of his broad chest. “I didn’t do it out of duty or because I owed you anything for saving Taylor or protecting me from Roderick or anything else like that. I did it because I love you! And you’re an even bigger idiot than I thought if you can’t see that.” Corbin’s eyes widened and then narrowed. “You are lying.” “What?” I glared at him and shook my head. “I tell you I love you and you say I’m lying? Why the hell would you say a thing like that?” “When I was giving you my blood in an effort to heal you from my savage attack, you pushed me away,” he accused. “You said, ‘Not that! Anything but that!’” I felt suddenly cold as I remembered his blood filling my mouth. “I was talking about you turning me into a vampire. You… you didn’t, did you? Because I love you, Corbin, but I don’t want to be like you. Living on blood, never going out in the sunlight… it wouldn’t be right for me. You can understand that, can’t you?” “I can.” He nodded and his eyes suddenly softened. “Forgive me. I thought you were protesting the blood because you didn’t want me to bond you to me.” “What?” This was something entirely new to consider. “You bonded me to you? As in for life? For all eternity?” “For as long as I live, anyway,” Corbin said. “It was the only way to save your life. I had taken too much of your blood—you were dying, Addison.” His tone took on a pleading tone. “Please tell me you would not rather be dead than bound to me.” “I could ask you to say the same thing,” I pointed out. “You were checking out on me without even telling me first.” “I didn’t think you cared.” His deep voice was soft, almost wistful. “Well, I do. I love you, damn it,” I said, poking him in the chest again. Corbin caught my finger in his big hand and then pulled me closer until I was pressed up against his tall frame. “Addison,” he murmured, cupping my face in both hands. “I have loved you from the moment I first saw you. Say you will stay with me now, promise never to leave.” “I promise,” I said and he kissed me, gently at first and then with more passion.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“Why are you here?” I asked and my heart was suddenly in my throat. “Does it… does it have to do with the stake?” “You’re damn right, it’s the stake,” the witch snapped. She fumbled in the giant, oversized purse she was wearing and pulled out something that looked like an old, dried up tree branch. “What’s that?” I asked, staring at it blankly. “That’s the stake! The soul eater.” She thrust it at me and I pulled back instinctively. “What the hell—keep it out of my face!” “It can’t hurt you now—it can’t hurt anyone. Someone neutralized it—someone reversed my spell.” She glared at me as if I was personally responsible. Which actually, I probably was. “That was my best magic and I come from a long line of powerful witches. Even I couldn’t have reversed that spell. How the hell did you do it?” Taylor turned to me, her eyes wide. “You reversed a witch’s magic? But how, Addison? You’re not a witch—are you?” “No, of course not.” I tried to laugh. “I think you’d know by now if I was. You would have caught me out casting spells at midnight or dancing with the devil or something.” An uncomfortable look crossed Gwendolyn’s face. “That’s a fucking stereotype and I don’t appreciate it. Witches are neutral agents of power—they have nothing to do with demons or any other creatures of the Shadow Lands.” She glared at me. “So how did you reverse my magic?” “She paid the Crimson Debt.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“Taylor,” I said, grasping her arm. “Honey, you look terrible.” “I look terrible?” She gave a little sobbing laugh. “Addison, you should look in a mirror.” “What? Why?” I felt my face with my hands, as though whatever was wrong would be immediately apparent to my touch. “It’s not your face so much—although your neck is kind of torn up,” she said. “It’s your body—you’re bruised almost from head to toe. You look…” Her voice dropped. “You look like somebody beat you. Addison, what happened between you and Corbin last night?” “Corbin…” Suddenly it all came rushing back to me—the way I had chained him down, foolishly thinking my puny restraints could hold him. The way he had turned into a mindless creature, bent only on sex and blood. The rough sex that had followed and the way he had made me come until I felt like I was wrung inside out, completely spent and exhausted… But the question was—had it worked? “Corbin,” I said again, grabbing Taylor’s hand. “Is he… alive?” “Yes, of course, he is. He’s back to his normal self—although he’s in a horrible mood. I’ve never seen him so angry.” She shivered. “Luckily I’ve been staying out of his way back here with you. He’s been checking on you every once in a while but even though he said you’d be fine I was still worried.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“I felt the razor sharp points pressing against the blue bracelet of veins that lay there. It was time. Corbin was already looking at me, a question in his eyes. If he guessed what I was doing, he would stop me. Taking a deep breath, I pressed hard against him and pulled down sharply, sliding his fangs along the length of my wrist. Almost at once I felt a searing pain, as though I had been cut with a very sharp knife and saw a dribble of blood running down my arm. I was bleeding. Corbin’s eyes widened as he tasted my blood, and then went abruptly from silver-gray to glowing red. “Addison,” he gasped, turning his head to try and get away from me. “Darling, no! What are you doing?” “Paying a debt,” I said, and pressed my bleeding wrist against his lips again. “Drink, Corbin. Drink.