{"id":253,"date":"2014-12-26T14:34:05","date_gmt":"2014-12-26T19:34:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/?page_id=253"},"modified":"2014-12-26T14:34:05","modified_gmt":"2014-12-26T19:34:05","slug":"like-a-treasure-found-edited-by-joy-crelin","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/?page_id=253","title":{"rendered":"Like A Treasure Found edited by Joy Crelin"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>ebook $5.99
\nISBN 9781613900321
\n40,930 words<\/p>\n

[wp_eStore_add_to_cart id=48]<\/p>\n

The ebook edition is also available at: Amazon<\/a>, Barnes & Noble<\/a>, Smashwords<\/a>, Kobo <\/a>& AllRomanceEbooks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Gold, gems, or magical amulets\u2013where there\u2019s treasure to be had, from the high seas to the farthest reaches of the galaxy, pirates will always seek to claim it. But sometimes, the rarest and most precious treasures can\u2019t possibly fit in a treasure chest. In these seven erotic stories, the true prizes are companionship and belonging\u2013and treasure of a more intimate nature. With swashbuckling, adrenaline-fueled passion and the slow burn of long-contained desires, Like a Treasure Found provides an enticing assortment of pirate tales guaranteed to shiver your timbers.<\/p>\n

Table of Contents:
\nOn Arid Seas by Bernie Mojzes
\nOf Great Renown by Diane Kepler
\nThe Pirate from the Sky by Sacchi Green
\nThe Ancient Shrine of the Double Cross by Paul Batteiger
\nA Shelter From All Storms by Kaysee Renee Robichaud
\nDaniel by Emily Moreton
\nThe Final Voyage of the Devil\u2019s Prow by C\u00e8sar Sanchez Zapata<\/p>\n

Hot excerpt:<\/p>\n

Excerpt from \u201cOn Arid Seas\u201d<\/p>\n

by Bernie Mojzes<\/p>\n

Dust swirled around Jamie\u2019s feet. A strip torn from his shirt and wrapped two layers deep across his face kept the worst of it out of his nose and mouth, but sudden gusts of wind kicked it into his eyes. Wiping away the tears, he knew from long experience, would just rub the grit in.<\/p>\n

Damn it, out here he needed all the liquid he could retain.<\/p>\n

The wind was gusting more often now, and more fiercely, and the rust-colored haze on the western horizon warned of impending Weather.<\/p>\n

Had the dust not covered them, the caravan\u2019s tracks would have led north and east, toward Wichita. A day\u2019s journey by truck. With the West Wind blowing, more than a lifetime by foot.<\/p>\n

\u201cFuckers!\u201d he screamed.<\/p>\n

Didn\u2019t matter. They were long gone, that bastard Chris with them, and the words slipped away, lost in the wind that skipped across the desolate plain. In the darkening sky, the first funnel twisted up out of the ground. Even in the distance he could hear the howl of the wind, the thunder of rock breaking to gravel, the grinding rumble of gravel being chewed to dust.<\/p>\n

It was a mild storm, as such things went. Not one of the massive dust storms that left swaths of destruction for hundreds of miles, just a few dozen isolated dust devils. Two of them reached real twister proportions, but most comprised just two or three demons out on a tear.<\/p>\n

Even so, Jamie\u2019s Swiss Army knife was hardly enough to fight off anything more dangerous than a bottle of Merlot. He\u2019d been stripped of his machete and his gun, as well as his water bottle and his wallet, before his so-called trial. His best bet was to huddle low and pray none of them blew his way.<\/p>\n

The wind gusted harder, whipping his hair across his face. Prayer, he thought, worked about as well on demons as it did on anything else. A vortex of dust rippled out of the wasteland, coming toward him. The shrieks were louder now as they closed in. He could see teeth and claws in the swirling dust.<\/p>\n

Jamie closed his eyes and waited.<\/p>\n

They were all around him, a screaming, grinding rumble coming up from behind him, against the prevailing wind, and a twister in front of him. The ground under him heaved, tossing him in the air. He landed hard on the torn earth. The screeching intensified with bloodlust, so he knew he was bleeding. He had only seconds before they descended on him, tearing him apart and greedily sucking him dry.<\/p>\n

And then\u2013shouts. A thump as something landed next to him. The sound of a blade cutting air, and the feeling of something unbearably dry landing on top of him. It broke into pieces, but even dead, Jamie felt the demon wicking moisture out of his skin. He scrambled away, brushing the pieces from him in panic.<\/p>\n

\u201cHo, boy,\u201d a voice said, as the wind drove the dust devil east and away. A human voice. \u201cRelax. You\u2019re safe now.\u201d<\/p>\n

