Dragon Flight Academy 2, page 15
“Who’s up for a game of darts?” a British cadet asked in a heavily-accented voice.
He was already slurring his words slightly, but I could still understand him for now. Most of the patrons that had already been inside when we arrived had migrated to the garden, probably because they knew we were there to get drunk and rowdy.
“I’m in,” Alistair said as he downed his beer in one go and let out a loud burp.
“So am I,” Xander agreed.
We managed to divvy up into three teams of four for a mini dart tournament. The rest of the cadets watched the friendly competition and started betting on the winning team, which meant every shot was greeted with hoots or cheers. I was in a team with Brie, Nick, and Byron, and we won the first game against Alistair, Anji, Pierce, and another British cadet whose name I didn’t remember. Our second game was against a team that included Henry and Xander, but it was a tie, so to decide on a winner, we each had an extra dart to earn the most points possible. It turned out that my team won by a single point, which made us the winners of the mini tournament.
I started losing count of how many beers I’d had, but I gladly welcomed the buzzing feeling that blossomed in my head. I was having a hell of a good time, and my night improved considerably when Brie took me aside to a dark corner of the garden to kiss me senseless.
“God, I want you,” she whispered against my lips as she pressed herself against me.
Her hips rutted against mine, and when she hooked a leg around my waist, I knew I couldn’t resist her.
“Come with me,” I said and tugged on her hand.
She let out a giggle when I led her toward the garden gate, but instead of heading back up the hills where we’d left our dragons, I took her in the other direction. We didn’t stray too far, and once we found a somewhat even and grassy patch of land hidden behind trees and leaves, Brie pushed me against a tree trunk and kissed me again.
Our kiss was savage and primal, and our clothes came flying off a second later. My fingers found Brie’s wet opening, and I played with it until she was moaning in my ear and gripping my shoulders so hard that she’d leave her mark on me.
“Jake, fuck me, now,” she ordered quietly but sternly.
I scooped her up and spun us around so that her back was now against the tree. Brie’s long, smooth legs were tightly wrapped around my waist, and I secured my arms under her thighs to make sure she wouldn’t fall. The tip of my cock found her pussy a moment later, and we both sighed in pleasure at the fact that we were reunited once again.
“I’m addicted to you,” I murmured against her neck.
I peppered her skin with kisses and tiny nibbles while I worked my way deeper into her. Her moans and sighs of pleasure were the only sounds I could hear along with my own shallow breathing. I couldn’t get enough of her, and I knew that I wouldn’t hold it in for long, especially when she began squeezing her walls around me.
“You drive me crazy,” I added. “So crazy for you.”
“Jake…” Brie sighed and pressed my head closer to her skin. “You feel so good.”
A predatory grunt escaped me, and I started pounding into her so we could both reach our climaxes. It was hot and quick, and exactly what we needed. I felt myself about to ejaculate a few moments later, so I actively worked on Brie’s clit. The pleasure-filled scream she let out when she came echoed around me, and it was the last thing I needed to release my semen inside of her. I slowed down my movements but didn’t fully stop until we’d both ridden out our highs.
My head was buzzing still, but this time it was for a completely different reason. A goofy grin stretched my lips apart, and I kissed Brie’s slack mouth a couple of times before I gently placed her back down. Her knees shook with the sudden weight they had to carry, so I held her in my arms, stroked her hair, and kissed the side of her head.
“I’ve got you,” I murmured.
“Mmmm…” Brie exhaled a contented sigh. “Sex with you is phenomenal.”
“Phenomenal, huh?” I teased. “I like the sound of that.”
“Don’t let it go to your head,” she warned, but her threat was lost behind a chuckle. “We should head back. They’ll wonder where we are.”
“Wouldn’t want them to see your gorgeous naked body,” I agreed and stepped away once I was sure she could stand on her own.
Brie grinned at me, and we shared dozens of kisses as we put our clothes back on. I let her straighten my clothes as best as she could, and I removed a leaf from her hair. Her makeup was smudged, and her lipstick was completely gone, but Brie being the resourceful woman that she was, whipped out a tiny lipstick bottle from the inside of her skirt and applied a thick layer to her mouth.
