NEIGHBORLY

She stopped and bent over, gasping for air and wincing in pain as the ache from her ankle radiated through her being. Looking around, Moremi groaned. There was no light again but at least the ruckus from the looters had not spilled into the area. Standing straight, she adjusted her handbag, gripping it tightly while adjusting the keys to fit in between her fingers as she made a fist. If need be, she intended to go down fighting.

Limping, Moremi made her way further into the street, grimacing at the sound of shooting that filtered down to her.

"You should not be walking around this late" A voice said into her ear. She whirled around, tripped over her own feet, and started to fall before strong arms grab a hold of her. After a weak attempt to fight back, Moremi surrendered.

Trying to catch her breath, she took in his musky scent and shut her eyes. "Please don't hurt me. Just take what you want. I won’t fight. Please sir"

She listened to his deep-throated laugh and shivered as fear, and something else washed over her. She felt his chest heave with each breath and her own breath skipped at the fast-paced beating of his heart. Was that normal? She found herself thinking.

“Calm down before you give yourself a stroke” he stepped back as he spoke, allowing himself a full view of her. Eyeing her from head to toe, he smiled.

“Are you okay? You seem to be favoring your left ankle there”

“I am fine. Just need to get home” she turned and started to walk away when she caught sight of people milling around a few feet from her. She counted like ten and froze in her tracks.

“Erm, since you seem to be a good Samaritan, do you mind walking me home?”

She didn’t turn around when asking the question and felt the man come to stand by her side as she continued to stare at the approaching group.

“You don’t even know if I am one of them or out hunting on my own” he laughed lightly. Moremi sighed.

“I reckon I stand a better chance against you than I do against them”

“And you think I stand a chance against them?” Moremi looked up at him, realizing there and then just how much taller he was. Feeling the heat fill her cheeks, she smiled.

“While they beat you, I’ll quickly limp away,” she said. He laughed again and nodded,

“Sounds like a plan. Let’s go”

“You haven’t asked where I live”

“I live in the flat next to yours,” he said as he walked away. “Moved in last week but you are always out of the house at first light and back late” She quickly limped after him, marveled at the chances of meeting her new neighbor on the street at that time of night.

They walked casually in the direction of the group they had seen earlier, with Moremi edging closer to him. She was slightly startled when he pulled her closer and put an arm around her shoulder.

“Ehn, lookey here. Don’t you make a nice couple?” one of the men said. The smell of sweat and cigarettes filled the air as they got closer. The others laughed and circled them, blocking their path down the road.

“Bros, good evening o. We are just trying to get home. You know how it’s been like with the protesting and the police” She heard him say. Keeping her head low, Moremi gripped his shirt on one side and the hand that was over her shoulder, with the other.

“You know it’s all for end sars” the same man said. He took a deep pull of his cigarette before gesturing at them again, “Anything for the boys”

Moremi felt him stick his hand into his pocket and from the corner of her eye saw him pass what seemed like a 500 naira note to him. The guy laughed.

“Haba. Fine guy like you should have more than that na. You and your babe should be able to settle us well na”

“That’s what we have bros. Please help us manage”

“What if I check you and find more?” came the threat, “I would be disappointed o. What should I do to you for lying?”

Moremi tensed at the same time the man she was holding onto did the same thing.

“Please don’t do anything you would regret”

The laughter from the group filled the night. They started to circle them, stumping out their cigarettes as cracking knuckles filled the air.

“Let’s give them what they want please” she whispered.

“These ones didn’t come for just that” came his response. “They came for blood.”

“What do we do?” she asked worriedly. He raised her chin with a finger and smiled when her eyes met his.

“Make sure you keep your eyes shut,” he said lowly, “Don’t open them until I say so”

“What?” she looked around at the menacing faces about to pounce on them. “You can’t face them on your own”

“You really don’t know what I can do just yet” A hand pulled him back as he spoke and Moremi sank to her knees with a scream. As the ruckus around her increased, she bent over her bag, shutting her eyes as she had been told. She listened to shouts change to screams and then to pleas.

Tempted, she cracked open one eye and gasped in shock. Her savior was bent over one of the men, his lips to his throat like one of the wolves she had seen in documentaries ripping apart its prey. Soon she was staring as the sight before her turned into a gorefest.

