San Francisco and Oakland, California and Dragonspace - Present Day

It has been eight months since Malcolm, a black dragon who can take human form, went back to Dragonspace leaving Saba Watanabe behind. Though their meeting back then didn’t occur in ideal circumstances, Malcolm needed Saba to use her powers as a witch to help him, so he bound her and forced her to help him. There were some compensations, though; he repaid her with pleasure, extreme pleasure that left her dreaming of him, even now, months after he cut their bond. Saba is determined to forget about him, though, right up until she’s attacked on the train by a white dragon. Using the dragon tears Malcolm left her, she calls for his help.

Malcolm is a black dragon and guardian of the dragon archives. His breed is known for their lack of emotion, love of solitude, and disdain for other creatures, as well as tremendous intelligence. He shouldn’t be so eager to help Saba. But the reality is, he owes her one, and besides, he needs her help; his great strength is fading and, well, he’d also like her to find his mate. I’m guessing Saba won’t be thrilled about that last part.

The last time this pair spent time together, they confronted a very powerful and not very nice witch, demons, and a runaway barge. Of course, there was also the small matter of Saba almost dying. A girl’s gotta wonder, what the heck is going to happen this time around?

The second book in the Dragon series, THE BLACK DRAGON nevertheless stands alone quite well. I’ve been waiting impatiently for this book, and I’ve got to say, it was well worth the wait. Saba is beautiful, fierce, and quite a strong witch; she also has extreme computer skills. She’s willing to accept Malcolm’s help to find out what the white dragon wants and to destroy him if necessary, but his attempted seduction is a big no-no. She’s determined to keep this black dragon from sneaking any further into her heart. Though the white dragon and the aid Malcolm needs from Saba are supposed to be his only reasons for aiding her, there’s more to it than that. He missed her in Dragonspace, longed for her so much that sometimes he couldn’t even concentrate on his studies (a very rare occurrence for any black dragon). He’s determined that, like it or not, she will accept him back into her life, and her bed. When a being as intelligent, stubborn, and inherently sexy as Malcolm sets his mind on a woman, I’ve got to say, I can’t think of anyone who could resist him. Saba doesn’t have a chance of winning this battle of wills.

Allyson James has never written a book yet that lacks secondary characters who contribute great things and make you want to learn more about them; THE BLACK DRAGON is no exception. Lisa (silver dragon) and Caleb (gold dragon) are back from DRAGON HEAT (July 2007), as are Ming Ue (restaurant owner and wise woman), Lumi Juan (Ming Ue’s grandson -- the poor thing groans on seeing Malcolm is back; he knows he’s trouble). There are some new secondary characters as well: Axel, an imp, he seems like a dangerous sort, definitely the kind of guy you want on your side; Metz, Malcolm’s assistant in Dragonspace, he’s an interesting fellow; Saba’s friend Mamie, a certified matchmaker, I hope someday she finds her own match; Annie, a new witch with a bit of an inferiority complex, and Rhoda, a witch with ties to the white dragon.

What are the feelings that Saba and Malcolm share? Love, lust, or a delightfully heady mix of the two? Whatever they are, combined with all of the other fantastic elements in THE BLACK DRAGON, they make this a book destined to leave a smile on your face and dragons in your dreams. Get your copy today.

Lori Ann