Sweet Cry of Pleasure (8 page)

* * * *

Ares felt a hand on his forehead. He knew his mother was there.

“Alala.”

“She’s coming,” Hera whispered.

The pain in his chest worsened when he took deep breaths. All he could see was Alala. He couldn’t rid his mind of the image of Arion kissing her. She’d watched Arion as he left, sadness in her eyes.

The pain grew worse. He wanted to be unconscious and just forget. He couldn’t stand thinking of how he’d lost her, what a fool he’d been.

He heard others talking, Zeus and another man. He couldn’t tell. Then he heard Alala’s voice.

“How is he?” she asked.

He tried to open his eyes, and he saw her in a blur. Her red hair fell against his chest as she leaned close.

“I’m here, Ares. Tell me what you need.”

“You,” he managed. He tried to touch her, but he couldn’t lift his hand. He still didn’t know what he had done. He’d stumbled and reached for Megaera when she touched him, but she must have thought he was attacking her. He hadn’t been able to explain when she came back that he knew it wasn’t her fault. She’d told him he knew what he needed. But he didn’t. He wanted Alala. She completely filled his mind.

“Ares, do you understand what we’ve said? You are the only one who can tell us what you need.”

“I need you.”

She leaned closer. “What can I do?”

He pressed his cheek to hers. It felt cool, and he knew he must be burning with fever. His strength sapped, he couldn’t say anything else. He drifted back into sleep, wanting to stay in her embrace despite the pain.

* * * *

“I don’t understand!” Hera exclaimed. “Alala is here. Why can’t he tell her? Why can’t he tell me? Something has gone wrong. I’m going to kill that little bitch!”

Zeus cleared his throat. “Perhaps you should talk to her first.”

“That did no good. She said she can’t come here. It will destroy the spell.”

Hypnos asked, “Isn’t that what needs to happen?”

Hera shook her head. “It will kill him. The spell must run its course.” She looked at Alala and moved closer to Zeus. “You know she loves him?”

Zeus nodded.

“Then what? If he needs her, doesn’t he have her? I mean, it is one of Aphrodite’s spells, but I can’t imagine they have to have sex, not with him like this and her worried to death.”

“Perhaps it isn’t sex. It must be love.”

“But what is supposed to happen?”

Alala looked up at them, but then she turned back to Ares.

“We should leave them alone,” Zeus suggested.

Hera gazed at her son. He looked so pale, and she wanted to snap her fingers and take it all away, but she couldn’t. “If you think so. I can’t think of anything else to do.”

* * * *

Alala watched Zeus and Hera herd everyone out. Hera kissed Alala on the cheek before she left. She wanted Hera to say something so she’d feel better, but she only walked away and closed the door.

She turned to Ares. Sometimes she felt his hands tighten around hers, but she thought he must be dreaming because he didn’t open his eyes.

“Ares, can you hear me? I don’t understand what I have to do. How can I do anything? How could I save you? It doesn’t make any sense.” She rested her head on his chest and listened to his heart beating. Something grazed her forehead, but she couldn’t open her eyes. She was falling asleep, but she didn’t want to.

“Hypnos?”

“Shhhhh.” The hand touched her again, and she drifted off into sleep.

* * * *

Alala opened her eyes and found herself in the arbor where she used to meet Apollo. She looked around and finally saw Ares.

“Why are we here?” she asked.

Ares looked around. “I don’t know.” He flexed his arms and took a deep breath. “I don’t feel any pain.” He pulled her into his arms. “Because you’re here.”

“I don’t know what to do.” All of her confused feelings churned within her. She didn’t know what was about to happen.

“Why is this place important?” he asked. “I don’t think I’ve ever been here.”

Alala buried her face in his chest. “I suppose I have no choice but to tell you.”

Ares held her away from his chest so he could look at her. “Why don’t you want to? Alala, you’re trembling.”

She laughed nervously. “It’s so silly. I shouldn’t be afraid. This is where I realized I loved you.”

He held her chin up and smiled. “So you do love me?”

She nodded. “I think I have to tell you everything.”

“Go on. Don’t be afraid.”

“I lost my virginity here.”

He stiffened. “And these two things happened on the same night? I find that a little hard to believe.”

“It’s true. You’re going to be very angry with someone when I tell you.”

His arms tightened around her, and his eyes burned with orange flames. “If you were forced I will have the man’s heart in my hand as soon as I wake up!” The anger in his voice made her shiver, and he cradled her face in his hand. “You shouldn’t be afraid or ashamed. Tell me who it was.”

