The Dragon Master

by Allyson James

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  The Dragon Master

  By

  Allyson James

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  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

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  "DRAGON FANS REJOICE�"

  * Praise for the series by Allyson James

  THE BLACK DRAGON

  "One of my favorite authors. A unique and magical urban paranormal with dragons, witches, and demons. Will keep you enthralled until the very last word!"

  �Cheyenne McCray, USA Today bestselling author of Forbidden Magic

  "Tasty and tempting reading! HOT."

  �Romantic Times

  "Begins with a bang and the action never lets up, not for one single, solitary, wonderful moment. I devoured this book in just a few hours� So overwhelming that I couldn't even consider putting this book down. The story is unusual, wonderfully original, and filled with intriguing characters� Dragons, magic, and a fight to save the world�Allyson James has a winning combination that makes The Black Dragon a story to remember!"

  �Romance Reader at Heart

  "A book destined to leave a smile on your face and dragons in your dreams. Get your copy today."

  �Romance Reviews Today

  "[Allyson James] keeps the sexual tension up to the point of boiling� Such an incredible talent."

  �Two Lips Reviews

  DRAGON HEAT

  "A new series filled with magic, humor, and excitement. Exciting and passionate, this story is gripping from beginning to end."

  �Romantic Times

  "[A] delightful romantic fantasy� A fun tale of life between a mortal and her dragon."

  �The Best Reviews

  "Ms. James's imaginative story is exceptionally intriguing� Highly sensual."

  �The Eternal Night

  "This story has a wonderful fairy-tale feel about it. Allyson James does an outstanding job of creating and bringing these mystical creatures to life with characteristics and emotions that you can't help but fall deeply in love with; even the so-called evil black dragon with his cocky, bad-boy qualities will make the reader hum in pleasure and clamor for his story."

  �Two Lips Reviews

  "A sexy, funny romantic romp� A truly mesmerizing read. The chemistry between Caleb and Lisa is searing and the love scenes are wonderfully entertaining."

  �Romance Reader at Heart

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  Berkley Sensation Titles by Allyson James

  DRAGON HEAT

  THE BLACK DRAGON

  THE DRAGON MASTER

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  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  375 Hudson Street, New York. New York 10014, USA

  Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinlon Avenue East, Suite 700 Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada

  (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)

  Penguin Books Ltd.. 80 Strand, London WC2R ORL, England

  Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.)

  Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road. Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia

  (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.)

  Penguin Books India Pvt. Lid., 11 Community Centre. Panehsheel Park, New Delhi�110 017. India

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  (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.)

  Penguin Books (South Africa) (Ply.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue. Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196.

  South Africa

  Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R ORL, England

  This is a work of fiction Names, characters, place's. and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  THE DRAGON MASTER

  A Berkley Sensation Book / published by arrangement with the author

  PRINTING HISTORY

  Berkley Sensation mass-market edition / November 2008

  Copyright � 2008 by Jennifer Ashley.

  Excerpt from Mortal Temptations copyright 2008 by Jennifer Ashley.

  Cover art by Aleta Rafton.

  Cover design by George Long.

  Cover hand lettering by Ron Zinn.

  Interior text design by Laura K. Corlcss.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group.

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

  Hudson Street. New York. New York 10014.

  ISBN: 978-0-425-22471-7

  BERKLEY� SENSATION

  Berkley Sensation Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group.

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

  Hudson Street, New York. New York 10014.

  BERKLEY SENSATION and the "B" design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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  This book is dedicated to Hannah, our friend of twenty years who passed away

  during the writing of this book. Thank you for all the joy, love, and laughter.

  * * *

  Chapter One

  He didn't know where he was, or who he was, or why he was. He stood upright in a naked human body in a dark, cold place that smelled metallic, damp, and oily.

  The only light came from a crude lamp set high on a wall, a flickering orb surrounded by insects craving brightness. He didn't blame them. A few moments ago, his world had been one of heat and light and now he stood in terrifying cold and darkness.

  The dim light showed dirty walls and hard stones with letters scrawled beside a solid door. For some reason he could read the letters, though they made no sense to him.

  MING UE'S DIM SUM.

  He went toward the windowless door, the dragon magic tangled across it nauseating him. He had been summoned by a Dragon Master once before, long, long ago, and he tasted the rage of it still.

  He moved along the wall to the door, his bare feet aching from the sharp pebbles strewn across the ground.

