Vampires were naturally nocturnal creatures; on the whole, their circadian rhythms were much more comfortable with sleeping through part of the day and staying up during the night. As such, both Joseph and Erik stayed up that night, Erik reading to avoid thinking about his discomfort and Joseph performing part of the nighttime cleaning. Though it was difficult to focus, the captive found himself about three-quarters of the way through the book when Alexi awoke. He had been thankful for the light, though he loathed to admit it, even to himself.

“How the fu-… How do you think I am?” he replied through gritted teeth, his eyes pointed towards the ceiling as he narrowly avoided cursing. Normally he would not take heed to that preference of the human's, but he preferred to start things off on a less antagonistic foot. “I vomited twice last night, though little would come up. I am dripping in sweat and aching all over, especially my head. And I am just barely holding my temper together in a, likely misguided, attempt to be civil to you, my dam- my kidnapper. I need blood, Alexi.” Erik sat up in the bed and looked over to Alexi, his tone mostly relaxed until the very end. Normally he might not have been so forthcoming, but some subconscious part of him began to truly believe in the younger Vandros' humanity in the previous night, all from those simple act of kindness of giving him a reading light and treating him with a slight bit of dignity. Additionally, the vampire was headstrong, but not stupid. He knew that it was in his best interest to be civil to his kidnapper, no matter how much his temper wanted to suggest otherwise.

If anything, the telltale signs of his hunger were worsened now, and though he hid the lust for the human's blood from his words, the hunger was evident in his eyes and his tone.