The Heart of War

by Lisa Beth Darling

  With her eyes still closed, Alena felt it as Ares knelt in front of her and she opened them in surprise. “Get up,” she whispered, not liking the sight of the God of War on his knees before her. “Get up.”

  Rather than rise, Ares took her hand and held it against his heart. “I swear to you, my Love, on my Life, I will never do anything to bring you pain.”

  Gazing down into the sincerely pleading onyx eyes, Alena took her hand away from her stomach and ran it along his bearded cheek. “I know,” she whispered softly. “I believe you, my Love. I do. Now please get up.” Alena gave his hand a tug and Ares got to his feet. This time when she rose up on her tiptoes, he did not hesitate to bend down and bestow the kiss she had been searching for earlier. Though her lips trembled at first she soon greeted him with open arms and a warm tongue. “I love you.” She did and she would not be afraid of him, she would not let Cernunnos or his hired thug ruin this for her. For them. She would not betray Ares and she would not doubt him. “What about our guest?” she asked, wanting to get rid of him as soon as possible.

  “I’ll take care of him,” Ares promised. “I’m going to send him back to Cernunnos. I’m sure the Old Bastard saw the battle but can’t hurt to send him a little souvenir.” Ares grinned. “You stay here while I bring him up, promise you will not go back into that room.”

  “No problem, I promise. Your key.” Wanting to ask him to burn everything in that room, Alena plucked the key from the small table by the bed and pressed it into his hand. “Maybe you’ll find a new hiding place for it…just in case.”

  “Not a bad idea,” Ares agreed just before he went down to the torture chamber to collect the Druid.

  Martin heard the heavy footsteps long before he saw the God of War and he touched the small medallion around his neck. It was a pewter willow tree much like the one Alena wore but smaller and it held the power to spy. Cernunnos gave one to each Druid so that he could keep an eye on them, watch them and see what they were doing whenever he wanted. Too bad Cernunnos had not come up with this half a century earlier when he could have done the same with Alena then she would never have escaped.

  4

  In Cernunnos’ Great Hall, in his throne room where he was indulging in all of the pleasures his Daughter had to offer, the crystal ball began to glow. The Great Horned God shoved Maven away from him as he went for it. “Look here, Daughter, I think soon you will see that interesting thing.”

  5

  “You’re alive,” Martin quipped when Ares came around the corner and into the room.

  “Sorry to disappoint you.” Slipping the key into the lock Ares opened the cell door. “Let’s go, time to go home.”

  “What, you’re not going to torture me?”

  “What would be the point?”

  “In your case? Fun,” Martin said slyly and then let his eyes dart around the room. “Or won’t your little bitch let you have any fun anymore? What’s the matter Ares, the little whore got you pussy-whipped already?”

  Ares’ large hand snapped out to slap the Druid hard across the face. Martin went stumbling backward, hitting his head against the open cell door. “If I was you and that were true, I’d be grateful.” Grabbing hold of the rather small man by the scruff of the neck, Ares roughly escorted him up the levels of the cave and through the throne room where he found Alena standing by the throne with Adrian’s Staff in her hand. “I thought I told you to wait in your room.”

  “You did, but I have a message that I would like our guest to deliver to Cernunnos.”

  Ares thought about it for a moment. He remembered how vehement she had been on the beach when she insisted the Druid live. “What is it?”

  “Pick it up,” she hissed at Martin and point to the hearth where the chastity belt she had worn still lay. “Go on, get it.”

  Martin looked up at Ares who still had a hold of him. “Your call, Boss.”

  “Do what she says.” Ares let go of the man’s arm and watched carefully as Martin crossed the three or four yards to the hearth and the place where the chastity belt waited.

