CHAPTER XXVI

Warning: Dark, Mature Themes

The slosh of the water echoed throughout the room as it lapped over the lip of the bathtub.

Athena gazed at an open window; it swallowed steam and blew in cool gusts of air in return. A dozen torches lit the bathing chamber, the flickering light of their flames illuminating the marble that lined walls and floor. Feeling lightheaded, she couldn't tell if it was the heat from the steam, the water, or Ares' body that made her breath short and her heart drum.

She had no idea how she let Ares convince her to do this.

It was a little embarrassing, a little too intimate. It had been some time since they had been together like this, and every time she found herself in this sort of situation, she felt a bit like the maiden she was that first night at Apollo's temple.

Ares brushed a lock of hair from her shoulder onto her back.

'Are you alright?' he lightly nuzzled her hair, 'If the water is too warm, I can cool it down.'

'It's okay…or maybe you can make it just a little cooler.' she said quietly. Any louder, and she would not be able to bear the echo of her own voice. The echo of Ares', however, was a pleasure to hear.

Whatever the bath wasn't doing for Athena, it was doing in bounds for Ares. He had not complained of his spinning head once and his breaths had remained steady for as long as they had been in the water. With his chest against her back, she could feel the gentle rhythm of his heartbeat against her.

'This reminds me a bit of that night at Apollo's.' he said. The rumble of his voice sent vibrations through her spine.

'Strange things always seem to happen there,' she said, leaning forward. Athena stared into the milky water where orbs of fragrant amber oils bobbed upon the surface. Cupping her hands together, she raised them and allowed the water to stream through her fingers.

Quietly, she sighed. She wondered if Zeus had returned to his palace yet; what his expression would be when he was relayed the findings of Ares' journey. Her fingers damp, she rubbed at her face.

She flinched as a rush of water cascaded down her head and onto her back. Ares' fingers, starting from the very top of her head, combed through her hair until they found the base of her spine. Again, he poured another palmful of water before allowing his fingers to work through her hair, continuing this until each lock was completely saturated. She shuddered with pleasure as his fingertips sent an electric chill across her skin.

'I knew you liked this sort of thing,' he said, 'being spoiled with attention.' Gently, he squeezed the moisture from her hair, little droplets plopping into the water.

'If I wanted to be pampered, I would command my servants to wait on me all hours of the day.' She said, inching away from him. Ares laughed quietly before grasping her arms and pulling her towards himself.

'It's not something to be ashamed of. I like it. I like many things about you, Athena. Did you know that?'

Ares' arms encircled her form beneath the water, and she could feel the beating of his heart against her back again. Her body could hardly resist against the firmness of his embrace. Tentatively, she rested her head against his shoulder, feeling her face heat up.

'Your reticence,' he placed his cheek against hers, 'your prudence; the way you pretend to be indifferent to things you enjoy,'

The silkiness of his voice made Athena's mind fog and her skin prickle with goose-bumps. So enraptured by the rumble in his chest, she did not notice as his fingers snaked their way from her arm to her belly, travelling down her navel.

'Your expression,' he continued in her ear, 'when these hands bring you pleasure.'

With a gasp, Athena caught his hand before it could travel any further. She shuddered, drawing her knees towards her.

'Relax,' he laughed; his fingers walking their way to her inner thigh, 'no need to be so tense.'

In all honesty, the tension that racked her was inexplicable, something she could not even justify herself. It wasn't like this was the first time she and Ares had been in close quarters while she was subjected to his roaming hands. She wanted to be with him – it was all she desired in his absence – but nevertheless, she still felt the need to meter his passion.

'I just…' she fumbled with her words, 'I don't want us to do anything that will…overexert you.'

'I'm perfectly fine, I told you,' his hand slid up to her knee, 'you're worrying too much.'

Athena sat silently for some time. She gazed into the bright flame of a torch, making little embers of light swim in her eyes.

'You're acting strangely,' she said, barely audible at all. Ares' ears picked up her words.

'Strangely? What am I doing that's so strange?' lightly, he traced the scar that adorned her knee with his index finger.

'Well…' she pondered, trying to ignore the tickle of his touch, 'to be honest you've been acting strangely since that day I came to your domain, at the beginning of spring. I don't know…you just seem different from that time.'

'…Different.'

'Mm,'

'But did you really know me well enough before then to know whether I'm different now, or the same?'

