Another Way 2

By The Huntress

Disclaimer: Must I? Oh well...They don't belong to me, okay! But if they ever come to my house, I'm keeping them!

Authors Rantings: Once again, I've made my own little timeline...Iolaus said it was okay....

Another Way 2

By The Huntress

Arriving in Corinth the next afternoon, they got to the castle, where Iolaus told the guards to keep quiet. He quickly made introductions, saving one for last.

"Eli, this is Ripheus. Me, Herc, and Iph have known him since we were kids. He's Captain of the guard. Now why Iph made this asshole his lead man is beyond me."

"Gonna surprise Herc, huh?" Ripheus asked. "Iolaus, you better get to him. He's been a wreck since he got here three days ago. Kept wanting to go after you, but Iph wouldn't let him. Oh, and he made some remark about Xena's...well about a certain part of her anatomy, and then he...Iolaus, let's just say the Warrior Princess has been sleeping at the other end of the castle."

"He didn't get drunk and try to tear off her leathers again...did he?" The hunter cringed at that memory. Hercules had a hangover for two days.

"No," Ripheus answered with a grin. "But Gabrielle was trying to teach him how to relax, and they drank some wine, and I guess Herc saw Xena and...."

"What did he do Ripheus?" Iolaus wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"He umm...he tore off her leathers, dragged her into a bedroom, and they...well they...."

Iolaus laughed. "He fucked her Ripheus. It's okay."

"Yeah Iolaus," Ripheus grinned. "But with Gabrielle?"

Iolaus' eyes widened. "Gabrielle? He got to...Gabrielle?" Ripheus nodded. "Yeah, I gotta find him. I wanna know what they feel like. Come on." Iolaus grabbed Eli by the arm and walked inside.

"HERCULES!" Iolaus' voice reverberated in the halls. "HERC, WHERE ARE YOU?"

"Right here lover." Iolaus turned, grinning at the sight of his lover, running to him, and jumping into his arms. The demigod held him tightly, breathing in the scent of Iolaus, and getting hard from that scent. "I missed you." Herc plundered Iolaus' mouth. "Not the same without you." His hands roamed up the hunter's body, stopping as he eyed Eli. "Who's your friend?"

"Huh?" Iolaus said softly. "Oh...oh yeah." Hercules put him on his feet, and Iolaus noticed the demigod staring daggers at Eli. "Herc, I ran into him on the way here. This is Eli. You know, Gabrielle's friend from India."

Hercules smiled, much to the relief of the other two men. He walked to Eli, putting his hand out to shake it, his nostrils flaring as he caught Iolaus' scent. His demeanor changed again, and he turned to Iolaus. "Did you two have fun?"

"Look Herc, it just happened." He turned to Eli. "I think Herc smells me on you, and you on me...he has a sense for that."

"Like a bloodhound," Eli joked.

"Yeah," Herc answered, his tone anything but playful. "Like an angry, rabid, bloodhound." He turned back to Iolaus. "You and me...*now*." He tossed Iolaus over his shoulder. "I'm the only one whose scent you'll have over you."

"But Herc," Iolaus said, "shouldn't we at least bring Eli to Gabrielle and Xena?"

Herc turned. "Down the hall, to the right, first door on your left." He walked off with Iolaus.

"You did give him the right way, didn't you Herc?"

"Not exactly. I sent him to Iphicles. Xena and Gabrielle are in another room...and last I heard, they were being awfully noisy."

"Speaking of Gabrielle Herc," Iolaus giggled. "Ripheus told me that you...."

Hercules grinned. "They were really soft Iolaus...*really* soft."

Not one good with directions, Eli moved down the hall, turned left, and went to the first door on his right. Opening it, his eyes widened at the sight before him.

Gabrielle was bent between Xena's legs, and Eli saw that the blonde was fucking her warrior with a phallus, while Xena's fingers were buried within the bard.

"Oh...oh yes Gabrielle...give it to me...give it to me harder...YES...YES...YESSSS!!" Xena orgasmed, and nearly threw Gabrielle from the bed.

Then it was Gabrielle's turn. "XENA...XENA...." She turned briefly. "ELI!"

Xena jumped up, and *did* throw the bard on the floor. She leaned over the edge. "It was one thing when you shouted *Iolaus*, and that time you shouted *Ares*...but Eli?"

"She shouted Ares?" Xena tossed her head up, and looked at the man standing there, smiling at her. Grabbing the sheet, she covered herself. As an afterthought, she grabbed Gabrielle and pulled the bard under the sheet as well. She then realized that the phallus was in plain sight, on the bed. Xena blushed, picked it up, and flung it...through the window, and into the courtyard, where it knocked the King on the head.

