Page 20 of Captured Desires

It didn’t feel better. It felt worse. Pearl tugged her sleeve down so he wouldn’t see the new tattoo. She cuddled in close, holding on to him. It was of little comfort, but it was all she had.

They barely knew each other. Pearl barely knew anything about vampires. Tomorrow, she’d send a telegram to Sarah and give her an update. Maybe Sarah knew more about the vampire bond and if it was breakable.

Chapter Eight

Pearl was cranky thenext morning. Instead of letting her drink his blood to heal again, Maverick made Esmerelda patch her up the old-fashioned way. Then he disappeared for the rest of the night. She was mad that he was avoiding a conversation with her. He could run, but he couldn’t hide.

She stepped into the dimly lit telegraph office. The room smelled of tobacco and ink. The flickering gas lamps cast shadows on the walls. Approaching the counter, Pearl nodded at the operator, a weathered man with wire-rimmed spectacles perched on the bridge of his nose. The name Hank Johnson was on the name plate on the counter. "Mornin'," she said.

"Mornin'.” Hank looked up from his work. "What can I do for ya today?"

"I need to send a telegram to the Pinkerton office in Pine Valley," Pearl said.

He nodded, reaching for a slip of paper and a pencil. "All right. You got the message written down?"

Pearl pulled a crumpled note from her pocket, smoothing it out on the counter. "Yeah, just a few words," she said. "Here it is."

Coming in soon with Maverick. Need more details about vampire mating bond.

Hank glanced over the message, his eyebrows raising in alarm.

“Is there a problem?” she asked.

“Nope,” he said quickly. "Looks good to me."

Pearl watched as Hank's fingers danced across the telegraph key, tapping out the dots and dashes of the message with practiced ease. The rhythmic clicking filled the room, punctuated by the occasional clack of the key as he paused to adjust his grip.

As the last of the message was transmitted, he leaned back in his chair. "There you go," he said, handing her a slip of paper with the encoded message. "That'll be two bits."

“I’m going to go grab some breakfast. I’m waiting on a response. Can you send someone over with it if it comes in before I get back?”

“Sure.” Hank nodded.

She headed over to the saloon and ordered a plate of eggs, bacon, and biscuits. She was sipping her coffee and ignoring the surly looks from the other patrons who either weren’t used to a woman or a lawman being in their presence so early in the morning. As she ate, she read through Sarah’s notes from the journal about the mating bond.

The mating bond among vampires is a profound connection, marked by a distinctive emblem tattooed on both partners. It signifies a deep and lasting tie between them. When a vampire finds their true mate, it triggers a surge of magical energy.

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