David scarcely seemed to hear him, his body quaking with the force of his excitement.
“David? Is there anywhere you especially want to hit?” he repeated.
David finally seemed to hear him. He hesitated for a moment, fumbling with something in his pocket. Moments later, he withdrew a piece of paper that had some sort of intricately styled writing on it. David shifted before Ethan could get a proper look at the words, or the picture at the bottom of the paper.
Scrutinizing the paper, David mumbled various latitudes and longitudes under his breath before humming victoriously. He folded it up, tucking it back in his pocket.
“There’s a pretty big field not far from here, right? I’m looking for somewhere to ride my four-wheeler, and it sounds like it could be a pretty promising location,” David said, his expression oddly nervous.
Ethan found himself growing a bit nervous as well, wondering if there were perhaps a more nefarious reason for this man indicating the field on the outskirts of town. He tried to shake off the thought, because it wasn’t like David would be able to survive a helicopter crash any better than Ethan himself could. Truth be told, the pilot would be the more likely to survive of the two, in such a scenario. All the same, the nervousness in David’s eye had been replaced with a glimmer of excitement as the fairgrounds faded into the distance.
“Not sure how good it would be for off-roading,” Ethan rambled nervously. “I’ve heard that field can get pretty dangerous. Bears and stuff, I guess. It’s weird that they would come out of the woods there, but tons of old carcasses have been found scattered across the place. Animal carcasses, I mean. I don’t know of any humans that have died in the area.”
Ethan flew them in the direction of the field in spite of his own misgivings regarding the trip. He would do nearly anything to see that thrilled gleam turned upon him, something to make this boring day worthwhile.
“Oh, well, you know,” David said. “I usually pack a weapon with me. I left it at home before I came to the fair, but I’m pretty handy with it. Either way, I don’t see any harm in flying over the place, do you?”
Ethan could feel that his smile was a bit strained in response to the question, but he shrugged his shoulders and shifted the helicopter to move faster. If he was going to do a flyover on the field in question, he wanted to get there before sunset. Things he couldn’t even begin to consider probably made that field home, and he wasn’t particularly keen on the idea of this handsome young man getting caught up in the idea of solving the mystery of the place.
However, it wasn’t as if he were in any position to decline. It would seem a bit suspicious, if he refused to even fly over the damn field. He was getting paid good money to go wherever David’s heart desired, so he could shut up and do his job.
“All right, we should be there in about five. It’s a bit of a ways away, but we should be able to do a quick flyover,” Ethan finally said.
David grinned, though there seemed to be something almost menacing in his smile. Ethan thought there was a deviousness in his expression, and it was a notion that Ethan couldn’t quite shake. In spite of the fact that he should likely be afraid of the muscular and well-formed man, he found himself all the more excited with the increasing time they were spending together. He had always hoped something beyond his normal, everyday life, and now here it was. Better late than never, as far as he was concerned. Especially considering when his ascent from mediocrity was provided by someone so cute. If only he could find out what was on that paper David had seemed so guarded about.
Then again, after this flight, they would likely never see each other again. The idea was a disheartening one, but it wasn’t as if David was going to ask Ethan back to his place or something equally ridiculous. He was simply using Ethan’s piloting services, and Ethan would do well to remember that. Still, there was a vaguely familiar pang in his heart as they grew near the field and he realized that the flight likely wouldn’t last long beyond that first pass. Damn his lonely heart and libido.
He could keep control. He had to.
CHAPTER THREE
David was certain he had never seen someone so handsome in his life. Sure, in the society there were a few eligible bachelors who caught his eye from time to time, but David had never felt as immediately drawn to someone as he felt to the helicopter pilot.
The blond pilot looked tense as he maneuvered the helicopter to the field he’d indicated, and David almost felt guilty. Almost. He would have felt entirely guilty if his assignment hadn’t indicated that the most dragon activity nearby took place in the very field he sought to explore. He supposed the least he could do was distract the pilot from the dangers that potentially lay ahead, so he cleared his throat before speaking.
