“What happened after?”
“I became very sick. Everyone thought I was going to die. I was homeschooled until I had to leave for business school. My mother became terrified of me. She did not bother to hide it, and her scar reminded me of what I was.”
That certainly explained his complicated relationship with his mother.
“My grandmother, on the other hand, was very supportive. To her, I was still her little boy and nothing else. I wanted to know more about what happened, so I decided to make an effort to shape-shift, but I made sure to do it while chained in the underground room of the house in Ireland. I used a lot of methods, and I’m ashamed to say this, but I actually tried transforming on a full moon thinking I was a werewolf. None of these helped, but I kept on trying. It wasn’t until I felt the insane need to hunt something down and kill it was I able to transform. For 12 hours, I was completely out of my body. Thanks to the chains and a solid door, the creature was unable to roam free.”
“This is beginning to sound like something out of a bizarre horror movie.”
“I assure you all these things are true and I’m letting you know because I never want you to be afraid of me and I think you deserve to know.”
“I... I.....” my voice trailed off.
He blinked twice and asked, “Do you want me to continue?”
“Y...yes."
"Are you sure?"
"I really do. I want to know everything. Like how did you know about your blood being able to do what it does?”
“I scraped a knee. When I looked back on the wound, it wasn’t there. At first, I was scared out of my mind, but I went straight to the kitchen, got a knife and cut myself. In a matter of seconds, I was healed, no scar, nothing. So I conducted a little experiment with Henry? I figured if I could heal myself, then I could heal others.”
“Henry?”
“Yes, he was the one who shot me with the tranquilliser.”
“And he let you?”
“Yes, Henry has always been loyal to my family and me and really quite protective. He has worked for my family for three decades. .”
“Oh.”
Now I understood why he was not very eager to have me around.
‘How many know you’re a…”
“My mother, grandmother, Henry and Charlotte.
“And your father and grandfather?”
He shook his head. “My grandmother swore everyone to secrecy. She was a very persuasive woman.”
“But how did you come to be this way?”
“I had to draw up theories, most of which were inconclusive, but the only theory that came out right was genetics, I had experts look into my family history. Both my families. Although, my father’s history proved rather difficult to ascertain with not much record keeping to look into. My great great great grandmother Abigail Gunther came to Nigeria in the 1800s to see the Old Oyo Empire. When she got back, she said she had been bitten by a werewolf, but no one believed her. They said the jungle fever had gotten to her.”
He paused and then resumed talking.
“I got most of my information about my father’s family through word of mouth, but nothing worth knowing about my nature came out of it. It was not until I learned about the old Yoruba myths and legends from an Ifa priest who had great knowledge about them that I got headway. He told me an old Yoruba legend of a clan called Meje whose people had been cursed by an old wizard they had sentenced to death. The wizard had told the Meje clan that since they were so bloodthirsty, they would be bloodthirsty forever. You see, the rest of the clan blamed this wizard as the cause of all their problems and thought killing him would end it all.”
“That seems a bit harsh,” I stated.
“Yes, it was.”
“What happened to the Meje people?”
“They disappeared.”
“What?”
“Either they vanished and went to the spirit world and or they were killed. All of them.”
“What do you think? Do you think you are one of them?”
“I don’t know. I’m yet to deduce that.”
“Aiden.”
“Yes?”
He moved closer to me, but this time, I did not shrink back.
“I need water. I’m thirsty.”
He called on Edna who brought a glass of water in a tray.
“Thank you,” I told her.
She winked at me before she left.
“Does she know?” I asked, the water in the glass all gone.
“No. She would never understand. You see the curse made the Meje people bloodthirsty beasts. I know this because I’ve felt it. I’ve felt it ever since the first time I killed those horses. At first, I did not transform very much, but when I hit my early twenties, the hunger got worse, and even though I try to curb it, it just keeps growing. It’s why I chain myself up whenever I feel the urge. In the room, you nearly wandered into. In the library."
I realised why he did not want me snooping.
“So you won’t have to harm anyone.”
“Yes. At that time, I can’t control it no matter how I try. The pain of shifting is unbearable. Every cell in my body feels like it’s boiling but killing something, anything brings a certain type of satisfaction.”
“So it does hurt when you transform I mean.”
“It’s the most painful thing you can imagine.”
I studied the rise and fall of his chest as his breathing steadied. I was in deep thought for a while, and so was he.
“I have so much information to sift through I don’t know where to begin.”
“Take your time.”
“How were you able to sense I was in trouble??”
He replied, “I don’t know. I was in control of myself for the first time. I didn’t harm those men because of the thrill of the hunt. I hurt them because they hurt you. Well, hurt them, is a gentle way of putting it. The thing is, I was fully in control and not at all uneasy.’'
“But you changed knowing you would be in pain.”
