The Reality of Nyx

AUTHOR'S NOTES; TW FOR TALK OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, CHILD ABUSE, AND A BIT OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING. CANON TYPICAL VIOLENCE!

Heyyyyyyy. How y'all doing? Been a while, hasn't it? To be fair, I have been writing, but I update in rotation as y'all know. Oh well, at least the chapters are long and this is a double update, so the next chapter will be out in a day or two.

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https://discord.gg/4tmDwEppx9

XXXXXDAEMONXXXXX 

I lunge for the sick bastard who had been attacking Nyx, rage consuming me even as bile rose up in my throat. Before I can rip him to shreds, putting Stefan's ripper massacres to shame, something wraps around my ankle, sending me crashing to the ground. With a hiss, I yank myself free, realizing that my captor had been vines. I go to lunge at the piece of shit again only to be blasted back, this time by a gust of wind. Understanding finally dawns on me, my head clearing a bit as I realize what's stopping me, and I turn, chest heaving with fury. "What the fuck, Nyx?"

I can't comprehend any of this. Nyx, fierce, powerful, clever, and most importantly, kind Nyx, is apparently regularly abused by her parents, and her father was trying to rape her, and probably had done so before. I can't understand it, the image of the woman who is fast becoming my first friend in a very long time, is crumbling into dust. I watch as her legs collapse under her, her hand reaching towards me, and the sight makes my chest ache and my stomach sink even further.

Anger renewing, I grab the woman, Nyx's mother, lifting her into the air by her jaw, my gums stinging from the desire to release my fangs and tear into her. Once more, Nyx's pained voice snaps me back to reality. "Daemon, stop."

"You can't be serious-" I hiss, feeling like I've ended up in the fucking twilight zone.

"Daemon, please! I'm begging you!" She crawls forward a bit, and the sight is absolutely sickening. Wrong, wrong, wrong, everything about thus is so fucking wrong. "I-I promise, I'll explain, but this is more complicated than it seems. They can't die!" I open my mouth to protest, but the not-witch cuts me off again. "Not yet."

I stare, taking in the teary eyes and shivering limbs, turning briefly to the bitch feebly whimpering in my grasp as she scratches weakly at the hand crushing her lower face. She looks like her children, and the thought makes my skin crawl.

I drop her to the ground, fisting my hand in her hair, dark waves just like Thea's and eyes the same hazel as both of Nyx's tiny siblings. I want to rip her into pieces, tear her limb from limb. I want to set the bastard who put his hands on Nyx on fire and then give him my blood to heal him and burn him again and again before removing his head from his body so he can't come back as a vampire. Is that the kind of person Nyx thought I was when she met me?- I shove away the thought hurriedly before it can crush me.

For a moment, I consider ignoring the cafe owner and slaughtering them anyway, instincts screaming at me to spill blood, but I think back to the day I asked for her help finding Katherine, the day I decided to trust Nyx and give her my friendship in return of her kindness, the moment I truly let her in. Now, it was her asking for aid and I don't want to return that by going against her wishes. Swallowing roughly, I nod, I release the bitches hair, offering Nyx the same words she gave me then, reasoning I could always kill them later. "Alright. I'll help you. What do you need?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Nyx used magic on her parents, but thankfully, she didn't make me heal them. They won't remember ever coming, memories wiped, but it wouldn't stop them from coming again. I offered to compel them, make sure they stay away, but she refused, an undefinable look in her eyes, and despite my efforts, I couldn't convince her to cut contact

"But, why?" I ask her, tugging frustratedly on my hair pacing back and forth as we watch them leave, hidden from around the corner. Nyx, bruised and deadeyed like I'd never seen, just observes silently, arms protectively curled around her middle, her leather jacket pulled tightly closed, before she gets up and beckons me to follow. She leads me into the tree line, sitting on a log and patting the spot next to her.

Carefully, I join her, noting the twitchiness she is doing her best to disguise. After a moment, she speaks. She talks briefly about her childhood, living with people who wanted her dead. She talks about her parents, upper level mafia members with a distinct sadistic streak. She talks about how she started to remember her past lives, and who she was, and how that and Thea's birth gave her the desire to live and continue on once more. How she used her abilities and worked herself to the bone to buy the Midnight Traveller, a cafe with food Nyx learned how to make over lifetimes. She talked about the agreement she made to keep Nico and Thea out of their hands, one that cost her both her hard earned money and her well-being.