  Martin’s heart began to beat swiftly in his chest as he felt his one and only chance at accomplishing this last task was now in his hand. He bent down slowly until he was on the floor on both knees. As he reached out for the belt with one hand, the other dragged a second or two behind to snatch the pewter willow trees from the leather strap. With it hidden in his hand, he picked up the belt the little bitch wore for so long. Reaching up to the mantle with the hand holding the medallion, the Druid made as though his back hurt and he needed the leverage to stand once more. Actually he was planting his bug, pushing it back over the hearth where it would go unseen. On his feet, he lingered for just a moment, holding the hand with the belt in it to his back as though to ease the ache. Gingerly he stood the medallion upright and nestled it between a pair of dueling pistols. Cernunnos would have a good view, he would be able to hear everything said within this room, and Martin thought, like Cernunnos, Ares probably used his throne room quite a bit. “The message, you little bitch?”

  “Never again,” Alena whispered heatedly. “That’s all.”

  “Short and sweet,” Ares mused, “at least you won’t be able to forget it.” He shoved the Druid out of the throne room and toward the entrance to the cave. “You’ll make sure he gets that message and this one—she’s mine. You tell him that. You tell him I am coming for him. I will avenge my Sister. He will not escape my wrath.”

  “Somehow, I think he already knows.”

  6

  The sights in the crystal ball captivated Maven’s eyes. The man she saw first was massive and incredibly handsome but the room was horrid. Then someone spoke his name and she understood he was Ares, the Greek God of War. The view moved like someone with a hand-held camera and for a while all she saw were the rock walls of a cave. Then something wonderful came into view. A woman. She had silver hair and she was leaning against a mighty Staff. “Is that?” With trembling fingers, Maven reached out to touch the crystal but Cernunnos slapped her hand away. “Is that Magdalena?”

  “Yes, it’s my Granddaughter,” Cernunnos whispered. “She lives and I have found her. I am sure you will be reunited soon, Mae. This must make you happy.”

  The sight of Maggie made Mae’s heart soar. The idea that Cernunnos knew where she was and what he intended to do made it plummet. “Ares? Why? Where?”

  “He’s her Lover,” The Great Horned One whispered. “What do you think of that, Mae? Your Daughter lies in the bed of that filthy warmonger when she should be in mine.”

  “She never belonged in your bed.”

  With a strong hand, Cernunnos grabbed the small Fey’s throat and squeezed hard. “Is that right? We’ll see about that.”

  Maven found herself wishing that he would kill her, that this time he would go too far and this nightmare would end. Hopefully not before she saw Maggie once more even if it was only for a moment. Mae’s hand landed over his and she began to pry it away from her delicate throat.

  “That’s it, fight. You know how much I like it when you fight.” With the crystal ball in one hand showing Maggie’s image as she stood alone in Ares throne room, Cernunnos picked Maven up off her feet with the hand at her throat and then cast her to the ground. “I’ll have both of you…together. The things I will have you do with her and him, the perversions I will put you through before you die, Mae, they will bring me pleasurable memories for a thousand years.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Thunder Road

  1

  Alena stood in the throne room while Ares dispatched the Druid. There was a sudden chill in the air and she moved closer to the fire, absently stroking her stomach while she gazed into the flames. It had been many years since she tried to scry, but now it seemed to come naturally without any effort whatsoever. In the bright red and orange flames of Ares’ hearth she watched the images in her mind play themselves out just beyond the fire’s reach.

  A family. A happy family. She, Ar
es, and their child—maybe even children. They were living here on this island far away from the outside world where they could be left in peace. Ares was smiling, he was so very happy as he held his Son aloft in the air, twirling him around and around, laughing. It was a beautiful little dream that brought a tear to her eyes. She wanted that future.

  That image faded away as the doubt in her mind began to take over her thoughts. She swore the flames grew higher and the fire hotter as she heard screaming. Alena looked deeper into the flames only to realize it was the sound of her own voice. There was Ares, angry, snarling, snapping, telling her never loved her and he never wanted her. He certainly did not want any bastard child spawn by a filthy whore Celt. Except for Hera, neither did his Family.

  On the verge of tears, lost in the vision, Alena hugged the growing life in her a little tighter. “I love you, no matter what, I love you.”

  “Who are you talking to?”

