Here Comes Trouble,
An Awakening
XXIV
Frau Hunter Ash
(Aka Dana Cooper-Kjarr)
*Disclaimers: see part 1
Xena was getting tired, battle took energy very quickly and this one was lasting towards noon.
The warrior spotted Cupid falling back from the battle, wiping sweat from his brow and ignoring blood dripping from a serious cut along his left bicep and another under his right ribs.
He saw Xena and rode his horse over to her and smiled slightly.
“How goes it?” he asked.
“So far, so good. We’re holding our own and Mars is getting more and more frustrated,” Xena answered.
“Good, some of them are getting really tired out there,” he commented.
“I know, hopefully the last surprise we have in store for them will break it,” Xena grinned.
“What do you have planned?” the god of Love asked.
“Just wait and see, don’t get yourself killed before then,” she joked and he merely grinned at her and turned his horse back towards the battlefield.
Xena rode over next to Odin and they watched the battle for a few moments. They could both see Mars on an opposite hill doing the same. He was pacing his horse back and forth, obviously impatient and frustrated.
“Getting close, Odin,” Xena said simply.
“Not yet, I’m waiting for something,” he grinned.
“What? The troops are getting tired and we need a boost,” Xena asked.
“I’m waiting for your daughter,” Odin said, intentionally watching the battle and not the warrior. He didn’t want to laugh at her amazed expression.
“What?” she demanded after a moment.
“I’m hoping Sasha will show up,” he smiled.
“What have you done?” she demanded, her eyes narrowing. “What have you and Gabrielle planned?”
“We’ll have to wait and see, Xena,” Odin said simply.
“Gabrielle?”
“Don’t even think about it, Xena!” Odin said sharply. “If you leave now you could destroy everything and kill both Sasha and Gabrielle.”
“If either of them die, Odin,” Xena began threatening.
“I know, I know.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Gabrielle resisted shifting uneasily in the chair under Callisto’s unrelenting stare and finally the goddess broke the stare and growled as she drained a goblet of wine.
She glared at Gabrielle again and snapped her fingers.
It took every bit of Gabrielle’s self control not to leap to her feet as Sasha appeared next to Callisto’s chair. The child rushed forward and hugged her adopted mom.
“Mum!”
Gabrielle carefully wrapped her arms around the child, cautiously watching Callisto.
“Say goodbye to Gabrielle, brat,” Callisto snapped and Gabrielle pulled Sasha back to look the child in her blue eyes.
“Callisto is going to send you to Odin a little early, okay? Your mom and I are going to get you back someday,” Gabrielle said simply, hoping Sasha would keep quiet and just listen.
“I don’t want to leave you and Mom!” Sasha cried and Gabrielle almost sighed with relief, somehow the child knew what to say.
“Just don’t anger Odin and remember I love you,” Gabrielle hugged the child tightly.
Sasha backed out of Gabrielle’s arms with tears flowing down her face and was gone.
“She’s with Odin?” Gabrielle demanded from Callisto, who now looked bored.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” the goddess waved her hand, dismissing the subject. “Happy?”
“Yes,” Gabrielle admitted.
“Now what to do with you?” Callisto turned her attention back to the bard, her eyes dancing with insanity.
Gabrielle felt her heart skip a beat with fear. She had the power to hurt Callisto but Callisto had the power to zap things and she was unpredictable as Tartarus.
The bard knew the next few moments could determine whether she would go through torture and end up as a slave or maybe get out alive.
Gabrielle stood up and shrugged her cloak off as Callisto’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. The bard kept her movements simple and her hands away from her sais as she reached up and pulled her tunic off. It was revealed that Gabrielle was wearing one of her old favorite outfits, a leather top which barely covered her ample breasts and a leather skirt that left little to the imagination but her legs free for movement.
The bard noticed the flash of interest before Callisto masked it with a
look of disdain.
“That god healing ability take care
of your shoulders?” the goddess asked, trying to sound bored.
“Something like that,” Gabrielle
shrugged. “So, after you send me to the
Romans, kill Torris and his wife, then what?”
“I don’t know,” Callisto admitted.
“What would be left for revenge?” Gabrielle continued, throwing her tunic onto the chair with her cloak.
“You talk too much,” Callisto complained again.
“Yup, I admit it,” Gabrielle said softly and walked up to the goddess as Callisto’s eyes narrowed again with suspicion. Before Callisto could respond, the bard pulled the goddess to her and kissed her passionately.
Callisto protested for a moment and then began responding to the kiss, pulling Gabrielle closer.
