My Fallen Angel

Well that had been humiliating.
I swallowed hard against my tears, refusing to be weak and shed them anywhere he might see. I wasn't sure if that had been Andiel or not --- or if Andy had just said the name because he heard it so often --- I just knew he could have hit me again and I wouldn't have been so surprised.
This had to be my punishment for falling.
Why else would it be so painful?
Just breathe, and everything will be okay. Just find Ashlandil and go home and pretend you never saw him.
Sounded easy enough, but I knew it would never be so simple.
Andiel would plague me for the rest of my existence.
"Kenali."
Hmm?
I glanced over, the hasty steps I'd been taking towards the street to hail a cab slowing. I hadn't been able to find Ashlan and he wasn't answering his phone, so all I knew to do was just go home.
And bitch at him later.
Had he missed the entire show? Did he even see any of it? I'd searched the crowd for his face but the lights had been to blinding to pick him out, even for me.
I was kind of hurt over it.
He was supposed to be here for me tonight, like I had for all of his shows, not just up and leave!
.... Had he left to go feed? Was that the reason he'd ditched me at the last minute after being so adamant he would be waiting for me?
Could he not keep it in his pants for five minutes!?
Ugh!
He was so infuriating!
"Ahem, Kenali."
Oh.
Right.
"Iriel?"
"Hello, Kenali! How was the show?" the angel asked me, stepping out of a black car that had apparently been waiting on the curbside. He smiled at me, his blonde hair curling around his face.
What was he doing here?
"It was fine. What are you doing here?"
"I came to find you, of course," Iriel responded, my eyes flicking over his black clothing marking him as a priest. "Ashlandil had to leave, something came up with Cronus. He asked me to come and find you and escort you to him."
"What happened with Cronus?"
Did they find him? Did they know why he'd been after Andy? Why hadn't Ashlandil left me a message on the phone? Why would he send I riel?
This didn't make sense.
He didn't even like Iriel, especially after what the angel had tried to convince me to do.
I had an awful feeling.
"Ashlandil found him, he's questioning him now. Come," he beckoned me forward towards the interior of the dark car, looking as amicable as always, and yet...
I didn't want too.
No, something wasn't right.
Something was telling me to get as far away from Iriel as possible.
And I'd learned to listen to my senses.
I took a step back, shaking my head. "I --- no. No I'm going home."
"Kenali ---."
"Where's Ashlandil?"
"I told you, he's questioning Cronus."
"But where are they?"
"I'll take you to them."
No.
I wanted to go myself, I didn't want to ride with him.
I shook my head again. "
I'll go myself, thanks. Where are they?" my voice was sharp.
Iriel looked irritated, giving me the same disapproving look he often bestowed on Ashlandil, as if I was inconveniencing him in the worst way and he just wished I'd comply.
Which made me even more wary.
I didn't wait another moment, not even to ponder the decision I was about to make.
I just listened to my instincts.
And bolted.
I heard Iriel call after me, but I ignored him, instead disappearing into the thickening crowd of the busy L.A. street, even more crowded at night. I tried to blend myself in while making sure I was putting quite a bit of distance between me and the theatre and Iriel.
I had to find Ashlandil!
Something wasn't right!
Was he hurt? Did he need me?
What had Iriel done to him!?
Did ---?
I gasped in sudden pain, and looked over, feeling something tight and cold on my arm.
"Cronus!" I tried to pull away, but Cronus was gifted with strength and I knew I had no chance. "Let go!"
Where had he even come from? He wasn't hard to find in a crowd, how had I missed him? My senses were screaming at me to run, that I was in danger, that I needed to get away from him!
Cronus didn't speak, he just looked at me, a glazed look in his eye that had never been there before; what had happened to him?
....
"Cronus?" I hesitated, for a split second worried about the blank look on his face, how unemotional he seemed, how detached. It was like he wasn't even himself, like he didn't know what he was doing.
"Cronus, let go of me!" I hissed, straining backward, the humans around starting to notice my struggling with concern.
"Stop." Cronus said, his voice monotone, empty.
"Cro ---."
"I am to take you to Ashlandil." he interrupted, his eyes on me but not quite focused, and the more I looked into his eyes, the more I could see the black in his veins, the faint line of them in his face.
And that terrified me even more.
"if you don't come willingly, I will have to force you." he said calmly, his grip painful. "Now come."
I dug my heels into the concrete, but it made no difference as he forcefully dragged Me to the curb, and for a split second I wondered if he was going to toss me out into traffic.
And then the black car pulled up, the door opening, and before I could react Cronus was shoving me inside. I gasped as I fell onto the cushions, a jolt running through my body at the impact.
What the hell?
"So sorry about this, but I did try to get you to come of your own accord." a smooth voice said, and I didn't even need to look up to know who it was.
What was going on!?

Notes

I know it's a bit of a short chapter, but the next ones a doozy. Hope this keeps you satisfied for a few more days :3