The First Starfighter by Grace Goodwin (lightweight ebook reader txt) 📕

Mia, I didn’t even try to convince myself I’d choose any other part to play. I loved being a fighter pilot. I loved my speedy little ship, the Valor. It was a Volantes II, the Starfighter fleet’s most deadly short-range battle fighter. I wanted to be one again. And again. And probably again after that.

“When we start over, all our stats will be wiped out. Even worse, we’ll probably have to build new guys. I like Darius. I want to keep him.” Lily, bless her heart, was really, really stuck on Darius.

Like I could talk.

Alex shouldered his giant rifle-looking weapon on the screen as part of the animated loop, and I practically drooled.

“I totally get that,” I agreed because she wasn’t wrong. I flew side by side with Alex. He was tall, gorgeous, with eyes that sparkled like emeralds. His bright eyes were intense, and that jaw, it was so square it had probably been chiseled from granite. I, of course, admired his tight ass and broad shoulders in the black Starfighter uniform. He had obsidian hair, gorgeous olive skin, and a perpetual five-o’clock shadow. He looked like a mythical warrior on steroids, and the image of him standing next to the digital representation of me—full thighs, full breasts, and all those curves made by cheesecake—he looked like a giant god on my computer screen. Although my matching black outfit did seem slimming.

If he were real, I’d want to see under that uniform in a bad way. My nipples got hard just thinking about stripping him down and having him talk dirty to me.

“We have to finish. It will literally drive me crazy if Jamie doesn’t win tonight.” Mia’s objection was from her heart. She hated losing and got beyond frustrated when things didn’t go well. She was an analyst for some computer company in Europe, and brilliant didn’t even come close to accurately describing her brain power. I had to wonder if she had a photographic memory. She kicked ass in the game and, I was sure, in real life.

The game was amazing, and playing with my friends… it was fun. Each of our Starfighter roles was important to save Velerion and defeat the evil and devious Queen Raya. We were all crucial to finishing that bitch. Yeah, it sounded hokey, but God, the game was incredible. I was emotionally invested. Big-time. I actually hated the imaginary evil queen. How dare she mess with my peeps?

Especially my personal Velerion. She wanted to kill Alex and all his friends. So naturally I wanted to crush her like a worm under a steel work boot.

Tonight? Tonight I was going to win with Mia’s and Lily’s help.

Well, them and our three completely fictional, sexed-up alien hottie sidekicks.

“We know one thing,” I said, adjusting my headset one more time, itching to get started.

“What?” asked Lily.

I stared at Alex. “The gaming industry finally figured out how to market to women.”

Mia and Lily burst into laughter, and I watched my monitor with anticipation as all six of our avatars, us ladies plus our three super-sexy aliens, filled the bottom of my screen. This part always took for-freaking-ever, but since this would probably be the last time we played together with these characters, I didn’t mind. And it would be the last time because I was going to beat this game.

Whoever built the game was really into words that started with a V and a whole lot of Latin. And I knew because I’d been on every wiki, fan page, and chat I could find. The Vega System? Real. The rest?

I didn’t care. The whole world was obsessed with Starfighter Training Academy, and the three of us were no exception.

“All right. Fine.” Lily gave in, as we’d known she would. We couldn’t keep replaying the same battle sequence forever. I’d finish the training academy. They’d soon follow in a game or two, and we’d start over. “I looked at all the player boards, and apparently these guys are one and done, although I haven’t heard of anyone actually completing the program. It’s so unfair.” Lily was whining now. “I don’t want to give up Darius. I think I love him. I guess after all three of us win and start over, I’ll build a giant golden god with bulging muscles and dark brown fuck-me eyes.”

“Darius is not going to like that.” Mia was teasing Lily now that we’d all agreed it was time to win this game and defeat the Dark Fleet once and for all.

“Again, fictional character,” I reminded not only Lily but myself. I was sad to see Alex go. I read lots of romance books and was fine jumping from one hot hero to another, but in this game I was stuck on my guy. I didn’t want a different wingman, either. I was seriously going to miss him. His perfect skin. His hard ass in those tight pants. The deep voice yelling at me to stop diving at an enemy fighter as we hurtled through space at near light speed. Apparently even fictional alien men were bossy. I didn’t tell either of them that Alex made me wet or that I fantasized about him when I pulled my vibrator out of my drawer and worked those batteries.

“I know. I guess I need to find a real man and get busy. I’m pretty sure my vagina has cobwebs,” Lily complained.

“You and me both.” I admired Alex’s intense green gaze for one more moment, then hit the start button. I had no doubt he could clear those cobwebs.

“I’m logged in. Let’s do it,” I said.

“Ready.” Mia’s character and her alien hunk popped up on my screen with green lights. Both Lily’s and Mia’s heroes looked nothing like mine, which showed how different our tastes were in men. That was the beauty of Starfighter Training Academy. It was as if it were almost real.

I laughed at how insane my thoughts were as Lily spoke. “If I have to give up Darius, the Dark Fleet is