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Her hand didn’t waver. “I know enough,” she said, her voice steady. “I know that you’ve suffered, that you’ve been hurt. And I know that you’re capable of love.

Vice closed his eyes, her words a balm to the ragged edges of his soul. For a brief moment, he allowed himself to believe that maybe, just maybe, there could be a future for them. But the shadow of his pact lurked in the recesses of his mind, a cold reminder of the price he had paid for her life.

“Ivy,” Vice said softly, his voice trailing off as he glanced at her. Her eyes met his, filled with a mix of curiosity and concern. He looked down at the floor, unable to look at her.

The room was quiet, almost unnaturally so. The only sound was the faint ticking of a clock on the wall, the rhythmic beating of their hearts echoing in the emptiness. Vice took a deep breath, his chest tight with unspoken words.

He raised his gaze to meet hers again, his eyes a storm of emotions. “There’s something I need to tell you," He began, his voice a coarse whisper. “About the deal that I made with that creature.”

Ivy’s curiosity grew into alarm as she saw the pain etched on his face. Her hand reached out to his arm, gently squeezing it. “What is it?”

Vice took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving hers. “The creature that I summoned,” he said, his voice heavy with dread. “It wasn’t just any creature, Ivy. It was a demon from the darkest depths of hell.”

Her grip on his shirt tightened. “What did you do?” she whispered, fear seeping into her voice.

“I gave it my soul,” he said simply, the words dropping like a stone into the quiet of the room.

Ivy’s hand fell from his shirt, her eyes widening in horror. “Your soul?” she echoed, her voice barely a whisper.

Vice nodded, his gaze never leaving hers. “In exchange for you're life,” he said.

The revelation hit Ivy like a blow to the chest. “Your soul? Like you're, soul, soul,” she repeated, her voice trembled. “You gave it up for me?”

Vice nodded, his eyes haunted. “I had to,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “I couldn’t bear the thought of being without you, I love you.”

The room was silent except for the crackling of the fireplace. Ivy stared at him, trying to process his confession. The flames cast shadows on his face, highlighting the sharp angles of his cheekbones and the sadness in his eyes. “What does this mean?” she asked finally, her voice a laced with concern and disbelief.

Vice took a deep, shuddering breath. “It means,” he said slowly, “that the demon now has a claim on me. It can demand anything it wants in exchange for keeping you alive.”

Ivy’s eyes searched his, understanding dawning. “What will it ask for?” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the crackling fire.

Vice’s jaw clenched, the muscles in his neck tightening. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you and Alice.”

The gravity of his words settled over them like a shroud, the warmth of the fire seemingly swallowed by the cold reality of their situation. Ivy stepped back, her hand moving to her throat as if she could feel the noose of his pact tightening around her neck.

“You can’t do that,” she murmured, her voice trembling. “You can’t sacrifice yourself for me. It’s not worth it.”

Vice stepped closer to her, his hand reaching out to cup her cheek. “It is,” he said firmly. “You and Alice are worth everything to me.”

Ivy’s eyes filled with tears as she searched his face. “But what about you're life?” she whispered. “What about you're soul?”

Vice’s gaze softened, his thumb brushing away the tears that spilled onto her cheeks. “It’s already lost,” he murmured. “But knowing that you’re safe, that you’re happy…that’s worth more to me than any eternity in torment.”

Ivy’s eyes searched his, desperation clawing at her heart. “We can find a way out of this,” she insisted, her voice shaking. “We can find a way to break the pact.”

Vice’s expression was grim, his eyes reflecting the flickering flames of the fireplace. “There’s no breaking a deal with a demon,” he said, his voice hard. “But I will not let it touch you or Alice.”

Ivy’s eyes searched his, her heart racing with fear and determination. “We’ll fight it together,” she said, her voice firm. “We’ll find a way to keep you safe too.”

Vice’s smile was sad. “Ivy, my love,” he said, his voice low and gentle. “The only way to keep you safe is for me to keep the demon appeased. And that means doing whatever it asks of me.”

Ivy felt a cold dread settle in her stomach. “What if it asks for something you can’t give?” she whispered.

Vice’s gaze never wavered from hers. “Then I’ll find a way,” he said, his voice unyielding. “I won’t let it harm you or Alice.”

Ivy’s eyes searched his, her mind racing with questions. “What kind of things will it demand?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Vice’s expression grew grim. “It could be anything,” he said, his voice low and tight. “More power, more souls, more chaos. I don’t know.”