Chapter 25

The sun began to make its way through the window and started to lightly shine on Xena's face. As she started to come back to consciousness her senses were filled with a wonderful scent and she breathed it in deep as she snuggled more into it. She had the strange notion that she had been held all night in a strong embrace and her skin tingled all over at the thought that she could still feel the warmth of those strong arms around her. Xena took in another deep breath of that amazing aroma surrounding her and suddenly it clicked as she finally realized what or better said who was smelling that way. It was Ares' scent and she instantly snapped her eyes open and sat up quickly, clutching the sheet to her chest. She looked beside her and saw the empty space next to her and she let out a sigh of relief.

For a moment there, she thought she had done something with the War God but surely she would remember if she did. She laughed lightly to herself thinking she was going crazy and that she was just imagining his scent and she leaned down to the empty space next to her and inhaled once again – as if wanting to prove to herself that she had been just imagining it. When she smelled his familiar fragrance again her eyes widened though, coming to the conclusion that he had in fact been in bed with her. And considering that the scent was still so strong he had been there for awhile. Xena quickly thought back to the last thing she could remember from the night before.

She was here then Ares had unexpectedly shown up and they talked for awhile then he offered to give her a massage. Xena realized that she must have fallen asleep during the middle of it because she certainly didn't remember him ever stopping or leaving for that matter. Her eyes widened more in shock as she grasped that she had fallen asleep naked while the War God had been running his hands over her body. She quickly pulled the sheet back and glanced down at herself expecting to see her still naked body but was shocked once again to find that she was now wearing this sexy silk black night gown that left only little to the imagination. A confused look crossed her face as she wondered where this had come from, she certainly didn't own anything similar. Then it came to her- of where she must have gotten it from and that Ares must have materialized it on her.

Xena let go of the sheet and her hand fell to the bed beside her and she came into contact with something that she didn't even realize was there as she was too frantic to notice before. She looked down at it and came to find a beautiful red rose lying next to her. She picked it up and spun it between her fingers as she tried to figure out what the War God was up to. She had never found out the real reason for his visit the night before and she didn't think she would ever know. She had done nothing that prompted his visit. She just wanted to be left alone to deal with once again having to say goodbye to her brother.

But she was glad that the War God did show up when he did. His presence had soothed her and whether he knew it or not he had actually helped her get over the small bit of sadness she was feeling when Lyceus had left. Xena took one long look at the rose in her hand and brought it closer to herself to smell it. A small smile pulled at her lips as she turned to place the rose on the table beside her bed. She got out of bed and started to slip out of her new outfit to get dressed, silently wondering what she was going to do with her new article of clothing. Did Ares intend to have her give it back to him? But what use would the War God have in a woman's night gown? If it could even be labeled that, it barely even covered her and it seemed to have been made just for her as it was formed to fit her body perfectly and it accentuated her every curve.

Xena laughed to herself, thinking about the War God having a stash of women's lingerie. The big bad God of War with a fetish for women's undergarments, that would certainly make his warlords see him in a completely new light. It would undoubtedly make it harder for the War God to have them fear him if word got out. She stifled another laugh and moved to store the garment away, debating on whether she would ever be wearing that again, and started to put on her leathers and weapons. Once she had everything in place she made her way to the door. When she got there she reached for the handle then stopped and she took one fleeting look back towards the table that held the rose. She didn't know why but she felt like today was going to hold something big for her. Turning back around she opened the door and made her way out.

Xxxxxxx

Xena couldn't believe that she was once again stuck with having to stand guard at this stupid market. She had heard the chatter of the incoming travelers as talk of the opposing army seemed to be getting closer to the city. She had told Athena the day before that they should start building some sort of defense against them and come up with a plan to help protect the city once they arrived, but the Goddess simply chose to ignore her warnings, telling her that the threat was too far off to require any type of action to be taken that soon. When she tried to push her into letting them go after the army to stop them from doing anymore damage, Athena just waved her off, telling her that the army could be heading anywhere and that she was not going to risk her warriors going after some rogue bandits.

Xena was completely frustrated with the whole situation. She didn't see why Athena was holding them back from doing this. The Goddess was being more and more picky with the battles she would choose for them. She was tired of always having to wait for Athena to give the go ahead to do something. This is not how she wanted to make a name for herself. Needing to take out her frustration on something she kicked a stand of crates that was near her and sent them tumbling, causing the contents to spill out on the ground.

Some merchants walking by had stopped at the commotion and were now staring at her waiting to see what she was going to do next. "What are you looking at?!" she shouted at them and they quickly adverted their gazes and went back to their business.

"Well, it looks like someone is a little frustrated this morning."

