OF WAR Anthology Novels 1-3

by Lisa Beth Darling

  “Mom,” Raven returned through gritted teeth. Ares burst out of his seat, the heavy wood chair hit the marble floor with so much force it broke into toothpicks. Raven jumped up to meet the challenge. Standing toe to toe with his Father and looking the God of War in the eye, Raven answered, “All I wanted was you to be proud of me. I wanted you to look at me the way you look at Rose every time she does something small and stupid, anything that any moron could do…”

  Ares bitch-slapped his Son across the face. “It’s your fault Rose is imperfect, can’t you accept that much? If you never pushed your Mother down the stairs…”

  “I didn’t fuckin’ push her and you know it!”

  “It’s still your fault,” Ares whispered sadly. “Rose’s accomplishments are something to be proud of, you little shit, what the hell have you ever really done? What have you ever strove to achieve? All you bring is misery, pain, and destruction.”

  Holding the palm of his hand to the side of stinging jaw, Raven forced a cruel smile. “Sorry I was ever born, Pop?”

  “You’re arrogant, ignorant, impetuous, Narcissistic, and worst of all, stupid.” Everything within his sight tinged with red and Ares knew if he didn’t leave the room, he was going to kill Raven. “You sicken me.” He turned on his heels to saunter towards the sealed door. With a wave of his hand, the solid wall returned to normal and in front of him sat the busted door crookedly leaning on its broken hinges.

  “So what now? You’re just gonna let ‘em hang me?” Raven shot as he followed his Father at a distance greater than Ares’ reach. “What do you think Mom will say about that?”

  Ares’ head turned on his shoulders to glare back at Raven. “I’m not throwing myself on my sword for you. You’ll have to pull your own ass out of the fire.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Strange Bedfellows

  Not two hours later, everything happened just the way Ares said it would. Zeus even went to the trouble of sending his favorite Grace, Thalia Mistress of Good Cheer to every Olympian’s door with a hand engraved summons to the Council Chamber for ‘matters of the utmost urgency’. Every member of Ares’ household received one with their name on it, even Rose and Alena.

  “They know she’s awake?”

  “The Mortals don’t call us gods for nothing, ” Ares shook his head in disgust as he let out a heavy sigh and looked toward the heavy staircase knowing that now he had to tell Alena everything that happened. He had to do it right now before Zeus or Apollo could get to her. “Why don’t you find something that will make you useful?” Tossing Raven’s invitation in his face, Ares pushed past him on his way upstairs.

  Ten minutes later, Raven heard his mother scream and then begin sobbing uncontrollably. Feeling his heart plummet to the soles of his feet, Raven looked toward the Fortress door then let himself out. Plodding along through the snow in his bare feet he wandered past the outer wall where he stopped to look up and take in the view. The Fortress stood at the lowest point of the highest points of Olympus and it was nearest the Gates so that Ares could defend them should anyone be able to charge through in a surprise attack. Raven let out a snort that turned the air under his nose white as he thought that his Relatives had some damn nerve. They scorned Ares constantly, yet in the end they expected he would fight for them, that he would defend them with his own life.

  Up there, beyond the wide gulley of the Fortress stood the homes of those Relatives, each one able to look down up Ares and his entire Family any time they wanted. To his far right stood Eros’ Tower, but today the fluffy little God of Love wasn’t sitting up there like a gargoyle. By the small footprints in the snow leading up to his door, and indeed every door, Raven would say Eros was pondering and getting ready for the swiftly approaching meeting. Directly in front of him, on the last bit of hillside on Olympus, stood Apollo’s Temple. Normally that would be the first place he would run in a time like this but his gut had been telling him Apollo was not to be trusted and now his mind and heart knew it as well. If that weren’t enough then the sight of the many many different sets of tiny footprints in the snow leading up the steps to his Temple sealed the deal. Raven sniffed the frigid air that never liked to share the scents it captured but he was sure he caught the sweet whiff of them telling him that Apollo’s Nymphs finally arrived on Olympus.

  A nice distance and a little bit behind, higher on the Olympian Scale, at Aphrodite’s Pink Temple with its glittering pink marble glowing against the white snow. After her, a little higher on the mountain still, was Athena’s Temple, the marble of it was all different shades gray on the inside and the outside. Just past her, on the highest point of Mount Olympus overlooking everything stood the Golden Palace of his Grandfather.

