Seducing the Dragon (Stonefire Dragons #2) Read online

Evie nodded. “Right, till tonight then.”

  She turned before Bram could say anything else and decided what the hell; she should make an impression. She carefully swayed her hips as she made her way across the floor. It was ridiculous, but she swore she could feel his eyes on her quite sizable arse.

  Maybe, despite the rough start, she had a chance after all.

  Chapter Two

  If Evie’s newfound hope at maybe succeeding with Bram wasn’t enough, she didn’t stumble or trip over her heels the entire way to Melanie Hall’s house.

  Even if she had, it wasn’t like her assigned guard would have noticed. After asking to see Melanie, the dragonman had just kept walking, expecting her to follow. But he looked young, maybe twenty, and all dragon-shifter males were broody and irritable at that age. After all, according to her textbooks, that was when their inner dragons started demanding sex on a more regular basis.

  Dacian stopped in front of a two-story stone cottage with what she assumed were bushes in front of it. Having spent a good chunk of her life in London, Evie was no gardener, but the vegetation was definitely wild.

  Since her brain always did that, fluttered about from one topic to the next, she merely brushed it aside and knocked on the door. A few seconds later, it opened to reveal yet another tall, muscled dragonman holding a baby.

  Really, did all of the dragon-shifter males around Stonefire go around carrying babies?

  As he glared down at her, the male patted the small baby’s back, as if he were burping the little one, and growled before saying, “I don’t know who you are and I don’t like it.”

  This dragonman’s accent was purely from the North, unlike Bram’s. “I’m Evie Marshall with the Department of Dragon Affairs. Your clan leader should have notified you of my upcoming visit. Is Melanie around?”

  “Melanie is busy. You can wait out here until she’s done.”

  If she thought Bram had stoked her temper, this man had done it with a handful of sentences. Luckily, she didn’t need to try to seduce him, so she put on her take-no-shit attitude and said, “Look, I get that you might not like me. Most dragon-shifters don’t like the DDA, but it’s my job to make sure Melanie Hall is well and I’m not leaving until I see her. Now, where is she?”

  Before the dragonman could reply, a female voice drifted down the stairs behind him. “Tristan, who’s there? Is it the DDA?”

  So, he’d known full well who she was. Well, if he was going to play games, so would she. She shouted loud enough that the woman would be able to hear her. “Yes, I’m Evie Marshall. Can you tell your dragonman to let me in?”

  There was a snort from Dacian’s general direction, but when she glanced over, he had the same expressionless face as before.

  Tristan said, “Shut it, Dacian, or I’ll tell all of the young females you have herpes. Then you’d only have your hand for relief, and it would get quite tired before long.”

  Evie blinked and looked back to the dragonman with the baby, but he was still burping the little one with his hardass expression unchanged.

  Before Dacian could reply, thuds sounded down the stairs at the same time as the American female voice said, “Tristan, move and let her in.”

  After one more good glare, Tristan stepped aside to reveal a smiling, short woman wearing loose clothing with another baby in her arms.

  Melanie put out her hand and Evie took it to shake. As Melanie dropped her hand, she said, “Sorry about Tristan. The babies are barely a month old, and to say he is protective would be an understatement.”

  Tristan stepped closer to Melanie. As the other woman leaned against her dragon-shifter, a surge of jealousy shot through Evie; due to the death threats and the dragon hunters, she’d accepted she’d never have that kind of closeness, but sometimes she wished it could be different.

  Rather than think of what she couldn’t change, Evie focused back on the present. “While Skyhunter never had a human sacrifice stay on after a birth, the male dragon-shifters were always protective of their young.” She tilted her head. “May I come in?”

  Melanie stared at her a second, assessing her, before she nodded. “Sure, follow me.” Melanie looked to Tristan. “Could you make us some tea, love?”

  He grunted and nodded. With one last glare in Evie’s direction, he disappeared into the house.

  As Evie followed Melanie down the hall, she heard the front door close behind her. A quick look told her that Dacian must be waiting outside.

