Alena suffered from a dull ache that ran from the pit of her stomach to the tips of her toes; if she only thought she’d felt full of lead last night she was certain of it this morning. “I feel fine, though I haven’t tried to stand yet.” Suddenly there was a grin on her face that matched his. “I’m starving.”
Ares was also hungry, ravenous in fact. “I’ll get you anything you want, just name it.”
Forgetting whom she was with, Alena giggled. “Well, let’s see, it’s been a long time since I had some warm crepes with strawberries and fresh whipped cream. A nice piping hot cup of coffee?”
That made his mouth water and Ares sat up, held out his hands and moments later there was a silver tray overflowing with crepes, plump juicy strawberries, a bowl of fluffy whipped cream and a carafe of coffee. He sat there looking at her with the tray of goodies and she just stared at it. Ares dipped his finger into the bowl of cream and spread it on the tip of her nose. “So easily amazed,” he commented softly. When she looked from him to the tray with a dollop of cream on her nose he began to laugh. The tip of Alena’s tongue parted her lips and it was Ares turn to watch in amazement as it protruded from her mouth, made its way upward, past her upper lip, to the tip of her nose, and licked off the cream. “Ahh, is that your secret, huh?”
It had been several years since Alena had even seen a strawberry; she plucked one from the tray and bit into the soft red fruit. Juice spilled over her bottom lip and down her chin. That long tongue came out once more to catch the drops before they could fall onto the fur hides. “That’s so good. How do you do that?”
“It’s magick,” Ares offered with a sly grin and bit into a crepe. She was right, these were good, and he was starving. Pushing the rest of it into his mouth with gusto, he chomped down and swallowed, wishing he had retrieved two or three trays. “I’ll tell you; these come from one of the finest cafes in all of France.”
Alena popped the last bit of strawberry into her mouth and looked at him with a disapproving expression. “You stole them?”
“Stealing is such a harsh word. I merely knew where they were and picked them up without ever leaving this bed.”
“And you paid for them?”
Ares rolled his onyx eyes and let out a grunt. In his bare hand appeared a gold coin and then it disappeared again. “There, is that better? Now they’re going to wonder where the coin came from instead of just wondering where they put that tray of crepes.”
That made her let out a little laugh as she shook her silver-gray head. The two of them sat cuddled close together enjoying a late day breakfast until the tray was nearly empty and her bladder so full she had to get up. Alena swung her legs over the side of the stone bed. Putting her feet on the cool dirt and standing up, she found her knees weak and a bolt of pain went through her lower abdomen, making her double over and let out a harsh rush of air. It almost felt as though two small cars collided inside her.
“Alena?”
Ares hand was on her arm, and when she looked into his eyes she saw concern. Falling hard and fast for him would be so damn easy, especially if he really was all she thought him to be. She put her hand over his as she sat for a moment waiting for the pain to subside. “I’m ok.” Within a few moments the pain was down to a dull ache. He was still staring at her with worry. “Fine.” Alena patted his hand as Ares pulled her back into the bed.
There was a harsh knock on the bedroom door. “Lord Ares? I’m sorry to disturb you.” It was Onya and she was frantic. “My Lord?”
Ares waved his hand in the air to open the door and there was Onya. “What’s wrong?”
“There’s a man here,” she said hurriedly. “He’s outside the entrance—he’s been there for a while but now he’s just screaming your name.”
Ares nodded his head and crooned, “Apollo always had horrible timing.”
“Why doesn’t he just show up in here?”
“This is my home. He can’t just barge in whenever he wants.” In the space of time that it took him to throw the hides off his big brawny body Ares was dressed before his feet hit the floor. He wore an outfit similar to the black leather one she often saw him wear but it was covered with metal studs—sharp, thick metal studs. The gauntlets on his wrists were equally menacing. The sword in his belt looked as though it weighed fifteen pounds. A dagger hung on either side of his trim waist and two more stuck out of the top of each boot.
Alena did not like seeing him dressed so ready for battle. “Ares?” She leaned across the bed and reached out for his arm.
