In the meantime, as I was about to discover a bit later, Thebes was getting fairly crowded with heroes- all of them summoned at the request of King Nycetus himself. Just try to picture my reaction when, at nightfall, as the Bard was finally asleep, opening a portal to check on my Princess, I found her exchanging strategy tips with none other than…Jerkules, of course!
XXX
''You gotta be kidding me !'' I yell, throwing a series of lightening bolts at a few nearby trees and in no time they are burning like torches , startling the Bard to the point that she literally jumps out of her bedroll.
''Ares?! What happened ?!''she shrieks, watching in horror as, under the effect of the wind, the fire extends deeper into the woods.
''A bear- big one. Had this wild, dirty look in his eyes. Pretty sure he was thrilled with the idea of a midnight snack….''
''And do you have to burn down the entire forest for it?!'' she exclaims, half panicking already at the apocalyptic sight of the rapidly spreading flames.
''Oh that ?!That's nothing….'' I state, and I can feel my jaw tense and my eyes burn along with the dry branches.
''Ares…? …..Ares!''
Her voice pulls me out of the trance.
''We need to stop the fire somehow! '''she urges, coughing violently from the dense smoke surrounding the area.
''Or we could just let it cremate everything in its path…'' I reply coldly, slightly taken aback at just how heartless my voice has sounded.
''Are you crazy ? Come on! We need to go to the river, get some water!'' she screams, throwing me a wineskin.
Despite my boundless rage, I can't help burst into laughter at her ridiculously silly idea.
I just toss her back the wineskin and with a wave of my hand I unleash a memorable downpour of rain all over the affected area, thus solving the problem.
''Great! That's just great, Ares, thanks!'' she mumbles displeased, squeezing the water out of her hair while throwing me the nastiest look one could ever imagine. Didn't even know she had it in her….If looks could kill, she would be queen, that's for sure….
''Any time…''I just bark back, returning her the visual favour, but with a snap of my fingers her clothes are dry again and she is back in her bedroll, tucked in under the blankets like a baby.
''All better?'' I inquire, struggling to control my anger for at least one moment. '' Now go back to sleep. I 'm going to look around for a bit.!''
''What if another bear comes?! I could be killed…eaten alive …..''she quickly asks, wrapping the blankets even closer to her body. I still can't believe how naïve she is….How do such mortals live to see another sunrise is beyond my comprehension!
''Don't worry. We'll just shish kebab it as well.'' I retort, grinning devilishly at her but judging by her expression this doesn't seem to help her anxiety much. ''You're safe Blondie. No bear is gonna rob me of that pleasure, trust me.'' I simply add, disappearing into the night, just to vanish from the damn place when I'm far enough for her to see the lights of the aether.
Seconds later, I'm in Xena's room , casually seated on an armchair that, despite its shabby appearance it's almost as comfortable as my throne. She's not back yet, but I can clearly sense her presence nearby, and just as I am about to open a portal again to see exactly what she's doing, I can hear voices in the hallway….Her voice …along with the one of my two faced bastard brother, chatting merrily about gods know what but whatever it is, it makes my skin crawl.
''Here we go…..'' I breathe out, closing my eyes for a second in the vain attempt to calm the destructive storm I feel crushing my heart against my ribs, viciously torn between the desire to choke the life outta her and the one of chopping that worthless scum to little pieces.
So…..good night then…. I can hear him mumbling in that disgusting, lecherous tone of his that almost begs for more and I could just break down that door and mop the floor with him, officially crapping on Zeus' stupid rule regarding blood and family…..
''Good night, Hercules..'' she replies, and I unwillingly grind my teeth at the awareness that a very special smile has just accompanied that line. I know her far too well to fool myself that I haven't detected a trace of latent desire in those words….Damn her to Tartarus! Damn her for the humiliation she put me through with that bastard, for the disappointment, the heartbreak , the anxiety and the nerve of having chosen everyone else over me –Jerkules and the Harpy included.
The second she enters the room, I can feel her body tense. She knows I'm here. Hadn't she been that busy flirting with that prick, she would have sensed my presence from the other end of the hallway .But no…..she just had to let herself distracted by him…..
