After the three were bathed and covered in ointment, the gloves were back on their hands. Edwin decided to make them steak today, just to ease the change in diet with the three.

As the savory scent of cooking meat filled the apartment, Edwin turned to look at Hadrian, who was playing at pantomime with the children. He was either pretending to be a duck, or a very angry snake.

Whatever it was, it had its effect as the three were reduced to a fit of giggles. Edwin flipped the steaks and then wondered if he couldn’t do something to feed Hadrian animal blood.

Myrna had a blood market, as did all cities, but Hadrian had pulled a face at everything on offer. Wrong blood group, smelt of sickness, was old and many more excuses were made, so the vampire could avoid buying a blood bag.

So, without another alternative, Edwin had continued to give the vampire his blood. Hadrian took 100 milliliters each day, more during the weekends, as Edwin didn’t have to go out and thus could afford to lie down as he got better.

Hadrian’s strange proclamation that Edwin’s blood was the best sounded like an empty lie to Edwin. There had to be a reason why Hadrian preferred him to anyone else. He felt, despite knowing that Hadrian was one of the best people he had ever met, that he wouldn’t like the reason.

He had heard of ghouls, the servants of the vampires. Almost immortal and drinking their lords and ladies’ blood. But Hadrian had never given him his blood to drink, nor had he shown himself to be shady in any way, shape, or form.

Perhaps he was overthinking it? Maybe this was a way for Hadrian to show him that he valued him? He had not asked the children for blood, thank the Divines. Edwin did not know what he would have done if the vampire had done so.

“Eddy! Harry is cheating. Says he is a dragon, but he was making duck movements!” Yelled Ben from the couch.

So, that was what it was. Edwin chuckled. Even if Hadrian was cheating, he would still back him up. Just to rile up the kids.

“I didn’t see the mime too well. Harry, can you show it to me?” Asked Edwin.

Hadrian did his interpretation of a half-duck, half-snake, and then he pretended to roar. Rael and Luciano were up on their feet and pointing at Hadrian.

“No adding new things! Eddy, see? He is cheating!” Said Rael. He crossed his hand over his chest and leveled Hadrian with a glare.

“If you get an ouchie, I won’t kiss it better!” Threatened Luciano. Hadrian broke from the game and burst out laughing.

“Ok, ok. I give. It was a duck,” said Hadrian, and he went to the kitchen area to stare at the steaks.

“Are you convinced, Harry? I thought it was very serpent like,” said Edwin, truthful. The children looked at Edwin as if he was a traitor, and then Ben went to Hadrian’s old place and began jumping in the same spot.

“Rabbit!” Said Rael and Ben nodded.

“So, how long will the kiddies have chickenpox?” Asked Hadrian.

“About ten days if we are not careful,” said Edwin. He took the beer that laid on the counter and dripped some over the steaks.

“That smells delicious, Eddy,” said Hadrian with a bit of regret in his voice.

“Harry, can you drink alcohol?” Asked Edwin suddenly. He had experimenting with animal blood as of late. Putting certain oils in it did not make it more edible to Hadrian.

“Sure can, about a glass at a setting. But I never enjoyed it. And it would be a bad example for the kids, won’t it?” Asked Hadrian, wondering where Edwin was going with such a bizarre question.

Edwin took the beer bottle and filled a glass. Then he went to the cupboard and took out the bottle of pig blood he got from the slaughterhouse. He mixed the beer and a glass of the blood and set it to boil.

“Vampires are lightweights, Eddy. Even if I can drink this, I don’t think it is a good idea,” said Hadrian. Then he began to take the steaks off the grill.

“The boiling process will get rid of the alcohol and the alcohol will make the blood thicker, jelly like, I think. But you should be able to eat it. It will be beer flavored pig blood.”

They waited as they heard shouts from the living room area of animal names. When the blood jelly was done, Edwin let it cool and then handed Hadrian a spoon.

“Try at least a spoonful,” said Edwin, encouragingly.

Hadrian stared at the spoon like it was about to bite him. Then, with a lowered head, he scooped some jelly and brought it to his mouth. He gave it a lick, nodded, and then ate it.

“It is not bad,” said Hadrian as he swallowed. “But your blood is better.”

Edwin whopped with joy and lightly tapped Hadrian’s chest with his fist.

“You can live off this. This is wonderful, Harry! I need to publish it. This could make all the wasted blood from the slaughterhouses put to good use. Can you imagine it? Vampire farmers,” Edwin began laughing then as Hadrian raised a finger.

“It will cause a rise of the price of human blood. Normal farmers will be misplaced because of the sudden demand for land. And charlatans will mix more alcohol in the blood to get what they want from drunk vampires. Do you need more reasons against this getting to the public?” Asked Hadrian. He had three fingers up, and he wiggled the rest of his fingers to suggest it was a bad idea.

“Oh, please. You just want human blood because it tastes better to you. Think of all the poor vampires who commit crimes to drink. With this, they can have honest lives. Now, help me set the table. And you better eat all of this. I made it for you,” said Edwin, and he took the platter with the stake.

Hadrian bowed his head, making peace with the fact that he was going to see human blood only as a reward for his actions from now on, and took four plates and a bowl for his jelly.