Ayano Yamane

Gah - another cliffhanger!! You're killing me, Smalls! Sex is the only thing that helps Tajaba remember Asami, but his body is weakening due to witvseawal. Asami makes a deal with the mysterious Maxim to get the antidote to the drug Takaba was brainwashed with. Only, Maxim ends up hostage to the mad scientist who demands Alec betray Asami and bring Takaba to him. Fei Long and Mikhail come along for another raid...all three in dapper suits at a dangerous party. Asami will do anything to make show more Takaba safe, but an enemy will do anything to kill him & Asami. The fate of all our "heroes" is left hanging after an explosion!

This volume expands on the plot a lot, revealing enemies and motivations. Frenemies Fei Long and Asami continue to be delightful, and Asami's love for Takaba has become obvious. He even admits to going soft! The volune has 2 bonus stories: the first provides background on Asami, Alec and Maxim (setting up a relationship between Macim and Alec) and a cute, sexy story where humanity suddenly develops rabbit ears & tails - and Takaba and Asami get horny about it. This continues to be my favorite Yaoi series. show less

Akihito unintentionally comes into possession of a data disk that everyone wants. Thinking it must be bad, he wipes the data. When Fei Long comes looking for the information, he kidnaps Akihito’s friends to pressure him to get the information from Asami. Takaba goes to Asami for help and is rebuffed. What follows is a truly steamy sex scene between the two and Asami drugging Takaba afterwards to keep him from finding Fei Long. Only, Takaba is stubborn and goes after his friends. The show more Mangaka goes to a new level with this volume and introduces a gripping story arc that will span multiple book and force the evolution of their relationship: The Arc of Truth. The two groups go head-to-head in a shoot-out, with Fei Long and Asami both injured and Akihito trapped in the middle. Fei Long escapes to Hong Kong, but he takes Akihito as a hostage.

Though I really enjoyed the direction the story turns, I found this volume a trifle disappointing with about a third taken up by a side story with different characters. The high quality from SuBlime is still evident in this volume, with color insert and the deluxe edition bonus Finder story at the end. The closing story is a sexy, cute story of Akihito prank calling Asami while drunk on New Year’s and the consequences of interrupting Asami’s sleep. A solid entry in the series, but I hope future volumes cut out the side stuff. show less

Akihito has moved in with Asami, but is still insecure about what he means to the powerful underworld boss. His doubts intensify when, while on a stakeout, he sees a man crying and clinging to Asami’s arm. Asami must have had other lovers before him, but does he still? And then there’s the mysterious Kuroda, who calls Asami by his first name. Where exactly does Akihito fit in?

V7 marks the start of a new multi-volume arc: Pray the Abyss. Akihito takes a picture that causes a domino effect show more starting with a missing hostess, a shipment of stolen goods and a political scandal. The crying man turns out to be Sudo, the manager of one of Asami’s clubs, who has screwed up royally when a side deal he was making goes south after Akihito’s photos are published. Akihito feels responsible for the missing girl and begins searching for her. He will cross paths with Sudo, who is both jealous and repulsed by Akihito’s relationship with Asami. He throws fuel on the fire of Akihito’s doubts, until Asami discovers why he’s been so upset.

The new storyline is very promising, with shady new characters introduced, a mysterious shipment and Akihito once again in the middle of a mess he doesn’t understand. Akihito must make a hard choice on whether to distance himself or fall deeper into Asami’s dark world. This volume was thrilling, with lots of hot sex between Asami and Akihito. I cannot wait for more. show less

At the end of Volume 3, Asami was shot protecting Takaba. Fei Long was also shot, and escaped taking Takaba to Hong Kong as a hostage. V4 picks up in Hong Kong where Fei Long is recovering, and has just been reminded he has a prisoner. This story is much darker. Akihito is held prisoner by Fei Long, who has threatened to drug and sell him to a brothel if Akihito doesn’t please him. Akihito submits to Fei Long (still rape, obviously), but searches for ways to escape; all while worrying that show more Asami may have been killed. Much of the story takes place in Hong Kong as we follow Takaba’s sad state and his guilt and remorse over acting impulsively and putting Asami in danger. There is a lot of action and plot advancement in this book, but also a great deal of character development. Fei Long has a young ward, a small boy, who is instrumental in showing Fei Long has a heart and that Takaba does not deserve to be treated as a pawn.

Overall, this was a gripping read that I could not put down. Asami has come to Hong Kong just in time for a valuable casino deed to be stolen from Fei Long. Asami wants revenge on Fei Long and to take back Akihito, and Fei Long is trying to keep everything from spiraling out of his control. When Asami ends up with the deed, he agrees to an exchange with Fei Long. It all comes to a head on one of Fei Long’s casino ships. Unfortunately, another dangerous player enters the game at just the wrong moment. Akihito disappears and Asami and Fe Long come face to face. The plot ends on a cliffhanger, and the book closes with two Finder stories. An interlude between Asami and Akihito (hot sex!) and an alternate reality story as the deluxe bonus where Akihito runs an agency and Asami and Fei Long work for him as secret agents!

This volume was fast paced, the unfolding story was exciting with tons of intrigue. I loved it. This was also another beautiful edition from SuBlime, with a lovely full color insert. show less