The bard tried to shut off of her mind and let her body respond to the sensations. She had done it often enough when she was a slave and separated from Xena. Forced into a relationship with her female trainer, she had started out the sexual relationship by shutting off her mind and letting her body respond. Later she had needed the contact with Nikki, but the first time with Nikki had felt like this, somehow unreal and distant.
The bard moaned and kissed the goddess back even more roughly than before.
Not surprising the bard, Callisto suddenly thrust Gabrielle back, a shocked expression on her face.
“What in Tartarus are you doing?!” she shrieked.
Gabrielle slowly pulled her sais out and threw them on the chair behind her. She saw Callisto's eyes narrow in suspicion.
The bard also caught Callisto's eyes roaming over the bard's body now the tunic was gone and Gabrielle was dressed more like she had in her traveling days with Xena. Skirt and very little for a top.
"Tell me something, Callisto," Gabrielle said softly, letting her voice go a little husky. "Why haven't you killed me yet?"
"What? Don't be an idiot," Callisto snapped. "If I send you to the slave pits, then Xena will go insane trying to find you."
"I think there's more to it," Gabrielle said softly and gently stroked Callisto's cheek and the chaotic goddess closed her eyes for a moment. Then the other blonde snapped her eyes open and grabbed the bard's wrist tightly. Gabrielle ignored the pain. "Did you enjoy watching me with my trainer?"
Callisto refused to answer but released the bard's wrist with a frown. Gabrielle moved slowly behind the goddess, keeping her hands trailing over Callisto's shoulder and maintaining contact.
"Did you?" Gabrielle persisted, running her hand through Callisto's hair.
"Yeah, you hated it so much and then couldn't help yourself!" Callisto growled.
"Did I hate it?" Gabrielle purred and grinned when Callisto squeaked as the goddess felt her armor buckle being undone at her shoulder and then Gabrielle's lips on her skin.
"What in Tartarus are you doing?" Callisto snapped again, this time her voice a dangerous growl.
"I don't think you could even kill Xena if she were kneeling in front of you totally unarmed," Gabrielle said, ignoring Callisto's question.
"Of course I could! It's just more delightful to torment her," Callisto protested.
"Nah," Gabrielle said thoughtfully and the goddess turned, her brown eyes blazing. Gabrielle appeared not to notice but continued 'contemplating.' "You've been so obsessed with her since you were a child. I don't think you could kill her."
The bard turned and sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned back on her elbows casually, seeming to be oblivious to the body she was presenting to the chaotic goddess in front of her.
"I know I confuse you," Gabrielle smiled at Callisto and her sharp eyes caught the goddess clenching her fist and silently hoped she could play this out. "I'm not a warrior; I couldn't even fight when you first met me."
"That's for sure!" Callisto agreed, grinning at the memory of Gabrielle dangling from the end of a burning rope and Xena desperately fighting Callisto to get to the bard in time.
"Yup, I become a warrior when I didn't want to," Gabrielle admitted. "I've heard you ask Xena several times why she kept me around. Have you figured out the answer?"
"True love?" Callisto sneered.
"Yes but also great sex," Gabrielle caught the jerk of Callisto's body and resisted letting her own revulsion show through. "Tell me the truth, Callisto; do you enjoy watching Xena and me together? I know you and Ares think my relationship with her makes her weak as a warrior, Does it help to watch us together?"
Gabrielle rolled out of the way as an energy bolt shot up the bed, catching the quilt on fire. The bard rolled the cloth onto itself, pulled it off the bed and stomped on it to put the fire out and turned to the goddess with a smirk of her own.
“Did you like watching Xena in such a vulnerable position, my hand deep inside of her?" Gabrielle taunted. "Her back arching, her hands clutching at my shoulders, crying out my name?"
Callisto screamed and released another fire bolt and Gabrielle back flipped out of its way and looked over at the scorch mark on the stone wall.
"Good thing Mars doesn't like a lot of flammable stuff around, huh?" she grinned as Callisto's eyes blazed at her.
"I can't see the two of you!" the insane blonde goddess screamed.
"What?" Gabrielle asked, her voice reflecting her amusement at Callisto's frustration.
"Aphrodite put a spell on the both of you!" Callisto admitted with a shout of anger. "No one can watch you two when you're having sex!"
Gabrielle fell onto the bed laughing and continued laughing even when Callisto screamed again and jumped on top of the bard, hands wrapped around her throat.
"No wonder you're pissed
off!" Gabrielle said breathlessly with an impish grin, her hands holding
onto Callisto's arms lightly. "Not
only can't you have Xena, you can't even watch!"
