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I parted my lips, waiting for the punchline. It was the absolute audacity and insanity of it all.

Immediately, I thought of Aunt Delphine and. . .knew now without a doubt that she’d happily orchestrated our meeting with that stupid root mission. And nothing would make her happier than her protégée mating with a super powerful spirit that could make other spirits in New Orleans tremble and hide.

I couldn’t help but smile.

Yoichi nodded. “I’m glad you understand.”

“No. I believe we will table this discussion for when you come back with me to New Orleans. I’m sure we will be able to compromise on my working with other spirits.”

“Hmmm.” He grinned. “My mate is funny.”

I rolled my eyes.

Then, we entered the bedroom and there was nothing else to say. My body went into overdrive.

The bed sat low to the floor. It was wide enough for four people and covered in black silk embroidered with tiny pale flowers, heavy furs, and pillows piled so thick it looked like a cloud had decided to settle down and rest.

And as soon as I saw that bed, lust clawed inside my body.

I wanted to be naked and in it, so fucking bad, and I yearned for Yoichi to be there just as naked with me.

He must have caught that thought because a dark growl left him.

"Soon, little witch. Very soon." Yoichi lowered me onto the bed.

Slowly.

Carefully.

Like I was made of the same paper as those screens, and he was afraid his fingertips would tear me. He cradled the back of my neck until the last possible second before my head found the pillows. His palm stayed a moment at my hip, heavy, warm through the silk.

Then he took his hands away, and it was worse than when he'd touched me.

The silk was cool against my back. The furs were soft beneath my palms. And the smell of him rose up from every thread—cedar and smoke—and wrapped around me so thick that my back arched off the mattress.

"Oh God."

He knelt beside me and set one hand back on my hip. The other brushed a few dreadlocks from my face, one at a time, his knuckles grazing my cheek. The gold beads clicked against each other.

I grabbed a pillow and pulled it against my chest.

Then another.

Then I tugged the fur closer.

I couldn't stop. My hands moved on their own, gathering, tucking, pulling things around me until I lay in a circle of silk and fur and pillows that all smelled like him.

Yoichi watched me do it.

His eyes went molten.

"What?" I whispered. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're nesting."

"I'm what?"

"Nesting." His voice dropped so low it came out almost a growl. His hand trembled on my hip. "Your body is preparing a place to receive me."