Vlad's laugh slipped out on its own, mirthless and laced with cold triumph. He'd almost forgotten that this was only a dream, and the fact that he finally had Aiden right where he wanted him meant he was even closer to victory. Teeth bared in a cruel grin, slowly tightening his grip as he watched the silent struggle conveyed in his panic-filled eyes. This was what happened to people who underestimated him, who were fool enough to think they could cross him and get away with it.
The feel of fingernails digging into his skin was painful to say the least, but he'd managed to ignore the sensation until they went under his own nails, and his impulse was to pull his hands back to stop the pain. He couldn't help but loosen his grip - his body was working against him in this instance - and he let out a frustrated snarl, trying to lift Aiden's head with the intention of smashing it back down against the ground.