Victoria Crockett > Victoria's Quotes

“If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place.”
― Nora Roberts

“Damn me to hell or take me to heaven, but for Gods sake, do it now....”
― Nora Roberts, The Stanislaski Brothers: Mikhail and Alex

“You can fix anything but a blank page.”
― Nora Roberts

“If he scratches my baby . . .” Ben tried to scowl, but it didn’t take. He seemed relieved. And still hadn’t let go of my hand.
I heard a shoe scuff the ground. Shelton and Hi were standing across from Ben and me.
Shelton took a deep breath. “So it’s like that, huh?”
“Guys.” I felt my stomach lurch. “I know this is weird. Ben and I, we—”
Hi’s face was pained. “I don’t even get a chance? No shot to say how I feel?”
My head jerked back. “What?”
“So it’s all decided.” Shelton sullenly kicked a rock, his voice resentful. “What does Ben have that I don’t?”
I stared, openmouthed.
Hi dropped to a knee and pinned me with solemn eyes. “I can’t hide it anymore, Victoria. You need to know the truth. I love you, too. Forever and ever. I want to be your sweet babushka.”
My mind reeled. “Hi, I . . . I didn’t—”
“I’m gonna wring your stupid necks.” Ben’s face was burning.
Hi burst out laughing, rolling away from his kick. I glanced at Shelton, who was trying—and failing—to hold it together.
“I love you, Tory Brennan!” Hi bounced to his feet, ready to bolt at Ben’s slightest twitch. “Let me rub your supple feet!”
I covered my face with both hands. “Oh God.”
― Kathy Reichs, Terminal

“I desecrated my own house?” Chance snorted in disbelief. “Then swam out to Fort Sumter and played paint-by-numbers on the walls, all to make Benjamin Blue like me? Don’t flatter yourself, kid.”
Ben’s eyes cut like diamonds. “You act like such a big shot. But you don’t fool me. Do you have any friends, Chance? Is there a single person who cares where you are right now?”
“Ben!” I blurted, horrified. “That’s not—”
“You’re one to talk.” Chance stepped closer to Ben and matched him glare for glare. “I’ve never betrayed my friends. Not like you, eh, Benjamin?”
Ben’s whole body went still. “What did you say?”
“Guys, guys!” Hi half rose, palms up. “There’s no need for anyone to get upset. I’ve got Go-Gurt in the mini-fridge. I know when I get hungry, my manners can—”
“Shut up, Hi.” Ben and Chance, in unison.”
― Kathy Reichs, Terminal

“I gazed up at the gloomy fortress. “And now?”
Hi looked surprised. “What? You’ve never been? This national treasure is like a thousand yards from your house. You could swim here.”
“It’s on my list,” I said defensively.
Ben snorted. Chance gave me the side-eye. Even Coop’s glance seemed reproachful.
Well, excuse me.
Hi shook his head like a disappointed father, but continued.”
― Kathy Reichs, Terminal

“I released a breath I didn’t remember holding. Turned to Ben.
Found him looking at me, face inches from mine on Sewee’s deck.
Panic flared, white hot, paralyzing me as I lay beside him.
Our gazes met. I saw fear in his dark brown eyes. Indecision. Doubt.
Ben went rigid, his chest rising and falling like a bellows. Then something changed. His face relaxed, a small smile playing on his lips.
Before I could blink, his mouth covered mine.
We shared a breath. A tingle ran my spine.
Then I pulled back, breathing hard, unsure what either my mind or body were doing.
Ben’s unsure look returned. Then vanished.
He pulled me near again, his lips melting into mine. Strong, calloused fingers stroked the side of my face. His smell enveloped me. Earthy. Masculine. Ben.
Fire rolled through my body.
So this is what it’s like.
I broke away again, gasping slightly for breath. Reality crashed home.
I sat up and scooted a few feet away, rubbing my face with both hands. What was I doing?
“Ben, I—”
His hand rose to cut me off. He leaned against the bench, face suddenly serious. “I’m not going to pretend anymore. One way or another, I’m going to say how I feel.” Ben snorted softly. “Make my case.”
We sat still in the darkness, Sewee rocking gently, the scene dream-like and surreal.
“You don’t have to make a case.” I stared at my shoes, had no idea where I wanted this conversation to go. “It’s just, things are—”
“YO!”
Our heads whipped in the voice’s direction. Ben scrambled to a crouch, scanning the silent bulk of Tern Point, as if just now recalling we were adrift at sea.
The voice called down again, suddenly familiar. “What, are you guys paddling around the island? I don’t have a boat license, but that seems dumb.”
“Shut up, Hi!” Ben shouted, with more heat than was necessary. Scowling, he slid behind the controls and fired the engine.
I scurried to the bow, as far from the captain’s chair as I could manage and stay dry.
You’ve done it now, Tory Brennan. Better hope there’s a life preserver somewhere.
A glance back. Ben was watching me, looking for all the world like he had more to say.
I quickly turned away.
Nope. Nope nope nope.
I needed some time to think about this one. Perhaps a decade?
“Where are we?” I asked, changing the subject.
Ben must’ve sensed that my “personal” shop was closed for business.”
― Kathy Reichs, Terminal