  He heard voices coming from behind the door, and he cocked his head to listen�

  "I won't do it, and that is my final word."

  Tiny Ming Ue stood with her back straight, hands on her cane, eyes flashing black fire.

  Carol clenched her
well-manicured hands and tried not to lose her temper. Ming Ue was half Carol's size and wrinkled and gray, but she wielded all the power in the room, and she knew it.

  Ming Ue's nephew Shaiming quietly sipped tea at another table in the closed restaurant. He pretended to be absorbed in his cup, but the twitch of his eyes betrayed his interest.

  Carol dropped her voice to reasonable tones, the ones that persuaded hard-hearted venture capitalists in the financial district to sign fortunes over to her. "It won't be much of a change, Grandmother. You'll be doing the same things, and I know you'll welcome the help."

  "I don't need any help. I've run this restaurant for thirty years, not to mention raising you nearly all that time. Your mother entrusted you to me when she died, and this is the thanks I get."

  Ming Ue spoke in her sharp Cantonese, the language with which she bullied the great and terrible. Carol loved her grandmother, but sometimes her stubborn insistence in clinging to the old ways drove her crazy.

  "All I ask is that you add a few things to the menu to bring it in line with our other restaurants."

  "Your other restaurants. I let you run those as you please, but you will not turn my dim sum house into an over-Americanized, make-believe Chinese tourist trap. My dim sum is the best in San Francisco�the best in California. People come from all over to try it."

  It was true that the restaurant with its plain cream-colored walls and small tables did attract those who wanted to try real dim sum. The only pictures on the walls were artful cut-paper dragons and flowers, and the tablecloths were all bright red, a lucky color.

  Unfortunately, nowadays people expected more flash and glamour in a restaurant, and the many-times washed white plates and dim sum cart with the squeaky wheel didn't quite measure up.

  "Grandmother, please be realistic. You're losing business here. If we don't modernize the menu, we'll never raise the customer base. And with a manager�one you'll supervise, of course�you'll be able to take it easy. Maybe even retire and look in on the restaurant when you want to."

  "Retire?" Ming Ue screeched, and Carol realized she'd miscalculated. "I'm only seventy-six years old, why should I retire?" She jabbed her cane at Carol. "You are a smart young woman, and I love you, but I will not let you turn my restaurant into no better than a fast-food joint. I own Ming Ue's, not you."

  Carol closed her mouth in frustration. She'd built her portfolio to great heights by knowing when to stop arguing with difficult investors, but Ming Ue always seemed to win. Business at Ming Ue's had slacked to almost half in the last six months, never mind how much lucky magic her grandmother claimed had seeped into the restaurant's walls.

  Dragon magic, Ming Ue said. The luckiest kind of all.

  Shaiming, only drank his tea, knowing better than to get involved in an argument between the women of his family.

  "All right, Grandmother," Carol said, trying to sound reasonable. "We'll talk about it later. I have an important meeting first thing in the morning, so I'll go on home."

  Carol would bring over the proposed changes to the restaurant after lunch, when Ming Ue was sure to be full of tea, dim sum, and happiness. Lunch drew the best crowd, and Ming Ue was always content after chatting with her regulars.

  "You do that," Ming Ue said with a scowl.

  Carol turned away. Back off now, save up arguments for later, that was the way to win over a reluctant client.

  "And you'll not make me change my mind!" Ming Ue shouted after her. Carol rolled her eyes. She walked out of the restaurant, very carefully not slamming the door behind her.

  Carol made herself feel better by muttering very unprofessional curses under her breath as she made for her car parked a little way down the alley. She wasn't afraid to be out here alone�no one with any sense would bother the alley behind Ming Ue's. Whether it was lucky magic or Ming Ue's iron personality, thieves and those who extorted "protection" from small businesses steered clear.

  She fished for her keys, still fuming. The investors she'd meet with tomorrow were enthusiastic about taking Ming Ue's restaurants nationwide but worried about the low profits of the original restaurant. If Carol could persuade them she could turn Ming Ue's around and show them her detailed outline to do so, she could save the day.

  She heard a step behind her, but she didn't turn.

  "She'll be all right, Shaiming," she said, assuming her mother's cousin had come out to try placation. "I won't push her too hard, I know her health is frail, no matter what she says."

  Another footstep, and no answer. Shaiming was ordinarily quiet but the silence behind her made the hairs on the back of her neck prickle. She turned around.

