Dark Gold Quotes

“You're in love, my old friend, and that is the downfall of all good men.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“I can’t believe he sent me flowers.”
A rude noise escaped from somewhere deep in Aidan’s throat. “I just saved your life. What are roses compared to that?” He was glaring at the long-stemmed flowers, his golden gaze intent and menacing. Alexandria glanced up at him, saw the dark, determined set of his mouth, and burst out laughing. She spun around and went up on her toes to cover his eyes with her palm. “Don’t you dare. If my roses wither, I’ll know exactly who’s responsible. I mean it, Aidan. You leave my flowers alone. You can probably destroy the entire bouquet with one ferocious glance.”
Her body was soft against his, her laughter warm against his throat. His arm circled her small waist, locking her to him. “I was only going to make them droop a little. Nothing too dramatic.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“I’m used to doing things my way, and Aidan is set in his medieval ways.”
“What’s medieval?” Joshua wanted to know.
“Ask Aidan. He’s good with answers,” she replied resentfully.
“Medieval refers to the days of knight and ladies, Joshua. Alexandria thinks I would have made a great knight. They were men who served their homeland with honor and always recued and took care of their fair maidens.” Aidan drained the contents of a third glass of ruby liquid. “A fitting description, and quite a compliment. Thank you, Alexandria.”
Stefan coughed behind his hand, and Marie hastily turned to look out the window.
Alexandria found a reluctant smile curving her soft mouth. “That’s not all I could call you, but for now, we’ll leave it at medieval.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“I had not heard that about vampires not existing,” Aidan responded with a mocking grin. “I wish I had known earlier. It might have saved me a great deal of trouble over the centuries.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“If you don’t get out of my way right this minute, I’m going to . . .” She pictured bringing up her knee hard and watching him writhe in pain on the floor. The image in her mind was as vivid as his shark image had been. Aidan leapt away from her, laughing as he did so. “You have a nasty little temper, Alexandria.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“But even as he reached out to cup he face he heard an angry buzzing, and a huge black bee dive-bombed him from out of nowhere. With an oath, Thomas jumped back, swatting ineffectually at the persistent insect. As his left foot came down he turned his ankle and nearly fell.
Alexandria’s hand covered her mouth in horror. Aidan, stop it right now!
I cannot imagine what you are accusing me of, Aidan returned innocently from the living room. But I have not done anything. He smiled and moved slowly toward her. Yet.
“Marie!” In a panic, Alexandria called out as loudly as she could.
Aidan laughed as the housekeeper hurried in. Little coward, run while you can.
Though they were half a room apart and Marie was squarely between them, Alexandria felt the brush of his fingers on her skin, her face, her throat. They trailed lower, feather-light, to touch the aching swell of her breast before the sensation was gone.
“What is it, Alexandria?” Marie asked, her hands on her hips, glaring at Aidan.
He held up a placating hand, laughing. “I am innocent. I was a perfect gentleman to her visitor.”
“He spilled Thomas’s coffee, made him sneeze, smeared whipped cream over him, and chased him with a bee,” Alexandria accused.
While Marie struggled to keep a straight face, Alexandria delivered a final outrage. “And he was going to wither my flowers.”
“Aidan!” Marie reprimanded sharply, but there was laughter in her eyes.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“He entered the house quickly, pushed past the detectives, and clasped both of Alexandria’s hands in his.
Something deep within Aidan coiled dangerously at the sight of her hands in Thomas Ivan’s. His breath stopped. His heart ceased to beat. The demon within stirred and roared for release, fangs exploded into his mouth, and the red haze of the beasts flamed in his eyes. As Thomas leaned in close, intending to kiss her cheek, Aidan fought for control so that he could casually wave a hand, directing a flurry of dust spores to whirl and dance beneath Ivan’s nose. As Ivan inhaled, he began to sneeze violently, the spasms wracking his entire body.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“The two detectives had been there for well over an hour, and in that time the demon in Aidan had been growing stronger and stronger. HE had all but sprouted fangs as one of them did everything but beg for a date with Alexandria. Did she really need yet another suitor? He was going to have to post a sign on the lawn stating that all males courting Alexandria Houton did so at their own peril.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“I believe you have Thomas’s number?”
