Darrius' POV
"It's about time you two showed up," I growl at Maximus and Isobel, as he comes waltzing into the weapons room with a skip in his step... and Isobel comes waddling. She meets my eyes briefly before shyly looking down, her lips still looked puffy from intense making out.
"We don't have to rush considering the lockdown is still a couple of hours away," Maximus replies with ill hidden exasperation. I know he is frustrated that I interrupted them.
But he deserved it for the amount of times he interrupted me when I was in bed.
"Choose what weapons you'll take with you, then I'll explain everything," I say as patiently as possible. I try and keep my mind off what I would do to Jennifer if I had her safely here. However, I have to bare the burden of watching Maximus prowl around the room grabbing weapons for his slave and pinching her ass or messing up her hair every time he passed her by as they both explored the walls.
"Swords for me, knives for you?" Maximus asks Isobel and I overhear them as he whispers in her ear, "You'll be the sheath for my sword later on."
Isobel just glares at him with a slight blush to her cheeks.
I can't take it anymore.
"Enough fooling around!" I growl, "Suit up and then prepare to listen because I have a plan and it's not going to be pretty."
"Are you planning to make a... 'statement' of sorts, Darrius?" Maximus gives me a knowing look as he fits two swords to his back with leather straps. He knows me too well.
"You could say that," I smirk, already planning my revenge on the ones that kidnapped my princess, my wife, my lover – my slave. Jennifer was mine to protect, and after I rescued her this time – I'd make sure no one – no one, would ever dare take her from me again.
^If you haven't read the latest update for 'Abducted by a Hot Vampire with a Sense of Humour: Maximus' then now is the time to catch up. The story is now complete, and I've also published it as an ebook on Amazon for $1.99 if you're interested in buying it^
Jennifer's POV
"Drain all her blood this time," Dr. Ann Drysdale is sitting before me, checking my eye sight, my hearing and my reflexes as I stay strapped to the chair. Eliza is next to her taking notes for her while Ann finishes shining a light in my eye, testing how my pupils expanded and retracted.
"All her blood?" Eliza questions.
"Yes," Ann eyes me and smiles politely, in a sick sort of way, "Do you have any objections Jennifer?"
"Ha ha, very funny," is all I manage to rasp out of my dry throat. I was so hungry and exhausted but she refused to let me even taste a drop of water. I was starting to want to nap again, the lights in the ceiling were hurting my eyes but even in my weak state Ann was happy with my 'progress'.
I didn't understand what she meant by progress but I did know she injected me not long ago with a red substance. I didn't understand what the hell it was but I didn't mind because I didn't feel any different.
"I'll get right onto it," Eliza hurries to get the equipment after Ann glares at her for hesitating too long. Ann then lets out a sigh and finally stands up, clapping her hands to get every one's attention in the lab room.
"Listen up, all of you," she says, taking off her glasses and holding them in her hand by her leg. Without her glasses she squints more, but I guess she took them off because she thinks she looks more authoritarian without them, not that she needed a boost in authority around here... "Start packing up your equipment and go home, however I need Jerry and Ash to help me dispose of three of the creatures – we have too many and I can't afford to keep feeding them."
"Which ones are we disposing of?" A man hurries over along with another, while everyone starts cleaning up.
I turn to see Jaime who hasn't been touched today, she just remains next to me, pale as a ghost as she and Rafael continue to lock eyes. However, they break eye contact immediately when Dr. Ann Drysdale turns to choose which 'creatures' to 'dispose' of.
I watch as she points to three cages of the most pathetic looking witches, tiny skeletons of people. They start moaning as she points to them and she just scowls in disgust at the horrible noises they make. It was quiet wailing, crying, begging.
"Hurry up, use the different doses we mixed up of Subject Y's blood, I don't want it to be messy. You'll put the other creatures in distress," she turns around to walk away, her clicky heels stomp off down the aisle as she orders others around on how to pack up for the day.
I watch on with half closed eye lids as Jerry and Ash discuss what to do together and Eliza comes back around to me with the blood draining equipment; a needle and tube connected to many blood bags.
When she appears around the corner I see the look on her face. She is tight lipped, her eyes are red like she is barely holding off tears and her face seems drained of blood like she has gone into a quick state of shock.
"Give the mild ones to all of them?" Jerry asks Ash, discussing casually the types of deaths they were handing out via my blood.
