Initiating The Contact

It was not safe for James and his younger siblings to stay for dinner unless they wanted to stay over. Although Grandma Thompson and Aiden extended the invitation for the Irvings to stay another night, James apologized profusely for the shameless intrusion and insisted on going back to their house that night.

Grandma Thompson ended up packing dinner for five people in several food containers for the Irvings to take home. After dinner, Aiden told his grandmother that he wanted to do some review for Monday's lecture. Grandma Thompson merely yawned and said that she was going to watch some episodes of her favorite old soap opera until she could not keep her eyes open anymore.

"Grandma, you should not sleep too late," Aiden commented.

"Oh, I won't. But I also need to enjoy my life. It is good to be old, heheheh."

Grandma Thompson cackled roguishly as she took a bag of potato chips with sour cream and chili flavor and headed toward the living room.

Aiden shook his head with a smile. The smile disappeared as soon as he went back to his own bedroom. After ensuring that the door was locked, he took out the papers that he got from Dr. Hunter regarding the Personalized Leukemia Treatment Package and stared at the numbers that depicted a huge sum of money to be paid to White Chapel hospital directly. There was an option to pay in installments over the period of twelve months, but it did not come without interest.

Aiden supported his chin on a hand and tapped absent-mindedly on the table. Those who could afford it would never go for the installment option. Those who could not afford it would not go to the hospital in the first place. The vampires were known to be very straightforward when dealing with each other or other races. Deception and lies were meant to meet with equally severe punishment by law.

The black card in coffin shape was laid neatly next to the papers. Aiden stared at the phone number on top of the glossy surface, and then at the cost of the leukemia treatment package on the paper.

It was illegal.

Also, it felt wrong.

But, it was necessary.

Aiden picked up the card and gave it a casual flick on the surface. He had just turned eighteen two months ago. The legal age was twenty. That was two more years to go. Even without Dr. Hunter saying it, it was clear to Aiden that his grandmother could not wait that long.

How much blood would he have to sell?

One blood drawing session was enough for the fifteen-year-old James to cover for Princessa's treatment three years ago.

How many blood drawing sessions would it take to be able to pay for the whole treatment package fee?

If one session could pay for the monthly installment, then he only needed to do it once a month. Once a month was good. It was not going to hold him back in life. He could still go to university. After he graduated, just like James, he would stop selling blood altogether. No, even earlier. After his grandmother fully recovered, he had no reason to keep selling his blood.

This time, he simply had to do it for his grandmother's sake. There was no other way. Dr. Hunter's words kept ringing in his head. There was no price tag for health. He had to take action as soon as possible. It was a race with time.

Aiden clenched his jaw and swiped at his phone screen. He entered the number on the card into his phone and pressed the dial button.

The phone rang for a long time but no one answered it. Aiden contemplated calling again, but then he decided not to. Maybe it was a sign from above that he should not proceed. Either way if the vampire refused to buy blood from him, what could he do?

Nothing.

Aiden threw himself on the bed with the android still in his hand and fell asleep after a while. He woke up with a jolt when his android started vibrating in his hand. There was a call from an unknown number.

It took a while until it dawned on Aiden that it was the exact number written on the coffin-shaped card. The vampire was calling back!!!

Aiden quickly answered with a nervous, "Hello?"

The vampire on the other side did not bother to reply his greeting. A cold, toneless voice on the other side said, "42 Queensway Road, Harrow Lane, 10 AM next Sunday."

The phone ended with a click.