Sweet Surrender XXV

When Gabrielle reached Aleta's room, she realized that she had forgotten to grab a cup of cider. She decided that she would get one for the girl too, it might help her sleep to have something warm on her belly. Gabrielle turned and walked back down the stairs. As her boot hit the last step, she saw Xena slinking out of the tavern. Now where was she going? To meet Ares? Probably! Gabrielle couldn't leave well enough alone. She'd seen the emotional roller coaster that Xena was on and she was going to put a stop to it. Why was the warrior putting herself through this?

"Can I borrow a cloak?" Gabrielle leaned over the bar and asked Democles who was stacking bowls on the bottom shelf.

"Sure, there's that one there on the peg, it's a little tattered. I can grab you a heavier one from the back."

"No, no, this one will do fine. Thanks." The bard grabbed the cloak, cinched the neck and pulled the cowl down over her short-cropped hair.

Darkness had fallen over the town already, but Xena's tall stature gave her away easily. The warrior walked with purpose, taking long strides. Gabrielle knew that walk. It was the one Xena used when she had a singular goal in mind. Gabrielle had to stretch her shorter legs to keep from losing sight of her long-legged friend.

They were headed to the worst part of town! What was she doing? At this hour? Gabrielle suddenly wished that she'd thought to grab her sais. She silently cursed Xena. They'd made two left turns and now Xena was veering to the right. For a second, Gabrielle thought that Xena had made her and was purposefully trying to lose her. Then, Xena stopped dead in the center of the street and looked both ways before heading to a door with a design that Gabrielle had seen before. Where had she seen that symbol? In Athens! Of course! This was one of those places! But why was Xena here? Had Ares asked her to come here? Why? They'd spent the previous night making like monkeys in the tavern. Why would he want to meet here in this disgusting den of licentiousness? Well, it was Ares, she supposed that should have been answer enough. But hadn't he created a place for them to play their little games? None of this made any sense.

Every warning in her head was telling her to high tail it back to the inn. Xena was a big girl, she knew what she was doing. She would only be pissed if Gabrielle picked a fight with Ares in a sex club. But this was her best friend, her companion, her partner. She couldn't turn away. Gabrielle pushed the door open. She was surprised by how well lit the place was. Sconces lined the entryway. A sultry, raven-haired vixen served as the door greeter.

"Are you here for training?"

"Training?" Gabrielle asked.

The woman rolled her eyes. "Do you know where you are, Dear?"

"Yes, a sex club."

"It's not just a sex club, Love. We have a particular bent here. But how I would love to train you for a day or two."

"Train me?"

"Oh yes."

"Well, I'm not here for training." Gabrielle insisted.

"Looking for a master then?" The woman was trying to be helpful. If she could figure out the girl's kink then she could send her in the right direction.

"No, I am not a submissive."

"Really? Interesting," the woman's eyebrow arched up.

"So you are a domme."

"No, oh no," Gabrielle shook her head.

"A switch then?" The woman asked.

"Yes, a switch that's fine." Gabrielle needed to get past this woman and she knew she was going to have to give her an answer or be stuck there another hour.

"Very well, you'll find your fun in Aphrodite's Lair, it's to your left when you enter. That'll be three dinars."

"Three dinars. For real?"

"Do I look like I am kidding? Of course, there are other ways a sweet thing like you could pay." The woman licked her crimson lips and leaned closer.

"No, no, here you go, three dinars." Gabrielle slapped the coins into the woman's palm. The vixen scraped her blood red fingernails across the top of the bard's hand.

"Have fun," she whispered and smiled a cheshire grin.

Gabrielle didn't know where to begin to look for Xena. She turned toward Aphrodite's Lair as the hostess had instructed. She hadn't found her friend there. Of course not, she chastised herself. Xena was a sub. She needed to find where subs went for training or punishment or debasement or whatever the heck was that Xena needed.

