Thanks for the Venom Quotes

“Life as a hunter often felt pre-determined for us. We were taught to use a stake early on, and hunting was something we were taught was a right of passage. I’d learned, though, nothing in life was set in stone.
All it took was one minor shake-up for our plans to change. It was terrifying at first, sure. The idea of having to accept the world wasn’t what you thought it to be, but once you let go of the idea that you had to follow a certain plan, life became better.”
― Nicole Sobon, Thanks for the Venom

“Harley, if you’re asking me to marry you, I’m afraid I must say no,” he joked. “I mean, we hardly know each other, and you haven’t even bothered to ask my parents for my hand.”
“Will you shut up?” As much as I didn’t want to laugh, I failed. That was the good thing about Drake. He could be annoying, sure, but he knew how to lighten the mood when things became tense. “I’m being serious, Drake.”
“Okay, then shoot.”
“Are you like me?” As the words escaped my lips, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders.
“What do you think?”
“Answering a question with a question doesn’t work,” I answered. “And I think you are.”
“Well, then, you can rest assured knowing you’re right.” He shrugged as he turned the chair around to properly face me. “Although, I do believe I wasn’t supposed to tell you as much just yet.”
“Was my father behind this?”
Drake shook his head no. “The League—more specifically, the Council—had nothing to do with my arrival,” he assured me. “I came here for you, yes, but only because the clan of the vampire you killed is looking for you. And while you might not believe it, I’m your best chance at survival.”
― Nicole Sobon, Thanks for the Venom

“None of you are intending on coming back, are you?” I finally
managed to ask. “You never intended to see this through to the
end.”
“When you’ve lived a life as long as ours, Harley, the
promise of death is the only thing to look forward to.” Esme
shared a smile with Felix, who tipped his head ever so slightly
in agreement. “This isn’t a battle we ever truly wanted to be a
part of; it was merely a way to ensure our death would come at
last.”
“Couldn’t you have just asked them to kill you?” Frustration
overtook my voice because I realized the danger they’d put us
all in for selfish reasons.
“The Ancient Elders will do whatever they can to keep
themselves safe,” Felix answered. “You have to remember,
we’re their personal weapons. They don’t want to see our
demise.”
“Don’t get us wrong, we still hate your kind,” Amelia
assured me. “But when you’ve lived a life as long as us, sooner
or later, you find yourself craving an end to it all.”
“So comforting, Amelia,” I groaned. Honestly, I wasn’t
entirely sold on her hating hunters. Or at least, she hadn’t truly
hated hybrids as much as she would have liked me to believe.
After all, she’d given me a weapon to take down the Ancients
myself.
Still, I didn’t dare share our secret with the others.”
― Nicole Sobon, Thanks for the Venom

“He used his free hand to grab a hold of my chin and lift my
face to his. His eyes were locked onto mine as though he had
discovered the most important thing in his life. Me. “I don’t
want to give you up,” he said before pressing his lips to mine.
At first, I hesitated. I wanted this. I wanted him. But I knew
I needed to keep my thoughts clear. Well, that and I was still
fearful of allowing things between us to become much of
anything more because the idea of giving him so much of
myself was unsettling.
I was still figuring out who I was and what I was meant to
do with my life.
I couldn’t be sure where I would be in two years.
Even a week from now was hard to imagine.
I would’ve loved to believe he would still be by my side, but
life was everchanging and nothing was ever promised to us. I
couldn’t stand the idea of letting him in, only to have to learn
to live without him should things go wrong. The truth of it all
was that I’d been on my own for so long, I had forgotten what
it was like to let someone else into your world, and the idea of
closing that door again? I couldn’t do it.
“This should be the last thing you want,” I said.
“And yet, it’s the only thing I want.”
“Perhaps I’m not the only one capable of making terrible
decisions then.” Drake pressed his lips to mine again, and this
time, I welcomed his mouth against mine. There was an
urgency in the kiss, though he made sure to keep it soft and
gentle. There was no denying the fear in his movements.
And that worried me. What had he intended to do that he
was so scared?”
― Nicole Sobon, Thanks for the Venom

