uncomfortable silences with. I drifted in and out, listening as Crane asked the two men more questions.
"Everybody's got, like, a Russian name around here, and then there's Logan Church. What's up with that?"
"Logan's grandfather was Vanya Chernishoff, and he changed the name to Church."
"Why?"
"I'm sure there were many reasons to do so forty years ago."
"So Logan—"
"Logeen," Mikhail chuckled, "if you want to say it correctly."
70
Change of Heart
by Mary Calmes
"Whatever. Logan's family and his tribe, most are Russian?"
"Just Logan's family, mine, Yuri's, and Andrian's, but then there are many others, like the Chings and the Browns, who don't hail from the old country."
"I dunno," Crane said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. "I'm thinking China qualifies as a really old country."
"Indeed."
"Okay, so I have another question. How come Domin Thorne and Christophe Danvers are creeping around on your semel's land? Do they have permission?"
"Logan allows both of them to come and go as they like,"
Mikhail answered, "as long as they never bring more than five attendants with them."
"That sounds risky to me."
"And I would agree," Yuri said pointedly.
Mikhail sighed deeply; it was obviously an ongoing argument. "As for the reason that both semels are suddenly around, my best guess would be Jin."
"Jin?"
"Yes. You've spent too much time in the company of a reah, Crane; you have no idea what it's like for the rest of us.
A reah is a miracle, plain and simple. I cannot tell you how much I hope that Jin is my semel's mate."
"Jin doesn't want a mate," he said irritably.
"That is not for Jin to say."
I loved being discussed like I wasn't there. "Could we change the subject, please?"
71
Change of Heart
by Mary Calmes
"Yes," Yuri told me. "Let's hear more about Crane's conquests."
My best friend was always up to talking about that.
As we rolled through the huge wrought iron gates, I took a deep breath. When the car stopped, everyone got out but me.
When Crane tried to get me to move, Mikhail told him to give me time. It was nice that he and Yuri weren't trying to rush me. They just waited until I was ready. When I finally climbed out and looked around, I smelled wet earth, smoke and pine.
It rolled through me, and I calmed.
"You come up to the house when you want, okay, Jin?
We'll take Crane up with us."
Funny that they were all so familiar suddenly, like they were friends.
"Is that okay?"
I nodded at Mikhail and leaned back against the car.
From where I was, I could see all the lights, and, closer to the house, all the cars clustered in the large circular drive and parked on the snow-covered ground further on. The place was teeming with people, and since crowded places were always best for awkward meetings, I realized that standing there a moment more was just stupid. I was putting off the inevitable.
The front door swung open when I pushed against it and stepped inside the living room. Immediately, my senses were flooded. The aroma of the food, the warmth of the air, the hum of dozens of conversations, and the reflected glow of the fire in hundreds of crystal glasses was mesmerizing. I had worried briefly that I would be underdressed, having been to 72
Change of Heart
by Mary Calmes
many black-tie feasts, but this one was casual, so I relaxed and took a breath.
"Can I take your coat?"
I turned to the voice and found the darkest, clearest emerald green eyes I had ever seen in my life. They were beautiful, and so was the man who had seemingly materialized out of thin air.
"Thanks," I managed to get out, unzipping my parka and passing it to him.
He took it and then stepped in front of me, offering me his hand. "Hi. I'm Ruslan Church, but everyone calls me Russ."
"Jin," I said, taking his hand.
He tightened his grip, not letting me go.
"So," I began awkwardly. "Are you Logan's brother, or a cousin?"
"I'm his brother."
I nodded, slipping my hand from his. "Well it's a pleasure to meet
"Everybody's got, like, a Russian name around here, and then there's Logan Church. What's up with that?"
"Logan's grandfather was Vanya Chernishoff, and he changed the name to Church."
"Why?"
"I'm sure there were many reasons to do so forty years ago."
"So Logan—"
"Logeen," Mikhail chuckled, "if you want to say it correctly."
70
Change of Heart
by Mary Calmes
"Whatever. Logan's family and his tribe, most are Russian?"
"Just Logan's family, mine, Yuri's, and Andrian's, but then there are many others, like the Chings and the Browns, who don't hail from the old country."
"I dunno," Crane said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. "I'm thinking China qualifies as a really old country."
"Indeed."
"Okay, so I have another question. How come Domin Thorne and Christophe Danvers are creeping around on your semel's land? Do they have permission?"
"Logan allows both of them to come and go as they like,"
Mikhail answered, "as long as they never bring more than five attendants with them."
"That sounds risky to me."
"And I would agree," Yuri said pointedly.
Mikhail sighed deeply; it was obviously an ongoing argument. "As for the reason that both semels are suddenly around, my best guess would be Jin."
"Jin?"
"Yes. You've spent too much time in the company of a reah, Crane; you have no idea what it's like for the rest of us.
A reah is a miracle, plain and simple. I cannot tell you how much I hope that Jin is my semel's mate."
"Jin doesn't want a mate," he said irritably.
"That is not for Jin to say."
I loved being discussed like I wasn't there. "Could we change the subject, please?"
71
Change of Heart
by Mary Calmes
"Yes," Yuri told me. "Let's hear more about Crane's conquests."
My best friend was always up to talking about that.
As we rolled through the huge wrought iron gates, I took a deep breath. When the car stopped, everyone got out but me.
When Crane tried to get me to move, Mikhail told him to give me time. It was nice that he and Yuri weren't trying to rush me. They just waited until I was ready. When I finally climbed out and looked around, I smelled wet earth, smoke and pine.
It rolled through me, and I calmed.
"You come up to the house when you want, okay, Jin?
We'll take Crane up with us."
Funny that they were all so familiar suddenly, like they were friends.
"Is that okay?"
I nodded at Mikhail and leaned back against the car.
From where I was, I could see all the lights, and, closer to the house, all the cars clustered in the large circular drive and parked on the snow-covered ground further on. The place was teeming with people, and since crowded places were always best for awkward meetings, I realized that standing there a moment more was just stupid. I was putting off the inevitable.
The front door swung open when I pushed against it and stepped inside the living room. Immediately, my senses were flooded. The aroma of the food, the warmth of the air, the hum of dozens of conversations, and the reflected glow of the fire in hundreds of crystal glasses was mesmerizing. I had worried briefly that I would be underdressed, having been to 72
Change of Heart
by Mary Calmes
many black-tie feasts, but this one was casual, so I relaxed and took a breath.
"Can I take your coat?"
I turned to the voice and found the darkest, clearest emerald green eyes I had ever seen in my life. They were beautiful, and so was the man who had seemingly materialized out of thin air.
"Thanks," I managed to get out, unzipping my parka and passing it to him.
He took it and then stepped in front of me, offering me his hand. "Hi. I'm Ruslan Church, but everyone calls me Russ."
"Jin," I said, taking his hand.
He tightened his grip, not letting me go.
"So," I began awkwardly. "Are you Logan's brother, or a cousin?"
"I'm his brother."
I nodded, slipping my hand from his. "Well it's a pleasure to meet
Similar Books
