EXCERPT:“Do you really think you’re going to find a way to cheat death in one of those books?” she asked, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees. He didn’t reply and she realized with a stab of outrage that he was ignoring her. Men had done a great many things in her presence over the years, but not one of them had ignored her. She frowned. “It isn’t in there,” she taunted. “Not in that book or any other.” Now he finally looked at her, his pleasant face drawn into a frown, a crease between his brows. “What isn’t in here?” “Immortality for a mortal. There’s no such thing.” He shrugged. “I’m not looking for immortality. Just a little more time. Forty, fifty years maybe,” he flashed her a brief grin, then turned back to his book. “Forty or fifty years. That’s like a drop of rain in the ocean. Why bother?” she said in disgust. “Humans are so short-sighted. Even if you find what you’re after – and you won’t – your time will still pass like the blink of an eye, and you’ll be just as frightened, just as naked, standing in front of the abyss.” He snapped his eyes back up to meet hers, annoyance clear on his face. “Helpful as this little pep talk is, maybe it can wait for another time. I’m busy.”“Well, I’m bored,” she snapped back, irritated into truth. Nothing in her millennia of doing what she did had prepared her for this kind of drawn out cat and mouse game. Caution told her to wait until this human man was easier prey, but the idea of having to bide by his schedule was galling to her. Of course, if she couldn’t bring him to the edge by sex alone, then maybe she could reel him closer with anger. She got to her feet and crossed the room until she was right beside him – too close to be ignored. “The trouble with humans,” she said, tilting her head so she could see his face, “is that you have no self control.” He sighed and finally closed the book, placing it back on the shelf. “Well, you’d be in a position to know about that, wouldn’t you?” She shrugged. “I’ve seen my share. Countless numbers of men...” His lips quirked. “Don’t you know it’s poor taste to kiss and tell?” She scowled at him. “Countless men all with the same defect. They all thought they could control what they couldn’t. They all thought that they could control me, when not one of you can even control your own impulses.” She smiled inwardly, seeing the flush on his face. “And you, you’re no different than the rest of them. Greed and impetuousness got you into this predicament, and now your own lack of control will be your final downfall.” His lips tightened and she braced for it. He was going to strike out at her, and then she’d have him. One passion would lead to another. Anger would give way to lust in a landslide and she’d finish him off. Except that he didn’t try to strike her. He reached out and grabbed her roughly by both shoulders. He pulled the neck of her robe open and down, drawing it tight around her upper arms so that they were pinned to her sides. Then he leaned in, his mouth stopping just a hair’s breadth over the skin of her neck, so that she could feel his warm breath stir the hairs there. “Control?” he whispered softly, and the nearness and heat of him sent a shiver down her spine before she could stop it. “And you’re sure you have so much of that?” TO MY READER: I really loved the idea of two characters who aren't what anyone would call altruistic, but who end up bringing out the best in each other against all the odds -- and creating plenty of heat along the way.