Xena turned around at the familiar voice to see Ares propped up against the wall. He had an amused grin on his face as he just stood there watching her. The War God couldn't help himself as he let his eyes roam over her for a moment. By the Gods she looked so sexy when she was angry and that fire burning in her eyes made his whole body shiver. It just made him want her even more then he already did.

"Did you not get enough sleep?" he inquired, knowing very well how she had spent her night.

He had laid there with her throughout the whole night just watching her sleep. He just couldn't bring himself to leave as he held her closely to him and ran his fingers through her silky raven tresses. He didn't even bother to answer his generals that were calling for him throughout the night. It wasn't until dawn came that he decided to go see what they wanted, annoyed that their constant calls didn't let him fully enjoy his time with her. He wondered if she had gotten the rose that he left for her. Surely she had to have seen it.

"What do you want, Ares ?" she spat out to him on an annoyed tone.

"All that pent up fury, tsk tsk."

He moved away from the wall and started to walk closer to her. "You should really focus that anger of yours into something more satisfying."

"As you can see I'm busy so if there is a reason to why you came..." she trailed off as the War God continued to close in the distance between them.

"Yes, I can see you're very busy." Ares said sarcastically as he gestured to the crowd that was walking by them as they stood in the alley. "But this is not where you want to be."

"And what would you know about it?" Xena responded bitterly, not liking that the War God thought he knew what she did and didn't want.

The God of War didn't reply at first and he continued to move forward to her. Xena didn't back down from him, holding her ground as he softly pushed her against the wall behind her and boxed her in with his arms. She stared up at him defiantly, letting him know that she was not at all intimidated by him and he couldn't help the small smirk that started to form on his face at her boldness. He searched her sapphire eyes and although they had that rebellious look in them while holding his gaze, refusing to back down in the slightest way and ready for anything he was going to throw at her, he could also see the longing of someone who wanted desperately to escape the confines of the cage she was put in.

"I know that what you yearn for is the freedom to do as you please with an army of your own. That at this very moment there is an army that is getting closer to this city as we speak and Athena has you here instead of doing something about it." he stared deep into her eyes to make sure she was following him. "You will not find what you seek as long as you remain here."

Xena was completely entranced by what he was saying. How did he do that, how did he always know what she was feeling? Those deep probing auburn eyes of his always seemed to find their way into her innermost thoughts no matter how hard she tried to bury them. It was as if when their gazes connected he had a direct line into her soul and there was nothing that she could hide from the War God. Even though she hated that he could detect what she had been trying to suppress for awhile now she couldn't disagree with him. She was getting tired of all the useless activities Athena would send them out to do. She longed for the independence to do as she pleased and to go where she saw fit to go.

"And where will I find what I seek?" she asked him but she already knew what his answer would be.

A small smile pulled at the corner of the War God's lips and he leaned in closer to her, completely eliminating any space between them and her body filled with anticipation of what he might do. He inhaled deep against her neck and he felt her slight shiver from his closeness, an emotion that she was struggling hard to control.

He brought his right hand down and picked up a strand of her hair and breathed in the scent of her. He slowly worked his way up to her ear.

"Join me Xena.." he whispered in her ear on the most velvety tone that she had ever heard, "... you will never have to spend another day wasting your talents as a statue for Athena. I will turn you into the most fierce warrior that Greece has ever seen."

"What makes you think I'm not fine where I am?" she said lowly in his ear. Xena found herself teetering on the edge of that abyss that she had been trying to reinforce to herself that she would not let happen ever since their time in the arena. The way he said her name and the way his head slightly caressed hers, the way his body was firmly pressed up against hers and his overwhelming masculine scent that was invading her senses, filling her with a warmth that started to slowly smolder deep within her core, she was finding it hard to keep herself from falling.

"There is a fire that burns inside you... I burn inside you. I can give you what you seek." he said seductively. "Become my Chosen Xena and you can have it all."

The War God nuzzled his head against hers and, although he originally set out to have her lose herself in him, he found that he was falling victim to his own trap. He wanted her and he wanted her badly. The way her silky tresses tickled against his face made him bury his head in her raven locks even more, filling him with her scent as it mercilessly attacked him. Her labored breaths that hit against the side of his neck made his own blood boil. Feeling her body melded with his own as he kept her prisoner to the wall, the way her chest heaved causing her breasts to brush against his chest, only dissolved his self control even more. He groaned inwardly as he indulged himself with the feel of her and it only made him think about what it would be like to have those shapely legs wrapped around him. Ares quickly tried to shake those thoughts from his head and he knew he had to quickly regain his composure because if he didn't, he would end up taking her right up against the alley wall. He tried to resist the urge that he had to just hoist her up and bury himself deep between her legs and just fuck her brains out until he had her moaning and screaming out her pleasurable release while he continued to fill her up to the hilt with every enjoyable plunge of his godhood, marking her as his own as he claimed her for himself with every inch of his deep powerful thrusts. He needed to regain some sense before he turned that fantasy into reality. He dug his fingers into the wall to try and restrain himself from doing just that, leaving firm indentation marks as the wall began to break from his grip.