"But, things are different now! If not me, what about Stefan? You could have ended this ages ago if you relied on us, you self sacrificing idiot!" I hiss, fangs piercing my lips, unable to do anything else with this devastating helplessness pressing down on me. "We can just compel them to fork over custody!"

Nyx tilts her head consideringly, and a breath of relief leaves me when I notice she's finally stopped shaking. Seeing her like that was somehow terribly unsettling, like it was almost against the laws of nature, like a red sky or an unnatural silence. It wasn't a fair thought since Nyx should be allowed her vulnerability, but it was a genuinely disturbing and unfathomable sight to me. After a few moments, she smiles something soft and tiny, but far more familiar than her earlier state. Slowly, she reaches out a hand and pats my cheek for the first time that I can remember. "No. Firstly, compulsion won't work."

"What?" I hiss. "Wait, do they take vervain?"

"They're mafia, dumbass. Almost all underground organizations have ties to the supernatural. It's the easiest way for non-humans to discreetly move assets and clean up messes caused by their true nature. In the case of vampires, this is usually corpses or the fact that they don't age. Hell, the only reason you and Stephen lived so easily all this time was because you had the Salvatore family backing you. You might as well be mafia at this point."

I frown, having known that many vampires were involved in crime organizations, but never having really dwelled on the thought. "So, why don't we just kidnap them, wait for the vervain to get out of their system, and then compel them."

She gives me a dry look. "Because, while my mother is human, Bob is a fucking werewolf, as is his entire family who runs the damn orgaization, and werewolves can't fucking be compelled." I feel my jaw drop. "You've so damn lucky you got the drop on him and knocked him out. Werewolf bites are incurable and fatal to vampires." I feel myself blanch at the realization, but the girl just sighs rubbing her forehead. "I'll have to wait to get custody after I kill them. It'll be too suspicious otherwise, especially if the abuse comes out, and I don't think I could take out the whole pack, even with you and Stefan." I startle again, and she snorts. "What, you didn't think I was actually planning to spare them, did you? No, I fully plan to kill them, probably in as slow and painful a manner as possible."

I stare at her, busted lip, messy haired, and mockingly dressed like a vampire, and it feels like this is the first time I've actually seen her. "…Are you sure?"

She nods, carefully shifting until her side is pressed against mine, and the air catches in my throat at what is obviously an act of trust. "Yeah. I'll be a suspect no matter what, but the custody change will bring in extra attention, and I can't take a chance that the kids will go to their paternal grandfather, Laszlo, who, mind you, is an actual mob boss and Alpha of the pack."

"That plan still seems kind of flimsy," I point out. "I mean, we could just kill them and then I'd just have to compel like a dozen people between the cops, and the social workers, and probably a good portion of the mob will still undoubtedly wonder about the sudden guardian change…" She gives me a pointed look, eyes sardonic. "Fuck, why is your life so complicated? But still, it wouldn't be impossible."

She huffs, something almost a laugh, and her head presses into my shoulder. "Bob is Laszlo's only heir, and Nico and Thea are Bob's only children. Their grandfather is ruthless and makes his son look like a fucking Chihuahua in comparison, from what I remember, but Laszlo did give a shit about his blood. I won't take the risk when their grandfather can come after us or bribe the legal system if he gets suspicious of me being the one who killed them. It only takes one person questioning things for a chain reaction to go off. I'd be looking over my shoulder the entire time, waiting for someone to realize that their grandfather would have made more sense for a guardian. I'm probably going to have to fight him for custody regardless, or kill him before then, but I need more time before I can take on the mob, and yes, I plan on it considering they are actual human traffickers." She pauses, head bowing a bit. "I almost ended up there, but at the last moment, Sarah and Bob decided they wanted the cafe, since it gave them a legitimate business to cover their tracks with."

