Sweet Cry of Pleasure (9 page)

Chapter Five

“Ares, please wait,” Hera pleaded.

“I have to go after her!” he said. Why didn’t they understand? Alala wasn’t just angry. He’d hurt her terribly. Only now did he fully see what she must have thought when he woke up and dismissed what had happened between them. He’d panicked and tried to protect her, not considering how she might take it. She’d really given herself to him. She’d told him she loved him. Then she’d woken up to hear him call it all silly. He felt like a fool.

And he wanted to wring Aphrodite’s neck.

“Give her time.”

Everyone else had left and gone to the dining room. Apollo, it seemed, had left the moment Ares awoke. His blood boiled at the thought of that conceited, vain weakling using Alala as he had. He planned to challenge him. Zeus looked serious and thoughtful enough that everyone had to know what had happened. His father wouldn’t deny his request. Even if he did say no, Ares had no doubt Artemis would find a fit punishment for her brother’s action. Even if Alala said it wasn’t rape, he knew Artemis would agree with him that it was just as wrong. In fact, it was worse. Apollo had obviously known about Alala’s feelings and used them to take advantage of her. What had that done to her, when she found out she had really been with someone else? He tried to push the thought away. It made him crave Apollo’s blood. Zeus was Apollo’s father too, but even if he weren’t he didn’t approve of petty and violent revenge.

“Ares? Are you listening?”

He turned to his mother. “No, I’m not. I’m too worried about Alala.”

“She wanted to be alone. She’ll come back. Let her think. I felt her pain. She regrets the words she flung at you. She loves you, Ares.”

“And everyone saw it but me.”

“Eris and I saw it. Zeus figured it out recently. You’re not so blind as you think. She’s a very complex woman.”

“All this time and she never spoke up. Just because I was having sex with Aphrodite or some mortal girl?”

Hera smiled. “Do you blame her? Would you confess your love to someone when you knew they were having sex with someone else?”

“Never had to think about it before,” he said dryly. He knew his mother wanted to help, but he was only growing more frustrated.

“She hasn’t slept with Arion. They aren’t together.”

“I know that. Guess I got lucky with him. It would take him ten years to make a move.”

Hera sighed. “I think you need to be alone too.” She rose to go. “And Ares?”

“Yes?”

“Just think of her. Apollo will be dealt with. Your father will talk to you later.”

He stood up and kissed his mother. “Thank you.”

As she left the room though, he couldn’t help feeling that thinking of Apollo would be so much simpler. He knew exactly how to handle that situation.

* * * *

Alala leaned against the tree and looked down at her feet dangling. A bird had made its nest just above her, and she could hear the baby birds crying for their mother.

She suddenly wished she had a mother. She didn’t necessarily want her own mother, but she wanted someone who would just hold her and tell her what to do, to reassure her and show her how simple it would be to solve everything.

Instead, she got Aphrodite.

“Alala?”

She looked down at the goddess, wishing she had something to throw. “What do you want?”

“I came to talk to you. If I go near Ares or Eris, I might not live very long. Hera and Zeus refuse to see me. You have to tell me what happened.”

Not likely.
“Why?”

“Because this is not what I intended. Ares was supposed to finally understand how you feel about him.”

Alala shook her head and laughed bitterly. “Yeah, well, it wasn’t enough.”

“What do you mean?” She rubbed her neck. “Can you come down from there?”

“No.”

Aphrodite sighed. “Okay. I don’t blame you, but I also don’t understand what went wrong.”

Alala knew she’d just have to play Aphrodite’s game and be a bitch to get her to go away. “What went wrong? Fucking me meant about as much to him as fucking you did. You got that?”

Aphrodite’s face turned red, but she held her tongue for a moment. After taking a breath, she said, “I deserved that, but I can’t believe that’s true. You mean you had sex after he woke up and it still ended badly?”

Alala shook her head. “Hypnos put me to sleep, and I went to him in a dream.”

“Why didn’t you just tell him you loved him?”

Alala froze. She’d said those words just before they woke up. She jumped down out of the tree. “That’s all I had to do? Tell him I love him?”

