My name is Jessie, and I’m the Demon of Pain. Not a title that I wanted in my life, yet I have it. Thanks to a botched spell done by my mother and grandmother when I was six and they tried to drive the evil of my dhampir nature out of me.

Too bad they invited in more evil than they could ever imagine.

Now I’m 18 and out of prison for the first time in more than 11 years, and I’m struggling. Trina’s gone, dead at the hands of an unknown attacker hellbent on hunting me. My halfway house is destroyed.

And then attacks on me escalate.

Until I’m forced back into prison due to violating my parole; something I didn’t do.

My life is nothing like I imagined. I had a family at one time. It should have been a loving family. Then they were taken away from me in agony.

Except I’m now the demon of pain, and that means they’re singing my song. I was reborn to this life, and I’m going to live it as I forge my new family. Ras as my familiar. Jen as my new friend. Even Lorraine and a newborn elemental.

They’re my family now, and no unnamed hunter will hurt them while I have a say. I just have to survive the attacks coming my way while also trying to fit into the world outside of prison.

I never expected life to be this confusing.