“I wasn’t raped. Another god appeared to me as you. I thought I was making love to you.”

“That sounds like rape to me. Who was it?”

She could still feel his anger, but sadness had crept into his eyes. She didn’t want him to blame himself for what had happened, but she knew he would. “Apollo. We continued to have an affair afterwards. I came to him when I felt lonely.”

“And what ended it?”

“I found him with Aphrodite.”

Ares pulled her close to his chest. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

“Please say something.”

“You went back to his arms, after what he did?”

She felt fear pierce her heart like an icy dagger. How could he be angry with her for that? She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry. I was a fool, I know.”

Ares shook his head. “Alala, what’s wrong? I’m not blaming you. I’m blaming myself.”

“What?”

He looked at her tenderly. “We spent every single day together, yet you were that lonely?”

She turned away. “I don’t want pity.”

“Why do you think this is pity?”

You haven’t told me you love me.

“Alala, say something.”

He touched her shoulders, and she leaned back into his arms. “Make love to me. Right this wrong. That will save you. You’re the one I wanted that night.”

Ares put his arms around her waist. “I want to make love to you more than you know. That’s not what we’re here for though.”

“How do you know?”

He kissed her temple. “I don’t.”

“I want you, Ares. I’ve always wanted you.”

He ran his hands up over her breasts. “I was such a fool never to see you this way.”

She sighed as he touched her. No matter what was in store for them, she wasn’t going to let him leave her now. No matter how he felt afterwards or when he woke up, she was finally going to make love to the only man she’d ever wanted.

“Alala?”

“Yes?” She held her breath, hoping he would finally say what she needed to hear.

“Are you sure?”

Those were not the three words she had wanted, but she still knew just how to respond without a thought. “Yes.”

He turned her to face him. “I always saw your strength. I never saw your fire or passion. Forgive me?”

She smiled. “I already have.” She pulled him close for a slow kiss, enjoying the feel of his lips and his musky, masculine scent.

He pressed her body against his. She sighed again as his lips moved down her neck and his hands massaged her back. She ran her fingers through his dark, wavy hair. She could feel his heart beating stronger against her chest. Was she saving him? She had only told him that because she wanted to have sex with him now, while she felt bold. She didn’t know what would happen when he awoke and they were back in reality.

“My sweet, sweet girl,” he whispered as he opened her blouse and kissed the hollow between her breasts.

“I’m whatever you need. I always will be.” She felt wetness pooling between her legs as he gently kissed the rise of her breasts, then reached into her bra and teased one of her nipples.

“And I do need you, oh so very much.” He captured her lips again, and this time the kiss wasn’t gentle. It was everything she’d ever dreamt his kiss would be, completely masculine, powerful and intoxicating. His embrace subdued her and stoked her fire. She wanted to melt into his embrace and be taken, but she also wanted to be bold and meet his passion head on. Until this moment, she’d never understood fully the mixed sexual feelings he inspired. With that kiss, she knew sex with him would never be simple or one-sided. It would always be rich and exciting and sensually complex.

He led her to the pillows covering the floor in the corner of the arbor and pulled her on top of him so she straddled his waist. He gazed up at her heatedly as he took her blouse and bra off. He fondled her breasts slowly, and she could feel his hard cock beneath her. She closed her eyes to enjoy the sensation of finally being touched by him. She’d touched him so many times, but this was a hundred times better, feeling his hands caress her and knowing his cock was hard because of her.

She leaned down to kiss him and looked into his eyes. She wanted to say she loved him, but she held back, not wanting to ruin the pleasure of the moment. She ran one finger over his lips, and he seized her hand and kissed each finger before biting the palm of her hand and pulling her down for another steamy kiss.

He ran his hand over her thigh and she realized the rest of their clothes were gone. He ran one finger over her pussy and moaned deep in his throat.

“I want to taste you,” he whispered against her neck. He moved down and lifted her, moving first one knee over his shoulder, then the other, making her straddle his face. He ran his hands up to cup her breasts as his lips closed around her clit.

She gasped as pleasure jolted through her body. His tongue moved in and out of her slowly, and he sounded very pleased. She leaned forward so she could look at him, and their eyes met as he slowly teased her. Seeing his mouth on her made her even wetter, and she knew she’d come soon.

“Ares.”

“Come for me.”