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“Corbin… will I ever see you again?” He shook his head briefly. “No one will.” “What is that supposed to mean? Where are you going?” “Someplace very unpleasant, I assure you,” he snapped. “Addison, please—” “Are you thirsty? Is that it?” I came around the desk to stand in front of him and held out my wrist. “Drink,” I said. “If… if you want to.” For a moment he just looked at me and then he took my hand in his. I was surprised at how cold his skin was. Despite being a vampire, Corbin had always seemed to run hot but now, touching him was like touching a block of ice. “Addison,” he said softly. “I’m touched—truly I am. But what I need, you cannot give me. No one can.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“Do you feel well, Addison?” “I’m fine.” For some reason I couldn’t meet his eyes. “Are you certain?” He cupped my cheek and wiped something away with his thumb—a tear. “Then why are you crying?” “I’m not.” I swiped at my eyes and tried to smile. “I was just… shocked when I thought you were… were gone.” “Shocked, hmm?” He looked at me more closely. “Perhaps you were upset? Could it be that you realized that you could return my love after all?” “Nothing like that,” I said, pulling away from him. “More like… I didn’t like the idea of the world without you in it.” I looked at him at last. “Satisfied?” Corbin sighed and for one quick instant a look of infinite sadness crossed his face. Then he smiled. “Not nearly satisfied, darling. But it’s nice at least to know that you will miss me when—” He stopped abruptly and cleared his throat. “I mean, that you would miss me if I were gone.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“I’m doing it to save all our lives,” I said evenly. “I just don’t want there to be any misunderstanding about it. I’m sorry, Corbin. I can give you my body, but not my heart.” He sighed. “My darling, it was your heart I wanted all along. But I guess I am never to have it.” “No,” I whispered, my throat suddenly tight. “No, I’m afraid not.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“Just let her move back in with me and I’ll take care of her.” “No.” He frowned at me sternly. “Absolutely not. Didn’t I say she would get no more of your blood?” “What do you care if she takes my blood after Roderick leaves?” I demanded. “I told you it will not happen again. Taylor will not drink from you again. Nor will any other vampire.” I put a hand on my hip. “You’re getting awfully possessive for somebody who’s basically just a business partner.” “I am your master—at least for now.” His eyes blazed silver. “And I have put out the word in Tampa that no other vampire is to touch or taste you in any way. To do so means death and I will not hesitate to enforce that penalty.” “So you put out the word to every vamp on the street that you own me? Thanks a lot, you big asshole,” I stormed. “What do you think that’s going to do to my professional reputation?” “I don’t care what it does to your reputation as long as it keeps you safe,” he replied.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“I was thinking nothing except how beautiful you were and how much pleasure it gave me to give you pleasure. To taste you and make you come. I thought you trusted me tonight, Addison—that maybe there was something in your heart for me besides suspicion and anger at my kind.” “Corbin—” “I see now that I was wrong.” He shook his head. “I suppose what happened between us tonight was no more than a ‘momentary loss of self-control’ on your part. A stupid lapse in judgment that you never intend to repeat.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“Do you really think you mean so little to me?” he asked quietly. “Do I mean so little to you, Addison?” I shifted on the bed uncomfortably. “The point is that once Roderick leaves town, our arrangement is over. And honestly, Corbin…” I sighed. “That’s probably a good thing. We’ve been getting in pretty deep here—I don’t know about you but I’m way over my head with this… whatever it is we’ve got going here.” I gestured aimlessly, not sure exactly how to put what I felt into words. “And this is really how you feel? That you want nothing more than to have our arrangement over and done with?” He took a step toward the bed. “Answer me honestly, Addison. Tell me what is really in your heart.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“And you promise after this is over you’ll get the hell out of my mind. Do you really dislike having me here? He sounded wistful. Communicating this way is so much more intimate than speaking aloud. And so much more revealing… I can feel your emotions from here, Addison. Your true emotions, the ones you prefer to keep hidden from everyone, even yourself.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“I just have one more question, Corbin,” I said, still glaring at him. “If I’m such a bad risk that you have to glamour me to keep a civil tongue in my head, why choose me to play your consort? Why not pick someone else entirely—someone more manageable?” He looked into my eyes. “Because, Addison, I had hoped that one day reality would mirror this fantasy that we are playing out. And there is no one I would rather have by my side.