The doorbell rings at exactly nine pm.
Even though I know who’s behind the door, I still look through the peephole: I don’t want any more surprises today. When I recognize Pilly’s big curls, I open up.
“What’s going on?” she asks, coming forward for a hug. “Are you okay?” Behind her, Solar holds up a plastic bag. “We have wine and butter cookies. If you’re not okay, you’ll be soon enough.”
“Come on in” I murmur, stepping away. I lock the door as soon as they’re both inside. “I’m sorry I’ve asked you to come here last minute,but…” A sob forces me to stop mid-sentence. “God, I’m sorry. I truly am.”
“Hey, hey, stop” Pilly says, her voice gentle. She drops her coat on the couch and closes the distance between us in a few strides, her cold fingers brushing away my tears. “It’s going to be okay. Tell us everything, alright?”
I do: I describe what happened at the café, careful not to leave out a single detail, as I help myself to more wine than I should. “Those fucking scumbags” Solar rumbles, fingers tight on her plastic cup. “Both of them. I can’t believe your boss fired you instead of calling the cops on Ben.”
“But you will, right?” Pilly says, her eyes big and watery.
“Call the cops.” I hesitate, lowering my head. “I mean… If he does something else,yeah.”
Pilly grabs my elbow, and her warm, alcohol-filled breath brushes my face. “I’m sorry, but what if it’s too late? What if he hurts you?”
“Pilly’s right” Solar mumbles, putting her feet on the coffee table. “You know, my blackmailing proposal still stands.”
“No illegal solutions. Y/N, seriously.” Pilly gives my elbow a gentle squeeze. “Report him. I don’t want you to get hurt, please.”
I look at her for a long moment before turning my head the other way. “I will, I promise, but right now I have bigger issues.”
“Such as?”
“I don’t have a job anymore” I sigh, sinking into the couch. “Blood money will only cover so much and…” I stop talking, silence filling the room.
The money I make selling blood isn’t enough to survive, but what about the offer I turned down just yesterday? That kind of payment would be more than enough to live and pay off my current debts.
“Y/N?”
“She’s probably thinking about illegal solutions” murmurs Solar . “I approve. There’s no other way to get rid of that creep.”
I straighten my back, my gaze bouncing between the two of them. “I may have something.”
Pilly frowns. “We’re not talking about illegal stuff, are we?”
“A job” I explain. “Well, a source of income, actually. A gloomy and intimidating vampire wants to drink my blood for ten thousand dollars a month.”
Solar spits out what looks like a gallon of wine. “Excuse me,
what?”
“Yeah.” Pilly nods, not acknowledging the drops of wine dotting her right arm. “What?”
“It happened yesterday. I turned it down because… because…” I shrug, my thoughts foggy. Again, why did I turn it down? Why is it a bad idea to do it? I already sell my blood for a much lower price. This can’t be that different, right? A bite won’t kill me.
“You know what, I think I’ll give him a call” I mutter, getting off the couch. “He was willing to go higher. Only a stupid would say no to an offer like this.”
“Y/N, no” Pilly protests, but she can’t even stand up: she’s too drunk. “Do you know him? Who’s this person?”
“He’s a vampire, not a person” I correct her, as I grab my purse from the floor. “And he’s just a rando who found me through that new blood clinic. I told you about that, right?”
“Precisely. It could be dangerous.”
“Do it” Solar says, pouring herself another glass of wine. “It’s worth the danger. And if you don’t, I will.”
Pilly tells her something and they start bickering, but I don’t listen: from the dark depths of my bag, I’ve just retrieved Mr. Jeon’s business card, the one I found in my jacket pocket shortly after our encounter. He probably let it slide in when he was so close without me noticing. I debated throwing it away, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it—a stroke of luck, right now.
I grab my phone, enter his number, and start the call, charging it to him. If he’s really interested, he’ll accept it.
The phone rings and rings. I pace around the room, my heart beating faster by the second, and then my eyes land on the wall clock: it’s well past one a.m. He’ll probably…
“Yes?” A low, groggy voice fills my ear. “Who is it?” Crap. I’ve woken him up. I consider hanging up and pretending it never happened, but then he talks again.
“Speak now or I’ll make sure you regret this pathetic excuse of a prank.”
“Not a prank” I stutter, my tongue heavy and swollen in my mouth. “I, huh… It’s me. Kang Y/N. We talked at the blood clinic, uhm… yesterday, even though it’s more like two days ago, since it’s past midnight.”
There’s silence for so long I start thinking he hung up on me, but then I hear a deep sigh. “So, you do realize it’s extremely late for a weekday.”
“Well, I mean… I guess so. But I couldn’t wait any longer.”
“Is that so?” His voice is serious, but I can tell he’s smiling. That, or I’m more intoxicated than I thought.
“Hm-hm” I confirm, still pacing in the semi-darkness of my one bedroom apartment. “You see, I thought about your offer. Only a stupid would turn it down, and I don’t like to think of myself as a stupid.”
“And yet I recall your firm rejection, Miss Kang.”
“Am I not allowed to change my mind?”
“You most certainly are” he replies, his voice deeper than ever. “I’d like to know the reason.” I’m too drunk to stop and wonder whether being honest would make me look rude: I just tell him the truth.
“I need the money. Badly.” There’s a long pause, then I hear him clicking his tongue.
“I see.”
“Well?” I push, when I realize he’s not going to say anything else. “Is your offer still valid?”
“I’m not discussing the matter right now, Miss Kang” he answers, his voice flat. “You’re clearly intoxicated and not in your right mind.”
“I’m more than able to—”
“I’m not discussing the matter right now.” His tone is firm, steady.
He’s not changing his mind, I fear. “We can schedule an appointment tomorrow. I’ll have a car come pick you up at nine a.m.”
I shake my head, even though he can’t see me. “To go where?” Again, there’s a long pause.
“My office.”
“You know, I have my own car” I state, my words coming out a bit distorted. “I can drive, Mr. Jeon.”
“Nine a.m. sharp. Be ready.” And with that, he hangs up the phone.
Well, just great.
_______________
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𝐵𝓁𝑒𝑒𝒹 𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝑀𝑒
VampireI'm in a tough situation. My abusive ex-boyfriend won't leave me alone, and on top of that, I'm broke.That's why I start selling my blood to a high-end clinic working for vampires. It's easy money, but I had no idea this would cause a powerful, cent...
