My Fallen Angel

“Iriel?” I muttered, hesitating as I stared at the door.
“What the hell do you want?” Ashlandil called, looking annoyed as he lifted himself to his feet, striding for the door. “I thought you said you would call before popping up at my door like an asshole.”
I rolled my eyes, straightening on the couch.
He didn’t have to be rude to him.
I heard Iriel give a pained sigh as well, and then Ashlandil was opening the door, allowing the fellow fallen angel into his apartment.
Iriel glanced around, his eyes zeroing in on me before he gave me a kind smile.
“Hello, Kenali,” he said warmly, striding to me quickly. He grabbed my hand, holding it tightly between his, his eyes dropping to my stomach.
“Er, hello, Iriel,” I said, suddenly nervous.
I didn’t want him touching me.
I wasn’t sure why, but I didn’t.
My eyes flicked to Ashlandil, who was instantly standing beside us, scowling.
“Why are you here?” he asked, glaring. “Shouldn’t you be off skulking somewhere and making sure Cronus doesn’t get ahold of Andy again?”
“You mean cleaning up your messes?” Iriel sighed, reluctantly releasing my hand.
I shivered.
Eh.
“Because I needed to speak with you, and Kenali. I’m glad you finally told her about my presence in the city, otherwise this conversation would have come as a shock to her.”
Ashlan rolled his eyes, and I could see all over his face what he thought about Iriel as the “priest” began to pace back and forth in front of the coffee table, looking lost in thought.
I glanced at him worriedly, but he wasn’t looking at me.
What could this be about?
“I do not mean to sound invasive,” Iriel said after a moment, turning to look at either of us. “But this has been worrying me greatly, and I feel I must ask.”
Okay.
We both just looked at him, waiting.
I was still sitting on the couch, and my fingers were knotted nervously in my lap. Ashlandil stood beside me, his hand back on my shoulder, almost standing between Iriel and me in the most protective stance he could possibly take.
Were his daddy instincts kicking in?
I almost chuckled at the thought of it.
Ashlandil having any instincts that weren’t solely to protest his own wants or desires were a pretty strange concept to have.
“Well, what the fuck is it?” Ashlandil huffed when Iriel didn’t continue, just stared at us. “We were actually having a nice time together before you decided to interrupt with your holy self.”
“Ashlan,” I murmured, quickly clasping his hand.
He didn’t need to be so hostile.
Iriel was here to help us, wasn’t he?
He’d dealt with Andy, he was.... wait, was anyone dealing with Cronus?
He’d been the farthest thing from my mind lately.
I’d been too worried over the baby, over the upcoming show, I hadn’t put much thought into him.
My eyes flicked worriedly to Ashlandil.
He would certainly... I had never told him what had truly happened to Geneva. I’d meant too, several times, but I’d just never been able to get it out. I’d kept it from him, when I knew I should have told him, but it wasn’t as if he hadn’t done the same to me.
His human child, for one.
He’d never intended on telling me the truth about her.
And he hadn’t received anymore calls from Kacy about their baby, not as far as I knew, anyway.
I withheld a sigh.
There was no use dwelling over it, though.
“I am concerned about... the child,” Iriel said after a moment, clasping his hands in front of him as he gazed at the both of us, his gaze eerie.
“What about the child?” I frowned. “It’s healthy, there’s nothing wrong with it.”
My hand went to my stomach automatically.
“That is not my concern, of course it will be a healthy, strong child,” Iriel said quickly. “It is being born of an angel. I would not doubt that in the least. My only concern is.... your intentions with it.”
“Our... intentions?”
What was that supposed to mean?
“Yes. Your intentions. Neither of you have spoken of this. I know that Ashlandil has made the announcement that you are pregnant with... his child, but we and all the angels on earth know that is not the truth,” Iriel shook his head, and I saw a muscle tick in Ashlan’s jaw. “So I ask, what are your intentions? Do you intend to give it up for adoption in the human world, since you are not terminating the pregnancy? Do you have plans set up for that?”
I shook my head immediately.
“No! I’m not giving my child away to idiotic mortals to raise,” I muttered, straightening. “I wouldn’t dare. And no, I’m not going to get rid of, either. We intend on keeping it.”
Iriel frowned. “Keep it?”
“Yes. Keep it, raise it like it’s our own. It is our own,” Ashlandil raised a brow at Iriel, almost as if he was challenging him. “You got a problem with us raising our own kid?”