The sound of the water's lapping filled the silence between them. Athena mulled over his words. Perhaps he was right. Perhaps her understanding of him before the spring, for all those millennia, had been superficial.

She wondered if it was any less superficial now.

Ares kissed her shoulder, his lips lingering on her skin.

'You make me act strangely,' he muttered, his breath warm. Athena looked up at him before reaching up to touch his cheek. His hair was wet, only the ends, and his face dewy with the steam that engulfed the room. A mist obscured the dark pools of his eyes that watched her intently.

Parting his lips as her fingertips gingerly made their way down his jaw, he allowed a finger to brush against his tongue before taking it into his mouth. Athena's belly fluttered painfully when she felt the warm cavity of his mouth, its heat like a furnace. His eyes musing over her, he nipped her finger with his teeth.

'Are you sure,' he pecked her hand, 'you don't want to overexert me?'

The hair on Athena's body stood on end as she felt her stomach flip. Beneath the water, Ares' hands began to roam again. Scooting forward, she escaped his embrace. The tub was larger than most and offered her room to move about. She turned to face him and saw the amusement in his expression.

'I only came in here to make sure you didn't collapse in the heat,' she said, averting her eyes, 'but you seem just fine, so I'll get out—'

Ares captured her hand. Before she could protest, her body was being pulled towards his. Deftly, he managed to manoeuvre her form and clasped her behind the knees, drawing her legs around his waist. Her face was just inches from his when the flames of the torches shrunk, the room becoming dark. A dim, golden glow silhouetted their wet forms.

Athena tried to discern his features in the darkness. She shut her eyes as she felt his nose brush against hers.

For the first time that evening, their lips met.

Slow and gentle; Ares' kiss tenderly led Athena with a steady pace. Her ears filled with the sound of their breaths as they panted between kisses. The pounding in her chest mounted as Ares' tongue found hers. She was reminded of his taste, the fragrance of his skin; his expression when racked with ecstasy.

It was hot everywhere. In the tub, in the air, in the pit of her belly – the heat travelled until it pooled in her hips, making them ache with desire.

A small sound escaped her as Ares parted his lips from hers. The murky water rippled as his hands broke its surface and cupped her face.

'Are you sure you want to leave?' he said, a little entertained by her sudden passivity. Athena, with cautious hands, clasped his wrists. She allowed her fingertips to travel along the length of his firm forearms.

'I came here tonight to make sure you were well attended to,' she said; he watched her lips as she spoke, 'not to fulfil my own selfish desires. You need to rest, not to be…riled up.'

Ares kissed her softly, his hands sliding down her neck, her arms and back into the water.

'But I want you to rile me up,' he rested his forehead against hers, 'and fulfilling your selfish desires in many ways fulfils mine.'

He sensed the tension in her body; in the legs that encircled his waist. Something was making her falter beyond what she would tell him. A clandestine woman, that's what Athena was. It was fascinating; frustrating. He wanted more from her in every way.

Reaching over to the lip of the tub he retrieved a small, brass jug that had been sitting precariously on the edge. Athena watched him as he lifted it above his shoulder and tipped it, a stream of dark, amber liquid cascading down his skin. She gazed at the liquid, transfixed as it slowly traversed his clavicle, and then his chest, finally making its way into the water with a plop. Its scent was rich and deep and made her mind hazy.

'Seeing as I'm such an invalid in your eyes,' he returned the little jar to its place, 'why don't you help me wash up?'

Athena stared at him for some time and he stared back expectantly, amusement creeping back onto his face. He took hold of her hands and guided them to his chest, placing them against his skin. The dark liquid squelched between her fingers and she felt his heartbeat quicken beneath them.

A bubbly lather formed as she spread it across his broad chest in circular motions. Tenderly, Athena made her way to his neck. She slid her fingers to his nape and massaged the tissue. Ares sighed, closing his eyes and melting into her touch.

In the dim light, Athena examined every contour of his face. She hadn't noticed before just how long and dark his eyelashes were. A faint ring of violet still circled his eyes and every few seconds, his brows would twitch into a furrow. Locks of dark, red hair clung to his dewy cheeks.

Moving from the nape, Athena reached up and smoothed his stray locks behind his ears. With care, she massaged the area behind his ears and realised how much she liked their shape.

'Can I ask you something?' she asked quietly.

'Yes.'

'What was it like,' she hesitated, 'there in Tartarus?'