Gabrielle looked up and down the hallway. She caught sight of a statuesque woman pulling a golden boy with the hardest body she'd ever seen on what looked like a solid gold chain. Maybe she was taking the boy for training. She decided that she would follow them. She fell in step behind them. She caught glimpses of their conversation.

"You've pleased me with your gifted tongue. You've sat quietly while your Mistress talked business, now I am going to reward you for your good behavior. I am going to let you suck me off with that talented mouth muscle of yours. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mistress, Thank you, Mistress."

Gabrielle had to stifle a giggle. Was this what all the role-play was about? How could Xena be into this?

The sight of Xena sitting demurely on the floor, as she rounded the corner, left Gabrielle dumbstruck. Xena had let her dark hair down completely and had pulled it over one shoulder. Her gracefully long back was to the bard but Gabrielle could see her toned arms at her sides with her skilled and strong hands resting on her thighs. Her head was cast downward. She was waiting. Waiting for Ares. Gabrielle had never seen Xena so vulnerable. Xena was always so in charged, controlling a situation. It was erotic to see her just sitting there waiting to be commanded. It surprised her just how sexy she found Xena in that pose. It made her ache to play the game with her. She wondered what would happen if she walked over and ordered Xena to service her. Would she do it? She didn't get the chance to find out. A tattooed man wearing an eye patch approached her. He was clearly a pirate or some sort of marauder. He was the kind of scum they fought on a daily basis and he was about to put his hands on Xena. Worse, she was going to let him. This twist to the scene turned her stomach. An open, vulnerable Xena was a beauty to behold but a Xena willing to let a thug like that touch her, kiss her, fuck her, maybe even come inside of her, Gabrielle couldn't take it, couldn't stand it. She couldn't watch any longer. Xena hadn't come here to be with Ares at all. She'd come her because she was broken. Broken in a way that Gabrielle had never understood. Wasn't sure she could ever truly understand. Did Ares understand? Could he really know what Xena needed more than she did? Gabrielle bolted down the hallway, past the black haired receptionist and out into the night air. She couldn't stop the bile as she retched into the street.

She had to stop this. She couldn't let Xena do this to herself. She did the only thing she could do. Gabrielle looked up into the starry night and called, "Ares!"

AXAXAXAXAXAXAXAX

When he'd finished in Persia, Ares transported himself to check on his troops in Gaul. War business was just what he needed to distract himself from thinking about the Warrior Princess. The Romans were ridiculously in charge here. They'd waged war so furiously that is impossible to find a living Gallic man between the ages of sixteen and forty. All that was left were poor peasant women and children, easily subdued by the might of the Roman military. They were now using Gaul as their base to push northward into Celtic lands. Currently his soldiers,were in the process of erecting a statue to Claudius, the latest emperor, who was an improvement on Caligula as far as Ares was concerned. Ares was just beginning to seek out the general in charge when he heard a ripple in the aether. Many mortals called his name. Most of the time he just ignored it, but this voice couldn't be ignored. His subconscious magnified the voice because it was associated with the one he held the most dear.

Gabrielle? What could she want? Probably to yell at him for upsetting Xena. Gods she was annoying but that little voice wasn't going to quit buzzing in his ear until he humored her. So, he vanished from Gaul only to reappear on the street in front of a flush faced Gabrielle.

The first thing he noticed was the vomit on the road. What was wrong? Was Xena okay? Had she the murderer and things gone sour? He scanned the area quickly. His chestnut eyes landed on the red door with the BDSM symbol carved deep within it. Gabrielle didn't have to say a word. He knew what she had seen. Or at least he could guess at it. She'd seen Xena humbling herself before some man who was beneath her. Ares didn't even bother to use the front door. He simply searched for Xena's soul signature and flashed himself to her.

Ares watched as the swashbuckler pulled Xena's hand out of her lap and brought it up to his crotch. Xena closed her hands around the pirate's hard shaft. He pushed his hips forward into her grasp. Ares knew he was breaking the rules of the club but he didn't give a damn. She was his. He watched her back stiffen as she became aware of his presence. That's right, Xena. You are getting claimed!

