“
He leaned against the door frame, ignoring the kick of adrenaline the sight of her produced. He wondered why, not for the first time. Isabelle used her beauty like she used her whip, but Clary didn't know she was beautiful at all. Maybe that was why.
”
”
Cassandra Clare (City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1))
“
• Eating disorders are addictions. You become addicted to a number of their effects. The two most basic and important: the pure adrenaline that kicks in when you're starving—you're high as a kite, sleepless, full of a frenetic, unstable energy—and the heightened intensity of experience that eating disorders initially induce. At first, everything tastes and smells intense, tactile experience is intense, your own drive and energy themselves are intense and focused. Your sense of power is very, very intense. You are not aware, however, that you are quickly becoming addicted.
”
”
Marya Hornbacher (Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia)
“
Adrenaline kicks you in when you’re starving. That’s what nobody understands. Except for being hungry and cold, most of the time I feel like I can do anything. It gives me superhuman powers of smell and hearing. I can see what people are thinking, stay two steps ahead of them. I do enough homework to stay off the radar. Every night I climb thousands of steps into the sky to make me so exhausted that when I fall into bed, I don’t notice Cassie. Then suddenly it’s morning and I leap on the hamster wheel and it starts all over again.
”
”
Laurie Halse Anderson (Wintergirls)
“
Aiden smirked. "Wonder what this one is called?"
The hellhound's ears twitched as the massive body lowered preparing for attack. I slid my hand to the middle of the blade, feeling my heart pound and the adrenaline kick my system into overdrive. In the pit of my stomach, the cord started to unravel.
I swallowed. "Let's call this one... Toto."
Three mouths opened in a growl that sent a cold chill down my spine, and a wave of hot, fetid breath smacked into us. Bile burned the back of my throat.
"I guess it doesn't like the name," I said, moving slowly to the right.
Aiden's powerful body tensed. "Here, Toto..." One head snapped in his direction. "That's a good Toto."
I slipped around the ancient cross, creeping up on the hellhound from the right. The middle and left head focused on me, snapping and growlying.
Aiden clucked his tongue. "Come on, Toto, I'm pretty tasty.
”
”
Jennifer L. Armentrout (Apollyon (Covenant, #4))
“
I use their expectations against them. That will be their weakness. Not mine. Let them all underestimate me. Let them think they have the upper hand over the little girl. Let them relax while the adrenaline leaks out of their systems. Let them believe they're closing their grips on a shrinking violet. And when their guard is down and their pride is rising... let me kick their butts up around their ears.
”
”
Chuck Dixon (Batgirl: Year One)
“
Whoo-eeee!”
From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Peter. He was on the road to the side, probably waiting to ensure she’d managed to negotiate the first part of the track. She didn’t stop, her adrenaline pumping. He’d catch up. “Come get me!” she yelled, making a slight counter-direction turn in the air to help her blow into the berm on the other side of the road. The trail crossed a short flat, a marked rock garden, a beam over a bog, another rock drop and berm, a zigzag around massive trees, roots and rocks that kicked the bike’s tyres this way and that and tested her balance, more air over another drop – this one caused by a massive log – enough air for her to do a back flip from a kicker over another part of the forestry trail, steep to the left. The first wall appeared. She took it fast, skidded around to slam into the side of a berm and round off on to another gully crossing.
“Whoo-eeee!
”
”
Miriam Verbeek (The Forest: An idylic Australian setting harbouring a criminal secret (Saskia van Essen crime thrillers))
“
If the story is unflattering and the feeling is anger, adrenaline kicks in. Under the influence of adrenaline, blood leaves our brains to help support our genetically engineered response of “fight or flight,” and we end up thinking with the brain of a reptile. We say and do dim-witted things.
”
”
Kerry Patterson (Crucial Accountability: Tools for Resolving Violated Expectations, Broken Commitments, and Bad Behavior)
“
Most people know that when we are faced with an immediate perceived “threat,” adrenaline kicks in and we experience the “fight or flight syndrome”.
Well, the brain also works the same at higher levels of processing. When we perceive a “crisis”, even if we have time to think about it, our brain will perceive it as a “danger” or as an “opportunity”. And… we will act accordingly. And… we will have an outcome based on that perception- danger or opportunity. I try to choose “opportunity” every time.
”
”
José N. Harris (MI VIDA: A Story of Faith, Hope and Love)
“
There was a little smile on his mouth—the mouth that had been kissing hers. Otherwise, he was incommunicado.
“Liam?” she said again, more loudly this time.
Nada. He was out cold. Down for the count.
She straightened abruptly. Face was burning, joints buzzing with adrenaline, chest filled with helium.
Liam Murphy had kissed her.
And he’d fallen asleep in the middle of it. She didn’t know whether to burst into song or kick something.
”
”
Kristan Higgins (Until There Was You)
“
He’d complained to his doctor. “The beta-blockers are blocking my memories!” Juan Diego cried. “They are stealing my childhood—they are robbing my dreams!” To his doctor, all this hysteria meant was that Juan Diego missed the kick his adrenaline gave him. (Beta-blockers really do a number on your adrenaline.)
”
”
John Irving (Avenue of Mysteries)
“
Mania. One minute, you’re lost, and the next minute…you’re found. You are the sole creator of your own destiny. A rush of extreme adrenaline kicks in. Your heart accelerates at an unfathomable speed, along with the thoughts in your mind. The anxiety fuels the mania even more. It hits you at full speed out of nowhere. You are no longer bound by the limits of your physical body. You can be anything, or anyone, you want to be. There are no fucking limits. No consequences. No distractions. Everything makes sense… And yet nothing does. Everything has meaning… And yet nothing does. And still, everything is absolutely fucking beautiful. Life is beautiful. You’re running on hyperactive-controlled clarity. Nothing is impossible in that moment. The world is yours to create. To own. Seeing is art. Hearing is music. Breathing is living. You are high. So incredibly high. You take chances. Risks. Because why the fuck not? Your illness is not mental. …You’re finally free. … Until… you crash. And… …burn.
