They were on some back roads that led to a trail in the woods. The path had been untraveled for some time judging by the way the grass had grown up over it.
The storm seemed to be taking its time forming so Strife took his time and searched to get Claire somewhere she'd feel safe at.
After ten minutes they came across an open field with three houses in the middle, not far from each other. Strife went here and the two of them went for the coziest one.
Inside, the place was obviously owned by a redneck at one point in time with the deer heads mounted on the wall. A gun cabinet which Claire took full advantage of, grabbing extra weapons for herself.
She went into the kitchen and opened the cabinet to discover tons of alcoholic beverages. Unopened bottles of rum and various types of liquor, Claire squeaked happily and grabbed them all then brought them to the living room where Strife had decided to camp out through the storm and most likely the rest of the night.
He took off the mask and tossed it onto the coffee table in front of him. The rider allowed himself to slouch down lazily on the couch. When Claire walked in with an arm full of alcohol he raised an eyebrow.
"You've got to be kidding."
"Nope!" She opened the biggest bottle of rum and offered him some.
"Ah, what the hell. Its not the shit I'm used to but its still something." He took the glass she poured full for him.
"Oh, yeah! That's right, I forgot. You're not human." She giggled, downing her first glass, "You're a necro... What were you again?"
"Nephilim."
She rolled her eyes then took another sip from her cup after filling it up again, "So you aren't human yet you're here on Earth instead of your home planet..."
"I'm from another realm."
"Whatever, same difference."
She finished her glass and poured another.
"Maybe you should slow down."
"Maybe you shouldn't be a pussy and keep up with me." She shot back at him, starting on another cup full.
Strife admired this woman but was worried about her now at the same time. She was going through the bottles of rum like they were water. Human drinks never really had an effect on him but he drank every cup full she gave him anyway. Maybe he could distract her before she gave herself blood poisoning...
"So, why are you afraid of storms?"
Maybe that would make her slow down on the rum.
"Its kind of stupid."
"Tell me."
She looked at the liquid in her glass and sighed before she started talking, "When I was little we lived in an area most humans call 'Tornado Alley' in the central United States. An F5 tornado came through and killed my father and brother, leaving my mother and me trapped under the rubble of our house for almost forty eight hours."
Strife watched her down another cup.
"My hips were pinned down by a beam and my mothers legs were crushed together. She had to end up getting her arm amputated in order for the firefighters to get her out. I remember how everything hurt so bad, I thought I was going to die for sure."
She stopped talking and just stared at the glass, flashbacks replaying several times in her head. Strife felt sorry for her, suddenly. She had been through such a traumatic experience and was clearly damaged from it.
She lifted the dress up over her hips, revealing her white panties which he tried not to stare at but she pulled the side of them down enough so he could see a jagged scar tracing her lower hip area.
"The beam had a big nail hanging out and it stabbed into me. All I could think about was trying to get out so I squirmed so much which made it slice into me. It became infected a few hours before they pulled me out but with proper care and medicine it was cleared up rather quickly."
Strife hadn't noticed this when she was in the river bit then again he was concentrating on killing the demon before she pressed herself against him.
Claire looked at him as if silently asking him his story and he broke down, telling her everything of the Nephilim and the Charred Council which he was sure he'd get hell for later.
After he finished, she just stared at him with no emotion on her face.
"So... You're not on drugs?"
"No, unfortunately."
"Maybe we should find some!"
"Maybe you should sit down before you hurt yourself." Strife pulled her down beside him on the couch when she stood up, nearly falling back down in the floor.
"We should do something together." She said, pushing her lips to his chest in which he pulled her away from him and looked her dead in the eyes.
"You're drunk and unable to think clearly. If I fuck you it will be when you are sober so you will remember every single detail."
"W-what? But..." As if on cue she fell against him, passed out.
Strife could sense she was pretty messed up but she wasn't in any danger as long as he kept an eye on her. The thunder cracked through the sky loudly after she fainted so she wouldn't have to worry about being afraid. He took her combat boots off, noticing how small and cute her feet were. After putting the boots near the couch he unbuttoned the top part of the jean dress she wore and undone the belt so she'd be more relaxed. The sunglasses she had pushed onto her hair was put next to his mask, as were her big hoop earrings.
While she was asleep he did allow himself to rub his hands up and down her long smooth legs. He could only imagine the grief his eldest brother would give him if he were here.
He thought while she slept and the storm went on. He didn't really have an objective when he came here, he was just fucking bored as hell and wanted to see the human realm. After he explored and found everything he thought he could find that was valuable to sell to Vulgrim he'd planned on leaving. He wasn't expecting to find a human, though.
Vulgrim would've taken the last human without a second opinion if he'd offer her to him but now he felt attached to her after hearing of her past. Strife rolled his eyes, he never got attached to the females (and sometimes but very rarely males) he had been with! He didn't even know how to take care of a human... But he couldn't leave her here alone...
"What the hell have I gotten myself into?"
