Dragon Lovers

Dragons may rival vampires as a popular fantasy motif and, like vampires, the mythical beasts can provide a theme for romance as well. These four original paranormal novellas mix the two genres, but are far more romantic than fantastic. All the heroines are strong, brave, smart, independent and beautiful, and each finds a manly-but-tender soul mate with whom she will live happily ever after. The ritual role of an official, if ceremonial, Sacrificial Virgin Princess turns dangerously real in bestseller Beverley's "The Dragon and the Virgin Princess," when a dragon-riding foreigner claims her as his bride. Set in a mythical medieval England, bestseller Putney's "The Dragon and the Dark Knight" features a hero who discovers that slaying dragons is the last thing he wants to do. Though fantasy fans will find these novellas far too frothy, romance lovers with a fondness for fire-breathers will be delighted. (Mar.)