Dream Warrior: (Dark Warrior Alliance Book 1) by Brenda Trim, Tami Julka Page A

placed the uneaten portion back in the box. She didn’t want to be rude, but that tasted awful. Where was her beverage? “Orlando, where is that drink?” He was handing it to her as quickly as the question left her lips. She took a healthy swallow and washed out the flavor. Peppercorn and chocolate should never be paired together.
    “I’m a waitress at Earl’s. It’s close to UW and the schedule works with my classes.” She picked up more candy.
    *****
    Zander watched Elsie eat another caramel. The way she moaned her pleasure and closed her eyes was maddening. He clenched his fist and gulped his margarita. He needed to cool down. A bath in a tub of ice may do. “You like those,” he observed. He gave a mental headshake. This was a human he was flirting with. One who had no desire to betray her dead husband. He needed to stop pushing this. He didn’t need the problems that came along with a human.
    “Mmmm, these are incredible. My favorites are the salted vanilla caramels. The others are…unique. But, I could live on those salted ones,” she moaned in ecstasy as she ate another.
    She had a drip of caramel on her lip that he wanted to lick off. He ached to lick many places on her delectable body. That was not helping to calm his raging erection. His fangs shot down for the hundredth time since entering her apartment. Definitely not helping. How they ached to sink into her flesh to taste her life’s blood. That was an urge he almost couldn’t control. It had been too many months since he had been able to feed properly. He desperately needed blood.
    “You will have some every day then,” he declared. He would buy the damn store to see the joy on her face.
    She had finished her second drink and was waving her cup at Orlando. She already had the warrior wrapped around her finger as he jumped to refill her glass. And she called him bossy.
    “Uh, I hate to tell you this, Mr. Bossy Pants, but you can’t say that. And, you definitely can’t buy me some every day. We aren’t in a relationship,” under her breath she whispered, “those days are over for me” unaware that his preternatural hearing picked up every word. That affected him more than he cared to admit.
    Still, his eyebrow arched imperiously and he took on the challenge she unknowingly issued with her words. “Doona be so sure aboot that, lass. I have powers beyond your imagining,” he whispered in her ear.
    She laughed out loud at that. “Oooh, I have powers beyond imagining. What can you leap tall buildings in a single bound? Oh, or do you have x-ray vision?” She threw her head back and really laughed at that. The joy in her expression was breathtaking. He sat up straighter knowing he had brought her happiness.
    Her sister strolled over and sat between him and Elsie. She grabbed up the empty candy box and huffed, “Wow, El, you could’ve saved one for me. It is so good to hear you laughing again. And, I will help pay for the candy if it gets you eating.”
    The sight of Elsie sticking her tongue out at her sister brought the blood right back to his groin. “Sorry, biz-nitch, they were too good to stop eating. Like Lays chips, you can never only eat one.” She was tipsy and fun when she had a bit to drink.
    “Funny, I don’t have that problem with Lays. It’s John I can never get enough of,” her sister tossed back.
    Elsie broke into a bout of laughter then stopped and gaped at Cailyn. “I can’t believe you said that in front of all these guys.”
    Santiago settled his bulk on the floor and leaned back against the wall. “It’s no big deal, we’re family now.”
    Elsie smirked. “In that case, I need another drink, Cabana Boy,” she called to Orlando.
    “Sure thing, cupcake. Always at your service,” Orlando said and bowed before her with a flourish. Sarcastic as hell. Yeah, she liked him.
    A knock at the door interrupted. Zander opened his senses and noted it was Gerrick and Jace. He watched Elsie’s superb ass sway as she rose