"Damn you!" Callisto growled. "I'm going to kill you!"
"How about letting me show you why Xena keeps taking me back?" Gabrielle offered, her voice soft.
"What?" Callisto demanded, her hands easing up slightly.
Gabrielle thrust her arms between Callisto's arms and broke the hold the goddess had on her throat and knocked her arms out to the sides, sending Callisto right down on top of the bard. Gabrielle took advantage of the position and grabbed the back of Callisto's head, kissed her roughly and brought her leg up between Callisto's.
"You want to know what Xena feels? You want to know how I drive her insane," Gabrielle whispered, nibbling on Callisto's earlobe and resisted grinning when she felt the warrior shudder.
"Damn you!" Callisto growled. "You're trying to trick me. You'd never betray Xena!"
"Use your powers, Callisto," Gabrielle whispered, unhooking the other shoulder of Callisto's leathers. "Do you seriously think Xena got me pregnant?"
"What!?"
The bard wasn't surprised when Callisto fell off her with a stunned expression as she tried to recover and then leaned over Gabrielle on one elbow. Gabrielle saw Callisto's eyes brighten somewhat and become slightly unfocused and felt a tingling all over her body. The bard instinctively grabbed at her abdomen and Callisto suddenly laughed.
"I know Xena has many skills but I didn't think that was one of them!" Callisto grinned and Gabrielle couldn't help but blushing. "She took you back?"
"Yeah, but do you think she'd take me back after being with you?"
Callisto's face grew serious. "Why should I believe this?"
"Because I get to stay alive and you are irresistible in an insane way," Gabrielle shrugged instead of shuddering. "I stay with you, it drives Xena insane and I stay out of the hands of the Romans."
"I don't believe you'd betray Xena just to stay alive. Not your style," Callisto grumbled. "You've even died for the bitch."
"If I become a slave gladiator again then I'll either be killed when they find out I'm pregnant or be turned over to the kitchen. My child will be taken from me after he or she is born and I'll be turned into a sex slave," Gabrielle reasoned. "You know I've been through that. With you I'd have a chance of talking you out of whatever you might come up with."
Callisto grinned a rueful smirk at the bard's last bit of logic. "Now that sounds like you!"
"Don't you want to take and conquer everything that is Xena's?" Gabrielle taunted, her eyes flashing finally with the anger she felt and Callisto laughed.
"You know I do," the goddess agreed and bent over to kiss Gabrielle roughly, her hand reaching around the bard's ribs to pull her close.
Gabrielle put a hand on the goddess' chest and lightly pushed Callisto back.
"Your word, no Roman slavery?" she demanded.
"You wouldn't trust my word!" Callisto grinned.
"You sent Sasha back to Odin, I'll chance it," Gabrielle said firmly.
"Oh, alright," the goddess said after a moment. “As long as Xena looks for you and you being with me drives her crazy, I won't send you away."
"And after the child is born you'll send him or her to my family," Gabrielle persisted.
"I am not a goddamn fishmonger to be bargained with!" Callisto snapped.
"It's my life, damnit! You're a god, I've got a child to think of," Gabrielle snapped right back.
"Okay, fine! I agree!"
"Then let me show you what drives Xena insane," Gabrielle whispered, turned her mind off and began pulling at Callisto's leathers.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Xena broke into a smile when her daughter suddenly appeared next to the Norse god Odin. She quickly dismounted as Sasha caught sight of her and dashed towards her Mom. Xena easily lifted her daughter into her arms, hugging her tightly.
“Sasha!” Xena set her daughter down and wiped a tear of joy from her eye as the dark haired child hugged her tight around the ribs. “How?” the warrior questioned Odin.
“Apparently your bard is quite persuasive,” Odin grinned.
“What about Gabrielle?” Xena demanded. “How do we get her back?”
“I’m not sure if we can, that part is probably up to her as well,” Odin said reluctantly and wasn’t surprised when the warrior growled.
Sasha looked up her mom. “She was okay when I saw her,” the child said.
“Where was that, Sasha?” Xena asked gently.
“The Hall of Mars in Olympus,” Sasha answered easily. “Callisto was about to leave and kidnap Mum. Then Mum showed up in the hall and they talked. Callisto released me because Mum tricked her into thinking the Norse gods want me without your permission.”
“Gabrielle,” Xena muttered, her voice reflecting her admiration. “What does Callisto plan for Gabrielle?”
“To turn her over to a Roman gladiator school again,” Sasha said.
“No,” Xena whispered and turned to Odin.
