Dawsk

by Erhu Kome Yellow

“That’s exactly why I should not even dream about wearing it,” I said trying to convince him

  “She handed this to me, and now I’m giving it to you. I want you to have it.”

  Hearing him say that gave me shivers. Good ones.

  “But…”

  “No buts,” he held his hand up to stop me from speaking any further. “Just say you’ll wear the necklace.”

  There was a long unneeded pause because I already knew my answer.

  “Okay. I’ll wear it.”

  “Here, let me put it on for you.”

  His hands lingered on my bare skin, sending my thoughts into a state of unrest. A moan escaped from my lips, and he must have heard it because he chuckled slightly.

  “Thank you,” I told him, moving away from his reach, “for the painting too. It was generous of you.”

  “You probably love it more than I do. It deserves to be with someone like you.”

  Someone like me. What did that mean?

  As soon as we got out of the car, the lights from the cameras flashed violently it almost blinded me.

  Cameras. I had not expected them. It was foolish of me to have assumed it was an event that did not need media coverage. What were the words Aiden had used? Simple function. Nothing big.

  Aiden seemed to have felt my uneasiness to which he said, “Smile Simi, I won’t leave you.”

  I felt reassured and made an effort to smile.

  Aiden took my arm in his and glided with me into the hotel. He did the gliding, and I did the tumbling and following.

  The hall was nothing short of majestic. The columns on all sides of the room reminded me of another time and another place where magical things happened. The rose centrepieces were exquisite as well as the lights that dropped from the ceiling. As the party went on and the food and drinks flowed, performances were given by entertainers. When the Governor finally showed with his beautiful wife and entourage, a virtual tour of the new museum was given, and some of the artworks were showcased.

  “Are you enjoying yourself?” Aiden asked as a slideshow presentation went on.

  “A bit. It’s enlightening,” I replied, giving a half smile.

  After a long speech by the president of the National Down Syndrome Society and a presentation by a renowned developmental paediatrician, the MC announced that it was time to let go of the fundraising spirit and take up the Valentine’s Day spirit before donations began. A song came on which got most of the attendees reaching for their partners.

  “Will the gentlemen please take their special ladies to the dance floor?” The MC’s voice floated over from the speakers.

  Aiden eased from his seat, offering his hand, and I shrunk back.

  “I’m your special lady?”

  “I’m standing here, aren’t I?”

  “I can’t dance to this. I’m more of an erratic sort of dancer.” My words came out all hurried and disoriented.

  “I’ll lead, just follow.”

  “Are you…”

  “Just come with me and stop complaining.”

  Aiden’s left arm wound around my body. He held my right hand in his left and my stomach knotted in response. We rocked from side to side to the rhythm of the slow song. I caught a few eyes gawking at us and a few exchanges of words between three ladies.

  “This is so weird, Aiden. I’ve never done this before. I think I’m going to step on your shoes.”

  “You won’t. And if you do, I’ll pretend you didn’t.”

  His retorting smirk made me want to punch him.

  “This is just an excuse to be closer to you. You should know that by now.”

  “Are you always this honest, Mr Essien?”

  “Sometimes, Miss Oladeji. The truth can be a powerful weapon when used properly.”

  “And what is the reason for all this? The truth, if you don’t mind.”

  He twirled me around and said nothing. He pulled me even closer to his rigid body and buried his head on my neck. Feeling his warm breath against my skin filled my head with all sorts of crazy thoughts. He was so easy to be with. I felt lighter than the air just by being close to him.

  “Simi,” he murmured, lifting his head from my shoulders to let his gaze fall upon my lips. A devastating effect on me. For that single moment, the entire world ceased to exist.

  “Aiden.”

  His gaze did not falter.

  “The music has stopped.”

  A smile slowly crept up to his face as he moved back and took a half bow.

  “Oh, I was getting worn-out anyway,” I mumbled quickly to hide my anxiety. We were back in our seats in a few strides and back to sipping wine and eating finger foods.

  Aiden scowled from his wine glass. I turned around to see the woman he was glaring at.

  He said, “I was going to ask you to dance with me again, but I have to deal with this.”

  “Aiden sweetheart you look handsome. Just like your father.”

  “Emmeline, how long have you been here?”

  “Don’t think me a fool Aiden, I know you spotted me a while ago and ignored me.”

  “Emmeline this is Simi Oladeji, Simi, this is Emmeline Zimmerman, my mother’s best friend and spy.”

  I stared in awe of the woman who took on a defensive stance. Her lips twitched as she stared down at Aiden. She was a rather tall woman with high cheekbones that suited her face. Her brown eyes spoke of a time when she was once the belle of the ball. The grey hair added a tinge of allure to her brown hair.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” I said to her.

  “Oh, nonsense. Spy?” she asked as if she had just been accused of a heinous crime and completely ignoring me in the process. I may as well have been another chair. She said something in German in a high pitched voice. Aiden replied her, his baritone becoming more pronounced. This went on for a full minute.

  “Then what are you doing here?”

  They were back to English again.