  No help there to be sure.

  He stood there a moment longer gazing between the Pink and Gray Temples before deciding it was best not to leave any tracks for his Father to follow. Raven summoned up the giant bird within him and took flight to his destination. Landing softly at the bottom of the stoop he turned back into himself, took one look back at the Fortress then walked up the steps. Taking one last deep breath, he raised his head, squared his shoulders and rapped upon the door with a nervous heart. He tried to look calm, cool, and collected when the faithful attendant of the house opened the door.

  “What do you want?”

  “To see your Mistress,” Raven answered in a strong but gentle voice, trying not to let his thoughts carry him away. “Please tell her I’m here.”

  “Hummmp,” she stepped aside to allow Raven entry to the Temple, “wait here.” She wandered off to find her Mistress as Raven stood in the foyer for the very first time in his life.

  A few moments later the Mistress of the Temple appeared and looked at him coldly. “What do you want?”

  “She already asked me that,” Raven returned with an easy smile. “I think we should talk, don’t you?”

  “About what?” Aphrodite planted her fists on her round hips as she stared through Raven with her icy blue eyes.

  “Dismiss the servant, offer me a chalice of Nectar, and I’ll tell you.”

  “You’re just as arrogant as your Father.”

  “Thank you,” Raven smiled and then gestured toward Erato still standing off to the side but between him and her Mistress.

  “Go on, go, bring the little prick the Nectar he wants then leave us,” Aphrodite ordered. As Erato hurried off to do as she was told, the Goddess of Love invited Raven further in to her Pink Temple with its plush couches and soft floor pillows, long wisps of pink and purple organza hanging between sturdy pink columns hiding away nooks and corners where one could sneak off to engage in the pleasures of the flesh. “Sit or stand, whatever you want,” she huffed and lounged on the nearest chaise, her long shapely legs seductively crossed, that hip so right for the grabbing jutted upward as she propped her Reubenesque frame up on one elbow to stare at him defiantly.

  Quietly Erato hurried in to the parlor where she placed a tray of solid gold onto the pink marble table with its hearts and flowers. The tray overflowed with fresh fruit and cheese along with a large golden carafe of Nectar and two matching chalices. The Muse of Love Poetry filled the two cups and offered the first to the guest, the second to her Mistress before bowing politely and then soundlessly making her way away from them.

  “She’s good,” Raven complimented, “the help at the Fortress is always so damn chatty.”

  “The help? I see, but I don’t think your Father would agree with that assessment.” Aphrodite took a sip from the gold and jeweled chalice in her slender hands before speaking again. “Now I’ve shown you my hospitality, so what the hell do you want?”

  “Fair enough,” Raven returned easily taking his own drink of the thick sweet liquid. “I want to form an alliance.”

  “Between you and me,” Aphrodite tittered as her ivory cheeks flushed with color. “Oh, that’s priceless. Why would I do that? Zeus and Apollo are going to call for your death very soon, so any alliance between us isn’t
bound to last very long.”

  Raven nodded, took another sip, and then began to look around the parlor. “Nice place ya got here, too bad you’re all alone. It must be tough being the Goddess of Love and all when there’s none for you.” Turning his bare back to her, Raven took a few steps around the room to take in the paintings of gardens and seashores and night scenes all with lovers embracing. The sculptures, ranging in size from miniatures on the mantelpiece to full-sized statues peering from corners showing off a hard cock or pair of supple breasts, were much the same only a bit more lifelike.

  “Are you trying to offer me your meager sexual favors if, at the meeting, I should side with you?”

  “They’re not meager and I don’t want you to side with me, I want you to side with my Father,” Raven declared easily, “he’s innocent, I don’t know what you’ve heard already but…”

  “Quite a bit,” Aphrodite tittered, “Apollo went down there last night after Morpheus died, strange that, huh? What do you think happened to him?”