”
”
Molly Doyle (Bloodshed (Order of the Unseen #1))
“
Fitchett smiled to himself. He loved this bit, when it’s about to kick off. Half terror, half ecstasy. The adrenaline surging through him like an electric current. His breathing coming in short gasps and his stomach trying to push its way up through his throat. ‘The Buzz’ they called it. And they were right. Fitchett was buzzing, this was what it was all about for him. This blast of magic.
”
”
Dougie Brimson (The Crew)
“
I feel your tension. Your instincts are screaming for you to fight. As you should. Do it, pet. Try with everything you have. But don’t you dare make a fucking sound.” The permission sent my adrenaline soaring even more. He was right. I wanted to flee. To back out and run far away, regardless that the resistance from his arms made my pulse explode in a heavenly rhythm. My shoulders tried thrashing as I ground the balls of my feet and jerked to the side as hard as I could. The setting and sense of helplessness gave me strength I wasn’t aware I had. The primal need to escape became my only focus and it was genuine. My brain was sending danger signals, clashing with the arousal making my skin tingle. I threw every ounce of myself forward, feeling his body stay connected to mine. Small grunts left my mouth and his hand came back to slap over my lips while he gripped around my waist tightly. I was lifted so easily from the ground that my eyes widened, even as my legs kicked back against him.
”
”
Alaska Angelini (RUSH: The Extended Version)
“
Hi." Paul said from her couch, flooding her system with adrenaline. He'd kicked off his shoes and was lounging there as if he had the right to be in her home. "I let myself in. You left the balcony door open." Andrea stopped in her tracks and it took a few seconds to find her tongue. "I never leave my doors unlocked or open." she paused, "and we are three stories up.
”
”
Shannon K. Butcher (Finding the Lost (Sentinel Wars, #2))
“
...kissing Locke never felt the way that kissing Cardan does, like taking a dare to run over knives, live an adrenaline strike of lightning, like the moment when you've swum too far out in the sea and there is no going back, only cold black water closing over your head.
Cardan's cruel mouth is surprisingly soft, and for a long moment after our lips touch, he's still as a statue. His eyes close, lashes brushing my cheek. I shudder, as you're supposed to when someone walks over your grave. Then his hands come up, gentle as they glide over my arms. If I didn't know better, I'd say his touch was reverent, but I do know better. HIs hands are moving slowly because he is trying to stop himself. He doesn't want this. He doesn't want to want this.
He tastes like sour wine.
I can feel the moment he gives in and gives up, pulling me to him despite the threat of the knife. He kisses me hard, with a kind of devouring desperation, fingers digging in to my hair. Our mouths slide together, teeth over lips over tongues. Desire hits me like a kick to the stomach. It's like fighting, except what we're fighting for is to crawl inside each other's skin.
That's the moment when terror seizes me. What kind of insane revenge is there in exulting in his revulsion? And worse, far worse, I like this. I like everything about kissing him- the familiar buzz of fear, the knowledge I am punishing him, the proof he wants me.
The knife in my hand is useless. I throw it at the desk, barely registering as the point sinks in to the wood. He pulls back from me at the sound, startled. HIs mouth is pink, his eyes dark. He sees the knife and barks out a startled laugh.
Which is enough to make me stagger back. I want to mock him, to show up his weakness without revealing mine, but I don't trust my face not to show too much.
'Is that what you imagined?' I ask, and am relieved to find that my voice sounds harsh.
'No,' he said tonelessly.
'Tell me,' I say.
He shakes his head, somewhere chagrined. 'Unless you're really going to stab me, I think I won't. And I might not tell you even if you were going to stab me.'
I get up on Dain's desk to put some distance between us. My skin feels too tight, and the room seems suddenly too small. He almost made me laugh there.
”
”
Holly Black (The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1))
“
Wary, my jaw still slack, I turn back toward Titos. Slowly, like he doesn’t want to startle me, Poseidon’s Drakon slithers toward me. He lays his head across my boot and stares at me with those lidless eyes. Still sprawled on my backside, I cringe and tense to kick him off me, but his tongue shoots out and curls around my calf.
Adrenaline spikes in my blood. I think the snake just hugged me. I’m disturbed. Very disturbed.
”
”
Amanda Bouchet (Breath of Fire (Kingmaker Chronicles, #2))
“
Charlie’s body was on autopilot as she stirred bitters into old-fashioneds, and doctored abominable Smirnoff Ices with half shots of Chambored. Up on stage, a drag trio in sinister yet glittery Elvira-esque attire belted out songs from the nineties. Mixing drinks, she found herself glad of something to do with her hands, some distraction from the churn of her thoughts.
In the hours before a job, adrenaline kicked in. She was alert, focused. As though she only truly came awake when there was a puzzle to solve, a potential triumph outside of the grinding pattern of days. Something other than getting up, eating, going to work, eating again, and then having a few hours before bed with which you could work out or do your laundry or have sex or clean the kitchen or watch a movie or get drunk.
The grinding pattern was life, though. You weren’t supposed to yearn for something else.
