OF WAR Anthology Novels 1-3

by Lisa Beth Darling

  IV

  Ares opened his bleary eyes first to take in the hazy sight of faces leering down at him. Out of instinct he reached for his sword but a cool hand laid over his to keep it still. “It’s just us, my Lord Ares,” Onya whispered and gestured to Iris and Arianna. “No need for that. There’s no danger. We came running up here when we heard the commotion, we found you, Raven, and Rose on the floor. We did our best to wrestle you into the bed and we’ve been waiting and worrying ever since.”

  Taking his hand off the hilt of his sword, with some effort, he placed it over Onya’s to pat her delicate hand, thankful he had such loyal women in his home and his life. “Thank you.” Swiping his other big hand over his bearded face he looked to his left to see Alena nuzzled in the crook of his arm with her head on his chest and a dozing Rose between them. On the other side of Alena, curled up under his Mother’s arm with his head on her breast, Raven was beginning to groan and come around.

  “Oh, what the fuck have I been drinking?” Raven groaned as he rolled over and put a hand to his aching head. His head wasn’t the only thing that hurt, his whole body was wracked with agony and it felt as though his knees had collided with his jaw from the inside. His chest throbbed and he looked down at it but saw no wound. “It was a dream?”

  “Yes,” Ares muttered, “only a dream.”

  “Morpheus?”

  “He’s dead .”

  “We killed him?” Raven croaked, still trying to get his bearings.

  “We?” Ares chirped. “Not exactly.”

  Still trying to clear the fog out of his head, Raven fell silent a moment. “Oh crap, Rose killed him.”

  “Yes,” Ares smiled wide and proud, “she did.”

  Raven felt a hot bolt of jealousy shoot through him as he wished his Father would look at him that same way.

  On the bed, Alena drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, then another but quicker, another still quicker, as she showed the first signs of coming around. “Alena? Alena, wake up,” Ares encouraged as he sat up with her in his arms. “Wake up, Alena.”

  “Ooooh,” Alena groaned and then winced as she took another breath and opened her eyes to stare into Ares’ handsome face. At first, she thought it was Morpheus but couldn’t understand the beard on his face or the sudden girth of his usually skinny arms.

  “Do you see me? Do you hear me, Alena?”

  Another little groan escaped her throat as her newly opened eyes continued straining to focus. Her body felt like lead and it took much effort but she raised one hand to hover at the side of his cheek just over, but not touching, the softness of his beard. Her splayed fingers began trembling with fear of making the few millimeters to his whiskers, afraid that if she tried to touch him he’d disappear before her eyes.

  “It’s not a dream this time.” Ares put her hand on his cheek, burying her fingers deep in his beard. “I’m here. This is real.”

  Alena smiled then she cackled like a madwoman as her fingertips grabbed at his whiskers and then ran over his face. “Say it again. My name, say it again.”

  “Alena,” Ares returned softly. “My Wife, my beautiful Wife, Alena, I love you so much.”

  A loud grunt escaped her throat as the smile on her face grew wider and blissful reality set in. “I love you too.” She brought the hand on his cheek around his neck to clutch at him and hold herself close to the body she’d missed so much. “Ooo, my head,” she groaned suddenly and raised a hand to the left side of her face, “it hurts.”

  “It’s all right, everything is all right now,” Ares assured, putting his hand over hers, remembering the gaping wound that had been there. “It’s all right.”

  A cheery little face popped up right before Alena bleary eyes. “Hi!”

  “Hi,” Alena whispered, dropping her hand from her temple to hold her arm out to the little girl. “My little Rose. My beautiful little girl.” Then Alena started to laugh as Rose rushed at her and covered her face with kisses, making the pain in her head flee into the night. “I love you my brave girl.”

  “Love…MAMA!”

  Safe in the embrace of her Husband and looking past her Daughter’s small shoulder, Alena saw Raven staring back at her. He was just as she’d seen in so many dreams, including her own when he was just as small as Rose. “I should have listened to you,” she said as she took her hand from Ares’ neck to hold it out to Raven.

  “What?” Raven mumbled, unsure if he should reach back. “When? You all right, Mom?”

