by Sam Hall
Flea settled down beside me on the couch and pulled me into the crook of his arm. I felt stiff and awkward for a moment, for most of today really. My mind helpfully played back this morning’s little naked fest, complete with a slow-mo, play-by-play loop of the memory of Flea’s erect cock pulled up hard against his lean abdomen, but it seemed he wasn’t going to let that stop him. His arm circled my shoulders and I was drawn closer until my head rested on his chest.
For a moment, I closed my eyes, listened to the sound of his heart beating, his lungs filling and emptying, feeling the weight of his body against mine, the pressure of his arm pinning me to him. I let my breath come out in long slow exhales, focussing on the shift of air. I settled my head against his chest, letting go of some small remainder of muscle tension and felt something that had been sitting hard and unyielding inside me release.
I don’t know how long I stayed there. It felt like I’d slid sideways into some kind of space where time didn’t matter, there was only now. I couldn’t tell if it was ten minutes or ten hours when his hand went to my chin, gently tilting it up so my mouth hovered near his, his palm shifting to cup my jaw, his weird browny-green eyes staring into mine, communicating everything and nothing. They dropped to my lips, seeming to study each detail before meeting mine again. His tongue flicked out, the tip running along that plush bottom lip, bringing my gaze with it before he shifted on the couch, moving ever so slightly closer, his arm tightening around my shoulders before…
We both jumped as a loud shriek came from Jez’s room. Flea was almost to his feet, hand reaching for the gun sitting on the coffee table before the sound of a low giggle followed Jez’s outburst. Something muted was said, I couldn’t make out the words, but the tone said, ‘Come here, big boy’ all the way. And so it begins, I thought, pulling a book towards me.
“I—.”
“Could—.”
We both started to talk at the same time, then laughed. I gestured to Flea to go, but he shook his head, “No, you go.”
“I better do some study. Do we have much food left in the place?”
Something flickered across his face for a moment but he just smiled and nodded. “I can make you a couple of cheese sandwiches, if that’s OK?”
“You don’t have to,” I said.
“I know.”
The rest of the evening went by pretty quietly. Flea had a couple of Shays and flicked through tattoo magazines while I read and took notes until my fingers ached and my eyes felt like they were burning holes in my head. I could feel exhaustion creeping in. I had to blink hard to keep reading; the words beginning to blur together. I jammed my hand under my chin, propping it up and forced my eyes wide. ‘Thothen II was responsible for the centralisation of the Aravisian government, moving the country from a series of small duchies to one…’
I felt someone take the pencil from me. “Need to keep going,” I mumbled.
“That’s enough for tonight,” a voice said. I didn’t get to argue, being swept up into someone’s arms and moved, until finally I was lying on the soft cool surface of the bed. Sleep descended moments later.
It felt like the alarm went off after only a few minutes. My head jerked up and I blinked blearily before snatching up my phone and turning it off. What was I going to do when the battery ran out? While they had a form of electricity here, outlets were quite different in design. Stop borrowing trouble, I told myself. Your first problem is to get out of bed and get ready.
Can you make sure there are no spiders in the bathroom? I said to Miazydar.
I’ve checked several times, he said with a grumble.
Yeah, but I appear to be the spider queen. The fuckers jump out to pay obeisance at any given opportunity.
Fine, I’ll be there in moments.
I rolled into a sitting position, scrubbing my face before looking out the picture window to the fields below. I saw the animals scatter as a large bluey-green dragon descended, snatching a tau up in his claws before neatly snapping its neck. A low groan came from the bed. I glanced down to see a still sleeping Flea shift restively.
I should’ve looked away. He was asleep and I should’ve respected his privacy. Instead, my eyes travelled over the flesh bared by a sheet only just covering his groin. A mass of tattoos spread across his ribs: pinup girls wrestled for space with wild animals, spirals of Japanese cherry blossoms and abstract arabesques. I mentally traced one that twisted down his abdomen and disappeared under the bedcovers. Then he moved.
The fabric pulled tight as his body flexed. He moaned as he shifted; the fabric slipped lower revealing more of his tattoos and his hard length. I swallowed. This is wrong. How would you feel if he was doing this to you? I thought, but it made no difference. Instead, my mind was filled with the scenario, me lying there, barely covered, his eyes raking down my body, his fingers moving involuntarily to do the same thing…
His eyes flicked open, blinking a bit before clearing. “Hey,” he said, reaching out and putting a hand on my arm. “You about to wake me up?”
“Just waiting for Miazydar to make sure the shower’s clear. I can’t deal with those goddamn spiders.” Don’t look at his dick, don’t look at his dick, I told myself over and over.
“They’re persistent bastards. They seem to be coming into the house every time we get rid of one. The dragon and I caught a few yesterday. Gonna ask around the village if there’s any poison we can use that won’t kill us all, get some more food as well. Anything in particular you fancy?”
“Something other than cheese sandwiches? It was nice enough last night, but I can’t go back to just eating them and ramen again like a uni student.”
“OK, shit, sorry, I’m giving you a bit of a show here. I hate wearing clothes to bed. Too restrictive,” Flea said, glancing down. He didn’t do anything about the partial reveal of his erect dick though. Instead, he looked at me with a slight smile, a little glimmer in his eyes.
