He didn’t know how long he’d slept when he suddenly woke with a start. It was pitch black, and the scent of disinfectant still hung in the air.
His mind was fuzzy, and for a moment, he couldn’t remember where he was.
It was only when he felt the weight of someone in his arms that he remembered the alley and the little girl being attacked by wild dogs.
A sense of alarm shot through him. He sat up straight, tightening his hold on the girl in his arms, and breathed a sigh of relief.
But soon, he realized something was wrong.
The small three-year-old child had somehow transformed into someone else, her head resting quietly on his shoulder.
His thoughts were jumbled. After a few seconds, it came back to him: he and Stella were trapped in an underground lab.
The girl was asleep, her breath hot against his skin. He touched her forehead and found she was burning up with a high fever.
The secret room was cold and utterly dark. He supported her with one arm, took off his coat, and draped it over her. Then he pulled her tightly into his arms and whispered, “Don’t be afraid. We’ll get out of here. Just hold on.”
He still had three pieces of chocolate in his pocket. He took one out and held it to her lips.
But she was unconscious, completely unaware that he was trying to feed her, unable to chew or swallow.
He put the chocolate in his own mouth, then lowered his head to feed it to her.
Her body was feverish, her lips searing hot. The chocolate melted quickly, and he used his tongue to guide it down her throat. If she didn't eat, her strength would fail, and she could die here.
The taste of chocolate lingered between their lips, slowly fading, but he found himself reluctant to pull away. Acting on instinct and a deep, ingrained memory, he deepened the kiss.
The darkness and the heat radiating from the girl left him feeling disoriented. He remembered being trapped underground with Stella, but it felt as if something else was missing from his memory.
A soft, pained murmur escaped the girl’s lips. Jonathan knew she was waking up and immediately pulled back, his face flushing hot at his loss of control.
Thank goodness it was pitch black.
Estelle slowly opened her eyes. She tasted the bittersweetness of chocolate, and her lips felt slightly numb. Assuming it was a side effect of the fever, she pressed them together and asked in a hoarse voice, “How long was I asleep?”
Jonathan held her tighter. “A long time. The people upstairs will find us soon.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan)
Just smiling and smiling and smiling reading the proceedings of this story. Loving it to the max...
Excited for all the events leading up to Jonathan getting his bride. Thank you for the updates....
Beautiful how everything is flowing together. Thank you for the updates....
Appreciate the storyline and direction.. Nothing seems rushed and patiently focusing on each and every character of the story, leaving no stone unturned. Even more intresting to read by the day...
And the plot thickens…thank you for the updates....
Ooooo, thank you thank you thank you for continuing to update the novel 🤩...
Ooooo, thank you thank you thank you for continuing to update the novel 🤩...
No updates??...
Now Xavier needs to get with Nora and Gabriel needs to get with Sylvia....
Thank you for the update. You are a blessing to your readers....