Chapter 102: 42
Nyx shot her eyes open with a gasp as if someone punched her soul back into her body. Then she took a few deep breaths but there was no air and she found herself trapped in what seemed like a box. It was pitch black, she could see nothing nor could she move or breath.
Panic kicked in when she realized that she was suffocating. She tried to kick and push the walls that surrounded her but to no avail. She was locked inside and soon she was out of breath.
Air. She needed air now! What had happened to her and who had trapped her in this dark place?
Her heart quickened because of the panic and her lungs burned. Her body jerked uncontrollably while every cell in her body screamed for oxygen until her eyes watered and she finally found peace in the darkness.
Then she was awake again, but she was still trapped without oxygen. She panicked again not wanting to go through the same pain. But she did. This time she managed to scream for help but no one came to her rescue and she fell into the darkness again.
The same thing happened a few more times before Nyx could understand that she was in a coffin. Buried, under the ground. And there was no way she could come out. Another thing she realized was that every time she ran out of breath she died, but then she came back alive. How and why she didn't know.
She didn't know how to escape either. The little time she was alive she did everything she could. At first, she tried to open the coffin herself but didn't succeed and it didn't seem like the wisest choice. Even if she opened it the soil would suffocate her before she could crawl out.
So she tried to use her magic but it didn't work. She called her mother and Lucifer but none came to her rescue.
Nyx slowly began to give up hope because there was not much she could do the short amount of time that she was alive without oxygen.
But after a few days of torture, she felt that she heard something or someone.
"Nyx! Nyx!"
It was Lucifer! Nyx's eyes teared up of happiness.
"Lucifer!" She called beating the coffin so that he could hear her. "Lucifer!"
She prayed that he would hear her because she was running out of breath again. Her eyes teared up and her body jerked, her lungs screaming in pain. She was fading away again.
No!
Lucifer!
Did he hear her?
That, she wouldn't know until next time.
The next time she came back to life she couldn't open her eyes at once. It was too bright. She had to peak a few times to adjust her eyes to the brightness before she could open them completely.
Nyx looked around both surprised and relieved that she didn't wake up in that dark coffin. But where was she?
Scanning her surroundings, she found herself in a large room with two big windows on each side of the large bed she sat on. Heavy velvet curtains hung on sides of the window leaving the faint sunlight to peek through. Antique furniture stood one the thick black rug that covered the ground and the walls were decorated with strange-looking paintings. Everything in the room was either black or red, even the bed she sat on. It was black with red silken sheets that felt so smooth against her skin.
How did she end up here?
Slowly she recalled hearing Lucifer's voice. He must have saved her. Yes, he did. Suddenly she wanted to scream in joy. She didn't have to die anymore. She fell back on the bed, enjoying a simple thing like breathing the air inside the room. How long has it been since she was able to breathe? It felt like she was in that coffin forever.
Abruptly Nyx felt a heavy feeling inside her chest. She began to sweat and it became difficult to breathe.
Her son!
Where was he? What did they do to him?!
She climbed down the bed and rushed toward the door. Just as she opened the door and was about to exit she ran into Lucifer's chest. Stumbling a few steps back she looked up at him.
"Where are you going?" He asked with his usually serious face.
How he could maintain the same expression all the time she wondered.
"Lucifer. My son. Where is my son?"
"Our son is safe."
"I want to see him." She said and tried to get past him but he grabbed her arms.
"You can't."
"He is my son! Why can't I see him?!" She yelled.
"He is my son too!" He yelled back while shaking her slightly as if to wake her up.
Nyx froze in place. He had never raised his voice before, but then she became angry and pushed him away.
"It's all your fault. It's your fault I can't see my son!" She hit his chest but he just stood there and let her take out her anger on him. Once she was done he wrapped his arms around her and let her cry. She cried because she felt helpless.
"What will happen if I meet him?" She asked with red swollen eyes once she calmed down.
"He will die. If you meet him other witches will find him and not only kill him, therefore, your mother made it so that if you met him, he better die without pain."
Nyx could understand her mother's intentions yet she couldn't help but hate her. She knew very well that if witches caught demons they didn't just kill them, they tortured them until they admitted that they were sinful creatures. Then they burned them. Demons cannot die by getting burned therefore they would burn until the witches decided to kill them.
Nyx had several times heard the cries of demons getting burned over and over again and now she felt bad for not ever doing anything about it.
"Can't you meet him then? You are the king of demons. Can't you protect him from them?"
"I probably can but who will protect you?"
"What do you mean?" Nyx asked confused.
"If I meet him you'll die. I just got you back. I can't lose you again."
Nyx pushed him away. "Don't worry about me. I want you to be there for him." She said.
"Didn't you hear me. I said you will die!"
"I don't care!" She yelled. "Please. I want you to raise our son. There is no meaning in living when my son is out there alone." She pleaded.
Lucifer sighed. "I'll think of something. Get some rest first."
He tried to walk her back to the bed but she shoved him away.
"Mother. I want to speak to my mother."