He moved his tongue around her clit even faster, and she cried out as her orgasm began, first as a spreading of heat in her core, then as an explosion of pleasure that moved over her body. He continued to lave her clit, and wave after wave of pleasure rolled over her. Apollo had made her come, but it had never been like this. Those orgasms had been good, but this one made her feel complete. She felt like something had changed inside of her, as if she was actually different.

When he pulled her down into his arms, the look of pleasure on his face made her feel the same way again.

“I’ve been thinking of doing that for weeks.” He kissed her. “You’re so beautiful when you let go like that.”

She tangled her fingers in his hair. “I want to see you let go. I want to please you.”

He pulled her to him and whispered against her lips, “You have no idea how much you please me.” He rolled them over and moved on top of her and positioned himself between her legs. His cock rubbed against her entrance, and she arched to meet him. He smiled and began to move inside of her. He closed his eyes as he entered her, pressing his forehead to hers and then opening his eyes again.

She smiled at the look in his eyes. “Still pleasing you, am I?”

“Oh yes,” he said as he pushed all the way into her.

She gasped and then moaned, enjoying being filled by him.

“Alala?”

“Yes?”

He stroked her face. “You’re special. You’re different from any other. I want you to know that.”

She felt tears welling in her eyes. Maybe he wasn’t going to love her the way she loved him any time soon, but she knew his words were true. “You don’t have to tell me that. I know it.” She arched up and stroked his cock with her pussy, delighting in the way she made him moan. “I can feel it.”

He pushed deeper into her, then began pumping into her. Within seconds, he hit the spot that always made her dizzy. He must have noticed her reaction because he focused his strokes on that spot as he pressed his face against her neck, kissing and biting her, stoking her fire even higher.

“As good as your fantasies?” he asked.

She moaned as she felt the trembling begin. “Even better. So, so much better.” She gasped as he thrust harder. “Come with me.”

She came again, clinging to him as he thrust high and deep and then followed her over the edge. He pushed deep into her as he found his release, saying her name over and over again. She found his lips as they trembled together. He kissed her deeply, and she felt her heart soar.

“I love you,” she whispered.

When she opened her eyes, she was in his bedroom, her head resting on his chest. She sat up, flustered. No one was with them. She could still feel the power of her orgasm as she turned to see him waking up.

“Ares?”

“Alala?” He opened his eyes, but he looked very confused. “The pain’s gone.”

“It is?”

“Yes. I had this dream.” He shook his head. “It was silly. Nothing really. The spell must’ve worn off.”

He didn’t know it was real. He was dismissing it. She felt the tears rush to her eyes.

He reached for her. “I’m okay. The pain’s gone. What’s wrong?”

She pulled away. “Nothing.”

He refused to let her go. “Something is wrong.”

She struggled for words, but she couldn’t think of any that would hurt him as much as he was hurting her. “I’m just being silly, I guess. Just like I was being silly in your dream.”

He froze. “How do you know what I dreamed?”

“Because I was there. Hypnos put me to sleep and sent me to you. We had no idea how to help you. Guess all you needed was a quick fuck.”

“It was real? We just made love?”

“Don’t worry. You don’t owe me anything.”

He clasped his head. “Slow down. I didn’t know. I saw you sitting beside me and thought it was just a dream. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“How could you not tell it was really me?”

“Alala, please give me a moment to recover. Maybe I think about you so much you’re as real in my dreams as you are right now.”

She couldn’t believe him. She was not going to let him talk his way out of this. “I doubt you’ve had that many dreams about me. Take all the time you need to recover.”

She got up and moved to the door as fast as she could.

“Alala! Stop acting like a spoiled child! I was trying to protect you. I was completely disoriented. One moment I was inside you and the next I was staring at the ceiling here. I think you can cut me some slack.”

She flung the door open and stormed out. Based on the looks on everyone’s faces they had all heard what he just yelled. She didn’t care. “I’ve been cutting you some slack for thousands of years! Maybe now you’ll get a taste of how the centuries have felt!”

She raced out of the house, tears stinging her face. She’d always told him not to act on his anger, not to speak from it, but she’d held it all in so long she’d needed to be cruel to him. Now though, she felt empty and alone. She felt Eris and Hera call to her, but she pushed them away. She’d lost her best friend. This spell had stolen everything from her. He wouldn’t forgive her for humiliating him this way. His pride surpassed his anger. Everything they had ever had was gone, and it was all Aphrodite’s fault.