* * * *<\/p>\n

Jamie wasn\u2019t sure what he expected when he opened his eyes, but this wasn\u2019t it. The man who stood over him, silhouetted in the dying sun, held a cutlass in one hand and the rope he\u2019d swung down on in the other. His white shirt was puffy and ruffled and his pants were tucked into soft leather boots with elaborate laces. He wore a long red coat with tails that reached his boots, studded with big, brass buttons. His tri-cornered hat sat at a rakish angle on his head, one brightly colored ostrich feather fluttering in the wind, and his sinister mustache was long enough to require hazard lights.<\/p>\n

Behind him, rising out of the dust, was a pirate ship. Three masts stood tall, the sails trimmed. A large-breasted mermaid presided over the prow. A couple dozen persons of disreputable appearance looked down over the rail at him.<\/p>\n

Most disturbingly, demons glared out at him from the hull, the flesh of their bodies twisted into and mingled with the wood. They grasped at the mounded rubble kicked up in the ship\u2019s wake, shoving what earth they could reach into their ravenous mouths and spitting out dust.<\/p>\n

Jamie sat up. \u201cSo I\u2019m dead, then. Where was the life-flashing-before-the-eyes? Wasn\u2019t there supposed to be a life-flashing-before-the-eyes?\u201d<\/p>\n

The pirate laughed. \u201cI think you\u2019ll need to practice that dying thing a bit more. You\u2019re clearly not doing it right.\u201d He sheathed the cutlass and reached a leather-gloved hand to help Jamie to his feet. \u201cCaptain Deadbeef,\u201d he said, \u201chumble skipper of the Grey Perl.<\/i> Pleasure to make your acquaintance and all that. Now, let\u2019s get you aboard and set sail, before Ms. Canbrach has my ass.\u201d<\/p>\n

* * * *<\/p>\n

Ms. Canbrach stood just over five feet tall in boots, and was small enough that Jamie figured he could lift her one handed. He was also sure that if he tried, he wouldn\u2019t live long enough to put her down.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the fuck<\/i> were you thinking?\u201d She jabbed the captain in the sternum with a black-gloved finger.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t like my Errol Flynn schtick?\u201d Deadbeef twirled his mustache. \u201cI thought I was dashing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou thought\u2026? Jesus. I should just kill you myself and get it over with.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me, Ms. Canbrach, what do you propose I should have done?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ms. Canbrach\u2019s lip twitched. \u201cSomething that doesn\u2019t involve leaping into the middle of a dust devil. This isn\u2019t Star Trek,<\/i> and you aren\u2019t William Shatner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank God for small favors,\u201d Deadbeef said. He turned to Jamie. \u201cThis is Ms. Canbrach. She\u2019s my first mate, which I guess puts her in charge.\u201d His grin flashed innocence at Ms. Canbrach. \u201cThis is\u2026 what\u2019s your name, boy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh. Jamie. Jamie Carmichael.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Carmichael, Ms. Canbrach is going to take you to the doc so you can get that cut cleaned up.\u201d As he spoke, he signed to Ms. Canbrach: find out everything you can.<\/i><\/p>\n

The captain had used his body to shield it from view, but Jamie caught the motion in Ms. Canbrach\u2019s mirrored sunglasses. He didn\u2019t need to be fluent to catch the drift. He was a stranger here, and potentially dangerous. He\u2019d have done the same.<\/p>\n

Ms. Canbrach nodded acknowledgement and shoved Jamie almost hard enough to make him stumble. \u201cMr. Carmichael, if you\u2019ll kindly accompany me?\u201d<\/p>\n

As Ms. Canbrach prodded Jamie toward the stairs leading below deck, he heard Captain Deadbeef bellowing commands, and the crew scrambled to obey. The sails stretched taut as they caught the wind and, buoyed by the voracious hunger of the demons in the hull, the ship began to move.<\/p>\n

* * * *<\/p>\n

Doc Fitzwater looked up from her book. Her eyes scanned Jamie, and she scowled. \u201cBroke the new boy already?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ms. Canbrach snorted. \u201cNope. Came this way from the dealer. Says his name is Jamie Carmichael. But we have no proof of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat will be, will be. Jamie, I\u2019m Doc Fitzwater.\u201d Doc Fitzwater handed Jamie a plastic bag, then tied her hair back in a ponytail and pulled on rubber gloves. \u201cPut your clothes in there, and let\u2019s take a look at you.\u201d Jamie hesitated. \u201cYou\u2019ve got blood on your clothes. That makes them a biohazard until proven otherwise. Same goes for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. Of course. I\u2019m just\u2026.\u201d He shrugged, then peeled his shirt off.<\/p>\n

Where clothing had protected against dust and sun, his flesh was pale, but toned. No six-pack abs, but he clearly took pains to keep fit. The nipple rings were pure bonus. So was the dragon tat that sprawled across his shoulder and chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cPants, too,\u201d Doc said.<\/p>\n

