Page 36 of Arresting the Warlord

“Sure, go ahead.” Jake stepped back.

I typed in my request. Some light blinked and presto. My tamales, rice and beans appeared. I picked up the plate. “Wow! It even smells yummy.”

“It’s a hell of a lot better than warrior rations, believe me.” Jake punched his order in and sixty seconds later a hamburger and fries materialized.

I snagged a fry and cautiously tasted it. Hmmm. “Not bad. Does it make ketchup too?”

Jake tapped the keypad and a small bowl of ketchup slid out of the machine. He dipped a fry in it and held it out to me.

I opened my mouth and he popped it in. “Can’t tell the difference.”

“Coletti of all ages like our food. Their favorites are Mexican food and chocolate.”

“Maybe we’re converting them, not the other way around.” I set my plate on a table, grabbed a fork out of a tray and dug in. “This is really good.”

“Zarek makes sure his warriors get the best.”

I was so hungry I practically inhaled my food. I snatched Jake’s last fry.

“How do you feel about German Chocolate cake?”

“Love it.”

“Fuck!” Jake bolted to his feet.

The sensation of danger skittered across my nerves and a thirty seconds later three heavily armed Coletti warriors in battle armor stood in front of our table. Each one was powerfully built and radiated danger.

Jake bared his fangs in snarl. “I thought you said you would never step foot on Earth, Keyan.”

“I have come for the female,” Keyan growled.

Female? I looked around the room. I was the only female here. “Can’t have me.”

Keyan narrowed his eyes. “You have no say in this, female.”

“Actually, I do.” I summoned my lightning and let little red bolts crackle around me. “Go away.”

“You should listen to my mate,” Jake said, every word was filled with menace.

“Mate? She wears no ownership band. We are tired of filthy hybrids getting the best females. This one is mine.” Keyan reached for me.

I zapped him. Keyan flew across the room and slammed into the wall. “Next time you try to touch me, I’ll kill you.”

The other warriors stared in astonishment as tendrils of smoke rose from Keyan’s battle armor.

“Leave,” Jake barked.

The idiots pulled their swords. “Not without the female,” the bigger one said.

“Aw, they want to play.” I tapped my bracelet and my armor covered me from head to toe. “Bring it boys.”

Jake flashed me a grin as his armor enclosed him.

Bellowing ear-shattering battle cries, the warriors charged.

I hurled a lightning bolt at big mouth.Crack!It slammed into his chest and he went flying. The mess hall doors slid open and big mouth slammed into General Jones, knocking him back into the hallway. Oops.

Swords clashed behind me. I spun around and watched Jake’s fury play out in a series of vicious cuts. Blow by blow, he forced the warrior back.

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