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By the time Jyrak saw her home, Mia had her anger under control. She’d approach this rationally, she decided. She and Zoran could sit down together over the evening meal and talk through whatever problems they faced. Why not? It worked for her parents. Surely it would work for her and Zoran, too.

Then she walked in and saw the boxes of supplies sitting in the kitchen and her temper sparked so high, she nearly screamed. She stalked through the apartment and found Zoran standing on the balcony watching the day fade into night.

“You can’t buy my affections,” she snapped.

He turned slowly, folded his hands behind his back, and stared coolly at her. “Of what do you speak, mate?”

She pointed a quivering finger at the living area. “Those boxes. What are they?”

“DVDs,” he enunciated carefully in English. “I intended giving them to you on the evening of our tour of thejutji, to distribute among the humans.”

“Ha! A likely story.”

“Such is the only story, as it is the truth.”

She ground her teeth together in frustration. Maddening male! “Why should I believe you?”

“Why should you not?”

“Ooo,” she huffed. “Fine. I’m taking a shower and putting on clothes I didn’t have to sew back together because my mate is an inconsiderate lout. Don’t even try to follow me.”

“You could not stop me if you tried.”

Tears filled her eyes so suddenly, she stalked forward and jabbed him in the stomach with her finger. “Just watch me, mister.”

His expression fell. Slowly, hesitantly, he smoothed a hand over her hair. “Tell me what you were discussing with my mother and Jyrak.”

She sniffed back a sob. “Why should I?”

“Because I ask it of you.”

“You aren’t exactly asking.”

“Then I do so now,” he huffed.

“Fine. We were—” She waved a hand, then swiped a stray tear from her cheek and quickly explained her suspicions about the infertility virus, her mother’s experience with disease, and Jyrak’s offer to open communication channels for further investigation.

“I see,” Zoran said slowly. “And reducing yourself to a mere researcher. How do you explain this?”

“What?” She shook her head, even more confused than before. “No. I asked Mother Alara to shoulder some of her previous responsibilities until I could settle in, get my own research under control, and learn how to be an administrator. She agreed to be my, mysensei, for lack of a better term.”

“As I agreed to be yoursenseiin the soul dance.”

His words were so soft, she barely caught them. “Exactly. I don’t understand why you were upset about that. It was my call. I mean, what use am I when I don’t even know what I’m doing? And, you know, your mom really wasn’t ready to give everything up. She wants to feel useful, too.”

“She has other responsibilities.”

Mia groaned. “God, don’t say that. I already feel guilty about having to ask her to cover for me.”

“Mia.” He dipped his head, aiming for a kiss, and she turned her head away.

“No,” she said, backing out of his hold. “You can’t wiggle your way out of this one.”

“Mate.”

She ignored his warning growl and tilted her chin at a stubborn angle. “I’m serious, Zoran. You should’ve asked what was going on before getting pissed at me. Don’t expect me to forgive you for scaring my friends.”

He drew himself up and stared down his nose at her. “You speak only of your friends’ fear. What of your own?”