“How do we get her back?” she demanded again.
“Just be patient and watch Mars, if he disappears then we spring our last surprise and, hopefully, get your mate back,” Odin urged.
“Hopefully?” Xena almost shouted. “You planned this with her, didn’t you?”
“Most of it,” Odin admitted. “I knew she’d be willing to sacrifice herself, if necessary, for your daughter and a chance at stopping Callisto.”
“Without consulting me?” Xena snapped.
“Without you, Xena,” Odin said. “You would never have agreed.”
“No, I wouldn’t have! I can’t lose her, damnit!” Xena protested.
“And she wasn’t willing to lose Sasha to Mars. Hopefully she can get Kiryk back too,” Odin said simply.
“Odin, you’ll wish you stayed on that damned tree with your spear stuck in your ribs if she gets hurt!” Xena threatened.
The Norse god laughed and turned to see how the battle was going, watching the opposing god closely.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Gabrielle felt Callisto running her hands through the bard’s short hair and moaned into the goddess’ lips, her own hands running up and down the smooth back of Callisto.
“Oh gods,” the bard muttered as the goddess’ lips left hers and trailed to Gabrielle’s neck and she begin nibbling lightly. The bard cursed her own body as it responded to the chaotic goddess.
“I’m going to make you forget Xena ever touched you,” Callisto promised, pulling Gabrielle on top of her. Her hands were undoing Gabrielle’s top, freeing the bard’s breasts for her hands. They were different than Xena’s, Gabrielle reflected for a moment, rougher but her body was still responding and the bard fought down a sensation of shame and repulsion. Trying not to think or feel, just let her body react.
"Release Kiyrk, please," Gabrielle whispered.
"Shut up about the boy brat or I'll fry him!" Callisto warned, her hand firm in Gabrielle's short hair in warning. Gabrielle continued what she was doing and stopped asking about Kiryk.
She had managed to get Callisto
undressed and was now on top of the goddess, her leg pressing between
Callisto's, a hand on the goddess' breast and her lips on the other
nipple. Gabrielle pulled on the nipple
with her teeth and felt Callisto jerk under her at the sensation and moved her
lips up to the insane woman's lips. The bard wondered if a Tavern wench felt
like this, like something mechanical, going through the motions of being
aroused and enjoying it? Did they hate
this a much as she did or was it just because it was Callisto?
After a moment of dueling with Callisto's tongue and lips she trailed down to Callisto's ear and neck.
"You know what drives Xena right over the edge?" Gabrielle whispered.
"What?" Callisto gasped.
"My fangs," the bard whispered and ran a tongue over Callisto's neck.
"Your what?" Callisto sounded confused until Gabrielle bit down into her neck, hitting a vein perfectly. Callisto screamed in both fear and sensation as the Bacchae erotic magic hit her.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Xena paced relentlessly back and forth in front of Odin, glancing every other second at Mars, who was also pacing. Mars was watching the battle, Odin and Xena were watching Mars.
“What in Tartarus are we waiting for?” Xena demanded again.
“Not much longer,” Odin said gently. “If he doesn’t move soon then we’ll have to.”
“What are we waiting for? Gabrielle to die?”
“I hope not,” Odin said simply.
Xena shouted in frustration.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Gabrielle!”
The goddess dug her nails deeply into the bard’s shoulders and Gabrielle growled with the pain. The bard refused to release the hold with her fangs and felt Callisto shuddering again and again with waves of orgasms.
Gabrielle wasn't sure if Callisto was pleading with her to stop or to continue but didn't care. Her grip on Callisto's neck was firm and she drank deeply from the woman she didn't trust and almost hated.
The chaotic goddess fell back limply against the linen and furs, weakly trying to pull Gabrielle back from her neck but the bard held firm and continued to feed.
Gabrielle could feel the tears flowing down her face.
A few minutes later the bard felt
Callisto’s heart slowing down until it almost stopped and finally released her
fang hold on the goddess and rolled to the edge of the bed. Gabrielle looked back at the goddess and
took in the sight of Callisto’s body as it began changing subtly, shaking as if
still in the throes of sexual climax. The paleness became more apparent and the
lips a fuller red. The goddess’ eyes
took on a darker color around the lids and Gabrielle knew if Callisto opened
them they would be a bright yellow rimmed with red.
Gabrielle recognized the signs of a Bacchae, exactly as she had hoped and planned.
The bard turned away and went to
her knees, tears streaming and began vomiting up the blood she had seconds
before drank from Callisto.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Odin caught Xena’s eyes and pointed across the battlefield.
