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had a variety of food spread out for a feast. She
    handed him a plastic fork which he studied with interest before
    tossing it aside. He attacked everything with his mouth and fingers.
    Valerie smiled with pleasure when he raved over her homemade
    potato salad, deviled eggs and cornbread. She wiped the grease on
    his cheek and mouth from the fried chicken with a paper napkin.
    Hott took the napkin into his hand and studied it carefully,
    turning it over, running his fingers over the flower pattern. She
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    Viking Warriors Book 1: Valhalla Hott

    opened the wine and offered him a Styrofoam cup full. Hott sipped
    at the liquid, while keeping a wary distance from the flashlight.
    “This is good,” he said.
    “Worth a whole eight bucks.”
    “I do not think it is worth eight, perhaps a single buck and a
    few fowl. It is best I do our bartering in the future.”
    Valerie laughed so hard she almost choked on her drink. “Not
    real bucks.”
    His look was skeptical. “In your time they have fake bucks?
    How do the does conceive?”
    “I was talking about money, like cash, you know, coins.”
    “Ah I see. What a strange name for wealth.”
    “I guess it is,” she replied, then pondered. “Why do you
    suppose we can‟t go into each other‟s era?”
    “I am uncertain. But I will not leave you behind with a
    quivering asshole boy friend.”
    “He‟s a jerk, he doesn‟t quiver and I ended it between us.”
    Hott brightened. “That is good. This boy friend appears to
    have enough trouble without dying of fright.”
    Valerie began cleaning up the remains of their meal. She
    packed away everything except for dessert, the wine, and the
    blanket. She watched as Hott picked apart his cup. Each time a
    piece came off he held it up and looked upon it with amazement.
    “It‟s called Styrofoam,” she informed him.
    “An odd substance to be certain. A container not made for a
    warrior.” He then crushed it in his hand.
    Valerie watched the look on his face when she pulled a small
    object out of her coat pocket. She thought perhaps they might need
    a fire. When she flicked the lighter and the flame burst forth, Hott
    bellowed like he had seen a ghost and jumped to his feet.
    “Witchcraft,” he whispered.
    “No, I‟m no witch,” she said a bit tightly.
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    Viking Warriors Book 1: Valhalla Hott

    She noted the sword he now held up in his hands. She
    swallowed a bit uncomfortably, thinking maybe teasing him wasn‟t
    such a good idea.
    “Remember I‟m from the future. We have invented certain
    things to make our lives more comfortable. This lighter can make a
    quicker more efficient fire in less time. If you were to stumble
    onto a relative of yours from a thousand years ago they might think
    you were a warlock if you had something they hadn‟t invented yet.
    Maybe some kind of new weapon.”
    He seemed to be pondering her words. To her relief he
    relaxed, and lowered his sword. Then he approached her with
    trepidation as well as an air of eager excitement.
    “Let me see this magic fire.”
    She handed it to him. Hott shook it, then pushed down on the
    button, but it wouldn‟t work. Valerie took it from him and
    showed him how to strike it to cause a flame. Once shown, he
    played endlessly with the object. Valerie just sat back and shook
    her head at his enthusiasm. She reached around him, opened the tin
    of cookies, and handed him one. One bite of the chocolate chip
    cookie, and he abandoned the lighter.
    “Easy now,” she cautioned. “I‟m guessing you‟ve never had
    chocolate.”
    “Is that what this is called?” he asked, poking at the brown
    pieces on the cookie. Another disappeared into his mouth.
    “Yes.”
    “They are delicious,” he said, his eyes squeezed closed as he
    savored the taste.
    “I thought you might like them.”
    “Are you not having any?” he asked and downed his sixth.
    “No, I‟m watching my waist.”
    Hott looked at her then looked down. He leaned in closer to
    stare hard at her