The Steel Tower (Dragons of Midnight Book 2)

by Silver Milan

  Because of his dragon abilities, he could sense hidden traps of the Strength lying in wait, and he steered around those. There were tripwires made of human technology as well. He had sent the aerial photos taken by his lioness to Gwendoline, and his sister analyzed them with Dan and determined the areas most likely to contain laser-based tripwires. Jett avoided those areas like the plague, instead wading into a group of satellite dishes. He waited there for the next scheduled patrol to pass, and then made a dash across the courtyard toward the thick foliage that cloaked the eastern side of the tower.

  He advanced slowly through the dense undergrowth, calling on all of his stealth to move as noiselessly as possible. When he reached the exterior of the Steel Tower itself, he fetched his sat-phone and used the GPS to reposition himself until he was directly underneath Ariel’s window. Satisfied, he stowed the phone and moved a few paces to the left so that when he flew up there he wouldn’t pass in front of other windows along the way.

  When he was in place, he allowed his wings to unfurl and began a quiet ascent. He stayed as close to the exterior as possible, so much so that his wings occasionally scraped the steel surface and issued a soft squeegee sound.

  The windows of each floor passed by on his right, and he counted them in turn.

  Three.

  Four.

  Ten.

  Twelve.

  When he reached the fifteenth, he altered his flight to maintain his height, and traveled horizontally. In moments he was hovering in front of the window.

  Ariel was staring at him from inside. He could see her clearly with his night vision. She seemed tired, yet relieved.

  “There you are,” she whispered. Ariel glanced over her shoulder. “My roommate is still asleep.”

  Jett nodded. With one arm, he grabbed the clotheslines that partially blocked the window and pulled them down out of the way. He offered her his free hand.

  Ariel looked back into the room one last time and then she pulled herself onto the windowsill.

  Jett scooped her into his arm, released the clotheslines, and began flapping upwards.

  Her grip tightened around him.

  “You know, this is the first time you’ve ever flown with me,” she whispered breathlessly.

  “Are you scared?” he asked quietly.

  “Not at all. Not in your arms.”

  Jett scooted to the left, moving out of the way of the next window, and continued upward. Guards watched the roof of the tower, so Jett couldn’t get too close. But he had another path in mind...

  Three stories before the roof he halted, and then flew directly to the left.

  Jett stopped in front of a windowsill. The glass pane was ajar. He shoved it with one hand, opening it further, and then lowered Ariel onto the sill. After she scrambled inside, he landed on the edge, retracted his wings until they merged with his back, and then leaped through.

  He closed the window behind him and sealed the curtain so that the two of them were in absolute darkness.

  “I’m not the only spy you have in this tower, am I?” Ariel asked in the dark.

  “I personally don’t have any,” Jett said. “But Midnight has many spies throughout the world...”

  “Well, thank your sister for me,” Ariel said.

  “I already have,” Jett said. He felt around in the dark, seeing nothing in the pitch black. His night vision required at least some light in order to work.

  “What are you looking for?” Ariel asked.

  “The spy was supposed to leave an electric lamp somewhere…” Jett continued to grope around him. He hit his head on a sharp object and grimaced at the pain. He hadn’t hardened his skin: his physical defenses were down in anticipation of Ariel’s touch.

  “So wait,” Ariel said. “If your sister had a spy already, why would you need me to take all those pictures, and to watch for the patrols?”

  “Let’s just say there are limits to the favors I can ask of my sister, seeing as I’m no longer king,” Jett said.

  He finally found the electric lamp and hit the on switch, lighting the room in a dim glow. He turned toward Ariel. She was tinted blue by the faint light, and dressed in a long flowing robe that would be easy to remove. He found himself already getting aroused.

  But she wasn’t looking at him. Not yet. Probably worried about getting caught.

  “Where are we?” Ariel said, examining the boxes around them. “A storeroom of some kind?”

  “That’s exactly what it is,” Jett said. “It’s not very fancy, but it’ll do for our needs.” His breathing was heavy, his voice deep. “Did you leave the ring and phone behind?”

