The Vaticinator

by Namita Singh

hassles. All he wants, just like me, is to be far away from these situations. And I’ll be pissed if Neal doesn’t be as far from such infortune as he deserves to be.

  But looking at his stoic, yet excessively expressive stance, I just cannot make myself utter a single more word against his judgment. I don’t want him to keep feeling that we are doing him a favor. Our involvement is only making him feel as if he is in our debt. But an optimistic part of my brain explains that Neal simply doesn’t want any of us to face any more harm. Definitely not because of him.

  His resolution crumbles one of mine. I sigh, my mind racing with thoughts of whether to grant Neal his wish or not. Seeing Neal’s stubborn face, he will not drink the liquid even if I plan to argue further. Hell, he will not sway even if I beg him. For a moment I consider just shoving the liquid down his throat. But with only one of my hands working and Neal being a good fighter, I’ll simply end up spilling the contents. Not to mention the amount of time we’ll waste in the verbal brawl afterwards.

  Though I prefer an angry Neal to a pleading and vulnerable Neal, we are still running out of time for an extended argument. I wish I had some telekinetic power to just make Neal freeze up. Without him able to protest back, I’ll just make him drink the liquid. I don’t mind fighting afterwards, provided he loses his aura. I continue with my mental debate, as Neal awaits my decision.

  I quietly sigh.

  Wordlessly, I grab the vial from him.Neal sighs quietly too, reprieved at my silent compliance to follow his judgment. I intentionally brush my fingers against his so to absorb a little bit of the heightened goodness. Neal takes my jacket from me, seeing as how only one arm of mine is working. I fiddle with the vial in my hand for a moment as Neal patiently waits in front of me. My heart beat increases perpetually, my mind taking a new direction of thoughts.

  With a little pressure, I crack the tip of the vial, all the while working hard to keep my face absolutely blank. I look up at Neal as he silently urges me to drown down the contents. I sigh again, this time loudlyand tilt my head back, bringing the vial to my lips. I take in the liquid inside my mouth, feeling it fill my buccal cavity. I puff my cheeks, letting the tasteless liquid remain inside my mouth. I look at Neal, making sure my face is stoic. The largely revolving thought in my mind makes my face heat up slightly. But I fight hard to keep the blush at bay, focusing on what I am about to do next.

  “Good.” Neal murmurs, seeming pacified with the intake of the liquid by me. “Now get to the eighth hotel. I’ll remain in the washroom of some less crowded corridor. I’ll leave after an hour-”

  I only half listen to his rambling, the bland liquid swirling in my mouth. Abruptly, I take a long step towards him. Neal gets startled by the movement and steps back to decrease our sudden proximity. But I take another step, making him bang his back against the wall behind. I bring my left hand to the back of his neck as I hear his incoherent stuttering. His eyes widening as big as saucers is the last thing I see before I let my lips descend on his.

  The pleasant feeling explodes in my chest at the touch of my partner, my heart beat increasing even more. I let myself bask in the pleasure, forgetting for that brief moment that Neal is a guy.

  Neal is so shocked by the sudden action that his body completely freezes on the spot. So, so shocked, even when I tighten my grip on his neck so he doesn’t get the chance to move his head away. So very much shocked that he remains paralyzed even when I pry his lips open with mine. Only and only when I let the liquid in my mouth flow into his mouth does he realize my intention. And that is enough to snap him out his shocked state.

  But the task is almost done. His frozen astonishment is exactly what I was counting on and Neal didn’t disappoint me. The last of the liquid is almost past his lips as he gets over his immobilized state.

  “Mmphf!” Neal protests against my mouth, trying to force back the liquid. I put more force into the ‘kiss’, tightening my hold on his neck. He tries to push me away, even in the dazed state being careful enough to put force only against my left side. I succeed in pushing most of the liquid into his mouth and then I ‘deepen’ the ‘kiss’. So much so, that Neal has no option but to swallow the contents if he wants to breathe in the near future. His protests decrease a notch and I sense the motion of him swallowing the liquid. I let the snog continue for a few more moments, just to be sure.

  “Oh!”

  The voice startles me, making me instantly detach my lips from Neal. Neal wastes no time and pushes forcefully against my chest.That forces me to take a few steps back.

  “Bastard!” he rasps out, an unbelievable expression on his face as he wipes his mouth with his right hand.