”
”
Holly Black (Book of Night (Book of Night, #1))
“
Importantly, like zebras who jump and kick, or dogs who shake their bodies after surviving stressful situations, you need to learn how to safely discharge the excess energy associated with that “I almost died” adrenaline surge, so that it doesn’t lead to chronic or post-traumatic stress and anxiety. Simply talking to someone doesn’t count here; you may really have to do something physical, like shout, shake, dance, or engage in some type of physical exercise.1 Your
”
”
Judson Brewer (Unwinding Anxiety: Train Your Brain to Heal Your Mind)
“
vid war and real war were not the same thing at all, that it wasn’t a stylish series of heroics punctuated by kick-ass music and witty retorts. War was ugly, exhausting, and above all else, tedious – an odd thing to say about a situation in which there were more explosions and adrenaline than you knew what to do with. But for all the strategising, for all the narrow escapes and near misses, when you boiled it down, war was nothing more than an argument in which no one had landed on a better solution than killing each other.
”
”
Becky Chambers (The Galaxy, and the Ground Within (Wayfarers, #4))
“
Ikicked Aiden in the balls. I kicked Aiden fucking King in the balls. My feet skid to a halt at the threshold of the classroom. I’m panting. My hands are sweaty. The wave of adrenaline vanishes from my system, leaving a tremor in my limbs. My shoulders shake with suppressed laughter. If I didn’t worry that my classmates would start calling me a lunatic, I would’ve laughed so loud right now. I want to run, jump, and bump fists with myself. It’s a strange type of freedom that I haven’t felt in like… ever. I was always quiet and introverted, but right now? I feel like I can punch the moon and kick the stars.
”
”
Rina Kent (Deviant King (Royal Elite, #1))
“
I was surprised by what I found; moreover, because I came away with a knowledge that I had not possessed before, I was also grateful, and surprised by that as well. I had not expected the violence to be so pleasurable....This is, if you like, the answer to the hundred-dollar question: why do young males riot every Saturday? They do it for the same reason that another generation drank too much, or smoked dope, or took hallucinogenic drugs, or behaved badly or rebelliously. Violence is their antisocial kick, their mind-altering experience, an adrenaline-induced euphoria that might be all the more powerful because it is generated by the body itself, with, I was convinced, many of the same addictive qualities that characterize synthetically-produced drugs
”
”
Bill Buford (Among the Thugs)
“
WHAT IS CALMNESS? Calmness is not a character trait, it’s simply a skill. You have to decide that it matters, that the quality of your presence would be better if you slowed yourself down and were really connected to people and the moment you are living in. Then you practise until gradually it becomes part of you. It benefits everyone around you – they feel peaceful and happy in your presence. It’s exactly what children need in a parent. And it benefits you – with less stress hormones, you live longer and feel better. Calmness is well worth cultivating. Calmness is made up of certain actions; breathing deeper, dropping your shoulders, settling your muscles, feeling your feet strongly planted on the ground, focusing your thoughts on the job in hand in a steady easy way, and not going off into panicked thoughts. Even just counting three or four breaths, in and out, will slow your heartbeat and calm your mind down. Calm people are actually doing these things automatically; when an emergency strikes they intentionally calm themselves more in order to counter the tendency to panic and do the wrong thing. Self-regulating your level of emotional arousal is an incredibly valuable skill for life. All you have to do is notice, am I calm? If not, breathe a couple of times consciously, feel your feet on the ground, and notice how, as the last burst of adrenaline clears away, the calmness response starts to kick in. Practise this for a few days, and soon the natural appeal of calmness will pull you more and more to that peaceful and steady place. Everything is better – the taste of food, the scent of flowers, the feel of the water in your shower, warm on your skin. You will find that time slows down, and you can think more in the pause before you open your mouth. And that has real benefits!
”
”
Steve Biddulph (Raising Girls in the 21st Century: Helping Our Girls to Grow Up Wise, Strong and Free)
“
Lark wrapped an arm around me and started to speak until Bailey’s startled voice interrupted us. A huge football player had her pinned against the wall and she was yelling for him to back off. Instead, he crowded her more while playing with her blonde hair.
“Hey!” I yelled as Lark and I rushed over.
Six four and wide shouldered, the guy was wasted and angry at the interruption. “Fuck off, bitches,” he muttered.
Bailey clawed at his neck, but he had her pinned in a weird way, so she couldn’t get any leverage.
While I was ready to jump on him in a weak attempt to save my friend, someone shoved the football player off Bailey. I hadn’t even seen the guy appear, but he stood between Bailey and the pissed jerk.
“Fuck off, man,” the asshole said. “She’s mine.”
“Nick,” Bailey mumbled, looking ready to cry. “He humped my leg. Crush his skull, will ya?”
Nick frowned at Bailey who was leaning on him now.
The football player was an inch or two bigger than Nick and outweighed him by probably fifty pounds. Feeling the fight would be short, the asshole reached for Bailey’s arm and Nick nailed the guy in the face. To my shock, the giant asshole collapsed on the ground.
“My hero,” Bailey said, looking ready to puke. She caressed Nick’s biceps and asked, “Do you work out?”
Running his hands through his dark wavy hair, Nick laughed. “You’re so wasted.”
“And you’re like the Energizer Bunny,” she cooed. “My bro said you took a punch, yet kept on ticking.”
Nick started to speak then heard the asshole’s friends riled up.
I was too drunk to know if everything happened really quickly or if my brain just took awhile to catch up.
The guys rushed Nick who dodged most of them and hit another. The room emptied out except for Nick, the guys, and us. I grabbed a beer bottle and threw it at one of the guys shoving Nick.
When the bottle hit him in the back, the bastard glared at me. “You want to fight, bitch?”
“Leave her alone,” Nick said, kicking one guy into the jerk looking to hit me.
As impressive as Nick was against six guys, he was just one guy against six. A losing bet, he took a shot to the face then the gut. Lark grabbed a folding chair and went WWE on one guy. I was tossing beers in the roundabout direction of the other guys. Yet, Bailey was the one who ended the fight by pulling out a gun.
