Vampire Nightlife

"What do you mean, this isn't a dream?" Lukas asked, alarmed then realized something. "Wait, you're not conjured by mind–it's the real you."

"It's the real me, yes and I am aghast at how lascivious you are–even for your age. Is this really what all youngsters think about nowadays?" Drusilla massaged her forehead.

"How did you get here?"

"I found you worthy and have resided in some part of you now. Surely the fact that the simple dagger that was given to you manages to disappear and reappear when you wish is a sign that something more has happened than just mere agreement." Drusilla narrowed her eyes.

"Wait you didn't exactly ask permission–"

"Does that matter now?" Drusilla clicked her tongue.

"Yes, there's something called privacy at work." Lukas protested.

"Hah! What matters right now is that something happened and I realized that you are not quite who you claim to be. You're not exactly a Vampire are you."

"I never claimed to be anything." Lukas replied.

Drusilla was about to raise a fuss, but then let out a witch-like cackle at his words. She shook her head and then nodded. "I guess you are right, but you had me fooled. And I do not like this at all."

Lukas realized that her voice shifted into a dangerous tone. He realized that while she may have accepted that another Vampire claimed the ostentatious dagger of the Sanguise House–it was another thing completely if they weren't.

However, there was something else that was nagging him now.

"W-what do you mean that we aren't in some dream? I was dreaming a while ago–until you arrived at least." Lukas said.

"This is no ordinary dream." Drusilla frowned. "I can feel your body moving and it is not under your control. This is…"

"Sleep walking?!" Lukas' eyes widened. How was that possible? He was stuck in the van with the rest of the people so how could he be walking around.

"No, not just that! Listen to what I said–not under your control."

"That's the thing with sleep walking, it isn't necessarily under my control–"

"Dream Eaters." Drusilla suddenly said and looked at him sharply. "This has to be the work of Dream Eaters. They are using your dreams and leading you to them to feed on it–these scroungers."

"Pot meet kettle moment, right now." Lukas couldn't help but say. He should have been panicking, but also couldn't resist the hypocrisy of her words.

"What?"

"So these Dream Eaters subsist on feeding on people's dreams, and then there's us… and we live by feeding on–?"

Drusilla looked blankly at him as if not even comprehending his words.

"I have just revealed that you and your friends are in danger and yet you still have time to lecture me?" she shook her head. "You are unbelievable and atrocious. Even my people would have been more–"

"Wait, what do you mean friends?" Lukas felt himself stop cold.

"Do you honestly think that a Dream Eater would only eat one?" Drusilla huffed at him. "The possibility that all of you are being led so that your dreams are to be consumed is of no rare thing."

"... they should be able to realize and wake up on their own, right?" Lukas said. "And I mean, if it's just feeding on dreams, then it's not supposed to be that big deal of an issue. Even we ourselves spare humans so we can still collect blood from them, so shouldn't the same–wait."

Drusilla looked at him with a tempestuous smile.

"How long is the feeding?" Lukas asked as his heart raced and he tried to clarify some things. "And you said I'm walking, and you're not referring to me banging my head against the car door either are you. You actually mean walking and getting lost in the desert."

"And if your friends are lucky enough to have avoided the dangers of the desert, there is still one thing that will pose far more of a threat than anything within this place." Drusilla said. "The feeding on dreams will persist until they awaken."

"... but the sun."

"Exactly." Drusilla said. "And time is not the same in dreams as you know–I cannot tell if the sun is approaching or not from my position here. I've been lending some of my strength to you so you may survive the sun when it rises, but as for your friends–"

Lukas slapped his hand across his face.

It stung and hurt badly almost as if it was the real thing and yet he couldn't wake up. Lukas stared directly at Drusilla and pointed at himself. "Mutilate me."

"What?"

"Harm me. Destroy me. Do something extremely so damaging that there is no other choice but for me to wake up because I am in deep pain. That might help me in waking up so I can save the others." Lukas paced back and forth within the cramped blood world.

He didn't have much time.

Lukas knew that he was probably special based on the Hunter Association's tests–but what about Chaerin? Could she withstand the sun as much as him? Lukas remembered her flinching even inside of the car.

Alexei and Stacy might be able to last longer because of their noble bloodline but that didn't mean that they would be immune to the pain of getting burned by the sun. He would rather not have them getting hurt if he had a choice.

And even Theodore too.

For all the young man's attitude and everything recently–Lukas couldn't allow the man to get hurt too. At least for Lily's sake. And also because the guy was basically their expedition leader too.

"Well?" Lukas looked impatiently at Drusilla. "Shouldn't you be relishing the chance to inflict pain on me, Miss Sanguise House Ancestor? This is the only opportunity where I'm allowing you–"

"It's no fun if the person wants to be harmed." Drusilla clicked her tongue. "And at least understand that what you want might also damage your mind–"

"Do it."

"If you insist–"

However, a sudden light pierced through the blood world.