The next few days and nights passed in a similar pattern. The days were spent eating increasingly unappetising canned foods and playing chess or checkers. The evenings reading or sometimes Red would tell Lizzy some of his more outlandish anecdotes in an effort to entertain her. He had not had a nightmare since their second night there and despite the fact his hunger was growing within him, he was glad that at least he had some respite from his torment when he was asleep.

On the evening of the sixth night, that all changed. They went to bed as usual, each now perfectly accustomed to sharing a bed with the other. Both read some more of their respective books, trying to eek out the last of the four before they ran out of reading material. Red switched the light out and they went to sleep. At least, Lizzy did. Red was by now ravenously hungry. For the past two days he had been insisting they ate mainly the meat products they had been provided in a desperate bit to sate his inhuman appetite, but to no avail. It didn't matter what he ate, there was only one substance on earth that could keep him alive. And only one thing on his mind as he slowly drifted off to sleep. The last thing he remembered as his brain slipped into unconsciousness was being able to hear, far clearer than he normally would have been able to, the strong, steady beat of Lizzy's heart.

In Red's dream he was back in that terrible cell he had been trapped within many years before. Both of the girls who had been in there with him had been taken away and neither had returned. He was now on his own. His captors had not yet taken him away and he still didn't dare to imagine what went on once he was party to that particular adventure, but he knew in his heart of hearts what his fate would be.

Sure enough, at about the same time as usual, the blond haired man came into the cell and smiled at Red, a smile that turned Red's blood to ice. He came over to him and crouched down, reaching out to stroke Red's cheek. Red wanted to say something, anything, but he found he had no words. The man undid Red's restraints and hauled him to his feet, yanking him towards the door and then off down the corridor. Red then found himself in a darkened room, its only occupant sitting on a grand chair on the far side, reading what looked like a very old book.

'Sir, dinner is served'

The man looked up from his book only briefly and then summoned them both over with a lazy hand gesture. As they stood there, waiting to be acknowledged, he took his time finishing the chapter he was reading before closing the book and looking at Red properly for the first time.

'A man?'

'I'm sorry, sir. Diego brought him in the other night. You know how he has cravings for male blood. We thought just to kill him but realised that would be a waste of food'

'Hmmm….. Well, much as male meat is not really to my taste, I guess he'll have to do. But next time, please, a pretty young woman. It adds to the whole dining experience'.

The blond man nodded once and then left Red by the chair and left the room. Red didn't even think to try to escape, he was too weak still from his first draining and no food since then. Not to mention, that for the first time in his entire life, well – with one exception, he was truly terrified. He decided to just wait and see what was going to happen next.

'So, you're going to have to do then, aren't you? Ah, well, beggars can't be choosers. And it is increasingly difficult these days to find donors who aren't immediately missed. Be a good boy and get down on your knees'

Red frowned at the man and then shook his head. He didn't realise he'd done it until it had happened and then immediately regretted it. The man's face look briefly amused and then furious. The next thing Red knew he was facedown on the floor and his shirt was being ripped off…

Red woke up screaming and clutching at his dress shirt. Lizzy was by his side in an instant, her hands stilling his, her mouth by his ear, trying so hard to calm him down. His frantic movements had succeeded in ripping away half of his buttons and she shifted her weight so that she was basically on top of him.

'Red, please, calm down. It's only a nightmare, please calm down'

But Red's eyes were flaming, his teeth bared in a snarl and he gripped her upper arms so hard she knew there would be bruises there. For a few seconds he stared into her eyes and she truly had no idea what was going to happen next, she couldn't recognise the man she knew in that moment. Then she found herself being thrown across the mattress so vehemently that she fell off the far side. She heard Red utter a guttural growl and by the time she had turned towards him again, he had gotten up and was in the bathroom.

Lizzy sat up and gathered the blankets around her. She knew that what she'd just witnessed was just the effects of a particularly awful nightmare. And she also knew that Red, more than most people, probably had a terrible source of real life situations he must relive when asleep. But there was something about this one that had seemed so different. She had genuinely believed, for the first time since she'd met him, that he might do her some harm. She made herself calm down by slowing her breaths and waited for him to re-emerge from the bathroom.

After ten minutes of hearing the shower running, eventually Red must've turned it off as Liz heard the old pipes groan with the exertion. Two minutes after that he emerged, wearing his undershirt and pants. He came straight over to the bed and sat down, the look on his face so heartbreakingly sad that, despite her misgivings and fear, it was all she could do not to wrap him up in her arms.

'I'm so sorry, Elizabeth. That…..that was a particularly vivid dream. It took me a while to wake up fully from it. I hope I didn't scare you'

As Red finished speaking he looked up at Lizzy from under his brow, his eyes full of sorrow. He looked like a scolded puppy. Lizzy's heart broke as she locked eyes with him. She was just about to crawl across the bed to hold him when his eyes opened wide.

'Please, please tell me those marks on your arms are not my doing, sweetheart?'

Lizzy looked down at her upper arms and saw two very obvious bright red hand marks, the early stages of what would be two impressive bruises. She pulled the blanket higher and hid them from sight.

'It was. But it's okay. I know you didn't mean to hurt me, you were pretty out of it'.

Red's expression was utterly unreadable. She saw sorrow, fury, loathing and fear all wrapped up into one package but couldn't really decide which was most predominant. She desperately wanted to move towards him but instinctively knew he would reject her advances.

'I think I should sleep elsewhere for the rest of the night'

'No, Red, don't be silly. A cold concrete floor isn't going to allow you any rest. And you didn't lay a finger on me until I woke you and touched you. Just stay here and I promise if you have more nightmares, I'll just let you be'

'Lizzy, I can't…..'

'Yes, you can. Don't you dare disappear off to some other part of this hellhole and suffer just because of some silly nightmares. Besides, even if you do, I'd only come and lie next to you anyway'

Red looked up at Lizzy and smiled a very small smile. He knew she wasn't kidding.

'Okay, sweetheart. But can you do me one favour?'

'Of course'

'Can you tie my hands together?'

'Red, don't be ridiculous, that's not necessary!'

'It is. And if you don't, I'll go and lock myself in the bathroom and sleep like a coiled snake on that tiny floor'

Lizzy looked at him and realised he had every intention of following through with his threat. She sighed loudly and looked about for something to tie his hands with.

'Unless we start ripping clothing or blankets, I don't know what…'

'The handcuffs'

'Are you serious?'

'Deadly. I assume you still have the key?'

'Yes…..'

'Okay, then do it. Please. And do it behind my back. Please, Lizzy. Or I won't get to sleep at all'

Lizzy stood up and fetched the handcuffs. She checked she still knew exactly where the key was and then fastened them as loosely as she could behind Red's back. Sitting back on the mattress she looked at him and saw his face flooded with relief.

'Thank you, Lizzy'

She leant forward and held him tightly in her arms for a few seconds, kissing his cheek lightly as she pulled away.

'I'm not happy about this. But if it keeps you here on the mattress, then fine'

He nodded and then lay down on his front, immediately uncomfortable but beyond grateful she hadn't put up too much of a fight defying his wishes.

Lizzy leant over and pulled the blanket up over him, gently stroking the side of his head as she did so.

'This is crazy, really. But sleep well, Red', she said as she lay back down and pulled the blanket over herself.

'Goodnight, my dear. It will all be fine now'

Lizzy dropped off to sleep after nearly an hour, Red religiously listening to her breaths eventually become those of a person who had gained unconsciousness. He sighed long and slowly, buried his head in his pillow and prayed to whatever gods there may be that he would not have any more nightmares or unnatural urges this night.