Page 8 of A Kiss From Death
I hope I can make you proud, my love.
Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.
I hiss at the burn festering in the back of my throat where the moonshine I’m guzzling leaves a trail of fire. I might need a little extra shove to help me fall asleep tonight, and this is just what the healer ordered.
My head feels like it’s floating in Lunaria, and my thoughts have slowed to a tolerable speed. My muscles are relaxed, and for the first time in months, I feel content.
Dropping the bottle off the side of the bed, I flop onto my back and let it absorb me.
Ouch.
Something firm pokes me from under Theo’s pillow I’m snuggled up on. Reaching under it, I feel a smooth, cool surface and drag it out from under the pillow.
It’s a weathered, deep brown leather journal, with the letters T.A. carved into it. It’s Theo’s personal journal he always had his nose buried in but never let me look at. There’s a small feather wedged in the center.
Sliding my fingers between the marked page, I open the journal and gasp. Scribbled at the top isReason 274 why I love Nyxi. Below, he’s writtenHer unwavering strength after everything she’s been through. She is my rock, and I cannot wait to make her Mrs. Adler for real one day. He’s drawn two wedding bands overlapping in the center next to it.
He wanted to marry me, make me his forever. Me, the person whose own family didn’t even want her. He chose me, not because of blood, but because ofwhoI am. This is the greatest gift Theo could possibly give me.
Even in death he takes care of me when I need him most. I didn’t realize how badly I needed to hear that; somehow, it has healed a small corner of my heart I didn’t think was fixable.
I skim through some of the pages, and sure enough, it’s full of reasons why he loves me, or beautiful portraits of me, along with his favorite memories we’ve shared. This journal is us, stitched and bound together by leather. It’s pieces of our story, creating a map of us.
I would have been honored to be Mrs. Adler.
My heart aches but feels full at the same time, like I’ve been stabbed straight in the heart but with a sword carved with love. A pain stokes my fire until it’s raging flames.Whatever it takesis the only thought running through my head as the world fades to black and sucks me under.
BANG. BANG. BANG.
Who in the ever loving Fallout is messing with my beauty sleep at this hour? My eyes are sealed shut with no plans on opening anytime soon. My brain is running at half speed as I float in the in-between of sleep and consciousness.
“Just Nyxi!” a loud and very angry male voice yells somewhere in the near distance. “I’m here to escort you up to Lunaria.” His tone carries an edge.
Lunaria?
LUNARIA!
“Fuck!” I bolt out of bed as reality slaps me across the face. This man is here to take me for the start of The Reaper Crucible.
My head spins, and I’m not sure if it’s from rushing out of bed or the obsessive amount of moonshine I used to numb myselflast night.
“Just a second!” I shout towards the front door, where I can sense the mystery man is losing patience by the second.
He grumbles something under his breath about not getting paid enough for this shit. “You have five minutes before I knock this door down and forcefully remove you myself.” His tone is final.
Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed, jeez.This man could bring death to all things fun in Fallout with just the tone of his voice.
“No need to get your underthings all in a bunch,Death Reaper. I only need three,” I spit back, an edge to my tone. An amused grunt travels through the door, like there’s an inside joke I’m blind to, and then he yells at me to hurry up yet again.
It takes me no time at all to make myself presentable and gather the few belongings that have any meaning to me, including my new favorite, Theo’s journal. Taking one last look around the house, I commit it to memory, then stride to the door.
“That’s it, I’m coming in,” he grumbles just as I turn the knob, opening the door. My face is immediately acquainted with his rock hard fist flying towards the door to knock. Instead, it assaults me straight in the nose, making a crunching noise as I’m launched backwards.
Lightning fast, he reaches out his other arm, catching me by my neck before I go toppling backwards on my ass.
“OUCH!” I glare up at him with a look I know can kill, as Theo told me many times. “Is that how you treat every woman who ignores you? You’re mighty full of yourself.”
Narrowing my eyes at him, I rub my throbbing nose. He better not have broken it, or I’ll have to give him a matching one in return.