“Back the fuck off or I’ll burn this motherfucking house to the ground!” she screamed then fired at a lamp. Everyone stopped and stared at her. When she noticed me wide-eyed, Bailey frowned. “Too much?”
Grinning, I followed Lark to the door. Nick followed us while the assholes seemed ready to piss themselves. Well, except for an idiot who looked ready to go for Bailey’s gun.
"Dude,” Nick muttered, “that’s Bailey Fucking Johansson. Unless you want to end up in a shallow grave, back the fuck off.”
“What he said!” Bailey yelled, waving her gun around before I hurried her out of the door. The cold air sobered up Bailey enough for her to return the gun to her purse. She was still drunk enough to laugh hysterically as we reached the SUV.
“Did you see me kill that lamp?”
“You did good,” I said, groggy as my adrenaline shifted to nausea and the alcohol threatened to come back up on me.
Nick walked us to the SUV. “Next time, you might want to wave the gun around before you get drunk and dance.”
“Don’t tell me what to do,” Bailey growled, crawling into the backseat. Then, realizing he saved her, she crawled back to face him. “You were so brave. I should totally get you off as a thank you."
“Maybe another time,” he said, laughing as she batted her eyes at him. “Are you guys safe to drive?”
Lark nodded. “I’m sober enough to remember everything tomorrow. Trust me that there’ll be mocking.
”
”
Bijou Hunter (Damaged and the Knight (Damaged, #2))
“
Elvis was pretty slick. Nonetheless, I knew that he was cheating. His four-of-a-kind would beat my full house. I had two choices. I could fold my hand and lose all the money I’d contributed to the pot, or I could match Elvis’s bet and continue to play. If a gambler thought he was in an honest game, he would probably match the bet thinking his full house was a sure winner. The con artist would bet large amounts of money on the remaining cards, knowing he had a winning hand. I narrowed my eyes and pursed my lips, as if struggling to decide whether to wager five hundred pesos or fold my hand and call it quits. I knew there were five men between me and the door and watched them from the corner of my eye. Even if I folded and accepted my losses, I knew they would not let me leave without taking all my cash. They had strength in numbers and would strong arm me if they could. The men stared, intently watching my next move. I set down my beer and took five one hundred peso notes from my wallet. The men at the bar relaxed. My adrenaline surged, pumping through my brain, sharpening my focus as I prepared for action. I moved as if to place my bet on the table, but instead my hand bumped my beer bottle, spilling it onto Elvis’ lap. Elvis reacted instinctively to the cold beer, pushing back from the table and rising to his feet. I jumped up from my chair making a loud show of apologizing, and in the ensuing pandemonium I snatched all the money off the table and bolted for the door! My tactics took everyone by complete surprise. I had a small head start, but the Filipinos recovered quickly and scrambled to cut off my escape. I dashed to the door and barely made it to the exit ahead of the Filipinos. The thugs were nearly upon me when I suddenly wheeled round and kicked the nearest man square in the chest. My kick cracked ribs and launched the shocked Filipino through the air into the other men, tumbling them to the ground. For the moment, my assailants were a jumble of tangled bodies on the floor. I darted out the door and raced down the busy sidewalk, dodging pedestrians. I looked back and saw the furious Filipinos swarming out of the bar. Running full tilt, I grabbed onto the rail of a passing Jeepney and swung myself into the vehicle. The wide-eyed passengers shrunk back, trying to keep their distance from the crazy American. I yelled to the driver, “Step on the gas!” and thrust a hundred peso note into his hand. I looked back and saw all six of Johnny’s henchmen piling onto one tricycle. The jeepney driver realized we were being pursued and stomped the gas pedal to the floor. The jeepney surged into traffic and accelerated away from the tricycle. The tricycle was only designed for one driver and two passengers. With six bodies hanging on, the overloaded motorcycle was slow and unstable. The motorcycle driver held the throttle wide open and the tricycle rocked side to side, almost tipping over, as the frustrated riders yelled curses and flailed their arms futilely. My jeepney continued to speed through the city, pulling away from our pursuers. Finally, I could no longer see the tricycle behind us. When I was sure I had escaped, I thanked the driver and got off at the next stop. I hired a tricycle of my own and carefully made my way back to my neighborhood, keeping careful watch for Johnny and his friends. I knew that Johnny was in a frustrated rage. Not only had I foiled his plans, I had also made off with a thousand pesos of his cash. Even though I had great fun and came out of my escapade in good shape, my escape was risky and could’ve had a very different outcome. I feel a disclaimer is appropriate for those people who think it is fun to con street hustlers, “Kids. Don’t try this at home.
