Life for Dave was a curse. No demon as strong and superior as him should have to roam the human realm, it was unfair torture. He hated every moment of it. His punishment should've fit the crime; it was only a lowly demon he'd killed, not royalty! Now his wings had been ripped off and his tail cut to a nub. The only thing they could've done with his horns was grind them down, and so that's exactly what they did. The devil himself held the grinder to his overly-sensitive horns. No human would ever believe he was a demon now. They all blamed the strange pigment of his eyes on a human deficiency called albinism. As long as he could keep his bed warm with women to drink from, he'd make it through this. He didn't really like the fact he had to let them all leave, but drinking blood wasn't exactly a thing most humans were into.
Dave was currently in search of a meal – some hot little thing lookin' for a good time. He found one saucy lady, but she wasn't too keen on sex. Instead, he found himself in front of sacred ground before dusk. The damned place made his skin burn and his blood boil, and if he ever dared to step foot on the place, he'd burst into flames. He hated having to watch where he went all the time. While looking on at the spiteful building, he noticed a figure leaving its premises. Maybe he'd get a little sip of some exotic fruit tonight.
The girl stepped out from the chapel and into the oncoming night, shivering and pulling her trench coat about her waist. As the picked her way through the outlaying graveyard, she almost wished she hadn't stayed so late talking to the sisters, but religion just intrigued her too much to stay away. The stories the Bible told and the women spun could keep her up for hours at a time! Back on her island, Jade's grandpa didn't care much for bible studies, so until she moved onto the mainland, she never heard of such things. A whole new world was opened up to the girl- a world of movies, junk food, and people. They were things she was only experiencing for the first time, and she loved every moment of it.
However, the only issue with Jade leaving her solitary island was how naïve she now tended to be. Raised alone on an island, she wasn't as prone to picking out people's true intentions, and so she was often caught up in sticky situations. It was the only thing she despised about living with other people. Her only line of defense was the things her grandfather taught her, which thankfully included self defense.
Pushing her thoughts aside, Jade passed the open gates and exited the Holy ground, her feet finding the pavement of the sidewalk. She made her way down the street and smiled warmly at the few people who passed her by, heading toward the bus stop a few blocks down. It was time she got home to her dog and got ready for bed.
Behind the girl, Dave was hiding in the shadows. Something about her seemed different. None of the human girls he'd had before carried the same innocence or naïveté in their eyes. He shadowed her, watching her every step.
His curiosity getting the best of him, Dave moved out of the shadows and stepped in front of her. "I couldn't notice you all alone, Miss. A pretty little lady such as you should be more careful. May I walk you home?" he extended his arm. "I'd hate seeing such a pretty girl like you getting hurt in this bad place."
Jade laughed lightly and waved off his arm, instead motioning for him to walk with her. He seemed kind enough, and since he didn't smell of liquor, she deemed him safe enough to walk and talk to for now.
"Thank you, that's very kind. I can handle myself pretty well, though. I'm not afraid of a few drunks wandering about. I'm used to them by now!" She tossed her wild black hair back as she spoke, laughing. "But you look like you belong in a club. What are you doing in this neighborhood?"
"Oh, no, I'm not into the partying scene, there's no need to worry." Dave replied smoothly. "I don't normally come around this part of town. I was just lookin' for someone." It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't the truth either. He followed her down the street, his hands in his pockets. His lips quirked upwards slightly when she laughed, and he found himself wanting to make it happen again. Her laughter was enthralling.
He shook his head. It was impossible for a demon to fall for a human, so why did he think that? Well, that wasn't the actual truth- humans just didn't understand the concept of demons and killed them every chance they could. It wasn't safe to fall for them, or even sleep with them for more than one night. That led to his life of wandering from city to city.
Jade looked up as if to look him in the eyes before she remembered his sunglasses. "Why do you wear those, by the way? It's almost night time! Are your eyes over-sensitive or something?" she inquired, her head cocked. She had to resist touching them; boundaries wasn't a thing she was used to in society yet. She looked away when she realized she was staring directly into the dark shades and felt her face flush in embarrassment, and she was glad for the oncoming darkness.
"Yeah, I wear these to protect my eyes." He said shortly when he saw her muscles twitch as if to take them off. It wouldn't be the first time that a girl tried to take them off, but it never stopped being irritating.
Trying to hide her curiosity, Jade moved toward the bus stop that lay ahead and sat down, stretching her arms in front of her. "I should probably take the bus the rest of the way home. It's getting late, and my place is a long ways away. What about you?" she offered a smile his way and watched as he leaned against the bus stop pole.
"I'm, uh.. well I was staying with a friend. Things got hard, though, so I moved out. Now I just wander from town to town." He lied. Maybe he could get away with it, and she'd invite him to stay the night. That would be the best case scenario, though. As long as she asked, it was alright by everyone's rules. No one would be able to complain about draining her dry. Though he doubted he'd do such a thing to a girl as intriguing as this one. He wanted to study her, and not to mention she smelled so alluring.
