OF WAR Anthology Novels 1-3

by Lisa Beth Darling

  “They’re afraid of me. And you, Cousin, are you afraid of me as well?”

  “I’m the God of War, I fear nothing.” Ares’ nostrils flared as he took in a deep breath followed by a few quicker ones, “But, ah, I don’t smell a damn thing coming off you and I never trust what I can’t smell.” Ares’ attention turned back to Raven who now had Aphrodite sitting on his lap running her fingers through his long hair while her tongue explored the back of his throat. “Get off of him,” Ares barked as he stormed across the room to drag Aphrodite away from Raven. “You too, go.” He waved his fingers at the naked Graces gathered around his Son awaiting their turn below him.

  “You’re always ruining my fun,” Raven said with tingling lips and a bulge the size of Vesuvius throbbing in his faded jeans from having Aphrodite’s firm round ass ground into his crotch.

  “After your Brother and Sister leave here for the night I think you’ll have more fun than you can even comprehend.”

  “Send the stupid baby home then,” Hunter challenged from across the room as he pointed to Rose and then waved his hand to dismiss her as though she were a fly. “I’m stayin’, I wanna see him fuck one of ‘em.”

  While Hera and Athena gasped at the boy’s rudeness, Ares rolled his eyes toward Aphrodite who was nearly grinning. “Nice work, Mom. You’re raising a real gentleman there.”

  “He’s precocious, curious, that’s all,” the Goddess of Love returned in her defense. “You were curious at his age too.”

  “Hummmm, look where it got me,” Ares scoffed. “Sorry, Hunter but you’re leaving here with Rose and Onya after dinner.”

  “What?” Eros interjected as he began to protest. “She’s here at my request as my guest.”

  “I let you indulge yourself with her but she’s still my woman. She does what I say, don’t you Onya?” Smoldering eyes turned to meet her gaze.

  Onya saw her way out of the coming night and took the lifeline Ares was throwing her. “Of course, my Lord, always.”

  “Good girl,” Ares complimented and then rolled his eyes back to his Son. “I say she leaves here after dinner, taking my children with her. You got a problem with that?”

  Before Eros could speak, Zeus stepped in. “Every adult who walks through those doors is fair game until sunrise. That’s the law and you know it. She stays.”

  Ares knew the law, knew the exact letter of it, and saw how Zeus wanted to twist it to his advantage. “No, Father, everyone in this room once the doors shut for the night is fair game. The doors don’t shut until after the meal. You don’t think I would have brought Rose with me tonight if I thought she would be subjected to the debauchery that is to come, do you?”

  “Why not?” Zeus shot a cold stare at the little girl. “Look at her, she’s a reject. Too stupid to understand what’s going on around her. You could probably dangle your cock in front of her face, tell her it’s a lollipop and she’d lick it until it spurted.”

  Ares’ dark eyes narrowed on Zeus as his jaw set tight as he pointed an angry finger at Zeus. “I wouldn’t try it if I were you, Father.”

  It was up to Hera to diffuse the situation before it got out of hand. “Ares is right. Onya and the children will leave when the meal ends,” Hera agreed to the disapproving grunts and groans of the men in the room. “Not all of our traditions are for young children or Mortal women.”

  Zeus’ voice boomed, silencing the rush of disappointment circling around him. “I trust you will be staying the entire night, Ares. As his Father you have certain obligations tonight to show him the way into manhood.”

  “Don’t worry about me, Father.”

  “It’s settled then,” Hera interjected once more then she called all to the table for the feast before the brewing argument could bubble over and ruin the evening.

  III

  Behind each Olympian seated at the table stood a Grace or a Muse to serve them, as the Olympians spoke to each other, they pointed at the plates and trays of food. T heir attendant put it on the gold plate before them. Once on the plate, they pointed to the food item they wanted, a naked woman dipped her fingers in to bring it to their mouths. All the while, the suppleness of bare breasts brushed against their cheeks and rested against the sides of their heads. Although the festivities weren’t to start until after the meal, it didn’t stop the men at the table from flicking their tongues out along exposed nipples or grabbing a handful of firm flesh. If the children weren’t present, they’d be fucking them at the table even as the women stuffed food into their mouths.

