“Dad PRACTICALLY shoved me through the door, slamming it shut behind us.”

“‘That feeling of ending one of those monsters? There’s nothing like it in the world’. [Noah’s dad] glanced down at his arm tattoos and gave a RUTHLESS grin.”

“...She could read the monster’s thoughts as he worked. Not exactly as words, spoken aloud, but more like SENSATIONS, feelings.”

“‘Okay,’ my dad said, taking my rifle to DISENGAGE the safety.”

“She knew she should stop talking, before she angered her mother any further. But somehow the words continued to TUMBLED from her mouth.”

“‘Great,’ I said, trying to muster up some ENTHUSIASM without much luck.”

“She turned back to Asha, her eyes SOMBER. ‘We must find them. And we must destroy them. Before they try something even worse.’”

“I PACED the apartment, feeling restless. I started to explore, to see what treasures might be hidden in the place.”

“I remembered Dad talking about laying traps to DETER the dragons from the subway entrance and keep those down below safe.”

“Then he turned to me, a grave look on his bearded face.‘Guess we’re not going to make it to the park,’ he said WRYLY.”

“I watched with a mixture of FASCINATION and horror as it began to dive-bomb the van, fire erupting from its mouth, setting the van ablaze.”

“Then he walked over and grabbed his gun, SLINGING it over his shoulder.”

“My heart sank in my chest, my earlier EXCITEMENT deflating.”