Seducing the Dragon (Stonefire Dragons 2)

Would the truth really work, even with the fierce man currently glaring down at her? Or would it push him away, dismissing her problem as none of his concern?

Considering she was trapped on the dragon-shifter’s land with no allies, it wasn’t like she had a choice. If she didn’t tell him, he would probably kick her off Stonefire’s land and right into the hands of the dragon hunters. The British government hadn’t taken her seriously before about the death threats, and most certainly wouldn’t now. She wouldn’t have anyone to protect her.

Yet if she told Bram, then maybe, just maybe, he would help her; at least, if she were honest.

She had only one choice, really, and taking a deep breath, she tried to figure out what to say that would convince the dragonman not to instantly hand her over to the dragon hunters.

~~~

Bram could smell Evie’s fear but he wasn’t sure if it was for him or for the dragon hunters. From what he’d seen of the human so far, he’d guess the second. Yet she’d been lying to him since she’d stepped foot on his land, so who knew; she could be more afraid of him.

His dragon pushed forth in his mind. She is afraid. Not of us. Help her.

He wanted to ask how the bloody hell his dragon knew she was in trouble, but while he trusted his dragon with his life, his beast didn’t like giving details.

Still, even if she were afraid of the dragon hunters, she needed to tell him the truth or he’d boot her off his land and ask for another inspector.

His dragon growled. Don’t do that.

Before he could tell his other half to shut up yet again, Evie took a deep breath and he focused on her words as she said, “I requested to be transferred here from London so I could ask for your help.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Why would you do that instead of asking your human government for help?”

“I already tried, but they won’t help me without more proof. Rather than risk getting killed while I did that, seducing you seemed like the better option.”

Bram frowned. “Seduce me? Lass, you’d better start at the beginning and get to the point. I have a dragon hunter to question.”

Her eyes widened. “One of them is here?”

He grabbed her arms and instantly regretted it as her soft, smooth skin sent a thrill through his body. This close, Evie’s scent was a mixture of woman and something wild, and he’d been trying to ignore it for the last five minutes. But with the combination of her skin under his hands, his cock was very much standing at attention.

If that wasn’t bad enough, Evie continued to stare into his eyes as the scent of her arousal reached his nose.

His inner beast went crazy, and said, See. She is not afraid of us. She wants us. Help her and then fuck her.

Bloody hell, what was wrong with him? He hadn’t been this randy since he’d been a lad of twenty. She was just a woman, for fuck’s sake, and he could have his pick.

Growling again, his inner beast hissed out, Don’t push her away. She is different.

Okay, he had no fucking idea what that was supposed to mean.

He pushed both his dragon and his lust aside to focus back on protecting his clan. “Start talking, Evie. Now.”

“Let me go first.”

Rather than argue and waste more time, he released her and crossed his arms over his chest again. “Now talk.”

A defiant glint flashed in her eyes, but thankfully, the female had some sense and she started talking, “Over the last few months, the dragon hunters have been targeting DDA employees. And anyone who doesn’t listen to their ‘warning’, which is more a death threat and being shot at, ends up dead.”

This was the first he’d heard of this. From here on out, he would have his people monitor the human news channels more closely. “Wait, why? The dragon hunters want us and our blood; humans have nothing to offer them.” She raised an eyebrow, as if to call him out on his claim, but he didn’t back down. “Your blood can’t heal diseases and be sold on the black market.”

“You’re supposed to be clever, Bram. We have value, more than you think. What do you think would happen if more DDA inspectors were killed and people stopped volunteering for the job?”

It was the first time she’d said his name, and the way her London accent rolled over his name pleased him.

Focus, oh, great leader, focus. He could just demand the answer from her, but for some odd reason, he wanted her to see he had a brain.

Then it hit him why the inspectors could be targets. “Without you and your coworkers, the human sacrifice system would cease to be. Without human females, our numbers would dwindle again.”