“You never did tell me your name.”
The helicopter pilot jolted upright, seeming ripped from some sort of reverie as he turned to consider David. He smiled a crooked sort of smile, his pale cheeks reddening like they had when David had first stepped into the chopper. He’d have been blind not to notice, not to mention stupid. It wasn’t often that David allowed himself a bit of vanity, but he wouldn’t deny that he was a rather attractive man. At least that seemed to be enough to distract the cute pilot from whatever was troubling him.
“Oh. Ethan, Ethan Millford. You said your name was David, right? It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Ethan smiled, and David felt as if he may melt on the spot. That adorable little smile that Ethan wore every time the two locked eyes was more than he could stand.
He knew he had a job to focus on, but all work and no play made him a dull boy. Still, as much as he wanted to do a bit of flirting, all other thoughts fell away when the field in question came into view. There were scattered trees along the edge of the clearing, as if something very large had made a habit of breaking through the forest line. Deep rivets could be seen on the ground, shaped very much like the telltale marks left by a dragon’s talons. It was quite obvious that a dragon had been to this place, very recently from the looks of it.
“Holy…” he muttered, leaning forward as he tried to get a closer look. “Hey, Ethan, this is going to sound really weird, but do you think you can go a bit lower? Maybe even, ya know, land?”
Ethan’s expression grew all the more strained, though it was the last thing on David’s mind when it was so obvious that his target was nearby.
“I’m not sure that’s wise, David. It could be dangerous,” Ethan said.
David narrowed his eyes in irritation. It would do little good to turn that anger upon his cute chauffeur, so he settled on the next best thing. Turning to face Ethan, he amped up the pleading puppy dog eyes higher than he ever had before. Higher even than when he’d asked Jacob to mentor him. Ethan looked vaguely taken aback, his cheeks reddening once more.
“Come on, Ethan. I trust that you’ll keep an eye on me. Big tough pilot like you wouldn’t let anything bad happen. We’d just hop back in the chopper at the first sight of trouble, yeah?” he crooned, his voice both pleading and sultry.
Ethan’s mouth fell open and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, obviously pressing his thighs together.
“A-all right,” Ethan said. “We can touch ground for five minutes, ten minutes max. Then I’ve got to get back to the fairgrounds—I’m sure a lot of people are waiting for their turn.”
Ethan lowered the helicopter to a relatively flat spot on the ground. David was immediately unfastening himself as soon as they touched ground, before the propeller could even have a chance to slow. He heard the pilot call out to him as he lurched out of the chopper, but he paid little mind.
He quickly grabbed the paper from his pocket, as well as a small vial that he had brought with him for just such an occasion. He marked a few spots on his paper, drawing a small map on the back as he scoped out the field. He was scarcely aware of Ethan approaching him from behind until the other man rested his hand on his shoulder. David jerked upright, turning wide eyes upon the pilot.
“
What’s the problem?” he asked brusquely, moving to tuck the paper back into his pocket.
“It’s just, I was a bit curious. You said this place was where you were thinking about bringing your four-wheeler. Is there any particular reason you’re collecting dirt?”
David quirked a brow, somewhat put off by the fact that the pilot was aware of what he was doing. Then again, why else would he have a sample collection vial clutched in his hand? He laughed nervously, walking ahead of the pilot, toward the large marks in the ground. The claw marks, as David was sure they were, had likely left some measure of magical residue or DNA from the dragon who had been living in this place. If it tested positive as an Opalescent, he would know he was that much closer to his goal.
Of course, he couldn’t tell Ethan as much. Very few people in the modern world knew about the Dragon Slayers Society. Even fewer were willing to acknowledge that dragons actually existed. He wasn’t willing to put the pilot in direct danger by mentioning his background, and he wasn’t willing to put his job in jeopardy by outing the entire society.