  “I’ve missed so much,” Alena said sadly, feeling the tears sting her eyes. “So very much, you’re a man now. My little boy is gone.”

  His eyes locked to hers. Raven knew what she was thinking; she was wondering what kind of man he was becoming, if he’d changed his ways or if he was still the same bully in a better body. He was afraid if she stared at him like that too long she’d find an answer she didn’t like. Instead of taking her hand and welcoming her home, Raven rolled off the bed away from the rest of his Family. He watched the hopeful smile on his Mother’s face fall away.

  The move displeased Ares but he tried to let it go. “Now that you’re up why don’t you make yourself useful? Bring her some food and drink.”

  It wasn’t the first thing on her mind but, now that he mentioned it, “I could eat,” she mumbled and ran her hand along her flat stomach looking from Raven to Rose and then to Ares. “How long have I been sleeping?”

  In a soft tone Ares broke the news. “Years, almost four years, but it’s over now.”

  “I’ll get you something to eat.” Feeling ashamed, Raven turned away from the bed towards the door.

  “Anything but scrambled eggs…or…pudding?” Alena called after him and ran her tongue over her teeth to give Ares a quizzical look even as she heard Raven snicker.

  Gazing lovingly down at her, Ares ran a hand over her cheek with a wide smile, “Had your fill of those, have you?”

  Alena nodded although she wasn’t sure why, “I think so, yes, I think so.”

  “Bring her something she can sink her teeth into, boy.”

  V

  Raven went out the bedroom door and padded barefoot to the kitchen where he grabbed food from the refrigerator trying to recall what his Mother liked to eat, but she’d been sleeping so long he could hardly remember her favorite foods. He grabbed a pat of fresh butter, a jar of raspberry jam, some cut meat and cheese along with a pitcher of milk before shutting the door and turning to the cupboards.

  Just as he turned toward the cabinets the kitchen sprang up with fiery light so bright he shut his eyes against the glare. Raven thought Ares was materializing until the blaze didn’t die down. His eyelids were lit up with its glow. “What the….” Slowly opening his eyes, Raven took in the sight of a great glowing halo of fire inside of which was only the black silhouette of a woman. “Tisiphone.”

  “You have done what I asked,” she pointed a finger devoid of all light and life at him, “your sins are expunged and your soul is clean, Raven, Son of Ares and Magdalena. Only you can keep it that way. Don’t count on any more favors from us. We’ll be watching you, waiting for you to fall, and join us.”

  “Fat chance,” Raven spat back as she disappeared, taking her hateful glowing light with her. “Yeah, right,” he muttered to the newborn darkness. The Mortal World was in shambles, there were millions upon millions dead. How could his soul possibly be clean?

  Chapter Eighteen

  The Risin’

  I

  Alena scoffed down every scrap of bread, butter, and jam that Raven brought to her as though there were no tomorrow. She drank all of the ice-cold milk. With each bite and each sip, her eyes seem to focus a bit better, her head grew a bit clearer, and she felt a little stronger. The whole time Ares stretched out beside her on the bed, beaming at her with a grin a mile wide. “So good,” she muttered, stuffing the last bite into her mouth and pushing an errant dab of buttery jam in along with it. “Thank you.”

  “Done?” Raven pointe
d to the nearly empty tray. When she nodded, he took it away and placed it on the table across the room. Looking down at the scattered remains of food, he didn’t think he’d ever seen her eat so much in one sitting. “Good job,” he remarked with his back to them and then heard his Father’s voice.

  “Where are you going?”

  Raven turned around to say he wasn’t going anywhere and saw his Mother tossing the covers aside as she struggled to get out of the bed. “Hey!”

  Forcing her legs over the side with a great deal of effort, Alena sat up and ran a hand through her hair, catching her breath. She looked from her Son to her Husband before confessing in a small voice, “I have to pee.” They stared back at her and now Raven was standing in front of her, blocking her path, while Ares clamped his hand on her arm. “You don’t mind, do you? I mean I really have to go.”

  Ares let go. “I’ll take you.” He climbed out of bed on the other side.

