Eternity

Well-known for her vampire romances (Twilight Illusions), Shayne now turns her talents to witches. When Raven St. James was accused and hanged for witchcraft, the only person who tried to save her was the priest Duncan Wallace. Raven, who in fact is an immortal witch, flees the small 17th-century English village before her accusers realize the truth, but not before she shows herself to Duncan, who is mourning her death and cannot believe his eyes when he sees her alive. He follows her to America, where small-minded villagers grow suspicious of Raven's exotic beauty and strange healing ways. She is again accused of witchcraft, and this time Duncan loses his life attempting to save her. For 300 years, Raven waits for her lost love to be reborn, spending her time saving other witches from the stake and hangman's noose and further developing her powers. Finally, in 1998, Duncan comes to life with the help of Raven's witch sister, and the two meet again. Love takes a while in coming, though, for the reborn Duncan is skeptical of Raven's fantastic tales of witchcraft and immortality, and doesn't believe the rumors that his father is an evil warlock out to kill Raven. Shayne thankfully shies away from analyzing the Salem witch trials and instead gives readers a rich, sensual and bewitching adventure of good vs. evil, with love as the prize. (Dec.)