My Fallen Angel

I yawned, impatiently waiting for Ashlan to call me and tell me his plane had landed.
I frowned at the cell phone he'd given me, wishing it would ring already; he was starting to worry me again with his lack of calling.
I glanced at the door as someone knocked, and frowned even more.
Cronus was in the shower, and no one knew he was here, so I doubted it was for him.
Did Ashlan order more packages again?
I appreciated it, but I didn't need so many things.
I slipped the phone in my pocket as I walked to the door, unlocking it and pulling it open.
I blinked.
"What are you doing here?"
"We need to talk," Andy looked aggravated, and I hesitated, staring at him.
"This isn't a good time," I chewed my lip. "Ashleys not home and ---."
"I don't want to talk to Ashley," he shoved past me, and I frowned, shutting the door behind him.
Andy couldn't give me the answers I wanted, and I wasn't sure how to wake Andiel to get them. I definitely wasn't going to go after Seraphine after I'd burned her alive, amd sex could only keep me distracted for so long before the pain in my heart resurfaced; that was why I was so glad I hadn't been alone last night.
Not that Ashlan or anyone else had to know about it.
It would bother him too much and I didn't want to upset him.
"Andy, what is it?" I sighed, my hands on my hips.
He glanced suspiciously at Cronus duffle bag where it sat at the end of the couch, and then towards the bathroom where the shower ran; I'd worn Cronus out last night, and he'd slept heavily, so the makeshift bed on the couch looked slept on.
Ashlandil kept up with me so much better.
I ignored the errant thought, waiting impatiently for Andy to answer me so he could leave; it still hurt to look at him.
"What happened the other night?" he turned to look at me. "Why can't I ever remember anything when you're around?"
"What are you talking about?" I asked, shifting my weight. "What night?"
"Of the concert! I remember talking to you, kissing you --- and then everything goes blank," he looked frustrated. "And no matter how much I try to remember --- I can't!"
"Cause you got very wasted that night," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I'm with Ashley, and I pushed you away and you got really upset and left. That's all that happened. You staggered back hours later very drunk."
"I can tell you're lying, Kenna," he glared at me. "You always bite your lip."
I stopped immediately, unaware I'd been doing it.
"I'm not lying ---- I don't have time for this, Andy, I'm waiting for Ashley to come home."
"You have plenty of time!" he practically yelled at me. "I feel like I'm going fucking crazy, Kenna! What's going on?! What's WRONG with me?"
I hesitated, seeing his pained expression.
"Andy, there's nothing wromg with you," I said, quickly stepping to his side. Ashlan had really overused his powers, especially of the effects of it were still messing with Andys mind.
This wasn't good; he would go crazy at this rate and I didn't want that.
"Something is! I can't remember anything," he ran his hands through his hair. "It's happening to me all the time --- and I'm having these dreams! I can't tell what's real and what isn't anymore."
He whimpered, clutching at his hair, and worry sliced through me.
He shouldn't be that way!
"Andy, it's okay," I told him soothingly, slowly prying his fingers out of his hair before he tore it out. I stroked the top of his hands with my thumbs, knowing it calmed him. "There's nothing wrong with you, they're just dreams. Please don't be upset."
"What's wrong with me?" he whispered, his beautiful eyes meeting mine. "Why can't I stay away from you? You're my best friends girl and I can't stop dreaming of you."
I hesitated, my throat tightening.
Did he really care for me then?
Or was this still just a game to him?
The hurt in my chest rose with a vengeance, and I pulled away from him bitterly, my eyes burning.
I was sure what was truth and what was lies anymore.
"Andy, you should go."
"No!" he sounded desperate. "You need to fix me!"
"What?" I blinked at him, startled.
"I know you can, somehow. Fix me," he pleaded, grabbing my hands and pulling me against his chest, clutching at me tightly. "Please, Kenna, I'm going crazy, please."
I bit my lip, unsure of what I could do.
For some reason, ever since I slept with him, my enamor didn't work on him well. I wasn't sure if I could help him now or not.
I glanced over as the bathroom door opened and Cronus stepped out, a towel wrapped around his waist.
Andy stiffened, glaring immediately, amd Cronus raised a brow, nearly twice his size.
"I need your help," I sighed, extracting myself from Andys grip.
