I'm going to agree with fatbloke on this one. EC-1118 was NOT a good yeast choice. With an OG of 1.096, even D47 will go to dry (a 14% yeast).
I have to wonder what you made for your first and where you came up with the recipe for the second. I made ONE fruit mead/melomel (part of my initial batches in 2010) and have been making either traditionals or flavored (not with fruit) meads since. I have one that will be my Mocha Madness II, and I bottled up my maple mead earlier this week. Otherwise, I'm normally just sticking with the honey for flavor, and sugars to ferment.
IMO/IME, while mead is not difficult in process, it's easy to over-complicate the recipe and make something that you don't like/enjoy. IMO, the KISS method works best. Same as "less is more" where you use less ingredients so that those you DO use can really shine. I start with really great local/regional wildflower honey for my traditionals. For ones I will add a lot of flavor to (like the mocha madness) I don't care so much about the honey. Mostly due to the other flavor elements overpowering the honey flavors.
Also, I've found it better to add fruit additions post fermentation. That way you don't just blow them out the airlock.
With this batch, see how it is in a few months. Chances are it will be bone dry and not taste like much. At that point, decide if you want to salvage it, or toss it and start over.
Oh, and do yourself a HUGE favor and read up on the Got Mead?
site and
forums. You'll find a TON of information there, from people who have been making mead for many, many, many years. More than a few award winners in the bunch. A great many of which will not heat their mead/must above 100-110F these days. Not necessary, and you'll actually get a better product (flavors and aromas) if you don't.