Any Other Way

The dream had been vivid in its darkness. They were in the dimly lit Halls of War. The scene an orgy. The main hall was packed full of sexual revelers. Bodies slicked with oil slapping against each other as the partiers practiced a plethora of lurid acts. But she'd had Him all to herself. Her lover, her god. They were on his throne. He was deep inside her, her breasts pressed into his bearded face as she moved rhythmically over his lap seeking her release. His splayed hands roamed broadly over her back moving toward her hips. She knew he was getting close. She knew when he was ready to come that he'd take over, grab her hips and thrust himself deeper and deeper until he'd spent himself inside her. She leaned down and took his lower lip between her teeth, teasing it, urging him onward toward his climax.

Xena felt a new set of hands on her back, smaller colder. She jerked awake. Gabrielle had scooched up next to her and slid her hands under Xena's bedroll seeking the warmth of her warrior companion's body. Xena lay still and stared into the pre-dawn sky. The swollen warmth between her legs annoyed her. Why did he still affect her so? She despised everything he stood for. And yet, the feeling of possessing him that the dream had invoked left her reeling. She knew if he'd been there with her in that moment that she would not have been able to turn him away.

The warrioress looked down at her sleeping companion. She did the only thing she could do to take her mind from a past to which she could never return. She pulled Gabrielle in closer so that the blonde's short cropped head rested on her shoulder.

Gabrielle snuggled deeper into Xena, satisfied with the warrior's warm embrace. Xena kissed the top of her sidekick's head then stared back into space. The bright rim of morning glowed along the eastern ridge. The bright yellow dawn star danced closely to it's red neighbor, Venus and Mars, companions in the eternal vault. The thought brought her some comfort. It reminded her that he was not alone Olympus. At least he had Aphrodite.

A wry chuckle escaped her lips when she considered that he was probably somewhere with her right now, probably at one of her infamous orgies. With a twinge of jealousy she wondered who possessed the war god that night. She clenched her thighs as a warm trickle seeped from her core, her need for him growing stronger. She considered waking Gabrielle, letting her friend slake her thirst. But when you craved wine, water just wouldn't do.

Xena rolled away from her friend. Gabrielle whimpered at the loss of the body heat but quickly settled, nestling deeper into her own bedroll. Xena considered pleasuring herself but she didn't want to give in to the desire. She wouldn't let her need get the better of her. A twitch in her center begged her to let go, her body demanded release. Her body wanted him.

Xena snaked her hand between her legs. Hot, wet, and swollen. Ready for him like a temple whore.

"No," she cried in exasperation as she pulled her hand away, "No!"

"Time for a cold swim," Xena whispered to Argo as she slipped out of her bedroll and headed down to the lake.

AXAXAXAXAXAXAX

Ares was restless. His romp with two of his temple girls had served as a release but as he lay with one on each arm, he found himself woefully unsatisfied. No one would ever compare. He tapped the brunette on the tip of her nose. Her blue eyes fluttered open. He let himself pretend for a minute. He reached down and kissed her. Her kiss lacked fire, lacked passion.

"You're free to go," he sighed.

She scrambled out of bed, happy to be done with her service to the God of War.

"I hope you aren't going to send me away so coldly," the redhead cooed as she threw her long skinny thigh over him.

He gently tugged a curl of her long copper hair. "Ooooh, someone is cock hungry tonight."

"Always for you, My Lord," the girl lied to curry favor with the god.

Ares felt the deceit dripping from her thick Celtic accent. Since she'd arrived, she'd done her best to work her way up the ladder of women who served in his temples. This had been only her third time in his bed. He decided that it would be her last.

"Go," he ordered.

"But My Lord," she protested, his command taking her by surprise. She'd been warned of his mercurial nature but was not used to men turning her away

"In fact, I am finished with you. Pack your things, your service is no longer needed in my temples."

"But. . . you don't mean that," she attempted to straddle him.

He threw her from the bed, she landed hard on the cold stone floor. He laughed at the shocked fury that distorted her delicate face. He wasn't even going to bother dismissing her again, she wasn't worth his time.

But, then, she pulled his trigger. "You're a fool, she's not coming back to you."