“I have no issue with Kenali raising her child,” Iriel responded pointedly, and I could practically hear Ashlandils teeth grind together. “Considering how powerful and unique it’s going to be.”
“My baby is going to be normal,” I said, frowning at him. “Absolutely normal.”
“Kenali, I know you are not so foolish as to be believe that,” Iriel shook his blonde head at me. “Your child is born of an angel, and an angel-born human. It will be incredibly unique, the only of its kind to have ever existed.” His eyes were gleaming as he thought about it. “Powerful, in it’s own right. Possibly immortal as well. Stronger then any nephilim, with powers of its own that we probably don’t even know are possible! Why ---.”
“The baby will be normal,” I snapped, abruptly rising to my feet. “I’m going to treat him like he’s normal, not like he’s some freaking science experiment! Of course he’s ---- well, he’s going to be the same as every other nephilim child or mortal child!”
“Kenali, there’s barely any mortal in that baby growing in your womb. Do either of you realize what an opportunity this is?” Iriel sighed at us, and Ashlandils hand was suddenly in mine, fingers clenching tightly.
“You’re very quickly wearing your welcome thin,” Ashlandil warned him, his red eyes narrowing. “Either spit out what you’re trying to say or get the fuck out of my apartment before I make you.”
Iriel sighed again. “It wasn’t my intention to upset either of you, I apologize. I am... making an offer. Kenali, I know you will wish to be wherever your child is. So, if you wish it, and I highly encourage it, I wish for you and your child to come with me to London, stay in my cathedral. Have your child there, raise it there, let it be under the influence of God. Let it be raised in the right ---.”
“There is no way in fucking hell Kenali is going to stay in your motherfucking cathedral!” Ashlandil hissed almost instantly, bristling. “You’re not taking her or that child anywhere!”
“It is not as if you cannot come either, Ashlandil. The cathedral is open to you so long as God permits your presence there. I am only trying to look out for the well-being of that child!” Iriel snapped, pointing at my stomach. “If it is in the cathedral, or any church that God’s presence is in, it will be safe from other angels wishing vengeance on either of you! It is for protection! And neither of you know what kind of child that will be! It might be holy, it might be good, and both of you might have the best of intentions if you’re going to raise it yourself --- but it could also turn dark, and if we don’t know what it’s going to be capable of, we won’t be able to control it either.”
We both stared at him.
He’d been thinking about this for a long time, apparently.
Probably since he learned of my pregnancy.
I looked down at my stomach, at the slight swell where my child was starting to grow.
Iriel had a point.
His cathedral would be the safest place for it, considering how many angels would really wish to do it harm, to hurt it just because it was mine or because they knew Ashlandil would be attached to it, even if they didn’t know who was the father.
But....
But I didn’t want Iriel around it.
I didn’t know why, but I didn’t want the other fallen angel ten feet near my child when it was born; I had that awful feeling again, the one I’d also experienced in the elevator, one that wouldn’t be soothed until Iriel had left.
I tightened my grip on Ashlandil.
Please just make him leave.
I didn’t want to discuss this.
The baby was staying with me and Ashlandil, no questions. I would not allow that child to go anywhere without one of us right with it, and considering we were going to tell the baby the truth, I hoped it would understand why we were being so overprotective.
Because I would be.
I would protect that child at any cost.
No matters whose life is on the line.
No matter whose life....
“We will care about our child and raise it perfectly,” Ashlandil snapped, glowering openly. “No matter how it turns out, it’s still going to be ours, and we’re still going to care for it. Fuck, if it wants to go dark, then fucking let it! It’s not like all of us haven’t gone through it before. For fuck’s sake, everyone knows I did. So if it goes dark, fuck, I’ll take care of it, I’ll steer it in the better direction --- or at least give it pointers on how to not get caught.”
“Ashlandil!” I hissed, smacking his shoulder, and he merely sent me a crooked grin.
