Page 11 of Captured Desires

Maverick moved with inhuman speed and grace, his black duster swirling around him like a living shadow as he dodged and weaved through the hail of missiles. His eyes blazed with an icy blue fury, his fangs bared in a snarl of rage.

Clyde and Esmerelda fought back to back, their movements a blur of deadly precision. Clyde wielded a pair of long knives, the blades flashing silver in the dim light as he slashed and stabbed at the hunters who dared to come too close as they dodged and bobbed the wooden projectiles. Esmerelda's hands glowed with an eerie red light, and Pearl watched in awe as the vampiress hurled bolts of crimson energy at their attackers.

Harlan had shifted back into his bat form, a sleek black shape that darted and swooped through the chaos with uncanny agility. He dove at the hunters' faces, raking his razor-sharp claws across their eyes and forcing them to drop their weapons as they screamed in pain.

Pearl charged into the fray, seeking out a defensible position. Ducking behind a stack of wooden crates, she winced as a bullet splintered the wood just inches from her head. Taking a deep breath, she popped up from behind the cover and squeezed off three rapid shots, aiming for the hunters who had Maverick pinned down behind an overturned mine cart. One of them went down with a cry, clutching at his shattered kneecap. The other two whirled to face Pearl, their eyes widening in surprise as they realized they had a new threat to contend with.

Yes, you’re not helping the Pinkertons. You’re acting against them. Pearl felt a surge of grim satisfaction as she watched them hesitate, their attention divided between Maverick and her. It was all the opening he needed. In a blur of motion, he vaulted over the mine cart and closed the distance between himself and the hunters, his hands morphing into wicked claws that tore through their flesh like paper.

She should’ve been horrified or disgusted, but she wasn’t. The vampire hunters should have left town like they had promised.

The sharp retort of gunfire and pained shouts echoed through the cavern, the sounds amplified and distorted by the stone walls. The air grew thick with the coppery scent of blood and the acrid tang of fear.

Pearl kept moving, darting from cover to cover as she tried to keep the hunters off balance. But even with her skills and the vampires' unearthly abilities, she could feel the tide of battle slowly turning against them. The hunters were too many, too well-armed. Maverick’s gang was being overwhelmed, forced back into a corner with no escape.

A flicker of movement caught Pearl’s eye, and she turned just in time to see one of the hunters taking aim at Maverick's unprotected back. The man's face was twisted with hatred, his finger tightening on the trigger of the crossbow.

Pearl didn't think. She just reacted, lunging forward to put herself between Maverick and certain death. Pain exploded through her shoulder as the bolt found its mark, a white-hot agony that nearly sent her to her knees.

Maverick let out a roar of fury, the sound sending chills down her spine despite the burning pain in her shoulder. His eyes blazed with an unholy light, his features contorting into a mask of primal rage. He tore into the remaining hunters like a whirlwind of destruction, his claws and fangs rending flesh and bone with terrifying ease. He was a force of nature unleashed.

In that moment, Pearl saw the true power that lurked beneath his cool exterior—the ancient, feral predator that lived within every vampire. It was beautiful and terrible all at once, and she couldn't look away.

As the last of the hunters fell, his lifeless body hitting the ground with a dull thud, an eerie silence descended over the cavern. Pearl slumped back against the cold stone wall, her breath coming in ragged gasps as the adrenaline began to fade. The pain in her shoulder was a searing agony that made black spots dance before her eyes.

Maverick was there in an instant, his hands gentle as he lowered her to the ground. "Easy there, darlin'," he murmured, his voice rough with concern. "Let me take a look at that wound."

Pearl nodded weakly, too exhausted to protest as he carefully peeled back the blood-soaked fabric of her shirt. His cool fingers probed the torn flesh, sending fresh waves of pain radiating down her arm. She gritted her teeth, determined not to cry out.

"Pearl," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "Why did you do that?"

"Couldn't let them hurt you. The Pinkertons need you.” But that wasn’t all. “I didn’t betray you. I didn’t know they were following me.”

Maverick flagged down Esmerelda. “Clean up in here and guard the entrance in case there’s more of them. Take their goods and their horses. I don’t wish to be disturbed.” Maverick then picked up Pearl in his arms.

She winced when it jostled her wound.

He brought her down several levels in the mine. Pearl had lost count by the time they came to an abandoned tunnel that had been set up to be a living area. Maverick laid her down gently on a solid pine bed topped with a pile of soft furs.

With deft, careful hands, he removed her jacket and her ruined shirt. She gave a token protest, but it hurt too damned much. She covered up her breasts with her unwounded arm and tried not to die of embarrassment.

But Maverick didn’t take advantage of the situation. He tended to her wound, his touch sending shivers down her spine despite the pain. As he worked, Pearl felt a strange warmth spreading through her. It was as if something was clicking into place, a puzzle piece she hadn't even known was missing. She found the courage to look up at Maverick, her eyes searching his face for any sign that he felt it too.

“What’s happening?”

“Something that should be impossible.” As Maverick finished bandaging her shoulder, his fingers lingered on her skin, tracing the curve of her collarbone with a tenderness that made her heart ache. She reached up, cupping his cheek with her uninjured hand, not caring if it exposed her breasts to him.

"I feel strange,” she said.

He leaned into her touch, his eyes fluttering closed for a brief moment. When he opened them again, they were filled with a fierce, protective intensity that took her breath away.

Pearl felt a sudden wave of dizziness wash over her. She pulled back, blinking rapidly as the world seemed to tilt and spin around her. Sweat beaded on her brow, and she shivered despite the warm air of the cavern.

"Pearl?" Maverick's voice sounded distant, muffled by the rushing of blood in her ears. "What's wrong?"

She tried to answer, but her tongue felt thick and clumsy in her mouth. A burning sensation spread from her shoulder, radiating out through her veins like liquid fire. Pearl gasped, her hand clutching at the wound as realization dawned on her.

"The bolt," she managed to rasp out, her voice barely above a whisper. "It was poisoned."

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