A Few of Our Favorite Things

Favorite Chicagoland Vampires Quotes: Part Deux

by: Zee the Terrible and Barbara Bones

Collage by the amazing Olga Daniels



 Since last we shared our favorite quotes from the highly quotable Chicagoland Vampires series, there have been three books released, with another due this Tuesday. And with all that text there are many more quotes that we fell in love with, so we decided it was time for another round of the torture that is narrowing down the word magic that Chloe Neill weaves, so choose our favorite quote from each.

So, follow us through the jump as we pick some amazing quotes from House Rules, Biting Bad, and Wild Things. With some non-spoilery treats from the forthcoming Blood Games as well.

Warning: There will be spoilers through Wild Things! Proceed at your own risk.

House Rules:

"You want me," he said.
"I don't stop wanting you. Not since the moment I walked into this House all those months ago."
He momentarily stilled--maybe shocked by the admission--but his eyes flattened again.

Merit's introduction to vampire life was tempestuous at best, and she wasn't exactly thrilled by her new life, convincing herself that she hated Ethan. Then when she finally began embracing her role, opening herself to Ethan, he fucked up and she was so hurt that she threw that wall up again, refusing to let anything through it--until she lost him. So having her make this admission was amazing for me. We knew that she was fooling herself all along, but for her to admit was incredibly gratifying.

Pretty much us when
we read MEthan scenes.

"I walked into his arms, and he embraced me with relief, as if the act of touching me removed the weight from his shoulders. That might have been the most flattering compliment I'd ever received from him, nonverbal as it was."

I cannot rave enough about how much joy I've gotten in watching Ethan and Merit work their way towards each other. Reading about their amazing bond that strengthens every day makes me swoon, sigh, and feel downright jealous at times! Which is saying a lot, cuz I love my girl Merit. But this simple moment, no words spoken, none needed, just moved me. The profound effect Merit has had on Ethan is immeasurable. I've loved watching him evolve into a better being, but more than that, I just adore the fact that he is in it 100 percent. Every part of him is completely committed to Merit. And he finds peace and joy with her. We should all be so lucky.

Biting Bad:

"What does it say?"
"Eternal Life, undying passion."
"Oh, that's very nice." It was a beautiful phrase, and particularly appropriate for immortal vampires.
Ethan nodded and took my hands. "I had a sense of your passion when we met, Merit. When you first stormed into my House with fire in your eyes."
"That wasn't fire. That was sheer, unmitigated fury."
He chuckled. "Acknowledged. But a soul without passion doesn't feel fury. Or love. And there was definitely passion in your soul. I selected the phrase because I thought it lovely. Now, I feel lucky that I can deem it true."
Tears gathered at my lashes.
"I have eternal life," he said. "But you are my undying passion." He put his hands on my cheeks and kissed me deeply. There was passion in his kiss, in the nip of his tongue, but this kiss was about promise. About tenderness.
About love.
He drew back and pressed the softest kiss to my lips. "I love you, Caroline Evelyn Merit. Happy Not Valentine's Day."
"Happy Not Valentine's Day, Sullivan." I moved into his arms, surrounding myself with his body, his warmth, his crisp cologne.

I've read some of these quotes numerous times and they still amaze me. Ethan is the epitome of suave and sophisticated, so it shouldn't be a surprise that his words are just that. But this most alpha of males laying bare his heart, his soul, for the woman he loves--it gets me every single time. He has centuries on Merit so it's not fair to compare, but while she was protecting herself, afraid to commit to someone else, he was telling her, repeatedly and in unequivocal terms that he knows exactly what she is to him, which is not something to be taken for granted or to let slip away. And his death and resurrection made him even more determined not to allow anything to come between them. His beautiful, perfect words will never not make me swoon.

 

Ethan affects us on
EVERY level.