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“Well?” Corbin sucked in a breath. “You look lovely. I knew that color would suit you.” “It’s not bad,” I said grudgingly. “It is beautiful, as are you. We need only one more thing. Here.” Before I could ask what the one more thing was, he was suddenly kneeling in front of me with a box in his hands. He opened it, revealing black, strappy heels so high I was surprised they fit in the box. The open-toed design made me glad I’d had a pedicure recently. “Are those Jimmy Choos?” I asked, as he took one out and reached for me. “Manolo Blahniks,” he said absently. “Here, let me put them on you.” “Let me sit down first, I’ll fall over,” I objected as he lifted my right foot. “You’ll be fine. Just hold on to me.” I was forced to do just that, holding on to his broad shoulders as he slipped first one shoe on and then the other. They had a simple yet elegant design with a single strap over the toes and another around the ankle. Corbin’s long fingers seemed like they would be too large to buckle the delicate ankle strap but he managed with no problem. “There,” he murmured when he was done. I expected him to get up but instead he remained kneeling at my feet, looking up at me. “Perfect. Addison, you are a goddess.” “Stop it.” I could feel my cheeks getting hot and it occurred to me that I was still holding on to his shoulders although both my feet were planted firmly on the ground. I caught a whiff of his scent—that cool fragrance that reminded me of the ocean somehow. I wanted to step away but I couldn’t. “Why should I stop?” Corbin growled softly. “Why should I not say what I think? When was the last time a man told you how beautiful you are?”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“S and F-ed?” “It stands for sucked and fucked.” I coughed. “I know it doesn’t sound nice but it’s a whole hell of a lot nicer than describing what his victims looked like when he was finished with them.” “Ah, yes…” Corbin sighed wearily. “The lovely sights you get to see at your job.” I shrugged again. “It’s part of my work.” He crossed his arms over his broad chest and frowned. “A part which keeps you under the impression that all vampires are like the one you executed today.” “Well, aren’t they?” I challenged him. “At least, inside, where it counts?” Corbin looked at me steadily for a long moment, his silver-blue eyes unreadable. I stared back, unwilling to back down. At last, long after the silence had gone past uncomfortable and entered the realm of downright painful, he spoke. “Please tell me you do not really believe that, Addison,” he said quietly. “If that is truly how you view my kind then I have no chance of winning your heart.” His words stirred something inside me, a flutter in my stomach, a flush in my cheeks… I didn’t know what it was exactly but for some reason I couldn’t look at him. “Addison?” he said softly. “Stop screwing around, Corbin,” I said roughly. “This… this thing between us is a business deal and that’s all. You know it and I know it. I’m just here to be your arm candy until that sick bastard Roderick is gone. After that, our deal is done.” “Yes, so you keep reminding me.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt

“Addison,” Taylor said quietly. “Has it ever occurred to you that maybe Corbin really cares for you?” “What? Don’t be silly.” I frowned. “I’m just a conquest to him—it’s a feather in his cap to be able to say that a non-glam Auditor is his consort. It’s like… like a mobster showing off his girlfriend who also just happens to be a cop or a judge.” “Maybe not.” Taylor looked thoughtful. “I’ve heard rumors about Corbin.” “Such as?” I raised an eyebrow and made a go on signal with one hand. “Well, he’s not nearly the playboy he makes himself out to be for one thing,” Taylor said. “He’s almost never with anyone—he mostly keeps to himself except to feed occasionally. And he never pays the Crimson Debt or lets anyone else pay it for him.” “Meaning he doesn’t feed on anyone during sex or let them feed on him?” I said. She nodded. “Honestly, I don’t think he has that much sex at all. Not even glam-sex.” “Oh come on, Taylor—he’s a vampire,” I objected. “Sex and blood, that’s what they’re all about—that’s what they do.” “Most of them maybe. But if what I’ve heard is right, Corbin mostly keeps to himself.” “But why?” I asked, frowning. “I mean, it’s not for lack of willing partners, I’m sure.” He got under my skin like a bad rash but there was no denying Corbin was gorgeous. “I don’t know why, exactly.” Taylor shrugged. “They say he had someone once—a human—but he lost her. Now he mostly keeps to himself out of respect for her memory.” I thought of what he’d told me, about having a human female he loved enough to be gentle with once and how she’d “died anyway.” “Why didn’t he just bond her to him?” I asked. Vamps can bond any human they want, which greatly increases the human’s lifespan, sometimes even enough to match the vamp’s. It makes them a little more durable too, though under the law they’re still not supposed to have sex with the vamp that bonds them. “I don’t know.” Taylor shook her head. “But I do know you’re pretty much the only girl he’s shown an interest in. I mean, he does a lot of casual flirting, you know?” “Yeah, I know.” I nodded. Nobody was better at eye-fucking than Corbin. “But none of it amounts to anything. I mean, I’ve never heard of him taking anyone into one of his daylight resting places the way he took you. Not vampire, not human—no one,” Taylor emphasized.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Crimson Debt