”
”
William F. Sine (Guardian Angel: Life and Death Adventures with Pararescue, the World's Most Powerful Commando Rescue Force)
“
driveway, her hip scraping as she tumbled, her skin torn and bleeding. She knew she should have worn trousers. The world rocked to a stop, balanced itself out and she opened her eyes. The Infected were standing looking at her, and Dusk strode through them, his eyes narrowed and his lips curled in hatred. And then Valkyrie was up and running. She was sore, she felt blood on her legs and arms, but she ignored the pain. She looked back, saw the mass of Infected surge after her. She passed the club gates and took the first road to her left, losing a shoe in the process and cursing herself for not wearing boots. It was narrow, and dark, with fields on one side and a row of back gardens on the other. She came to a junction. Up one way she could see headlights, so she turned down the other, leading the Infected away from any bystanders. She darted in off the road, running behind the Pizza Palace and the video store, realising her mistake when she heard the voices around the next corner. The pub had a back door that smokers used. She veered off to her right, ran for the garden wall and leaped over it. She stayed low, and wondered for a moment if she’d managed to lose the Infected so easily. Dusk dropped on to her from above and she cried out. He sent her reeling. “I’m not following the rules any more,” he said. She looked at him, saw him shaking. He took a syringe from his coat and let it drop. “No more rules. No more serum. This time, there’ll be nothing to stop me tearing you limb from limb.” He grunted as the pain hit. “I’m sorry I cut you,” Valkyrie tried, backing away. “Too late. You can run if you want. Adrenaline makes the blood taste sweeter.” He smiled and she saw the fangs start to protrude through his gums. He brought his hands to his shirt, and then, like Superman, he ripped the shirt open. Unlike Superman, however, he took his flesh with it, revealing the chalk-white skin of the creature underneath. Valkyrie darted towards him and his eyes widened in surprise. She dived, snatched the syringe from the ground and plunged it into his leg. Dusk roared, kicked her on to her back, his transformation interrupted. He tried to rip off the rest of his humanity, but his human skin tore at the neck. This wasn’t the smooth shucking she’d seen the previous night. This was messy and painful. Valkyrie scrambled up. The Infected had heard Dusk’s anguished cries, and they were closing in. he Edgley family reunion was taking up the main function hall, at the front of the building, leaving the rear of the golf club in darkness. That was probably a good thing, Tanith reflected, as she watched Skulduggery fly backwards through the air. The Torment-spider turned to her and she dodged a slash from one of his talons. She turned and ran, but he was much faster. Tanith jumped for the side of the building and ran upwards, a ploy that had got her out of a lot of trouble in the past, but then, she had never faced a giant spider before. His talons clacked as he followed her up, chattering as he came.
”
”
Derek Landy (Playing with Fire (Skulduggery Pleasant, #2))
“
And now I shall tell you what Tilte and I have discovered one must do: one must reach inside and feel. The moment the shock kicks in there’s this very unusual, very special feeling inside and all around you, and that is what you must reach into and feel. It is there just before the tears come, and the despair, and the customary depression, and the giving up, and the decision that if Karl can get up at four in the morning, then you can get up at three or two, or even not go to bed at all so as to be sure of getting there first.
During that brief moment when your normal instincts are gone and new ones have yet to appear, at that moment there is an entry.
This I remember on Blågårds Plads, and I listen inside and sense that the shock has caused the door to open.
”
”
Peter Høeg (The Elephant Keepers' Children)
“
Max grinned triumphantly and grabbed a chair, turning it so that he could sit on it backwards as he leaned close to me.
“Tell me about the boyfriend who left you to drown in that car,” he urged, reaching out to touch my cheek. “Did you give him your V-card too?”
A flicker of fear shuddered through me as I remembered sinking to the bottom of that river. But he’d been wrong about the V-card guess. I’d given my virginity to a wholly different asshole.
“No,” I breathed. “I didn’t.”
“You wanna tell the group who did then?” Max asked with a grin, his power wrapping me in thick cords and refusing to let go. In place of the fear that had been pulling at me, I felt lust building in my veins and my flesh heated at the memory of a dark room, roaming hands-
Oh hell no, you psychotic asshole!
I shoved all of my will into fighting off the pull of his gift and my fist snapped out with every inch of rage I was harbouring against this douchebag. My knuckles collided directly with the centre of his throat. Max fell back off of the chair with a cry of pain and hit the floor with the chair on top of him. The Siren spell was broken and I was on my feet half a second later, flames springing to life in my hands.
I spared half a glance at the other Heirs but they only looked on in surprise. This was between me and Max and they weren’t going to get involved for once.
“You crazy bitch,” Max wheezed, his voice strangled with pain.
“I am a crazy bitch,” I agreed, glaring down at him. “And if you try that screwed up Siren shit on me ever again you’ll find out just how much of a bitch I can be.”
He hissed a curse and raised a palm, throwing a wave of water at me. I unleashed the fire in my hands, throwing a torrent of power into the blow and the two Elements collided in the space between us, cancelling each other out with a hiss of steam.
Max scrambled backwards, preparing a second blow and adrenaline shot through my limbs. I was outmatched here and he knew it.
I may not have been able to fight him with magic but I’d grown up in the shittiest part of town and I sure as hell knew how to brawl like a cornered alley cat.
Before he could cast another spell at me, I aimed a kick at his balls.
Max grunted a curse as he doubled in on himself, clutching his manhood. I leaned down to speak to him in a low tone.
“I’d think long and hard about trying to pull any more secrets from my lips,” I hissed. “Because some of the ones I’m keeping aren’t my own.”
His eyes widened in surprise as he looked up at me.
“If you tell anyone what I said when you were Song-Spelled then I’ll-”
I interrupted him before he could threaten me with anything, my voice low and cold. “It won’t matter what you do to me after. Your secret will be out there. So I think you were just about to agree to keeping your leech powers to yourself.”
Max scowled as he propped himself up on one arm, the pain in his balls obviously easing off.
“Fine,” he spat, as if he was going to get up but I wanted to really make sure he got the point.
I lifted my palms at Max as Darcy cried out in encouragement and I sent a wave of air crashing into him. It caught him in its grip and sent him flying into the air and tumbling away from me across the room.
(Tory)
”
”
Caroline Peckham (Ruthless Fae (Zodiac Academy, #2))
“
Chemistry
From the middle Dutch boele, which
means lover, bully was a term
of endearment in the sixteenth century,
which meant that a feudal lord
could take the hand of his love
under the apple trees in spring
and exclaim: my bully, feeling
adrenaline flood his body as his heart
rate tripled and his palms began
to release water mixed with urea,
ammonia, salt. Essentially,
he could feel what I felt over four
centuries later when Ian Starkey
called me a fag. I was fourteen,
and the next day he kicked me twice,
spat in my face, took my glasses
and wouldn't give them back.