His head snapped around so quickly had he been mortal he would've suffered whiplash. "What? What did you say to me, you worthless wench?"

"Xena, your warrior cunt, is never coming back to you. You disgust her! She'd rather be dead than let you fuck her again! You pine around her after her like a pathetic sap."

Ire flared his nostril, rage propelled him forward. He grabbed the woman by the throat and lifted her off the ground. "I'm gonna kill you, slut!"

The beauty kicked and wriggled under his crushing grip.

"Won't change the truth, I'm here for you. Could love you. She hates you!" She rasped.

Ares shook her violently and then suddenly stopped. She was right. Why was he killing the whore for daring to mutter what his men would not. Xena had played him for a fool, time and again. Ares released the woman and she fell against the side of the bed clutching at her throat and gasping for air.

Disgusted with himself, Ares fled the scene.

AXAXAXAXAXAXAXAX

Xena swam vigorously trying in desperation to burn off the tension caused by her salacious dream. She turned and looked back to the bank, Generally a good judge of distance, she was surprised by just how far out she'd swum. She stopped and treaded water for bit a just taking time to look out across the lake. She could make out a wisp of smoke rising into the sky along the western bank. She looked back to the area where she and Gabrielle had made camp, she had to really focus to make out the smoke from their small fire. She checked the eastern ridge, the sky was growing ever lighter. The sun would be cresting within the hour. Xena relaxed back into the water. She studied the heavenly vault again as she floated on the surface of the water. The fat moon was doing its best to end its nightly trek across the blue expanse. The stars slowly dwindled as the sky grew brighter. Lightning zoomed across the cloudless sky catching Xena's attention. She knew the out of place lightning could only be the result of an angry god. The sliver blue streaks that raced across the night a minute later confirmed her suspicion, it was Ares, she'd know his sizzling energy anywhere. She wondered what had him on the warpath. Given his volatile nature, it didn't take much to illicit such a violent response from him.

"Ares," she muttered longingly half-under her breath.

AXAXAXAXAXAXAX

Xena had said his name in such a tone that it carried across the heavens as an invocation. It stopped the war god in his tracks. She was the last thing he had expected. Why was she calling him, now of all times? What was she up to? His brain yelled at him to ignore her.

"Keep moving," Ares urged himself.

But as always. Xena won!

With a frustrated growl, he materialized himself into her world.

AXAXAXAXAXAXA

Xena saw the ripple in the fabric of the universe a split second before he appeared on the lake shore. Her heart quickened, her breath caught. She knew she was in trouble. She couldn't do it tonight. Her hunger was fierce. Resistance was not an option.

Once she let go, it was surprisingly easy. Joy filled her heart. Sweet anticipation urged her toward him. With long strokes she swam to her need.

When she was a few feet from the water's edge, She found the lake bottom with her feet and walked up the sloped bank. He was agitated she could tell but hoped that he would channel that energy into their coupling. She liked it best when he was rough and anger usually meant she would get a wild ride

"I didn't expect to see you tonight," she purred as her breast broke the water's surface. She continued toward him, revealing more of herself with each step.

"Can't imagine why not. You were calling me, weren't you." He wasn't in the mood for her games.

"Yes, I was," Xena was taken aback a bit but wasn't about to let him spoil the moment. Something monumental had happened inside of her. Maybe she had finally forgiven herself enough to sample again the forbidden fruit that was the god of war. She considered it a second. Yes, she finally believed that she could be intimate with him and it not lead her down a path to dark destruction.

The realization made her almost giddy.

Ares misinterpreted the look of sheer happiness on her face. He thought she was mocking him. "Well, what did you want? You know you aren't the only warrior that begs the presence of the god of war."

The comment stung. What was his problem. "I know that," she said a bit defensively.

"And you certainly aren't the only woman." Ares laughed.

It felt like a knife in the chest. She looked down embarrassed. She had been about to throw herself at him. To give him what he'd been claiming that he'd wanted for years. He moved in taking up the remaining space between them. That's when she smelled the other woman on him.