Canbrach remained disinterested, oblivious to Jamie\u2019s muscled thighs. Instead, she just looked impatient. Jamie heard Doc suppress a chuckle.<\/p>\n

After Jamie kicked off his shoes and stripped off his ripped pants and boxers, Doc motioned for him to turn around. There wasn\u2019t much to be done with the abrasion on Jamie\u2019s calf but clean and bandage it. The cut in his left side was more troubling. It was about four inches long, and it looked deep. It was packed with a cement of clotted blood and dust. She had him lie down on the examination table and set about cleaning the wound.<\/p>\n

Doc washed away the dust of the world and dabbed at the crusted blood until it broke free, so she could clean inside the wound. Jamie hissed through his teeth.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, the good news is it\u2019s relatively superficial, hardly any muscle involvement at all. But you\u2019re gonna need stitches,\u201d she said, reaching for her suture kit. \u201cThe bad news is, it\u2019s been a while since I\u2019ve been able to score any painkillers. Best I can do is try to distract you. So, talk to me. What was a nice boy like you doing out in the middle of the desert?\u201d She pushed the needle through his skin.<\/p>\n

\u201cOw! It wasn\u2019t my idea. There\u2019s a caravan out of Amarillo that hits Oklahoma City and then heads up to Wichita, trading with all the settlements in between. I wanted to get out of Amarillo, so I joined up to work the circuit. I figured if I could make it to Kansas, I\u2019d be able to work my way east from there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGasoline?\u201d Canbrach asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, and kerosene and heating oil. We trade for food, fabric, that sort of stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething bad happen to the caravan?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey abandoned you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jamie didn\u2019t say anything.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnswer the goddamned question,\u201d Ms. Canbrach growled.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t do anything wrong!\u201d<\/p>\n

Doc Fitzwater jabbed him with the needle, with just a bit more force than necessary.<\/p>\n

\u201cI broke a rule,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a stupid, immoral rule, and I didn\u2019t hurt anyone. I won\u2019t do that here. Just drop me off at the next settlement and you\u2019ll never hear from me again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat rule?\u201d Doc asked. Jamie bit his lip, but didn\u2019t answer.<\/p>\n

Ms. Canbrach snorted her disgust and walked out.<\/p>\n

Doc put a gloved hand on Jamie\u2019s shoulder. \u201cThis isn\u2019t Amarillo. Now, let me get this tied off and dressed, and then let\u2019s give you a proper physical.\u201d<\/p>\n

* * * *<\/p>\n

Jamie felt too on-edge to sit or lie down. Instead, he paced the length of Doc Fitzwater\u2019s cramped quarters. At least, he thought, pausing to look in the mirror again, he looked good as a pirate. The doc\u2019s soft cotton shirt actually fit him reasonably well, even if it was a bit baggy in the front. The pants were loose in the hips and too short, but he\u2019d get his own back soon enough. In the meantime, it seemed Doc approved of the look, even if she took pains to hide it. She stared at her book, re-reading the same page over and over and sneaking glances at her patient.<\/p>\n

It hurt more now than it had before Doc fixed him up. Just turning his head to the right pulled painfully on the stitches in his side. It was amazing how interconnected the body was.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I got the tattoo on my leg,\u201d he said, \u201cI felt the needle in my ribs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMm, referred pain.\u201d Doc pretended to be engrossed in her book, putting her finger down to mark her place before looking up. \u201cThe nervous system is a funny thing. Why, are you experiencing nerve pain? Tingling in the fingers or toes? I don\u2019t have a radiology lab, but\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

A knock at the door interrupted before he could explain. The door creaked open and the captain entered. He nodded to Jamie and focused on Doc.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you give us a few minutes, Doc? Ms. Canbrach tells me the boy\u2019s run afoul of the law, so it looks like it\u2019s interrogation time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want him tied up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019ll be necessary. You know I let Ms. Canbrach handle things when they get that\u2026 grisly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure. Just don\u2019t undo my work too much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deadbeef\u2019s acknowledgement was noncommittal. \u201cThat\u2019s up to him, now, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Doc stifled a grin as she slipped out.<\/p>\n

\u201cHear you come from Amarillo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jamie nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you wanted to get out. Why?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jamie studied the captain, looking for clues. But none of the normal rules seemed to hold on a pirate ship sailing a desert of dust. Not even normal by the standards of a dying world\u2019s panicked frenzy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe town went GHF,\u201d he said. \u201cIn the last election.\u201d He waited. A test. If the captain understood the lingo, understood the code for the people who, no matter what righteous bullshit name the bastards wrapped themselves in, were certain that the demons were the punishment of a wrathful God, he was probably safe. If not\u2026.<\/p>\n