It was unusual to hear such concern in someone’s voice and have it directed at him. “Don’t worry, I can handle my brother.” He bestowed a kiss on her forehead. “Stay…here. Do not follow me.”
“All right,” she stuttered.
He pulled his head back to get a closer look at her. “Why don’t I believe you? You asked me to do this for you, so let me do it.” Ares kissed her sweetly before he walked out the door and shut it behind him. Then the most amazing thing happened; the door disappeared. He did it just to make sure his word was obeyed; Ares didn’t want Alena interfering in his little tete a tete with Apollo.
“Wait!” Alena cried and scrambled out of the bed on legs weak from the night before. She crashed to the floor, skinning her knees.
“He almost never does that,” Onya whispered, watching Alena frantically get back to her feet and then run her hands along the rock where the door had been.
“Where is it? I know it’s here. It has to be here.” Alena’s hands and fingers slide, glided, groped and floundered for the seam, a hinge, a crack, anything. But the stone was solid.
“Give it up,” Onya advised from experience as she put her hand on Alena’s shoulder. “It’s gone. It won’t come back until he does.” Alena stopped looking for the seam. “So, how was it? Sounded good to me,” Onya crooned and then opened the door leading down to the women’s chamber only to find the six of them standing there. “Come on, he’s gone.”
Grabbing up the pajama top, she quickly slid it over her head. Alena watched them enter the room and form a line at the Master Bath—such as it was—realizing there were no facilities down there. “What are they, dogs? Is that a kennel?” She pointed toward the open door.
“Sorta,” Onya said with a roll of her eyes. “So…” she prodded. “C’mon, tell. Dish girl, let’s hear it.”
2
The day was bright but chilly, a strong wind blew in from the water, and there were thick clouds forming on the horizon when Ares materialized on the other side of the boulder blocking the entrance of the cave only to hear Apollo screaming out his name.
“ARES! I know you can hear me ARES!”
“Half the planet can hear you,” Ares snarled.
“There you are! Where the hell have you been? I’ve been out here for almost an hour!” Apollo huffed and planted a fist on his slender hip.
“I’ve been busy.” Ares looked at the boulder, knowing Alena and the other women were locked safely away from the entrance, and they could not overhear their conversation. Still, he did not want to take any chances. Alena was a slippery woman. “Come down to the beach.” Not waiting for a reply Ares vanished from sight and reappeared on the shore at the foot of the cliff. Apollo followed. “How does it feel to be reduced to Zeus’ Errand Boy?”
“Shut up, Ares,” Apollo snapped. “You know Zeus wants her on Olympus.”
It must really burn Zeus’ ass that he needed his Son’s permission for this. “How is the Old Man?” Ares asked as he picked up a few stones and began skipping them across the water.
“Pissed.”
That made Ares laugh. “It’s good for him,” he snorted and then turned toward his brother. “What does he want with her? She doesn’t know anything about Artemis.”
“Zeus believes otherwise.” The wind around them changed direction and instead of blowing in from an easterly direction off the water, it blew from the north. Apollo got a good whiff of the thick scent of fresh sex then
let out a loud grunt. “Oh! Really Ares! You REEK of her!” he shrieked with contempt. “Tell me she’s still alive. How did you even get the belt off her?”
“She is and she reeks of me as well,” Ares returned with a sly grin, raised his hand to his face and took in a deep breath of the scent of her still on his hands. He ran his thick forefinger over his bottom lip and licked it to get the lingering sweet taste of her. He let out a satisfied ‘ahhhh’.
“You’re disgusting! You don’t know what you’ve done. This is too much even for you, it’s over the top. Is there not an ounce of respect and decency left in you?”
Ares thought his brother overly dramatic as usual. “So she’s betrothed to Cernunnos, so what?”
“Betrothed? She’s his WIFE you idiot! You couldn’t keep your hands off her for one more night? Zeus is going to be livid.”
