Talan's Treasure
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A Total-E-Bound Publication
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Talan’s Treasure
ISBN # 978-0-85715-843-7
©Copyright Amber Kell 2011
Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright December 2011
Edited by Stacey Birkel
Total-E-Bound Publishing
This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Total-E-Bound Publishing.
Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Total-E-Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.
The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.
Published in 2011 by Total-E-Bound Publishing, Think Tank, Ruston Way, Lincoln, LN6 7FL, United Kingdom.
Warning:
This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a
heat rating
of
Total-e-sizzling
and a
sexometer
of
2.
This story contains 42 pages, additionally there is also a
free excerpt
at the end of the book containing 7 pages.
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Supernatural Mates
TALAN’S TREASURE
Amber Kell
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Book five in the Supernatural Mates Series
A romantic winter retreat for the shifters turns into a fight with Mother Nature…and a killer.
When Adrian and Talan decide they need to spend some time alone, they drive up to a group of cabins owned by Adrian’s old pack. However, instead of the romantic escapade they’d envisioned, their trip results in them finding the dead body of the caretaker, stabbed in the back.
Adrian’s determination to find out what happened leads them straight into the path of a killer, who thinks nothing of shooting a wolf shifter. With Adrian bleeding in his arms, Talan vows that whoever dared to harm his mate would soon breathe their last. Now trapped in the victim’s cabin, their tyres slashed and a snowstorm on the way, however will they pass the time?
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Dedication
To my editor, Stacey Birkel, who only grumbled a
little
when I was late.
Trademarks Acknowledgement
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:
NASCAR: National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc.
Hummer: AM General Corporation
Gentlemen’s Quarterly: Condé Nast
Volkswagen: Volkswagen AG
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TALAN’S TREASURE
Amber Kell
6
Chapter One
Talan crouched in the grass, tail waving. He waited for the human-shaped wolf to walk past. One more step. One more little foot forward and he’d…
“I know you’re out there, cat, and I’m wearing my only suit. Don’t even think about it,” Adrian’s voice rang out over the field.
Talan thought it over for a moment, wiggled his butt then pounced.
“Oof.” The wolf-human made the best sounds. Talan held down his pretty human with his large paws and let out a happy purr.
“Damn lion, let me up.”
Adrian’s mouth twitched up at the corner as he snarled at Talan. Talan gave a happy snuffle and licked his wolf-human up the side of his face, absorbing the taste and scent of his mate.
“Stop that. You know I hate the sandpaper kiss!” Adrian squirmed beneath Talan’s hold, trying to get away.
Talan focused on his paws. To take care of the pesky buttons covering Adrian’s fine form, fingers were needed. With a deep breath he called to his inner human. Fur sank into flesh as paws separated, transforming into hands and feet. The breeze, mildly cool before, became freezing against his bare, non-fur-covered skin.
“You can’t be naked out here, it’s too cold,” Adrian scolded. Talan’s mate went from annoyed to concerned caretaker faster than a NASCAR driver.
Talan jumped to his feet, pulling Adrian up as he went. He scowled at the wolf shifter’s thin suit jacket, definitely not thick enough to handle the cold temperature. “Talking about lack of proper clothing, where’s your coat?”
Adrian smiled. “I don’t need one. Wolves don’t feel the cold as much as you savannah lovers.”
Talan rolled his eyes, wrapped his arms around his mate and pulled him close. Smiling, he playfully rubbed his nose against Adrian’s. “You’re right. I only love the cold when it’s snowy outside and I get to stay bundled inside with my favourite wolf.” www.total-e-bound.com
TALAN’S TREASURE
Amber Kell
7
“Then you’re going to love the place at Steven’s Pass.” Dazzled by Adrian’s wide smile, it took Talan a moment to register the other man’s words.
“What are you talking about?”
“I spoke to your sisters and we all agreed you need some downtime and I know we definitely need some mate time. I’ve got a cabin reserved and we’re going there next weekend.”
“But that’s Christmas!” He couldn’t believe Adrian would abandon the pack and pride during the holidays. No one was more family-centric than his man.
Adrian shook his head. “It’s the weekend before Christmas, which just proves how rundown you are that you’ve lost track of your days. You need a vacation and my brother’s pack owns some cabins at the pass. He’s agreed to lend us one so we can have some time away.”
Talan yanked Adrian closer until his bare body pressed against Adrian’s neatly ironed suit. He took great delight in rumpling his lover as Adrian tucked tidily into the curve of Talan’s body. His inner lion purred at the contact. “Honey, if we bond any more they’ll need a blowtorch to separate us.”