“It’s OK, it’s just morning wood. It’s natural. Happens to all men, doesn’t it? Sign of a happy, healthy male?” Shit, I’m babbling. His smile widened slightly and he pulled the sheet up slowly, turning on his side to curl his body around mine.
The door opened and Miazydar flew in, looked at us, then snorted and said, “I wouldn’t have credited it, but there was another spider in the shower. It’s almost as if they are deliberately seeking you out, Tess. I dispatched it and checked all the cupboards and walls in the bathroom. You’re safe now.”
“Thanks.” I stood up, even though I didn’t want to. I wanted to yank the sheet off, set it on fire and then jump on the bed and Flea and have my way with him, but considering I was still on Mission Impossible: Study or Die I said, “I better get ready.”
Flea nodded. “So will we see you for dinner?”
“Yeah, expect me most days. I need to work, not socialise.”
Turn around, walk out the door, go have a shower, don’t look over your shoulder as you leave, I moved to go. I never knew when to take my own advice. I glanced back as I left to see a completely naked Flea, sheet gone, stretched out in glorious technicolour, scratching idly at his groin. My eyes went wide, my mouth dry and he turned just in time to catch me looking. I left the room with the sound of his chuckles in my ears.
He was gone by the time I had my shower. I wasn’t sure if I was happy or unhappy about that. I yanked on my clothes quickly and then rushed to the lounge to pick up my books. Miazydar sat on top of one pile, looking them over. “Are these those texts that ridiculous fool was speaking about in your ‘history’ class yesterday?”
“Some, along with anatomy, logistics, animal husbandry, geopolitics, military strategy. Why, want to do some light reading?” I said, watching his razor-sharp claws turn the pages with not a small amount of anxiety.
He made a dismissive noise, letting the paper fall free. “Don’t you need me in the first session today?”
I glanced at my timetable and nodded, “I guess, I mean, it says Dragon Combat, so I assume bringing
you along is kinda compulsory. Shit, I better put on some workout gear.”
I rushed down to the bedroom only to see Flea had returned and was pulling on a t-shirt. I looked at my phone to see how long I had, then flung it onto the bed, stripping off my clothes, folding them quickly so I could take them as a change after the morning’s class. I was amused to see Flea pause what he was doing to watch my very unsexy striptease but didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy it like he had, jerking on yoga pants, a loose tank and a zip-up jacket. By the time I’d balled up my spare set of clothes and shoved them in a bag, Flea waited by the door. He drew me in as I tried to walk past, an arm around my waist.
“Have a good day,” he said, pushing a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Don’t let them kill you. I’ll have a nice meal on the table waiting for you.” He pushed something into my bag. When I looked down, it was a small pistol.
“I can’t take a bloody gun to class. I don’t even know how to fire one!”
“Safety’s on,” he said, demonstrating putting it on and off. “You might not be able to shoot anyone, but you can make enough noise to freak someone out.”
“Every damn man in my life is trying to turn me into GI Jane,” I said with a shake of my head but I took it. Maybe threatening to bust a cap in someone’s ass would stop people shoving me down flights of stairs. When I looked back Flea’s smile had gone, his body had stiffened. Ah, he obviously didn’t like Keel.
He seemed to force himself to loosen up, reaching down to brush a kiss across my lips. “Have a good day. I’m about to try and get Jez’s arse into gear.”
I was left standing there, my whole focus on the now tingling sensation on my mouth. Then I heard the faint sound of the dining room bells and I legged it outside, a small Miazydar flying by my side.
17
“What are you wearing?” Alden said as I walked over to the table.
“What? This is workout wear on Earth. I assume we’ll be working hard this morning?”
“This is an Earth custom I vote women adopt,” Rylen said, eyes fixed on my legs. He gestured for me to spin, but I just stuck my finger up at him. I’m sure everyone knew what that meant.
“Well, you missed a huge incident,” Vella said as I took a seat. Her eyes bugged a bit when she saw Miazydar curling up on the table.
“Yeah, what happened?” I said, taking a cup of coffee with a smile from Alden as he sat down.
“About a quarter of the merits came down with food poisoning,” Grey said, placing several big plates piled high in front of us. He waved his crystal bracelet over it all and it shone green. I snagged something that looked like bacon and took a bite. Yum! It appeared it was part of the natural evolution of civilisation that at least one country would come up with the deliciousness that is bacon in any given dimension.
“Someone’s been reading about the antics of 2212 and thought they’d go old school, trying to knock out some of the competitors,” Alden said.
I looked around the room and saw there were a lot of empty tables. “Shit, is everyone OK?”
“They used keletha, so only time will tell. Why the long face? Less merits means less people trying to take your dragon from you. The VC will investigate and it will be put down to some menial, who’ll be dismissed without a reference,” he said with a wave.
I frowned at this. I needed to talk to Flea and Jez as soon as possible. Being my friends would put a target on their backs. Can you get a message to them after first lesson? I said to Miazydar.
So, I’m a messenger pigeon now?