Deadbeef twirled his mustache around a finger, pulled at it hard enough that it had to hurt. \u201cDamn. Not another one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. It got pretty hot there, especially when the city council started arming the vigilantes and giving them names and addresses. They think if they kill us all, the demons will disappear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd to think I lost two good people defending that town against Dunham\u2019s raiders. Ungrateful bastards. Still, that doesn\u2019t explain how you ended up on foot with the Westerlies blowin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jamie sighed. How much of his personal life was he going to have to dredge up? The betrayal was far too fresh.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe caravan comes from Amarillo, so it operates under Amarillo law. GHF law. I got caught. Turned in, actually, by someone I trusted.\u201d By someone who panicked the minute someone else got suspicious.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you\u2019re safe enough from that bullshit now. We can drop you off in Wichita. Things are still sane there. I mean, given the circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026.\u201d Jamie hesitated and then stepped a little closer to the captain. Still testing. \u201cI never got to thank you. For saving my life.\u201d A little closer. Deadbeef looked uncomfortable; had he misjudged?<\/p>\n

\u201cNot that it\u2019s\u2026 unappreciated,\u201d Deadbeef said, \u201cbut ship policy is that we neither expect nor, uh, accept this sort of, uh, payment for\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Was that panic in his voice? Yes, and desire. Jamie knew this dance.<\/p>\n

Jamie inched closer. \u201cIs the handsome, dashing pirate afraid of\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deadbeef retreated. \u201cNo! Of course not! It just sets a bad example for the crew, is all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jamie grinned. He slipped fingers into Deadbeef\u2019s belt and pulled him closer, close enough to feel the heat from the captain\u2019s neck against his. The ridiculous mustache poked him in the ear.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you had expected payment I\u2019d have refused.\u201d Half whisper, half growl. The captain was hard, pressed against Jamie\u2019s belly. \u201cThis isn\u2019t payment. The last kiss I tasted was from lips that betrayed me. Help me fix that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deadbeef\u2019s cock strained against the thin cotton of his pants. Jamie stroked it between his thumb and index finger while struggling with the big, brass belt buckle with the other hand. Deadbeef\u2019s breath was loud in his ear.<\/p>\n

Jamie gave up on the belt buckle and twined his fingers into the captain\u2019s hair, brought the captain\u2019s lips to his. Deadbeef pressed a fisted hand against Jamie\u2019s chest, as if to push him away, and then relented. Their tongues touched, and then the captain let him in.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour belt buckle,\u201d Jamie said, \u201cis being uncooperative.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just there for show. It\u2019s all held together with Velcro.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jamie pulled away. \u201cReally?\u201d Deadbeef nodded.<\/p>\n

It was true. The belt came open with a triumphant rip, and Jamie tugged the captain\u2019s cock free. It was long and slender, rock-hard and purpling. Liquid glistened at the tip.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing dead about it,\u201d Jamie said as he slid his thumb over the slick hole.<\/p>\n

Deadbeef groaned. \u201cIt\u2019s a computer joke,\u201d he said, \u201cjust like the name of the ship.\u201d His breath came faster now, and Jamie refrained from asking for an explanation.<\/p>\n

Instead, he grasped the base of the captain\u2019s cock with the other hand, squeezing and stroking as he continued to rub his thumb across the sensitive slit. His index finger caught the head of Deadbeef\u2019s cock with each stroke, and far sooner than Jamie would have expected, Deadbeef\u2019s body tensed and hot liquid gushed onto Jamie\u2019s wrist and filled his hand.<\/p>\n

Jamie kissed him again. \u201cJust what the doctor ordered.\u201d<\/p>\n

* * * *<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did what? What were you thinking?\u201d Doc Fitzwater slammed her book down on her desk. The bookmark fluttered to the ground. \u201cYou don\u2019t know anything about him!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you examined him!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you kicked me out of my room before I could process the blood tests. What the hell? You don\u2019t do this sort of thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, I know. But it\u2019s been years, and he\u2019s just so\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot to be clich\u00e9 or anything,\u201d Jamie said, \u201cbut he\u2019s standing right here. And he\u2019s already been subjected to every STD test the GHF folks could think of, and then some.\u201d He rubbed his fingers together, still sticky. \u201cBesides, it was just a hand job\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

To read the rest, download the ebook today!<\/em><\/p>\n

[wp_eStore_fancy2 id=48]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ebook $5.99 ISBN 9781613900321 40,930 words [wp_eStore_add_to_cart id=48] The ebook edition is also available at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Kobo & AllRomanceEbooks. Gold, gems, or magical amulets\u2013where there\u2019s treasure to be had, from the high seas to the farthest reaches of the galaxy, pirates will always seek to claim it. But sometimes, the rarest … Continue reading Like A Treasure Found edited by Joy Crelin<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":871,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-253","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/253","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=253"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/253\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/871"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=253"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}