Aphrodite backed away. “Yes. Simple is best. You were what he needed. You only had to tell him that he’d always had you.”

She turned away. “Get out of here.”

Aphrodite touched her arm.

“I said get out of here!” With a thought she pushed Aphrodite from her. She turned when she heard her scream in pain.

She’d shoved Aphrodite into a broken limb, which now protruded from her stomach. Aphrodite stared down at her bloody hands.

Alala ran to her, unsure what to do, but Hypnos was there first. He touched Aphrodite’s forehead and cradled her against him.

“How did you know?” Alala asked.

He looked up at her. “I followed you. I wanted to make sure you were safe.”

“I didn’t mean to!”

“Of course you didn’t. You might want to leave anyway. I’ll have to call Apollo.”

Apollo was the healer among the gods, the one who had taught mankind about the medical arts so long ago.

She nodded, but stood firm. “Call him. I’m not leaving though.”

Within seconds, Apollo appeared. He looked nervous when he saw Alala, but he paled when he saw Aphrodite.

“It was an accident!” Alala said.

He looked at her sadly. “Alala, I know that. You would never hurt anyone.” He touched Aphrodite’s face and kissed her forehead. She gasped, but she didn’t wake up. He reached down and broke the limb.

Alala watched. She’d seen worse on the battlefield, but it had been a long time since she’d seen a war. She’d been an unseen defender, holding the enemy off and protecting the injured. Even the bravest men knew to run away when their own swords clashed against an invisible one. They’d probably thought they were fleeing from Ares, not a petite girl.

Apollo glowed with golden light. She’d seen him heal others before. Maybe that was why she couldn’t hate him. She still disapproved of most of his actions most of the time, but she also felt that, during their time together, she’d seen a few things most of the other gods never had.

Apollo lowered Aphrodite to the ground, his hand on her stomach. She began coughing, but she soon opened her eyes. She rubbed her head and moaned.

“Aphrodite, I’m so sorry! I swear I didn’t mean to.”

Aphrodite looked up at her. “I know.” She glanced at Apollo. “Perhaps you should have left me to the Fates.”

Apollo shook his head. “Don’t say that.”

She stood up shakily. Hypnos tried to steady her, but she pulled away. “Just let me go.”

“You need to rest,” he said.

“I will. Just let me go,” she said softly. She disappeared.

Alala stared at the place where she had been standing, then turned to Apollo. He was touching the tree. The spot where the limb had broken off was covered in new bark. She looked at Hypnos.

Did he just heal the tree?

Yes,
Hypnos replied.
Don’t you know why?

No.

Apollo turned to them before Hypnos could explain. “I guess I better go back into hiding now.”

“Apollo?” Alala said.

He looked into her eyes. “Yes?”

“Thank you.”

He nodded. “Of course.” He started to go.

“Wait, just a moment.” She didn’t know what she wanted to say. “Ares isn’t acting for me. If I’d wanted anything from you, I wouldn’t have simply walked away.”

“I know that. I need to go though. If he sees me near you, he won’t wait for our father’s sanction to fight me.”

“I don’t want him to challenge you.”

Apollo looked down at the ground. He wanted to look into a woman’s eyes as he fucked her, but he could hardly maintain eye contact if she tried to express her feelings to him. “I can take care of myself.”

“No, you can’t. It’s very strange that the god of light and truth and healing is such an asshole. One day, someone will find out why.”

She noticed Hypnos looking at the ground too. He knew something. She looked back to the tree. What the hell could trees have to do with it?

“Wasting your time.”

Alala shrugged. “Maybe so. We’ll see.”

“I waste very little time.” Ares appeared behind Apollo and grabbed him by both arms.

“Ares, no!”

His gaze softened a little when he looked at her. “We’re going to see Zeus. Just talking. I swear.”

Alala sighed. “Fine. I can’t stop you.”

His expression softened. “Please go home and wait for me. We have to talk.”

She nodded. “I’ll be fine. Hypnos will take me home.”

Ares moved slightly, as if he wanted to touch her, but he held fast to Apollo and they disappeared.