  Rose didn’t like being hand fed, she kept pushing Erato’s hand away from her face along with the Muses dangling breasts, which Rose seemed to find offense as she wrinkled her nose every time they came near her. When Erato kept insisting she feed the little girl by hand, Rose picked up her fork and brandished it at the Muse with angry eyes. “I do!”

  “Like the rest of you, she’s not helpless,” Ares intoned darkly as he took in the sight of all the unused utensils on the table, “let her feed herself, will you?”

  “As you wish, Lord Ares,” Erato the long and leggy Muse of Love Poems sighed and then stood quietly by to assist Rose if she needed it.

  With a black gloved hand full of tit and a mouth overflowing with Mousakka, Hades turned to Raven. “I hope you’re ready for my Trial, I think you’ll find it challenging.”

  “Looking forward to it, Uncle,” Raven returned with confidence as Clio poured wine down his throat.

  “You’ll fail.”

  All eyes turned to Zeus at the head of the table who turned red-faced and stared back at them in bewilderment. “What are you looking at me for? He said it,” he pointed to Hunter sitting between Aphrodite and Apollo resting his head against Calliope’s soft tits. “Still, he’s right. I also predict you don’t pass the first Trial.”

  “Then I’m looking forward to proving you wrong, Grandfather.”

  “Don’t underestimate the Under World it’s no summer vacation.” Zeus warned and downed a long gulp of wine.

  “I think I’m prepared.”

  Breaking apart a hunk of cheese filled bread Zeus lobbed, “They all think that or they wouldn’t embark on this fool’s errand, would they?” Chomping down on the crusty bread and tearing it apart with sharp teeth, he flicked bits of crumbs out of his white beard.

  “Let’s not waste the wine this way. Why don’t we just see what the night brings us and worry about tomorrow…tomorrow?” Aphrodite suggested with a grin as she gazed down the length of the table at Raven ravishing him with her sapphire eyes.

  Raven returned the lustful stare, raised his glass, and gave a slight nod to the Lady of Love. “Yes, why don’t we do that?” In unison, each took a long slow drink from their chalices but their wanton eyes never parted.

  “He says he’s gonna make you scream his name,” Hunter chimed pointing across the table for more lamb to be added to his plate mindless of the collective gasp that followed his rude interruption. “Do you think he will?”

  Color rushed into Aphrodite’s cheeks momentarily giving her the blush of a schoolgirl. “Maybe,” she said softly.

  “I wanna hear it.”

  “I’m sure you’ll have plenty of chances at that, Hunter,” Apollo added to the conversation. “I imagine after tonight Raven will be visiting your Mother much more often.” Laughter and murmured agreement around the table met Hunter’s comment.

  IV

  The meal over, Onya prepared to leave with the children and take them both back to the Fortress for the remainder of the night. Hunter was greatly displeased that he wasn’t getting his way and kept insisting that he should be able to stay. Out of reflex, she put the baby on the floor while she wiped the food off the chair.

  “Stupid little bitch, it’s all your fault,” Hunter snarled as he glared at his smaller, weaker Sister. Fast as lightning, he darted past his Mother, Apollo, and Onya and shoved Rose to the ground as hard as he could. Little Rose flew more than ten feet through the air and landed hard
on the marble floor by the blazing hearth. Aphrodite looked at Ares innocently but refrained from chastising her Son right away. In the split second Mother and Father exchanged their glance, Hunter pounced on Rose, clamping his knees to her flanks, grabbing her throat with one and reaching back to tug at the hem of her toga with the other. “Dumb bitch little whore,” he spat in her face as those around him watched in stunned amazement when the little boy antagonizing his Sister brought the hem of her toga up between his legs as he pinned her to the floor.

  Rose shrieked, “N-no!” she bucked, she kicked, but mostly she tried to push down the hem of her dress to guard her private region from her Brother who was hell bent on exposing it. “Mah-mine! N-no!”

  Before Ares could act, and to the surprise of all, the room lit up with brilliant blue light as Raven let a chunk of ice the size of a watermelon fly from his hand. It raced across the room hitting Hunter in the side of the head, splitting it open, and knocking him high into the air to land several feet away from Rose. With Hunter off her, Rose turned over onto her side curling up into a tight little ball to protect herself from further intrusion. Stormy eyes full of shock and terror looked up at Raven, hoping for comfort. “What do you think you’re doing to my Sister, you little pervert?”