  “I just came to see how you were doing.”

  “On behalf of my mother, I’m sure.”

  “Naturally.”

  Aiden laughed, but it was not the same laughter I was used to that could be seen in his eyes. This one was different. It was mocking laughter.

  “How long has it been since you talked to your mother?”

  “Two years and counting.”

  “It’s unlike you to be away for this long.”

  “Unlike me? Then why isn’t she here to say that herself?”

  The woman remained quiet. She glared at me and said “I know that necklace. That’s The Starlight. How did you get it?”

  She did not need to wait for my answer before she figured it out for herself. She transferred her gaze from me to Aiden. “It’s been worn by better.”

  “Emmeline, keep your thoughts to yourself,” Aiden told her sternly.

  “I think I’ll leave now. I’ve seen all that is needed.”

  She left without looking back.

  “I’m sorry about that,” Aiden apologised.

  “It’s alright. People have the right to talk bad about me or insult me, but it doesn’t mean I have bend over backwards to please them.”

  “I like your philosophy.”

  I waited before asking. “Is it true? About your mother.”

  “Afraid so. We have a complicated relationship,” he told me massaging the back of his neck. I pressed the issue no further.

  “How much are you worth?”

  “How much does Forbes say I’m worth?”

  “I don’t go about researching you remember?”

  “Not enough money, I’m afraid.”

  My eyes dilated unconsciously.

  “You see, when my father started his business, he asked himself that if he wanted to make money, why not just become one of the world’s richest men?”

  “It’s one way to get motivated.”

  “Uh, huh.”

  “Is it true your grandfather was one of the richest men in Germany?”

 
“I thought you didn’t go about researching me.”

  I nearly choked on my drink.

  “I just stumbled upon the information.”

  “He was.”

  “Did your father marry your mother for the money?” I wanted to take the words back, but they were already out there. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean it that way.”

  “It’s alright. Part of it is true. When my father married my mother, his assets skyrocketed. He was able to gain favours from investors and business associates of my grandfather’s. But one thing I knew for sure was that he loved her. And she did too. Maybe even more than he loved her.”

  “Well, you’re lucky, being born into wealth.”

  “Lucky you say. Getting the money is a strenuous load of work, but making more money and keeping it takes thrice the work. I'm responsible for more than a thousand people who need me on my A game at all times to have a job. I cannot afford mistakes.”

  He rubbed his temple and took for himself another drink from the passing waiters. Something about the way he said responsible warmed my heart. He looked like a father talking about his children.

  “Oh my god,” I yelped.

  “What?” Aiden asked, looking around as if in anticipation of an attack.

  “That’s Bianca Grace,” I revealed in a hushed whisper.

  Aiden turned his head towards the direction I was pointing.

  “Yes, CEO of Orbit magazine. I’ve never seen a more violent person.”

  “You know her?” I asked wide-eyed.

  “I’ve met her a few times.”

  “She’s just as pretty as she is in her magazine. No one would believe she’s over 40.”

  A thought came to me. Without my sister, I would never have known Bianca Grace, the eclectic, beautiful woman whose magazine featured mostly beauty houses. Once a spa gets featured in her magazine, the next day finds the stars and the wealthy folks alike trooping into it.

  I began, “I was wondering… um. Never mind.”

  “What is it, Simi?”

  “It’s nothing.”

  “Not asking won’t get you what you want.”

  “I was just overwhelmed by seeing her.”

  “I can get you to meet her if you want.”

  I politely declined.

  Aiden studied me for a while before saying, “if you say so, Simi.”

  “But you can arrange my meeting with him.”

  The lights flooded the stage where Teju stood.

  “I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like him!”

  Aiden had to speak louder because of the screams that erupted from the guests. Teju simply looked down and winked in response to the crowd. This only resulted in more screams.

  “My nieces adore him. I have to get a picture with him.”

  After his performance, I was able to get several pictures with the sensational superstar, with Aiden’s help of course. He was in a hurry to leave for another show, but Aiden was able to convince him otherwise.

  Scrolling through the pictures in my phone, I said to Aiden, who was standing in front of me “my sister is going to flip over on her backside when she sees this.”

  “I’m happy you’re happy,” Aiden lips curved into a smile.

  I stared back at him, frozen by the lights reflected off his eyes. He narrowed them slightly.

  “I have to meet a few people. I’ll meet you back at our table.”

  “Okay.”

  I watched him move through the cluster of tables and noticed a man in dark blue tuxedo move towards an older man. I had caught a glimpse of him while posing for the camera with Teju who, by the way, was a total sweetheart. His shifty eyes and movements had caught my attention, but I had given no thought to it. Now, he was moving stealthily toward the man and brought something out from his pocket. I looked around for any security personnel, but there was none. I clearly saw the object as the light fell on it.

  I ran to him.

  “Hey, what are you, stop…”

  I spurned him around and at the same time stopped on my tracks.

  The bulging teary eyes of the unknown man made me realise what had just happened. My falling body was caught by a table. We crashed together, wine spilling all over my face. There was a loud scream from someone, others accompanied hers soon enough. The pain hit me hard and fast.