He reached around her, his arm brushing her shoulders, his scent enveloping her. Any of his kind would recognize his brand, would know she belong to him just from his scent on her. The human, however, would never notice. Irritated by the thought, Aidan found the business card beneath the phone and handed it to her.
“Call him,” he dared softly.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“And another thing—when you talk to that pompous ass on the phone, do not go all syrupy.” He folded his arms across his chest and looked down at her from his superior height.
“Syrupy?” she echoed indignantly, outraged at the accusation. “I never sound syrupy.” Her large eyes flashed a warning at him, daring him to pursue his point.
He dared to. “Oh yes, you do.” He clasped his hands together and made a face, his voice rising an octave as he simpered. “Oh, Marie, the flowers are so beautiful. Thomas Ivan gave them to me.” He rolled his eyes as he mimicked her.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“I think the living room is the perfect place to put the flowers,” Alexandria agreed. “When Thomas comes over, he’ll be able to see them.”
Aidan found himself gritting his teeth. Alexandria was already flitting from the kitchen. He caught Marie by the shoulder before she could follow, leaned down, and put his mouth to her ear. “Couldn’t you have thrown the damn things out?” The words came out somewhere between a hiss and a growl. “And just for the record, you traitor, Ivan is not her man. I am.”
Marie looked shocked. “Not yet, you’re not. I believe you still have to court her. And of course I would never throw roses out, Aidan. When a man goes to the trouble of giving a woman flowers, she should at least have the pleasure of seeing them.”
“I thought you didn’t like this bum.”
“He can’t be all bad. You should have seen his concern for her. I tell you, Aidan, he’s really taken with her.” Marie was deliberately, innocently, enthusiastic. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about her when she’s with him.” She attempted to sound reassuring.
Behind them, Stefan was choking again. Aidan swore eloquently in three languages and followed Alexandria out of the room, shaking his head over the workings of the female mind.
Stefan put an arm around Marie. “Wicked, wicked woman.”
She laughed softly. “This is fun, Stefan. And it’s good for him.”
“Be careful, woman. He is not like other men. He might kill to keep her. His nature is that of a wild predator,” Stefan warned gravely. “We’ve never seen him like this.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“Do you mind?” she said indignantly, pointedly glancing at his all-too-masculine display.
He gave a lazy shrug. “It is not exactly as if I can comfortably put everything back together again.”
She blushed furiously. “Well, don’t talk about it, for heaven’s sake!”
He found himself smiling in spite of the raging demands of his body. With unhurried movements he positioned himself within the confines of the tight cloth and buttoned the fly. “Does that make you feel safer?” he teased tenderly.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“Okay, here’s the plan. I’ll keep telling you where the creature is, and you keep shooting while I pull Aidan into the car. Then we drive away as fast as we can and hope we leave it behind.”
That is the worst plan I have ever heard. In spite of his dire situation, there was a hint of humor in Aidan’s voice.
Stefan snorted aloud. “That is absolutely the worst plan I’ve ever heard. You aren’t strong enough to get Aidan into the car. And we can’t trade places, because you’ve probably never fired a gun in your life.”
“Well, I don’t hear anything brilliant from either one of you,” she snapped indignantly.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“The first ripple of unease hit him. He lifted his head for a moment, and his prey’s blood spurted out. He bent once more to his task, this time all efficiency and quickness. It was Alexandria. He could feel the first wave of pain hitting her.
He flew to her, to be close when she called out for him. And he hoped, for both their sakes, that that would be soon. She needed him, but he had promised to compel her no further than the blood exchange. She had to call for him.
Outside the underground chamber he paced, Alexandria’s pitiful cries sending shards of pain through his own heart. A dozen times he reached for the door, wanting even needing to kick it in. But she had to call for him. She had to express faith in him or she would never believe he was helping, not harming, her.