Dave moved a bit closer to Jade and sat down beside her, making himself comfortable. "Tip, never trust your boss. You make one mistake and they rip you limb from limb."
"I'll make sure to do that! And I don't mean to intrude, but do you have a place to stay for the night? I don't want you to be stranded in the middle of winter, that's all!" She exclaimed, her eyes flickering nervously. She didn't want him to be offended by her question.
Nibbling her lip gently, she exposed her buck teeth, wondering whether or not she should invite him to stay with her for awhile. He seemed alright, but her friend Rose might scold her for it later, saying it's not good to let strangers into her home. Perhaps she could just pay for a night's stay at a hotel, but then Rose also advised her to save her money (even though she had plenty to spare.) She sighed internally, not sure what to make of the situation.
"Don't worry your pretty little head out over a rough guy like me." He looked over the tops of his glasses at her, his red irises shining in the moon light. "A pretty girl such as yourself must have a boyfriend of some sort." He murmured, even though he couldn't smell another male on her. He doubted she was seeing anyone, but he was pushing his luck just for a meal. He was getting desperate. "I'm pretty sure I'll be able to scrounge up something for the night."
She blushed, pleased at his compliment. "Oh, no! I'm not really dating anyone at the moment, hehe. I guess I've just been so busy between taking care of my dog and myself that I didn't think about it. What about you, mister, uh… Oh, I never learned your name! I'm Jade Harley, by the way," She introduced as a bus turned the corner and headed toward them.
"Name's Dave. Dave Strider. And as for me, being in between places at the moment, I haven't been able to really settle down with one girl. It might be nice to one day." He looked towards the bus and sighed. Damn, this could be his last chance. He needed to risk it all and put all his chips on the table. "Harley, just a thought, but I think you would be the perfect girl to be on my arm," He even took the shades off as he spoke. The leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "How'd you like that?"
Her entire face reddened and she gasped, shocked. Then, forcing herself to regain her composure, she straightened herself up and gave Dave a dark look. "Now look here, Strider! We've only just met, and now you're proposing something like that? I don't think so, mister! Although I do think you're very charming and handsome, I can't just start dating you!" With a huff, Jade tugged on her coat nervously and looked toward the oncoming bus as it stopped in front of them, opening its doors.
He smirked. "Listen, Jade, I'm sorry. I can't help myself. Such a girl right in front of me, walking away. I can't let you just walk away without at least trying." God fucking shit, why didn't that work? That always worked! Out of fifty years no one has been able to resist. He stood up behind her taking her hand. His shades clattered to the ground. He had to step it up a notch. "Jade, please, although I just met you, I feel like you complete me. Without you, I will forever walk in the shadows waiting to see the sun- waiting to see you."
"Are- are you kidding me?! That's not even- oh gosh, you're crazy! I was going to help you find a place to stay tonight, but.. Gosh!" Jade ran a hand through her messy hair and turned her back on him, entering the bus. "Figure it out, yourself!"
"Wait!" Dave grabbed her elbow, stopping her in place. Sometimes he forgot his own strength. Luckily he didn't think he'd hurt her. He looked at her with desperate eyes. "Harley, please." he jumped up the bus steps after her. "I'm begging you. You have to listen to me." As new eyes on the bus stared at him he lowered his voice. "I'm not normally like this." He caught up and whispered in her ear. "I'm dying." It was true, it had been weeks since he had a decent meal, and he could feel it taking a toll on his body. Just being in the human realm weakened him, and the hunger was slowly eating away at him. "Save me, Harely."
"I-" she was about to reject him when she caught the desperate look in his eyes. She frowned. If he was telling the truth, it'd be her fault for turning her back on him in his time of need. His demise would be all on her. Sighing, Jade turned her back on him for the second time and fully boarded the bus before glancing behind at him. "Well, aren't you coming?" She asked, giving him a weak smile.
He smiled up at her. Thank Lucifer. If she had turned him down he would have starved for another day. Good girls were getting hard to find and even harder to keep. Following behind her he couldn't help but watch her hips swaying ever so slightly just below her hair. He stared at her back, the way she moved, everything. She was intoxicating. He wanted to reach out and just hold her body against his and memorize every curve of her. He held the urge back and sat down towards the back of the bus to avoid the wandering eyes. "Jade, how can I make this up to you? I must make myself obliged."
Jade frowned and followed him to a neighboring seat, forcing herself to look out the window instead of his vibrant red eyes. She had a feeling this wasn't exactly a great idea, but she couldn't just leave the poor guy out in the streets to die alone.
"Let's just figure that out in the morning, alright? I'm exhausted, after all, and I'm sure you must be too. We could both use a bit of rest and warm food before we decide on anything." She told him, catching sight of his eyes in the window's reflection by accident. She looked away quickly, trying not to appear affected by his looks, and instead stared off into space in front of her. She didn't let it get to her before now, but she was about to collapse, she was so tired. And she still had to feed Bec and take him out when she got to her humble apartment.