''Ares….''she whispers , way before our eyes meet through the thick darkness of the room .''What are you doing here? Is Gabrielle ok ? " she questions, and I could bet my godhood that while waiting for an answer her heart literally stopped beating.
''I haven't killed her yet if that's what you're asking…''I instantly snap at her, irritated by her immeasurable concern with that brain dead creature.
She just stares at me for a few moments, trying to read between the lines and the instant I make a few candles light up in the room, I finally notice just how stressed she really is …..To my surprise, it's not Gabrielle she's worried about.
''Well played, by the way …'' I continue , passing her by as coldly and heartlessly as possible .''Keeping me busy babysitting Blondie while you're here fooling around with Jerkules…..now that's new ….''
''What are you talking about?''
''You know…the usual…..Fucking with me in the morning, with him at night…." I spitefully clarify, grabbing her arm and turning her around to face me. "Does that ring any bell ?''
''Why would you even bring that up ?! I thought we agreed that we were to never mention it again, didn't we?'' she hisses, trying to break free from my vice like grip, but I'd rather break her arm than let her go.
''Why do you think, huh?!'' I growl animalistically , all those half buried memories suddenly coming back to life again, along with that wretched pain that literally had me on my knees back then.
''I have no clue Ares. Is it because he is in the same building I am ?!''
''What a coincidence, wouldn't you say ?!"
''It actually is, just so you know. I had no idea that he was going to be here as well….''
''Oh really ?! For some reason, I find that hard to believe….''
''You can believe whatever the fuck you want! '' she pungently retorts, kneeling me in the groin and pushing me hard enough for me to finally free her -heading nonchalantly towards the bed. ''Plus….why would you even care who ….''
''Don't you dare go there , Xena! Don't you dare!'' I gravely warn her, throwing her a lethal enough glare as to make her reconsider her words.
''Or what ? Are you going to beat me half to death again?'' she yells back, and after all this time, I can still see the hurt in her eyes as the subject is being brought up. She's still not over it obviously, and I instinctively look down and gulp noisily at the awareness that ultimately, that unfortunate event was my fault after all….I should have kept my cool that night - I should have vanished from that temple and leave her talking , ignoring her pleas and calls until my anger were to dissolve enough as to be able to have a decent conversation with her….. Instead, I unleashed all my wrath on her, all that pent up frustration, the hurt…..I nearly killed her- and raped her more times than I care to remember- with the same brutality with which she ripped my heart into little pieces ….
It still gives me the chills just thinking about it.
I nervously clench my fingers around the backrest of the wooden chair in front of me , and I just take in a deep breath as I look aside, absently, at one of the walls. This can't be happening again…I can't lose her once more…..Not to him out of all people- the idea itself makes me wanna throw up…
''Ares….'' the melody in her voice and her soft, warm touch on my face, in complete contrast with the nightmarish images that have been haunting my mind, pull me back from that graveyard of memories I have been revisiting . You see, she knows me well enough to realize just how close we were to repeating that awful scenario and to thus wisely change her approach. ''It's not like that ….We're just friends…..that's it….''
''Friends…''
''Yeah…..''
''Hmmmm….what about when he comes knocking at your door in the middle of the night? What then ?''
''Why would he…..?''
She doesn't even get to finish that sentence though, cause there's a loud bang at the door.
''You were saying…..?''
''Xena ?! Are you asleep?''
''No, Hercules , come in!'' she replies, much to my surprise. I would have expected her to ask me to leave, to avoid him seeing her in my company…
''I was kinda hoping you were still up….'' he begins-an ear to ear grin on that ready to be smashed face of his - but instantly stops when he notices me right behind her .
''Ares! What are you doing here ? What are you up to ?!''he immediately interrogates, as if he has every right in the world to do so . ''Are you ok ?!'' he asks, scanning my Princess from head to toe while closing in the distance between us.
''Yeah I'm fine …..''