The warrior’s sharp eyes took in Mars. The War God had stopped pacing and seemed to be listening to someone or something that they couldn’t see. Suddenly he screamed in rage and disappeared.
Odin rose up on Sleipnir and waved his sword in a signal.
Xena and Sasha looked up at the sound of the Valkyries taking flight again. This time the warrior grinned as she took in the bundles they trailed behind their winged horses with ropes. A team of exceptional archers stood by with fire arrows and, when the Valkyries reached a certain point in the sky, released their arrows. The arrows set the ropes on fire and the Valkyries cut the bundles loose over the enemy army.
Xena turned Sasha around away from the view of the pots catching fire and exploding just as they reached the soldiers of Mars. Greek fire rained down unrelentingly.
The warrior felt a shudder run over her body and she closed her eyes. Xena discovered once again she no longer delighted in the screams of the dying.
Both Xena and Sasha were knocked to the ground by a massive thunderclap which rattled everything for miles around. The warrior sat up in time to see monumental thunderclouds form almost immediately above the battlefield and let loose with an overwhelming torrent of rain.
Lightning bolts began raining from above in between the two armies, effectively separating them like a parent separating two fighting children.
Odin looked almost indifferent as Zeus appeared in front of them.
“This stops now!” he shouted.
“I agree,” Odin said easily. “I
didn’t want this in the first place.
Just put a stop to Mars taking Sasha.
Your grandchild’s fate belongs elsewhere,” Odin said firmly.
“With you?” Zeus demanded.
“You damn well know it does,” Odin snapped, his bright blue eyes flashing at the challenge.
“Yes, I do and I’m pleased you’re willing to fight for her and the world,” the Greek god turned to his daughter and granddaughter. “Come, Xena, time to end this madness.”
The warrior accepted his hand in getting to her feet and she turned to help Sasha to her feet.
“Gods, Xena,” Zeus exclaimed. “She looks just like you and has gotten taller!”
Xena couldn’t help but grin proudly and wrapped an arm around Sasha’s shoulders.
“Yes, she’s a good kid,” Xena said, her voice reflecting her pleasure.
“And she would have been a demon if Mars had kept his hands on her,” Zeus muttered, losing his smile. “Come, my kin, let’s settle this.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Xena’s mind could barely take in the sight which greeted her and Zeus a moment later.
Mars and Callisto were attempting to choke each other; Callisto sprawled backwards over the large long table, her claws digging into Mar’s neck and his hands around hers.
Xena’s eyes widened as she took in the fangs and claws Callisto now had and the fact those same fangs were attempting to bite Mars as he tried to hold her down to kill her.
The warrior also tried to process the fact Callisto was naked in the middle of this battle.
A quick glance around told her Zeus hadn’t brought Sasha with them and Gabrielle was keeping behind the throne of Mars as the two deities in the room fought it out. The bard was holding her tunic against her chest.
“Xena,” she shouted with relief and Mars looked up with a snarl at Zeus and Xena. Then he growled and backhanded Callisto as her fangs managed to sink into his right arm.
“Damnit!” he shouted.
“Enough!” Zeus shouted and sent a lightning bolt between the two deities. Before Callisto could gain her feet, Zeus sent an energy bolt her way and the goddess disappeared, leaving Mars fuming and facing his grandfather and aunt.
“Alright, Mars,” Zeus said firmly. “Enough of this.”
“Where’s Callisto?” Xena questioned, keeping a close eye on Mars and a hand on her chakram. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Gabrielle starting to move slowly out from behind the throne towards Xena and Zeus.
“I sent her to Tartarus,” Zeus said simply. “As for you, Mars, it’s over. Sasha is not yours to play with and neither are Xena and Gabrielle. Your father is paying a heavy price for meddling in their lives and I’m not likely to look any more kindly on you.”
“Yes, great Zeus,” Mars responded, his jaw clenched in anger.
“The war is over. None of the gods were killed but several will require some special healing. Everyone is to return to their lands and people and not interfere with the humans like this again,” Zeus commanded. “Everyone is hearing this right now. This was too close, for both peoples. If this had spilled out into the mundane world it could have destroyed the earth and everyone on it!”
Gabrielle moved around an obviously angry Zeus and into Xena’s arms, tears of relief and regret racking her body.
“Sasha will stay with the Northern Gods, as agreed. Her powers are about to manifest and I agree she will need more training than you can give, Xena,” Zeus continued. “You will see her frequently, though. Even if I have to take you there myself or Apollo in his chariot. All those who fought on the side of Mars, Xena and Gabrielle and their kin are off limits. No revenge, no meddling and that is an order!”
