Chapter 5: Kiss of Life

Other bodyguards join talk, no fear:

Dem voice join like choir, nobody dey fear oga vex.

"True talk, last month full moon, who dey look Aunty Kamsi picture for phone, dey call her name, dey craze for am, even for dream!"

The gist shock me—so na me this man dey reason for midnight?

"And the last full moon before, you park for Aunty Kamsi hostel all night. How many times you wan rush enter, but you freeze for door? Even ninja turtle go call you papa!"

Everybody laugh small, the tension reduce.

"If we no talk, Aunty Kamsi no go ever know. You wan endure alone forever?"

You go think say na family meeting dey happen.

"Shut up, I fit endure!" Okafor Qing talk, eyes down!

But his voice no strong reach before. Even the nurse dey pity am.

Doctor dey vex:

Doctor no get time for pride. He dey run shift since morning.

"Endure wetin? You wan die before morning?"

His face squeeze, pen dey shake for hand.

"Fine girl, why you still dey stand? Oya, help am!"

Doctor dey point at me, like say na exam question.

Bodyguards bow again, respect!

Dem fit sweep floor with how dem bend.

But, "How I go take help? I no sabi!"

My voice dey tremble, hand dey cold. I never kiss this kind man before o.

Doctor dey cut blood bandage, talk:

The scissors dey click, blood dey flow.

"Kiss am!"

One nurse cover mouth, whisper, "Na so dem dey do for werewolf family?"

The instruction loud, I nearly drop phone.

My face red!

I just stand for bed side, no know how to kiss this man wey always dey far from people!

This kind matter, I no sure say my mama go understand if she hear.

Bodyguard call out:

He dey shout like market woman, but e get point.

"Aunty Kamsi, you know how oga take injure?"

The way he dey talk, e be like say he dey narrate village story for night.

"Day before yesterday, fire catch your school auditorium. You dey inside, almost die from smoke!"

I remember am—my cloth almost burn, na God save me.

"Na oga run enter fire save you!"

I shock, mouth open. So na Okafor Qing risk everything?

"Because of mark, oga dey feel if him partner dey danger!"

Family magic strong o. Love and juju join body.

"He no hear anybody, rush inside, carry you out, as him dey come out, beam fall for him back, fire burn am!"

I dey shiver, tears dey my eye.

"But he still carry you out, use last strength, then second young master rush collect you from am! If he care reach that, why he no go inside save you himself?"

The truth dey show—actions no dey lie.

Wetin?

I shock—na Okafor Qing injure like this?

Na real talk, my chest dey beat anyhow.

I remember as I wake from coma, na Okafor Yan dey my side!

Na there my confusion start.

I think na Okafor Yan save me!

The lie long, but now truth don surface.

Today too much info—I no even get time shy!

No time for shame when life dey on the line. Naija babe sabi when to drop pride.

Abeg, to save life na first!

I bend over Okafor Qing!

I fit smell him sweat, feel the heat for him body.

Look him lips, kiss am sharp!

I close eye, lips touch am, my hand dey shake. I dey pray make e work. God, abeg, make this thing work o!

"No touch!" Okafor Qing shout, still dey form hard guy, but him hand grip bedsheet, Adam's apple dey jump, eyes red!

He dey struggle, but I see the tension for him body.

That scene—fine man for bed—person fit sin!

Even nurse self dey hide face, dey blush.

But him voice cold: "Kamsi, you sabi wetin you dey do? Normally, you dey run from me. No dey do wetin you no wan do because of gratitude. No mind dem talk—e no go work. You kiss me, I no dey feel anything."

He dey try cover pain, but him hand dey tremble.

But doctor just dey shout:

Doctor dey point like referee.

"E dey work! Wolf blood don slow down!"

Everybody for room dey nod head, hope dey rise.

"Aunty Kamsi, abeg, continue!"

The pressure dey real, everybody dey look me like say na last hope.

"Oga body dey talk true pass him mouth—kiss am well!"

Na Naija doctor, him own na results.

Doctor words na slap to Okafor Qing pride!

Okafor Qing face change, even hide face for bedsheet!

He dey shy?

This na new level—King of Hell dey shy because of kiss?

Both ears red like tomato!

Even the nurse dey cover mouth make she no laugh. The room warm with tension and small laughter.

Bodyguards dey happy, dey ginger me:

Dem dey clap hand softly, dey whisper, the joy for their face dey shine like morning sun.

"I know say na only Aunty Kamsi fit do am!"

"Aunty Kamsi, no believe oga mouth again. E dey form hard, but e dey crave you!"

