Burn

In the second installment of the Witchbane series, Seth Tanner and his now boyfriend Evan Malone are on their way to Pittsburgh, to save more of the victims of crazy killers. During pit stops, they are confronting their feelings for one another, and figuring out whether or not their relationship will remain intact now that fighting for Evan’s life is over.

Seth is a hunter, someone who fights supernatural creatures. He fights everything from Boo Hags to a horde of zombies. With Evan at his side, he now worries that he will be unable to keep his boyfriend safe. When fighting off a Boo Hag, Evan hits his head, and Seth curses himself for his carelessness. Thankfully, Evan is okay, and the two are able to continue their journey to Pittsburgh.

What’s interesting about this novella is how Seth teaches Evan magic. They discover that Evan is better at writing out the spells than just rote memorization. I think it’s pretty cool that Evan is good at drawing out the sigils, rather than memorizing them the way Seth does. The pair of them also work on getting Evan up to speed on using a gun, something he’s clearly done before: his grandfather taught him how to use a gun.

There are several smaller cases that take place in Burn: a missing kid case, where two teens go missing–which leads to the Boo Hag incident–and a case that involves fighting zombies.

Because Seth and Evan are having a hard time discussing their feelings–worried that they will leave each other for someone better–Seth decides to go it alone when it comes to fighting the zombies. This results in a dangerous situation, and a chance for Seth and Evan to bond and clear the air between them. After fighting kobolds, the two air out what’s been eating at them for some time, learning that Evan is here to stay. The novel ends with a surprise, one that even Seth isn’t prepared for, but in a good way.

Burn is about fighting supernatural monsters, like kobolds, and figuring out that your lover does want to stay with you after all. It’s about Seth and Evan figuring out that Evan is as much made for this kind of hunting life as Seth is. It’s about learning to trust the one you love, knowing that he’ll never leave your side.

This is a fun read, and I’m looking forward to reading Dark Rivers, the next book in the Witchbane series.