Page 18 of Captured Desires

Pearl tried to stand, but the world tilted dangerously, and she found herself sinking back to the ground. Her head was pounding, her vision blurring at the edges. She knew she should be worried about the gold, about completing their mission, but all she could think about was the look of utter desolation on Maverick's face.

"Maverick," she said. "Please, don't do this. Don't shut me out."

But Maverick didn't seem to hear her. He reached into his saddle bags and withdrew a short-barreled, ten-gauge pistol, pressing it into her hands.

"Signal the others," he said, his tone brooking no argument. "They need to come and help us get the gold out of here."

Pearl nodded, her fingers curling around the cool metal of the flare gun. She wanted to talk to Maverick, to reassure him that everything was fine, but the haunted look in his eyes stopped her cold.

She stumbled to the mouth of the cave, her gaze scanning the horizon for any sign of their companions. The rain had stopped, but the air was still heavy with moisture, and the night sky was obscured by a thick layer of clouds.

With a deep breath, Pearl raised the flare gun and pulled the trigger. The bright, searing light of the flare illuminated the canyon. And as she lowered her arm, Pearl noticed something that made her heart skip a beat.

There, on the inside of her wrist, was a tattoo that hadn't been there before. A single rose, its petals weeping droplets of blood that seemed to shimmer and move in the flickering light of the flare.

The sight of it filled Pearl with a strange mixture of wonder and unease. It was the vampire mate bond. She was a vampire’s mate. But as she returned to the cave, Maverick was still staring at the amulet with a look of utter desolation on his face. Pearl couldn't help but wonder what price they would have to pay for that bond.

And whether, in the end, it would be worth the cost.

Chapter Seven

It wasn’t long beforeClyde, Esmerelda, and Harlan arrived. With the weather subsiding, they flew as bats to the cavern. As the sound of footsteps echoed through the cave, Pearl and Maverick turned to see all three approaching, their faces a mix of anticipation and concern.

"Did you find it?" Clyde asked.

Maverick nodded. “I think so. But just in case, be prepared for anything.”

They all tensed and took a step back from Maverick, readying themselves for a fight. Pearl had her revolvers. The vampires crouched to attack. Maverick stepped forward, holding the amulet aloft. As he approached the cave wall, the symbols on the amulet began to glow, pulsing with an otherworldly light. Maverick pressed the amulet against the rough stone, and suddenly, the wall shimmered and rippled like water.

A mystical doorway appeared before them, its edges shimmering with an ethereal blue light. He inserted the amulet into a small, circular depression in the center of the doorway, and with a soft click, the door swung open, revealing a hidden chamber beyond.

The gang members stepped forward cautiously, their eyes widening as they took in the sight before them. Piles of gleaming gold bars and coins filled the chamber, stacked neatly on wooden shelves and in sturdy chests. It was the stolen treasure from the US Mint.

Esmerelda ran her fingers over one of the gold bars, her expression thoughtful. "One of the outlaws must have been a witch, or hired one to create this space," she mused. "It's the only way they could have hidden the gold so completely."

Clyde nodded, his eyes never leaving the treasure. "And now it's ours," he said, his voice filled with a mix of excitement and disbelief.

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