I feel my eyes burn red at the terrible thought, and I wrap my arm around her shoulders, ignoring her flinch because I know sehe'd want me to. "Fucking fine. We'll do it your way, you stubborn lunatic, but you better call me when it's time to take out the mob. That's sounds like a shit ton of fun, and I'll be pissed if I miss out on it."

She laughs, and for the moment, the world settles again.

XXXXXNYXXXXXX

These days, Daemon's been hovering. It's subtle enough that it doesn't piss me off, and I have lived long enough to appreciate any care given to me, to understand that it doesn't mean I'm weak. Several lifetimes will teach that to you.

Jeremy and Stefan have noticed, but Daemon has taken joy in being infuriatingly evasive, something I've enjoyed watching immensely. As for Jenna and Zach, both had taken me aside and carefully asked me what was up with my parents. While I had resolved to be honest and vulnerable with my friends whenever possible, I was not about to spill my admittedly tragic sob story on anyone else just yet. 

It isn't that I'm ashamed or anything. I've long ago learned to heal and accept various traumas in my past lives with decades worth of therapy, so I can work through it all fairly well and keep a relatively healthy perspective. I even had the added benefit of my extra lives acting as a mental buffer that helps protect my mind from the full impact of the things I have experienced, but it did leave me a bit detached. That said, I have no desire to trauma dump all that on anyone right now, even if I had no choice with Daemon, and so I just told Jenna and Zach they weren't good people, and it's why I raise Thea and Nico, a still candid statement. Although, I admit it's nice to have someone who knows more about me. I would not have chosen Daemon of all people for that role, but I can't say I hate it now that it's happened.

"Need help?" Daemon asks quietly, signature smirk in place, but eyes soft as he appears at my side. I wordlessly hand him a tray, and we join our friends in the bean bag corner of the cafe.

Nah, I decide plopping next to Caroline, I don't mind this much at all.

"So," Daemon states. "For Stephan's surprise birthday party, I'm thinking-"

XXXXXXXXXX

I wake up with a gasp, stomach rebelling. Carefully, I reach my hand out and brush it over two little heads on the mattress next to me, confirming Thea and Nico's presence and continuing slumber. Sighing, I slide off our floor mattress and duck under the curtain that separates our "bedroom" from our "living room."

Grabbing my burner, I call the only number on there. "Hey."

"Midnight," a voice purrs over the line. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Elijah. I hope you've been well. Klaus is with you, then? "I murmur quietly, curling up in the arm chair.

"Right here, Love. Something wrong with your third eye," pipes up the original hybrid, snark turned up to the max.

I snort, louder than I should considering how close the sleeping kids are. "No, my third eye is the only one that actually works properly, but I digress. I have something important I need you to look into."

"Oh," Elijah demure, and I'm endlessly amused by how cultured he always sounds. "And why should we do that?"

"Hmm, besides the fact that your trustworthy ally has asked it of you?" I snatch a chocolate from my hidden stash in the side table, left overs from Halloween. "Well, I suppose you could leave it be, but I'll say "I told you so" when you end up with a giant threat to your reign and the potential massacre of your people. Your choice, I guess, but if you insist on questioning my motives at every opportunity despite my having explained them already, there isn't much I can do."

The line is silent, before there is a sigh. "Appologies, my dear. I suppose you have already proven yourself regarding Niklaus's curse. For now, we have decided that you shall have our trust until you do something to indicate it's been misplaced." The threat remained loud and clear, even unspoken.

"Oh?" My eyebrows raise. "The witches have confirmed?"

"The general consensus is that there should be other ways to break his curse, but no one knows how yet."

"Leave it to me, he'll be out within the year, I've seen it," I ignore the sound of things breaking over the line as a scuffle ensues over the phone.

"A year? I'll be free within the year?" Klaus demands, clearly having won.

"Yup," I drawls, licking my fingers and grabbing another candy. I continue, sly grin curling my lips. "Although, I could peoblayy manage it faster with the help of a certain someone."

"Who?"

"You know who," I smirk.

"No, absolutely not," Klaus snarls.

"There is no one else who has spent as long studying magic! You can't keep them in bloody coffins forever, Niklaus!"

