LIANAMy heart pounded in my chest as I sprinted through the hospital corridors. Zaylen was right behind me. The sterile, white walls seemed to close in around me, amplifying the echo of our hurried footsteps. I could hardly breathe, my lungs burning with every step.This is why I hated the hospitals! They always gave me the creeps, and to think, one of my closest friends was brought in here."Kiara... please be okay," I whispered to myself as the thought of losing her was unbearable."Liana, slow down," Zaylen called out, his voice strained with concern. But I couldn't stop. I wouldn't stop until I saw her.We rounded a corner and nearly collided with Daniel. His usually calm demeanor was shattered, his face a mask of worry and exhaustion."Daniel!" I gasped, clutching his arm. "Where is she? How is she?"He shook his head, his eyes filled with a sorrow that made my stomach twist. "She is in the ICU. The doctors are doing everything they can, but... it's not looking good, Liana. Th
LIANAJordan shook his head, frustration etched on his face. "No, we are still trying to find out. It's not easy — there is a lot of chaos right now. But we are working on it. It seems like a serial killing case, though."A surge of anger like I had never felt before welled up inside me. My hands clenched into fists, and I felt my nails digging into my palms. How could someone do this to Kiara? She was the kindest, most selfless person I knew. She would never harm anyone. Never."Whoever did this... they are going to pay," I let out, my voice trembling with rage."Liana, you should stay calm. You are—” Zaylen began, as if worried that I would transform due to my overwhelming emotions, but I cut him off."No, Zaylen! How can I stay calm? How could someone attack her? She didn't deserve this," I cried, my voice breaking with my anger and sorrow.Jordan stepped forward, his eyes filled with sympathy. "I know, Liana. Kiara is one of the best people I have ever known. We're going to do e
LIANAThe words hit me like a sledgehammer, knocking the breath from my lungs. A strangled cry escaped my lips as tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision with their salty sting."No," I whispered, the word barely audible as my mind struggled to process the reality of Daniel's announcement. "No, this can't be happening."Zaylen wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close as I buried my face against his chest, the dam of my emotions breaking free in a torrent of grief. It felt like the world had come crashing down around me, leaving nothing but a hollow ache in its wake."Kiara," I sobbed, my voice muffled against Zaylen's shirt. Zaylen's grip tightened, his hand rubbing soothing circles on my back. I felt my knees buckle, and I slumped onto the hospital bench, my legs unable to support the weight of my sorrow. While I did have a nagging bad feeling, I never wanted it to be true. I was praying so desperately for her to be okay. How could this happen?Zaylen sat beside me, hi
ZAYLENI was talking to Jordan, my eyes constantly flicking over to Liana. She was sitting alone, her somber expression betraying the turmoil going inside of her. My heart ached for her, but I needed to focus on what Jordan was saying and give her the space she asked for.“I told you that for the past two days, there have been quite a few victims of a vampire?” Jordan said, his voice low and serious.“Yeah,” I replied, trying to keep my attention on him.“We managed to find out who it was. That same person is responsible for Kiara's death as well.”“How did you find out?” I asked, curiosity piqued.“There is a CCTV camera near one of the victim's spots, remember? That person's face got caught on it.”“Who is it?” I demanded, my patience wearing thin.“You're not gonna believe it,” Jordan said, his voice filled with a mix of disbelief and anger.“Come on, Jordan,” I urged, my attention now fully diverted from Liana and focused on him.Jordan took a deep breath before revealing, “It's
LIANATwo days later, I found myself sitting in Zaylen’s office, the tension in the room was threatening to strangle me.Zaylen looked up from email on his computer, concern etched into his features.“You want two weeks off work?” he asked, his voice a mix of surprise and worry.“Yes,” I replied coldly, nodding. “I need this time to adjust to everything that’s changed… with me, with Kiara.”Zaylen leaned forward, his brows furrowing. “Wouldn’t it be better for you to stay busy with work? It might help distract you.”“No, I need time to process all this,” I said firmly, meeting his gaze. I didn't think I needed to elaborate to him how my body was changing. Sleepiness came rare nowadays at night, and during the day, it downed my body with exhaustion. I had no idea how everybody else bore with it.But right now, more than that, my emotions were causing me more trouble.“I can’t just push it aside,” I added, “and pretend everything is normal when it’s not. That would equal me running awa
LIANANo, no, it probably wasn't James.And even if it was him, this time, he would actually end up dead. Because I was absolutely going to tear him down if need be. I was determined to do that.I walked to the door, trying to calm my racing heart, and opened it.There stood Zaylen, looking slightly sheepish.“Zaylen? What are you doing here?” I was surprised.What was he doing here? He didn't even text me that he was going to drop by. He usually lets me know before coming.A dangerous thought crossed my mind immediately. “Did something happen?” I asked, fear gripping my heart. “No, no, no need to look so scared. Nothing happened. Sorry, I was actually gonna call you before coming, but then my phone died. So…?” he trailed off.“Oh, I see. Phew.”His eyes drifted past me and landed on the packed cartons scattered around the room. “What’s going on here? Are you shifting?”“Yeah,” I replied, trying to keep my tone casual.“Why?” His brow furrowed in concern.“My dad owns this building,
LIANANo! I am fine!It's just Zaylen and his gaze making me feel all vulnerable.I sucked in a deep breath.I couldn’t let myself fall weak. I had to keep my guards up. “I am telling you I am fine, and if you can’t trust me on that, then please leave,” I said firmly. Zaylen met my gaze with a mix of frustration and concern, and for a moment, we were locked in a heated stare. Finally, he sighed and relented.“Okay, fine,” he said, his tone begrudging. “Let me at least help you find a decent place to live. When are you moving out?”“Tomorrow morning,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.“What the—” He was about to lose his calm, but then he took a deep breath, visibly trying to regain his composure. “How about you stay at my place for some time until you find your new place?”I hesitated because the offer was tempting. But no, the goal was to not depend on him anymore. How could I do that if I stayed at his place?“No, thank you. I’ll be fine at the hotel,” I let out. “Lian
ZAYLENAs I listened to Liana's words, it felt like a stab to the heart. But I forced a smile, pushing back the pain. I couldn't help but recall the moment she had confessed her feelings to me, only for me to turn her down. That now felt such a long time ago.Maybe this was just karma coming back around.But isn't this just cruel? I had just been her rebound, but she… had come to mean the world to me now."It's okay," I said, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest. "It is enough for me to be here for you."“Okay.” Liana simply nodded in response, continuing to give me the cold shoulder. It stung, but I knew I had to respect her boundaries. Giving her space was the least I could do, even if it meant enduring her silence.I made a silent vow to myself not to let her indifference bother me. I wasn't going to give up on her, no matter how challenging it might be.###Finally, I finished helping Liana shift. Now, I was home. As I stepped into my mansion, a sense of dread settled