"You mentioned something about a dog. Right? You look tired, you get some rest, I'll take care of him. It's the least I can do to help right now." He kept trying to catch her eyes, but every time he did, she'd look away. He found himself thinking about her needs rather than his next meal. This is why demons can't live with humans. It changes them. Demons can't survive if they don't put themselves first. There is no room for a second person. Demon pairs act in the same manner. It was just their nature. He looked down at the floor. This had better work out, because once he gets attached, his life is over.
"Did I? I don't remember mentioning Bec..." She finally met his gaze and frowned, nibbling on her lip in thought. He cursed, remembering that'd he'd smelled the animal on her rather than heard about it. "Either way," she continued, figuring it didn't matter, "Bec can be difficult with most people, so you don't have to worry about it. I can take care of the big guy!" She gave him a fleeting smile, elbowing him playfully.
He took the jab and smirked. "You sure? I think I can handle 'em." He looked over and tried to keep eye contact with her. Her eyes were so full of life.
She giggled and shook her head. "Don't worry about it, Dave. Just worry about getting a warm meal and a good night of sleep for now!" She replied, swinging her legs childishly. They were coming upon her stop soon, and she was starting to have second thoughts about letting a stranger into her home. But grandpa had always told her to be generous and loving, so she knew the right thing was to help Dave out. She didn't want the poor guy starving on the streets, and he seemed so nice too!
With a small smirk, he rested his arm behind her. This was easier than it seemed at first. "Alright then. I'll be in your debt." He leaned into her a tad, testing the boundaries. Out right kissing her again might be a mistake, but maybe he could warm her up to the idea. "I can't thank you enough for your kindness. After all, I'd be on the streets cold and alone one more night." Once the bus came to a stop, he placed a small peck on her cheek and stood. Like the gentlemen he was, he offered her his arm. "Miss?"
"Oh, thank you!" Jade said, pink dusting her cheeks. She took his arm as she stood and gave him a weary smile, just about ready to fall over from lack of sleep. The girl had been running on caffeine and adrenaline the past couple of hours, and it didn't help that she'd gone on a jog earlier. Luckily she'd showered before heading to the church, so she didn't smell bad when she met Dave.
"You don't have to worry about that, anymore. I'll help you as much as I can, and that includes a warm place to sleep. Of course, I expect you to get a job, mister!" she winked playfully at him and lead him off the bus, heading down the street toward an apartment complex.
Dave could tell that she was tired just from how she walked. When they got close enough to the complex, he picked her up bridal style. "Tell me the way. You're too tired… Let me take care of you." For some reason, yet again, he felt something more for this girl. But why? It was never going to work. The only things she knew of him was a lie. There was no way she could accept him for his true nature. Hell, if he got her in bed she was bound to notice the nubs of his wings or his tail. All it would take was her to run her fingers through his hair and she would feel the jagged edge of his broken horns. A functional relationship could never exist, so why was he even allowing himself to think of it? Then again, he was always one to break the rules. It was why he was with her that very moment after all.
Giggling, Jade laid her head on his chest and smiled up at him. "Thanks, Dave. It's just in that apartment complex, on the first floor. We're room 3." She told him, yawning. Jade was starting to really like this guy, as strange as he was, and she hoped he'd turn out to be as nice as he was appearing right now. It'd be a shame if he ended up like some of the other men she'd let into her life, but Dave seemed much warmer than any of them ever even pretended to be.
"A'ight." Dave muttered, pushing the front doors open with his legs. He almost smirked as the apartment came into view; he was close to victory. Even if she didn't let him sleep with her, he could probably drink from her in her sleep. It was always a backup, at least. And since his saliva could also act as a sedative and an aphrodisiac, he knew things would work out for him either way.
"Here, let me down. I gotta unlock the door and put Bec in my room so he doesn't tackle you." She laughed despite herself, imagining her dog licking Dave's face. He was a pretty laidback dog, but also very loving of all people.
Dave put the girl on her feet and stood back, watching as she dug her keys out of her pocket and opened the door, pushing a huge white dog back as he lunged toward her.
"Nice to see you too, Bec!" Jade laughed, pushing the dog down. The dog sniffed the air and looked straight at Dave, narrowing its eyes. Dave raised his eyebrows as the animal's vibrant green eyes focused on him, noting the strange eye color as its hackles raised in alarm. It growled at him, bringing its body low on the ground as if to pounce.
"Bec! Stop that, Dave's a friend!" Jade cried, pulling on the dog's collar gently. It resisted, trying to lunge at Dave, but Jade seemed to be the stronger of the two, and she managed to push him back into the apartment, where Dave watched her shove him in another room from the door.
"Sorry, Dave! He doesn't usually act like this!" Jade called from within the apartment. "You can come in, just close the door behind you."
Dave did as she asked, locking the door behind him.