  “Our Sister,” he corrected rubbing the back of his throbbing head where his wavy blonde hair was slick with ichor. Bringing the hand to his face, he stared at his red fingers in amazement having never seen the hot liquid that rushed through his veins keeping his alive. “Look what you did! For what? THAT?” Hunter pointed rudely to Rose crying on the floor.

  “She can’t even defend herself, what the fuck is wrong with you?” Raven couldn’t stop himself when instinct brought him to his knees making him scoop Rose into his arms. She curled up on his lap and pressed her quaking little body into him for safety as Raven smoothed out her dress to cover her. “It’s ok, Rosie, he’s just a mean little boy and he’s not going to hurt you again.”

  “Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Hunter smirked.

  Aphrodite dashed across the room and to her Son taking in the ichor spilling from the side of Hunter’s head and believing it a just wound. “Don’t you ever do that again, do you understand me?” She shook the bleeding boy as hard as she could, “not EVER.”

  “She’s just a–” Hunter never finished his sentence, his Mother’s hand smacked across his full lips drawing more ichor to the surface. The sting brought his hand to his mouth as the salty taste flooded over his tongue just before he spit a fad wad into Aphrodite’s face. “I don’t take orders from any whore that includes you.”

  In horror, Aphrodite shrank back from Hunter then Ares pushed her to the floor. He hauled the boy to his feet by his shirt and then held him in the air where his feet dangled in frantic search for purchase. “Do I look like a whore to you? No? Good, then listen up. If you ever touch my Daughter again I’ll cut your nuts off, boy.”

  “Face it,” Hunter said strongly in defiance of the chokehold Ares had on him, “Rose may be ugly and slow but was born to be a whore like her Mother. Grandfather’s right why not break her in early? See if she can take it.”

  For a moment stunned silence resounded in the Dining Hall as all eyes turned to Hunter trying to comprehend the vile spew that uttered from his young mouth before they turned to Zeus. As much as Zeus adored his creation, Hunter’s contemptuous display appalled him. “That’s not what I said,” Zeus fumed.

  “Isn’t it?”

  “No, it is not. I was only antagonizing Ares I would never DO it! Your impudence may have been cute at my table but now you’ve gone too far. Apologize to your Sister and your Father for this outrage.”

  Hunter’s upper lip curled, “No.”

  “I’ll beat it out of you, boy,” Ares warned.

  Zeus turned to Clio. “Take him back to Aphrodite’s Temple, lock him in his room. His Mother can decide on a proper punishment for him tomorrow.”

  “You’d better do it right or I will,” Ares hissed at Aphrodite who was standing on trembling legs, “or do you still think he’s merely curious and precocious?” Without looking at the boy, Ares dropped Hunter to the floor where Clio grabbed him by the ear and hauled him away for the night, kicking and screaming at the top of his brazen lungs. When he was gone and the shrill cries faded, Ares turned to Zeus with eyes full of frozen fire. “I don’t know what you did to Aphrodite to make her fertile, Father, but you created a demon from hell in that boy!”

  Zeus stayed remarkably silent on the subject even when Aphrodite’s accusing stare pierced him straight through. Hera’s gaze joined Aphrodite’s and the two women stood tall but tight-lipped as Zeus began to feel a band of sweat break out his old brow. Both of them were waiting to blow him out of the water on this one; why they hesitated he didn’t know and opted to hold his tongue until the long uneasy moment passed.

  “Give her to me,” Ares held his arms out for Rose and took her from Raven. “My Daughter and I are leaving here, Father.” He glanced at Raven. “I suggest you do the same. I was born into this hellhole with its den of thieves and back stabbers but you have a choice. That’s what your Mother was trying to tell you today.”

  Raven felt torn but he worked so long and so hard for this that he couldn’t let it be for nothing, so Raven stood his ground. “I’m staying.”

  “I expected no less.” He sneered before grabbing Onya by the arm and heading toward the open marble doors.

  “Ares!”

  “Forget it Father. I’m not…in the mood.” He didn’t look back as he rushed Rose and Onya out of the massive golden double doors, slamming them shut behind him and trapping all inside until dawn.

  Standing back and remaining as quiet as his Brother, Hades took it all in thinking of the Trial he planned to set before Raven tomorrow and feeling confident the boy was ready to meet it head on.