"What kind?" he gave a slight suggestive smile, and I blushed, quickly shaking my head.
"Um, no, not that. Ashlan went too hard on Andy, his memory is too muddled. He's gotten too used to my enamoring, can you fix him?"
"Probably," Cronus walked to us, Andy shooting us both anxious looks.
"What are you gonna do?" he asked worriedly, but Cronus ignored him, grabbing Andys arm.
His eyes glazed immediately, like they should have done the moment I'd touched him earlier.
"You're calm, you feel no worry or care over your memory loss." Cronus told him softly. "You feel completely like yourself, not stressed. You're ready and eager to return to your tour, and whatever you think you feel for... Kenna ... Is no more then friendship."
I shot him a look, and he shrugged.
"Friendship," Andy mumbled, wavering back and forth.
"You came over here to see Ashley, but since he's away, you're going to go on about your business like you would have before Kenna ever came into the picture."
"Okay," Andy smiled slightly, glassy-eyed, and wobbled his way to the front door.
"Was all that necessary?" I asked, annoyed as he left.
"It's what you wanted, wasn't it?" Cronus snorted as I locked the door, his face returning to its bored expression that it normally had.
I frowned.
Yes and no.
I glanced back at him, and quickly averted my eyes, blushing as he dropped his towel and pulled on his clothes; it's not like I hadn't seen and felt all the places the towel had hid.
I chewed my lip as I waited for him to dress, hoping Ashlandil returned soon.
I wanted to know whose child that was, and what he was going to do about it.
"We're not going to mention anything to him, remember?" I said, crossing my arms as I stared at the front door. "He's never to know."
"I'm aware, Kenali, though I see no difference it would make if he knew," Cronus sighed. "You suffer the same sin, he should understand."
He should, but he wouldn't.
I felt Cronus slip his hands onto my hips; my t shirt was loose, so he had no trouble slipping his fingers beneath it and onto the bare skin of my stomach, pulling me back against him.
"I thought you were exhausted."
"Wonders what a shower can do for someone," he murmured in my ear, pressing his lips against the back of my neck.
I shivered.
Cronus was very pleasing, and he didn't want an actual relationship with me which made him so much more appealing; he wouldn't fall in love with me.
Which is what Ashlan had done, though he'd never come out and said the words.
And I hoped he never did, because I didn't want to break his heart.
I heard a key start to scrape the lock in the door, and I skittered hastily away from Cronus, causing him to huff in annoyance.
"He could always just join us," he muttered, and I glared at him as he sat on the couch, his blankets folded and pillow placed neatly on top of it.
The door opened, Ashlandil looking tired as he stepped inside. His eyes swept to Cronus, but I'd texted him earlier warning him, so he wasn't surprised.
"Ashlan!" I smiled, feeling generally happy he was home.
He smiled as he saw me, letting his duffle drop as I ran into his arms, locking mine around him tightly.
"Hey, babe," he sighed into my hair.
"I missed you," I murmured, sincere.
I knew I had slept with Cronus while he was gone, but I hadn't technically cheated on him considering our relationship, and I was sincere in my words.
I had missed him.
"I missed you too." he pulled away from me as he shut the door.
"Well?" I asked, feeling anxious. "Is it...?"
"No," he said after a slight hesitation, "it wasn't mine, Kenali."
"Good," I said, relieved. "That would have been awful. "
"Yeah," he grunted, kicking his duffle under the small table of odds and ends he kept by the door. "Nice to see you again, Cronus. It's been a couple centuries, huh?"
"Give or take, yes," Cronus nodded, watching Ashlandil curiously. "How does the famous life treat you?"
"It has its perks. You should try it sometime."
"I would prefer not." Cronus didn't look impressed as he rose to his feet. "But I must get going. Thank you for the hospitality, Kenali."
"Of course," I smiled at him.
"You can stay if you want," Ashlan offered, pouring himself a.scotch. "At least while we're in town. We can catch up."
Cronus hesitated, his eyes flicking to mine, and I nodded.
"I wouldn't mind that." he said after a moment, letting his bag slowly drop. "Resting somewhere for a while would be nice."
Yes, I thought, my eyes flicking to the skin that his shirt and jeans left exposed, I wanted to keep him around.
For a snack.

Notes