''What is it brother? Are you afraid I'm here to kidnap her, lock her in some dark dungeon, chain her up and make her my personal sex slave?''I inquire, doing my best to keep a straight face, though fairly tempted to show off the satisfaction of knowing that my Princess and I have been actually recreating that exact scenario only a few hours erlier.
'' We all have the right to dream ,Ares. Sadly for you, that is never going to happen. Xena would never stop that low as to accept a degenerated loser like you by her side, but I think you are well aware of that….'' he replies, a hint of amusement in his voice.
''Stop it both of you! You 're acting like children! You can relax Hercules, I called him. I asked him to help me with something and we were talking.'' Xena intervenes, visibly bothered by his attitude.
''You asked him for help?Out of all people ?!''
''Yes she did .Do you have a problem with that, Brother?''
''I was talking to Xena, Ares, so can you keep that pie hole shut for one minute?! ''he snarls, looking at me as if I were a five year old.
''You don't get to tell me to shut up!'' I raise my voice, ready to jump at his throat.
''Ok, enough !'' Xena's voice suddenly silences us both. ''Hercules, what was it you wanted?'Is it important ?'' she inquires, a clear hint that it's about time for him to leave and give us some gods damned space.
''No. It can wait…I'll let you two talk …'' he emphasizes, heading for the door, the level of revulsion showing on his face being unbeatable. " I'm just down the hall if you need me...'' he tells Xena, making sure to accidentally brush her shoulder as he passes her by, and that gesture alone has me as tense as a bow string.
''I'll be fine. Don't worry…See you at dawn ...''
"Sure .'' he simply replies, finally vanishing from sight.
A few seconds of heavy silence pass, and I just look at her, nervously biting my lower lip, trying to mentally prepare myself for what I anticipate to be a very, very long lecture regarding my inappropriate behavior- spiced with those well known phrases of hers '' You can't tell me what to do, Ares '' , ''I'm not your property '' and anything else along those lines, but to my utter shock, she doesn't say a thing, she just steps a bit closer and I can swear I am about to be slapped for …whatever reason she sees fit.
Still, defying all odds, logic and expectation, her palm moves slowly up my leather vest instead, resting a fleeting moment on my shoulder before her fingers entangle languidly into my hair, her gaze never leaving mine and as her thumb begins to outline my jaw, I can hear a sizzling of electricity passing from my body through hers, but I refuse to check, to break the spell of having her so close to me.
''I'm glad you came''…she murmurs against my lips, her other hand now resting comfortably on my chest, and it might be the adrenaline in me talking , but by the Styx, I can genuinely feel some invisible but very much present threads connecting my heart to hers- as if they are sewed together somehow.
I want to reply, but the growl building in my throat prevents me from doing so, plus, I'm too taken aback by those dazzling azure moons, staring at me as if they are staring into my very soul, and as her scorching lips finally search for mine, melting into what started out like a tender, almost innocent kiss, the pace suddenly changes the instant her nails scrape lightly the back of my neck and her breathing accelerates in response to my own hands roaming uncontrollably up and down her back. An unbearable heat wave, pulsing through our bond, makes my blood boil and my every cell long for more- for the licking, sucking, exploring and all in all for that ravishing sensation that she still belongs to me and that she always will.
Soon, I can hear her moan loudly as I press her body hard against the door – don't ask how we got to this part of the room cause I have no clue – and though my mind is already clouded with ecstasy and I'm pretty sure I have all the details I need to make this a memorable experience for both of us figured out, I still feel like I have to ask- just to be certain I read all the signals correctly.
''How do you want this?'' I can hear myself groaning against her mouth, and as I bite her lower lip waiting for an answer, I can literally hear the maddening pounding of her heart against my chest- an insane intensity that mirrors my own state to an absolute perfection.
''Hard…Tomorrow I still want to feel you on every inch of my body. " she simply answers, her mind too caught up in the rapture to add anything else and honestly this is everything I needed to hear. At this point, any other word is uncalled for and unnecessary.
Just as I am about to unclasp her breastplate though, a trembling, pleading voice invades my mind, making me stop for a moment.
''Unfreakingbelievable !'' I groan in frustration.
''What's wrong ?''
''It's Blondie ….''