Frisson (Diabolik lovers)

XXIV. How do we survive..?

"What's going on?" Lauren's voice full of confusion echoed through the dungeon. Reiji, already barely holding in his thirst, stared at her in shock.
"Oh no." He started to slowly back away from the human girl as if she was the most poisonous snake on earth. 

"Reiji? Are you... alright?" She took a few hesitant steps towards the trembling vampire. 
"Stay away from me!" Get out of here!" Reiji dashed away from her to the furthest corner of their cell. 
"There's no way I can leave - we are locked in." Lauren took a few steps to make even more distance between Reiji and herself. She felt the cold bricks against her back. She stared at Reiji's back with wide eyes.

"Don't... come any... closer... ngh!" Reiji was starting to wheeze. He was clenching the metal bars in order to take at least a little bit of control over his uncontrollable thirst for blood that was still getting stronger.

"What's wrong?" Lauren's voice quivered with worry. At first, she was confused. When they were playing in the room, Laito suddenly stood up and told her to follow him. Of course, she knew where he was going after a while, so she tried to just simply go back to her room, but Laito teleported them into the dungeon and locked Lauren in that cell. Soon after, others showed up with Reiji in this state. 

"I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Reiji yelled louder than he had ever yelled at someone. His voice was full of desperation and agony. Lauren flinched at his harsh words, but she didn't go off to hide further in a corner. No, she felt that Reiji needed help, but she just didn't know how to help him. Lauren thought that she had to take care of him the way he took care of her. He saved her life, he helped her with her pneumonia and loneliness. She had to return the favor.

"I will stay away, but can you at least tell me what's going on?" She kept her promise and didn't move an inch. 

"They used... potion I created... on me. I made it... to kill my mother... once I bring... her back... to life." Reiji managed to croak out through pants. "It had to drive... vampires crazy... with thirst... Unfortunately... this drug... is a success." Lauren covered her mouth in horror. 

"But what h-happens next?" She went as pale as freshly fallen snow.  

"If I... don't get blood... I'll die." Reiji hit the bars. "I can't teleport... either..." He tried to rip out the bars, but metal didn't budge an inch. 
"Damn it!" Reiji knew one of them will die that night - his brothers made sure to create this situation. They wanted him to be the one who ripped this human girl to pieces in this blinding animalistic need.

"Is there a way I could help you? Maybe if I gave you some of my blood..." Lauren took a shy step forwards, but Reiji's scream stopped her.
"I'd slaughter you like a pig!" Reiji's composed self was long gone. He looked like a hungry wolf ready to kill. 

"But you will die otherwise!" Now Lauren couldn't stay silent. "I don't want you dying on me! Especially when I know I could have saved you!" Lauren didn't want Reiji to disappear from her life. She tried to convince herself that it was only because of her situation. She simply didn't want to be left alone with these sadistic brothers. But was it the only reason? She tried to convince herself that it was, but something was telling her that she was denying her own feelings.

"I'd kill you... You can't die." Reiji was having a similar conflict with himself. Unbearable pain was already taking over him, but he didn't wan't to see Shizuka dead and it wasn't only because of his father's order. Reiji didn't want that. He was ready to suffer even if she would be the only one to survive. 
"But if I tied you up, you wouldn't-"

"Stop being stupid! Don't come any closer!" But she wasn't listening to him. Slowly, but surely she was making her way towards trembling vampire. Reiji couldn't stay up any longer - he fell down to his knees.