  “I am sorry.” The nurse, who has interrupted us, says in Russian. I had sensed her aura beforehand but I didn’t expect her to enter this sub corridor. Neal turns towards her as if first time taking notice of her presence. He flushes deep red, almost as much as the young nurse. “I’ll-I’ll go.” The nurse says hastily and passes by us, to the other side of the corridor. The poor girl must be scarred for life.

  I sigh, turning back to Neal who is still very, very much red. I don’t know if that’s because of embarrassment or anger. Or simply because he is short of breath.

  “Alright, I-” I start.

  Neal doesn’t want to hear it, because immediately his fisted hand comes flying towards my face. With the adrenaline pumping so hard inside me, my reflexes are bound to be at their best. But I do not dodge Neal’s punch. He anyways should take out his frustration. It still doesn’t prepare me for the exploding pain that instigates in my jaw at the contact. Thankfully, he hit the other side of where Jermaine had hit me. But that doesn’t stop me from stumbling backwards. That’s how strong his punch is.

  I grimace in pain and rub my jaw with my good hand, “Jeez, for a human you pack quite a punch.” I mutter.

  “What the hell, Lichinsky?!” he yells, not at all trying to be subtle. The corridor is empty, but that doesn’t mean he should start screeching.

  “Your aura will disappear within ten minutes.” I tell him, acting as the calm one. My heart is still beating too fast and I am in no doubt that my face must be as red as Neal. But Neal’s sort of embarrassment gives me the upper hand. So, I continue in the calm tone, “You leave the hospital then, get to the eighth hotel on yellow pages. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  Neal glares at me. If looks could kill, this would be it for me. But surprisingly, he has no comeback this time. He averts his eyes, glaring at the linoleum floor now. He bends and picks up the bag and my jacket. He probably dropped my jacket when I…assaulted him.He angrily throws the jacket towards me. He doesn’t look at me. For no reason whatsoever, I feel absolutely smug at his flustered state. It’s not every day I get to see Neal speechless.

  Neal fumbles with the bag for a moment. He takes out a few cash bills and angrily thrusts them into my hands. Glaring at nothing in particular, Neal hoists the bag on his back and leans on the wall sideways, refusing to meet my eye.

  Well, the silent treatment it is.

  I ponder over what exactly it is that Neal is angry at. He is angry because I kissed him? Or just angry that a ‘guy’ kissed him? Or perhaps, he is infuriated because I made him swallow the liquid, making him go to a safe zone in my stead. Knowing Neal, he is probably most angry at the latter. But that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be vexed at the ‘kiss’ part. Or, actually, he is just flustered over that. In any case, I have no intention to ask him about his thoughts. I am not on a suicide mission. Besides, I don’t think I will be able to curb my flustering if I raise the topic. Best way is to let this moment pass by for now.

  I make myself focus on our surroundings instead. I am to be highly alert in regard to any aura coming in my vicinity. Neal and I stand in the corridor, with me stealing glances at him every other second, but Neal’s jaw is set as he glares at nothingness. The silence is awkward. And it gets depressing for me in the next moment as Neal’s aura starts disappearing from my senses
. I sigh in disappointment when his aura completely vanishes.

  “Your aura’s gone.” I tell him quietly.

  Neal doesn’t respond to me; he doesn’t even look at me. He simply straightens up and walks away.

  Just like that.

  Aw, hell.

  I look down at the jacket in my hands that Neal didn’t take despite my suggestion. I swing it back and forth, annoyed at the extra weight in my hands.

  Things can get worse, an even annoying part of my brain suggests. I scowl, finally settling to wallow in my unfortunate state of being without my partner’s aura.

  25.Accidental But Severely Detrimental

  Holy shit, I kissed a guy.

  It wasn’t actually a ‘kiss’ per se, but it is still something hard to digest. Now that I am left alone with my thoughts, I find myself expressing diluvian amounts of shock at my actions. I am standing in the same corridor, leaning against the same wall I had Neal pinned a few minutes before. The sane, logical part of my brain justifies my act. Neal wouldn’t have drunk the repellant even if I licked his feet. We were running out of time as it is. And considering that for a human Neal is not exactly weak, I am sure I would have received some sort of physical retaliation from Neal if I were to force the liquid down his throat with my hands. I may have