By My Side - Sam/Aomaris Fanfiction

63) Portal to Hell (Sam)

"For crying out loud, Sam, what is wrong with you recently?"
"Nothing's wrong, Ayla. Shut it." Ayla glared at me from her seat on the couch, clearly not buying it. It had been three weeks since I spoke to Tenebris, and even though she said she'd keep me updated, I'd heard absolutely nothing from her. My brothers had been doing their best to keep me distracted, but distraction was the last thing I wanted while Phoenix was enduring literal Hell. I would feel phantom pain pulsing through my soul whenever they were tortured and I could almost hear their screaming, even if I wasn't using the orb. Every time the pain appeared, I could sense their resistance weakening and shattering with every minute that passed.

My conversation with Tenebris had been less than comforting. She was indeed in Slovakia, but despite me explaining the whole situation to her and her telling me that she was perfectly willing to help, she also said that she'd 'have to take care of something' and that had been the end of the conversation. With nothing I could do, I began spending my days staying in the mansion. I told work that I had to look after Phoenix because their injuries had gotten worse, and thankfully they believed me. I resigned myself to gazing into the ice orb that Nix had left behind because it was the only thing that could convince me they were still alive and fighting. Unfortunately, even though my Captain believed my lie, Ayla didn't. She left me be for the first week, but then she began to suspect something was up and started leaving me increasingly irritated texts and voicemails, because I couldn't bring myself to lie directly to her. But then, Ayla being Ayla, turned up at the door with no warning about five minutes ago and invited herself in.

"You can't bullshit me, Dorkus, I know you too well for that." Ayla just stared at me with a deadpan expression on her face. "You've been working with me for years. You've never once taken this much time off work."
"Like I said to the Captain, I've gotta look after Nix."
"You're lying."
"I'm not lying."
"Then let me see them."
"They're probably asleep."
"And sleeping turns them invisible?"
"Obviously not, it's just-"
"Sam." Ayla got up and stood directly in front of me. "You don't have to lie to me. Nothing except Nix has ever gotten you this torn up. Yeah, they might have gotten worse, but they were fine the last I saw them and the fact you won't let me see them is just proving that I'm right. Obviously, something has happened to them, but refusing to talk about it is not healthy."

I glared at her but didn't say anything. I couldn't bring myself to outright lie to her, not that it would do any good.
"You can tell me anything, Sam. I've heard some weird shit in my time. What's happened to Phoenix?" Ayla asked gently. I scoffed slightly.
"Trust me, you wouldn't believe a word of the truth."
"What, are you gonna tell me Phoenix is secretly a mermaid and had to return to the sea?" Ayla raised an eyebrow. I just looked at her and her mocking expression fell slightly. "Wait, really? I was right?"
"No, you fucking idiot. Phoenix isn't a goddamn mermaid." Ayla raised her hands in defence.
"Hey, you know I believe in a load of mythological shit."
"You were serious about that?" I questioned. "I always thought you were just taking the mick."
"No, I genuinely believe in a lot of stuff that most people don't." I fell silent then, wondering if it was worth it to just tell Ayla the truth. She probably wouldn't be able to help, but it'd get her off my back. As if she could hear my thoughts, Ayla gave me a small smile and sat back down on the couch. "Try me, Sam. Chances are I'll believe you."

"I'm a demon," I said flatly. My decision was abrupt, rash and probably a very bad one, but I was too mentally exhausted to fight her anymore. She wanted the truth. Ayla stared at me.
"A demon." I nodded. "What does that have to do with Nix?" I sighed and sat down on the couch next to her.
"Everything."
"'Kay, wait. Tell me the whole story." She turned to face me, crossing her legs on the sofa. "I've never met a demon before."
"Really? You believe me? Just like that?"
"Hey, I told you I would."
"Fair." With a shrug, I relayed my entire story to Ayla. I recounted the day I met Nix and Mika, Malix's first death, Diana, Tenebris, the demon war, Malix's second death, the fact that Phoenix became a demon too, and that we were soul-bound to each other. By the time I finished telling her about Nix being missing, her eyes were sparkling in a very odd way.
"That... Explains so much..." She got up and stretched. "That's why you started acting weird the day Nix got screwed up! Because you could feel what was happening! Were you in pain too?"
"No, I can just tell when they're in pain."