Zeus turned to the two Greek women. “Stay here as long as you need to. Simply go back to the throne and it’ll take you back to the temple Gabrielle traveled from. Mars will go with me for awhile until he calms down.”
“Kiyrk?” Xena demanded and Zeus turned to Mars but the War God shrugged.
“I don’t know,” he said in a sullen voice. “Callisto zapped him somewhere and I didn’t care. He was human.”
“Zeus, how do we find him?” Xena asked.
“I don’t know. I’ll question Callisto but if she won’t tell us then I don’t know what to do.”
“Callisto?” Gabrielle questioned.
“Deep in Tartarus, powerless and out of your hair,” he promised.
“Is she still a Bacchae?” the bard questioned softly.
“No, I took that away from her, just like you no longer have the power to hurt gods after this day,” he said gently and noticed the relief in the bard’s green eyes.
“Sasha?” Xena questioned.
“She’ll be at your mother’s inn when you get back. Sasha needs to travel North soon but I’m giving you all time to grieve and to adjust to the situation,” he said gently and then nodded at Mars.
The War God disappeared without a word and a moment later Zeus was gone.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
After a moment Gabrielle turned out of Xena’s arms to put on her tunic and the warrior’s eyes caught sight of the deep scratches on the bard’s back and the fact the bard’s sais were on a chair with the bard’s cloak.
Xena felt her jaw muscles tightening as she remembered Callisto’s state of undress as she fought the God of War as a Bacchae. The warrior’s hands clenched into fists and she saw Gabrielle flinch, even though the bard had her back to her.
Her empathic powers, the warrior realized. She’s picking up on me.
Then Xena frowned, Callisto had been a Bacchae, she remembered. Bacchae, turned into a bacchae by Gabrielle. The bard having used her Bacchae curse to turn the deity into a blood crazed vampire. Xena realized how Gabrielle got close enough to sink her fangs into Callisto’s neck long enough to drain the goddess to the point of turning. Xena had seen marks like those on Gabrielle's back before but she had always been the cause of them, not someone else and especially not Callisto!
The warrior could see how tense Gabrielle was and that the bard was waiting, not moving and not reaching for her boots or anything. Waiting for Xena to explode and reject her.
“Gabrielle,” Xena said softly and noticed the bard flinch again, as if struck with a lash. “Please talk to me.”
Xena’s voice seemed to break the bard’s stillness and she moved forward to grab her sais, still keeping her back to her mate.
“I don’t think I can,” she whispered.
“You saved Sasha,” Xena pointed out. She wanted to take Gabrielle into her arms but wasn’t sure how the bard would respond and Xena wasn’t totally sure of her feelings right then either.
The warrior had to admit the image of Callisto and Gabrielle together sexually was more than she could take right then, no matter what the reasons.
“I betrayed us to do it,” Gabrielle countered bitterly. “I seem to be doing that a lot lately.”
Xena wanted to break something. Her first impulse was to shout, scream and rant but she tried to think rationally. It wasn’t like Gabrielle had sought Callisto out for an affair. Was it any different than what she had done as a warlord when she used sex as a weapon?
Yes, it was different, a voice shouted at her. She hadn’t been mated and it hadn’t been Gabrielle, damnit!
“Gabrielle, we need to talk about this,” she tried to reason.
The warrior felt her heart skip a beat when Gabrielle turned around and her normally green eyes were Bacchae yellow.
“I don’t know how we can talk about it, Xena,” she snapped. “I seduced Callisto to get close enough to bite her!”
The bard put on her tunic and then sat down in the chair and started with her boots.
“I let her kiss me and take off my top so I could use my damned fangs to change her!” the bard suddenly shouted and threw a sai across the room, flying barely a foot away from the warrior and embedding itself deep in a wooden pillar. "I lied about our relationship! I convinced her I was unfaithful to you all the time."
"Well, we know differently and you used a weapon which she didn’t think about,” Xena countered, her rational mind trying to stay on top and not let her emotions take over. She wasn’t sure what would come out if she did that. She was angry as Tartarus with a lot of things and knew this wasn’t the time to hash them out or the relationship might be damaged beyond repair.
“I should have tried the sais,” Gabrielle muttered, lacing up her boots and swiped angrily at tears overflowing her eyes.
“What happened?” Xena asked softly, sitting down in the chair Callisto had occupied earlier.
“You figured out that Odin healed me and planned a bit of this with me before leaving the inn, right?” the bard questioned.