While I looked on, he tucked one, then the other, carefully into his jacket pocket.
"What are you doing?"
"Selecting a square," he said, gazing at his reflection.
"For my parents?"
"For your parents, your siblings, your nieces and nephews," he said. "For you. Because I want to make a good impression."
"You've met my parents before."
"I have," he said, and met my eyes in the mirror. "But not like this."
There was a different kind of gravity in his voice. Not, I thought, from the weight of being a Master vampire, of caring for others and ensuring their safety, but from the weight of being us. Of having, for the first time in a long time, someone whose safety and happiness you put above all others. Even if that meant impressing her particularly stuffy family.
"Sometimes you make me swoon."
"If it's only sometimes, I'm not doing my job adequately."

Sometimes, Merit? Sometimes? I think you mean ALL.THE.FUCKING.TIME! I love it when Alphas work to make the women in their lives happy. I love it when they care. I absolutely adore the fact that perfect Ethan made an effort to impress Merit's difficult family. It's just another aspect of their wonderful relationship I love. Between this scene, and how effortlessly he completely woos the ladies at the dinner at Merit's parents' house, I was a sobbing pile of emotional goo wondering why God had misplaced MY Ethan!

Wild Things:

There are those among us who have erred, deeply and significantly. Who have wounded the world and broken themselves. The worst of them lose themselves in their errors. The best of them crawl back, one foot at a time, and seek to amend their breaches. That is the way of the brave.

When I picked up my first Chicagoland book, I had no idea if there was going to be a main pairing, and I didn't really care. I don't need a romance to love a book or a series, but I do need a relationship, some human connection between characters. And I was hooked, before we even met Ethan Sullivan, by the banter and relationship between Merit and Mallory. But I grew to loathe Mallory for her choices and her hypocritical judgment of Merit and Ethan. I didn't think I would ever be able to forgive her, so great were her transgressions. But, word magician that Chloe Neill is, she's given me Mallory back, by giving her back to Merit. And that is glorious, because we all deserve a second chance, an opportunity for redemption.

I would so stand outside Cadogan House
like this for Ethan (or Merit, actually)

"You are my soul, Merit. But vampires are my body. To be whole, I must respect both. {snip} "I will have both of you," he said. "My Sentinel and my city. And the GP will learn exactly how stubborn we both can be."

There are wayyyy too many things in all of these books I loved. Wild Things had so many scenes where Ethan was so open about his love for Merit that I was basically a swooning mess during the entirety of the book. But, I had to go with one of the lines that gave me chills (and a lot of Ethan lines give me chills. They are a great combination of gravity, wisdom, truth, and sincerity.) One of my favorite things about Ethan has ALWAYS been his sense of responsibility to the vampires who place their lives and trust in his hands. And I love that every single thing he has gone through has just made that love for his vampires, and need to do right by them, even stronger. It takes a great man to live up to that, and a great woman to accept and love that about her man. Is it really any wonder we love these two crazy kids?

Blood Games:

Here are a few great lines from the forthcoming book, commentary-free. Look for our recap/review next week.

He stood silently for a moment before glancing back at me. "I'm afraid you'll be hurt. Afraid you'll be targeted."
"Why would they target me?"
"Because I love you. Because love, to some, is a weakness. A pressure point. Because I would give up anything for you, including the GP. And because I don't mean to give up either."

"Guns," I said, sipping my drink. "Several of them"
"They look like the type," Luc said, his gaze on Lindsey, a hand on her shoulder, rubbing lightly as if they were two lovers anticipating a night of passion. "Shoulder harnesses, probably. And the classic tucked-into-the-back-waistband approach."
"Always turns me on when a man has a magnum in his pants," she said.
I barely bit back a laugh, so the sound came out as a strangled snort.
Ethan shook his head. "You two are no longer allowed on ops together."

"Fine. I'll give you space, and I'll give you time." I looked back at him, silver eyed and furious. "But you will not shut me out. Because I love you too much to let you act like an idiot."

I'd grieved when he was gone, but this would have killed me. Because now he was my eternity.

There you have it, Saucy Readers. Our favorite quotes from the most recent Chicagoland Vampires books. Did we pick your faves? What would you add to our list? Share your thoughts in the comments below!