"Get your dick off of that one, it's mine!" Ares warned the man.

"Fuck off, she's not collared."

"Xena, take your hand off of his cock, now." Ares ordered.

Xena's hand dropped back to her thigh. How did he find out? He wasn't supposed to be here. Today wasn't his day. That was yesterday. They weren't due to meet for another six days. What was he doing here? The questions ran rampant through her head but she didn't dare disobey.

"I thought I told you no more third party hijinks."

"You weren't here, it's not exactly a threesome."

"Do you need me to shut that smart mouth of yours?"

"No, Sir." she answered, but she hoped with every fiber of her being that he would make her pleasure him.

"Good, now as I was saying, this one is spoken for." Ares turned to the pirate.

"And as I said, she ain't collared. If you ain't man enough to keep her satisfied. . ." the pirate never finished the sentence. With one blast of electric energy, Ares turned him into a burning heap of ash.

"Come, Xena." Ares commanded.

Xena stood, stepped over the smoldering pile of ash and walked to Ares.

"Why didn't you call me?" Ares struggled to keep his voice even, his heart was breaking.

"It's not our day," she reminded.

"Xena, I am at your disposal 24/7."

"We have to stop." Xena stated.

"No, and from now on, I will have you when I want you, understand? There will be no more one day a week business. You will stay ready for me at a moment's notice. Are we clear?"

Xena nodded her head silently, her insides turned molten. "We've played your game long enough. Now, we play mine. I've been so scared you would bolt on me, I've been too conservative in my treatment of you. Well, Xena if you're gonna make yourself a cum dump for any scum that walks into a sex club then that bastard is right. I've failed you as a master. Now, the real training begins."

"What, what are you talking about?"

"You are mine, body, blood, and soul. And you are going to learn what that means, once and for all."

"Where are you taking me?" She asked as he pulled her down the hallway.

When they reached the front exit, the door greeter looked at him quizzically. Where had he come from? She would have remembered a Dom like that! Ares didn't even spare her a second glance. He kicked the front door down. Gabrielle, on the other side, had to jump out of the way to avoid being crushed.

"Gabrielle, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, Xena." Gabrielle sobbed and pulled the warrior into a hug.

Xena knew from the ashen look on her face that her friend had seen her in the club. Xena blushed. She hadn't wanted Gabrielle to see that side of her. She timidly hugged Gabrielle back but then pulled away quickly.

"Say your goodbyes." Ares ordered.

"What?" Gabrielle looked at him, confused.

"I promise you I won't hurt her but she is coming with me."

"Are you going to punish her?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yes," he didn't lie. "But not like you are thinking."

"I can't let you take her, Ares."

"You can't stop me, Blondie. Not this time."

Gabrielle looked at Xena and she could see the longing in Xena's eyes. She wanted this. She wanted him like this. Commanding, in charge, domineering. This was what did it for her. All these years, all these years she'd wanted nothing more than to surrender to him.

"When will you bring her back?"

"When she's ready."

"Ready for what?" Gabrielle asked.

"When I can trust that she won't end up in another place like this."

"Well, at least that we can agree on." Gabrielle reached for Xena again but the warrior shied away. She was ashamed that Gabrielle had seen her in such a compromised position.

"Xena tell her goodbye," Ares ordered.

Xena relaxed and let Gabrielle hug her. Ares looked to the ground as the two women shared their goodbye hugs and kisses.

"Where will I find you?" Gabrielle turned to Ares.

"You won't. I will find you. I promise no harm will come to her."

"If you'll recall the marks you left on her, you'll understand why I can't believe those words."

"Again, it doesn't matter if I have your approval or not. I have hers. She has a safe word, Gabrielle. Until she uses it, she is completely mine." He turned to Xena. "Let's go my little scorpion."

"Oh, now I am the scorpion?" She asked.

"Well, you always manage to sting me." Ares wrapped his arms around her and they disappeared.