The Devil has appeared right before my eyes again. He wears his casual black suit with his black polished shoes, his hands placed inside the pockets of his slacks. He has no reason for being here, I mean our deal was done unless he has come to take my soul. I loosened my hold on the doorknob as I regained my composure and straightened my posture.

I raised an eyebrow, "What are you doing here?"

He moves from the doorframe and walks over to me, instinctively I take a step back. Mistake number one, never show the God of Death you are afraid of him, he feeds off it.

Death takes one big stride pretending to ignore how uncomfortable I am by his presence, "I missed you. Did you miss me?" He said teasingly.

This past week has been a blessing because I no longer had to deal with Death and I had fully accepted that I was going to see him until I was dead. I wanted to live a very long time until I saw him.

I cross my arms, "Have you come to take my soul?" I asked.

He leans closer and begins to stare into the depths of my eyes, almost as if he is staring right into my soul. Pools of nothing, just black. Endless black.

"Not your time, raven." He said as he moved back.

If it's not my time, then why was he here?

I held my gaze against Death's and my eyes shifted towards the figure standing near the doorframe. The more I looked at him, his face looked familiar. Blonde floppy hair, electric blue eyes, and stoic expression. He was the same man from the hospital, he was by Death's side but left to stand outside the door like a dog guard.

The God turned around and walked over to the blonde-haired man, and grabbed the plate he was holding. Strawberries, grapes, crackers, cheese, and cookies filled the plate. I furrowed eyebrows towards Death looking at him questionably, he popped a grape into his mouth.

He shrugged, "Funerals make me hungry."

Of course, they do.

"Then, what exactly are you doing here if you are not here to capture my soul?" I asked again.

He plucked another grape from the vine and threw it into his mouth.

"It looks like our paths cross again, raven."

It takes many tries to kick the Devil out of your life, and I was only on my second try.

*****

I allowed them inside my home. I shouldn't have brought them here but I would rather have him here in my house than cause a scene outside where everyone could see us. Plus, I had a question for him. I wanted to know how it was possible for me to see and hear Theo's father, that's never happened before.

I was currently pouring myself a cup of water while Death kept eating the fruit from the plate he brought with him. He wasn't kidding when he said funerals make him hungry as his bodyguard carried another plate for him on our walk to my apartment.

Hans, that was the bodyguard's name and he was standing next to Death as he ate. No blinking, no smiling, and no expression at all.

"Are you going to ever tell me what you want, Death?" I said with boredom as I placed the pitcher on the kitchen counter.

Death sat down on one of the three stools and folded his hands as he propped his elbows on the counter. No manners.

He smirked, "Patience, raven. I am suspecting you want to get rid of me. Did you like my gift?"

I knew he left it, no one else knew about the book but him.

"I am trying to, I hope to do it correctly this time. Now, tell me why you are here? " I said avoiding his question.

I would be lying if I didn't say I wasn't intrigued by Death's presence. If he wasn't here for a soul, what could he possibly be here for? I grabbed my glass cup and began to take small sips of water.

"I need you." I furrowed my eyebrows as he corrected himself, "I need you to give me a prediction."

I almost choked on my water as I took a big gulp and placed the glass cup down echoing against the marbled stone.

I locked eyes with Death, "A prediction? I don't know if you remember but you took away the voices from me-"

He cuts me off, "Yes raven I am well aware of that fact." He gets up from the chair and walks over to me, "I need to put the voices back in your head for a brief moment. All I need is a prediction from you. That's all I want and you could go back to your pathetic life."

A wicked smile appears on his lips. I am getting the urge to slap him again, my hand-formed into a fist letting my nails dig into my skin.

"Go to a fortune teller. I don't predict futures, only deaths." I spat.

He closes his eyes as he speaks, "If I could, I would but the Fates lack a sense of humor and they wish to take it out on me." Death sighs and he opens his eyes, "You are the only one who can give me this prediction."

Death really wanted this, I could see it in his eyes now. Something was gleaming in his eyes and I couldn't tell what it was, they were getting clouded by the darkness. But he wanted this so badly and well...I didn't want to give it to him.

I wanted to save someone. He didn't give it to me, so why should I give him this prediction? I looked over to Hans who had his head hanging down.

I moved my body towards Death as my eyes met his, "Only for a brief moment, you said? For a prediction?" I took another step, "Do you want this or need this?" My eyes began to dart between his eyes and lips.

He took another step forward, closing the distance between us, "I need this. Will you help me, raven?" He whispered.

My mouth slowly turned upwards as I saw Death's own lips beginning to twitch.

"Never."

Death's lips fell flat into a thin line, "What did you say?" He said coldly as if he couldn't believe the word that came out of my mouth.

My own wicked smile grew, "You must be the God of Stupidity" His nostrils flared and I noticed Hans picked up his head from looking at the floor.

I was seething, "I just came back from a funeral where I had to deliver a message to someone who is never going to see their father again because of a mistake I made, that you" I pointed at his chest, "couldn't possibly let go because of your complete utter bullshit rules of life for a life. Do you seriously think I am going to help someone who punished me for committing the crime of saving someone?" I hissed. 

Rage could not even begin to describe what I was looking at as I saw Death's face. Blacken veins appeared climbing up his neck meeting his face. Death harshly loosened his tie as his jaw clenched, and his gaze hardened.

I pressed further, "I will never give you a prediction."

Hans quickly came over and began to pull Death back, giving us the right amount of space between us.

"I will force it out of you." He growled.

I was walking on a very thin rope but I have nothing to lose. I don't care about anything anymore.

I kept smiling like a lunatic, "I will kill myself before you ever get the chance and I don't care if you torture me in the afterlife, nothing you say or do will get you this prediction."

Death got out of Hans' grasp and lunged towards me before I quickly reached under the dish-rack pulling out a large knife to the open.

He stopped his tracks as he glanced down the sharpened blade and raised a brow, "You think you can kill me? I am immortal!" He announced loudly.

I slowly turned the knife from him and brought it to my neck, the metallic coldness sent a shiver down my body.

"But I am not. I have no friends, no family, or anyone that I care about. I am all alone. I only have myself and I have given up on myself a long time ago. I can die right now with no worries." I gritted through my teeth.

Hans places a hand over Death's shoulders and for the first time he speaks, "She cannot die." He said quietly.

Death's eyes are flickering between the knife pressed against my skin and Hans' hand. He shrugs his hand and lifts his hand in defeat. Slowly the black vines crawl back down disappearing from his skin.

He takes a deep breath and speaks steadily, "Put the knife down, raven. I promise I won't invade your pretty little mind tonight." He sticks his hands inside his pockets.

I narrow my eyes as I grip the end of the knife and slowly bring it down. Death takes a step backward and looks up again with pure hatred, "I am going to civilize for one last time." He clears his throat, "Raven. I need a prediction from you. If you grant me this, I will give anything your heart desires."

I begin to tell him again, "I already told you-"

He holds his hand up, "Think about it." He said abruptly.

Death begins to walk away as Hans looks over to me with nothing but coldness as he walks towards his God. The door slams almost shaking the walls and I let myself completely go, the knife drops from my hand and my body collapse to the ground.

I feel my whole body violently shake as I wrap my arms around myself and bring my knees to my body burying my head into them.

I don't want to cry anymore. I don't want to keep doing this, what my heart desires the most is my own death. I swore to Refugio that I would never do it, but if someone else could then I will gladly let it happen.

I can't keep doing this, I can't.