  Evie stumbled and turned her head back around. She definitely needed to watch where she was going. Her poor feet didn’t need any extra abuse today.

  As they entered the living room, Melanie plopped down in an overstuffed armchair and Evie took the couch across from her. Before she could ask a question, Melanie said, “I’ve never seen a DDA inspector wear such a tight skirt, let alone unbutton her blouse down to her cleavage.”

  Evie blinked. “Pardon me?”

  Melanie placed a pillow under her arm holding the sleeping infant. “Most inspectors dress overly conservative to avoid any extra notice. Wearing clothes like yours will make the men drool, and as far as I understand it, you’ll be dismissed the instant you have sex with a dragon-shifter. So, I’m guessing there’s a reason for you dressing that way, am I right?”

  Evie had heard the rumors about Melanie Hall being observant and forward, but the woman’s accuracy made her uneasy. If she could guess Evie had a second motive from a mere glance, what else could the woman guess after an entire conversation?

  Evie would just need to be careful. “I’m not here to discuss my wardrobe or the rules of the DDA. I’m here to see how you’re doing and to investigate Caitriona Belmont’s death.”

  At the mention of the dead woman’s name, sadness filled Melanie’s eyes. “Cait died in childbirth. I’m not sure what there is to investigate.”

  The genuine sorrow in Melanie’s voice eased some of her irritation at the woman’s earlier words. “There were some concerns during the autopsy. I just need to make sure we have all the facts before we close the case. While none of her relatives have asked about her, the DDA wants to be ready in case they ever do make a request.”

  Melanie looked like she wanted to say something, but she looked to her baby instead. As she stroked the little one’s cheek, she finally said, “Cait was unhappy. I won’t deny it, but I truly believe if she’d lived to see her son, she would’ve bounced back eventually.”

  “I think we’re in agreement about that. I just came from Bram’s office and Murray Belmont was there.” Melanie merely nodded, so Evie pushed. “The baby seems well-behaved and cordial. I can’t understand why he hasn’t been placed with a permanent family yet.”

  Melanie looked up and gave Evie yet another assessing stare before she said, “Bram is the one who’ll have to answer that question. If he won’t, then I’m sorry, but no one else here will do it either.”

  “So it’s true then, about you being loyal to Stonefire.”

  Frowning, Melanie said, “Of course. They’re Tristan’s clan, which makes them my clan.”

  The way Melanie said it, as if it was a simple truth, amazed her. In all the years Evie had worked with the DDA, she’d never come face-to-face with a human who had chosen to stay with a dragon-shifter out of love. If that wasn’t fascinating enough, Stonefire had two humans who’d done so; the other was a woman named Samira.

  Since all of her seduction research would mean nothing if she couldn’t understand the dragon-shifter males better, she needed to nudge the conversation in that direction. It might make Melanie suspicious, but Evie would have to chance it; there were only a few hours between now and the dinner with Bram. “How did you do it, then? Convince a dragon-shifter to fancy you?”

  Melanie blinked. “Only women who can’t conceive dragon-shifter children are promoted to DDA inspector, which means you couldn’t put yourself up as a sacrifice even if you wanted to. So why would you ask me that question?”

  Her estimation of Melanie Hal
l’s knowledge of the DDA just went up a few notches. Few people knew that little requirement.

  Not missing a beat, Evie said, “When I worked with Clan Skyhunter, women always asked me how they could do more than merely breed with the dragonmen. I’d like to have an actual answer for them next time, because it always broke my heart to tell them ‘I don’t know’.”

  It was true. Usually desperate women offered themselves up as human sacrifices to the dragon-shifter clans to either earn some money or to obtain a vial of dragon’s blood to cure a loved one’s sickness.

  While few were ever physically harmed due to the contract both the dragon-shifters and human women signed, too many had been shunned or verbally abused. Maybe things were different with Stonefire, but Skyhunter had been bloody unkind to their sacrifices. She hoped she never had to work with them again.

