Page 5 of Captured Desires

As the last bounty hunter fell, Pearl lowered her guns, her chest heaving with exertion. She turned to Maverick, a grudging respect in her eyes.

"Not bad for a vampire," she panted, a wry smile tugging at her lips.

Maverick returned her smile, his fangs glinting in the dim light. "Not bad for a Pinkerton."

"So now what?"

Maverick's smile turned predatory. "I’ll see you soon."

Pearl blinked, and in that instant, Maverick vanished. The space where he'd stood was empty, as if he'd never been there at all. She spun around, scanning the saloon, but there was no sign of him. Only the scattered bodies of the outlaws and the acrid scent of garlic-infused gunpowder remained.

A frustrated sigh escaped her lips. She kicked at a fallen chair. Was he in the wind?

She made her way to the bar, stepping over the bodies of the fallen. The bartender cowered behind the counter, his eyes wide with fear.

"Where did he go?" Pearl asked, her voice hard.

The bartender shook his head, his hands trembling. "I don't know, I swear."

Pearl slammed her fist on the bar, making the man flinch. "Damn it.”

She turned to leave, her coat swirling around her ankles. She had a feeling this was only the beginning of a long and twisted road, one that would lead her straight into the heart of darkness. But as she stepped out into the night, she couldn't shake the feeling that Maverick was out there somewhere, watching her. Waiting for her.

And God help her, but part of her couldn't wait to see him again.

Chapter Two

Pearl made her wayback to the boardinghouse, disappointment just edging out the exhaustion she was feeling. She had thought it would have been all over by now. Either she’d have staked the vampire, or they’d be making plans to get him safely back to the Missouri headquarters. As she approached the boardinghouse, the same group of rough-looking men lounged on the porch.

"Look what the wind blew in," drawled one of them, his voice thick with mockery. "A Pinkerton lady."

"Your kind ain't welcome here," another sneered, spitting tobacco juice onto the wooden planks beneath him.

“Glad to see you guys are consistent,” she said, her stride unwavering as she stepped onto the porch.

With her key in hand, she made her way to the room and carefully locked the door behind her. Taking extra precaution, she pushed a chair against it, the legs scraping across the wooden floor. She got undressed and lay down on the creaky bed. Sleep claimed her quickly, but her dreams were plagued by shadowy figures and whispered threats.

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