Prince Darrius

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

An undefinable amount of time passes. I’m in a world of darkness, where I see nothing but fuzzy lights. I hear whispers of voices… I see shapes of souls pass my vision. When I try and look down to my body I see no body parts. All there is… is endless black… my soul is conflicted… I want to rise, to go higher, to free myself of this darkness…

…but something is pulling me back…

…I was being dragged back down…

…suddenly I am being sucked down so fast I can’t resist. The chain attached to me is pulling me back…

…back to…

****

My mouth opens and I take in a shuddering, deep, gasp as my eyes snap open and pain fills every single cell in my body. 

I was back.

I was back in my body.

I was lying down on a couch… a couch in Darrius’ room. I recognise the ceiling and the fireplace, the carpet, the walls, my friends. 

For a couple of moments my body feels a continuance pain as I try and tell my muscles to contract and lift me up from the couch. Then the pain fades as I bolt upright into a sitting position and grab the blanket before it falls. I was naked beneath the blanket. What the…?

I look to the right, wide eyed as I watch the stiff forms of my friends standing together off to the side, near the bookcases opposite the fireplace. 

Claudia is there, her eyes pinkish, like she’d been crying. Johnathan is next to her and quickly wraps an arm around her waist, bringing her in for a hug as they both fix their eyes on me. Next to them is a vampire I’ve never seen before with a human girl next to him. The girl has brown hair with blonde streaks through it and she looks unsurprised that I’ve awoken. 

“I told you she would awaken,” The new vampire states, a hint of an accent when he speaks. Something exotic. His hair was black with an unruly look, his skin a bronzy tan and his eyes… an unnatural gold. 

I hug the blanket to me tighter as I skim over the four of them, and then look around the rest of the room.

Where was Darrius?

“You were right,” Johnathan says tightly, “We should have believed you, Rafael.” Rafael smiles in response and Johnathan lets go of Claudia as she turns to run to my side.

“Jennifer, I’m so sorry,” she gushes, “I should never have left you for even a second.”

“How am I alive?” I ask, my voice dry. I swallow a few times to try and make my voice more smooth, “Why am I naked?” I ask, worried.

“Darrius found you as you were injected,” Claudia says seriously, “He just walked in. He thought you were dead. He ripped Thomas’ head off and the blood went all over your dress. We had to get you out of it.”

“But… how am I alive?” I ask again, confused as hell. Claudia’s eyebrows furrow. The door suddenly slams open and I look over my shoulder to see Maximus with Darrius in the doorway, Maximus has a hand on Darrius’ shoulder, talking to him quietly.

“Darrius!” Claudia calls out happily. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever heard her say his name with such complete joy. Darrius’ eyes have already completely focused on my own. A small smile tugs at my lips as I see the complete shock in his expression. 

“Jennifer,” Darrius says my name quietly, walking slowly into the room. Each step was faster than the last as he comes around the couch. Claudia steps back and I shakily get to my feet. Darrius takes two more strides forward and wraps me around in his strong arms, holding me close to his chest, “You’re alive,” he growls out the obvious.