  The other woman adjusted the blanket around her baby as she said, “Be strong, be honest, and be open-minded. That’s what it takes to soften a dragonman’s heart.”

  ~~~

  Once Bram had dropped off wee Murray at his brother’s house, he’d wanted nothing more than to shift and take a short flight to clear his mind of Evie Marshall’s enticing arse. However, before he’d had the chance, Melanie had called him with her concerns about the DDA inspector and he’d had to use his small amount of free time to think of a strategy for this evening.

  The human female could be a threat to his clan. He needed to find out the truth.

  His inner dragon growled. We will find the truth. If she’s in trouble, maybe we could help her.

  Right. Leave it to his dragon to presume the woman was in trouble rather than thoughts of betrayal. Stop thinking with your cock, you ruddy beast. What if she works with the dragon hunters? After all, they’re getting bolder by the day.

  Before his dragon could reply, a knock sounded on his front door. As he always did with strangers, he put on his stern, brick-wall expression before he opened the door.

  He’d expected Dacian, but instead, he was greeted with the sight of Evie in a tight yellow dress, her straight red hair billowing over her shoulders. His inner dragon growled in appreciation at the way the stretchy dress hugged the female’s body. From her small chest, to her round stomach, to her wide hips, the dress left little to the imagination. Then his eyes fell to her short hem, which highlighted the smooth, creamy skin of her legs.

  Find out the truth. Help her. Maybe she’ll reward us and let us fuck her.

  Only because of years of experience did Bram keep his expression neutral at his dragon’s words. Shut it.

  The beast fell silent and went to the back of his mind. Not even his dragon was going to challenge his dominance right now.

  Finding his voice, Bram said, “Ms. Marshall.” He then eyed Dacian behind her. “Dacian, you’re dismissed. I will take over Ms. Marshall’s guard duty for the rest of the evening.”

  His young guard nodded and walked away, leaving him alone with the inspector. He stepped aside and gestured for her to enter. In return, she gave a sexy smile that shot straight to his cock.

  His dragon hovered at the edge of his mind, but Bram decided he needed to get Evie talking before the beast started with his sex fantasies. Once Bram had dealt with Evie, he would find a female to ease his dragon’s lust before their next meeting. “Come in. I don’t know what Skyhunter ever made you do, but we’re informal here. I usually eat in jeans and a t-shirt.”

  Her eyes roamed his chest before settling on his crotch. It took every bit of restraint he had to keep his cock from going rock hard.

  Looking back up, Evie shrugged. “I never dressed like this for Marcus, only for you.”

  His dragon was pleased at the way she said it so matter-of-factly, but his human-half grew suspicious.

  He decided to put an end to the female’s silly antics. He wanted to pass the inspection, end of story. “You’re a DDA inspector. Stop flirting and do your job.”

  Fire flashed in her eyes, but it was gone before he could blink. Much like before, he guessed she was trying to tame her temper.

  Her tone was surprisingly even when she said, “I am doing my job, thank you very much. Have you ever thought that maybe I’m just trying to test you? The other inspectors have talked about you, and I’m trying to find out the truth.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “Right, go on, then. Tell me what they said about me so I can call bollocks.”

  From the corner of his eye, he saw her hand clench and felt a small rush of satisfaction. Getting an opponent angry usually led to them saying more than they normally would.

  Evie studied him a second before she walked past him to the couch on the far side of the room. Once she sat down, she crossed a leg over her knee and said, “No.”

  His expression faltered. “What?”

  She placed her hands on her knee and straightened her shoulders. “No. You ordered me to come here for dinner and to ask me about what I found today, so that’s what I’ll do. There is absolutely no reason I have to tell you anything else.”

  Shutting the front door, he strode across the room to stand a few feet in front of her. He gave her his best piercing stare as he said, “You’re on Stonefire’s lands, lass, and I’m the law here. You’d best remember that.”

  She raised an eyebrow in nonchalance. “Empty threat and you know it. My report determines the future of your clan, so you might want to start being nice to me.”

