FreeNovellan woke with a start, as the evening shadows began to lengthen across his room. He rubbed at his temples, eyes tracing the
familiar cracks on the ceiling.
Pushing himself upright, he was greeted by a voice, “How are you feeling?”
It was Beck, his expression a mosaic of concern. Just as Beck braced for lan to revert to the mental capacity of a toddler, lan
exhaled softly and shook his head, “I'm fine. How's Maja?”
He could respond coherently and remembered Maja?
Beck was taken aback, then relieved.
“You're in Greenfield. Maja’s at Greenfield Gardens, resting up for the baby. Everyone in Cania has been searching for you, turning
every stone.”
lan’s gaze swept the hospital room, finding it empty.
“Where is she?”
Maja was his primary concern.
“She's resting. You're not in shape to see her yet. | haven't told her we found you. Her emotions can’t handle the excitement, and |
didn’t want to get her hopes up. Are you sure you're okay?”
“Yeah.”
As lan answered, an itch began to crawl up his throat. It was unreachable, starting deep within him and surfacing like a terrible
whisper.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtInstinctively, he scratched at his hand, but it was like scratching over a boot - unsatisfying.
A frown creased his forehead as he stopped and turned to Beck.
“What's happened to me?”
His keen senses had already registered that at one point, he was close to tearing his own skin open to rid himself of the itch.
Beck had finished explaining about Queena'’s situation when lan was about to puke.
“l won't drink her blood. Lock her up and keep her away from me.”
This craving was a thousand times more potent than any drug, how could he possibly withstand it?
lan lay back down, “I can handle it. Have Philip and Phil been found? And what about Patric?”
“We've got a lead on Phil, which should lead us to Philip. No word on Patric yet.”
lan leaned back, checking his healing wounds. Standing, he intended to pace the room, but the itching sensation ambushed him
from all angles, casting a faint red hue over his skin.
Beck noticed lan’s distress and moved to help him.
In seconds, lan’s sweat was rolling down his forehead.
Beck's heart nearly stopped. It was fortunate enough that lan hadn't lost his mind, but now he was still trying to act tough.
“Damn, maybe | should just have Queena brought over.”
The mere thought of blood made lan nauseous, let alone that of a detested individual.
“No need. Where is Maja now, Greenfield Gardens? | want to go back to Greenfield Gardens. You'd better tell her my news. She's
hiding it on the surface, and she must be worried in her heart. It's not good for the child. Moreover, it's about tto buy clothes
for the child, buy a baby carriage, and think of the baby's name.”
Stubbornly, he got into the car, but the moment he leaned back, his hospital gown was nearly soaked through with sweat.
After a minute, he spoke, “Givea couple of days. It's almost Christmas. | can surprise Maja.”
A surprise meant not telling Maja.
These past few days, Maja sensed that Beck was off. He kept going out, claiming he was grabbing drinks with friends.
But with lan missing, Beck had been too anxious to entertain such distractions.
“Beck, did you find lan?”
Her intuition was usually on point, her heart racing with hope, only to see Beck shake his head.
The light in her eyes extinguished, she settled quietly on the couch.
Beck took her hand, “Christmas is coming up. I've stocked up on holiday goods and thought we could gather with Fitch and some
others, maybe invite a few artists from the company. How does that sound?”
Maja wasn’t in the mood. She'd been alone, rarely going out.
She lacked the desire to shop for the holidays, often feeling a pang of sadness late at night.
The scent of lan in their bedroom was fading, and she had hoped he’d return soon.
But as the days dragged on, she dared not inquire further about him.
With a headache looming but not wanting to worry Beck, she managed a weak smile.
“Maybe I'll go out for a bit, take a walk by myself.”
Beck felt a pang of sympathy and gently patted her head.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmDriving aimlessly, Maja’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. She hadn't gone far when Dr. Sarah called Beck.
“Queena’s escaped.”
Beck's pupils dilated, thinking he'd misheard, “With all those people watching, where could she possibly go?”
“She had her tricks.”
Beck's expression darkened, and he immediately dispatched his people to search.
Maja pulled over a few miles out, and a stranger knocked on her window.
Queena stood outside, looking distressed.
“Hi, I hurt my leg. Could you please driveto the hospital?”
Maja wasn’t in the mood for good deeds, but seeing the blood on Queena’s hands and a crashed motorcycle nearby, she relented
and opened the car door.
Queena got in, breathing a sigh of relief, “Thank you.”
She didn’t recognize Maja, and Maja didn’t recognize her.
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