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Alena huffed, “I think I can pee on my own.” She waved her hands in front of Raven to get him to back up so that she could plant her dangling feet on the cold marble floor. She found the sensation refreshing and most welcome. Pushing against the mattress with her fists to get her limp body off the bed she stood on wobbly legs, took a step, and fell down. “Ow!”

  “Yeah, Miss Independence,” Ares huffed, “how’d that feel?”

  Now that he was asking, “Squishy,” she said as her nose wrinkled as the feeling of something cold and gel-like on her bottom.

  Ares nodded as he got on his haunches to wrap his arms around her and haul her to her feet. “Modern conveniences,” he said in a near guilty tone. “Take your Sister to her bed, I’ll take care of your Mother the rest of the night.”

  “I bet you will,” Raven mumbled.

  “What did you say, boy?”

  Grateful for the reprieve his Father was offering him, at least until morning, Raven held out his hand. “Come on, Rosie, time for bed,” Raven called to his Sister as he ignored his Father. “You’ll see Ma-ma again in the morning.” Rose crawled over the bed to his open arms and let him scoop her up. She blew a kiss to her Mother as Raven took her out of the room for the night.

  “Really, I can do this,” Alena muttered, watching her Children go.

  “Really, you can’t,” Ares mocked, “you’ve been laying there nearly four years, your legs aren’t accustomed to standing any longer, so stop fussing and let me help you.” Looping her arm around his neck and his about her waist, he picked her up in his arms. “It will get better but it will take a little time,” Ares encouraged. “Until then you can just consider these arms of mine your chariot. They will take you anywhere you want to go anytime you want to go there.”

  “My hero,” she said in a slightly mocking sigh as they reached the bathroom and the toilet, offering Alena the relief she thought she’d never find. He settled her on the throne and she pulled off a wet pair of adult diapers. “Seriously?”

  “What else did you want me to do?” Ares asked with wide eyes.

  Alena kicked the disgusting disposable garment away sending it skittering across the marble bathroom floor as she sat down to empty her bladder. “Do you have to watch?”

  Ares turned his back and folded his arms as he listened to her pee. It seemed to go on forever as her bladder released its contents into the bowl. Just as the tinkling sound stopped, he was temporarily blinded when Alena’s nightgown landed on top of his head. “What…” ripping it off he turned around to see her standing there naked and drew in a deep breath. “Still beautiful,” he complimented, throwing the nightgown over his shoulder. “Are you trying to tempt me already, woman?”

  Alena gave him a shy smile then looked to the large sunken tub. “I think I need a bath, but if I were trying to tempt you, would it work?”

  “You barely have to ask me once never mind twice or,” he let his gaze drop from hers down her shapely body and back up again, “not at all. Throwing your clothes at me will always do the trick.”

  “That bath?”

  “Good idea.” Flicking his hand toward the tub, it began to bubble. “Mind a little company?”

  “Never,” Alena cooed as he held out his hands to help her in to the whirling hot water. “Oohh,” she sighed, settling on the warm seat. “That feels so good.” She let her body go limp and slide under the water as Ares disrobed and climbed in after her. Resurfacing she cuddled up to him. “Everything’s so sore and achy, my head so fuzzy.”

  “I know, it will pass quickly, I promise.” He smoothed out her wet silver hair. “Let me wash you?” He grabbed a sea sponge and a bottle of her favorite lavender soap. Ares laid the soapy rough sponge on her shoulder and began circling it around on her skin to find her muscles tight, so full of stress for someone who’d slept so long. “Relax, hummm? Everything’s all right now.”

  “Is it? Raven? So grown now. His Trials, he started them didn’t he?” Alena had the nagging feeling that wasn’t all Raven started. Something horrible was happening in the Mortal World far below and Raven was part of it.

  Her shoulders covered with a thick layer of soapy foam, Ares let the sponge drop to the water and put his hands on them instead. She let out a little sound of pain mixed with delight when he began massaging her. “I know you hate it but he’s doing magnificently, Alena. Where his Trials are concerned, you should be proud of him.”

