Page 9 of Her Dragon Daddy Disaster
I laughed outright. “Assassination isn’t my department. Besides, if I wanted you dead, they wouldn’t be able to stop me.”
As one of the agents bristled at my disdain for their skills, I decided that antagonizing them would only make things moredifficult and began to play peacemaker for real. Lifting a hand, I tried to placate them, letting the scales fade back to skin as they watched. “I mean that not as an insult to your dedication or training, gentlemen. Simply a matter of fact. Genetics, really. I look like you, but I’mnotyou.”
“If you aren’t us, then how can we trust you?” the president asked.
I rolled my eyes. “Do you trust a woman less? She has breasts and a vagina, unlike you.”
“No, of course not,” he said.
“Exactly. You trust them because of what theydo, not how they look. I have been nothing but peaceful since revealing myself. Believe what Ido, not what I might look like.”
The politician across from me took my words in, thought them over, then nodded sharply.
“Very well. You have my attention. What is it you wish to present me?”
I looked around. “Don’t you want to summon the rest of your staff? I’m sure there are important people you must appease.”
The president shook his head. “I’ll hear you out first. Then they’ll come in, and you will tell them all.”
“So you aren’t blindsided in front of them.”
He shrugged. “Sometimes appearances have to be maintained. Now, why are you here?”
I crossed my arms. “My sovereign’s terms for peace between our peoples.”
“Peace would be welcome. Nobody is a fan of war.” The president spoke as if it were a given.
“Some of my people are,” I said. “I’m sure the same runs in yours. But regardless, I happen to agree. So, it appears, does my sovereign.”
“And her terms?”
I smiled, finding myself warming to the man. He wasn’t acting like a politician. It was refreshing.
“A ceasefire will go into effect upon your agreement of these terms,” I said formally. “It will be considered to last in perpetuity as long as the conditions are fulfilled.”
“And those conditions?”
“Condition,” I said, stressing the singular.
All I received as an arched eyebrow in return.
“Status quo will be maintained, with peace between humans and dragons, as long as you, the humans, agree to send eight female volunteers per year to come live with us and become mates to dragons.”
The president blinked. “That’s it?”
I nodded.
“Status quo,” he said. “So, you won’t return our territory?”
I only looked at him.
“Those are very generous terms. Though many will balk at the continued occupation of territory we claim as our own. What about our people stuck behind the lines?”
“Status quo will be maintained, with peace between humans and dragons, as long as you agree to the term set before you. Take it or leave it.”
I wasn’t going to repeat myself a third time.
The president stared back, then nodded slowly. He went over to the phone on the desk, and muttered into it, ordering hissecretary to get everyone into his office in twenty minutes. Then he turned back to me.
