Demons did much more than just feed on souls. Some lived among humans, others never left the underworld. And some made pacts.

A pact was a blood tie between a demon and a human. A sacred oath that they would be mates, tied together forever. It was the closest demons got to love, to having souls. Some demons were too far gone to make such a bond. To others, like Jinu, it was the only thing preventing them from completely unraveling into a monster.

You'd actually been sworn to him years before your birth. Jinu had allowed your grandparents to escape an attack alive in exchange for a promised mate, the reincarnation of his last love. You were the first female born since then, and you had a birthmark on your arm that matched Jinu's patterns perfectly.

Your grandparents tried to hide you. But there was no going back on the deal. Jinu could still remember the pain of holding his first partner as she died in his arms in his human years. He wished he could erase those memories, but Gwi-Ma enjoyed making him remember. Now that he had the chance to be with you, with her, again forever, nothing would stop him. And now you were sharing an apartment with a centuries old demon. You kept trying to reach out to your grandparents and reconnect, but as long as you willingly stayed with Jinu they wanted nothing to do with you.

It was one particular night after dinner that you were especially dejected. Your grandma had started making threats about contacting Celine and sending the Huntrix to rescue you. She just refused to accept that you didn't need rescuing, you weren't in danger.

"What's that sigh for?" Jinu asked lowly, snaking his arms around your waist. He buried his face in the crook of your neck and purred.