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become. It was all hard-wired into him, and I saw it sliding across his face, the turmoil and the conflicting desire. He wanted to throw me over his shoulder and take me to his semel so from there, beside his leader, he could watch over me. "You'll stop feeling like this as soon as you leave," I assured the sheseru.
    He shook his head just a little. "Something's wrong. I can sense it."
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    Change of Heart
    by Mary Calmes
    The man was scrutinizing my face. I had to get them out of there before he put it together and read the lie on me. I didn't have a mate, and he'd know that any second. "You need to go."
    "Please come with us to meet our semel and receive his thanks."
    Absolutely not! I shook my head, trying to pull my hand away.
    His fingers tightened instantly, digging into my wrist, holding on. Our eyes met, and I saw him studying me. He was not a stupid man, and his instincts were good, or he would never have been chosen to be sheseru. If I struggled, if I showed any fear, he would simply drag me out of there and take me to his semel by force. Once there, the truth would come out. Logan Church would know instantly that I had no mate.
    I couldn't be taken to him so I stalled for time. I dropped my eyes to stare at the ground, hopefully looking penitent. "I would go with you, but my semel would be displeased. It would not be maat for me to go without him."
    Through my lashes, I saw him nod and rise slowly to tower over me. "Of course. I understand. It would not be maat , right, for you to be in the presence of another semel without your mate. Forgive me for suggesting such impropriety."
    He thought I was concerning myself with archaic rules that meant nothing to me, but that was fine. Whatever got him out of there worked for me.
    "Reah," he breathed out.
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    Change of Heart
    by Mary Calmes
    When I lifted my eyes, I saw the muscles in his jaw clenching. He wanted to take me to his semel so badly, almost sure I was lying about who I was but not quite able to know for certain. And if he was wrong and took me anyway...
    his life could be forfeit over a mistake like that.
    "I have never met or even seen a reah."
    "We're rare, so you know my value to my tribe."
    "You're a value to all of us, not just your tribe."
    I nodded even though it was a load of crap.
    "It is said that a semel who finds his reah is favored of Ra."
    Uh huh, whatever.
    "A semel who has found his reah is semel-re, the seat of the eye. It's a blessing."
    "Blessing" was not the word I would have chosen. No freedom to choose who you wanted to love, chemistry and genetics and fate making the decision for you. I wanted no part of it. If I had been born a regular cat, I could have been with whomever I wanted, but because I was "blessed," any semel I came across could potentially be my mate.
    "A reah knows their mate as soon as their eyes meet."
    "Yes, I know," I said quickly, taking a breath. "Please give your semel my best."
    "Give me the name of yours."
    I gave him the only name I had. "Crane Adams," I said softly.
    He nodded, looking me up and down. "And who gave you and your mate safe conduct?"
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    Change of Heart
    by Mary Calmes
    "Your man Andrian Basargin gave my semel and me his name the night we saved Delphine," I coughed, "but he had no idea who or what we were."
    He just stared at me, studying me without saying a word. I stepped back, and since he didn't seem quite ready to leave, I asked him his name.
    "My name is Yuri, Yuri Kosa."
    "It's been a pleasure meeting you."
    "The pleasure was mine, reah... really, all mine."
    I thanked him before I asked him again to leave, as it would not look good for them to stay after so grievous an interchange with me. Everyone agreed to go except Delphine.
    She wanted to talk with me further, but I explained that I was working, after all. They left after paying the bar tab, and Ray came and found me a half-hour later, impressed that I had handled yet another explosive situation so deftly and quietly.
    He told me that I