  She held up a hand. She wasn’t wearing the RFID ring she had told him about. “What do you think? I’m not going to bring tracking devices with me when my dragon visits.” Her voice, too, now sounded husky.

  Good.

  “Never hurts to check...” Jett leaned forward and planted a fervent kiss on her lips. “I’ve been waiting for this for so long. It seems like it’s been an eternity.”

  She kissed him back just as enthusiastically; there was no sign of the weariness he had glimpsed earlier.

  “Five days,” Ariel said, gasping. “It’s only been five days. But try telling that to my body! Oh wait, my mind and body are supposed to be the same thing.” She was mumbling now. “That’s what I learned so far this week.”

  “Then I’m looking forward to pleasuring your mind,” Jett said.

  He pressed his tongue between her lips, darting in and out, giving her a hint of what was to come.

  “My dragon, I’ve missed you,” she said.

  Jett tingled all over. When she was gone, he felt lost, set adrift. Like a part of him had died. The most important part.

  But now that part had come back to life, and he felt complete. He had his purpose once again. It revolved entirely around her. Everything else—the pride, his own life—was secondary. At least in that moment.

  He kissed her passionately. “And you have no idea how much I’ve missed you, Lioness.”

  She began to purr, and that sound made him lose the last of his restraint. He opened the belt that girthed her robe, then slid off the entire piece of clothing in one smooth movement, revealing her bare body, glistening with sweat.

  “Not wearing underwear again,” Jett said. “Tsk tsk.”

  “Actually I’ve started to,” Ariel said, panting. “But I took them off since I knew you were coming.”

  “Smart girl.” He set her robe on the ground, forming a makeshift bed, and lowered her. Then he stripped off his black and gold dress shirt.

  “Oh God,” Ariel said. “You really are a sight for sore eyes.” She sat up, and he couldn’t help but admire the way her breasts jiggled.

  He knelt beside her and she immediately leaned over to plant a hand on his pecs. She slid her hand downward to explore the ridges of his abs. Her touch made him throb painfully, his pants feeling way too tight.

  He growled and threw her backward. Then he planted his lips squarely on her folds. She was so achingly wet.

  “You taste so fucking good,” Jett said.

  Her back arched as his tongue thrust inside her. A moan interrupted her purring.

  He felt her hands slide into his hair. Her fingers squeezed, knotting his locks, and she pulled him tight against her center.

  He relished the smell of her, the taste. He continued to dart his tongue inside and out, and he massaged her nub with one hand. He lightly slid the fingers of his other hand up and down her thigh.

  “So so fucking good,” Jett said. “You know what heaven is? It’s tasting and smelling you just like this for every moment of the rest of my life.”

  “I love you,” Ariel said between gasps. “I really do.”

  “I love you more.”

  “Cheater,” Ariel said. “You can’t.”

  “Okay fine,” Jett said. “We love each other equally.”

  “Better.”

  He planted his lips on her core with r
enewed vigor and she squirmed under him. It was so damn sexy how she did that, and it turned him on immensely. He had to unzip his pants to relieve the painful pressure.

  “Oh Jett, I’m going to scream your name,” Ariel said. “I won’t be able to help myself. You have to stop. We’ll get caught.”

  “Better find something to bite down on,” Jett said. “Because you know there’s no stopping, not now. Unless you prefer sheer torture?”

  She fumbled for a sleeve of the robe underneath her and stuffed it into her mouth.

  Smiling wickedly, Jett attacked her center with renewed alacrity. “I’m going to make you come. Time to end your suffering, Lioness.”

  He rammed two fingers inside while wrapping his lips around her clit and sucking.

  Ariel’s eyes rolled up and her panting tripled. She wasn’t going to last long.

  Sure enough, Ariel’s fingers tightened in his hair and her knees jerked against his shoulders. Her back arched violently and she made a muted, garbled sound around the sleeve she’d stuffed into her mouth.