  Alena almost froze at the sound of her Lover’s deep voice but she retained her composure by the merest thread. “You my Love, you.” When she felt him come near, she turned around and embraced Ares as tightly as she could. “I will always love you.”

  “And I you. What’s wrong?” Her embrace felt less like a wanton lover and more as though she were hanging onto him for dear life. “That room still bothering you?” Ares put his big arms around her and stroked her hair. “I’ll get rid of it, all of it. I don’t need it.”

  “You would do that…for me?”

  Alena looked at him with frightened, watery gray eyes. “If it makes you cry, if you fear me because of it, yes, I will get rid of everything that is down there. I’ll dump it all in the ocean where it will never harm you and you will never have to be afraid again.” He traced his thumb along her cheek to brush away a falling tear. “Watch,” Ares invited. With a wave of his hand, there was a great rumble and a wind kicked up inside the cave. The ground at their feet began to shake and then a most amazing thing happened. From the doorway at the far side of the room, the one that led down to the spa and the torture room beyond, items flew around the corner at a tremendous speed. With gaping eyes, Alena (and Cernunnos through his crystal ball) watched as all of the devices of agony flew past them in a great whirlwind. The Rack, the Stocks, and even the full chamber Iron Maiden, which Alena thought must weigh at least a ton, whizzed out of the room and then out of the cave to land in the deep blue sea with a mighty splash that could clearly be heard in the cave.

  Alena stood there in his arms stunned into silence as she watched the room empty itself.

  “Better?” Ares asked when it was over and cave was still once more.

  She looked at him with those wide watery eyes and then to the door where the items came and to the passageway where they exited. Some of those things were very heavy; she could not believe she had watched them fly through the air like newspaper in a strong wind. “Why are you so good to me?”

  Ares ran his hand over her cheek again and then cupped her delicate face in his hands. “I love you Magdalena, I would do anything for you. Fend off mighty beasts. Slay dragons with my bare hands. Climb mountains. Swim across oceans. Even bring the moon down from the sky. Anything to make you smile at me, look up at me with those beautiful eyes and tell me that you love me.”

  2

  In Cernunnos’ throne room, Maven let out a little sound; it was a sigh combined with a squeal. Ares or not, that man loved her daughter, he would care for her and make sure no harm came to her. For this, Maven was eternally grateful. “Are you really going to go up against him…father?”

  Cernunnos gave her a cold stare but did not answer.

  “I think this time you’ve bit off more than you can chew.” Maven knew it was a daring thing to say and she would pay a price for it but that was all right with her. Maggie was happy, she was healthy, she was strong and in love. Nothing else in the whole world mattered now.

  The price came in the form of a backhand to the face that sent Maven to her knees and cut open her left eyelid. “He’s no match for me. He’s been cursed, he will turn on her.”

  Maven swiped her hand over her cheek, leaving a smear of blood behind as she shook her head and smiled a cold grin of her own. “Even your cold heart can’t defeat Love.” She looked into the ball again. The way Ares was gazing at Maggie, his dark eyes overflowing with love and desire for her daughter, Maven felt confident there was no way Adrian’s spell would work. Ares would not turn on Maggie; even if it did work, even if Ares felt a desire to harm Maggie, he would fight it. He would win.

  “My magick, my power defeats all comers,” Cernunnos challenged. “Even the great God of War.”

  “I think his power is stronger, dear father.”

  This time her outrageous insult did not produce a simple slap across the face, Cernunnos reached down, hauled Mae to her tiny feet by her hair, held her in place and hit her with a right jab to the jaw. He gave her a second just for good measure before letting her crumple to the floor. “Shut up or I won’t let you watch her any longer.”

  “No!” Mae cried through a wounded jaw as she scrambled to her knees and began to beg. “Please, it’s been so long since I saw my daughter. Please. I’ve missed her so.” And wondered about her. And worried about her. Prayed for her. “You’ve taken everything from me, father, please don’t take this, too. I want to see my daughter!”

  3

  “All of my life, I never thought I’d fall in love, then came you,” Alena confessed.

