Possessed (Book One of the Hollow City Coven Series): A Witch and Warlock Romance Novel by Hazel Hunter

is why they haven’t tried to take us yet.”
    “How long have you known?” Gillian asked, desperate to look, but willing herself to look at Shayne.
    “I suspected not long after we started walking. I only became sure a few hours ago.”
    If she had realized they were being hunted by Templars, she would be far more panicked than she already was. She took a deep breath and tried to copy Shayne’s calm manner.
    “From now on, if we are being followed, I would like to know as soon as you do.”
    Shayne’s smile was quick, but sincere.
    “I will keep that in mind.”
    Gillian yelped a little when he pulled her into his lap. It looked like a playful gesture, but instead it simply guaranteed they were not overheard.
    “They haven’t shot us yet, so that means that they want us alive. They’d rather not take me while I’m up and awake. That means they’re waiting until we’re tired out and lying down to rest. That puts a few things in our favor.”
    Gillian wanted very much to believe that they might have a few advantages, but it was a little difficult since she had just been in a plane that was shot down.
    “Gillian…do you trust me?”
    “That’s a bit of a loaded question isn’t it?” Gillian fought the slightly hysterical tone in her voice. “We’re in the woods being hunted.”
    “I need to know right now.”
    The answer came swift and sure, uttered with such conviction that Gillian was slightly startled.
    “I do.”
    “All right. Tonight, when we make camp, I want to use you as bait.”
    Gillian was silent for a long moment. “You don’t ask for a little, do you?”
    “I’ve always been a bit of a gambling man,” Shayne said with a hint of apology in his voice. “When I play, I play to win it all.”
    “Go on.”
    “I’m going to settle you at camp. Then I’m going to leave to look for something or other. When they make their move, I’ll take them down. Trust me when I say that I can do it, Gillian. I’ve done it on three different continents and for longer than some countries have been around. I wouldn’t risk you unless I was absolutely sure, and I am.”
    A part of her screamed at how wrong it felt. She hadn’t survived by letting herself be staked out like a goat for a lion. She would be helpless. Worse, the plan relied on her sitting in place as if she were a little fool who had no idea what was going on. She needed to pretend to be ignorant of the danger that was stalking her. But she did trust Shayne. And if that’s the plan that would work, that was all that mattered.
    “All right. I’ll do it.” When she said the words, a mantle of cold spread over her. She had made her choice, and she would have to stick to it. “What should we do now?”
    Shayne’s smile was softer than she had ever seen it and perhaps a little rueful as well. He stood up, sliding her down to her feet.
    “We can make some distance before dark. We’ll find a good place to camp.”

    • • • • •

    They walked until the shadows grew long again. The day was no less beautiful, but now Gillian thought she could see lurking forms behind every tree. There were eyes on them. There were people who wished them ill in the woods. She did her best to stay calm. Shayne helped, and in his own way, so did Max. The rat came out to ride on her shoulder, peering around in excitement at all the new smells. When Vlasti swooped down from a tree, however, Max darted straight back into her coat pocket. It startled a laugh out of her. Shayne looked back at her, a genuine smile on his face.
    It suddenly occurred to her how normal this looked in some ways. Perhaps in another world, they were a normal couple. In that world, they wouldn’t be witches. There wouldn’t be madmen hunting them. Instead, they would be a couple on their camping vacation in the mountains. They would spend long nights under the stars; they would fish; perhaps they would even make love in the woods.
    She shook her head angrily. That life wouldn’t