Cursed

Cursed
Lisa Childs

Her protector – or her greatest threat?Again and again, the people Maria cares about are turning up dead. She may be a witch but, in spite of her powers, Maria can’t seem to protect them.All she can do is keep away from her loved ones – and hope that the witch hunter doesn’t find them.The hunter could be anyone – even Seth Hughes, the brooding FBI agent investigating Maria for murder. From the moment they meet, the intense connection Maria feels tells her that their destinies are bound. And, as the hunter targets Maria, getting close to Seth becomes a dangerous but irresistible temptation…

“Protecting you is my job. You’re a material witness. I have to keep you alive.”

Maria nodded. “Yes. Of course,” she agreed. “I know that you’re only doing your job.”

Finding her had never been just a job to him. She was so much more than that … So much more than he had ever realized before meeting her. Was Maria really what everyone claimed she was? Was she really a witch?

“I could do my job more easily if you stopped lying to me and told me everything you know.” He touched her again, tipping up her chin to make her meet his gaze.

Her thick black lashes fluttered as she blinked—as if trying to shield her thoughts and feelings from him. Could she sense his feelings?

Could she feel his desire for her? His madness …

LISA CHILDS writes paranormal and contemporary romance for Mills & Boon. She lives on thirty acres in Michigan with her two daughters, a talkative Siamese and a long-haired Chihuahua who thinks she’s a rottweiler. Lisa loves hearing from readers, who can contact her through her website, lisachilds.com (http://lisachilds.com), or snail-mail address, PO Box 139, Marne, MI 49435, USA.

Cursed

Lisa Childs

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

With great appreciation to

Tara Gavin and Ann Leslie Tuttle

for letting me share Maria’s story

and revisit The Witch Hunt series.

Thank you!

Contents

Cover (#u73d07990-2a36-5e09-a659-5ba5dfbb263b)

Excerpt (#ue5bc42c9-1e89-5e83-b8cb-403527a8c708)

About the Author (#ud8708f6f-ebd8-55bf-9f0e-789332ba8a1b)

Title Page (#ufd557d0e-1259-5ca6-b15a-7255aef4012c)

Dedication (#ub795cc2c-9453-5aa4-94cc-25aca1356f99)

Prologue (#u94398e35-248e-516e-91f8-2f3e969786dc)

Chapter 1 (#ub27c1af6-6d74-5b09-9749-b165cafdc82d)

Chapter 2 (#uf1c8e28c-77c3-5e62-94d3-98fb4341b373)

Chapter 3 (#u1b7bc351-d23d-5762-89e6-4ce6c39d3889)

Chapter 4 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 5 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 6 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 7 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 8 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 9 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 14 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 15 (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

Prologue (#ulink_76f0cb6d-09b3-577f-93d7-967f4ffd7ac5)

Europe, 1655

Strong hands closed over her shoulders, shaking her awake. Elena Durikken blinked her eyes open, but the darkness remained thick, impenetrable.

“Child, awaken. Quickly.”

“Mama?” She blinked again, bringing a shadow into focus. A shadow with long curly hair. “Mama.”

“Rise up. Hurry. You have to go.” Her mother’s hands dragged back the blankets, letting the cold air steal across Elena’s skin.

“Go? Where are we going?” She couldn’t remember being awake in such blackness before. Usually a fire flickered in the hearth, the dying embers casting a glow over their small home. Or her mother burned candles, chanting to herself as she fixed her potions from the dried herbs and flowers strung from the rafters.

“Only you, child. You must go alone.” Mama’s words, the final way she spoke, chilled Elena more than the cold night air.

“Mama...” Tears stung her eyes and ran down her face.