No one wants us to succeed here. If they’re going to find a patsy to take the fall, it's likely to be us. What was the name of the guy who came by for Jez again?
Oh yes, harder, Greig? Yes, yes, just there, Greig? Not sure he would have had time to plant incriminating evidence, he was too busy planting his seed in Jez.
Still, they need to know what’s up. So, yes?
Of course, I am ever your slave.
We had a quick breakfast and then all the riders got to their feet. “We need to get our beasts ready for the morning class. Ours aren’t quite so portable,” Alden said. Miazydar just looked at him, giving him the dragon equivalent of a smile. “Go through the common area in the teaching building. There’s a door at the end that opens onto the training field.”
I nodded and drank down my now lukewarm coffee. “See you there.”
By the time I got there, several dragons were beginning to circle in the air above making ready to land and another few were waiting patiently on the field. There were a couple of dragon riders standing together and chatting, but one peeled off and came towards me. I knew it was a guy, the skin-tight wetsuit-looking uniform made that plain. He was fit too, the wide span of his shoulders clearly outlined, as were a lot of other things. I let my eyes trail down as he ambled over, jerking them back to his face when he pulled off his helmet. Fuck! It was bloody Keel and his smile made it evident he’d seen what I was doing.
“Morning, ready to see how you fare on dragon back?”
“No, not at all. I trained to fight with a sword, I have no training whatsoever fighting on a dragon.”
“Well, you won’t be doing much with him at that size. I’ve never seen a shape-changing beast before.” Miazydar snorted and then changed until he was considerably bigger than his usual form. He looked over his shoulder as if to say “see”. “That’s a lot more workable. Now, we need you in uniform. Did you bring yours?”
“No, I don’t have one. I just wore my usual clothes and a pair of safety goggles to protect my eyes when we flew.”
Keel’s eyebrows shot up and then he shook his head. “Maybe you’ll need to sit this one out until we can get you kitted out.”
“Absolutely not.” We both turned to see VC Bhechro had arrived. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, looking up at the dragons as they landed. He finally deigned to turn towards us. “She completes all tasks as the other riders do, or she does not pass this course and forfeits her dragon.”
“She’s never fought on dragon back. We would never jeopardise a young rider and their beast like that during basic training.”
“This is not basic training, this is the most premier university on the continent.”
“What seems to be the problem?” another rider said. They had all walked over now, pulling off helmets. There were two women and one man standing there, but a woman with her blonde hair twisted up into a tight bun was the one asking the question.
“Cadet McKinnon needs to perform at the same level as all other students at Lorikham or be expelled.”
“I’m sure she will, when she has time to be taught the requisite skills. And with all due respect, Vice-Chancellor, the university has no authority over the ADC, its tutors or its curriculum. We come here to prepare your students as a courtesy.”
“Maybe so,” he replied, “but assessment does fall within my purview. Teach her as you will, but she must perform at the upcoming war games at the same level as the other riders.”
“But Alden’s been at this since he was five years old!” Keel said, but the blonde shook her head at him. Her eyes flicked back to Bhechro.
“And where’s her uniform?” she said.
“All students are instructed to bring their own equipment at the beginning of term.”
“So where is it, cadet?” the blonde woman asked me.
“I was sentenced to appear at the university two days ago and was given no time to buy anything. Can I get one from the village?”
The woman’s long sigh made it clear that wasn’t going to happen.
“Remember our work-health-safety requirements, Captain Keya,” Bhechro said with a smirk. “All students are to wear the correct safety gear at all times or risk expulsion.”
Well, fuck.
More games to try and separate us.
Yep, and no way I can flit up to the capital and grab a uniform. Are we going to be split over a WHS issue?
“We’ll have t
o get her doing ground drills initially, then have her get the requisite uniform,”
“Pretty sure I’m not allowed to fly beyond the grounds and the local area without permission,” I said.
“Fine, you’ll need to supply us with the gold to purchase one for you.”
Which won’t be cheap, Miazydar said.
We were thinking enough gold for lattes and a meal when we left, not income for the next three months, I replied.
“I’ve got one I use when I take passengers up that you can have,” Keel said.
“The captain has said she needs her own,” Bhechro said. Of course he did.
“Fine, I’ll sell it to her then.”
Captain Keya looked at Keel, then me and then rolled her eyes. “This farce has gone on long enough, I need to get the other students started if they’re to compete in the war games.” She and the other riders walked off, obviously not wanting to deal with me anymore. I followed on Keel’s heels when he gestured me over to where he’d stashed his gear, my face red with a weird combination of shame and anger. I balled my hands up into fists and ground my teeth as I stomped across the grass. I had expected things like pushing me down the stairs, I hadn’t expected to be taken down via administrivia.
Death by a thousand cuts, Miazydar said.
“How do you know the suit will fit? I may not have the same body type as your passengers,” I said, looking at the small green garment.
His eyes raked up my body. “You do, but the uniforms all mould to fit the wearer. You could be a foot taller or wider and it would still fit. The helmet’s a little trickier.” I stepped into the suit, surprised to feel it stretch around me, despite being made from quite a thick material. Keel looked up as I wiggled my hips into it, stopping momentarily to watch the process before shaking himself with a smile.