He rested his forehead against the door, then was shocked to see a crimson stain from the contact. He was sweating blood, in agony hearing her pleas and feeling the pain twisting and burning within her body. The physical agony he could manage, but his heart and his mind were in torment.
“Where are you? You promised to help me. Where are you?”
He had waited so long for the invitation, he thought he was hallucinating when it actually came. He hit the door with the flat of his hand and burst inside. She could see her own agony reflected in his eyes. There was a scarlet smear on his forehead.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“That savage, he thought. Don’t think you can push me aside so easily.
Shark attack! Look out, cara, he is swimming toward you.” Aidan deliberately lightened the mood between Alexandria and himself.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“In her mind danced the image of a shark with Thomas Ivan’s white, practiced smile.
Deliberately, Aidan teased her with the image until she was forced to laugh.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“Aidan’s hands itched to strangle the woman. He had known Marie from the moment of her birth—sixty two years ago—and they had never exchanged a cross word. And he suddenly wanted to strangle her. He should have ripped Ivan’s throat out. Flowers. Why hadn’t he thought of flowers? Why hadn’t Marie mentioned it to him first? Why had she accepted them? Whose side was she on, anyway? Flowers! He had the urge to rip those petals off one by one.
“Look,” Marie cooed, “he even had the thorns removed so you wouldn’t hurt yourself. What a thoughtful man.”
“What time did you tell the police we would see them?” Aidan interrupted, afraid that if he didn’t he would erupt into violence. He detested the way Alexandria kept caressing the petals of one of the white roses.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“She was certain it had nothing to do with being close to such an attractive, masculine man and everything to do with her recent ordeal with the vampire. No mere man could make her weak in the knees.
Aidan settled beside her on the couch, as Stefan had acquired the leather recliner since she had abandoned it. Aidan’s thigh brushed hers, sending a tremor rushing through her. His breath warmed her ear. “Fortunately, I am no mere man.”
“Stop reading my mind, you . . . you nightmare from a Thomas Ivan game.” It was the worst insult she could think of, but he only laughed softly. The sound in her mind, not in her ear.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“She lifted the tails of his elegant silk evening shirt. “Some that don’t reach my knees?”
He cleared his throat. He liked her wrapped in his shirt, surrounded by him. “Well, actually, as Joshua knows, that is one of your annoying habits. You like to run around in my shirts. You think they are much more comfortable than your own clothes.”
Alexandria regarded him with wide blue eyes. “Oh, I do, do I? I take it you grumble about it.”
“Often, to Josh. We laugh together about the idiosyncrasies of women. He thinks you look cute in my shirts.”
“And what would give a little boy an idea like that?”
He looked unrepentant. “I might have mentioned it a time or two.”
His golden eyes slid over her body, making her aware of her bare skin beneath his shirt, of every curve of her body, of the fact that they were completely alone in some secret chamber of his home.
“It is true, after all. You do look cute in my shirt.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“It has a reputation for being dangerous.” His hand caressed her soft skin. “Take off your jeans.”
She smiled up at him. “I can see it is dangerous. Now, why would I want to do something that is obviously going to get me in big trouble?”
His hand stroked her waist, traced each rib under her satin skin. He could feel her tremble in answer. “Because I want you to. Because you want to please me.”
Shea laughed out loud, her eyebrows winging upward. “Oh, really? That’s what I want to do?”
He nodded solemnly. “Above all else.”
She moved away from him, deliberately enticing him. “I see. I didn’t know that. Thank you for pointing it out.”
“You are welcome,” he countered gravely, his eyes following her every movement.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“She was his. The lifemate he had endured centuries of emptiness waiting for. She was his world. The light. The colors he thought he had lost forever. She was the ecstasy he never knew existed. And she was with him for eternity.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“She needs to rest, Joshua. I will bring her to you later."
"That's all right, Aidan," Joshua said, man to man. "She needs to be in bed more than I do."
Aidan grinned at him and took her out of the room, heedless of her squirming. "He is right, you know," he murmured against her neck. "You do need to be in bed. My bed.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“She needs to rest, Joshua. I will bring her to you later."