  “Nothing less than he deserved,” Raven huffed and took another gulp of Nectar to avoid her blazing gaze for a moment. “Whatever Apollo told you is probably a lie, besides, what allegiance do you owe him? Especially now that he has his Nymphs with him all bundled up in one big sweaty writhing heap of musky sex I’m sure he won’t have any time for you at all. He hasn’t for a long while, has he? I, on the other hand, have a lot of time and tons of energy.” Raven sucked on his bottom lip as he gave her a sultry stare.

  Aphrodite couldn’t help it, her body shuddered and her mind raced with deliciously decadent thoughts as she let out a little moan. “I bet you do,” she whispered and rolled her hip toward him a little more, letting the sheer pink material of her gown cascade down and away from her milky flesh.

  “I could show you,” Raven offered.

  “You really are a chip off the old block, aren’t you?”

  Raven’s upper lip curled slightly as he reached down and grabbed hold of his package. “In more ways than one,” he whispered heatedly.

  “Tempting but, why not you? Why are you here bartering for Ares?”

  “I told you, he’s innocent. Other than that, you’ve always been in love with him and you always will be, won’t you, Goddess of Love?” Raven sauntered toward where Aphrodite lounged. “I know it kills you that he’s in love with my Mother, I know you’d do anything to get him back in your bed, but you can’t, can you? You’re helpless in the face of True Love and it is True Love with them.” He watched the smirk on her face begin to falter. “I, on the other hand, don’t have that problem. So I offer my own services in his place, and once you vote him innocent, I’ll work on getting you the real thing. I’ll do all I can get him to leave her and come to you, how’s that sound?”

  “Too good to be true,” Aphrodite sneered. “I’m not an idiot so don’t fuck with me. He’ll never leave her; the only thing that will separate Ares from Alena is death and even then he’ll wait to join her in the Underworld before taking another woman to his side.”

  “Don’t be too sure.” Raven knew his Mother well, he knew exactly what Alena would do when it came crumbling down around her ears again. “But, if it does happen that way then I guess you’ll just be stuck with me to service you until you tire of me.”

  The offer sounded a little better. Aphrodite liked that the glint in his eye, it hinted that he had a deep dark secret that might work in her favor. Raven was young. Raven was handsome. Raven was virile. Raven was strong. Her mouth started watering as her mind started racing and before she knew a dewy drop of drool landed on her heaving bosom. Licking her lips and trying to hold herself down, Aphrodite rose on rubbery knees to look Raven in his strange eyes. “You would do this for your Father?”

  “Yes.”

  The Lady of Love gave Raven a sultry stare over the top of her long lashes as she sauntered toward him to whisper, “Because he’s innocent?”

  “Yes.”

  Aphrodite reached her goal and didn’t hesitate to lay her hand on Raven’s bare chest, letting her palm take in every bump and crevice on his hairless chest. “Ares has never been innocent in his whole life,” she whispered with a titter as she bit down on her bottom lip. “Neither have you.” She rose up on her tiptoes to nuzzle her cheek into the nape of Raven’s neck, taking in the soft spicy scent of him as silky waves of midnight flowed across her face. She let her breath, hot and steamy, linger along his tender flesh as she pressed her breasts against him feeling his dark skin break out in gooseflesh as he let out a shivering sigh. Aphrodite knew she had him where she wanted him. “I know you killed my Daughter.” In an instant, the shiver became a shudder, the sigh a grunted moan as Raven stepped away from her. Aphrodite followed him. Step by step she kept up as he moved back. “Did you think Apollo wouldn’t tell me? That he wouldn’t warn me you’d be coming here today?” Hitting a sturdy column of pink marble Raven could go no further. She reached out again to trace her fingertips over his pecs. “You have so much to learn, Raven, there’s so much I can teach you.” With a sly grin on her beautiful face, the graceful fingers fluttering over him grabbed hold of one nipple and pinched together viciously. Raven winced and let out a painful grunt that made her smile wider. “Are we still game? I promise, no matter what happens between us, I’ll vote in your Father’s favor.”

  It seemed to Raven that Ares was righter than he knew, Apollo had been at least three steps ahead of him the whole time. What Apollo didn’t count on was Aphrodite’s deep love for Ares and her desire not to see any serious harm to come to him. Apollo also neglected to take into account Aphrodite’s growing distaste for him and the way he’d been mistreating her all the years of Raven’s life. Apollo was always leaving her alone and going off with Daphne and those damn Nymphs since they reunited at a time when it was only Cernunnos who threatened the world. When he told her that Raven killed Trinity, Apollo expected that when Raven came here she’d tear him to shreds before sending him packing. “Deal,” Raven croaked, looking down into her jeweled eyes feeling as though he were making a deal with the most beautiful Devil ever to walk the Earth. “But I didn’t kill her.”