And the whole time sweat glands
were developing in our armpits and genitals,
and our adrenals were releasing
corticosteroids, and something
about testosterone was why, though
I hated him, I kept imagining
him with his shirt off. True,
Ian Starkey knew how to hurt me,
but I doubt he knew why he was doing it
or that we feel pain when neurons
in the brain convert an electrical
signal to a chemical signal and back
again, which is also what allows
us to feel a kiss or my brain
to take strange comfort imagining
all the boys of the world leaning into
the strong arms of their tormentors
in spring under the apple blossoms, saying
I forgive you, saying: I can never forgive you,
saying, my enemy, my bully, my love.
”
”
Bruce Snider (Fruit (Volume 1) (Wisconsin Poetry Series))
“
In my experience, triggers are the prime reason that men and women end up retreating to gender silos, narrowing their experience and depriving themselves of useful connections. That’s what happened when Jen enlisted Chantal to commiserate with her after the meeting in which Mark received credit for her idea. Sharing her resentment with a female colleague may have temporarily relieved the emotional distress Jen felt at being disregarded. But venting her feelings only reinforced the story she was telling herself to explain what had happened: “Men just can’t listen to women!” This increased the likelihood of her remaining stuck in a negative groove. It’s the stories we tell ourselves when we feel triggered that keep us dug in and limit our ability to frame an effective response. Here’s how the process works: First, the trigger kicks off an emotional reaction that blindsides us. We feel a rush of adrenaline, a sinking in the pit of our stomach, a recoil, a blinding rage, or a snide “of course.” Or we may simply feel confusion. Our immediate impulse may be to lash out. But if we’re in a work situation, we fear what this could cost us, so we try to suppress our feelings and move on. When this doesn’t succeed, we may grab the first opportunity to complain to a sympathetic colleague, which is why so much time at work gets consumed in gripe sessions and unproductive gossip. In this way, our response to triggers plays a role in shaping toxic cultures that set us against one another, justify sniping, and waste everybody’s time. But whether we suffer in silence or indulge the urge to vent, the one thing we almost always do when triggered is try to put what happened in some kind of context. This is where storytelling enters the picture. We craft a narrative based on past experience or perceptions in a way that assigns blame, exonerates us, and magnifies impact. Because these stories make us feel better, we may not stop to question whether they are either accurate or useful. Yet the truth is that our go-to stories rarely serve us well. They are especially damaging when they operate across divides: gender, of course (“Men can’t, women just refuse”), but also race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and age (“They always, they seem incapable of…”). Because these default stories rely on generalizations and stereotypes, they reinforce any biases we may have. This makes it difficult for us to see others in their particularity; instead, they appear to us as members of a group. In addition, because our go-to stories usually emphasize our own innocence (“I had no idea!” “I never guessed he would…”), they often reinforce our feelings of being aggrieved or victimized—an increasing hazard for men as well as women. Since we can’t control other people, our best path is to acknowledge the emotional and mental impact a trigger has on us. This necessary first step can then enable us to choose a response that enhances our dignity and serves our interests.
”
”
Sally Helgesen (Rising Together: How We Can Bridge Divides and Create a More Inclusive Workplace)
“
Why people like to be kicked and punched in the face. The game is famous as box??
What's the inspiring thing??
Do you know that every punch in the head you lose a cell or cells so it's possible in the near future all boxer to be stupid. Why??
Because of the punches!
...
But still I don't see where is the Adrenaline in this sport?? There are random punches or kickes without thinking just dicide it to do it for fun. But in games like chess there is strategy + logic!
”
”
Deyth Banger
“
Here’s the thing about close combat in real life: It’s almost always over in a matter of seconds. Not like in the movies, where your hero has the luxury to strategize and maneuver and grapple for minutes on end. Fortunately, when your life is in danger, your brain kicks in. Deep inside your brain this little almond-shaped gland called the amygdala sends out the signal to make your body start pumping out dopamine and adrenaline and cortisol. Time seems to slow, your focus sharpens, you suddenly start perceiving way more stimuli than normal. Neurologists call this tachypsychia. Everyone else calls it the fight-or-flight response. Cavemen who didn’t have it got eaten by saber-toothed tigers. So I made a quick decision. I could either be incapacitated by a Taser, or I could put myself within the reach of Bondarchuk’s fists. No choice.
”
”
Joseph Finder (Vanished (Nick Heller, #1))
“
I’m going to get her.” “I told you I was going to be stuck with you.” Mitch stood up, the alcoholic haze evaporating as adrenaline kicked in. “Don’t come looking for her anytime in the next couple hours.” Shane’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not much of a take-orders kind of guy.” “Tough. Where Maddie’s concerned, get used to it.” “Understand that if you hurt my sister, there’s not a place on earth you’ll be able to hide. I’d better never see her cry like that again.” Mitch ground his teeth as a muscle jumped in his cheek. He’d made her cry. He nodded. “Understood.” Shane
”
”
Jennifer Dawson (Take a Chance on Me (Something New, #1))
“
Bruna got off the travelator, turned cautiously into the avenue and scanned from afar the area surrounding her apartment building as she clung to a faint hope. But no, there was the Omaá, with his translucent body and his ridiculous T-shirt. The bicho’s patient siege was turning her exits and entrances into a martyrdom. The night before, as she was approaching her building with adrenaline still pumping after her encounter with the thugs, Bruna mistook his huge shadow for that of an assailant and nearly gave him a kick in the groin. Or in the place where Earthlings have their groin. But the Omaá dodged it easily, as if he had predicted her movement.