“Instead, he slammed the throttle, gunning Sewee in a tight arc toward the strange glow. Chance’s arms pinwheeled as the boat accelerated beneath him. He toppled backward onto Shelton, who heroically tried to break his fall.
“Ugh!” Shelton lay on his back, pancaked by the much larger boy.”
― Kathy Reichs, Terminal

“I snuck through the front door.
Shooing Coop before me, I beelined for the stairs and the safety of my bedroom. I hoped to avoid notice for a few minutes—my clothes were dirty and smoke-tinged, my hair a tangled mess.
But it was not to be. Whitney swung from the kitchen before I could blink.
“Tory!” Smiling brightly, she smoothed her apron with manicured fingers. “I was just about to wonder what you’d gotten up to!”
Whitney winked to assure me she was joking, but the cloying attempt at humor annoyed me anyway. It made me want to actually tell her.
I was out on Loggerhead, fighting with a group of genetic freaks, when a black-ops military attack squad tried to capture me. Oh, and Ben and I made out on his boat. You?
I smothered the suicidal notion.”
― Kathy Reichs, Terminal

“Why do all your brilliant ideas involve felonies?”
― Kathy Reichs, Virals

“An elite confederacy of nerds. My peeps”
― Kathy Reichs, Virals

“Parallel tough-guy nods. Man fix boat! Man be strong!

"What now?" I asked, hoping to divert the two from actually beating their chests.”
― Kathy Reichs, Virals

“So what's the plan?” Ben asked.

“Go inside. Look around. Improvise.”

“Brilliant." Hi stroked his chin. “Quick question: Is having no plan the same as having a terrible plan, or are those different categories?”
― Kathy Reichs, Exposure

“As a pirate, she once undressed a fencing instructor using only her sword!”
― Kathy Reichs, Seizure

“Static cackled from the cafeteria speaker. A bored female voice come on. “Victoria Brennan, please report to the headmaster's office. Victoria Brennan to the headmaster's office.”

Classmates glanced our way. Whispers sprang up around me.

“Not good.” Shelton was reaching for his earlobe.

“Tell them you have amnesia,” Hi said. “Or dementia. Pretend you're Joan of Arc.”

“Thanks for the support, guys. If I'm not back for class, look for my body in the harbor.”

Hiram's hand flew up. “I call her iTunes collection. Shelton can have the mutt.”

“Nice.”
― Kathy Reichs, Exposure

“She's using you to get to me," Hi said confidently. "Both of them. They've caught Hiram fever."
I nodded. "Of course. It all makes sense now.”
― Kathy Reichs, Exposure

“Where is the dog tag you found?”
“What?” Shelton yipped. “We…lost it.”
“Where?”
“In the woods. After we ran.”
“Where in the woods? Ran from what?”
“Oh, uh…Tory dropped the tag when we ran from…whatever.”
“From whatever?” Hi hammered. “Did you see men with guns or not?”
“Um, no. I guess not.”
“You guess?”
“It was dark.” Shelton struggled. “I realize now that nobody was there.”
“Then what did you hear?”
“Uh, er…pops. Like sticks breaking?”
Shelton’s responses were growing increasingly feeble.
“How many? From which direction?”
“Lots. Like, from everywhere.”
Hi’s eyebrows shot up. “You heard ‘lots’ of ‘pops like sticks’ coming from everywhere? That’s your story?”
“Wait, no, not everywhere. From the…left?”
― Kathy Reichs, Virals

“Kit leaned forward. “But if you’re up to something, know that I’m ready. The days of Kit the Clueless are over. I’m watching you guys like a . . . like a . . . like a really good watcher of things.” He cocked his head. “An owl, maybe?”
“Up to something?” I flapped a breezy hand. “Pshh. Relax.”

