Rating: PG/PG-13
Violence/Sex/Profanity: No violence, no profanity, and only a hint of sex.
Dedication: This story is dedicated to Sarah, Kat, Sara, Tareena, SR, Tali, Liz, Krissiana, Jen, Stormy, and everyone else I forgot.
Author’s Note: Takes place after Eternal Bonds.
Too Strong To Resist
By Illyandria
The room was gloriously spacious. A large fountain was in the middle of the room, blood red wine pouring forth from it. The whole room was decorated in red and deep purple. People were scattered everywhere. Everyone she knew had gathered here for her surprise birthday party. Whole villages that she had saved but hardly knew had even arrived, along with a lot of Iphicles' royal friends.
Iphicles had been very generous, providing dresses and suits for the people who could not afford it. He had planned this whole celebration, along with Gabrielle and Hercules.
So here she stood, in the midst of this social chaos. She was wearing a beautiful black, long, tight, silk dress. It had no sleeves and her raven hair was up in one of the popular styles. A pure silver snake wound around her upper right arm. Silver earrings adorned her ears, and silver bracelets were around her wrists. A tiara of silver in a twisted design sat upon her head.
Suddenly, the golden double doors opened loudly. There was dead silence in the room as a man walked through the door. Immediately the room became noisy again as men and women whispered to each other and young women rushed to introduce themselves to the tall, dark stranger. But the man pushed them all aside, hardly giving them a glance as he made his way toward Xena. The girls pouted dejectedly as he passed them by.
When he reached the beautiful woman in black garments he took her hand in his and, running his fingers across the smooth skin, brought it to his lips and kissed it suavely.
"May I have this dance?" Ares whispered huskily.
She couldn't speak a word; her heart had stopped the moment he'd walked through the door. The sight of him in his black leathers adorned in silver had brought to mind her recent dreams of him. She looked down at herself quickly and then back at him. Black and silver?! Why was she wearing the same colors as he was?! Looking back up into his eyes she realized he was waiting expectantly for an answer.
She nodded, still lacking the ability to speak.
He grinned and led her to the dance floor. The small orchestra off to the side started playing a slow, sensuous tango. The room became silent again as he twirled her across the floor.
Finally, the music came to an end, as did their dance. Complete silence hung in the large room as the two stared at each other for a long time. Ares eventually broke the gaze, bowed, and when he came up a perfect red rose was in his hand. He stepped closer to her, handed her the rose, and kissed her cheek.
His lips lingered near her as he whispered, "Meet me at my temple after the party if you want your birthday present."
And with one last lustful look into her crystal blue eyes he disappeared.
Almost everyone in the room gasped as the strange man vanished, and Xena's cheeks flushed noticeably. She looked around the room and almost groaned aloud. Gabrielle, Hercules, Iphicles, Autolycus, and others were making their way to her. Hercules looked pissed, and the others looked either jealous or incredulous.
"Xena, what just happened?! And what did he whisper to you?!" Hercules asked angrily.
Xena tried to calm her still racing heartbeat. "I - I don't know what just happened. And as for what he said to me - it's none of your business."
She grabbed a glass of wine from a tray carried by a nearby servant and sipped at it as Hercules glared at her.
Returning the glare after awhile, she said, "What? I'm a big girl, Hercules. I can take care of myself. And I say that if Ares feels like seducing me, then fine! I think I'm in need of a man, anyway..." She looked him over when he rose an eyebrow. "I mean a man who can satisfy me, dear."
With that said, she sauntered away, smelling the sweet rose Ares had given her.
~*~
Xena walked up to the oak temple doors, a scarlet cloak draped over her black dress. She opened the doors silently and with one last look at the starry night sky, walked into the dark room.
Black candles were scattered throughout the area. A large black marble alter was in the middle of the room, and a marble throne was behind it.
She walked over to the altar and sat down, facing the throne, allowing the silk cloak to drop off of her shoulders. She had removed all of the jewelry except for the earrings and the snake arm band.
A few moments after she had taken a seat Ares appeared on his throne. They looked each other over for a moment, and then Xena stood up and walked over to him, sitting on his lap casually.
"So," she said, "about that birthday present?"
They appeared in his bedchamber.
She arched an eyebrow, looking at the bed. He didn't mean to imply that he was her present, did he...although she didn't think she would mind...
He shook his head. "I'm always open to the suggestion, but only if you want to," he said with a grin.
He walked over to a chest of drawers and opened the top drawer. Retrieving a black velvet box, he handed it to her and quietly closed the drawer.
She took the box carefully, looking into his eyes before opening the box.
When she finally did, she gasped.
"Oh gods!"
A large, heart-shaped ruby pendant on a silver chain sat in the velvet box. On the side facing her, a large chakram was carved in the stone. Her old chakram , the one that he had given her. She turned the pendant over. His symbol, the rune on his old pendant, had been etched in the back.
Ares had been watching her expressions carefully, hoping she liked it and understood what it meant. A relieved look came to his face as a smile broke over hers.
"It's beautiful," she whispered.
He smiled at her and took the necklace from its box placing it around her neck. As it fell between her breasts he led her to a mirror.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and said, "It's even more beautiful on you."
She spun herself around in his arms and kissed him passionately, her hands going behind his neck. After a moment her hands dove under his tunic, tugging it off and throwing it aside.
He broke away from her. "Are you sure...?"
She rose a brow, leaned forward, and kissed him again. Stepping back, she nodded. "Yes."
He looked into her eyes one last time and then swept her off her feet and gently laid her on the silken pillows...
bleeding-heart[dot]net