A Siberian Werewolf Christmas by Caryn Moya Block Page A

then started to change Katya. Maggie laid
Karina down and got to work.
    “Is Slava married?” Maggie
blurted.
    “No, he hasn’t found the right woman
yet. His parents died six months ago. Both he and his father were
caught in a cave in at the mine. Slava was unconscious for a couple
of days. We feared he wouldn’t make it. Laurel, Anton’s wife, was
able to help him, and he woke up. Unfortunately his mother had
already slipped into a coma. She died the next day.”
    “Six months ago isn’t very long. I
know I grieved for my parents for at least a year before I could
face life without feeling horrible. I still tear up occasionally,
and it’s been five years now,” Maggie said.
    “Slava also has problems with
headaches. Laurel hasn’t been able to help him with the pain. They
can get so bad he has to go to bed. His sister stayed with him the
last time.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that. He seems like
such a nice man. You should have seen him with the girls this
afternoon. He’ll make a good father someday.”
    “Is something going on with you two?”
Violet looked over.
    “I just met him.” Maggie’s face
flushed. She did have feelings for Slava. “I think I could fall for
him, Vi.”
    Violet smiled, and then her look
turned pensive. “Be careful, Mags. I don’t know if Slava can think
about love right now. He’s still grieving. You could get
hurt.”
    “I’ll be careful. I know what it’s
like to lose both parents.”
    “I know you do, sweetie. Come on,
let’s take the girls downstairs. They can play until the men get
home and dinner is on the table. Alena and Kolya are coming over
and bringing little Alexsandr. He’s such a cutie.”
    “So, Alena is your sister in law, and
Anton is her twin, right?”
    “Yup, Anton and Laurel are in England
right now. I miss them. This will be the first Christmas the family
won’t all be together.”
    “Well, instead of your brother in law,
you have me,” Maggie teased, trying to lighten the mood.
    “Yes, and I am so glad you decided to
come, Mags.”
     

Chapter Seven
     
    “How do you handle the dark?” Maggie
asked as she sat down at the kitchen table the next morning. They
had all been up late last night with the special dinner Violet held
to welcome her. “I know the amount of sun is limited in the
winter—I guess I didn’t realize how much.”
    “Well, I changed a lot of the light
bulbs to full spectrum bulbs. That helps, and if I get to feeling
down, I have my Ott lights. I sit with the light shining on my
face.” Violet got up and walked over to the stove. She spooned some
porridge into a bowl and then sprinkled on a few raisins before
drizzling honey over the top. Then she placed the bowl in front of
Maggie.
    “That looks good, thanks. I get
depressed on a rainy day in Virginia. I’m not sure I could handle
these long dark days.” Maggie picked up the carafe of milk and
poured some onto her hot cereal.
    “Well, today is the winter solstice,
so it’s the darkest day of the year. The village has a special
celebration. The women have the job of decorating the Yule log and
cooking, of course. Tonight, there will be bonfires and singing and
dancing under the stars. It’ll be fun.”
    “It sounds cold,” Maggie
grumbled.
    Violet laughed. “You’re such a city
girl, Mags. It’ll be fun, I promise. We could use your
help.”
    Maggie sighed. “What do I need to
do?”
    “Well first off, smile. The lack of
light really is affecting you, isn’t it? I’ll put one of my Ott
lights next to your bed. When you wake up in the morning, turn it
on and rest with the rays on your face for five to ten minutes.
That should get you going.”
    “I’m sorry to be so out of it. It’s
probably jet lag.”
     
    §
     
    Maggie snapped her coat closed and
pulled a knit hat over her head. She really did feel grumpy and
helping in the kitchen that morning made her more so. She turned to
watch her goddaughters, who were playing on the floor in the
sitting room.