"It's Kol! Bloody Kol! The sly little shit is just as likely to curse me himself!"

"That's not fair and you know it!"

"Gentlemen," I cut in sharply, "I have not the time nor energy to participate in this, and frankly, it's irrelevant considering all your siblings will be up and about within the year as well." I ignore Klaus angry cursing and destruction, continuing on. "Regardless, the thing I called you about is rather urgent. It should be handled as soon as possible."

"And what is it that is such a threat to us, The Originals?" Elijah asks, almost bored, and a spike of irritation goes through me.

"Humble yourself," I hiss. "It's that kind of thinking that has gained you so many enemies over the years, and unfortunately, they've learned to bide their time as they grow stronger. Fucking hell, you have no idea how many times you and yours are going to be playing peek a boo with Death through the veil because of your own dumbassery."

I curse a bit more, only getting more pissed off the longer I think about it. "Seriously, did you truly think you would stay untouchable forever? That burning a single tree would ensure your immortality? Once more, that's not how magic fucking works!" I growl angrily, but force myself to calm down at the dead silence from the phone. Panting, I slump. "Fuck, you're so lucky I've taken a liking to you lot. It would be so much less tiresome to just let you assholes die."

"…Will it trully be that bad?" Came a voice filled with trepidation.

Clenching my eyes shut, I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Forget it. I have your backs, so for now, look into Wes Maxfield, Whitmore College, and the Augustine Society. There-"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Alright, I'll concede that a hoard of rippers that go after other vampires is utterly ingenious." Elijah states grimly. 

"Artificial rippers, fucking hell." Klaus mutters. "And humans experimenting on vampires to create a genocide… it's inconceivable."

"Yup, so I'll leave that to you, okay?" I mutter detatchedly, not wanting to think anymore on the visions that woke me up. "There is a vampire there, Lorenzo. He's been captive like 80 ish years, most of his existence. Please free him. Tell him that Daemon was so traumatized he has completely blocked the memories of Augustine, that he thought Enzo was dead or he would have come for him. He wasn't intentionally abandoned. Tell him he'll find his friend in Daemon's hometown. He'll know what to do."

"Alright. We'll deal with it," Elijah states, voice like steel.

"Thank you," I sigh, relieved. "I need to go now, but I wish you a good night."

"Goodnight, Love." "We wish you sweet dreams."

I hang up, relieved to secure Lorenzo's freedom, but now I had to figure out how to break it to Daemon. I groan. The work never ceases.

XXXXXXXXXX

"You must be the Nyx I've heard so much about. The new girl in the Salvatores' hearts," a lilting voice calls.

I blink, looking up from where I'm helping Jeremy with his English homework. Confused, I glance up to see a gorgeous blonde vampire. Daemon, sitting in an armchair next to us, curses. Amused, but sensing no ill intent, I walk over. "You make it sound like I'm fucking them."

The girl snorts, and I beckon her towards Daemon's secluded corner where he was currently working on a laptop next to Zack. "Lexi."

"Bitch," Lexi replies to Daemon sweetly, and I laugh at his glare.

"Great, more vampires. Just what this town needed," Zach groans. "I know that Uncle Stefan has always said you were a really good person, but please don't go around leaving bodies. The council will notice, and we really don't need them looking to hunt vampires."

"Uh, excuse me?" I whisper incredulously, glancing around me to double check no one's in ear shot. "Can we go back to the Town Council knowing about hunting vampires?"

"Yup. They've been protecting the town from vampires since, well, we were turned. It's… a long story," Daemon dismisses.

I sigh, rubbing my head. "Another time. Lexi, it's nice to meet you."

She smiles, and I shake her hand warmly, liking her vibes. Stefan walks in from the back, grin on his face. "I'm glad you two are meeting. Nyx, this is my oldest friend. Lexi, Nyx here… she's the person who's been saving me from myself while you aren't around."

I huff, feeling warm as I go to press my side to his gently for a moment, unable to really look at him. "Nah, you've been doing all the hard shit all on your own."

"Don't listen to her. Nyx is great," Stefan grins, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "I-I'm a lot better Lex. I can feed almost safely for short periods of time."

