BLOOD AND HEART

79 | PROMISE

Z    A    Y    N

The sight of that wedding dress had frozen the entire mansion. Celebration plans were replaced by a dark, chilling silence. Code Black had been invoked, and I knew it would bring a storm of blood and retribution. But right now, I will choose, heart. Nyx.

I saw the panic in her eyes, the way her breathing became shallow and rapid. I had seen this before, the signs of a panic attack creeping in. She was trembling, not from fear, but from the overwhelming wave of anxiety crashing over her.

“Nyx, come with me,” I said gently, pulling her closer to me. She was shaking, her eyes wide and unfocused. I led her to our master bedroom, away from the chaos and prying eyes of everyone else. She needed comfort, and I was determined to be there for her.

Once inside, I closed the door behind us and guided her to the bed. She was already hyperventilating, her breaths coming in short, desperate gasps. I could see the tears forming in her eyes, her body tense and rigid with the onslaught of panic.

“Love, look at me,” I said softly, cupping her face in my hands. Her eyes met mine, and I could see the fear and confusion swirling in their depths. “You're safe. I'm here with you.”

Her hands clutched at my shirt, her nails digging into my skin. She was trying to ground herself, but the panic was relentless. I had seen her like this only once before, when she was newly brought into the mansion. Back then, I had no idea how to help her, so I had kissed her in a desperate attempt to bring her back to me. It had worked, but I knew I needed to find a better way to support her.

After that day, I had spent countless hours researching, reading books, and trying various methods to help her manage her panic attacks. I tried breathing exercises, grounding techniques, and even calming scents. But nothing seemed to work, and it tore me apart to see her suffering like that. One night, in the privacy of my room, a tear had slipped down my face—a rare display of emotion for me. I felt helpless and deeply hurt, unable to ease her pain.

"Nyx, try to breathe with me," I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. "Inhale slowly, hold for a few seconds, and then exhale."

She tried to follow my instructions, but her breaths were still too rapid, too shallow. Her eyes were wide with terror, her body shaking uncontrollably.

"Focus on something in the room," I continued, trying another technique I had read about. "Look at that painting, count the colors, describe it to me."

Her gaze flickered to the painting on the wall, but she couldn't focus. Her breathing remained erratic, her body tensing even more. The techniques were failing, and it was tearing me apart to see her like this.

"Love, try to feel the ground under your feet," I said desperately, switching to grounding techniques. "Feel the bed beneath you, the texture of the sheets."

She grasped at the sheets, her fingers trembling, but it wasn't enough. She was spiraling, and I felt a wave of helplessness wash over me. Nothing was working, and I could feel my heart breaking at the sight of her suffering.

Her breaths were coming in short, desperate gasps, her body trembling violently. Her eyes were wide and unfocused, filled with a terror that cut me to the core.

"Love, please," I whispered, my voice breaking. "Look at me. Just look at me."

Tears streamed down her face, her nails digging into my skin as she clung to me. The sight of her in such agony was too much to bear. I couldn't stand it any longer. I had to do something, anything, to bring her back to me.

With a determined breath, I leaned in and kissed her. The kiss was soft at first, a gentle reminder of my presence. Her lips were cold, trembling against mine. I deepened the kiss, pouring all my love and reassurance into it. Slowly, I felt her begin to respond, her grip on my shirt loosening as she clung to me instead.