  “Jfette!” she said. Jett.

  She relaxed underneath him, her release complete. Her breathing slowed: long, content inhales and exhales.

  Jett pushed himself up and slid the wet fabric from her lips. “Get that out of your mouth. I want to look at you.”

  She smiled drunkenly.

  “You look like you’ve had a few drinks,” Jett said. It was difficult to joke with the sheer want throbbing inside of him, but he wanted to make this time with her last as long as possible. He would have his release soon enough.

  “I’m drunk on you,” Ariel said. “I almost forgot what you could do to me. How you make me feel.”

  “Already?” Jett said. “Short memory.”

  “Seriously, it’s been a long week,” Ariel said.

  “For you and I both.” He stared at her intently, that throbbing becoming unbearable. “But I’m not done with you yet, Lioness.”

  “Oh, I’d never dare to assume you were,” Ariel said. Her eyes darted to his crotch in obvious anticipation.

  Jett paused. “Do you want to be in control tonight?” It was an earnest question. Though he preferred to be on top, he figured after the week she’d been through that he’d at least give her the option, as he doubted she was given much choice during her day-to-day life in the Tower.

  “After what you’ve done to me, I don’t think I can do much more than lie here,” Ariel said.

  “Liar,” Jett said.

  She smiled. “Honestly, I could use a little relaxing release tonight. You take control.”

  “Suits me,” Jett said. He kicked off his boots and removed his jeans. He doffed his underwear and his manhood sprung forth.

  Ariel shuddered. “Now that’s what I call a dragon.”

  Jett grabbed a condom from the pocket of his jeans and applied the sheath. Then he lay his big body down on top of her and plunged inside to the hilt.

  14

  Ariel felt her insides stretch to the maximum as Jett entered her, and she couldn’t help an involuntary gasp. The sound seemed to turn Jett on, because he shuddered slightly. Then he withdrew partway and thrust. Again. Again.

  Ariel bucked into him rhythmically, in time to his thrusts. His chest was right on top of her face, and she licked his nipple, making Jett moan.

  That’s right, my dragon, let me pleasure you.

  Her throat fluttered as she began to purr.

  She couldn’t believe how Jett could so easily make all of her weariness, all the hardship of the past few days, fall away. She realized now that he was absolutely right. She needed him. She couldn’t wait three months for his touch. Even a week might be too much.

  He planted his arms on either side of her and lifted his upper body up so that she could admire his now sweaty chest. She watched his abs crunch repeatedly with each buck. She felt the spurts of pleasure as he drove deep inside of her and rubbed his pubic bone against her center.

  She could see his face now. The chiseled features. The luxurious golden locks falling down on either side. The fiery eyes. Yes, she looked deeply into those eyes.

  I love you, Jett.

  The fluttering in her throat grew louder.

  He returned her look with equal fervor and she could sense the requited love, the desire, in those eyes of golden flame.

  She wrapped her fingers around his corded forearms. Those thick, muscular arms… all hers.

  His bucking increased. Her toes curled as the pleasure built up inside her, and she knew her release was coming soon.

  She let go of his arms and fumbled for the sleeve of the robe underneath her.

  “No,” Jett said, his voice barely recognizable, sounding so gravelly. “Leave it. I want to look at you when I come.”

  Balancing on one arm, he grabbed the sleeve with his other hand and ripped it away from her.

  Oh no!

  Her back arched as the pleasure exploded inside of her. She slammed the edge of her palm into her mouth and bit down as a loud moan escaped her lips.

  “Jett!” she said. Her voice was muted by the hand. She hoped it was enough, because if anyone heard…

  Jett convulsed on top of her and abruptly collapsed. His weight was crushing, but only for a moment. Ever attuned to her needs, he rolled aside.

  “Wow,” Ariel said.

  “Have I convinced you to let me do this every night?” Jett said.

  Ariel didn’t answer. She was afraid she’d say yes. Already they were risking enough as far as she was concerned.