"Why don't you try the strong doses on all of them," Eliza pipes up, sticking the needle into my arm with some force. I wince and grit my teeth but she doesn't look apologetic, she looks distracted as she glances at Jerry and Ash.
The two men look at each other and whisper suspiciously. I over hear them quite easily and I know Eliza does too.
"... she just wants them all to die quickly... I told you she was a witch all along... look at how upset she is..." I glare at the men for Eliza but of course they take no notice of me. They aren't even looking at me.
"You're bastards," I rasp out, catching their attention, "I can't believe I'm part of a prophecy where I'm meant to be the one saving humanity – saving you lot. You don't even have one shred of empathy in your souls."
"This is for the greater good, sacrifices must be made," Ash declares and I can see Eliza mouthing the exact words coming out of his mouth like she's over heard him say it a thousand times, "And the pay is good."
Jerry and Ash start chuckling as Eliza finishes hooking me up to the needle and tubes, my blood already draining. She starts to walk off before Jerry tells her to stop.
"Oi," Jerry snaps at her, "Bring us the viles, the ones labelled mild dose. Help us out, will you?"
"I don't get paid doing this," Eliza mutters under her breath as she walks away to get the doses.
I watch in extreme curiosity at their exchange as she comes back with the viles and the men start asking her to grab body bags and the keys to the cages. She has trouble finding the keys so she decides to go find Jay. He had all the keys to all the doors and would be patrolling just outside. She goes to fetch him and I admit I'm a little excited to see him again.
I watch Claudia, still dead asleep after they drained her of so much blood she passed out. They handed her blood out routinely to the trapped, starved vampires while hooking her up to a drip to rehydrate her.
Rafael just growls at the two men when they get too close to his cage.
"I hate this one, he is so moody," Ash's voice trembles a bit as he says this about Rafael and I hear Jaime laugh out loud. A small smile on her on lips as she winks at Rafael, her Prince. He just glares at her but he himself can't help but smile a little.
At least they found a little bit of humour out of this dark situation, right?
I then look down to see my blood draining away, with thoughts of death creeping into the back of my mind.
I knew Eddrick knew I was here.
It was a matter of time before he showed up, cut my head off and threw it and my body in a fire to kill me.
I had already started imagining that because I was immortal I would still be able to think and feel while I was burning to death. My thoughts couldn't help but take a turn for the worse when there was literally no hope in sight.
Besides a certain human, who said he'd save me.
I knew Darrius cared, but I was starting to get irritated about why he was taking so long to find me.
They obviously knew where I was, they sent Claudia here after all.
Had I taken a back seat in his life? His mother was back, he had a palace of vampires to help rule. Maybe he didn't have time to worry about me.
"What cages do you need open?" My heart lights a little at the sound of Jay's now familiar voice as he approaches with Eliza.
When I look over my shoulder I can see that everyone has finally packed off and left, including Dr. Ann Drysdale. It was just Eliza, Jay, Jerry and Ash.
"Oh, no," Jerry looks at his watch and goes slowly red in the face, "I forgot about my date tonight. Let's make this quick."
"I wouldn't mind getting home early, I admit," Ash adds in and Jay listens in intently. He glances at me for a moment, eyeing my sickly state and the blood slowly dripping out of me before focusing back on the men.
"Boys," Jay interrupts, going up to them and laying a hand on each of their shoulders, "If you like I'll take over this dutie for you, I'll be here all night anyway."
"Geez, you really are the best employee," Jerry thinks about it, hand on his chin as he considers, "I really do need to go... as long as you write down their exact responses to the doses. That's all you need to do –"
"I got this covered guys," Jay winks at them and turns them around with strong hands, pushing them towards the exit, "Go home, relax, please your wives. I'll handle this. I have to make sure this one," he points to Eliza, "Goes to bed in her allocated curfew anyway, so I have to be here."
"Alright, alright," Ash gives in, laughing, "Be careful though, she's tried to run off before and she isn't allowed to leave. This lab's secrecy is the reason it runs so successfully."
"I understand," Jay replies, the impatience in his tone starting to shine through. Not that Jerry and Ash seem to notice.
Eliza looks slightly more relaxed as Jerry and Ash leave, but she eyes Jay wearily as she wheels the table of viles and body bags over to him.
"Since you are so keen to do the deed, you can write up the notes yourself, I'll retire to bed early," Eliza mutters, glancing over she watches Jerry and Ash finally exit, the door shutting and the lights dimming automatically.
"Hey, Jay," I interrupt the little exchange going on and grab his attention, "Now would be a perfect time... to you know what..."