One even wink me, sign say make I no fear.

"See as him ears red, voice don crack. Oga just dey shy, no wan worry you. Na you too dey put only second young master for heart!"

Okafor Qing raise head, eye cold for bodyguards: "Shut up!"

His face fierce, but everybody don wise up—dem no dey fear am again, at least for tonight.

But for him life sake, bodyguards no send am!

The respect and love for room dey clear.

I use chance, turn Okafor Qing fine face, hold back of him head, seal him lips!

The connection shock me, my own heart dey jump, I feel small spark run for my body.

No matter how e dey form, he save me two times—I no fit just look away!

I no go fail am!

My body dey move on its own, tears dey my eye. I just dey pray make the kiss work magic. God, abeg, no let me disgrace myself for here.

As our lips touch, I feel Okafor Qing body shake!

His hand grab bedsheet, leg dey twist for mattress, the heat dey serious.

But he still dey try reason:

He no wan gree, pride dey stubborn.

"Kamsi, you no dey hear word?"

Voice don weak, but stubbornness still dey show.

"I no need your gratitude kiss!"

"You think say I, Okafor Qing, need your pity?"

Even for pain, Naija man pride no dey finish.

My eyes dey wet:

I wipe my face, my voice low but sure.

"Brother Qing, I dey willing—no be by force!"

I carry him hand, press am for my chest!

The shock for his face dey real, hand stiff for my chest like log of wood.

Him eye open, as if he touch something forbidden!

His pupils shake, like person wey dey see vision.

No look, no touch!

The old rule dey break, but my mind no dey there.

He try drag hand back!

He dey struggle, but my grip strong.

But I hold am tight:

My own voice don strong now.

"Brother Qing, feel my heart!"

The heartbeat loud, both of us dey listen.

"Nothing like reluctance here, no carry am for mind!"

I talk am with tears, make e see say I serious.

Okafor Qing Adam's apple dey jump, he dey try hold himself:

His throat dey move, eyes dey dodge my face, but emotion dey show.

"No lie me, I know say your heart dey with my brother Okafor Yan!"

"Just now, when bodyguard call you, I hear!"

"You say, tonight na Okafor Yan need you pass!"

Na true, but now everything don change.

I wan explain, but Okafor Qing phone ring!

The ringtone loud for room, silence land.

I check screen—na Okafor Yan!

My mind dey race, wahala dey surface. God, abeg, help me pick sense for here.

Okafor Qing check phone, answer:

He press loudspeaker, his hand still dey shake small.

"A Yan, wetin dey happen?"

Okafor Yan voice crack for phone:

His voice dey tremble, like person wey dey cry.

"Brother, tonight I awaken my werewolf blood, e hard me!"

"But that stubborn Kamsi never come!"

"I think say I fit hold am, but I overrate myself!"

He dey confess, ego don come down.

Okafor Qing look me: "Kamsi, she..."

His eyes soft, na like say he dey beg me make I no go.

I sharply kiss Okafor Qing lips, block wetin he wan talk!

I no wan hear am, na me and am get this moment.

As I dey do am again and again, Okafor Qing lose guard, eye open!

His hand grab my head, his own resolve dey melt small small.

Him big hand hold back of my head, as if he wan more!

The passion dey show, my own body dey tremble.

But soon, sense catch am!

He push me, no even talk say I dey there!

His face cold again, Naija man no wan show weakness.

For phone, Okafor Yan dey complain:

His voice high, frustration dey show.

"I know say Kamsi just dey stuck for traffic!"

You go think say I dey drive for Lagos hold up.

"She go dey happy to come help me!"

He dey reason me as person wey no get sense.

"Her heart go dey dance now!"

"But wetin person get too easy dey always feel like e no sweet!"

The entitlement loud for his voice.

"I no wan make she use my weak time take tie me down for life. Why we werewolves dey loyal like this?"

I bite lip, pain dey my chest.

Okafor Qing eye red, vex and surprise dey show:

His jaw set, eyes dey burn.

"You no wan loyal to her?"

His voice low, but the anger dey real.

"Why you dey use her play since small?"

He dey call out his brother, as elder suppose do.

Okafor Yan just dey yarn:

He dey try explain himself, but e no dey enter.

"That time I small, never see other babes!"

"I no know say outside sweet like this!"

His voice weak, he no get any excuse.

"Okafor Yan!" Okafor Qing call am strong: "If you no value her, no blame me say I go value her!"

The declaration land for room like thunder, everybody shock, including me. My heart jump—maybe, just maybe, love fit still reach my side for this life.