"Hey, hey" A whisper echoed through the void. "Hey, hey" the whisper persisted.

My eyes twitched awake, my vision blurred, but I could make out a figure standing before me. A silhouette of a figure, with elongated hands.

As the blur went away, I could see this grotesque creature. Drenched in black and blood, horns atop his head, twisted like a deer's and blood red eyes that glowed, teeth as sharp as knives.

Ah, him again.

"There you are..." He purred; his voice now sickly-sweet, far removed from the harsh, guttural tone that once clawed my ears.

"I've been looking for you." Each word dripping with honeyed malice.

Slowly, he reached for my face, claws stained with blood. They brushed against my cheek, leaving thin bloody streaks behind.

"Why are you sad, Juno?" he asked caressing my skin as the blood trickled down to my feet.

I smiled, "Regrets." I answered.

His grin widened, eyes shining bright. His horns twisting further into grotesque shapes. Blood poured freely from his mouth spilling into the abyss.

"Why?" he asked, voice sharpening. "You hold the reins, not them." His claws dug deeper into my flesh, a screeching scrape as one grazed my cheekbone.

Yet, I remained silent, still smiling, despite the taste of iron flooding my mouth.

He stopped, his grin faltering as he withdrew his hand, now smothered with my blood.

We both stared into each other's eyes, blood red orbs piercing through my browns. He remained silent, as if contemplating a move, probing something.

I gave him nothing. Just silence.

"Ah...the boy." he suddenly said, shattering the blanket of silence. His guttural, animalistic voice resurfaced, replacing the once sweet honey-like tone he had.

I said nothing.

"And here I thought you had already killed him." He sneered.

My smile wavered; my body shook. My heart pounding in my chest.

"I can't" I muttered.

His grin returned, wider and more twisted, teeth gleaming in the darkness.

"You've done it once, surely you can do it again."

He raised his hand, slowly. Between his bloodied fingers, a cigarette rested, the bud glowing faintly in the darkness.

"Smoke?"