"Legitimate business, huh?" she replied, pleased to hear the cynicism in her own words. "I didn't think you even knew what that was, Ry. What do you need?"

Ruthie firmly ignored the dark, wicked look in his eyes, which clearly stated that he wanted her, that he had a million naughty suggestions to her standard offer of help. She glared at him, letting her temper rise to the surface.

It would be far safer for them both if she stayed angry with him, not flirting or let him realize just how badly she wanted him, even more desperately so since that fateful night at the ball.

Besides, a quick fling was not her style when it came to vampires. Too many times she had seen her friends have a "fling" with a vampire and for he-or she-to move on and her friend spiral into a depression over how no one else could ever match up.

She might be merely mortal and mostly human, but her parents had both been Force members as well as mercs in their time. They had trained her for as long as she could remember in the art of protecting her mind from outside telepathy, friendly or not.

Ruthie was not worried in the slightest about whether her mind or heart would be open to a vampire. It was her soul she worried about, particularly when she thought of how addictive vampire s.e.x could become if one were weak enough to overindulge.

Everyone knew what s.e.xual creatures vampires were, and how they were brilliant for a night or two, but one could become addicted to the pleasure they could bring. In her saner moments, Ruthie knew she didn't want to taste something that good for a night, only to hunger for it forever afterwards.

Yet for the first time in all the years she had known him, Rylan seemed to be almost serious, not the usual joking, h.o.r.n.y young vampire he usually paraded as a facade.

Curiously entranced, Ruthie watched him warily.

She had seen Rylan in hundreds of different moods over the last number of years, most of them some variation of teasing or flirty. A serious Rylan looked almost broodingly handsome, far more potent and dangerous to her peace of mind than the normal flirty, devil-may-care vampire.

"I need your help in tracking down Gavreel," he said, slowly, carefully and excruciatingly serious.

Ruthie felt her stomach sink, and she knew she had an upset expression on her face. There was no way Rylan was teasing, yanking her chain or lying to her. For starters it would be far, far too easy for her to check everything out with his twin, Simeon, or their elder brother Michael.

Neither was there a chance she could turn Rylan away out of hand. If the Montague sire was truly missing then she owed it not only to Rylan and his siblings to help out in every way possible, but she was also d.a.m.nably fond of the old man himself.

Ruthie felt her head lighten. The crushing knowledge she would be working a case in close contact with Rylan Montague, playboy extraordinaire and s.e.xpot wet dream of every woman in the known lower hemisphere, threatened to drown her for a moment.

Worse came the knowledge she could not in good faith turn him away. If Gavreel Montague were missing, she would simply have to work the case, which would mean a lot more time spent with the intoxicatingly wonderful Rylan Montague.

Ruthie tried to breathe evenly and deeply, to stave off the dizzying sense of a hyperventilating panic attack she could feel creeping up on her. She couldn't think of a more painful torture than to work with and look, but not touch, taste or tease this vampire in front of her.

And worse, she couldn't afford to let him see the faintest c.h.i.n.k in her armor, or they would both be sunk as Rylan had made it more than perfectly clear on many an occasion he was more than up for a roll in the sack.

Ruthie carefully and surrept.i.tiously breathed deeply, using sheer force of will to get rid of the flighty panic building up in her. When she had regained a small measure of control, she nibbled her lower lip, debated silently for a split second just how smart it would be to take the case on.

After less than a minute, she sighed and began typing up the initial client details.

There was no way in h.e.l.l she could turn Rylan down. Avoid him and tease him she might, but he was her friend, as were Michael and Simeon.

Gavreel, himself, was a wonderful man and had helped her out with her research on occasion. She would have to work her way through this, unable to even bear the thought of putting one of her a.s.sociates on the case.

Barely even looking at her keypad, she opened a new file.

Client: Rylan Montague Case: Searching for Gavreel Montague, Sire Details: Ruthie paused, letting the cursor flash for a moment. She looked up, her green eyes clashing with his gorgeous, much darker brown ones. She had a flicker of annoyance, but resigned herself to spending the next few days, or maybe weeks, in close contact with the one vampire she didn't trust herself to resist.

"Tell me about the case, absolutely everything you know," she started in her clipped working voice. "We'll move from there."

Ruthie began to type as Rylan spoke.

About the Author.

Elizabeth Lapthorne is an Aussie girl, born, bred and living in Melbourne, Victoria. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Melbourne University and wrote her first story while looking for a job. Two and a half years later, with a Research position in a lovely company and seven published works, Elizabeth is still slightly dazed at how everything fell into place.

She had written a well-received series about the Rutledge Werewolves, and is often amused at fans/reviewers commenting on how "popular" her series is. Very recently she started to tell people about her writing career and even confessed to her parents (though she did chicken out with the explanation of what "Romantica" is). She still finds it incredibly strange to be able to order paperbacks written by herself, and is shaking with nerves at what the h.e.l.l she'll write when finally asked for her first autograph.

Elizabeth is completely addicted to Tim Tams and chocolate, and barely ever goes a day without one or the other. She loves email, is a self confessed bookaholic, and has been known to buy books instead of food for herself, much to the teasing of her brothers and good friends.

She was astonished recently to be asked to do an interview...and spent a long time chewing over her responses. She loves people and adores going out for a girl's night for nachos and margaritas (unless she's designated driver, and then she eats chocolate mousse for dessert instead).

Elizabeth welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

Also by Elizabeth Lapthorne

Behind the Mask anthology Bonded for Eternity Desperate and Dateless Ellora's Cavemen: Legendary Tails I anthology Lion In Love Merc and Her Men Payback Rutledge Werewolves 1: Scent of Pa.s.sion Rutledge Werewolves 2: Hide and Seek Rutledge Werewolves 3: The Mating Game Rutledge Werewolves 4: My Heart's Pa.s.sion Rutledge Werewolves 5: Chasing Love