| Part 30 � You staying in bed?� Joxer nodded. Ares grinned, � Lazy!� � Am not,� Joxer stretched luxuriously. � I�m tired,� he smiled at Ares. � I�m not surprised,� Ares bent over the bed and kissed his neck, � I�m going to have to get into trouble more often,� he whispered. Joxer chuckled and turned his head for a proper kiss. � See you later.� Ares nodded and vanished. Joxer spread himself over the bed, sighing happily, and went back to sleep. Ares reappeared in the War Room, and snapped his fingers, heaving into the bowl that appeared. � Gods, I hope that stops soon,� he groaned. He turned at a chuckle. � Shut it, Strife,� he snapped. Strife bit his lip and raised his hands pacifyingly. � Where�s your mother?� � She�s comin�� Ares started to pace, � Have you found anything?� Strife shook his head, � Nah, nothin�. He�s jus� bein� his usual asshole self.� Ares sighed, � I just don�t believe it.� There was a flash. � Eris, I see you�ve decided to make an appearance!� � Bite me!� Eris snapped. Ares smirked at her, � I�m sure Autolycus would be happy to.� Eris glared at her brother, � You want me to report, or kick your ass?!� Ares� face darkened, � Don�t piss me off,� he hissed, � I�m not in the mood for your attitude.� � Mom,� said Strife quietly, when Eris continued to glare at her brother. She turned her glare on him. � Please.� Eris� mouth opened, then she looked away from his soft, pleading stare. � Nothing to report, except he�s a horny old bastard!� she said quietly. � Damn it!� Ares slammed his fist through the table in frustration. � I refuse to believe he�s not up to something.� � Well, if he is, it�s already in motion, or he�s bidin� his time,� commented Strife. � Keep watching him,� ordered Ares. Strife nodded seriously. Eris made a face, but at a look from Strife, she sighed and nodded. She wasn�t sure when or how their relationship had changed, but the fact that her son hadn�t given up on her after all, filled her with heart-clenching joy. She disappeared before it showed on her face. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Demeter crept through the Halls of War, heading for what she guessed was the bedroom. Quietly, she opened the door and peered inside. She stared in surprise at the d�cor. Unlike the rest of the temple, which was black and silver, the bedroom was simple, decorated in white and pale blue, with pine furniture. She shook her head, the mortal obviously had taste, it didn't occur to her that it might be Ares' choice. She headed for the bed, where her target lay fast asleep. Carefully, she touched the sleep draught to his lips to ensure he didn�t wake. Then she hoisted the slim form, still wrapped in sheets, over her shoulder with a grunt. Carefully and quietly, she made her way back out of the temple. She waited until she was back in her own temple, before she transported herself and her captive to the special room, Zeus had prepared. She pushed him up against the wall, and locked the Hephaestian metal manacles into place round his wrists. She smirked at the unconscious form, then transported herself home. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zeus smirked, when he felt Eris� presence return. He�d known from the start Ares would have him watched, which was why he�d needed Demeter. By now Joxer would be locked up in his specially shielded room, which meant Ares wouldn�t be able to find him. Not even through the mark he�d given the insignificant mortal. And, he was beyond suspicion having spent all morning with Hera. He couldn�t wait to get started on his plan, and soon he would. At least in the meantime, he could enjoy Ares� fear and panic. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ares flashed into the bedroom to see if Joxer was up yet. After throwing up rather painfully, he decided to walk the rest of the time he was home. He smiled at the state of the bed and waved a hand to tidy it. He made his way to the bathing room. If he was lucky, Joxer would be in the bath, and he could join him. But the bathing room was empty too. Ares frowned, then smiled. Dining room! After last night�s exertions, Joxer would be starving. Quickly, he walked to the dining room, only to find that it too, was empty. He frowned and concentrated. Joxer was not in the Halls of War at all. Ares couldn�t understand it, Joxer wouldn�t go anywhere without telling him. He concentrated again, but could find no trace of his lover on Olympus. Ares started pacing worriedly. Then a thought struck him, and he flashed down to Greece. He felt sick and swayed slightly, but had thrown up twice already that morning, so he wasn�t physically ill. � Ares!� Xena exclaimed, � What are you doing here?� � Is Joxer with you?� Xena shook her head. Ares cursed long and loud, drawing the attention of the other three. They ran over. � What is it? What�s wrong?� Xena asked in concern. Ares held up his hand for silence and concentrated again. Then he dropped to his knees and buried his head in his hands. � Ares?� Hercules hesitantly touched his brother�s shoulder. � I can�t find him,� Ares whispered. � Joxer?� asked Gabrielle. Ares nodded. � What do you mean, you can�t find him?� Ares looked up, eyes shining, � I left him in bed. When I went back, he wasn�t there. But he�s not anywhere, home, Olympus, Greece. I can�t feel him anywhere.� His voice broke on the last word and he leapt to his feet to turn away. � He, he�s not de�� Gabrielle started. � NO!� Ares shouted. � No, I would have felt it. I would have felt it.� � As your chosen consort, you should be able to feel him, all the time,� said Xena, � Unless it was being blocked somehow, is that possible?� Ares straightened, � Yes, I think it is.� The cold, brutal anger in his voice sent shivers through the four heroes. Ares disappeared without a word. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zeus felt the explosion as well as heard it, as Ares appeared in his public hall. � ZEUS!� Ares roared, hefting a fireball at a large statue. � Stop!� Zeus commanded, appearing in front of his son. � What is the meaning of this?� � Where is he?� Ares said quietly, menacingly. Zeus frowned in feigned confusion, � Where�s who?� � You know who,� Ares growled. Zeus shook his head, � While you might flatter yourself that I concern myself with your affairs, I really don�t know what you�re talking about.� � My. Consort. Is. Missing!� Ares bit out the words. Zeus laughed, � And you think I have something to do with it?� Ares nodded. Zeus pouted, � I�m hurt,� he said sarcastically. � More likely the idiot realised his stupidity and ran for it while he had the chance. Ah, ah, no Ares. Attack me again and I�ll strip you of your Godhood!� Ares restrained himself with a huge effort, growling in frustration, anger and growing despair. � When did the mortal go missing?� Zeus asked nonchalantly. � This morning,� Ares said reluctantly. � There, you see. I was with your mother, all morning.� Zeus smiled smugly at the thunderstruck expression on his son�s face. � Now. GET OUT!� he bellowed. |