He easily outmatched them, despite their earlier macho display. Now whimpering, each man spotted a wound or several and were edging away from the man who now had blood on his face and whose eyes were all white. She knew what he was. She had grown up on tales of his kind, a not so secret, secret that everyone knew about yet waved off as mere legend.

She marveled at the sight of him taking down one thug after the other. Each one more stupid than the last one and not getting the hint that they were to run for their lives instead of surrendering themselves to the hungry creature that was manhandling them, for lack of a better word.

“Beg your man for us” one finally cried.

“We won’t cause any more trouble” another pleaded.

Her man? That sounded odd yet pleasing. She bit down on her lip as the mere thought of the possibility crossed her mind. The fear coursing through her being felt exhilarating and satisfying as well.

“How do I do that?” she asked. Suddenly he raised one hand, as he went in for the kill. “STOP!” She yelled.

He turned to her and growled, “Told you to shut your eyes”

“No need. You shouldn’t kill them. They have gotten the message”

“Why shouldn’t I?” he asked. Blood dripped from his lips as he looked down at the terrified man he had pinned to the ground, “Why should I spare him when he had no such plans for us tonight?”

“Just because. There is no reason to kill him, they have learned their lessons” she said looking around at the men who nodded in firm agreement. “They won’t hurt anyone else” There was more nodding as she continued to speak.

She watched him get to his feet and kick at the guy he had let go of. “Get lost”

In seconds they were gone.

“So you are a Vampiros” she said smiling. They were back to walking casually down the road. She heard him growl beside her sending pleasing shivers down her spine again. “I have heard so many stories about Vampiros but to actually meet one here in Lagos is thrilling”

“You are scared of thugs and being robbed yet you aren’t scared of my kind. That’s just weird” Without looking up at him she knew he was reverting to his human appearance.

“I grew up in Abeokuta and stories were numerous. Only a few of you hunt for pleasure. Most of you are not murderous.”

“And how do you know I am not one of the murderous kind?”

“You would have ripped me to pieces minutes after meeting me”

“Maybe I am building up momentum for that”

Moremi laughed, “You already had a filling on those boys and since you also absorb whatever is in the blood, I believe you are slightly buzzed right now from the alcohol or drugs that would have been in their bloodstream”

She turned to him and saw him smile. His fangs were still evident but his eyes were back to normal. “Yes” he replied still smiling, “I am quite buzzed”

They came to the gate of their house and Moremi sighed in relief. She had half feared they would meet another group of thugs and was extremely relieved to be home. By the time she was in front of her door, exhaustion flooded through her entire being.

“I am going to sleep like a log tonight” He smiled.

“It was nice to finally meet my neighbor”

Moremi nodded, “The circumstances excluded.” She put out one hand and watched as he declined to take it.

“Mine are covered in blood. It won’t be wise”

“Oh true.” Moremi nodded. “Thank you for keeping me safe,” she said. Opening her door, she froze and turned around. “What’s the name?”

He smiled broadly and despite the blood all over his face, Moremi found the sight of him to be beautiful. “Tokunbo. Tokunbo Akilapa”

Moremi smiled, “Nice to meet you Tokunbo. I am Moremi Makinde” She passed through the door and turned around. “See you tomorrow”

“I really doubt that”

“Oh, yea. You tend to sleep more during the day than at night” He nodded.

“And after the meal I just had. It’s bound to be a really deep one”

“Okay then. There’s a curfew from tomorrow anyway so I’ll see you around”

“Definitely” and she shut the door.

Tokunbo lingered in the hallway for a few more seconds before making his way to his own flat. There was no regretting his decision to move to the city. If he hadn’t he wouldn’t have met her again.

He lay down and let the buzz he was feeling completely take over. He had been holding back while with her as the alternative might have been unthinkable. As the darkness tugged at his senses, he remembered the words of the dibia.

If he was to beat the madness that threatened his kind and get past the next blood moon, he had to find his mate. It had been a tough time but she was next door now and this time around he was determined to keep her safe and alive. He had failed her before but it would not happen again even if it meant him dying in her stead.