"That's all right, Aidan," Joshua said, man to man. "She needs to be in bed more than I do."
Aidan grinned at him and took her out of the room, heedless of her squirming. "He is right, you know," he murmured against her neck. "You do need to be in bed. My bed." His breath was warm and teasing, an invitation she found nearly impossible to resist.
"I think you're insatiable," she accused him, but her arms crept around his neck, and her body relaxed against his.
"Where you are concerned, it is true," Aidan agreed. He was moving quickly through the house, into the tunnel, his body already tightening in anticipation. ”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“He waited for a reaction from the snake's venom. Within minutes, his lungs began to fight for air, and he felt nauseated, but it was not nearly as bad as he expected, considering the venom was aided by the vampire's hatred. It took him a moment to realize it was Gregori's blood that was neutralizing the poison's effects. He could feel the struggle taking place in his body, but Gregori's blood was far stronger than anything the vampire could produce. Within minutes, Aidan was fine, his heart and lungs as strong as ever, the venom oozing out of his pores. ”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“I am in your debt, Gregori, that you have aided me this day," he said formally.
"You did not need my aid. I only made things easier. Your safeguards for the child would have bought you the necessary time even without the fog. And you had enough strength to survive the sunlight in your disembodied state even without me. You owe me nothing, Aidan. I have been lucky in my life to have a few men I could call friend. You are one." Gregori sounded as if he were already far away.
"Come to my home, Gregori," Aidan insisted. "Stay for a while. It might help to ease you."
Gregori shook his head. "I cannot. You know I cannot. I need the wild places, the high reaches, where I can feel freedom. It is my way. I have found a place many miles from here. I will build there to await my lifemate. Remember your promise to me."
Aidan nodded. He felt Alexandria moving in his mind, offering closeness, comfort.
"See to the child, Aidan, and your woman. Even from this distance, I sense her anxiety for you, for the boy. And she needs to feed. Her hunger beats at me. Do not waste your time worrying about me. I have taken care of myself for centuries." Already his solid form was wavering, shimmering, dissolving into droplets of mist. His voice came back, disembodied, strangely hollow, yet still beautiful. "That was quite a feat you performed today, and in broad daylight. Few can do what you did. You have learned much."
Aidan watched him disappear, the mist streaming  into the surrounding forest until it, too, was gone. Gregori's acknowledgement of his achievement made him proud. He felt like a child receiving praise from a revered parent. And since it was from masterful Gregori, who chose to live alone and befriend but few, he felt especially honored.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“Gregori slowly returned to his own body, the strain of the healing process revealed by the lines etched into his face. But he casually tore his wrist with his teeth and held out the offering to Aidan.
Aidan hesitated, knowing Gregori was offering far more than nourishment. He would now be linked to Gregori, able to track him at will, should there be the need. The thick wrist dripping precious ruby droplets pressed closer to his mouth. With a sigh, Aidan gave in to the inevitable. He needed sustenance, and Alexandria waited at home, needing it also.
"It is beautiful, this land, in its own way, is it not?" Gregori did not wait for Aidan's reply or indicate in any way that the blood loss was affecting him. "It is not wild and untamed like our mountains, but there is promise here." He did not wince as Aidan's teeth sank deeper into his skin.
Strength such he had not known in years poured into Aidan's body. Gregori was an ancient, his blood far more powerful than that of men of lesser years. The nourishment revived Aidan instantly, took away pain and weariness, and brought a vitality he had not previously experienced. He closed the wound carefully, meticulously, with great respect.
"I am in your debt, Gregori, that you have aided me this day," he said formally.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“Stay, piccola, I will be home soon, and I will bring Joshua with me. Tell Marie and Stefan all is well. He struggled to keep his voice even so that she would not be afraid for him.
Her soft laughter warmed his heart. I'm in your mind, my love. You can't hide your wounds from me.
There was the merest disturbance in the air, just a flutter, no other warning. A large raptor landed on the branch above Aidan's head and slowly folded its wings. Aidan should have known another of his kind was close by, yet he hadn't. As it hopped easily from the perch, the bird's form changed, and it was Gregori who landed lightly on his feet.