”
”
Rosa Montero (Tears in Rain)
“
The rope I was dangling off wasn’t designed for a long impact fall like mine.
It was lightweight, thin rope that got replaced every few days as the ice, on the move, tore it from its anchor point. The rope was more of a guide, a support; not like proper, dynamic climbing rope.
I knew that it could break at any point.
The seconds felt like eternity.
Then suddenly I felt a strong tug on the rope.
I kicked into the walls with my crampons again.
This time they bit into the ice.
Up I pulled, kicking into the walls a few feet higher, in time with each heave from above.
Near the lip I managed to smack my ice axe into the snow lip and pull myself over.
Strong arms grabbed my wind suit and hauled me from the clutches of the crevasse. I wriggled away from the edge, out of danger, and collapsed in a heaving mess.
I lay there, my face pressed to the snow, eyes closed, holding Mick’s and Nima’s hands, shaking with fear.
If Nima had not heard the collapse and been so close, I doubt Mick would ever have had the strength to haul me out. Nima had saved my life and I knew it.
Mick helped escort me the two hours back down the icefall. I clutched every rope, clipping in nervously.
I now crossed the ladders like a different man--gone was the confidence. My breathing was shallow and labored, and any vestiges of strength or adrenaline had long left me.
That thin line between life and death can make or break a man. And right now I was a mess.
Yet we hadn’t even begun on Everest proper.
”
”
Bear Grylls (Mud, Sweat and Tears)
“
Fine motor skills, which use dexterity and hand/eye coordination to perform precise movements (accurate shooting, for example) disintegrate at 115 heartbeats per minute. Complex motor skills, which help muscle groups perform a series of blunt movements (kicks and punches, for example) disintegrate at 145 heartbeats per minute. But most hand-to-hand combat causes the heart to surge to 200 beats per minute. In that frenzy of adrenaline, the combatant becomes one of two large furious deadly animals charging one another.
”
”
David Morrell (The Naked Edge: A Cavanaugh/Protector Novel)
“
I’m coming,” John growled. He rolled his pants legs up a little more, then gingerly stepped into the water. He grimaced. “Boy howdy, is it cold!” Addie giggled behind her hand. “You’ll get used to it in a minute.” He still wore his bowler, vest, and jacket, but with his pants rolled up and the wonder on his face, he reminded her of a little boy dressed in his father’s clothes. She leaned down and flicked cold water at him. A dollop splashed on his cheek and rolled down his neck. His eyes went wide, then he grinned and took off his hat. He scooped up a hatful of water and started toward her. Adrenaline kicked in, and she scurried backward with her hands out. “I give, I give!” He advanced on her. “You’re not getting off that easy.” “Do it, Papa!” Edward splashed water as he practically danced along beside his father. Gideon barked excitedly as if he approved as well. “Traitor,” Addie told him. Her feet slid on the moss-covered rocks. She threw out her hands to try to regain her balance, and John caught her arm. She clutched at him, and in the next moment, she was in his arms, and they both tumbled into the stream. Cold water filled her mouth and nose and soaked her clothing. Her water-heavy dress dragged her down, but she managed to sit up. Laughter bubbled from her throat when she saw John. His wet hair hung in his face, and his suit was soaked. “Hungry?” She picked a flopping minnow off his shoulder and tossed it back into the water. “That was too small to keep anyway,” he said.
”
”
Colleen Coble (The Lightkeeper's Daughter (Mercy Falls, #1))
“
Your amygdala sounded the alarm and triggered your stress-hormone system and your autonomic nervous system to kick into high gear. You were flooded with cortisol and adrenaline; your heart rate and breathing rates increased. You had a full body stress response that resulted in fight, flight, or freeze.
”
”
Susan Magsamen (Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us)
“
When they were hopped up on adrenaline after a win, they turned into animals in bed. When they lost, their temperament ranged anywhere from a pissed-off pit bull to a kicked golden retriever—neither was in the mood for sex.
”
”
Siena Trap (Bagging the Blueliner (Connecticut Comets Hockey, #1))
“
Once you are in a violent situation, adrenaline kicks in. It is a double-edged weapon. On the one hand, adrenaline can make you react and often take a lot of damage without realising it. On the other, it tends to narrow your focus too much, often coming in the way of rational thought, preventing you from thinking of other options.
”
”
Mainak Dhar (Sniper's Eye (7even Series #1))
“
You know the first time we said I love you it got all banged up? She took a beating in that warehouse in Kallisti Square. I was patching her up in an emergency medical bay. Blood everywhere, both of us faint from hunger and adrenaline. One of her teeth looked like it wasn't going to make it. I tied my shirt around her head to soak up the worst of it. She said: 'He kicked me right in the face,' at just the same second as I said, 'I love you.' She laughed and she kissed me. The Kallisti water tower exploded. And after that, we always said 'I love you right in the face.' And bit by bit, that's how a couple gets pounded together out of two busted people.
”
”
Catherynne M. Valente (Radiance)
“
If you’re feeling stressed out, levels of cortisol and adrenaline in your blood will be high. But if you engage in some moderate physical activity, like a nice long walk, levels of those hormones will drop and you’ll likely feel better. The endorphins kicking in will lift your mood, too.
”
”
Kelly Starrett (Built to Move: The Ten Essential Habits to Help You Move Freely and Live Fully)
“
Breathe!
Researchers have found that, when your adrenaline is pumping, your brain gets
less oxygen, and that impairs your ability to reason.
When you find yourself in a conflict situation, stop talking and take a deep breath.
In fact, take several.