Ares opened his eyes and looked over Athena's face before closing them again. He was quiet for some time.

'Grim, dark, disorientating,' he said, 'sort of what you'd expect.'

'You can't think of anything specific?' she moved to lather his arms, 'or do you not remember?'

'You want to know, specifically, what horrors I bore witness to?' his eyes opened slowly again and he stared at Athena before dropping his gaze, 'I don't know, Athena. I only remember things in fragments; half the time I couldn't tell which way was up.'

She watched him carefully as she ladled handfuls of warm water over his arms and chest, rinsing his skin of the foamy lather.

'At some point, Zeus will expect you to recount the findings of your journey in detail. Perhaps it's better for you to debrief now, before the memories become any hazier, to someone who can vouch for you.'

'When they are clear,' he started, his voice firmer than before, 'I will describe to you every gritty image I can recall. Until then…'

Ares placed his hand on the small of Athena's back, scooting her towards him. Brushing his cheek against hers, he lowered his head to her shoulder, gently kissing her skin. His fingertips climbed her spine making Athena shudder, much to his delight. Wrapping her wild locks around his hand, he slowly drew them towards the base of tub, forcing Athena to gaze heavenwards, her neck exposed to him.

She closed her eyes as his lips explored her. It was thrilling, allowing him to nip at her throat, each bite growing bolder and deeper, further testing her tolerance. As she stared up at the ceiling, the steam fogging her vision, she revelled in the jolts of pain his teeth inflicted and the unmitigated pleasure the sensation of his tongue brought her. Would this leave marks? Would there be evidence of their dangerous play for her to gaze at later?

Just as Athena felt herself plunge into bliss; the bites and kisses stopped. A sudden coldness struck her chest. Flinching, she glanced down and found the amber liquid dripping between her breasts.

'That was a little mean,' he grinned as he returned the jar to the tub's lip, 'is it cold?'

With little effort, Ares hoisted Athena up by the waist and rested her on his lap. Placing his hand on her chest, he began to rub in the fragrant liquid, slowly forming a lather.

'Remember when you asked me,' he whispered, their noses brushing, 'if it was safe to do in water? Let's give it a try.'

He caught her lips with his, shifting her to just the right position atop him. Flinching, she tore her lips from his.

'Uh—Ares, I…'

'Are you frightened? Should I do it with my fingers first?' he whispered, dipping his hand into the water between them, 'It won't hurt, I promise.'

Gripping his wrist before his fingers could venture any further towards her, Athena drew his hand from the water.

'It's not that I don't want to, Ares, I…' she raised his hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles, 'let's rather do this in the room, alright?'

'It will be fun in here too,' he said, his hips beginning to ache, 'and besides, won't it be delightful to hear one another's cries in the echo of this chamber?'

Ares kissed her again, his tongue not delaying a single moment to meet hers. But with more force than before, Athena pulled away from him.

'I'd really rather not…you're still not aligned and—'

'You really believe all of the horseshit that comes out of Apollo's mouth? Come on, I'm pent up, Athena.'

'Ares—'

'Then why don't you use your hand on me,' he gripped Athena's hand and plunged it into the water, 'just a little?'

'I said no.'

Athena's voice boomed, resonating across the walls of the chamber. The torches flickered and the water in the tub rippled. Droplets from the faucet broke the water's surface in the silence.

'I don't want to right now.' She muttered, conscious of the volume of her voice again. She looked into Ares' eyes and saw the light escape them, his expression darkening.

'What do you want, then?' he asked, his voice terse and low.

'I just want to speak to you.' She said.

The games were exhilarating and the mood would stimulate anyone's desire, but more than anything Athena just wanted to speak to him. Her nights had been spent for the last week and a half wondering if she would hear the smooth, velvety tone of his voice again. Wondering if ever again she would be awoken by its rumble in the morning or lulled to sleep by its hum at night. His scent, his touch, his rare gentle smile could have all been lost to her in that abyss and with Typhon's imminent resurgence, it was not certain whether all could be taken from her in the future.

Raising her hand from the water, she moved to stroke his cheek. He did not react.

'Speak about what?'

'About Tartarus,' she balked, seeing the mounting agitation on his face, 'if not what you experienced then at least what you felt. Weren't you frightened? You can tell me.'

'I've told you everything I could remember,' he said hotly, 'why do you keep pressing the issue?'

