Irresistible Offer (1)

Aiden widened his eyes from a mix of shock and surprise. Sell his blood to Ryan Caldwell? Instinctively, Aiden wanted to say no. It was a bad idea.

No, to be exact, it was a dangerous idea. Dismissing their huge influence in governmental issues, the Caldwells had always been known for their antics. Despite countless sycophantic approaches, no one wanted to maintain a close relationship with anyone from the family.

Why?

The answer was simple.

The Caldwells were too scary.

They were often involved in a lot of questionable incidents, but they always managed to come through clean and innocent. The same could not be said about those around them.

According to rumors, the Caldwells could and would do anything in their power to wash off their hands from incriminating evidence and push the blame to anyone who could take it. This, unfortunately, meant those who were there at the wrong time and wrong place. Their so-called "friends".

How many of those people ended up dead around the Caldwells? The grotesque manner of their death, although not publicized openly, was enough to serve as warning for those who dared to extend their greedy hands at the Caldwells.

The gruesome pictures from the presentation that Ryan just gave him flashed through Aiden's mind.

Maybe those were the unpublicized pictured. Gulping, he wondered if there was a presentation detailing the risks and hazards of associating oneself with the Caldwells.

If there was, had the director ever sat through the presentation? Or maybe showed it to someone before he made such an offer? Maybe he should.

Then again, Aiden was not foolish enough to tell that into his face. He cracked an uneasy smile instead.

"Mr. Caldwell, I appreciate the offer but this is rather unexpected. I thought you wanted me to stop selling blood. Why are you offering to buy my blood now?"

Ryan's expression softened upon hearing Aiden's question.

The young man in front of him was clearly desperate, but apparently not that desperate to throw away his life.

He wanted money, but he was being smart about how and where to get it from. That was a very good sign.

All doctors rejoiced when they were faced with such patients. Or even family members of the patients.

"Think about it, boy. If you keep selling to random people, there is no guarantee that you will be lucky and escape with your life every time. Your grandmother's recovery depends solely on you. Should something bad happen to you in the next few months, what do you think will happen to your grandmother?"

Aiden stared at Ryan.

The gruesome images from the presentation kept intruding into his brain. He was unable to get them out of his mind. What if he one day became one of the corpses?

A pity it might be, but dead people generally did not bemoan their death. The same thing could not be said about the living. Should Aiden die, his grandmother would be devastated. She might not even live long enough to let the leukemia claim her life.

On the other side, Ryan's words bore some kind of reassurance. He was the hospital director.

And a Caldwell.

If he really just wanted to snack around for some blood, he could have gotten it anywhere.

Aiden's blood was not that costly or precious. Not enough for him to make such a generous offer.

This meant that the vampire meant to help him, right?

Aiden's chest tightened when he contemplated the possibility.

He had to bet on it. It was still the safest option.

"Then, is Mr. Caldwell willing to buy my blood until the whole treatment fee is covered?"

Ryan nodded.

"Naturally, I am willing."

"What about the qualification? I am still not qualified," Aiden pointed out.

Aiden was of course referring to the installment option. Without it, it didn't matter whether he sold his blood to Ryan or to any other vampire.

He needed more than a huge sum of money to get his grandmother into the White Chapel.

He hoped that Ryan could use his position to bypass his lacking qualification.

The problem was that vampires generally stuck to the rules, even more so the rules that they set. Luckily for Aiden, the vampire had something better in mind.

"You don't need to qualify."

Aiden's lips parted in surprise.

"I will pay for the whole treatment package in full," the vampire told him.

"You can pay me back in installments. Not with money, of course, but with your blood."