She sighed again. He seemed sorry, but he didn’t need to be. She’d overreacted. He’d been in so much pain it would have confused anyone. She’d taken his mistake so personally. She felt like a fool. Eris and Hera were right. She was just as proud and stubborn as he was. She’d let her darker emotions rule her thoughts.

When she saw him again, she planned on running into his arms. He wouldn’t have to explain anything. She had far more interesting plans for his mouth.

* * * *

Ares smiled as Apollo’s face turned ashen. Artemis stood beside Zeus, her arms crossed as she glared at her twin brother.

“Artemis.”

She exhaled and turned away from him. His face fell even more. Ares imagined how he would feel if Eris turned from him like that, but he pushed the thought away quickly. He was not about to start feeling sorry for Apollo.

“Apollo, you do understand that I am the only reason Ares hasn’t killed you?” Zeus said.

“Yes.”

“What do you have to say?”

“I’ll accept the challenge. I can’t defend my actions.”

“You can answer some questions, and we all know you have to tell the truth,” Artemis said. She turned back to him. “You knew Alala loved Ares? That’s why you appeared as him?”

“Yes.”

“Did you know she was a virgin?”

“No.”

“What did Alala do when she found out?”

Apollo hesitated.

“Tell us. Now,” Zeus said.

“She punched me in the stomach, then she started punching the garden wall. She knocked it down.”

Ares had been ready to laugh when he heard she’d punched him, but he had no desire to laugh now. He had no idea she was capable of such strength. He’d have been very aroused if he hadn’t recognized that the display showed her displeasure with him as much as with Apollo.

Apollo continued, looking at Ares. “She said she figured it might be as close as she ever got.”

“Then what?” Artemis asked.

Apollo didn’t say anything.

Zeus stepped forward. “I’m not ready for my judgment yet. What happened next? Did you part and see each other again later? Eris said your affair continued off and on for years. How did you two part that day? She doesn’t blame you now, but so much time has passed we can’t accept that as the absolute truth.”

Ares didn’t see how anything could be worse than her initial reaction. What was Apollo hiding?

“She stayed with me that night. We made love again.”

Ares grabbed Apollo by the throat. “You’re lying!”

Apollo didn’t fight him, but Zeus parted them.

“He can’t lie, Ares. I think we’ve heard enough.”

Ares backed away, but he didn’t take his eyes off Apollo. He had to be lying.

“She was upset and confused, Ares.”

“So you just kept taking advantage of her?” His hands itched for his sword. He hadn’t felt such a bloodlust in decades.

“She can take care of herself. You know that. She wanted comfort and didn’t want to be alone.”

“Because of what you did!”

“Because of what you
didn’t
do!”

Ares punched Apollo, knocking him right off his feet. Artemis calmly stepped between them.

“Ares, my brother did something very wrong, and he’ll answer for it in the right place and at the right time. You’ll have satisfaction then. Show a god’s dignity and control yourself.”

He couldn’t believe she wasn’t on his side. “I’m not to blame for his deceit and perversion.”

“Seduction and trickery aren’t foreign words to any of us. It’s no excuse,” Artemis said. “However, judgment needs to be balanced. Mercy must have its place.”

Apollo got to his feet. “I wasn’t trying to shift the blame to you. I was trying to say that, the second time, she seduced me because she felt unwanted. A man desiring her was very appealing. She never loved me and never would have. She only cares for me because there is no room for hatred in her heart. She can see good in anyone.”

“Her forgiving nature is no excuse,” Ares spat.

“I’m not saying I didn’t do something that was very wrong!” Apollo retorted.

A thunderclap silenced them both.

“This is fruitless,” Zeus said. “Apollo will answer for his actions. Ares, you need to show a little more control.”

Artemis stepped forward and touched Ares on the arm. “You’ve been through a lot physically and emotionally. Go home. That’s what you need right now.”

“Don’t tell me what I need.”

“Please, Ares.”

He shook her hand off, but he nodded. “Fine. This isn’t over though.”

Apollo nodded. “I know.”

Ares glanced at his father. This discussion was closed, for now. His thoughts turned to Alala. He hoped she’d be waiting for him when he got home. He needed to see her even more than he’d ever needed anything. The sooner they set things straight, the sooner he’d have her back in his arms. Where she belonged.