'I just…want you to know that you can be honest with me. No one would find it easy to recover after being in that sort of place. You're very brave and even if the kingdom hasn't yet acknowledged your feat, I have.'

'I did not go to Tartarus to be lauded or patronised by anyone in this kingdom, not even by you.'

Athena stared at Ares, seeing a scorn flood his eyes that she thought she would never see again.

He reclined, his head landing on the tub with a dull thud, and stared up at the ceiling. His expression was cold even as she felt the water surrounding them grow hotter with each passing second.

Sliding off of his lap, Athena scooted to the opposite end of the tub. As she felt a heat well up in her eyes, she turned her back to him and drew her knees tightly towards herself. The water became still around them and only the sizzling of the torches could be heard.

None of this was news to her – she knew that Ares was a brash and callous brute, careless with his words, quick to anger and marked with unsurmountable arrogance. So then, why did it hurt her so much?

Misaligned. That was the word Apollo used. Perhaps she had pried too deeply and it was her own fault; perhaps her presence was overwhelming him at a time when he needed to be alone. Or, just as he had said, perhaps she had never known him well enough before the spring to tell if he was just the same brute as before or if he had changed.

Athena gazed into the murky water the rippled around her knees. Her nose began to tingle and the heat that welled up in her eyes spilled down her cheek before she could wipe away at it. On one hand, she wanted nothing more than to get out of the tub, dress and ride home. On the other, she could not expel from her mind the thoughts of what would become of Ares if left unattended, unwell and agitated.

Minutes passed as they sat in silence. Mulling over her options, she felt the water become cooler.

'I shouldn't have said that to you,' she heard, 'I'm sorry, Athena.'

Athena gripped her knees, her eyes burning with tears. She did not respond.

A wave of water rushed towards her back and lapped over the tub's edge. She felt the warm, wet skin of his chest press against her and suddenly his arms were around her.

Go away. That was what she wanted to say to him, but the ball in her throat and the conviction she lacked would not allow her.

'I'm sorry,' he repeated in a whisper, kissing her shoulder.

Suddenly, he was tender again, treating her as though she were made of glass.

'Just finish up,' her voice rattled, 'so we can get out.'

Ares' grasp around her tightened as he rested his forehead in the crook of her neck and shoulder. He sighed deeply and Athena felt the heat of his breath against her skin.

'I wasn't trying to hurt you, Athena.'

'You're awful. You're just…awful.'

Time passed in the balmy room.

'I know.' he replied quietly.

A tear fell onto Athena's forearm and she wiped at her eyes, struggling to compose herself. All she had wanted was to see to his safe arrival and maybe chat a little. How had things changed so quickly between her arrival at Zeus' temple and now?

'You don't deserve,' she began in spite of her quaking voice, 'to have me here. You don't deserve anything I give you.'

'I know that,' his voice was tender, 'no one in this kingdom deserves you, but I'm going to make it right. If you come with me, I'll make things better.'

The words just seemed to spill out of Ares' mouth and he did nothing to stop them. Baffled, Athena turned her head to him ever so slightly. Her vision obscured by the burning tears that relentlessly welled in her eyes, she hesitated to inquire.

'Come with you?'

Ares pressed his lips against her damp shoulder, the kiss lingering for longer than any had that night. He took in the fragrance of her skin before looking at her with gentle, hazy eyes.

'Why don't we just…go? You and I. Gaia is filled with endless mountaintops. We could find one of our very own and start anew. Build our own kingdom and populate it with our blood. No one would find us, not even Typhon. This Olympus,' his thumb stroked her arm, '…it is doomed, but you and I still have a chance. So, let's just go. Somewhere where I can make things better for us.'

A cool gust of air spilled into the chamber through the open window and fell upon them. Athena's skin prickled with goose-bumps in response. His words echoed in her head like the tolling of bells and her mind painted vivid images with them, racing backwards and forwards.

A new kingdom. Away from Olympus.

For a moment, she sat in silence before feeling the blood in her veins run ice cold.

'What does that even mean?' she half turned to him to look into his eyes. Ares' grip loosened and he faltered upon seeing her expression twisted in to a scowl.

'Abandon Olympus? Our home? To found a new kingdom with you at the helm, I'm sure. What folly…'

'Athena—'

'I truly thought you to be brave,' she elbowed his arms away from herself, 'but now I see you're nothing more than a coward. One that would forsake his own brethren. And for what?'

