Prince Darrius

Part 2 Chapter 16

Maximus' POV

"Wake up, buddy," I hear a familiar deep friendly voice enter my subconscious. A voice I knew all too well, my long-life best buddy, Darrius. I can't exactly hear much else except my weak heart beat slowly getting stronger and light fluttery breaths of a human - Jennifer.

"Will he wake up? Why isn't he waking up?" Jennifer asks, her soft voice lulling my senses.

But it only reminds me of Isobel.

Isobel who was ripped to shreds right in front of me.

I couldn't save her. My heart aches uncontrollably at the thought that maybe she was dead or dying.

I decide it is time to force myself to complete consciousness. My body had healed, it was time to face reality.

My sense of smell kicks in first, and my nostrils flare with the rush of sweetness that enters my blood stream. It was the smell of human blood - except it smelt... sweeter, more potent.

I feel tight restrictive pressure on my ankles and wrists.

A low growl escapes my throat and I hear Jennifer gasp and a lady call out, "Watch it, he's senses are coming back!"

"We'll be fine, he's tied down enough," Darrius growls.

Wait, so that was the warm tightness around my limbs. Ah yes - it felt like rope.

"Maximus," Jennifer says, "Can you hear me?"

"I can hear all of you," I growl low, trying to open my eyes but squinting at the bright light above me.

"I'm sorry," Darrius says out from above me, a hint of sadness and regret apart of his tone, "But I have no choice," I'm about to ask what the hell is wrong when someone forces my mouth open and shoves a vial into my mouth - then closes my mouth - making me swallow.

"See you on the other side, Max," I hear Claudia's voice echo through my mind. Claudia was back? When did she get back -?

I can't dwell on small facts like that.

I was slowly losing the ability to cling to reality, to my strong sense of smell, to my enhanced hearing and sharp wit...

They had clearly done something that they thought was the only way to save me.

So how come I was falling back into darkness?

What the hell did they force into my system?

****

I wake up from a deep sleep, opening groggy eyes, squinting against the lights on the ceiling. My senses feel dull, something wasn't right.

I sit upright in the bed I'm in as quickly as possible - feeling slow and sluggish. I see all my friends around me, Darrius, Jennifer and Claudia. I also spot Meredith the witch, they are all staring at me as if assessing my condition.

"How do you feel?" Darrius asks.

I can't reply, not when I see Isobel beside me.

She is bloodied but whole once more.

I do something I haven't done in decades - I feel emotions start to creep in behind my eyes, making them watery.

"Isobel," I quickly turn to her and place my hand on her warm cheek, "She is alive, isn't she? I can't hear her heart beat but I see she is breathing. There is something wrong with me," I look at all my friends accusingly, but my eyes rest on Meredith in the end, "I'm not up to scratch, I should heal soon - but what the hell did you guys force down my throat?" I glare at Meredith and Darrius.