A full body shiver shook Talan at the sexy look Adrian shot him from beneath his lashes. No one affected him like Adrian. The innate allure of his little wolf brought Talan to his knees both figuratively and literally several times a day. He could deny Adrian nothing.
If his sweet wolf man wanted to go away he’d go—hell, he’d travel to Antarctica to make his love happy.
“I think it would be good for us.”
The quiet way Adrian said the words sent warning bells through Talan’s head.
“We’re okay, right? You aren’t trying to tell me I’m screwing up?” Talan’s heart pattered a panicky rhythm. The world started spinning.
A loud crack filled the air.
“Ow.” Talan grabbed his ass where Adrian had slapped him…hard.
“Sorry, but you were getting hysterical. I’m trying to be romantic here and we both know how much I suck at it. Now, we are going to head to the house, pack a bag and go have a weekend away from everyone, understand?”
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TALAN’S TREASURE
Amber Kell
8
Talan rubbed his sore cheek. “I always forget what a strong little shit you are.”
“Call me little again and you can keep your own hand company for the weekend,” Adrian threatened, his eyes flashing dangerously.
Oops.
Time to do damage control.
Snuggling Adrian closer, Talan purred at him. His wolf shifter was a sucker for a good purr. Damn he smelt good. Talan nuzzled Adrian’s neck, absorbing the smell and rubbing off his own. He liked the cologne but preferred the natural aroma of his lover more. “Why are you wearing a suit and artificial fragrance?” For the first time he wondered why his jeans-and-T-shirt man now rivalled a GQ model.
“It was the only outfit I still had at my brother’s house. It just came back from the dry cleaner.” Adrian shrugged. “I’d forgotten I’d sent it off.” Adrian had spent the night at the wolf pack for the full moon and had forgotten to take a bag. Talan had waited all day to see what he’d wear home. His fastidious lover would never wear the same clothes twice. A suit had never occurred to him.
“And the perfume?”
“I hugged Kade on the way out. Helen bought him some cologne.”
Ahh.
Adrian’s sister-in-law was human and probably couldn’t smell her husband’s natural scent. It was a testament to Kade’s devotion to his wife that he didn’t tell her wolves didn’t wear cologne. “How is our sweet sister-in-law?”
“I think she’s having sextuplets.” Adrian wrinkled his nose as he thought it over.
Talan burst out laughing. “She’s not that big.”
“She’s huge. I’ve seen SUV’s smaller than that woman’s stomach.”
“I’m telling her what you said,” Talan snickered.
“No you won’t,” Adrian said in a calm voice. “If you tell her, she’ll murder me and then you’ll be missing a perfectly good mate and since you’re inherently laid back, you wouldn’t do anything that would require you to have to try and hunt down another one.” Talan looked down at Adrian. “Are you saying I’m lazy?”
“I said laid back. I thought it sounded better.” Adrian’s green eyes sparkled with mischief and before Talan could catch on to his mate’s plan, the wolf shifter danced out of reach and ran towards their house. “First one in bed gets to choose the position,” he shouted to Talan over his shoulder.
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TALAN’S TREASURE
Amber Kell
9
Sneaky, beautiful wolf. With a happy roar, Talan gave chase.
Adrian beat him by a mile. In his human shape, the wolf shifter was lighter on his feet than Talan. However, Talan didn’t complain as he found his man stripped bare and lying on their bed. The vision of his naked mate promptly scrambled Talan’s thoughts.
He didn’t care what position they were in as long as it involved the two of them together. No one was sexier than his man. No one.
With a growl he leapt onto the bed, pinning Adrian to the mattress. “Mine!” Even after a year together, he still felt the need to proclaim the amazing wolf his. The worry that someone else would come along and try to take Adrian ate at him. He’d almost lost Adrian once to his own arrogance. He never wanted to experience that feeling again.
As if reading his mind, Adrian wrapped his legs around Talan and flipped them over.
“Why do you worry so much? I told you I wouldn’t leave you again.” Adrian’s words settled the lion lurking inside. The cat felt an obsessive need for constant reassurance and affection from his wolf mate, especially lately. Even though he was the lion pride’s Alpha, Talan didn’t feel as confident in his place when it came to his lover.
Adrian was a beautiful, brilliant man and, in the back of his mind, Talan sometimes wondered whether Adrian would have chosen him for a partner if fate hadn’t thrown them together.
A sharp tug at his hair shifted his attention back to the man lying on top of his chest. “I don’t know where this insecurity comes from because you have no problem bossing everyone else around.”