Iphicles picked it up, smelled it, smiled, looked up, and said, "Does this mean we're going to play tonight Ares?"

"Eli, what are you doing *here*?" Xena asked.

"You told me to come visit...so I did." Eli grinned at them. "Sorry I caught you at a bad time." He turned to leave, but Gabrielle called him back.

"Eli, you don't have to go. And how did you find us anyway?"

"On the way here, I ran into a friend of yours...Iolaus. He brought me here, and one of the guards told us an interesting tale about you and Hercules." Gabrielle blushed from her cheeks to her feet, and Xena just shrugged.

"So Eli," Xena said, giving him a sly smile. "Did you...get along...with Iolaus?"

"Xena! Don't insult him like that." Gabrielle admonished her lover. "Eli doesn't do things like that...he's a holy man." She smiled at him. "I'm glad you came. If you'll give me a minute, I'll get dressed, and I can take you on a castle tour."

"Sounds good," Eli said, and left the room.

Xena turned to Gabrielle and grinned. "He fucked Iolaus." She grabbed her clothes and began to get dressed, along with Gabrielle.

"First off Xena, Eli did *not*...didn't do *that*. And second, where are you going?" Gabrielle finished getting dressed and moved to the door. Xena beat her to it.

"I'm going with you...and no, you have no choice my bard." She kissed Gabrielle hard, breaking the kiss abruptly, her mouth moving to Gabrielle's ear. Xena nipped at the lobe, making Gabrielle shudder. "Something you want to say?"

"Either stop that or take me back to bed," Gabrielle whispered. Xena let her go. "Okay Xena, you win. Come along...and I'll prove you wrong about Eli and Iolaus."

They joined Eli and proceeded to walk through the castle.

"You want to see the old torture chamber?" Gabrielle asked, then bit her tongue when she realized who she was talking to.

"It's not used anymore, I take it," Eli said. Gabrielle shook her head. "Then why not. To see where a man has suffered pain, can sometimes help you understand the pain and help others to heal."

"Let's go," Xena groaned, leading the way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hercules had carried Iolaus down the hall a bit, when Iolaus saw the old passageway and smiled. "Hey Herc, put me down would ya? I want to go down to the dungeon. Remember when we used to go down there when we were younger?"

"Yes my love," Herc replied. "We celebrated my twentieth birthday down there...and then I let you tie me to the rack."

"Yeah," Iolaus sighed, lost in a memory. "It was fun. And so was the spanking afterwards."

They walked down the winding staircase, in darkness, and Iolaus lost his footing, nearly tumbling down the stairs. But the demigod grabbed him, pulled him close, and kissed him, taking Iolaus back into his arms, and carrying him the rest of the way.

They finally reached bottom, and Hercules managed to strike a spark, lighting a torch. He stared at the hunter, taking in the beauty which was Iolaus.

"Something the matter Herc?"

Hercules shook his head. "I just love to look at you...and I've missed you terribly." The demigod pulled the blond close, pushing Iolaus' vest from his arms, as Iolaus kicked his boots off. Herc made quick work of Iolaus' belts, and pants, and the hunter found himself naked shortly thereafter, the demigod's arms around his waist, Herc's mouth upon his, the Godly tongue taking possession of Iolaus' mouth. The kiss was broken as the demigod stopped to remove his shirts, letting go of Iolaus. Iolaus seized the moment, kneeling before the demigod, unlacing his boots, while he nuzzled the demigod's crotch, feeling Hercules' cock growing within his leathers. It was now Hercules' turn to moan, as he braced his hands on Iolaus' shoulders, lifting his legs so he could kick his boots off. Once that was done, his hands moved to his belt, but Iolaus' hands got there first.

Bright blue eyes darkened with unsatiated lust stared into his, and the demigod nearly lost his balance as Iolaus whispered, "Let me." Iolaus' hands caressed up the demigod's legs, up his abdomen, around and back down to his ass, while he continued to nuzzle Herc's crotch, driving the demigod to whimpers of "PleasePleasePlease."

"Soon...." Iolaus' only word as he slowly undid Herc's belt, pulling Herc's pants down, and eased Hercules to the floor, laying him on his back. He knelt before the demigod, pulling Herc's pants all the way off, sighing as his eyes took in the body laid bare before him. "You are so beautiful Herc...." Iolaus spread Herc's legs, caressing the inner thighs, while his mouth began to kiss its way up toward Herc's cock.