“Kidding, calm down. But, we don’t need you or anyone else nosing into the baby’s life, alright? We’ll raise it, we’ll take care of it, we’ll clean up the messes if something goes wrong. Simple enough for you?”
Iriel glared at him. “Ashlandil, that is awful ---.”
“No, it’s parenting,” Ashlandil corrected, sounding like his normal smart-ass self. “So, whether we do it right or wrong, it’s none of your fucking business. You’re only here to take care of Andy and Cronus, remember? Or have you forgotten that was the only reason I called you? Don’t make me regret it, Iriel.”
“Or what?” Iriel snapped, bristling in his priestly robes, and I tightened my hand on Ashlandil’s hand worriedly. “God will not allow you to harm me, Ashlandil; I am in his graces. I fell for mankind, not of my own selfish desires!”
I winced.
I wished I could say the same.
Ashlandil glanced at me, and then at Iriel, his expression snapping.
“You’re more selfish then you think you are, Iriel. It’s impossible not to be. And let me make something clear: This baby is none of your business, and you’re to never bring it up again, do you understand? Not unless it’s pertinent to dealing with Andiel or Cronus. I won’t hear of it, and you’re not going to speak to Kenali about it ever again.
“Baby stays with us, it’s not going to be a fucking monk you’re going to hide up in your drafty rafters and raise in His holy grace or whatever the fuck you’re thinking. Let the kid be a kid, damn. And as of right now, your welcome has worn out, so I suggest you leave.”
Iriel stared at Ashlandil.
I stared at Ashlandil.
Well.
That....
Was amazing.
Oh, Ashlandil....
“Fine,” Iriel said after a moment, his voice stiff. “If that’s how you feel about it then. But don’t forget that my offer still stands, even after the birth of the child. It needs to be watched carefully,” he warned, taking a step towards our door. “It could be the damnation of all of mankind for all we know.”
Ashlandil scoffed, rolling his eyes. “You are so full of shit, man. The kid’s not gonna be the fucking Anti-Christ, Jesus.”
No!
Of course not!
Iriel literally sniffed, and then turned on his heel, striding for the door.
“Mind my warning, in any case,” he threw over his shoulder, almost wrenching the door open, visibly angered. I had never seen Iriel angry before, and as I looked at him, I could see his glamour blinking in and out.
His eyes, in his normal state, literally glowed, a bright, white color that was incredibly unnerving. I could see faint white lines stretching from the center of his forehead down his face, almost like war stripes, like from Above.
It made me tense.
It was frightening, to be honest.
Why would he look more like an angel when his glamour faded, not more like a demon?
Like the rest of us?
Was God really on his side?
Was perhaps it a good idea to let the child be raised in his presence?
I suddenly wasn’t sure.
My hand tightened against my stomach.
What should I do?
What would be best for the child?
Should we raise it on our own?
Should we raise it in the cathedral?
I suddenly didn’t know.
What ---?
“Goodbye, Iriel,” Ashlandil growled, and Iriel gave a huff, slamming the front door behind him as he left.
I flinched as the sound echoed through my ears.
Great.
I looked up at Ashlandil worriedly, biting my lip.
“Ashlandil ---.”
“Don’t worry about him, Kenali,” he muttered, turning towards me immediately, his hands rising to cup my face. “Pretend he never visited. He only said all of that because he wants the baby for himself so he can fucking study it or something. If we went with him, the baby would never have a normal life. And that’s what you want for it, isn’t it?”
I nodded my head.
“Then we’ll raise it on our own, like we’ve planned. Nothing’s changed. We’ll tell it the truth, that’s the best we can do for it. Hell, we’ll send it to school if that’s what you want, really make it a normal baby, show it how to function in the human world. And, when it’s ready or its powers start to show up, we’ll deal it. Simple as that."
But was it really that simple?
I sighed, and leaned forward, pressing my forehead against Ashlandils chest. He wrapped his arms around me, hugging me to him gently.
"I don't want Iriel around the baby," I said after a moment, my voice muffled. "I just... I don't."
"Then he won't be around the baby," Ashlandil gently ran his fingers through my hair. "Easy."
....
Was it really that easy?
To keep him away from it?
I really wasn't sure.
I suddenly wasn't sure about anything.

Notes

So, I've been watching this show, iZombie, and it is awesome. If anyone hasn't seen it, you seriously should check it out! I know Netflix has the first season, at least.

So check it out!


:D