  Aphrodite sighed and shook her head, honey blonde ringlets danced around her delicate face. “So like your Father, let’s find out how far that extends, shall we?” Without further warning, she clasped Raven by the back of the head forcing him down to her as she rose further on her toes to slam her mouth into his. The fingers ruthlessly clamped on his nipple tightened as much as they could as she bit his lip and then raked her long nails from the back of his neck, to the front, and down his chest drawing small rivers of Ichor.

  Raven cried out as his flesh split open, bring bursts of pain that made his cock tingle. Looking down he saw the challenge of wanton lust and revenge staring back at him. “I like it,” Raven whispered, knowing he could rip her hands away from him anytime he wanted.

  “I was so hoping you’d say that,” she hissed as she grabbed him by the throat and backed Raven all the way to her bedroom on the other side of the Temple. Kicking the door shut behind while still keeping hold of her prey she led him to the big soft bed where so many men had been before. “You’ve been a bad boy, a very bad boy.”

  “If you say so,” Raven agreed, careful not to admit guilt but instead to keep this game alive in her head. She was pissed over to losing Trinity and Raven had no doubt he was going to endure her wrath but he was interested to see which one won the night; her rage and her sorrow or her passionate lust. “I guess I need to be punished. Wanna spank me?”

  Aphrodite couldn’t hold out the full smile that broke out on her beautifully determined face, she didn’t even try, she just gazed down at him in wide wonder. “By the end of the hour I don’t think you’ll be so cheeky.”

  “Cheeky? Cute,” Raven mused as she hovered over him with her big milky mounds up close and personal in his face. Below the harsh confines of his Levis’, Raven’s young cock began to throb.

  Unable to take any m
ore of his mocking mouth, Aphrodite jumped off him, landing firmly on her bare feet, she pointed at Raven, giggled, then threw her hand toward the far wall of the bedroom. Before he knew it, Raven was flying cross the room at her magickal command. He landed between two pink pillars where the long soft strands of organza wound down and seized his wrists, tying them tightly in place. Even though his heart was thundering, Raven managed a laugh. “You think this flimsy cloth can hold me?”

  “No,” Aphrodite tittered as she slowly swaggered over to him, “but these can.” With a snap of her fingers shackles clasped around his wrists over the silky material. She laughed brighter when he started to struggle. “Oh, keep trying, Raven, don’t give up.” She stood back and watched for a moment before snapping her fingers sharply once more and removing Raven’s jeans. “Impressive,” she cooed, gazing down at his hardening shaft, “not quite as good as the old man but not bad.” That wasn’t quite true, in her silent judgment, Raven was nearly every inch the man his Father was but she saw no need to compliment him.

  Raven strained, he struggled, he twisted and turned in the heavy metal shackles but they would not give. The more he fought the more they seemed to tighten and soak away his strength. “What are these?”

  “Oh, just a little something I took from Cernunnos’ Keep just before it burned down.” With much twinkling appreciation in her eye, Aphrodite fanned herself to keep down the bead of sweat breaking out of her tingling body as she watched the naked young man in cuffs struggle, making his cock bounce around between his strong legs. “I took these too,” one last snap of her fingers and his feet shackled to the pillars, keeping his long lean legs just over shoulder’s width apart. “I know, the chains are much shorter than the wrist cuffs but I had to improvise, so try not to move your legs too much,” she nearly apologized but Raven just kept on going. “You can stop that now, these were made by Hephaestus to hold your Father; you don’t have a prayer of getting out of them.” Holding a slender hand in front of her, Aphrodite called forth a golden cart. It rolled over to her on its own power and she looked down at the items on it and considered each carefully. There were whips, gag balls, cock rings, blindfolds, dildos, vibrators, leather masks, buckets of ice, jars of oils, feathers, lit candles, pinchers, pokers, and a strange pear-shaped object.