For a Dragon's Persuasion

By Charlie Richards

Perth has worked under Kaiser, the black dragon caste’s best spy, for decades. While he respects the man’s ability to gather information, Perth doesn’t share his mentor’s love of sharing his body with his sources to get it. When visiting strange clans, that leaves Perth with plenty of time to wander. Stopping in the stable, he finds his attention arrested by the young stable hand, Aodhan. While the male is nineteen summers, he’s still slender, gangly, and growing into his body. As a dragon, Perth doesn’t care about all that. He is attracted to the human’s smell and finds himself returning often, appreciating Aodhan’s quick wit and shy smiles. When Perth is framed and forced to flee, he persuades Aodhan to join him. On the run, Perth must reveal that he is a dragon. Will his young human have enough faith to accept that he is still the male he has come to know?

• Language: English
• Publisher: eXtasy Books Inc
• Release date: Nov 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781487404796

Book preview

Two men. One wants to be seen as a man. One sees what others have missed.

Perth has worked under Kaiser, the black dragon caste’s best spy, for decades. While he respects the man’s ability to gather information, Perth doesn’t share his mentor’s love of sharing his body with his sources to get it. When visiting strange clans, that leaves Perth with plenty of time to wander. Stopping in the stable, he finds his attention arrested by the young stable hand, Aodhan. While the male is nineteen summers, he’s still slender, gangly, and growing into his body. As a dragon, Perth doesn’t care about all that. He is attracted to the human’s smell and finds himself returning often, appreciating Aodhan’s quick wit and shy smiles. When Perth is framed and forced to flee, he persuades Aodhan to join him. On the run, Perth must reveal that he is a dragon. Will his young human have enough faith to accept that he is still the male he has come to know?

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

For a Dragon’s Persuasion

Copyright © 2015 Charlie Richards

ISBN: 978-1-4874-0479-6

Cover art by Angela Waters

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by eXtasy Books Inc or

Devine Destinies, an imprint of eXtasy Books Inc

Look for us online at:

www.eXtasybooks.com or www.devinedestinies.com

Smashwords Edition

For a Dragon’s Persuasion

Highland Dragons: Book Seven

By

Charlie Richards

Dedication

To the cute factor—because sometimes that’s all you need.

Chapter One

Whose bedsheets are you warming tonight? Perth asked before taking a big bite of the turkey leg he held. Upon seeing the way Kaiser lifted his brows, betraying his surprise at his question, Perth swallowed his bite of meat. Smiling at his... well, not friend exactly, but companion, Perth added, Just in case I need to find you?

Kaiser grinned widely. I will be in Ailbert’s chambers this evening.

Perth whistled appreciatively. Seducing the chieftain’s son? Is he not betrothed? he asked. He didn’t often question his leader’s choice in who to bed. Still, sleeping with Ailbert MacDuffan was a bold move, even for Kaiser.

Giving him a lascivious smile, Kaiser responded, And that is why I bed him now. Should I ever need to return here, I will have leverage with him. He winked. "Old lovers, at least ones as amazing as I am, are always welcome."

Not by his woman, Perth couldn’t help but warn, referencing Ailbert’s betrothed, Nessia Saxton. Word was their joining was to take place as soon as Chieftain Paden MacDuffan returned with the bride price—a flock of two dozen sheep. Still, he had to hand it to Kaiser. Perth didn’t utilize his leader’s approach of bedding people for information—which was probably why he’d never be as good a spy as Kaiser. He had to respect his fellow dragon’s dedication, because after only a day or two with a clan, Kaiser seemed to know all the gossip.

Have a fun night.

Perth didn’t need to tell Kaiser to be discreet. The man always was... especially when bedding another man.

For some reason, the human clans didn’t share Perth’s people’s openness about same sex pairings. It could be because they used unions to forge alliances and strengthen ties with other clans. Often, that required the birth of offspring to be successful.

Dragons didn’t reproduce the same way humans did. Males and females didn’t even need to touch to create offspring. Instead, the male dragons coated the female dragon’s eggs and nest with their seed to fertilize the eggs. Often, more than one male was involved in the process. The male dragon that fertilized the most hatched eggs gained status and prestige within his caste.

Due to their territorial natures, dragons couldn’t find true companionship with one of their own kind. They would instead search for an asda, a human who could bond with a dragon. Whether that person ended up being male or female was inconsequential to them. If their personalities were a good fit, they doted on their human, grateful to have a consort to offer affection and pleasure.

I plan to, Kaiser responded, regaining Perth’s attention. We’ll finally get to meet with Chieftain MacDuffan tomorrow, he reminded as he rose to his feet. Hopefully he is not late returning home. I grow tired of this form.

Perth nodded, silently agreeing. Mayhap a ride into the hills wouldna be a bad idea if we are going to be here for another few days, he suggested. That way we can hunt in our true form and return with meat as a gift.

Kaiser nodded back. We’ll see what Chieftain MacDuffan’s disposition is like, then decide. Heading toward Perth’s chamber door, he added, I saw the way Hamish was looking at you. He paused, his hand on the door hook. You need not spend the evening alone, you know.

Oh, I am aware, Perth confirmed. Hamish is not to my liking, unfortunately.

Shame, Kaiser said. As one of the clan’s most celebrated warriors, he would know much about his leader’s plans.

Perth just shrugged and took another bite of meat, allowing him to avoid answering. He watched Kaiser nod once more, then exit his room, closing the door behind him. After swallowing, Perth took another bite.

Hamish probably did have the chieftain’s ear... or at least sat in on important gatherings. Too bad his tall, broad, heavily-muscled form didn’t interest Perth even a little bit. He preferred to control his partner in bed, and while he could easily use his dragon’s strength to overpower the larger male, it’d be a little hard to explain. When bedding a male, Perth preferred him to be similar in