Ashlandil

Where was Kenali? This wasn't like her, running off like this and not telling anyone. She'd told Andy she would be back for the show, but the show was over, and she still wasnt around.
Andy was standing with Kennedi, his eyes searching the crowd as it started to disperse, the girl at his side chattering a constant stream.
She was decked out in BVB gear, a few of her clothes from my line, I noticed.
She had good taste.
I felt my phone buzz in my pocket, and I fished it out, seeing her name across thw screen.
Odd.
why was she calling me and not her loverboy?
"Ken ---."
"Ashlandil, I did something," she whimpered, and I froze, standing in the dressing room with half of my shirt on.
"What do you mean, you did something?" I asked slowly, feeling my stomach start to drop.
"I --- I didn't mean too, he-he was just, and then I turned and, and ----." I couldnt understand anything she was saying, and I hesitated another second before letting my shirt drop over my stomach and turning.
"Where are you?"
"I, I'm not ---."
"Baby, you have to tell me where you are," I muttered, feeling the guys staring at me as I took off hastily for the door, bypassing Andy and Kennedi, the girl running her fingers across his ripped t shirt.
I rolled my eyes.
He would probably be sleeping with her tonight.
"In an alley," Kenali finally managed. "I came from this bar, I can't remember how to get to the venue ---."
"I need a street name," I reminded her as I stepped out onto the cold street, humans streaming obliviously past me.
She whimpered something off, and from her vague mumbles I got the gist of where she was. I kept her on the phone as I took off, racing through the crowds until I found the alley, able to smell her scent and blood now.
I ran down it, dropping my phone in my pocket as I saw her huddled on the ground, her arms wrapped around her and a corpse across from her.
oh no.
I fell to my knees beside her, and she lifted her head, eyes bloodshot and face tear stained.
She smelled like booze.
"Baby, what happened?" I asked, seeing a black bruise on her jaw where it looked like someone had hit her.
"He --- I killed him," she whimpered, new tears in her eyes. "I didn't mean too, Ashlan, I didn't."
"I know," I cooed at her gently, pulling her into my arms, and she clutched at my shirt, sobbing weakly. I curled her body against me, staring at the corpse.
His neck was twisted wrong, and the back of his skull looked like it had been busted against the wall by a force no human possessed.
Shit.
"I didn't mean too," she whispered again, her tears hot against my chest. "He attacked me and I got so angry because he w-wouldnt leave me a-alone and, and ---."
"Then he deserved it, love," I told her gently, feeling the water start to seep through the knees of my jeans; how long had she been here? "You didn't do anything wrong but defend yourself. You did right calling me, I'll take care of this."
"I'm a monster," she whispered after a moment, and I could smell the whiskey on her breath.
Surely to god our conversation this morning hadn't upset her this bad?
"You're not a monster," I murmured, stroking her hair. "It was an accident."
Fuck, how was I going to take care of this? I didn't want it in the news and Kenali to be reminded of it, so I was going to have to hide the body pretty fucking well.
And in the middle of a populated city?
She could have at least killed him in a building.
"Sit right here, okay?" I murmured, seeing blood on her hands.
Fuck fuck fuck.
I stood up quickly and trotted to the human, seeing his glassy eyes wide open.
Shit.
I hesitated, then lifted him up by the back of his jacket, grimacing as blood dripped off of him as I did my best to quietly fold him in half, Kenali flinching at every snapping bone.
Well, this wasn't a pleasant job to do, either.
I managed to fold him up, and then I emptied some of the trash bags in the alley, easily ripping some of his limbs off and tossing them in the different bags with a grimace.
Maybe this would work, it was a hasty job.
I quickly folded what remained of the man into a box, and then into another bag, and tossed all of them into the dumpster, able to feel his blood on my hands at this point.
There, I thought, dropping the lid down.
Maybe that took care of that.
"Come on, we need to get out of here," I told Kenali, forcing her to stand, her legs wobbling.
"Jesus, did you drink the bar?" I grunted, her slumping against my chest, eyes fluttering.
"I just wanted to.. stop feeling..." She mumbled, dead weight in my arms. "It hurts."
"What hurts, love?" I pulled her onto my back, her legs locking around my waist.
"My chest. It hurts. I can't have Andiel," she mumbled in my ear, and I wrinkled my nose as I smelled the alcohol again. "He wants Kennedi."
So she'd figured out who it was, huh?
"It's not his fault."
"But why can't I have him for a little while?" She sighed in my ear, arms limp around my neck. "I want to be happy, too, while I can."
I sighed, hefting her weight a little more as I threaded through the crowd. "I don't know, sweetheart. It's just the way it is."
"But I don't like it."
"Neither do I."
She sighed, and I think she passed out, conveniently.
This was a bad situation.
I huffed as I made my way to the hotel, and I took the side entrance, letting her rest as we rode up the service elevator.
I pursed my lips, glad all the guys were preoccupied as I hurried to her room, using the room key and unlocking it. I stepped inside, and let her fall onto the bed, completely incapacitated.
At least killing the guy have given her face some color, though. That sin had been good for her physically, even if she'd suffer for it mentally.
I hoped she didn't become one of the angels driven insane from her guilt over sin.
I'd seen it happen to so many of our kind.
I sighed, tugging her shoes off and then the rest of her damp, stained clothes we would need to get rid of.
Poor Kenali.
I pulled some of her sleep clothes on her, and shuffled her around, letting her head rest on the pillow. She mumbled in her sleep, and her hand curled around my wrist as I started to step away.
"Don't go," she mumbled. "Stay with me."
"Kenna, I have to go ---."
"Please," she whispered, her dazed eyes slightly opening. "Don't leave me alone."
I hesitated, then nodded, unable to tell her no. I stripped out of my wet clothes, letting them all fall to the ground, and then crawled into bed with her, curling her cold body against me and holding her tightly, murmuring soft words in her ear that I knew would soothe her drunken mind.
She mumbled something again, her lips pressed against my throat, and I felt lust stir slightly as she nibbled at my skin; she wasn't feeding right, and her sin was trying to help her out, intoxicated or not.
And damn did I suddenly want her so badly it ached.
I wouldn't sleep with her, not while she was drunk and distressed, though I should, since Andy had done it to me.
But Kenali was the one who suffered most for it, and I sighed, forcing my sin to calm as I pushed her onto her back, and then to her other side where she wasn't facing me. I curled her back against my chest, my hand splaying across her smooth stomach, and kissed her shoulder.
"Rest now, Kenali. I'll be here when you wake up."


I glanced at Kenali where she slept peacefully, her breathing even as it started to reach mid-morning.
I sighed, looking down at my phone as I sat up; I'd slept better with her at my side then I had in months.
Funny how that worked.
I frowned at the text I had.

Ginny: I need to see you
Me: want another interview?
Ginny: no, thanks, but this is important.
I frowned even more.
What was this about?
I wasn't sure If I wanted too.

Me: Uh, when?
Ginny: is now okay? I'm in the lobby
How long had she been there?

Me: Gimme fifteen, I'll meet you downstairs.

I hesitated, then rolled over, lightly shaking Kenali's shoulder.
"Kenali, I have to go," I murmured, forcing her to wake up slightly. my lips nibbling their way across her jaw, testing to see if her sin was powerful enough to wake her from a drunk coma. "Are you gonna be okay for a couple hours?"
"Mhmph."
Good enough of a response for me.

Notes