  "Simi!" I heard Aiden's voice. “I leave you for a moment, and you get yourself shot,” he said in exasperation, holding me up.

  “Someone call an ambulance.” A man bawled.

  “No time,” Aiden spoke in a voice not belonging to him.

  I winced, and tears came pouring down my cheeks when he lifted me up.

  “Aiden it hurts.”

  I knew the bullet must have pierced a vital organ or two. I coughed, and blood spewed out of my mouth like it was meant to.

  “I’m here. I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.” His tone was firm and assuring. He lifted me into his arms and soon I could smell the confines of a car.

  “Aiden…” I called softly. The pain was too much. I could feel my consciousness seeping away. Was death approaching? My heart raced, and my breath quickened. I was too young to die. My dress was soaked with so much blood I felt sorry for it.

  “Drink this.” He told me in a harsh voice.

  “What..?”

  I looked up to Aiden’s face. He did not look at himself. His hair looked much whiter, and his eyes looked like glowing embers.

  “Drink dammit!” he bawled, offering me his hand, which he placed on my quivering lips.

  I tasted blood.

  Who’s ever heard of a blood transfusion through the mouth? I wanted to refuse it, but I felt myself swallowing the metallic tasting liquid. Strangely, the pain lessened gradually until I could barely feel it.

  “Aiden I …”

  He shushed me, and to my relief, I saw a smile on his worried face.

  “Sleep now.”

  Chapter 7

  It was the second time I was waking up in an unfamiliar bed, but this time Aiden was by my side, his blue eyes I could tell had been keenly watching over me.

  “Don’t move too much,” he warned.

  “You…”

  “Don’t say anything. You lost a lot of blood.”

  “What did you…?”

  “Shush. You should eat something to get your strength back.”

  “Don’t shush me. I don’t need food. I need answers.”

  A piercing pain shot up in my chest but soon disappeared

  “I had a feeling you would say that.”

  When he moved closer with his chair, I edged back on the bed.

  “Don’t be scared. I won’t hurt you.”

  “I drank something. Your blood? I was shot.” I was confused.

  “Yes you were, but you’re better now,”

  “What did you do? What are you?”

  My question caused his expression to change. His hands balled into fists.

  “I’m nothing you should be afraid of.”

  “You keep saying I should not be scared, but you haven’t told me anything. What are you? Tell me!”

  “I can’t.”

  “Then I shouldn’t be here.”

  I made to stand up.

  “Simi don’t go.”

  “Then you sure as hell better start talking. I know what happened that night when I was attacked by those hooligans and what happened at the party.”

  He sprang to his feet and paced about. He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled loudly.

  At last, he said something.

  “I would put it in two words you can understand; shape-shifter.”

  The words sounded both familiar and mysterious at the same time.

  “You’re a shape-shifter? Like you can transform into different things?”

  “Just one thing.”

  “That’s ridiculous.”

  “I won’t lie to you about this.”

  “I’m so confused.”

  �
��That night, when you were attacked, what did you see?”

  I was glad to know I had not made up things in my head, but it was not the time to gloat.

  “I don’t know what I saw. I just heard the growls of an animal I think. Now that I think about it, I’m sure I heard it. It had to be a gigantic version of an animal. A lion, tiger maybe. Those men were terrified of it.” I paused. “That was you?”

  He buried his head in his hands and groaned as if in pain.

  “But how? And you healed me, how?”

  He came back to the bed.

  “When I first saw you, I knew there was something about you. I did not know how I knew you were in trouble and why I was able to see you. Clear as day. I got angry enough to want to kill those bastards and … I just know I was able to do what I had never done before.”

  His words made no sense to me.

  “How did you become part beast and part human?”

  “So you believe me?”

  “I see no reason why you should make this up.”

  “I guess that’s one way to judge the situation.”

  “Yes, go on.”

  “At first, I did not know what I was, but after literally going back to my roots, I was able to put things together. This research took a chunk of my time and a lot of resources.”

  I hugged the blanket.

  “The first time I ever shifted, turned, transformed, was in my grandfather’s estate in Ireland. I had gone there during my school break. Charlotte had flown in from Berlin with my mother to see me then.”

  “Who’s Charlotte?”

  “She is the daughter of Emmeline and was my closest friend.”

  “Was?”

  “After everything that I’m about to tell you which she witnessed first-hand, we grew apart. We still exchange pleasantries, but it gets so awkward. She did not loathe me, unlike some people. No, she was just afraid of me.”

  There was no doubting the pain in his voice as he spoke.

  “I remember I was in the atrium with my mother and grandmother and I cannot remember what triggered it, an argument maybe but all I knew was, I lost myself and became what I am today. I transformed into a ‘scary monster’. When I came to, I learned that my other half had run into the stables and killed most of the horses and had left a big scar on my mother’s neck. It was a miracle it—I—did not kill my mother. The man in charge of the horses had used a tranquilliser to put me down and chained me up. No one knew what I was.” Aiden struggled with his words.