Change of Heart

moved forward to touch her, but squealing tires startled me. Three cars pulled up beside the curb, and the men that poured out were moving fast. I turned to run, but there was a huge, muscle-bound man suddenly barring my path.
    "You're coming with us," he said coldly. "My yareah commands it."
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    Change of Heart
    by Mary Calmes
    That made no sense. Why would Talon want to hurt me?
    Why would her feelings suddenly go from warm to murderous? Why would she want me gone?
    Then it hit me. Avery had told her what I was, but nothing more. It was a problem for her.
    "Talon," I said quickly, pulling free of the man's grip to face her. "I'm not just a reah, I'm Logan Church's reah. He marked me."
    "None of that mat—" the man began.
    "What?" she yelled, slapping his hands away from me as well as everyone else's. "You're a mated reah?"
    "Yes." I smiled at her. Even though Logan and I had made nothing official between us, I knew my confession would still save me from whatever end she had planned. The truth of the matter was that if I was mated, I was no threat to her at all.
    She could not, would not, have her mate or her lifestyle taken from her. She liked her money and the things her money bought. Only a reah could steal her semel from her... an unmated reah. If I belonged to another, there was no reason for her to hate me—or hurt me.
    "Oh, Jin," she sighed, again swatting away the men who tried to put their hands on me. They were a nuisance to her, like buzzing flies. "Forgive me. It's Simone's life you're going to put into chaos, not mine."
    I was terrified for a moment as I wondered how much she cared about the sister of her mate.
    "And I couldn't give a shit."
    Which answered my question. "Can I go now?"
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    Change of Heart
    by Mary Calmes
    "Of course," she told me, leading me down the street toward a limousine.
    When we were almost to the car, a driver got out and walked around to the passenger door to open it.
    "Bale, please take Jin back up the mountain and drop him at Logan Church's door. The semel of the tribe of Mafdet will be missing his reah."
    The man's eyes flew open.
    "I know," she smiled coyly. "A reah in the flesh. It's simply amazing."
    I let her hug me goodbye even though I knew that if I had been unmarked, she would have killed me without a second thought. It was strange to be both coveted and feared at the exact same time.
    I had the driver drop me at my friend Rick's place instead of taking me to Logan's or home. Since I was supposed to be watering his plants for him while he was out of town, it seemed like a good place to get some much-needed sleep.
    Shedding my parka, boots and sweater, I then made my rounds of the indoor plants, making sure everything was still alive. Central heat was a wonderful thing; there was no having to build a fire or waiting for a radiator to turn on, it was just toasty as soon as I cranked up the thermostat. It was heaven. I wanted to just close my eyes, but letting Crane worry about me was just plain evil. When I called his phone, I got him on the second ring.
    "Hello?"
    I cleared my throat. "Crane."
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    Change of Heart
    by Mary Calmes
    "Jin!" He caught his breath. "Where are you? Yuri's at our place, and you're not there, and—"
    "I'm fine," I said, my eyes closing. "I'll see you in the morning."
    "No, where are you?"
    "I can't," I sighed deeply. "Tomorrow... I gotta rest, okay?
    You stay with Logan; you'll be safe there. Do you have my phone?"
    "Yeah, it got dropped in the snow, but Jin, you—"
    "Tomorrow," I repeated, feeling my body get heavy.
    "Wait, please, you hafta talk to Logan, alright?"
    I was barely conscious.
    "Jin."
    I grunted.
    "Here," he said. There was rustling on the other end.
    I did the deep exhale you do right before you drop off.
    "Jin."
    The man's voice slid through me, and as tired as I was, something inside tightened.
    "Are you all right?"
    "Yes," I smiled into the phone.
    "I want to see you."
    "I'll be asleep in seconds."
    "Then I'll watch you."
    "No, it's late... tomorrow."
    "Jin—"
    "I told her you marked me, so she didn't hurt me. Thank you. The mark saved my life."
    "What are you talking about?"
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    Change of Heart
    by Mary Calmes
    "Talon Danvers," I told him, shivering.
    "She was going to hurt you?"
    "I think so. Unmated reahs scare yareahs."
    "You're not unmated; you belong to me."
    "We should talk about it. I'm not convinced that's the best thing for you."
    "I am. You're my reah; therefore, you are the best thing for