“Where did you even put it?” I asked in incredulity.
“Right here.” Brie lifted her black skirt to reveal a tiny pocket which had been sewn onto the fabric. “Useful, isn’t it?”
“Very.” I nodded. “Let’s go.”
We held hands until the bar came into view, and then we merely walked side by side like two old friends. With all the alcohol everyone had consumed, I didn’t think that any of them had noticed our absence, and even if they had, I doubted they’d remember it come morning. Brie and I could’ve kissed in front of them, and I still didn’t think they would’ve noticed, not with how rowdy our group was getting.
But when we got back inside the bar, I instantly noticed the shift in atmosphere and the slightly ominous tension that floated in the air.
“What’s going on?” Brie asked in a quiet whisper as we stepped in from the garden.
“The Navy is here,” was all I said.
Chapter 10
I counted six sailors at the bar, all men, all burly, and all already intoxicated. They weren’t wearing their uniforms, but I recognized them anyway, thanks to the credentials that dangled from their necks. Two of them were Black, one was Hispanic, and the last three were white. They all had extremely short haircuts save for the two Black men, who had buzz cuts.
The sailors didn’t notice our arrival, so I led Brie past the bar and toward the back of the room where our friends were still playing darts, pool, and drinking heavily. Most of them had already noticed the Navy’s arrival, but they stayed at the back and pretended everything was just fine.
“Next round’s on me!” Alistair shouted to get our group’s attention. “What do you all want?”
I accompanied him to the bar to relay all twenty-three drinks, and we walked back and forth to bring drinks to our friends. The barmen behind the bar looked frazzled by the amount of drinks they had to make for us, and while I did feel a little guilty about taking up all their time, I had a good buzz going, and I quickly discarded the thought.
Once I had my own beer in hand and everyone had been served, I joined Brie, Caleb, and Pierce by the pool table. I bumped my hips into Brie’s, and to everyone else, it would’ve looked as if I’d stumbled because of how much I had to drink. But Brie knew I’d done it intentionally, and when she reached a hand out to steady me, her fingers lingered on my waist for a few seconds.
“So, are we playing?” I asked my friends as I took a sip of my foamy beer and pointed at the pool table.
“I’ve never played pool before,” Caleb revealed. “I’ll sit this one out.”
“Just admit you want to go back to flirting with the waitress already,” Pierce teased him. “The two of you are giving me a headache with your sickening glances.”
“Have you gotten her name yet?” I asked my best friend.
“I did,” Caleb grinned. “Her name’s Luana. Did you know it means joy and contentment?”
“Ask her out,” Brie said and tugged Caleb to his feet. “You might even get lucky and get a kiss.”
She gave him a light push, and Caleb stumbled and spilled some of his drink on the floor. He turned to glare at Brie, but he looked more like a kicked puppy in need of attention than someone who was genuinely annoyed.
“Attaboy,” I cheered while my friends laughed.
The three of us watched as Caleb clumsily made his way to the bar. The cute barmaid who’d caught his eye was chatting with a customer, but she dropped her conversation to smile at my friend. As soon as he reached the bar, Luana gave him her undivided attention and even leaned her elbows on the sticky bar.
“They’re kinda cute,” Brie said with an easy smile.
“Yeah, so cute I might vomit,” Pierce grunted and turned away from the spectacle. “Let’s play pool.”
“You’re just jealous,” Brie taunted him.
“Of Shorty?” Pierce laughed and took a long swig of his beer. “Definitely nothing to be jealous of, believe me.”
Brie continued teasing him while Pierce prepared the pool table for our game. At least it was good-natured between them now, unlike the barbs they’d traded in those early days. Since there was nothing to be truly concerned about, I eased myself onto a nearby stool and placed my drink on the table.
We’d barely started our game when a massive shadow fell across the pool table. I looked up and saw three of the sailors had wandered over.
“You know how to play pool?” the Hispanic one asked with a slight slur.