The simple act of breathing will get oxygen flowing to your brain cells, and will put
them back into action, so you can stop yourself from saying or doing something you
may regret later.
Ever done that? Been in a conversation that was going south and later thought
back to what you said? Did you ask yourself: “What was I thinking?” Well, science
tells us that if your adrenaline kicked in, you probably weren’t thinking—at least not
clearly.
Breathing helps you get your fight-or-flight response back in check, and returns
control to the thinking part of your brain.
”
”
Robert Dittmer (151 Quick Ideas to Improve Your People Skills)
“
Familiar adrenaline kicked in as Kimber realized just how bad of shape she was in.
”
”
Lizzy Ford (Supervillainess (Part One): A Twisted Superhero Romance)
“
Stop. This first step simply asks you to stop and pause rather than react in habitual ways. When you enter an interaction that feels challenging, work hard to stay open-minded. Open-mindedness means being open to other points of view, other ways of doing things, and staying open to changing your own view point. This might mean not allowing a certain cultural display such as a student’s animated verbal exchange trigger you. Observe. In the second step, check yourself. Don’t react to what is going on. Instead, take a breath. Use the 10-second rule. When the brain gets triggered, it takes stress hormones approximately 10 seconds to move through the body to the prefrontal cortex. In the pre-hijack stage, the biochemicals cortisol and adrenaline are just beginning to kick in. There is still some “wiggle room” to listen to your wiser self and begin using stress management techniques to interrupt the amygdala takeover effectively. Try to describe to yourself what is happening in neutral terms. It is during this step that you can recognize that what was originally perceived as a threat isn’t really. Detach. Sometimes when we get triggered, we get personally invested in being right or exercising our power over others. Deliberately shift your consciousness to more pleasant or inspirational images. If those techniques fail, go get a drink of water, literally take a few steps back to shake yourself up a bit. When we can detach from the goal of being right or defending ourselves, we can redirect our energy toward being more responsive rather than reactive. Awaken. When our amygdala reacts, it’s because we are trying to protect ourselves. Shifting focus from yourself to the other person in front of you helps you “wake up” or become present in the moment. Try to see the other person as someone with his own feelings. He might be scared and reacting out of fear. Ask yourself a few questions about the other person. What are they thinking? How are they feeling in this moment? Shifting over to their perspective will get you out of your own reactive mode and will put you in a better position to have a positive interaction.
”
”
Zaretta Lynn Hammond (Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students)
“
He raised a hand to stop the men’s forward progress, then shielded his eyes against the glare of the rising sun and waited to see if it happened again. He counted to ten and sure enough, another missile blasted over the bailey wall. “The keep is under attack!” he roared, spurring his horse forward even as his sword
rang free from the sheath. The soldiers rode at a breakneck speed, but still could not keep up with Andrew as his great stallion flew across the grassy field, kicking up a rooster tail of dirt clods in his wake. Another airborne object soared over the wall but upon drawing closer, he realized it had legs and shrieked with laughter. Andrew reined in so hard, Sgiathan reared up as he slid to a halt. The other men joined him, and all mouths dropped open in utter shock. “What new hell is this?” he swore under his breath, shaking himself again as the adrenaline rush subsided.
“Which new hell are ye referring to, Milaird? There are several, to my eyes,” Rabbie asked aloud then gave a visible start as he watched the walls of the keep. “Saints in heaven, what is that?”
“It appears to be a bairn,” Andrew said thoughtfully as yet another one went flying through the air.
”
”
Shannon MacLeod (Embrace the Lace)
“
To better understand what is happening in a newly deceased person’s body, let’s go back to you, in the hospital, or wherever you had headed to death. No matter how it happens, your body—assuming it is still intact—is now in a desperate battle for life. Immediately, triggered by chemical signals released by the body, it enters a state of severe medical shock with unconsciousness—heralding entry into the proverbial ocean of death. This illustrates how the brain automatically attempts to optimize and derive the greatest meaning for the person. It switches from what can be called “life mode” to “death mode.” As this state of medical shock worsens and the person descends further into the ocean and the heart stops and the person dies, the total loss of blood pressure, down to zero, further activates tiny receptors, which in turn trigger the brain to release even higher—mega—doses of several potent and potentially lifesaving hormones into the bloodstream. The period immediately after death is when the highest levels of adrenaline (epinephrine) are released by the body: one thousand times more than the amounts normally found in the bloodstream. As well as adrenaline, the brain also spews out steroids and other potentially lifesaving hormones, including norepinephrine and vasopressin, which work synchronously to try to raise the blood pressure by tightening blood vessels, squeezing more blood toward the heart and brain. These potentially lifesaving responses start when the blood pressure drops with medical shock but become far more vigorous in death after the heart stops. Some of these hormones also act directly on the heart by trying to stimulate it to beat again. At the same time, after detecting low oxygen levels, the brain stimulates the lungs to initiate last gasp breaths. These are called agonal breaths and are an automatic reflexive response, seen in people as they die, that can help draw more oxygen into the body. But importantly, they create a vacuum in the chest that sucks blood away from the arms, legs, and abdomen and directly toward the heart and brain, where it is needed more. This is like an army calling up its reserves in the time of war. So, as mentioned, instead of an absolute loss of activity in a linear manner from 100 to zero across the whole brain in death, we see there is a dynamic process. There is dysfunction and loss of activity across much of the brain. This in turn facilitates activity in other normally dormant parts of the brain, which are better adapted to deal with the new reality of death. Even now, the brain strives to make meaning out of this situation and its efforts are focused on kick-starting the heart back to life through autoresuscitation.
”
”
Sam Parnia (Lucid Dying: The New Science Revolutionizing How We Understand Life and Death)
“
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