The jealousy that burned in her soul sent water pooling at the lower lids of her eyes. So another woman had possessed the god of war tonight. While she was rutting with him in her nocturnal fantasies another woman was pleasuring him in real life. "I see. Well, I won't keep you. Something or Someone obviously has you riled up."

Ares cocked his head. What was she up to? She looked almost hurt. She was really putting on a show. When she'd sauntered up the bank, he'd been almost certain that she was going to ravage him. He was not playing the fool tonight. Whatever plot was afoot, he was not going to fall prey.

He considered his armies. There weren't any within a thirty mile radius. She couldn't be foiling any of those plans. Maybe she was distracting him for some reason. Keeping him busy while someone else worked against his interests elsewhere. No, that wasn't her style. Xena wasn't into subterfuge, except as a last resort. She was more likely to punch you in the face than to work behind your back. "Well, I'm here now, so what's up?"

"Nothing. Just go!" She moved passed him. She didn't plan on being the second woman he planted his dick in tonight.

Ares grabbed her bicep and spun her back around. "Oh no you don't. You don't get to call me here out of the fucking blue and then just dismiss me like it's nothing."

His hard handling of her made her body respond. Her breathing grew more rapid. She felt her nipples harden. Her center started swelling again.

"If you must know, I was calling you for a little romp. But I can smell that you've already relieved yourself with another woman tonight"

Ares' laughter skipped across the surface of the lake until it reverberated off of the mountains. "Oh, you think I've only been with one! Xena, it might surprise you but plenty of women are honored to have the attention of the god of war."

"You fucking whore," Xena jerked her arm from his grip. She realized her mistake instantly. She heard her shoulder pop before the searing pain ripped through her. She yelped.

"Serves you right for pulling away from me," Ares grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into him. "I thought you wanted to have a little fun!"

"Areeeees," Xena warned.

"Awwww, Xena's pissed." Ares chuckled. "Is this what you wanted? He rubbed his hardened crotch along her long thigh bone.

"God's help me, yes," she panted.

Ares held her back a little to look at her. By the gods, she was turned on. She hadn't been lying. She wanted him. He felt like a tool. For once, she'd been willing to give into her need and he'd been a total ass. "Do you still want me, Xena?" He whispered seductively in her ear as her slipped his knee between her legs and started to press the cap into her center.

Xena ground down on his bone seeking any relief she could find.

"I'll take that as a yes," Ares turned her around so that her bare ass pressed against the front of his leathers. "I'm gonna fuck you, Xena."

"Yes," she cried nearly breathless.

Ares unlatched his belt and pushed his pants down. He glided his fingers over her sex, finding it tightly swollen and naturally lubricated. He couldn't believe this was happening. He had his cock in his hands only seconds before he found her opening and dove inside her welcoming sleeve.

As he thrust toward his release, he pushed her shoulder back into its socket. The mixture of the pleasure and the pain tore through her core, sending her rushing over the edge. Ares quickly followed as her spasming walls milked him of his seed.

"What was that?" Ares asked as he pulled his pants back up.

"I'm not sure," Xena answered as she found her dress where she'd left it hanging on a nearby tree branch.

"Does this mean. . ."

"I'm not sure what it means," Xena interrupted.

"I love you, Xena. This is not what I wanted for our reunion. I expected. . ."

"That's your problem. You have to quit expecting."

"I can't. I've tried. I think about you, about us, all the time. Even tonight with two gorgeous women in my bed, all I could think about was you."

"This was a mistake," Xena shook her head.

"You're right, it was." Defeat swam in his dark eyes. "What are we doing, Xena?"

"I don't know," she admitted.

"I can't do this anymore," Ares ran his fingers through his hair. "The push and the pull is too much. I'm not even sure what you want from me."

"What are you saying?" Panic laced her words.

"I'm done." He stated.

"What do you mean?" Xena asked.

"Don't call me anymore. I can't be your puppet. I'm not your god. For Zeus's sake, we're not even friends. Goodbye, Xena."

"And, five minutes ago, you loved me," she sneered.

"You know I love you. That's not the problem. The problem is that you don't love me."

Ares waited for her to deny it. She didn't. He disappeared just as the sun peeked over the craggy peaks.