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Nero closes his eyes and lets out a contented low sound. It’s not a purr—I learned yesterday that panthers can’t purr—but it’s a happy enough noise.

It doesn’t make me feel any better.

I continue absently petting him. “Think I can just lie here forever?” I ask.

He gives me a blank look.

“I want to assume that’s a yes, but you seem less the nice-friend type and more the honest-friend type, so I’m going to guess that’s a no.” I sigh.

Nero responds by stretching on my bed, his body pushing mine to the edge of the mattress.

“Oh, comeon. You’re going to have to share,” I say.

He just stares back at me.

I give the beast’s body a big push. In response, Nero growls.

“Getoverit. Until you can pay the rent, I’ll be calling the shots. Nowscoot.”

He doesn’t.

“Do you want me to turn you into a parakeet?”

Now,begrudgingly, my familiar moves over.

I resettle on my bed. “Just so you know, this arrangement isn’t going to work when I have boys over.”

Nero makes a noise, and I can’t be sure, but it sounded like a scoff. Like a fuckingscoff. As though this random jungle cat—who has probably never been around humans—cannot imagine a situation where a guy would wind up in my bed.

“Icanget boys,” I say. I sound defensive even to my own ears.

A quieter noise comes from my panther. It still sounds disbelieving.

I think my familiar may be an asshole.

“I’m going to ignore your lack of faith in me,” I say.

Then I drag myself off the bed. “All right, I can sleep when I’m dead.” I pad toward the kitchen. “What we need is some food, some coffee, and some music.” I crack my knuckles. “We have a coven to get into.”

* * *

Armed with a mug of coffee, a snack bag of cookies for me, and some thawed chicken breasts for Nero, I sit in front of my laptop and type out my experience in South America.

I mention my original plans for the magic quest, then how my plane crashed. I describe the disembodied voice that called to me and how, while following it, I discovered my familiar. The paper pours out of me. The only thing I don’t mention is the mainevent: I discovered and freed some ancient supernatural. Not only do I doubt they’d believe me, but then I’d also have to explain why I unleashed a menace and where he is now. And I cannot truthfully answer either of those questions.

I’m just making my final edits to my paper when my phone rings. I glance at the caller ID.Sybil.

I bring the phone to my ear. “We’re calling each other now?” I answer. “Haven’t I told you that my introverted ass only does texts?”

“Ah, my kindhearted best friend,” Sybil says. “I knew you missed my voice.”

“I always miss you,” I tell her honestly.

“Aww, Selene, I love you, babe. I was actually calling to convince you to come to Henbane’s harvest party,” she says.

Of course, this is why she’s calling. It’s so much harder to tell her no over the phone than via text.

“That’s for coven members only,” I say, just in case she forgot.