Jay looks a little taken aback by my boldness and looks at Eliza sharply and then back at me with a tilt to his head, like he is asking – do you trust this girl with my rescue plan?
No.
Not really.
But I was running out of time.
If only he could hear my thoughts, damn it.
"I – uh, have no idea what you're talking about," he says, looking at Eliza he asks, "Does she usually get delusional when she is drained of blood?"
"No, she is immortal, she doesn't need sustenance to think clearly," Eliza snaps, crossing her arms over her chest, "Can I leave now? I want to get out of here."
"Are you a witch, Eliza?" I ask point blank and she instantly meets my eyes with a strong as all hell glare. I knew I was right, "They wrongly captured you, they thought you were a witch. But you're not... or are you? –"
"Shut up," she cuts me off and Jay just gives us disapproving looks.
"Why so much hostility to each other? And... Eliza, if you are a witch I won't tell anyone, stop fretting, sweetheart," Eliza looks taken aback and blushes a bit as she meets his eye.
"I'm not a witch," she clearly lies, "And I don't like being called that by someone I hardly know."
Jay shrugs and says, "Sorry, sweetheart," before he grins at her even wider eyes, "How long have you been here? Clearly you haven't been around boys that often, huh?"
"No – I mean yes, but – can I just go to bed?" Eliza starts, stuttering.
"Less flirting," Jaime snaps in, "More escaping, well come on. I overheard what you said to Jennifer before, I'm not deaf, I was right next to her," she snaps this at Jay who finally gives up the pretence.
"Ok, fine, but you're staying with me" he orders Eliza, "You're not going anywhere, you're in on this too now. You don't like it? Too bad."
Another new look of shock appears on Eliza's stunned facial features.
"What the hell is going on?" she finally asks, as she watches Jay push the viles and body bags on the portable table away from both of them.
A tense silence suddenly fills the room when the supernatural beings also start to catch on. After the pause, shuffling is heard as they move closer to the front of their cages.
"Yes, you guys too, you guys first actually. You've been trapped in their too long," Jay nods in their direction.
"You can't," Eliza panics and grabs his arm with the keys when he lifts them up high.
"Why can't I, sweetheart?" He asks her mockingly, his pretence over. He was back to normal, straight to the point and blunt as all hell.
"They'll kill us all!" she yells at him, trying to grab the keys off him.
"Eliza!" I snap at her, frustrated beyond anything when I hear her protests. I don't have to worry though because Jay has her covered. All too quickly he uses his training to subdue her, grabbing her in a quick hold he shoves her into the nearest desk, his body pressed up against hers as he uses his only pair of handcuffs on him to restrain her wrists behind her back.
Eliza just gasps, too shocked to respond in any way once Jay pulls her off the desk and keeps her by his side.
"You're slowing me down," he snarls at her, just as he starts to unlock all the cages as quickly as possible.
"I like this man," Jaime grins, and Rafael just rolls his eyes as he hasn't been let out yet.
You'd think these starved supernatural beings would stumble out slowly, but before my very eyes I watch them all sprint to the exit with sudden found strength. I guess that's what the need to survive did to you.
The need to survive brought even the weakest, the greatest of strength in times like these.
It is as I watch the smiling, relieved, happy vampires, werewolves and witches run off that my whole being is suddenly raked with uncontrollable shivering.
"D-Darrius," I call out, making the stupid mistake of mis-identifying Jay again. But it's an automatic reaction as my heart is robbed of strength to beat, my lungs can't take in air... and my eyes focus straight on the human that looked like my greatest love, "Help me," I gasp out.
The greatest fear and anxiety flood my mind so suddenly to the point that I feel like throwing up as my body shakes uncontrollably.
I hear the people who care about me call out to me, but their voices fade and my eyes roll back into my head when I realise I am shaking not from a sudden panic attack... but because someone was trying to take over my mind.
Oh no, dear, I'm just exploring your mind. It was so easy to enter, you are exceptionally weak now, like a twig ready to snap in my fingers, Eddrick's voice fills my mind.
Get. Out. Of. My. Head! I scream at him, terrified.
Say your last prayers to the goddess of light, dear Jennifer, because I'm just around the corner.
***Updatesevery Monday, except next week,next week is a break from updating for me because that whole week I am movinghouse, it's going to be a tonne of packing and unpacking, working andorganising university.... Yay! Not... :( but after that I'll be updating weekly again,sorry for the bad news xxxx***