“I had to save you. You would have died.”
“This is all too strange.”
“I know.”
He took my hand in his, and I let him.
“Wait a minute. If I drank your blood, does that mean…”
“No,” he smiled. “No, you won’t be like me.”
He laughed when I let out a sigh of relief.
“Now that you know the truth, you should stay away from me. It’ll be the most logical thing to do. I’ll understand.”
I wanted to hug him and tell him I was not going anywhere even if he was a mad beast or monster. Also, I tried to get the hell out of the house as fast as my legs could carry me, but instead I said, “no you idiot. You saved my life twice, and if you wanted to kill me, I’m sure you would have done that a long time ago.”
What have I gotten myself into?
He clearly was not fully human, yet I could not bring myself to flee and looking at him, he had never looked more vulnerable, more human. He had shared with me his greatest secret, after all.
“The man who had the knife…” I began to ask to derail my train of thoughts.
“He just got out of jail and was out to get some revenge on the Judge who sent him there in the first place. Now he’s back there for life. The man whose life you saved was Judge Abuchi’s.”
“I’m glad.”
“I’m not. It was honourable what you did going after him, but you could have died.”
“But here I am alive and well.”
He reassuringly squeezed my hand.
“Need I ask what day it is?”
“Monday.”
I had been asleep for three days.
“I’m sure everyone would be out looking for the girl who saved the Judge.”
“You’ve become quite famous. But the first thing you should do is see your sister. Big sister syndrome.”
***
It was already past noon when I arrived at Ava's house the next day. I was n
early toppled over by her hug.
“We heard what happened. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine now. Aiden took care of me. Where’s your husband?”
“Out. You never told me you were going out with Aiden Essien.”
“I’m not going out with Aiden,” I objected.
“Then what’s this?” she said shoving a copy of Elite! in my face. The front page of the magazine had a picture of me and Aiden walking hand in hand into the Phantom hotel.
“There are three pages of your pictures together.”
“Why would, why would they do that?” I was on the verge of hyperventilating.
“When the most eligible bachelor in the country, nay, Africa, gets snatched up, everyone in ought to know.”
“He’s not snatched. He hasn’t been snatched up. He’s still a bachelor. Those ladies shouldn’t have to worry.”
“And this?” she pointed out a picture where Aiden and I were dancing. “He looks really interested in you from what I see.”
“When did they? No.”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
My sister laughed, shaking her head.
“Your nieces have been sending the pictures to all their friends. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them so happy.”
“You probably want to see this.”
I gave her my phone.
“You met Teju! Of course, you did.”
“Oh yeah.”
“I’m so jealous. How was he?”
“He’s adorable.”
She brought out her new phone.
‘Oh, I knew that already. I can tell. He has that face. I can’t wait to show the girls.”
I became quite popular at the hospital after the incident. Those who never talked to me started having long conversations with me, which I hated. A radio and television station and a magazine wanted to do an interview with me. I declined their offer.
I tried not to over-think about Aiden and his life. It only gave me a headache and spurned more questions. Could magic really exist? Or werewolves or shape-shifters and what if all Aiden had told me actually happened a long time ago? Were curses really effective? It was challenging to doubt Aiden's story. He was proof of it. I was proof of it.
“Simi Oladeji?” A woman called my name from the small doorway, which led to the pharmacy.
“Yes, that’s me.”
The small woman gave a toothy smile. She was most likely in her late 50s.
“I heard you were back. Can we talk somewhere else? I don’t feel so comfortable in hospitals.”
“Sure.”
I led her to the cafeteria, and we sat next to the large painting of a house by a lake.
“My name is Merit Abuchi. I’m sure you know my husband.”
“Yes, I do.”
“My husband would have been here with me today, but he was called away. He sent me on his behalf. He’s so grateful, and he wants you to know the man who was after his life has been locked up. What you did was...” she stopped talking to clean her teary eyes with a pink hanky. “And you were shot. That bullet was meant for my husband, but you stopped it to your own detriment. Are you alright, now?’'
“Yes, ma. I’m fine.”
“Who paid your hospital bills? No one could locate you after the incident.”
“I paid the bills.”
The truth would more than likely give her a cardiac myopathy.
“Then I must reimburse you. I have to find a way to thank you.”
“A simple thank you would suffice. I cannot accept your money.”
“Oh the humility and ...”
She was on the verge of tears again. Anyone could tell she was a very emotional woman.
She dried her eyes and spoke firmly. “If you ever need anything, I mean anything; don’t hesitate to come to me. Here’s my card.”
“Well, I do have something you can help me with.”
I told her about the hospital's foundation and how her donations were welcomed. She wasted no time in writing a cheque.
"Thank you."
“Don’t thank me, dear. I should be thanking you.”
I had good reason to be grateful. Without that incident, I may never have known about Aiden and his secret. I may never have felt closer to him.