“Yes, once he said he was waiting to see if Sasha showed up, I knew you were somehow here,” Xena nodded.
“He healed me and said to keep Callisto distracted and from the battlefield,” Gabrielle continued. “He didn’t have any idea of how to make that happen except that I would have the power to hurt gods and he whispered in my ear before leaving that maybe I should consider my fangs.”
The bard looked up, her eyes glinting in the light of the hall.
“My fangs, I should consider turning someone else into a damned Bacchae!” she shouted, slamming a fist down on the arm of the chair.
Xena kept quiet, absorbing the information and Gabrielle’s emotions. The tears began flowing freely from her mate’s eyes.
“Turn someone into a Bacchae, Xena,” she whispered. “Using this damned blood thing to curse someone to an existence worse than mine! Even if it was Callisto, how could I do that?”
Xena’s anger broke and she moved forward to kneel in front of Gabrielle and took the bard into her arms. After a moment she pulled back and Gabrielle nodded.
“I talked her into turning Sasha over to Odin,” the bard continued. “I convinced her they wanted Sasha against our wills.”
“Why would she turn Sasha over to Odin instead of Mars?” Xena questioned.
“Because she didn’t want to be responsible for creating another Warlord Xena and repeating the cycle which had created her,” Gabrielle answered softly and wasn’t surprised to see a blush of guilt run across her mate’s face. No matter how many years they faced it, it seemed they would never escape Xena’s past or her guilt about it.
“She didn’t want to become you in that regard and let Sasha go to Odin, thinking that would hurt you just as badly,” Gabrielle continued.
“Sasha said she planned to turn you into a gladiator slave again,” Xena mentioned.
“Yes, that was her plan. After she sent Sasha to Odin I knew I had to think of something quickly. She was intent on torturing me and sending me back to that hell,” Gabrielle said simply, her thoughts becoming lost in the fear of what that would have meant.
“You stopped her,” Xena prompted and Gabrielle blinked, coming back to the present. She laughed bitterly.
“Oh yeah, I stopped her from that plan,” she said softly, fresh tears beginning again. “I initiated it, Xena, I’m the one who seduced her. She said she could watch us when she was in the lava. She saw me with Nikki when I was a slave. I taunted her with her obsession with you and asked if she liked watching you give yourself over to me.”
Xena fought to control the roaring in her ears and held her gaze firmly with Gabrielle. "You were lucky she didn't kill you."
"Yup, she fried the hell out of the top blanket," Gabrielle agreed, a bit of humor coming through. "She let it slip that she couldn't see us when we're sexual with each other."
"What?" Xena blinked as she tried to take this current revelation in.
"Yes, Aphrodite has apparently put a spell around us so none of the gods can see us when we're sexually intimate with each other," Gabrielle continued.
"But she saw you with Nikki?" Xena frowned.
"They can't see me with you and apparently she didn't see into the Spirit Realm any of the times we've been there," Gabrielle explained.
"Why do you say that?"
"I figured if she couldn't see us when we're together sexually, she might not know about me being part Bacchae. Maybe that was what Odin was hinting at when he told me to use my fangs. She didn't know I was pregnant and she believed me when I hinted it couldn't possibly be you."
"She didn't know about the Forest Spirits helping us out in that department and she didn't see the bacchanalia," Xena said thoughtfully.
"She did see the Bacchanalia, she told Joxer about it, that’s how she convinced him we had broken up," the bard snapped. "She couldn’t see us together and didn’t seem to realize I have bacchae blood already in me. I guess she just thought Bacchus wanted me as a Bacchae again and didn’t pay attention.”
“She probably wouldn’t, her warped mind was too busy watching and not listening,” Xena agreed.
Gabrielle clenched her fists tightly in anger. “Xena, I convinced her I was willing to leave you to save my life, I betrayed us!"
“Why did you do it?”
“So I could keep her distracted and to give me a chance at turning her,” the bard answered. “She had a sword at my throat at one point and was watching me closely. I couldn’t think of any other way to get her to drop her guard. It was unexpected for her.”
Xena grinned ruefully at the description. “I’ll bet! Last time you saw her you whacked her up side her head with your staff.”
The bard managed to smile slightly at the memory. “Not that it did any good. I kissed her and she responded and then demanded to know what I was doing.”
Xena reached out and took Gabrielle’s hands in her own, wanting to keep contact with the bard to reassure her.
“I pointed out this would be the ultimate revenge against you and that she was irresistible. She believed me, Xena,” Gabrielle said, turning her eyes away.