He glided past Aidan to survey the grotesque sight on the ground. "He was good, was he not?" he asked softly. His voice was beautiful, a soothing sound that seemed to seep into Aidan's tired body and renew his strength. Despite his darkness, Gregori brought purity and light with him; it clung to him like the aura of power. "Diego studied with the most evil of the vampires. They began banding together in our homeland, thinking to defeat Mikhail with their numbers. When that did not work, they enlisted the aid of human butchers. Now they are turning to travel and trickery. They use many methods to try to defeat us, Aidan. You have done well this day."
"With your aid." ”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“Do not pay attention to his illusions. Never take your eyes off the vampire. He waits for your inattention. Alexandria's voice was soft and sweet in his mind, clearing away any cobwebs the illusionist was weaving to confuse him.
He is skilled, this one, cara, he acknowledged.
Not skilled enough, she responded with complete faith in him.
The women on the ground set up a wail, a low, keening, mournful whine that rose on the wind. Aidan smiled at the vampire with a lazy, self-confident smile. "You are trying to call Gregori to our little battle? You are much more foolish than I thought. Even I, who have nothing to fear, would not want to disturb Gregori's solitude. With this racket, he is certain to join us." His golden eyes slashed at the vampire, found the dull, dead gaze, and locked onto it, holding the other man in their molten depths. "I worked closely with Gregori for several years. Did you know that, Diego? What he does, he does coolly and efficiently. There is no other like him. Perhaps in your final moment you wish to test your meager skills against his greatness.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“What do you say we dispense with these childish games?" Aidan said. "Come to me, Diego, and remember the man you once were." His voice was so compelling, so enthralling, so hypnotic, that the vampire nearly stepped forward.
Then Diego snarled, the sound harsh and ugly in contrast to Aidan's voice. "I will kill you, then the boy, and take your woman." His smile was grotesque. "She will suffer long and much for your sins."
Aidan shrugged carelessly. "Should you do the impossible and defeat me, my lifemate will choose to follow me, and you will have no chance to get her in your hands. The child will be safe, because there is another hunter in this area, one far greater than myself. You cannot defeat me. No one can defeat him." He said it complacently, with complete confidence.
The vampire screamed again, a hysterical fury that threatened to consume them both. "Gregori! How dare he come to this land? What gives him the right? That is a perfect example of Mikhail's hypocrisy." Then the voice turned appeasing, cunning. "Gregori is not like you, Aidan. You are a fair man. Morality rules your actions. Misguided your hunting may be, but nevertheless you do as you do because you think you must." The vampire looked around and lowered his voice. "Gregori is a cold-blooded killer. He feels no remorse. I have heard tales, rumors, that others swear are true. The healer has killed illegally. Pretending to be the best of our people, he is the worst, and Mikhail sanctions this abomination.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold

“You are my lifemate. There is no question, cara mia, who will take care of this problem. You will stay here in this house and do as I say. I will not argue with you about this."
His voice, black velvet and tender, could turn her heart over, but she would not be seduced this time. Alexandria tilted her chin. "No, Aidan, I'm going with you. If you can save only one of us, it will be Joshua."
His eyes caressed her even as he shook his head. "You will give me your word that you will so as I say, or I will send you to sleep until I return. And if you are sleeping the sleep of the immortal, you will be unable to aid me should I have need of it. I must go now. I am wasting valuable time, time Gregori earned for me at great cost to his won strength, I am certain." His mouth brushed hers. "What shall it be? Do you sleep while I go? Or will you remain here awake to aid me should it become necessary?"
Alexandria shifted away from him but nodded her compliance. "It isn't as if you're leaving me a lot of choice, Aidan," she said softly. "Go then. But nothing had better happen to you, or you'll see what a human woman can do when she's good and mad."
"Former human woman," he corrected.
And he was gone. Just like that. One moment he was solid and real, the next he was a rainbow of light streaking through the narrow tunnel of rock upward toward the fog-shrouded sky.”
― Christine Feehan, Dark Gold