"Strife, did you ask Death about the ritual?"

"We're not doing it."

Fury raised an eyebrow at her brother, "What changed your mind?"

"After hearing what I have to do. I'm not fucking somebody in a pentagram then killing them. Death can do it, no problem. I can't."

Strife walked away with anger in his eyes. Sure, he had feelings for Claire but there was no way he'd be able to do such a thing. He was surprised to hear that Jovanna had agreed to do the ritual with Death.

But the two loves each other and she wasn't your normal every day human.

"Strife?"

Of course, the one person he did not want to see right now.

"Are you okay? You seem... I don't know... Irritable."

Strife turned to Claire and saw her in the sundress and flip-flops she had taken from the store. Her hair was down, hanging over her slender shoulders. It took him a second to remember how to speak, "I'm fine..."

Claire came closer to the horseman and trailed her fingertips from his chest armor up to his mask where she slowly took it off. He tried to hide the emotions on his face but she saw them, being able to read his eyes.

She stood up on her tippy toes and pulled his head down to here, placing a soft kiss against his lips.

"Claire, other than your incident with thunderstorms and the bar you never really told me about your life."

He was curious about the way she lived before the end of the world. Though he wasn't sure why, he had to know for some reason.

"Well, what do you want to know?"

"You have any other lovers?" He asked.

The emotion in her eyes turned into a depressed shade, "A few."

"Anyone I should be jealous of?"

Her stance turned into a self-conscious one and she looked as of she'd run away at any given second. Strife knew something bad had happened for her to act this way and while he desperately wanted to know what it was, he didn't want to upset her.

Blue her eyes looked up into his for one second before they shot their gaze back towards the floor.

"N-no. You are the most gentle, respectable guy I've ever been with."

"Care to tell me about it?" He traced her upper arm with gentle fingers as he asked.

"All of my boyfriends beat me and hurt me every chance they got. What else is there to tell?" Her arms wrapped around Strife's waist and her head lay against his chest, "Everyone I've tried to love always hurts me in the end. That's why I have such strong feelings for you. Not once have you tried to strike me."

The rider's arms embraced the human and held her as close as he could manage. Anger rose within him wanting to find the souls of the heartless bastards that hurt her and make sure they suffered in eternal torment.

"I love you, Strife."

"And I love you, as well."

"Can we do the ritual thing Jovanna and Death done?"

Strife tensed and she looked up into his eyes, questioningly.

"I- I can't..."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to hurt you..."

The blonde human pulled him down and Nuzzled his neck, "I want to spend forever with you..."

"How about you spend the night with me then tomorrow morning we decide."

"That'll work."

...

In his private quarters, the shadows from the candles danced on the walls around them.

Back in the human realm, he had promised to fuck her while she was sober so she'd remember every detail of it. But she was sure even if she was drunk she'd remember his talented skills. The way he moved his hips when he entered her for the first time, she felt hardly any pain despite his large size.

"Damn, you're tight..."

She couldn't respond with anything other than a moan. His hands were everywhere, as were his lips. He thrusts in and out several times before stopping with a wicked grin.

"D-don't stop!"

"You'll have to beg, darlin.'"

She gasped, "Strife... Please! Please! Please!"

"How bad do you want it?"

"Please, Strife... I've never..." She trailed off, looking ashamed.

"You've never... What?"

"I've never had an actual orgasm before! Please don't stop, this feels amazing!" She screamed.

Being with abusive, self-centered boyfriends she had never been able to finish. She'd tried getting their on her own but it never worked.

"Is that so?" Strife's grin turned into a sinister one, "Do you trust me?"

"W-what?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course."

Before she knew what was happening, he'd tied her arms to the stone headboard of the bed and blindfolded her.

"S-Strife?!"

"Trust me, darlin.'"

She couldn't see anything and all of her other senses were going insane trying to sense what he was planning.

Death had done this with some of his past Nephilim love interests, Strife had walked in on it happening a few times when they were all younger. Ever since, he'd wanted to try it but never really had the patience to actually take the time to do it.

His mouth reached her breasts, taking one nipple between his teeth while the other hand playfully pinched the other. When he switched she felt the sudden urge to hold him against her chest but he pulled away and tightened the restraints around her wrists.

He pulled her legs apart and ran his tongue straight to her clit, putting a finger inside her gently before moving it in and out. Her moans became louder upon adding a second finger.

Claire moved her hips and tugged at the restraints holding her wrists. Strife moved his fingers to her nub and trailed his tongue to her personal juices so he could taste her.

She was deliciously sweet and her moans were making him even harder.

"S-Strife! I want you inside me when I come, pleeease!"

He sat up and pulled her legs over his shoulders before entering her again. Strife leaned down and bit her neck, sucking on the skin to leave his mark.

It didn't take her long before she came. He loves the sound of her voice calling his name and it caused him to follow her in a powerful climax.

They lay in each other's arms and finally Claire looked up at her horseman with a gentle smile, "We're doing the ritual."

Strife nuzzled her hair and chuckled.

"Whatever you want, darlin'."