Dark Passions at Death's Door

18 - Why N*mbnuts?

Minutes passed.

Phenїx suddenly sniffled, "W-why are you we-weeping, n-numb-n-nuts?"

She was shaking against Byron's chest, sobbing.

You crazy beautiful girl... "Because you're not insane." He pinched his eyes free of tears, "You're amazing, you're gorgeous, and you sure as fuck don't deserve this. No one but the evilest assholes deserves this shit."

Her limbs and body quaked so much, he worried she was having a seizure. Phenїx sniffled again.

"It's m-my own fault," she sobbed. "Mother wa-warned me, all ri-right??? But I... I never li-listened well."

Byron clucked his tongue. Jesus, she was blaming herself for this? What the hells was that for?

"Phenїx, God's sakes, demigoddess... girl, that's not your fault. You have a gift. You're meant to use it." He settled on his haunches, cradling her in his lap. He frowned, peering off at the distance for some focus. "But that mental shit is so twisted...! You're not supposed to see something like that."

"I kn-know. But I don't know w-why. I'm supposed to, though."

Oh, no. She was not going to blame herself and put all this on her.

"Shhhh, hush that. You giving the tough girl act... don't do it here. Ever-Knowing isn't All-Knowing, Nїxie. You've done amazing just to keep this together so long."

Nїx rubbed against his chest, fingers tracing over his skin. Already his wounds were healing up fully. The claw marks were scarcely an issue.

"Y-You're not going to stop m-me?" she whispered.

Fuck. His heart almost gave out. She would have to ask that one. The hardest question of all. Tens of billions versus one's mate? Jesus didn't even have to make that decision.

Thank the Lord God, or I'd be in hell... oh wait, I'm in one of'em. He frowned. In spite of the fact that this hell-plane was definitely a vacant wilderness, he felt more at ease than he had in months. Like he belonged here.

Well, that made sense. He was a reaper. Hell suited him. A thought occurred to him. He whispered in her ear, "What if it's a false vision?"

"I tried that," she let out a sob, "I tested it in the first century after. It isn't a fake. Rings pure like a diamond on steel. That's how I know people are lying to me or evading when I can't see."

Wait... she could test a vision? Not the issue. Focus on getting it out of her, Dekker. "Okay, Nїx. So why stay in? Why keep using the foresight?"

She licked her lips. Byron wished he had water around to wet them. She was caked in dirt, sweating. Immortals didn't dehydrate easily, but it happened. Plus, let the water to flow through her.

It might help wash some of the pain out with a physical medium. Even if the Valkyries didn't drink or eat regularly, something had to be done.

But what did you do for an immortal who was dealing with that sort of heartache? Even his books hadn't covered such a case.

Nїx wrenched out, "H-Hurts to know others will suffer the same if I don't get it right, reaper. It's like a bad infected tooth you can't... can't pull out. But h-him... him it's worse. So much worse."

His heart anchors were twisting like she'd just pulled his heart out with the raw look on her face. That sort of devastation wasn't right for one like her.

"But, saving the others, it means I'm saving him. It helps keeps me sane... keeps that away... and with all the shit going down elsewhere... I have to do this, reaper."