  Chapter Seven

  Someone to Watch Over Me

  Returning to the Fortress Ares was in no mood to console Onya or soothe her aching heart. Instead, he ordered Onya to her room where he advised her to think about whether she could put up with the eccentricities of an Olympian within the confines of a romantic relationship. As he talked, Rose squirmed in his arms to be let down so he complied. She toddled off for the stairs in a huff and after a moment he took off after her. Standing at the landing, he watched her stomp up the steps, slamming her new shoe to the marble with each step. At the top of the stairs she took off for her room crying. Ares followed the little girl into her room. Standing in the doorway watching her tear off the pink toga she threw it to the floor. Rose kicked it and then cast her shoe into the wall as she started choking on her tears in nothing but her panties. “Stu-pad! Stu-pad!” Rose banged her little fist against the side of her head. “No, no…guuu-dd!”

  “ROSE!”

  Her Father’s booming voice made her jump, Rose turned to see him in the doorway and she cried until she was blubbering, her little face bright red covered with tears and slobber flowing freely from her gaping mouth. Little hands balled into fists flailed in the air until they rested against her wet bare chest and then descended to her panties as she crossed her legs. “Mah-my-my-MINE!”

  “Yes, yours, Hunter never should have done anything like that.” Ares dropped to his knees and swept her up into his arms. “he was wrong, it’s not your fault.” He cradled her wailing head against his heaving chest. “Not your fault and I never want to hear you say you’re stupid or no good again.” Putting his hand under her chin he tilted her face to look at him. “They’re stupid…they are. They’re no good. Not you. You are very good and I know you are very smart.”

  “M-m-me?” Rose asked meekly between sobs.

  “Yes, you.”

  “‘mart?”

  “Yes, you are smart. I know you understand what people say to you, you understand me, you understand when they’re cruel to you. I hate what they did to you tonight.”

  “M-m-me…tah-too.” Rose rested her head again
st his shoulder, nuzzling it just under his bearded chin as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

  Ares wanted to make her feel better, show her that he loved her no matter what. “What do you say, you have a bath in the big tub tonight? Lots of bubbles.”

  “Ooooo,” Rose looked up at him and nodded. “Ma..ma…ma.”

  “Yes, after your bath, I’ll tuck you into bed with your Mother tonight. Maybe I’ll even stay too, how’s that?”

  Rose wanly smiled and asked, “‘Ake?”

  Rose did not get her cake at Raven’s little soiree tonight. “Lots of it,” he smiled for her, if he had to bake it himself he’d see to it that she got, “anything you want tonight, my little Rose. Daddy loves you, always, no matter what, your Father will always love you.” Gently, Ares thumbed away the last of Rose’s tears.

  “Love too.”

  As promised, Ares took Rose to the massive tub in the master bathroom. Like the hot spring in the cave, the tub was always full of hot water and ready for use on a moment’s notice. Settling her down on the chilly marble floor Ares conjured up sweet smelling bubbles in the tub.

  “Yeah!” Rose raised her little fist in the air and jumped around excitedly.

  “It’s all ready for you,” Ares told her and then waited but she stayed by the side of the tub. “Something wrong?” Rose twirled her finger in the air, pointed at him, and twirled it again. “You want me to turn around?” he asked very puzzled but then he understood. “Oh, I see. Modest, are we?” Ares turned around while Rose wiggled out of her panties. “You know I’m Father, I can help you…”

  Splash!

  Ares whirled around just in time to get the last of the raining water in his face and to watch the mountain of bubbles in the tub. “Rose!” She was nowhere in sight. “Rose!” Just as he was about to dive in to rescue her, she popped up like a buoy covered in bubbles and laughed. “My little water baby, hummm? Don’t do that to your poor Father.” He knelt by the side of the tub. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”

  For someone Rose’s size the tub was a miniature swimming pool and she used it as such with no problems at all treading water or swimming one end to the other. Without the encumbrance of gravity, her short leg was no obstacle to movement. She dove under, held her breath, settled to the bottom and then emerged covered in bubbles and smiles. That beat tears any day, her happy titters made Ares smile as he hoped he never heard her cry like that again. He stood there watching her swim and turn summersaults for the better part of an hour. When he finally coaxed her out of the tub, holding out a warm fluffy yellow towel and averting his eyes while she made her way up the steps on the side, her skin looked like a prune and Rose was sleepy.