“Gabrielle,” Xena waited until the bard looked at her again. “I’m not going to lie to you and say I don’t feel anything about this but I’m beginning to understand. You’ve had to do worse before to survive.”
“Not with Callisto!” the bard attempted to grin.
“That’s true!” Xena managed to smile. “Although, she is kinda cute in a warped sort of way and extremely sensual without knowing it.”
Xena grinned when Gabrielle playfully hit her on the arm, looking more like the normal Gabrielle.
“It wasn’t hard to get her into bed once she figured she was getting revenge on you, enjoying herself and corrupting me. I was able to get my fangs into her and drain her.”
"Gabrielle?" Xena said softly. "How far did it go?"
The bard lost her smile and Xena wasn’t sure if Gabrielle was going to throw up right then, unaware the bard had already thrown up most of the blood she had taken from Callisto.
"I got her undressed and she got my top off," Gabrielle admitted. "Some foreplay and then I sank my fangs in. Xena,” Gabrielle said softly and closed her eyes. “I changed someone, I fed on someone enough to change them.”
“I know but it’s probably what Odin was planning and it saved all of us. It distracted Mars into coming back here, broke the spirit of the battle, kept Callisto distracted and caused enough chaos so Zeus and Odin could put things right again,” Xena countered.
“I know all of that but it’s not helping! I consciously called my Bacchae curse to the surface and used it!”
“Maybe it’s time you faced it and
dealt with it, Gabrielle,” the warrior said firmly, almost brutally.
Gabrielle opened her Bacchae yellow eyes with a frown.
“You are part Bacchae and you’ve found you can call it to the surface and it also comes up when it wants to,” Xena continued, firmly. “Learn to live with it, Gabrielle. It’s not going away and now you can use it if you need to.”
Gabrielle continued to frown.
“You’ve got some amazing gifts, lover,” Xena said, a little softer. “You have the ability to heal, you have premonition dreams at times, you charm everyone you meet…”
“Except Ares and Mars,” Gabrielle said with a grin.
“Well, maybe not the bad boys,” Xena agreed with an answering grin.
“I guess I leave them to you,” and smiled at Xena’s glare and then grew thoughtful. “Okay, I’m a Bacchae. I am a Bacchae, I can grow fangs and my eyes change color.”
Xena smiled, it was if Gabrielle was trying out a new pair of boots.
“I don’t know about this, Xena,” the bard said after a moment.
“I know, it’s taken years for you to finally get over the guilt of drinking my blood once a month,” the warrior said gently. “Speaking of blood, if you just drank enough to kill Callisto and change her, why are your eyes yellow and your fangs still out?”
Gabrielle began blushing. “I threw up her blood. I couldn’t take the thought of having turned someone.”
“Can you send the Bacchae part back consciously?” Xena questioned. This was a new development for both of them.
“I can’t, I’ve been trying since Mars showed up and started fighting with Callisto, especially when you and Zeus showed up. I didn’t want you to see me like this,” Gabrielle admitted.
“You need blood then,” Xena said simply and wasn’t surprised when Gabrielle jumped to her feet and angrily threw the other sai into the post next to the first one.
“You tell me to accept this!” she snapped. “I’m tired of it!”
“Well,” Xena began easily, watching Gabrielle’s eyes narrow in question. “I’m not.”
“What?” the bard demanded.
“I happen to like those fangs of yours, Gabrielle,” Xena said simply, getting up and grabbing her mate by the arms. “I like the connection we have. It doesn’t hurt me and I enjoy the daylights out of the sex which comes with it. I'm also grateful to a goddess for once, thankful to Aphrodite that none of those perverts like Ares, Mars or Callisto can watch us.”
Gabrielle blushed but looked calmer.
“So you need blood like everyone needs food,” Xena said firmly. “So what? It can be a pain if it gets out of control, we just won’t let it. It also gives you powers which most others don’t have and control that all other Bacchae don’t.”
“Okay,” Gabrielle said softly.
“What?” Xena asked, not sure if she heard the bard right.
“Okay, I give up,” the bard answered. “We learn to live with it. I’m tired of fighting it and it did stop Callisto.”
“Probably the only thing that would have right then,” Xena agreed.
“Let’s go home, Xena,” Gabrielle said softly.
“What about your fangs?”
“Not here, please!” the bard frowned, looking over at the bed and shuddering. She could still smell the blood and smoldering cloth in the room.
“Let’s go home then, take care of your fangs and find out if Zeus knows
where Kiryk is,” Xena decided.
See what happens next in "Northern Scrolls, An Awakening XXV"