He wasn’t too steady on his feet, and he bumped against the table a couple of times as he swayed from side to side. One of his friends stabilized him with a hand on the shoulder, but it didn’t really help, since he was just as inebriated as his friend.
“A bit.” I shrugged.
“Then let’s play,” one of the white guys said. “Navy versus Dragon Corps. Y’all are Dragon Corps, right? You got that smell…”
“You’re on,” Brie said before Pierce and I could say anything. “Drinks are on the losing team. Three against three.”
“Brie,” I warned, but I could tell she wasn’t listening.
Her attention was on the three sailors. She looked determined and fierce, exactly the way she’d looked on our first day in the Sonoran desert. I clamped my mouth shut because I knew that she either had a plan to take advantage of their boozy state or she was secretly a master pool player and was about to run the table with them. Or maybe she was just so drunk she couldn’t think straight.
“Ladies first,” the Hispanic guy declared and he waved at the pool table. “Name’s Carlos, and them two are Ray and Lance.”
Ray was the tallest of the three, with bulging biceps and short dark hair that curled on the top of his head. Beside him, Lance was a dwarf in comparison, though he was still taller than me. His straight blond hair was shorter than Ray’s, and it was matted to his sweaty forehead. Both men had a glazed look on their faces that betrayed their inebriated states, and I suddenly had a feeling that the night was about to take a turn for the worst.
“I’m Jake, and this is Brie and Pierce,” I introduced our group with a jerk of the head.
“Alright boys, enough chitchat,” Brie said. “Let’s rack ‘em up.”
While we’d talked, Pierce had racked the balls, so Brie removed the triangle, grabbed her cue stick, and did a terrible break shot that barely moved a couple of the balls. Pierce and I glanced at each other while the sailors burst out laughing and began clapping their hands together.
“This is gonna be easy,” Carlos boasted as he puffed his chest out like a peacock.
He grabbed his own cue stick, assessed the possibilities for a couple of seconds, and then took his shot. The white cue ball rolled across the table and hit the blue-striped ten ball at a ninety-degree angle. The ten zoomed across the table and fell into the middle left-hand-side pocket.
“Woooo!” Ray shouted. “That’s what I’m talkin’ about.”
“Yeah, baby!” Carlos high-fived him.
The sailor faced the table again and aimed for the nine ball. The nine coasted toward the corner pocket, but stopped just shy of dropping in.
“My turn,” I said before Pierce could do anything obnoxious.
“You can do it, Jake,” Brie cheered.
“Yeah, Jake,” Lance mocked her. “You can do it.”
While the three buffoons guffawed together, I focused on my shot. The five was tempting, but there was a good chance I’d knock the fifteen in as well, and while I had a good hand at pool, I knew I wasn’t that good. Especially after a few beers.
So I opted for the six instead. It was still a tricky shot since I had to bounce the cue ball off the opposite bumper and weave it between the eight and the twelve, but I felt more confident about the shot. I nailed the path, but the six hit the bumper instead of the pocket.
“Nice try, Jake,” Brie sympathized.
She placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled at me. My brows furrowed as I tried to silently ask what she had in mind, but Brie pretended to be oblivious.
“Lance, it’s your turn,” Carlos said, and he chucked the cue stick to the shortest sailor. “Make Daddy proud.”
“Please,” Lance snorted. “Ya know I can play pool in my sleep.”
To prove his point, Lance took his shot, and the thirteen caromed into the bottom right pocket. The sailors back-slapped each other as they cheered, and I rolled my eyes.
“That’s too easy,” Ray catcalled. “We gonna wipe the floor with y’all.”
“I’d love to see you try,” Brie retorted fiercely as she crossed her arms.
“Watch and learn, doll,” Lance crooned in a sickly-sweet voice that made her gag.
Lance prepared himself for his next shot, but the ball grazed the edge of the six ball, skimmed the edge of the pocket, and refused to drop. That meant Pierce was next, and he quickly sank the two, but on his next shot, the cue ball didn’t spin enough, and he struck a striped ball instead.