Embarrassed, I grab a cookie off the table. "I told ya, it was all you."

"I can tell we're going to be great friends!" Lexi beams. "It was worth waiting for the sun to go down to come meet you. And this place is amazing!"

"Thanks!" I smile, hoping the heat in my cheeks isn't visible. "But, why sun down?" I perk up as a thought occurs to me. "Wait, do you not have a daylight ring?"

"They are rarer than you think, Nyx," Stefan squeezes me before offering his hand, his own daylight ring resting there. "Not many witches would agree to make them for vampires and even fewer know how. Daemon and I just got lucky."

I blink. "Oh. Would you like me to make one for you, then?"

"What?" Lexi whispers, shock obvious.

Daemon starts to laugh, breaking the moment. "There she goes again. Just Nyx using acts of kindness to forever change people's lives without a second thought."

Stefan lets out his own breathless laughter, but I just shrug, leaning down to pick up Thea, who'd wandered over, and set her on my hip. "I'll have to examine Stefan and Damon's first to see how it's done, and it might take me a few tries, but it's not a big deal. I like you, Lexi, and so long as you promise not to cause trouble in town, and to feed without harming anyone, I have no issue trying."

Lexi let's out a small sob, startling me. "Please. Yes, please."

I hand over Thea to Stefan and gather the woman into my arms, eyes wide in alarm as I rub her back hoping to soothe her. After a few moments, she collects herself, pulling back. "You don't know how much this means to me."

"Perhaps not," I agree, having not anticipated such a reaction in the slightest. "Can I get you some tea, dear? Or biscuits?"

Daemon snorts. "That's how Nyx fixes people. She feeds them."

"It works, though," Zach adds in amusement. "Now, even we can now have civil conversations."

Exasperated, I take their orders and vanish into the kitchen, unable to control the bashfulness. Soon, Stefan joins me, catching me in a tight hug. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Shuddup already," I grumble, not sure when this turned into Praise Nyx Day. When Stefan's hands cup my cheeks and bring his forehead to rest on mine, I still, surprised by the intimate act. It had been a while since I'd made eye contact with anyone, my eyes usually too bad to do so.

"No, seriously. I don't think I'll ever repay every gift you've given me. Thank you, Nyx. You the best friend I could have ever asked for."

Logically, I knew I was doing good, but while the whole of myself is good at accepting compliments and gratitude, the part of my soul that has been formed in this life, the nearly 17 years I spent without memories of my previous incarnations, that part of me was constantly told I was useless and nothing. Even now, with most of my memories returned, I found it hard to push that part of myself away.

Breathing deep, I offer a smile and a pat to his cheek, ordering him to help me with the food. It feels good to be appreciated.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Are you absolutely crazy?" Lexi hisses, and I flick my eyes back and forth between her and Stefan, hiding behind my coffee cup. "That's Elena?!"

Stefan winces. "Look, I know she looks like Katherine, but-"

"Looks like?! You dumbass, they could be twins! Is she also a raging bitch?" Lexi whisper- yells, and Daemon, who is currently using my lap as a pillow, snorts loudly.

"Okay, yes, her resemblance was what drew to me her, but it's not why I like her. I-" I watch as they bicker, calmly petting Nico who was resting against Daemon's heart, the sight surprisingly sweet. Despite all his… Daemonness, the man is rather gentle with kids. Lexi's reaction had been priceless.

"Nyx, are you hearing this?" I grimace, nodding and very much not wanting any part in it.

"Nyx, you know my feelings for Elena are unrelated to Katherine,… Right?"

"…I don't think they could be, Stef," I admit guiltily. "Katherine is the only reason you sought her out, and well, are you telling me that you don't spend a lot of time comparing the too? How they're alike and not?"

Stefan hesitates and I nod, knowing it's answer enough. "I… I don't want to tell you what to do, but…"

"You don't think my feelings are real," Stefan surmises sadly and I can't deny it.

"It's not exactly healthy," Daemon point out, and I pinch him subtly, but he ignores me.

"Look, I don't honestly give a shit as long as you're happy, just… really think about it okay, honey?" I tell him.

"I'll think on it," he agrees unhappily.

XXXXXXXXXX