In the small space between Ares and the end of the tub, Athena scrambled to stand, sending water cascading over the tub's lip. Ares caught her wrist, desperately trying to pacify her.

'I only jest, Athena,' he lied, 'wait—'

'And you'd have me follow you? A vessel in which to spread your seed? I am not leaving Olympus. I am not leaving Artemis and Apollo, Hera, father and all of the others when they need me the most just to escape the wrath of Typhon. I will not abandon my kingdom.'

Twisting her wrist out of his grip she climbed out of the tub, dripping wet and oblivious to her own naked form. The pats of her footsteps rung through the chamber as she stormed towards the door, Ares clambering after her.

Athena swung open the large doors leading back to the sleeping quarters and a chill rushed over her. The air here, for all its warmth, was still much cooler than the chamber she had just exited.

'Listen to me—'

'You're unwell,' she snatched her dress from the bed's edge and hastily stepped into it, 'Something is truly misaligned about you to even think up such a dream. Coming here was a mistake.'

'Just give me a chance to explain myself.'

'Explain yourself?' her hands quaking, she fumbled to dress, 'Which part? Tonight, you've shown me so many faces: the Ares that wanted me here tonight; the Ares who looked upon me with contempt; the Ares who wanted to force his way into me; the Ares who doesn't trust me enough to tell me the truth. Which is it?'

The fire crackled softly as the two stared at one another from across the room. Ares did not respond.

'I think I should just leave for tonight.' She said. The fire's golden warmth quivered along her face.

He could tell that she wanted to go but at the same time she didn't. What was he doing? Why was she getting further away from him? He knew that it was probably better if she left, and yet, something within Ares vaulted him towards her. Clasping her arms, he tugged her towards himself. He kissed her cheek, her jaw, her ear as though the more of her he kissed, the more inclined she would be to stay.

'No, Ares,' her resistance against him was weak. His body was still hot and his skin damp. Strands of his wet hair clung to her face as he held her.

'Please,' his lips found hers briefly, 'let's not fight anymore. Let's just lie down—'

'I want,' she pushed against his chest, 'to leave.'

'Let's lie down together,' he repeated, drawing her closer, 'and…and we can just talk. Just like how you wanted.'

Athena's heart began to race. The more she resisted his embrace, the stronger he became. His form loomed over her and it felt as though the air between them had become too sparse to breathe.

'Let me…go!' she wriggled and twisted in his arms but he held her fast.

'I said I was sorry, I apologised. I'm just…not feeling myself tonight—'

'Let go, Ares, you're hurting me—'

'Athena just s-stop,' his voice was desperate, 'will you… listen to me for a mome—'

Her arm breaking free of his grip and her heart drumming furiously, Athena flailed, sending her hand towards Ares' face. Her palm narrowly missed his nose, and with greater force than she ever intended, slammed into his mouth.

'Ack!' he released her and doubled back, clutching his jaw. A pain shot through Athena's hand as she watched him stumble away. She panted, unsure of what had just happened. Dread suddenly crept across her body.

Hunched over and hand over his mouth, Ares took a few heavy breaths. Carefully, he straightened and parted his hand from his lips. He glanced down as his palm and spotted the little glistening pool of blood that marked his hand. A moment passed where he inspected it before passing his tongue over the deep wound in his lip where his teeth hand torn through the flesh.

Athena became cold. His teeth were lightly stained by the blood that now trickled down his lip and onto his chin.

'I'm…it was an accident Ares. I didn't mean to…' her voice was barely above a whisper. The ball in her throat hindered her from saying anything more.

The blood was beginning to really pool up in his mouth. Swishing it about with his tongue, Ares spat a mouthful out onto the carpet.

'I'm sorry, Ares,' she muttered, tears welling in her eyes again.

Ares gazed at the floor. Shadows danced across it sombrely, waltzing about and making his eyes swim with lights.

'Why could you not believe me? Why did you have to pry?'

Athena gaped at him, his words reaching her ears. Those words were for her but also were not. She could barely see him through the mist that clouded her eyes.

'Ares. What did you see there in Tartarus?'

His eyes finally met hers. A similar mist clouded his eyes, obscuring their light from her.

He wiped at his mouth and glared at her before turning to the bathing chamber and storming into it. He disappeared behind the large doors as they shut with a resounding bang.