Later that day, I was surprised to find a man and two little girls no more than six years old on my front door.
“I’m Martin Abuchi.”
“Hello.”
“My mother told me all that happened today. I know you won’t take money or anything from us, but you have my sincere gratitude. You gave me back, my father and my daughters, their grandfather.”
The two girls struggled to get free from their father, but he held them tight.
“Just accept this if you won’t take anything else.”
He signalled the two men who were standing close to the two posh BMWs, and soon they began bringing gift baskets from the cars and placed them to my feet. There was seven pretty gift baskets total. I thanked him for the baskets after which he too gave me his card.
Femi drove by a few minutes after the man and his family left.
“Detective Femi,” I hailed.
He wrapped his arms around me before saying, ‘'I cannot believe you would do something so reckless.”
“I am fine. Fit as a fiddle.”
“Simi, I would have been here sooner, but I was on an assignment.”
He let go of me. I ushered him inside and closed the door behind him.
“Have you had lunch yet?” I inquired.
He replied, slumping down on a couch, “no, not yet, but I’m not here to eat, I’m here because of what happened to you.”
“What happened?”
I took a carrot from my fridge to nibble on.
“This Aiden Essien fellow. The first time you went to his house, you got sick, and then you got mortally wounded at another party with him.”
“People get shot all the time, no big deal.”
“No, they don’t. They get headaches and colds. Maybe you should not be hanging around him so much.”
“Maybe I should not be hanging around you so much,” I told him jokingly.
“I’m serious. Something about him is just off.”
My chest tightened.
“Nothing about him is off.”
“Just be careful, and don't go about putting yourself in danger. I have seen a lot of bad things, and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you."
“I will, now relax let me get you something to eat.”
“What’s with all the gift baskets?”
“Benefits of getting shot,” I answered laughing.
Chapter 8
Ava called me out of work for something she could not tell me over the phone. All she had to say was that I needed to be at her spa pronto, and the surprise would blow my head off. I had half the mind not to go because I wanted to keep my head. I told her I would be there in an hour because I had to sign out of the hospital.
Her spa was occupied with unfamiliar people carrying cameras when I arrived. Also, the girls working for her looked extra pretty. I had never seen my sister look so drop dead beautiful before. Her curly weave was parted midway, and the maxi dress she had on did well to accentuate her curves. She was talking to another woman in suit trousers and a fitted jacket. She saw me and waved me over.
“What’s happening here?”
“Simi, this is Tammy Charles. Tammy is from Orbit, and she’s here to do a feature on my spa. Ah!” Her excited scream filled the waiting room. “I wanted to surprise you, so when they called yesterday, I kept my mouth shut. You have no idea how difficult it was for me. I don’t know how this happened, but I’m so glad it is happening.”
The woman left us to talk.
"Miss Charles said someone referred them here. Someone who was able to get her boss to redirect them from another spa to come here today."
“I think I know who’s behind all this.”
“Who?”
<
br /> “At the party, I mentioned it, well not mentioned, to Aiden. I’m sure he set up all these.”
“Then we have to thank him. But all of that will have to wait.”
She started scrutinising my entire body.
“No, this won’t do.”
“What?”
“Your outfit.”
I looked down on my t-shirt and cotton trousers with brown suspenders.
“I look chic.”
“You need a dress.”
“Odes,” she called one of the girls. “Get my sister a dress, will you?”
“You sell clothes in your spa now?”
“That’s a good business idea. You’ll be my first customer.”
Over the next few days, I tried to contact Aiden, but he was nowhere to be found. I wondered if our conversation had anything to do with it. I should be the one running, not him.
Nadia could tell something was wrong and asked, but I refused to share. About a week later, he showed up at the hospital after I gave up trying to get hold of him.
“I knew it!” Nadia voiced in a hushed tone. “I knew it. You should have seen your face just now when he walked in. Lit up like a Christmas tree.”
I shooed her away and waited for Aiden to reach the table I had shared with Nadia in the cafeteria. He said his hello to her and sat beside me.
“Henry told me you came to see me.”
Something about him felt different.
“What happened? You went off the grid for a while.”
“I was...um....busy.”
“Busy?”
"Yes. Missed me?”
“Don’t get cocky. I know what you did.”
“I’ve done a lot of things. You have to remind me which sin.”
“You talked to Bianca Grace, didn’t you? They were at my sister’s spa a few days ago doing what they do best.”
“Was she happy, your sister?”
“Delighted.”
“Were you happy?”
“Delighted as well.”
“I hoped you would be. You know you should not keep things to yourself.”
“What can I do to repay such generosity?” I asked, folding my arms.
“You can come away with me for the weekend.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Cause you missed me. I am flying out to see some folks in Calabar, and I want you to come with me.”
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