Dragonborn (The Jade Lee Romantic Fantasies, Book 1) by Jade Lee

new governor. And damn him most of all for being ruled by his belly-horn just like every other stupid man.
    Because she had no doubt that was the real reason for his presence here. Dag Racho had no reason to fear her. If he had wanted her dead, he would have killed her years ago when his dragon unceremoniously ate the rest of her family before firing their home. That she did indeed possess secret dragon knowledge had been carefully hidden. That she even now plotted the Emperor's downfall: mere coincidence
    The simple truth was that the governor wanted to bed her, so he had asked a few questions, somehow stumbled upon her true ancestry, and was now trying to use it to frighten her. Hell, a child could see through the ploy.
    But that didn't make the situation any less dangerous. Any focused attention—and from the land's greatest dragon-hunter, no less—could expose her secret. But how to remove him?
    She briefly toyed with the idea of giving him what he wanted. She could bed him, she supposed. Monik told her it was a simple matter of spreading one's legs and moaning a lot; no more, no worse. It couldn't be that bad. Indeed, she thought as she glared at her adversary, there could be worse men to initiate her into coupling. He was handsome, powerful, and—most important—clean. And lately she admitted to a curiosity, perhaps even an interest, in the things that Monik participated in so freely. Best of all, she doubted that the governor's attention would remain on her for long. Once she gave him what he wanted, that was.
    But her stomach twisted at the thought. Any type of intimacy was too great a risk. She carried a dragon egg, possibly the greatest dragon egg found in the last century or more. There were ways, her father had warned her, ways to tell who incubated an egg and who did not. But he had died before she learned what they were. There was no way to tell if she could keep her secret during such intimacy. Which was the reason she refused every possible friendship, every possible intimacy since she'd begun dancing. The risk of discovery was too great.
    So she shook her head, finding her strength with the movement. "Dag Racho doesn't want me. He doesn't even know about me," she stated flatly. "You are merely trying to frighten me so I will bed you." Then she lifted her head, allowing him to see the tears that shimmered in her eyes. That had been the first thing she learned from watching Monik: some men are more
    easily manipulated by tears than curses. And from the way the governor shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, he was one of them.
    "Can't you bed someone else?" she asked, the question an honest one. "Why focus on me?"
    She watched him swallow, his movements shaky as he abruptly pulled out his sword. She tensed, prepared to jump for the window and from there into the street. But before she could do more than gasp, he held the sword before him, pommel first. "I swear by the only thing I hold dear, I swear to you that this is not a ploy to get you into bed. We think you know something—about dragons—and neither I nor Dag Racho can afford to leave you be."
    She frowned at him, seeing earnestness in his expression and his rock-solid stance as he held his sword before him. He truly meant what he said, and that thought threw her into an even greater panic. What did they think she knew?
    She had no answer, and so she stalled for time, reaching for the first question that came to mind. "What thing?"
    He stared at her, clearly frustrated. "A dragon thing. That you hide."
    She shook her head. "No. What thing do you swear by? What do you hold most dear?"
    He frowned, pulling his weapon closer to his chest. "My sword, of course. What else would a warrior treasure?"
    She could think of a thousand things. A belly-horn, for example, as rutting seemed to dominate most men's minds—certainly every soldier she'd ever met. But he appeared so genuinely confused that she couldn't stop her smile. "Of course. I didn't