“Don’t be an idiot, Drake. I’m more than capable of enough
poor decision-making on my own,” I reminded him. “I don’t
need you falling victim to my half-assed decisions today.”
A smile tugged at his lips, and before I knew it, he’d had his
arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer against
him. I was fast, but he was faster. Much faster, it seemed. “You
don’t get to make my mind up for me, Harley. I’m more than
capable of making my own decisions.”
“Well then, perhaps you should learn to make some good
ones.”
Drake tightened his grasp on my waist and dropped his head
so that our foreheads touched. I felt the heat of his breath on
my lips as he opened his mouth to speak. “Whatever happens
to you today, I’m going to be there by your side. No matter
what.”
“Don’t be a creep,” I teased. Truthfully, though, I actually
wanted him there. It was stupid, and I knew as much. I needed
to retain a distance between us; I needed to keep him safe, no
matter what. And yet, I needed him to be there for me because
I was terrified of what awaited me.”
― Nicole Sobon, Thanks for the Venom

“How do you get over being thrust into a life you didn’t ask for, though?”
Amelia forced a laugh. “Life doesn’t care what you want, Harley.”
Her words were harsh but full of truth. I knew it. Did I want to accept it? Absolutely not. I did understand, though. I couldn’t do anything about what led me here. I could, however, figure out how to move forward and hope for something better.
Was it guaranteed I would succeed? Nope.
Did I intend to try regardless? Yes.”
― Nicole Sobon, Thanks for the Venom

“Should I take your silence to be an opening?” He brushed his lips against my ear.
“You ask far too many questions.”
Drake released me from his grasp and climbed on top of me. “You have full control over what happens, Harley. Do you understand? If at any point you’re not comfortable, I need you to tell me.”
“Understood.” Drake looked down at me with a teasing smirk on his lips. “Now, will you just stop procrastinating and kiss me already before I change my mind?”
He leaned in and gently pressed his lips to mine as though testing my reaction. But slow was not how I preferred to roll. I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair. Drake seemed to understand what I was doing and pressed his body against mine.
I knew I should have stopped it.
I should have stopped him.
But I couldn't. This was what I wanted.
Drake pulled away slowly. An amused grin pulled at his lips. "What?" I asked.
He shook his head. "You, Harley Sanders, will be my undoing.”
― Nicole Sobon, Thanks for the Venom

“This should be the last thing you want,” I said.
“And yet, it’s the only thing I want.”
“Perhaps I’m not the only one capable of making terrible decisions then.” Drake pressed his lips to mine again, and this time, I welcomed his mouth against mine. There was an urgency in the kiss, though he made sure to keep it soft and gentle. There was no denying the fear in his movements.
And that worried me. What had he intended to do that he was so scared?”
― Nicole Sobon, Thanks for the Venom

“Heightened senses would be useful in the field.
But in day-to-day life? No, thanks.
My thoughts were an utter disaster as it was. I’d spent so much time trying to get outside of my head, reminding myself that the person my mind thought I was and the person I truly was were two different entities. Taking on the weight of the world around me was an unnecessary evil I wasn’t looking forward to dealing with on a daily basis.”
― Nicole Sobon, Thanks for the Venom

“You don’t understand it now, but I am keeping you safe,” he insisted. “Trust me, if it wasn’t for me, you would have been dead by now. They’ve also kept you alive because they knew I would kill them if they hadn’t.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, is that supposed to make me feel better?”
I wanted to hate him. My goodness did I want to hate him. The problem was, no matter how much he had pissed me off, I couldn’t bring myself to write him off. He was a piece of crap for allowing me to be captured. But I had to believe there was still good beneath the boy who stood before me. It couldn’t have all been a façade, could it?
Don’t be an idiot, Harley.
I just wanted to be happy, and Drake had presented a possibility of something I had wanted for so long but refused to admit aloud. For so long, the idea of wanting to be with someone terrified me. Heck, a future with someone seemed to be a novel idea. Then this frustrating and wonderful boy had entered my life and threw it into utter chaos. It was exciting, and I hadn’t wanted to consider my life without him.
But I also knew I had to question how much of what he’d displayed with me was real.”
― Nicole Sobon, Thanks for the Venom