  A tall man she'd never seen before stood directly behind her. The streetlight at the end of the alley glinted on red hair, night-dark eyes, and the gleam of naked muscle. He was huge and powerfully built, his shoulders massive, pectorals hard and flat. He also wasn't wearing a stitch of clothing.

  Carol dragged in a breath to shout for help, but he put his hands on her shoulders and shoved her back against the car. He smelled like wind, sweat, and clean air, and he was enormously strong.

  Carol fumbled in her purse and whipped her canister of pepper spray in front of the man's face. He knocked it out of her hand, and the stray squirt she managed to get off didn't seem to affect him in the slightest.

  His eyes were pools of shadow, black all the way across, and a tangle of red hair framed a harsh, hard face. "Why did you Summon me?"

  "What? Let go of me."

  He shook her. "I smell your power. Great power." His hands hurt her wrists, but his eyes were full of fear. "I won't serve you."

  She had no idea what he meant. She only knew that he was strong enough to snuff her life out if he wanted without breaking a sweat.

  Still, a spark in his eyes seemed to call to something deep inside herself. She felt that thing within stir and respond, and the spark flickered. He tilted his head in surprise and studied her, in a manner that reminded her of someone she couldn't think of right now.

  The alley flooded with sudden light, and Ming Ue marched into the glare with Shaiming close behind.

  "You there. Leave her alone."

  "Grandmother, go back inside! Call the police."

  "Release her, now!" Ming Ue struck the ground with her cane, a tiny thunder crack that echoed up and down the alley.

  The red-haired man stared at Ming Ue and abruptly let go of Carol. Carol slid out from under him and dashed back to Ming Ue.

  The man faced them in the floodlight's bright circle.

  Except for his mane of wild hair and his not-right eyes he had a perfect male body, like a sculpture come alive. Every limb rippled with muscle, perfectly proportioned and raw with strength. His phallus, as proportionate as the rest of him, hung heavily from a thatch of red hair.

  Ming Ue regarded him without fear. "Who are you?" He only looked back at her, dark eyes glittering under the light. He made no move to run away or to attack, he simply watched the three of them huddled together with the wariness of an animal.

  "Grandmother, we should call the police." "No, we shouldn't. I've already called Malcolm." Malcolm was a tall man with black hair and silver eyes on whom Ming Ue doted, claiming he had powerful and lucky magic. Ming Ue also claimed Malcolm was a dragon. Malcolm did have strength, both physically and in personality, Carol couldn't deny that. She'd be thrilled right now to have his bulk between her and the large man in the alley.

  Ming Ue jabbed her cane toward the red-haired man. "This is a dragon, Li Mei," she said, calling Carol by the pet name she'd gone by as a little girl. "I don't know what kind, but he obviously has no idea where he is or why he's here."

  The old human woman unnerved him far more than the other two�the silent man and the young woman who smelled so good. When he'd had the young woman's body under his for a few seconds, he'd had the strangest and strongest feeling that she belonged there.

  As his mind cleared he'd realized that this was the human world, and that he'd re
sponded to the binding call of a very powerful witch or a Dragon Master.

  Which of them had called him? The old woman glittered with power but not enough to trap a dragon. The man had only a glimmer of magic. There was a deep glow inside the young woman, a flame she hid, something enormously powerful. But when she'd looked at him with her soft, dark eyes, he'd seen nothing of the arrogance of a Dragon Master, no evil.

  Of course the three of them could have banded together, pooling their talents to bring him here. Enslaving him�

  He balled his fists and took a step forward. He shouldn't understand the human speak of this time and place, but magic had quickly adapted his senses.

  "Why do you want me?"

  "We don't," the old woman said. "What's your name?"

  She didn't mean his true name. She meant, What should we call you ?

  Other dragons gave themselves human-sounding names, but fire dragons never did. They rarely interacted with other dragons, or even with their own kind. They lived in blissful solitude until they chose to mate, then they knew their mates so well, bound in thought and body, that there was no need for names.

  "This one is different," the old woman said to the other two. "Not like Caleb or Malcolm."

  "I can see that," the young woman replied. She was nervous and afraid, yet her voice was strong.

  "What kind of dragon are you?" the old woman asked.

  "A great one, obviously."

  The fire dragon simply looked at her without answering. If they didn't know what kind of dragon they'd called, it was their own fault. They should be slaves to him, not the other way around.