Prince Darrius

Part 2 Chapter 25

When I awaken, warm, content and fully energised, I instantly notice Darrius' absence. There is little warmth next to me and when I open my eyes I'm a little shocked to see Claudia sitting right next to my bed, reclining on a chair as she reads a book, feet resting on the side of my bed.

"Hi," Claudia closes her book and gives me a guilty smile, "Sorry for coming in here I just needed some space from Johnathan..."

"That's okay," I say, stretching and sitting up in bed, pulling the covers in when I quickly remember that I am still naked. I look over to the couches by the fire and then back at Claudia, giving her a funny look, "Were you... watching me sleep?"

Claudia actually blushes and looks guilty before laughing.

"Being a vampire means you never really see people sleep and now that I'm human I'm sort of not use to needing to sleep so often. But I've always found it fascinating to watch how someone looks so peaceful as they sleep... but I swear I was just reading," she leans forward to put the book on the bedside table.

"Well, okay," I try not to laugh at her because despite that funny fact, her eyes looked slightly red like she had been crying recently, "Are you okay?" I ask with concern.

"Well," she looks down, sighing, before looking back up again, "You've slept for hours, Jennifer. Some of Eddrick's blood was retrieved and we've mixed it with yours in the tapped blood supply and have been curing the vampires since then. Some want to remain human, some will be turned again into vampires when they regain strength and-"

"Is Johnathan back to normal?" I interrupt, excited that everything would soon be peaceful and calm once again in the vampire palace now that the cure to insanity was going around. Claudia nods, but pauses in responding - her eyes starting to tear up once more, "What the heck happened?"

"Once he was cured of his insanity... he couldn't look me in the eye, and walked off," she says, barely holding back the tears.

"Why on earth would he do that?" I ask.

"Because he remembers everything he did and everything he said to me," Claudia takes her feet off my bed and leans forward in her chair, looking at the floor, shrugging, "I don't know why he wouldn't just talk to me, he couldn't even look me in the eye."

"I'm sure it's to do with the fact he can't stand that he hurt you," I propose, "Or that he killed that many people in the street - he was always the good vampire remember? He doesn't like to kill anyone or hurt anyone. Where is he now?"

"I don't know," she admits, sighing, "I have no idea."

"I'll help you find him," I suggest, "We'll look for him together?" she nods, smiling.

"I guess we should find him," she agrees.

"Well I better have a shower and get changed first!"

Claudia is already starting to look more at ease. Helping her would be the least I could do for such a lovely friend!

****

We look everywhere for Johnathan. His room, the recreation rooms, the kitchen, the throne room and now we were heading for the dungeons. That is when we see him from a distance, on the other side of the hall. He is entering a staircase down to the dungeons. Claudia grabs my arm and stops me from following him.

"Let him be," she says, "At least I know where he is. He is helping Darrius and Xavier cure the rest of the insane vampires."

"Okay... you know I often wonder... those vampires were all turned because of the power in Jaime's blood, I wonder how she feels about that?" I ask the question to myself, puzzling over it. Knowing my blood and Eddrick's blood cured vampirism made me feel pretty good. I bet Jaime didn't feel too eager about the dark magic her blood contained.