Xena's eyes widened in shock when she heard his request, she knew what that would entail. She had heard stories from when she was younger of how a God would choose one mortal to help them carry out their work. Her mind began to go over the countless stories about the other Gods' Chosens and how the only thing that could sever a God from their Chosen was death. She wasn't sure if she wanted to be tied to one God for the rest of her life like that.

"I'm not sure what to say." came her low response but she knew he heard her. The War God pulled back to look at her but without putting too much distance between them. . He began to lean in closer to her again and stopped mere inches away from her face.

"Say yes." Ares said against her mouth as he held her gaze captive with his own and then he lightly brushed his lips against hers. He meant for it to be a brief kiss, just enough to convince her. But the moment he claimed her mouth he couldn't help himself and the kiss immediately became more passionate. Caressing the recess of her mouth was a pleasure that he just couldn't pass up and he was committed to nourishing that indulgence.

Xena told herself over and over again that she shouldn't let this happen. She should stop this madness before it went any further and she ended up doing something she would regret. She should stop this, she should stop this, her mind kept repeating and repeating in her head. But the way his mouth moved against hers felt so right that she just couldn't help herself, and she slowly began to lose herself in the moment as her silent mantra started to lose its effect. She brought her hand up to the back of his head to deepen the kiss even more. Gods his kisses were amazing and she could feel her entire body respond to him as she arched into him, trying to eliminate whatever little space that was still left between them.

The War Gods' kisses became even hungrier as he attacked her mouth. Xena was by now completely lost in the way his tongue expertly massaged its way around. She found herself not wanting him to stop and she softly wrapped her fingers around the edges of his vest, pulling him closer to her. Ares pushed her up against the wall as he pinned her to it with his body and nudged his leg between hers. He ran his left hand up her thigh and slowly began to pull up the material of her leather skirt, letting his hand come to rest on her upper thigh for a moment before he slipped it up higher to her ass. He grasped it and pulled her flushed up against him, getting a moan of approval from her as he began to knead her ass. He pulled his mouth from hers and started to run kisses down her neck, he could feel her pulse quicken as his lips touched against her skin. He smiled to himself as he bathed her neck in kisses, reality was so much better then fantasy. Xena took in a much needed breath once the War God had relinquished her mouth. Now that her mind wasn't concentrated on the way his mouth was devouring hers she started to think clearly again.

"Ares.." she said breathless, "..we need to stop."

Her only reply were more kisses against her neck and she almost found herself losing herself in them again when he began to add his tongue to the pleasing sensation. She moved her hands to his shoulders and softly pushed against him, trying to get the War God's attention. She moved her right hand down to his- that was firmly attached to her bottom- and gently tried to remove it but the War God had grasped her hand in his own and moved them up and pinned their hands above her head.

"Ares." Xena said a little more determinedly.

Despite having heard her silky voice asking him to stop, it was not at all convincing at telling him that is what she wanted him to do. It was only when she said his name with a little more conviction behind it that he ceased his ministrations. The War God placed one last chaste kiss against her neck and brought his head up and rested it against her forehead and released her hand and brought both of his hands down and rested them against her hips. What was she doing to him? He was always in control of his actions but whenever he found himself in her presence he just couldn't help himself and it seemed as if he belonged to her and it was as if she was the one in control of his little seduction routine the whole time, since she was the one that pulled back from the temptation. But surely that was ridiculous, she was nothing more than a mere mortal and had no sort of control over a God.

He pulled back from her and looked at her face and took in her labored breaths and her swollen lips from his kisses. Ares looked from her eyes to her lips a few times, silently battling with himself that he was the one in control of this situation, and, wanting to prove to himself and to her that he was he leaned in again and claimed her mouth with his own in a more bruising kiss, desperately attempting to leave her wanting him once it was over and not the other way around.

Xena saw what his intentions were going to be and she knew that she should stop him before he did it. But before she could protest in any way he had already taken possession of her mouth. This kiss was different from the others as it seemed like he was pushing his dominance over her but not at all less enjoyable. He was more demanding in this one but it didn't last long as the War God once again found himself ensnared in the feel of her and the kiss began to become tender and more sensual as it began to deepen.