Although it was clear to Ares that Cernunnos had intended to make Alena his Wife, Alena never said anything about the marriage taking place. If there had been such a ceremony, after last night it was clear it had never been consummated; therefore, it was no marriage at all. “I don’t care whose woman she was, she‘s mine now. Mine. She’s not going to Olympus without me.” No more did the words get out of his mouth than the darkening clouds on the horizon began moving swiftly toward the island. Even from this distance, Ares saw the streaks of lightning flashing over the water. “The woman belongs to me now, Father!” Ares shouted to the darkening sky. “You will allow me to accompany her to Olympus or you cannot speak with her.” He turned his smoldering dark eyes to his brother. “I don’t owe you or them a damn thing. They turned their backs on me and you told lies about me, did you think I forgot? Now you come to me because you want something from me…go to hell.”
Apollo grabbed Ares harshly by the upper arm. “This is ARTEMIS we’re talking about. Artemis! Our Sister. I can’t believe you would use her to bully your way back to Olympus.”
Ares upper lip curled as he bared his teeth and let out a deep growl. With a rough hand, he shoved Apollo away from his body. “Don’t you ever touch me.”
“You’ve rendered her useless!”
“I wouldn’t say she’s useless; she has many truly inspiring uses, but I know what you mean.” Apollo’s face turned ashen as he realized the plan backfired and couldn’t explain why. “You wanted my stupid little gray-haired bitch for yourself, just as you wanted Artemis. You had your hands all over Alena, I saw your prints, you have the nerve to molest my woman—did you tell that to Zeus or did he just watch you do it?” Trying his best to keep hold of his temper and not haul off and flatten Apollo here on the beach, Ares drew a breath and then spoke again in a tone that was just as cold and controlled but a little bit lighter. “Be a good little errand boy and take my reply back to our Father,” Ares said and patted Apollo on the cheek twice with the flat of his hand as though he were a child or an underling. “Don’t come back until you have an answer for me. Don’t you ever speak about Alena again.”
“Or what?” Apollo challenged.
Ares stepped in close to his brother to whisper, “You won’t live long enough to regret it.”
Apollo stepped back. “I don’t know who’s using who here, Ares, if you’re using her or if that little savage is using you.” Apollo stopped when Ares’ eyes began flashing fire. “Whatever you’re up to brother, it will do you no good,” he warned.
“Get off my island, Apollo.”
Ares stood on the beach alone gazing out at the water watching the storm move closer and waiting for an answer from On High. He did not like the last words Apollo had to say. Alena was a slippery woman and maybe she had used her virginity to barter with the God of War after all, maybe last night was nothing to her other than ensuring her own survival. While that barter may have been the catalyst for last night, that wasn’t all there was to it. Not after she told him she loved him. Then again, he could be wrong.
The wait was not a long one. Apollo was back within fifteen minutes. “You may accompany the Fey to Olympus, brother,” he said with disdain.
“Tell Zeus we’ll be there within the hour.”
“What’s wrong with now?” Apollo huffed.
“Oh, well, as you said…I reek. So does she. I’m sure Father would not appreciate the scent of our lovemaking stinking up his hallowed Council Chamber.”
“By all means, please, bathe,” Apollo ordered before he disappeared again.
Ares looked up to his cave on top of the cliff, knowing Alena was not going to like the bargain he struck. She was expecting him to refuse to allow her to go to Olympus at all.
3
“We’re expected on Olympus in an hour,” Ares announced shortly after the door to the bedroom reappeared. He looked around at the faces of the women who had been laughing and smiling when he first appeared but now they were not so happy. They began to disperse leaving Alena alone with him.
“What? You said…you swore!” Alena said with anger and feeling as though she had been tricked.
“I’ve kept my promise, I swore not to let you go to Olympus without me, and you will not. I have business on Olympus, Alena, and if this is the only way I can get there so be it.”
“You did use me,” she accused, the warm glow of her chat with the women fading away from her. Alena started to feel cold. “You lied to me.”
