The Last Embrace 5 Black Marke

"No need-Jess. Am already halfway preparing all the ingredients for your favorite Honey Garlic Glazed Chicken, that's what we have for dinner," Aida said.

"You are awesome, Nana! I can't wait for dinner!" Jess' eyes gleamed.

She went to the refrigerator, opened it and bring out a can of soda. While sipping the cold drinks, she noticed the mini refrigerator located near the door, leading to the back of the house. She noticed it before, but she pays no attention to it. Curious, she walks towards it and then opened it, she saw several small bags filled with red thick liquid, looks like ketchup-but not really. As she watched closer, her eyes widened. "N-Nana, what's these red bags over here?"

"That's Bag Blood...human blood. Adam's food. Don't touch it!" she warned Jess.

Startled! Jess closed the refrigerator's door right away. So, it's actually Adam's blood supply icebox! She shivers and feels like vomiting. Whose blood are those? She felt a chill run down her spine.

"Nandoes Adam go out every night to hunt for fresh human blood? Where does she get those blood?" she pressed further.

Aida glanced at her for a while, then she returned her attention back to her cooking preparation.

"...Nana, why are you not answering me?" she persisted.

"No dear. Adam has not been able to set his foot outside from this mansion ever since he started living here, at least that's what I know." The older woman finally replied.

"So, w-where does the blood come from-?" she asked again in a nervous manner. It would be impossible for Adam to go out every night and hunt for human prey because of the anti-vampire vaccine scare, too dangerous to expose himself that way, she told herself.

"I bought...hmmm... shall we say...I ordered those bags of blood from the Black Market." Aida said casually.

"H-huh?" Jessy was really confused now. Is there such a thing as Black market existed in this world? She asked herself. "What do you mean by Black Market-Nana? Tell me more about it." Her curiosity is growing by leaps and bounds as seconds pa.s.s by.

Aida finally stops what she's doing, she sighed. She can no longer ignore her million annoying questions. She motioned Jessy to sit down on the chair in front of her. "Listen carefully, child. I will explain everything to you, everything I know about the Black Market. This will be the first and last time we will talk about it, okay? It's a top secret. Promised me, you won't reveal it to anybody. Got it?"

Jessy agreed, eager to hear what her Nana is going to reveal.

Then Aida started talking. "Black Market already existed a long time ago, way back before the deadly anti-vampire vaccine was created. It's been a well-known fact that we can sell our body organs or even blood for whatever purposes it may serve us..." Aida paused a bit, then she continues again. "Many poor people sell their blood in exchange for monetary gains. I have a contact in the Black Market, who can facilitate blood business transaction between buyers and sellers. You can get price discounts by buying a large volume of blood but the quality of the blood is not so good. Or you can contact healthy individuals whom you can get high quality of blood but the price is a bit higher than those ordinary ones."

"R-really?" Jessy was totally amazed by what she just heard. "Please continue-Nana."

"You can hire those healthy individuals on per year basis. You will pay them money every month and they will be exclusively supplying you blood three to four times a year, depending on what you agreed upon."

Jess' eyes widened even more...

"So- you mean to say that those individuals who are selling their blood have not been vaccinated with anti-vampire vaccine-yet? How they were able to skip the government's watchful eyes since it's mandatory to be vaccinated?" she was bewildered.

Aida laughed a bit. "My child, do you know- that if you have lots of money you can bribe any government official to do your bidding? Some government officials are open to bribery, like producing fake doc.u.ments of individuals who already undergo anti-vampire vaccinations but in truth they're not. Many people do that, that is why the Black Market business still thrives until today. When money talks, everyone listens and keep their mouth shut. In short, it's a very lucrative business...But only a few people and vampires have the privilege to know," Aida added.

"Ah-I see...What an interesting piece of information you have just revealed to me now-Nana," she commented.

The older woman inhaled deeply. "I shouldn't have told you all these things, my child. Too early for you to know." Hesitation and something more like worry is showing in her voice.

"Rest a.s.sured that I will never reveal this important information to anyone. I promised you that, Nana."

"You should remember your promise dear, because if all these information will accidentally be leaked to the government sides...those blood sellers and all the vampires who are benefiting from the Black Market will be executed," Aida added.

Jessy nodded. She understands very well the danger awaiting by both parties and she does not want anything bad to happen between those individuals involved. They got the rights to do anything they wish with their blood as long they don't kill or harm anybody.

"D-does my father got his blood fix through this market, Nana?

"Yes dear," Aida nodded. "You will also get your blood fix on the same market when you will become a full pledge vampire, it will be soon enough since time flies too fast."

She grimaced, just thinking about it. "I don't think that will happen one day-Nana. The moment I will turn twenty years old, I will be powerful enough to control my thirst for blood, besides, the prophecy stated that my blood can turn vampires into humans. I will remain human but I will have vampire powers and skill. My fangs will be none existent by then." She said confidently, that is what her perception regarding the prophecy surrounding her.

"Just one more question, Nana. So, there are two types of vampires? Those types who drink blood from their prey and killing their victims on the process. And the others- who just buy blood but don't kill humans? Am I right?"

"Yes dear." Aida nodded.

"How about Adam's royal family? Whose side they belong?"

"As far as I know. They're not used to killing humans, instead, they rely much on the Black Market to obtain continuous blood supply. You may ask Adam about it, I'm sure he knows a lot. Now you go ahead, Jess. I still have to continue cooking our dinner." Aida rumpled the girl's hair affectionately and finally dismissed her.

"Thank you very much for all the info-Nana. I learned a lot today," she exited the kitchen in total awe and amazement with all the valuable information her Nana has just revealed to her.

She got information overload!