Chapter Six

P earl watched in horror as Maverick collapsed, his body writhing in agony on the cold, damp floor of the cave. The amulet lay beside him, its golden surface glinting mockingly in the dim light. She rushed to his side, trying to make sense of what was happening.

Maverick's eyes were wild and unfocused, his face contorted in a grimace of pain. He shouted incoherently, his words echoing off the cave walls in a jumble of nonsense. But as Pearl listened more closely, she began to pick out phrases that sent a chill down her spine.

Maverick cried out, his voice hoarse with anguish. "The redcoats are coming! We must hold the line!"

Pearl's eyes widened as she realized what was happening. Maverick was reliving a memory from his past, a battle from the Revolutionary War that had somehow been triggered by the amulet's curse.

"Is that all you got, Redcoat? I've seen milkmaids hit harder than that."

She tried to hold him, to offer some measure of comfort and reassurance, but Maverick thrashed and struggled against her grip. His strength was immense, even in his weakened state, and Pearl found herself straining to keep him from hurting himself.

"Maverick. You're safe now. I'm here with you."

But her words seemed to have no effect. Maverick continued to rave and curse, his eyes blazing with a feverish intensity.

"Empires fall, John. Just like Rome. Just like you." And then, without warning, he lunged forward and sank his fangs into the soft flesh of her neck.

Pearl gasped, more from shock than pain. She had never experienced the bite of a vampire before, and the sensation was unlike anything she had ever felt. There was a sharp sting, followed by a rush of warmth that spread through her body like wildfire.

As Maverick drank from her, his arms wrapped around her in a crushing embrace. Pearl found herself surrendering to the strange, intoxicating pleasure of the moment. She could feel her blood flowing into him, mingling with his essence in a way that was both terrifying and exhilarating. The world around her began to spin, colors blurring together in a kaleidoscope of sensation. Pearl's heart raced, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she clung to Maverick, anchoring herself to him even as she felt herself slipping away.

And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, it was over. Maverick pulled away, his eyes wide with horror and self-loathing. He stared at Pearl, his expression a mix of shame and disgust.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice raw with emotion. "I didn't mean to. I couldn't control myself."

Pearl reached out to him, her hand trembling slightly. "It's okay. I'm okay. You're okay." She realized she was babbling, her words slurring together as she struggled to focus.

Maverick shook his head, his eyes filled with a despair that made Pearl's heart ache. "No, it's not okay. I'm a monster, Pearl. I never should have let you get close to me. I'll only end up hurting you, just like I've hurt everyone else."

He stood abruptly, turning away from her as if he couldn't bear to look at her any longer. "The amulet," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "It showed me how to find the gold. There's a hidden cache in the cave wall, and the amulet is the key to opening it."

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.