“Me? I lied?” He neared her, loomed over and looked down on her. “Who’s Wife are you? Apollo says you are married to Cernunnos, is it true? Did I just take his Wife to my bed?” It was one thing to defile the property of another God; it was certainly well beyond the bounds of etiquette and good taste to do it with another God’s Wife. Ares should know, after having taken Aphrodite to his bed so long and so often while she was married to his own brother, Hephaestus. It was one mistake Ares swore he would never repeat.
“Technically,” she muttered, “yes.”
“Technically? I can’t wait…go on…explain it to me.”
“I was a child!” Alena cried. “I was terrified! They stood me next to him, he put this on me,” she held up the necklace, “and that damn belt. They said we were married. That he was my Husband, but then they took me away again.”
“Until you were old enough to fulfill your role, hmm?”
“When they took me they conducted a bastard ceremony and said we were married, and then they put that belt on me,” Alena explained. “I was just a girl. I had no choice.”
He grabbed her arm. “Listen to me, woman, no one uses me. No one.”
“Perhaps not, perhaps they do and you just don’t know it. You listen to me, God of War, you made a promise and I’m going to hold you to it no matter what.” Alena wrenched her arm out of his grasp and made her way out of his bedroom.
Chapter Fifteen
The Return of the Prodigal Son
Ares and Alena stood on the beach before making the trip to Olympus; Ares had a few words of advice for her. “On the journey, whatever you do don’t let go of me. It won’t take long but it’s not a method of travel you’re used to so just don’t let go.”
“All right,” Alena said as she shifted from one bare foot to the other on the warm sand. “Anything else?”
“Yes, don’t speak. My Father is even trickier than you are, my dear, so just don’t talk.”
That didn’t sound quite right to her. “Surely he wants me to say something.”
“If he asks you a direct question answer in as few words as possible, other than that just be quiet and let me do the talking.”
“But…”
“No buts,” Ares warned and looked at her sternly. “You wanted me to do a job for you, so let me do it.” The God of War held out his hand to her encased in a heavy black leather glove.
“Can I trust you to keep your word?”
“Why? Is there something you’ve left out? Subtly glossed over, perhaps? Some tiny yet significant detail I should know before we go?”
“No.” That was the truth. Ares knew everything now, every detail th
at could be deemed important in any manner.
“Then you’ll just have to trust me.” The fingers of his open hand flexed up and down signaling for her to put her hand into his.
Alena just looked at it and shifted from foot to foot at a faster pace feeling as though she had to pee. “Do we really have to…”
“Oh for the love of the Gods! Just take my hand.”
Letting out a sigh of resignation, she slipped her tiny hand into his big mitt. “All right, let’s get this over with then.”
The hand inside his trembled, Ares let go of it and put his arm around her shoulders. “Don’t be afraid, you just leave it to me,” he encouraged and then gave her a small but genuine smile. “By the way, you look very pretty.” That made the corners of his sullen lips slightly turn upward. She did look pretty in her dark blue velvet gown with its gold embroidered flowers and long flowing sleeves. With a barrette she borrowed from Onya, Alena pulled back her silver-gray hair. The barrette was a butterfly with its wings made from sapphires and its eyes from rubies. Onya loved butterflies; he’d picked that up for her a few years ago when he saw it in the window of a Russian antique shop. As he recalled, the night he gave it to Onya the sex had been particularly good.
“You look ready for combat.” He was armed even more than he had been this morning but if one was to glance at him all they would notice was the massive gleaming sword in his belt.
“I am,” Ares agreed. “Hold on, here we go.”
Alena slipped her arm around his waist and closed her eyes. The trip was almost instantaneous, almost. One moment they were on the beach, and the next they were on Olympus. In between, Alena felt like a rubber band stretched far too thin. She felt her feet in the warm sand and yet she felt the icy chill of Olympus on her face. Before her were grand pillars of white marble and a vast shining floor of gleaming black marble, yet her toes were still in the sand, she thought she could even feel the heat from the sun upon them. It seemed to take a very long time before that rubber band released and her feet caught up with the rest of her body. When it did, she almost heard her body snap and go boiiinnng like in a Looney Tunes cartoon. “I don’t like that,” she whispered more to herself than to Ares.
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