  “I guess that’s a no,” Jett said. He paused. “Are you sure they’re treating you well here? There isn’t anyone whose ass needs a good kicking?”

  Ariel thought of Walter right away. While it was fun to imagine Jett barging in during one of her “lessons” and giving the handler a bloody nose, it wouldn’t go over very well with the rest of the Steel Tower. No, she needed to handle Tower business on her own if she wanted to stay in their good graces and advance to any significant degree.

  “Everything’s fine,” she told him.

  “You sure?” Jett said. “You looked a bit weary when I first arrived.”

  “Nothing I can’t handle myself,” Ariel said.

  “Headstrong girl,” Jett commented.

  “I learned from the best,” Ariel said

  “The pride says hi, by the way,” Jett said.

  “How are they?”

  “Adjusting,” Jett said. “Life in Belgrade is… different, but not unpleasant.” He froze, tilting his head. Then he shot upright. “Someone’s coming. Quick! Get dressed!”

  She hadn’t heard anything, but she knew his hearing was more sensitive than hers. She rolled off the robe that had served as a bedsheet and hurriedly slid it on.

  Jett stooped over the electric light. He was already carrying his boots under one arm, with his jeans and dress shirt wrapped around them, and was otherwise still naked. He shoved the light behind some crates and turned it off. Absolute darkness descended.

  The curtain in front of the window opened a moment later, allowing her night vision to make out Jett’s muscular form in front of it. He opened the window and gracefully leaped onto the sill, where he balanced athletically. He held out his free arm toward her and beckoned.

  She hurried to him and he immediately scooped her up onto the thin windowsill. Holding her against his chest, he stepped out onto thin air, but didn’t fall. She hadn’t noticed, but his wings had emerged: he was hovering in place.

  Jett reached inside and closed the window as far as he was able from the outside.

  Ariel saw a door open on the far end and light poured into the storeroom. Jett flew diagonally downward, moving around to the other side of the tower and out of view as he descended.

  It felt exhilarating to be flying with him like this, and while she trusted Jett completely, it was also slightly terrifying. She clung to his bare chest tightly, not daring to look down. She probably wouldn’t see too far in the dark a
nyway. Then again, with her night vision…

  “Guess I was a bit loud during my climax,” Ariel whispered to distract herself.

  “My fault,” Jett said quietly. “I should have let you bite down on the robe.”

  “Or maybe our chattering was too noisy afterward,” Ariel said.

  “Probably a bit of both,” Jett said.

  “I love how you can do that with your wings, by the way,” Ariel said. “Fling them out at will, I mean.”

  “I know you do,” Jett told her.

  “Don’t get cocky,” she said.

  He grinned, planting a wet kiss on her lips. Then a moment later he was depositing her on the windowsill to her room, bending the clotheslines with one foot so that she could enter without snagging on them.

  After pulling herself inside, she turned around, touched her fingers to her lips and waved.

  He touched his own lips and turned his palm toward her in farewell.

  “Until tomorrow night, my lioness,” he said softly.

  Before she could answer, Jett dropped from view.

  She leaned outside but couldn’t find him. He had probably already dropped to the ground, vanishing in the foliage that surrounded the base of the tower there. She looked up, seeing if she could spot the storeroom, but it wasn’t visible on this side of the tower.

  She crept back to her bunk and pulled herself into the bed. Michelle’s breathing remained uninterrupted.

  With a contented sigh, Ariel closed her eyes. She was still glowing inside from Jett’s touch. She could still see his sexy body, lying above her, bucking…

  “Was that him?” Michelle said suddenly.

  Ariel’s eyes shot open. Her heart suddenly pounded in her chest. She had no idea what to tell her friend. She had been so certain that Michelle was still asleep. But it had all been an act.

  “It’s okay, I’m not going to tell anyone,” Michelle said.

  Ariel was somewhat relieved to hear that, but still had no idea how much she could really trust Michelle. She had only really known her for a week, after all. Though admittedly, it felt longer.