  “Of course he is, he’s your Son.” There was no mistaking the touch of sadness in her voice. She turned around to face her Husband. “Tell me everything, everything I’ve missed.”

  Ares leaned back against the warm marble and stretched out in the whirling water, letting it relax his own tense muscles. “Why don’t you tell me about this extended dream of yours.”

  Alena closed her tired eyes and tried to think but it was so difficult. Enveloped in the warmth of the water and the strength of her Husband’s arms, she started to tell her tale. She told of Morpheus telling her she was dead, that Ares had killed Rose and moved Aphrodite into their bed.

  “I did…WHAT?” Ares railed as his eyes grew wide. “You believed him? That I would kill our Daughter? Why?”

  “He said she was weak and inferior, not up to your exacting standards, so you snuffed out her life with the palm of your hand.”

  “Do you still think so little of me? That I would harm our Daughter and move that slut into our home? You believe that the same way you believe I would let those leeches make you the centerpiece of a Bacchanalia?”

  “Yes,” she muttered dropping her eyes from his, “No—Yes…I know I heard her, her voice, her laugh, I heard her. Through the mirror with my own ears, I heard her in this house.”

  Ares looked down into her frightened and confused eyes. “I don’t know what you heard but she didn’t spend a single night here and I did not spend a single night elsewhere.”

  Alena heard the cold steel ring of truth in his voice but it was so hard to believe. It had been four long years and Ares could hardly go four minutes without poking his cock into something warm and wet. “Why? I’ve been gone a long time, I would understand if you didn’t wait for me. She’s so beautiful, Ares, I’m sure she’s everything you’ve ever wanted.”

  “You’re everything I ever wanted.” Reaching out to wrap his hand around the back of her head, he laid her head down to rest against his brawny shoulder. “I am still yours and no other woman’s.”

  Alena snuggled her cheek into the fur covering his chest to listen to his heartbeat. Now that she was awake, fed, relieved, and washed, she found the strength in his arms around her most welcome and arousing. Biting down on her bottom lip, she tilted her head upward to gaze into his eyes as her fingertips began wandering his chest, letting the steady rhythm of his heart pulse through them and into her. Here in the safety of his arms she felt a wave of guilt lap around her heart. “Morpheus…Morpheus…he said I was dead, that you started a new life with Aphrodite, you had more Children with her, and that I could never come back…”

/>   Ares didn’t need to look into her eyes to see what was coming; he heard it in her cracking voice. “You believed his illusion and his lies until Morpheus made you his Lover, yes?”

  “His Wife,” she whispered in disgrace. “I’m so sorry, my Lord, my Love, please forgive me. His touch was cold and always left me wanting. Not like you, you bring me fire, desire, passion and ecstasy. I love you, Ares, there’s no other man on this Earth, above it or below it, for me. Only you. “

  “Only you for me.” Rage brewed within the God of War, it bubbled and churned, but he beat it down. After all, he wasn’t angry with her but with Morpheus—a dead man. The way the King of Dreams used her and then tortured her demanded more retribution than what he got. It was such a jagged little pill to swallow; just the idea of her in another man’s bed was enough to drive him to madness. But Morpheus snatched her away, then he lied to her and he tricked her. In the end, it wasn’t her fault and, under the circumstances, Ares understood how she would believe Morpheus’ lies. “It was just a dream,” Ares grumbled, holding one hand over her heart and the others upon hers covering his own beating heart. “That’s all. Your body was here the whole time sleeping and being watched over. No matter what you did in the Dream World it didn’t actually happen.” He touched the diamond and ruby necklace that he’d placed around her neck so many years ago. “You are still my Wife and I love you, I have since before that spell was cast.”

  Alena felt a wave of relief wash over her but uncertainty remained. “Do you still want me?”

  “Always. I’ve been waiting a long time for you to wake and come back to me.” Before he gave in and kissed her again there was still one last question to be asked and answered; “When you came to me in the dream why didn’t you tell me he had you? Why didn’t you tell me when you spoke through Rose? Didn’t you trust me, is that still shattered between us?”

  Alena let out a sigh, hoping Ares would understand her answer. “If I told you Morpheus had me you would have come to my rescue—”