  “Are you really going to challenge a clan leader? One word of you hopping into a dragon-shifter’s bed will get you sacked.”

  “Is that what you do, then? You toss the human females to the beasts and let them go at it?”

  Bram knew her words were meant to provoke, but she’d touched on his honor and he wasn’t having it. He spat out, “If that’s what you think, then you’d best leave right now and send another inspector. I want a fair chance, and I won’t get it with your prejudices.”

  “My prejudices? You’re the one who inferred you would lie about me having sex with a dragon-shifter to get me fired. Maybe I should remind you that one mention of you threatening me, and that’s it, no more sacrifices.”

  “Yet you can insinuate that I allow my dragonmen to force themselves on the human females, and think that’s okay? I don’t know what Marcus does down south, but up north, we have pride and respect for those who are helping our clan to repopulate.”

  She opened her mouth just as his mobile phone rang. Thank fuck. He needed time to cool his head or he might say something that could really hurt his clan.

  Without a word, he turned his back on the infuriating female, and took the phone out of his pocket. Glancing at the screen, he pressed receive. “What’s up, Kai?”

  Kai, one of the clan’s Protectors, answered, “There’s been another breach on our border. The dragon hunters attempted an ambush on the east side.”

  Walking to the far side of the room, he switched to Mersae, the dragon-shifter language and said, “Was anyone injured?”

  Kai answered in the same language. “One of the newer Protectors-in-training has a nasty gash, but she’ll survive.”

  Satisfied his clan members were alive, he barked, “Then tell me the rest.”

  “We only managed to capture one, a mid-rank dragon hunter with a Carlisle branch tattoo. He’s not saying much, but what he’s said so far worries me.”

  He didn’t like the sound of that. “Spit it out, Kai.”

  “Well, he says he knows Evie Marshall.”

  Chapter Three

  When Stonefire’s leader started talking on his mobile phone in the dragon language, Evie took the opportunity to count to twenty and back down again. Trying to follow Melanie’s advice of being strong without letting her temper loose was harder than she’d imagined. She’d have to work on that, especially since Evie couldn’t be completely honest with the dragonman. At least, not yet.

  His eyes on her body at the door had boosted her confidence. Despite their argument and her temper slipping l
oose, there might still be a chance.

  Or, so she thought until the dragonman turned around with a fierceness in his eyes that made her heart skip a beat.

  The dragons didn’t teach humans their language, so she had no idea what he was barking into the phone, but his tense body and the tone of his voice told her it wasn’t good.

  When Bram shut off his phone, she steeled herself for what was to come. Most humans would cower under the dragonman’s current stare, but she’d worked with dragon-shifters for seven years now. She could take any dominance bullshit they threw her way.

  Still, as the seconds ticked by in silence, she started to get a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Rather than wait for Bram to speak, she blurted out, “Why are you glaring at me like that? If it’s about my so-called prejudices, you never gave me a chance to respond. If you would just listen—”

  “Enough.”

  Despite her resolve, Evie fell silent at his tone.

  He motioned for her to stand up and then crossed his arms over his chest. At first, she merely raised her chin in defiance. But as one minute ticked by, and then another, she finally gave in and stood up.

  Bram moved closer, until he was less than a foot away from her. Ignoring the heat radiating off his body, she looked up into his eyes and raised an eyebrow. “Well? How long are we going to stand here in silence? I’m hungry.”

  Searching her eyes, he moved a hand to grab her chin. The feel of his rough, warm skin against hers sent a rush of heat through her body, and it took every ounce of resolve she had not to draw in a breath. Yes, she needed to get him naked and over her, but not until she knew why he was staring at her with such contempt.

  She tried to break free of his grip, but his fingers tightened as he said, “Tell me now, Evie Marshall, why are you here?”

  Shit. She needed to be careful here. “I told you already. I’m here to check in with Melanie and investigate Caitriona’s death.”