BLACK’S MAGIC-Cynthia Rayne

Siren Publishing - www.SirenPublishing.com

ISBN-10: 1-933563-71-0

June 2007

Erotic Paranormal Romance-Short Story

Sensuality Rating: Scorching

London, England- Present Day

Rowena Black is a sorcerer trained by The Alliance, leaders in the witch community, to hunt and extinguish the magical abilities of warlocks throughout the world thereby leaving them powerless. One night, Rowena does this to a young warlock who is apprenticed to Vayne Thorne.  Rowena and Vayne are old nemesis who have crossed paths countless times before. Because they are evenly matched in magical abilities, their fights often ends in a draw and both sexually aroused.  After another tussle, Vayne is left with a permanent scar down his cheek, courtesy of Rowena, and Vayne puts a bounty out on her.

Warlocks also have the power to take away a witch’s magical abilities. Vayne, upset at Rowena for disfiguring him, wants to now make her his sex slave. Although Rowena does feel a twinge of fear after hearing about the bounty put out on her, she knows she should not have scarred Vayne, but she won’t be cowed. Then the Alliance comes up with a plan that turns Rowena’s world upside down.

BLACK’S MAGIC starts out strong, but loses it way half way through before finally finding its momentum again.  Rowena is strong, sarcastic, and ends up sacrificing a lot for the greater cause. Readers will immediately like her, be intrigued by Vayne and will want to see them together. However, Ms. Rayne makes a decision that makes an already complicated situation more complicated, and it feels unnecessarily like introducing another love interest for Rowena when it is obvious who she belongs with. Also, if you like descriptive love scenes, BLACK’S MAGIC might not be for you.

Ms. Rayne shows great promise as a writer and I look forward to her future books.

Nickole Yarbrough