  Taking her up in his arms, holding her close he let his dark eyes dart about the door as though he were looking for something or someone.

  Alena felt his brawny body tense and his heart quicken. “What’s wrong, my Love? What is it?”

  Not liking the feeling creeping over him, Ares pulled her closer still. “Do you feel…eyes…upon us?” he whispered as though there might be ears attached to the unseen eyes burning a hole into the back of his head.

  She was too happy to feel the danger lurking just behind them on the mantle. “No.” That didn’t mean anything; she wasn’t a God like Ares. “Do you think someone is here?”

  Ares didn’t feel a physical presence, it was more of an ethereal one. “No. There is no one here but us and the women upstairs.” His sharp eyes were still darting around the room. Not a single nook, cranny, corner, or shadow escaped his gaze and yet he saw nothing out of the ordinary.

  “Maybe it’s just…just the aftereffects of Adrian’s bolt. It was quite powerful,” Alena said hopefully. “Maybe you should rest. I’ll take you upstairs, give you a long massage.”

  That sounded good to Ares; he could use a long massage after today. Especially from her, surely it would end in them blissfully wrapped up in each other’s arms. “You must be tired as well.” He ran his hand through her silver hair. “I don’t want you to wait on me.”

  “Oh, well, fine then, we’ll just go upstairs and have the women massage us both.”

  Ares blinked, his mouth dropped open, and he had to clear his throat before he spoke. That was a very tempting idea, one that might also end up in a sweaty heap of spent bodies. “Feeling frisky, my dear? The heat of battle always does that to me,” he asked with sparkling eyes and a winning grin.

  Alena slapped him playfully on the arm. “That’s not what I meant, but…” the playfulness trailed out of her voice, “if you want…”

  “I am a man so I do want, but” he bent down to look her in the eye, “I’ll pass.” Ares kissed Alena’s cheek. “Any other ideas for the remainder of the night ahead of us?”

  It was Alena who let her eyes dart around the room but she was really only looking at one item in particular. “Well, now that you mention it. There is something I’d like to do…to you…my Love,” she led invitingly.

  “Hmmm, and what would that be?” Ares asked, playing along to see where this went; it could be some place wonderful.

  Alena took his hand and began to walk away from the hearth. “I’m sure you’ve done this a million times
or more, in fact I’ve seen it, haven’t I? If you don’t mind too much, I’d like to give it a shot.” With a very delicate hand, she gestured for the God of War to sit upon his Throne of Bones.

  “Going to sit on my lap?” Ares grinned and patted his knee as he sat down. “Climb up here and tell Santa what you want for Christmas?”

  “Maybe later. For now, I thought I’d do my best to treat you like the God you are.”

  “Does this mean you’re going to dance for me now?”

  That wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. “There’s no music,” Alena said mournfully and then sighed.

  Ares snorted a laugh and snapped his fingers. Her cell phone appeared in his hand. “Now let’s see what we have in here.” Giving it a jolt from his finger, Ares turned on the phone and let his fingers slide over the little icon that read music.

  “It’s not a touch screen.”

  “It is now,” Ares corrected and let his eyes scan over the few songs the phone held. Thinking he recognized the title of one of the tunes, Ares tapped it and it began to play.

  I know you wanna leave me,

  But I refuse to let you go

  Yes, he knew this tune. His head began bobbing around on his shoulders while his foot kept time with the beat.

  If I have to beg and plead for your sympathy,

  I don’t mind cuz’ you mean that much to me

  Alena laughed.

  “Come on, dance for me.”

  It had been a very long time since Alena danced and she thought it was possible she had forgotten how. She wished he had picked something a little slower.

  “Shy?” She was blushing. Ares stood up. “I that case, come on, dance with me, Alena.”

  “With you?” Alena asked in soft surprise. “You dance?”

  “I love to dance.” Ares grabbed her hand, raised it over her head and twirled her around. “I am also good at it, as you can see,” he said without a dose of modesty as he dipped her and then brought her back to her feet.

  Ain’t too proud to beg, sweet darlin’