“Kit’s not so good with similes,” I said, wiping down a steel counter. “I would’ve gone with a hawk, or maybe the Hubble telescope. I guess owl works.”
― Kathy Reichs, Code

“Tell me why, Been. Why would you trick us in the first place?"
Ben stopped pacing. Looked directly at me. "Don't you know?'
I shook my head,confused.
"To impress you, Victoria Brennan." His voice cracked. "I wanted you to think that I was special."
The words rocked me.
Oh, Ben.
"He'd started this madness... for me?
'You were spending all that time with Jason," Ben said softly, staring at his shoes. "skipping around town with your new perfect guy. Cotillion this. fund-raiser that. I hated it. Hated him. When I finally told Rome, he said that I needed to amaze you. Said I needed to figure out a way to make you see me.”
― Kathy Reichs

“Hey, check this weirdo out.” Hi was inspecting a bus on the mantel. “This face is ninety percent eyebrow. What do you wanna bet he owned slaves?”
Scowling to match the carving’s expression, Hi spoke in a gravelly voice. “In my day, we ate the poor people. We had a giant outdoor grill, and cooked up peasant steaks every Sunday.
“That is General Clemmons Brutus Claybourne, you twit,” a voice said dryly. “He commanded two companies during the Revolution, before dying at Yorktown. You might show a little respect.”
― Kathy Reichs, Code

“Gift cards?” Hi’s complaining brought me back to the present. “Why not just hand me a note that says: I don’t care enough to make an effort.”
April 7. Hiram Stolowitski’s sixteenth birthday.
“When exactly were we supposed to shop?” Shelton was scrolling Rex Gable emails on his laptop. “It’s been a hectic week, bro.”
“I bought you Assassin’s Creed six weeks before your birthday,” Hi shot back. “Waited in line all afternoon. The guy behind me smelled like fish tacos, but I stuck it out.”
Ben clapped Hi’s shoulder. “If it helps, I didn’t remember to get you any gift. Tory and Shelton picked that up. I signed the card though. See? Ben. Right there.”
“These are the memories that scar,” Hi huffed. “I’m gonna be so complicated when I grow up. I’ll probably film documentaries.”
― Kathy Reichs, Exposure

“Because pieces of your heart clearly weigh more when they're sitting shattered at the bottom of your stomach.”
― Heather Brewer, First Kill

“What are we going to blow up?"
Morgan sighed happily and slapped joss on the back. " Kid... you just said my seven favorite words.”
― Heather Brewer, First Kill

“Give your enemy a face, If he is human, do not dehumanize him. Know him and know why he is your enemy. If your enemy is within you, understand what it is and why you are afraid. Put a face on your fear. When you understand it, and it is no longer vague and shapeless, you will find that your fear is no longer so formidable.”
― Mercedes Lackey, Brightly Burning

“It's only gossip if you repeat it. Until then, it's gathering information.”
― Mercedes Lackey, Intrigues

“Mister Cameron - I have read the unexpurgated Ovid, the love poems of Sappho, the Decameron in the original, and a great many texts in Greek and Latin histories that were not though fit for proper gentlemen to read, much less proper ladies. I know in precise detail what Caligula did to, and with, his sisters, and I can quote it to you in Latin or in my own translation if you wish. I am interested in historical truth, and truth in history is often unpleasant and distasteful to those of fine sensibility. I frankly doubt that you will produce anything to shock me. ”
― Mercedes Lackey, The Fire Rose

“The freedom to swing your fist ends at my nose.”
― Mercedes Lackey, Sacred Ground

“A broken clock is right two times a day.”
― Orson Scott Card, Ender's Shadow

“Humanity does not ask us to be happy. It merely asks us to be brilliant on its behalf. Survival first, and then happiness as we can manage it.... Take what pleasure you can in the interstices of your work, but your work is first, learning first, winning is everything because without it there is nothing.”
― Orson Scott Card, Ender’s Game

“Unemployment is capitalism's way of getting you to plant a garden.”
― Orson Scott Card