“Oh, just some…field testing. It’s a bit of a nitpicky thing on my part. I like to collect samples of the dirt I’ll potentially be riding on, just to test the composition. It’s kinda interesting, though. Well, more nerdy, I guess.” David hoped the lie wasn’t as obvious as it sounded to him.
Ethan watched him with a raised brow for a long moment. Certain that the pilot wasn’t convinced, David quickly tried to formulate another story.
Then Ethan said, “I get it, David. At least, the whole nerd thing. Try and talk to your work buddies about flight, and the many manifestations through which we’ve achieved it…well, they tend to get bored really fast.”
Ethan chuckled. David’s lips curled into a smile in spite of himself, and he nodded before pocketing the dirt sample. The sun was beginning to set a bit lower in the sky, and it was only a matter of time before the nocturnal creatures began making an appearance.
“I’d actually love to hear about that sometime,” David said, standing upright and striding back in the direction of the helicopter.
Ethan lagged behind for a moment, long enough to cause David a bit of worry. However, when Ethan stepped beside him again, he placed a small piece of paper in David’s hand. Ethan ignored David’s inquisitive look, and David was forced to climb back into the helicopter and fasten in before speaking to the pilot again. He unfolded the piece of paper, eyes widening as he spotted a series of numbers written down. Ethan’s name was scrawled across the top in loopy handwriting.
A goofy smile worked itself onto David’s face.
“I was wondering if…well, I know this seems strange, but I had hoped you would agree to meet me at Quirkee’s bar tonight?” Ethan said calmly, though his entire face seemed to be aflame, down to his neck and shoulders. David realized in that moment that he would like nothing more than to rip the pilot suit off of the other man and expose just how deeply he blushed. He found himself growing red at the thought, as well as a bit aroused.
“I’d love to,” he blurted, before seeming to realize how eager he sounded. He cleared his throat awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck as he stared out the side of the helicopter. “That is, I’d be cool with meeting up at Q’s. Kind of a shady place, though, isn’t it? Doesn’t really seem to be your style.”
Ethan chuckled, glancing toward David as they began to ascend skyward again. “Oh, David. There’s a lot you need to learn about me,” Ethan said cryptically.
David usually wasn’t one for the mysterious types—they left too much room for missteps. Yet, he found himself inexplicably attracted to the mysterious air the pilot seemed to give off. It was as if he had some deeply hidden secret, something terrible yet wonderful, and David very much wanted to find out what this secret was.
Granted, it would probably be something like the other man having a kink for bondage and stuff, but David wouldn’t exactly be opposed to that sort of surprise either. Still, he felt as if there were something deeper to it. He couldn’t yet explain what was so entrancing about the pilot, but he knew it was likely more of a distraction from his bounty than he should allow. Jacob wouldn’t be particularly happy to learn that he’d been wasting time bar hopping with men, but what his mentor didn’t know certainly wouldn’t hurt him.
“Well, I’m pretty eager to give it a shot. That is, if you’d let me,” David grinned, reaching out to rest a hand on Ethan’s thigh.
Ethan nearly jumped out of his seat, the helicopter lurching off path for a moment before he was able to get control again.
David smiled to himself, but Ethan seemed intent upon pretending that he hadn’t nearly lost control of the chopper. David let out a little laugh. “Damn, blondie, you’re one smooth operator. You know that?”
Ethan rolled his eyes, but seemed particularly aware of the hand on his thigh. David could feel his muscles tightening beneath his touch, wondered if the other man was getting as hot as he was in the moment.
“We’ll see how you do tonight, then, David. As it stands, I think this is your stop,” Ethan said shakily, in spite of the confidence in his words. David looked up, not realizing that they were back in the fairgrounds. He slowly drew his hand away from Ethan’s thigh, drawing his lip between his teeth as he ripped a corner of his assignment paper off. He produced a pen of his own, jotting down his number and slipping it into Ethan’s pocket.
“Just so you know I won’t leave you hanging,” he teased, unfastening himself and slipping out of the helicopter. The carnie taking the money seemed ready to bite his head off, but David simply pressed another wad of bills into his hand.