“That gets us two shots!” Ray shouted and exchanged more back slaps with Carlos and Lance.
“Looks like the Dragon Corps just ain’t that good with balls,” Carlos mocked. “Too bad you can’t have your dragons play pool for you, too.”
“At least the Dragon Corps only recruits the best of the best,” Brie snapped “Which is more than anyone can say about the Navy.”
“And we don’t hide behind a hull made of steel,” Pierce added spitefully. “While you’re busy loading your missiles and lining up your shot, we just blink and it’s done.”
“Feisty, eh?” Carlos said. “We’ll see how mouthy you are once we’re done with you. Ray, you’re up.”
The tall, burly man stepped up to the table with his cue stick and delivered a perfect shot that sent another striped ball into the middle pocket on the right side. A smug smirk crossed his face as he readied himself to take his second shot. He missed, but he’d set up the next shot for his team perfectly, and since they had their gimme on Pierce’s error, Carlos sank the ball quickly.
“Yeah, boys!” he shouted.
The sailors had three striped balls left before they could focus on the eight, while we still had seven solid balls to pocket. The taunting got even louder, though Carlos’ next shot missed the pocket. That meant it was Brie’s turn again, and a determined expression settled on her gorgeous face when she leaned across the table with her cue stick in hand.
“I’ve got this,” she muttered.
“You do, Brie,” I replied, even though she hadn’t been talking to me.
“Show them what the Dragon Corps can do,” Pierce added.
Brie inhaled deeply, closed her eyes briefly, and then took aim. She hit the seven, and for a few seconds, it looked like it was headed straight for the middle left pocket. Somehow, though, it hit the edge and bounced out, and the sailors cackled at her attempt.
“Boys, let’s end their misery,” Carlos said as he threw his cue stick to Lance.
The rest of the game was an easy victory for the sailors, and all we could do was listen to them gloat. By the end, everyone was watching us, even the other sailors at the bar.
“Navy, one, Dragon Corps…” Carlos trailed off. “Well, nonexistent.”
“You guys sucked,” Ray laughed. “Not surprising, considering you’re all lazy fuckers.”
“Oh, yeah?” Brie marched toward him with her chin up in the air. “How about a rematch then?”
“And destroy you a second time?” Ray said in a disdainful voice. “I don’t see the point. Do you, boys?”
“Nah.” Lance shook his head. “Easy victories aren’t all that.”
“Why don’t we bet on it, hmm?” Brie insisted as she stood her ground. “A hundred bucks says we can wipe the floor with your sorry asses.”
“Brie,” I stepped in. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Yeah, Brie, listen to your boyfriend.” Carlos smirked at her.
Brie ignored him and turned to Ray, who looked a lot more interested in the potential hundred dollars.
“So what do you say?” Brie asked. “If you’re as skilled as you claim, then you’ll be walking away with a hundred bucks.”
“Ah, screw it, let’s play,” Ray said.
He whipped his wallet out of his shorts’ pocket and took out five twenty-dollar bills that he chucked on the table. A gleeful shadow obscured Brie’s eyes at the gesture, and she deposited fifty dollars on the table before she turned to Pierce and I.
“Well?” She raised her eyebrows expectantly and held out her hand. “Pay up.”
Pierce took out thirty dollars, which only left twenty dollars unaccounted for. Luckily, I had two ten-dollar bills in my wallet that I chucked on the table with the rest of the money. Two hundred dollars was now at stake, but I had a feeling it was the last time we’d see the money.
Brie smiled as she collected the bills and stacked them on the edge of the table under a block of chalk. Then she grabbed the rack and placed the balls inside.
“Are you sure about this?” I whispered as I watched her move.
“Sure about what?” she asked innocently.
“You know what I’m talking about,” I insisted. “They literally just destroyed us.”
“Don’t fret,” she said as she lifted the rack and shot me a wink. “We’ll be fine.”
She tapped my cheek before she turned to the sailors, who’d just returned with another round of drinks for themselves. I also noticed that every Dragon Corps cadet had gathered around the pool table, and they gave us fist pumps and nods of encouragement.
