Page 9 of Captured Desires

“I’m sure the Pinkertons can help you find him,” Pearl said.

“I know where he is.”

“Where is he?” she asked.

“England. And I will go after him eventually, but for right now, he’s too powerful.”

Pearl nodded. "Fair enough. When you decide to go after him, I’ll help. If you’re a Pinkerton, that is."

“Sweetening the pot, darlin’?”

Pearl studied him, noting the vulnerability that seemed to crack through his hardened exterior. "You didn't choose to become a vampire," she said carefully. "But you did choose to protect your gang and carve out a life for yourselves, even when the odds were against you. That shows strength and loyalty."

Maverick’s lips quirked into a half-smile. "But it doesn't change the fact that I'm an outlaw, a creature of the night."

"Which is why you should consider working for the Pinkertons," Pearl said. "Your skills and unique abilities would be invaluable to us."

“I’ve done things that the Pinkertons couldn’t possibly forgive,” he said.

"That’s above my pay grade, but according to the contract I have, they are willing to work with you. Redemption is possible," Pearl said, "if you want it bad enough."

His eyes held hers for a long moment, searching for any hint of falsehood in her words. Finally, he nodded slowly, as if coming to some sort of decision. "I'll think about it," he said quietly.

When they reached the boardinghouse, Maverick dismounted first, holding out a hand to help her down. His black duster flapped behind him like the wings of a bat.She ignored his hand, gritting her teeth as she swung her leg over the saddle and dropped to the ground.

The world tilted alarmingly and she reached out to steady herself against the horse's flank. Maverick watched her, his expression unreadable.

"You're no good to anyone if you run yourself into the ground."

Pearl straightened, meeting his gaze head-on. "I can take care of myself."

"I don't doubt it. But even the strongest of us need help sometimes."

She wanted to argue, to tell him that she didn't need his help or anyone else's. But the words stuck in her throat, held back by a lifetime of stubborn pride.

As they stopped before the wooden steps, Maverick glanced around and murmured, "I should take another form to avoid drawing attention."

In an instant, he transformed into a sleek black cat, his blue eyes now gleaming in the shadows. Pearl blinked in surprise.

"Come on, then," she whispered to him, and the cat that was Maverick followed her up the creaking stairs, its soft paws barely making a sound. Once inside her room, Pearl closed the door, and Maverick shifted back into his human form.

"Thank you for accompanying me," she said, her voice subdued as she stared at the worn floorboards.

"Of course," he replied, his gaze lingering on her face. "Make sure to sleep late tomorrow morning. You'll need your rest."

Pearl nodded, suddenly aware of the tension humming between them. It was as if the air had thickened, charged with an unspoken longing that neither of them dared to acknowledge. And yet, as Maverick's hand cupped her cheek and drew her closer, it was impossible to ignore the magnetic pull that seemed to draw them inexorably together.

Maverick kissed her then. Every nerve ending came alive as their mouths moved in sync, the taste of him intoxicating and wild. It was sweet and sexy—and completely inappropriate. But she didn’t push him away. Not until she realized he wasn’t going to stop and that she didn’t want him to.

As they broke apart, Pearl gasped for breath and tried to get a handle on her rampaging hormones. Was this a vampire trick?

"Good night, Pearl," he murmured before going into mist and wisping out under the door.

“What the hell?” Pearl sank onto the edge of her bed, her mind racing with the confusing mix of emotions that now swirled within her. She never responded to men like that. Never even considered that a vampire was anything but a wild animal to be put down. Now she was kissing one? There was something about him, something that called to her on a level she couldn't quite understand.

It wasn't just a physical attraction, though there was plenty of that. No, it was something deeper, a connection that went beyond the surface. And it scared the hell out of her.

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