“Sorry for the extended wait. I hope that’s enough,” David said smoothly, sauntering away from the scene with a swagger in his step. He couldn’t believe his good fortune. He’d managed to get certified at the Dragon Slayers Society, found a prime location to start hunting down his bounty, and had met an absolute hunk in the process.
All in the span of a day!
In spite of himself, David was looking forward to the date at the bar more than anything. It was strange, considering that Jacob and the other slayers had pretty much consumed his whole life at that point. It was very rare that he spent time with someone outside of the society. Granted, he’d never had the opportunity to make many friends before.
It would be nice to have a friend in the handsome helicopter pilot. However, he couldn’t deny that it would be all the sweeter to land Ethan in the sack. Feeling his insides grow warm at the thought, as well as a particular piece of him beginning to vie for attention, David quickly made his way back to his apartment. For now, he’d spend a little time with his hand. Tonight, though?
Well, time would tell.
CHAPTER FOUR
Ethan found himself agonizing over his date with the mystery man he’d met earlier in the day. He had only spent another hour at the fairgrounds after his strange flight with David, and he could only wonder what purpose the other man may have had at the field that held so many dangers. Granted, he didn’t expect David knew the full extent of the danger. Very few knew the secrets encapsulated in the small section of land wherein they had landed the helicopter. Ethan just happened to be one of the lucky ones, he supposed. If it could even be considered luck. Potentially facing the wrath of something large and scaly had given him some pause in the flight, but what was done couldn’t be changed.
Ethan could only hope the situation didn’t end as badly as it very well had the potential to. If something happened to David, the blood was on Ethan’s hands. He didn’t want to think too deeply about the potentially bad outcomes, however. He wanted to revel in this small opportunity he’d been granted: the chance to spend a few moments with a man entirely out of his league. While he wasn’t sure if David held any measure of attraction to him, he couldn’t deny his own desires. He wanted David, and he wanted him badly. It didn’t have to be any deeper than a one-night stand, though even those were somewhat more dangerous than he liked to involve
himself in. There was always the chance of someone getting hurt…emotionally, in most cases. However, on rare occasion, Ethan found himself in a situation that caused more harm than anyone could anticipate.
Just as well, he would enjoy the night out or die trying. It wasn’t often he got to spend time with others outside of his occasional job at the fairgrounds, or beyond keeping a shroud on the strange and fantastical visitors to the field. David seemed a rather interesting sort, even beyond his interest in the field that Ethan internally considered his own. There was a certain glimmer in his eye, a mischief that shone behind every action in the time they’d been together. Granted, it had been a short time, but the pilot rarely found himself drawn to people so easily. He was a private sort, when it came down to it.
Shaking himself free of his thoughts, he examined his reflection in the mirror for a long moment. His ice blue eyes stared back at him, looking more alive than they had in some time. He smiled to himself, brushing a hand along his just-barely scruffy jaw. He wasn’t entirely sure what to wear, considering how low-key Quirkee’s was. He was torn between remaining chill and going all out, fingers dancing from his tightest clinging v-neck to one of his many band t-shirts. He was proud of his body, though he had nothing on the man who would be accompanying him. Just as well, he wanted to make a good impression on David, and what better way than to give him a glimpse at what lay underneath? Ethan smiled, tugging the v-neck on over his head and flattening it out over his abs. Then, shortly after wiggling into a pair of tight jeans that felt around two sizes too small, he slipped out the door of his apartment.
The sun had long set beyond the horizon, stars twinkling in a brilliant show across the night sky. Ethan took a moment to admire the scenery before settling into a confident stride toward the bar. He was confident that he could make a good impression, he just had to flaunt his more sensual side. He had been somewhat awkward on the flight they’d shared, and although he was generally a nervous sort of guy, he had his moments of remaining suave and debonair as well.
The Dragon’s Flight: Gay Paranormal Romance Page 2
