My Fallen Angel

"What are you doing?" Ashlandil hissed in my ear as I sat complacently on their sofa.
The other human band members had looked a little confused by my appearance, but after Andy introduced me as an old friend of Ashley, they seemed more comfortable, and I ignored the looks they sent each other when they thought neither of us were looking.
"What do you mean?" I asked innocently, picking at a thread on my tight jeans.
"You fucking know what I mean!" he snarled back at me. "It's one thing to pop up at the shows, but another to just completely involve yourself by getting on the bus! Kenali, this isn't going to work like you want it too and you know it!
" I glared at him. "I can't protect him from Seraphine if we're separated by a crowd of humans every time, now can I? And obviously you're not going to do anything, so I have too!"
He almost looked insulted.
"I'll keep her away from him," he scowled at me.
"You couldn't even keep me back, let alone a higher demon," I rolled my eyes. "He's going to need both of us to keep his soul clean, which means some of your ways are going to have to change."
"Like what?" he asked suspiciously. "Are you going to try to make me into some kind of angelic guard dog? Because I have an image to uphold, and ---."
"Ashlandil, really? An image? These humans won't even remember you in another fifty years!"
"Hey, I'm famous! I even have a clothing line!"
"Human wealth means nothing!" I reminded him. "We don't need it."
"It's a whole different ball game down on the earth, babe," he shook his head, and I scowled at him.
"Don't call me that. You know I hate pet names."
"I know, that's why it makes it so great," he chuckled at me, and I pinched him.
"Ow! Hey, what was that for?" he hissed at me, eyes flashing red as he became his more temperamental self.
"There, that's the angel I remember," I sent him a amused smile.
"I'm still new, I still have my strength. So if you don't buck up I'll spend what time I have here following you around making you miserable," I growled at him.
He glared at me.
"Sooo, Kenna, right?" We both looked over, and I hesitated. One of the other members was talking to me from the other sofa, giving Ashlandil and me a curious look. One of the other ones sat beside him, looking just as interested.
"Yes."
All of these humans looked alike with their long dark hair and makeup, and I couldn't remember which name went with who. "How do you know Ashley, anyway? You're the first 'old friend,' of his I've ever met without him whisking them away to his bunk."
"Um." I glanced at his chagrined face; THAT was the image he wanted to cling too? "We grew up together."
"Oh, so you're from a small town too?"
"Something like that," I nodded, playing with a strand of my hair.
It was a unnatural red color for a human, but as much as they changed their hair color, I figured I could safely leave it for what it was. My eyes, however, I let show green, when normally they would've been a glowing violet, just as Ashlandils was a glowing red.
We had to alter our appearances in order to blend in, and I kind of resented it; it was tiring always having to have a glamour.
"I'm sure you're tired from your trip though, right?" Ashlandil --- ASHLEY, I corrected myself --- glared at me. "It's s long ride from home to here, isn't it? I'll help you get settled in."
His hand clamped around my wrist and he dragged me to my feet and out of the living area.
"You can't keep dragging me around," I hissed at him as he stogged to the bunks.
"Look, if you're gonna stay here," he snapped, holding onto one of the bunks for support as the bus started to turn, "then we're gonna have to work on a few things."
"Like?"
"One, the names. I'm Ashley, you're Kenna, and he's Andy, got it?"
I rolled my eyes. "I'm quite aware of that, yes."
"Good. And you're talking way too formal for this type of life. No one talks like that unless they're high strung, which you are but come on." He shrugged, and I glared.
"Third, we're gonna have to go shopping and dress you in some clothes that don't stick out so much.
" I glanced down at myself. "What is wrong with these?"
"Too much white," he curled his nose. "But don't worry, we'll work on it."
"Why are you going to make this more difficult then it needs to be?" I huffed, clutching at the bunk as the bus gave a sudddn swerve, and Ashleys hand swept to my waist to steady me.
"Because it wouldn't be any fun for me if you had it easy," he chuckled at me, red eyes gleaming. "And I like getting under your skin, it's easy. You're gonna have to learn to relax."
"I am relaxed!"
"You're as high strung as one of Medelyns harps," he told me, and I wrinkled my nose at him.
"Don't be rude. He plays beautiful music."
Ashley rolled his eyes, his hand still on my waist despite the bus had righted its course.
I went to brush it away, but he suddenly tugged, pulling me against him and turning so I was pressed back against the bunks, his chest touching mine.
"Get off!" I snapped at him, bristling instantly.
"Kenali, You have a part to play here," he muttered in my ear, his breath warm as he nuzzled my throat. "And you're gonna have to figure out which sin you wanna do first if you don't wanna fade into oblivion. It's easy, so just pick one. Kill a human, sleep with one, steal from the poor, I don't care," he shook his head. "But you're gonna have to make up your mind. Simple sins won't sustain you for very long."
"Is that why you're so promiscuous?" I hissed at him, feeling his hands tighten on my hips, as if I'd struck a nerve. I could feel his heart beat, and he was too warm, making my skin itch.
"Just get off," I growled in his ear, my nails digging into his forearms. "Before I force you."
He snorted derisively in my ear. "I've been on this earth eons longer then you, little angel, do not test me. You need me to survive almost as much as you need me to help you save Andy. So this, right here," he pressed closer, and I felt his lips brush my jaw, "is going to have to become a little more common to keep up this charade."
"No it doesn't!" I hissed, straining away from him. I didn't want him touching me, especially not like that.
"Yes," his hand clamped on my chin, forcing my face back in place, "it does! You don't have to sleep with me, Kenali, you just gotta make sure everyone else thinks you are! That's the only way the rest of the guys are gonna be okay with you bumming around, got it?"
my eyes flared their natural color as I glowered at him.
"Do you understand?" he growled at me, and I caught a flash of his teeth, seeing them sharp and fanglike, and I looked away quickly.
"Yes, I understand." I muttered.
"Good," Ashley abruptly leaned away from me, his mood bright. "Then we have a soul to save."

Notes