Lucifer grabbed her face and made her look at him. "You are dead to your mother. I am the only one you have now so abandon everything and start anew."
Nyx slapped his hand away. "Tell my mother that I am alive!" Nyx ordered with a harsh tone.
"She already knows but you are still dead to her. The daughter she gave birth to, her witch daughter whom she named Nyx, is dead. You are not one of them anymore. You are a demon now."
Nyx stiffened.
She had become a demon! Because... she gave birth to one.
Oh lord. Her mother hated her now and she would never help her get her son back. More tears fell down her cheeks. She should have just died. What would her life be like now? She could neither get her son back nor go back to her family.
Slowly she turned around and went back to bed. She lay down curled and cried silently. How did her life turn like this?
As days went by Lucifer tried to cheer her up in different ways but her heart felt numb from all the pain. All she could think about was her son. She kept trying to convince Lucifer to go meet their son, but he refused every time, and one day he had enough.
"Enough!" He rose from his seat. "He is not only your son. He is mine too. You didn't want him to die but you don't want him to suffer either. This is his fate, being the son of a witch and the devil, he either lives and suffers or he dies. You should have let him die."
Nyx rose hastily from her seat and slapped Lucifer across the face. "Then why did you seduce me? Why did you make me pregnant? Why?!"
Lucifer��s eyes turned red and his jaw shook. It was a frightening sight she had never seen before. "I am sorry I forced you." He said trembling as if to control anger. "And I am sorry I loved you."
Nyx realized he wasn't angry. He was hurt. He hadn't forced her to do anything. Everything had been her own choice and there was no time in her life that she had been so happy as when she was with Lucifer. He had been there for her in her loneliest times when even her family had abandoned her.
Lucifer turned and left, leaving her standing there alone.
Nyx wanted to apologize but she still thought that he had been harsh with his words. Maybe he just didn't know how to comfort someone by not telling the truth. Why did she hate the truth so much? Did she really make her son suffer by keeping him alive?
But he was alive and safe now. Wasn't he? Even if it was without her she should be happy that he could be kept safe. She shouldn't be greedy.
Slowly Nyx came in terms with everything and one day when she discovered that she regained her magic she gained hope.
"How is this possible? I still have my magic." She told Lucifer.
"Demons have magic as well." He said simply.
"Well, yours are not called magic really. It's more like powers. I mean that I can still cast a spell."
Lucifer seemed surprised. "What does that mean? Then...are you both a demon and a witch?"
They were both thoughtful for a while but then Nyx went on to practice her magic. She wanted to be stronger than her mother so that one day she could cast a spell that would protect her son but still make it possible for her to be with him.
"Irene."
"Who is that?" Nyx asked.
"It's you. Your new name. You got a chance at a new life. You should have a new name." Lucifer explained. "Do you like it?"
Nyx nodded. "Yes."
Demons often kept two names, their original demon names and more normal names so that they could blend in with the humans. Even though she wasn't just a demon it was refreshing to have a new name. She liked it.
"What is your other name?" She asked curiously.
"Lothaire."
Lothaire. She liked it. It sounded very unique and...cold. Just like him, she thought with a smile.
Irene thought of her son. One day she would be able to call him by the name she gave him.
Lucian. Her angel, her light, her everything. She would meet him someday.
"Why are you crying?" Irene asked.
It was so sad and I couldn't help myself. All the pain she went through, just so that she could be with her son. It was painful to see all of that.
"I'll tell Lucian everything. He will understand. " I said crying.
"No don't. He has already gone through enough pain. I don't want him to see mine."
I didn't want him to see either but I wanted him to finally be with his mother. I wanted them to hug and talk. To laugh together, eat together and walk together. I wanted them to stop hurting and start anew.
"Oh, Irene." I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her tightly.
"Oh, darling. Don't be so sad. I am alright now." She said hugging me back but then her stomach growled loudly and we both laughed.
I stood up and wiped my tears. "Let's eat," I said.
We sat in the garden where the food was served. While Irene ate with a great appetite I just mostly stared at the food. These days I had no appetite at all and everything seemed tasteless. Even things I used to love eating before. Now even certain smells made me feel sick.
I tried to breathe through my mouth instead of my nose. The smell made me nauseous.
"Are you alright?" Irene looked at my face worriedly.
"No, I feel…" My stomach lurched violently at the sight of the food on the table. "I don't have an appetite. Excuse me." I said standing up.
I wanted to quickly get away from this smell but the ground under my feet swayed and I grabbed the table as to not fall.
"Oh dear…" Irene hurried to my side and grabbed my arm. "You don't seem alright. Come." She said and helped me back to the room. She sat me down on the bed carefully and then touched my forehead with the back of her hand.
"I am alright. I just feel a bit nauseous. That's all." I assured her.
"How long have you been feeling that way?" She asked.
"I am not really sure but the last two days I have been feeling really nauseous at the smell of food."
Without saying a word Irene took my arm and placed two fingers on my wrist. She was quiet for a while but then she gazed up at me with a smile.
"Hazel. You are pregnant."