Hercules, however, was beyond thinking at the moment, and he grabbed Iolaus by the hair, their eyes meeting. "Fuck me now..." Hercules growled. "...I want you inside me...." Hercules suddenly shifted, grabbing Iolaus around the waist, and pulled the hunter's cock inside of him, grimacing from the brief pain. "I ran out of patience lover."

Iolaus, however, reveled in the pain/pleasure of being pulled into Herc's ass with no preparation. "I love it when you're dry and tight...feels so good...." He slid out half way and pushed back in, Hercules' legs gripping his waist harder. "Relax Herc...let me pleasure you...." Hercules relaxed his grip, and Iolaus was able to move a bit. He slid out again, pushing back in hard. "Is that what you want...you want it rough Herc?" The demigod nodded. "I never say no to you...." Iolaus began to pound into the demigod, taking Herc's cock hard in his grip, stroking the demigod as hard as his thrusts. Hercules released his lover, spreading his legs even wider for their pleasure, and Iolaus grabbed them, pulling those long legs over his shoulders, his nails digging into Herc's thighs, as he took them both over the edge....

"IOLAUS!!" Herc's shout, as his semen shot over the hunter's hand, Iolaus continuing to pump him, as Iolaus' movements came faster, and harder.

"HERC...YESSSS!" Iolaus' scream of completion as he warmed the demigod with his cum, undulating within Hercules as he emptied himself. Herc's legs slid from his shoulders, and Iolaus gently withdrew, lightly stroking Herc's chest. "You okay?" Herc nodded. "Good...and I missed you too Herc." Pulling Hercules into his arms, the hunter kissed him, whispering, "I love you."

"I love you too Iolaus," Herc smiled, and buried his face in the hunter's chest, Iolaus' arms coming around him.

"Are we having fun yet?" Xena's laugh made both men jump, each grabbing a piece of clothing to cover themselves with. "Oh come on boys...I've seen you both naked before."

"Xena!" Gabrielle snapped.

"Iolaus, I have to ask," Xena started. Gabrielle clamped a hand over her mouth, but Xena pushed her away. "Did you fuck Eli? Yes or no." The hunter turned bright red, and Xena laughed. She looked at Gabrielle. "Told ya so!"

Gabrielle lunged at Xena, and the warrior moved, sending Gabrielle straight into the wall. The bard landed on her back with a thud, and Xena ran over to her, kneeling beside her. "Gabrielle...Gabrielle, speak to me. I'm sorry...I didn't mean it."

The bard's eyes fluttered, and she mumbled, "I know...can you take me to a healer? I think I hurt my head." She passed out again.

Xena picked her up, and turned to the men. "I better take her back to the room and patch her up...or else she'll be complaining about her head for the next month."

Hercules looked at Eli, then back to Iolaus. "What did you do? Advertise it?"

"No Herc," Iolaus sighed. He turned to Eli. "You better go...he doesn't seem like he's in the best of moods."

"Iolaus," Herc said, just as softly. "He doesn't have to go. I just want to know what happened, that's all."

Eli smiled at him. "Your lover is a very passionate man. And he loves you very much...never doubt that."

"I don't," Hercules answered. "Never have. But much as Iolaus grabs anything that moves, he's not in the habit of sleeping with someone he doesn't like. So I can't exactly hate you."

"He just gets jealous sometimes," Iolaus smiled. "I keep trying to tell him, there's no reason to be...he has my soul and my heart. My body, however, is my own...and he knows it."

For a brief moment Hercules caught it again...a look between Iolaus and Eli. "What exactly did happen between you?" He asked Iolaus. "Tell me." Iolaus was hesitant, but Hercules pulled him up and around so they were facing each other. "Talk!"

"Okay Herc...just let go of my arms. You're hurting me." Herc let him go. "Thanks."

"I'm sorry Iolaus," Herc murmured, stroking Iolaus' arms. "I didn't mean to hurt you. Please tell me."

"You remember all those years ago, when I got back from Chin, that night in Parthus. I tried to teach you how to let your inner self join with mine...to truly be as one. But you didn't want to...you said it was something Gods did. I've tried a few times Herc, but you never let me teach you."

Hercules pushed him away. "You...joined...with *him*?"

"No." Iolaus gave him a smile, taking Herc's hand in his, kissing the palm. "No Herc...it wasn't like that with him. Eli and me, we just met on another spiritual level. But me and you...."

"I can't Iolaus," Herc said softly.

"I won't let anything happen to you." Iolaus' voice was just as soft, and he brought his hands to the demigod's face, pulling their mouths close. A deep kiss, that left them both panting by the time it was broken. "Let me teach you."

Hercules looked into his lover's eyes. "Iolaus...." A pause. Fear and confusion both showed quite openly on the demigod's face. Iolaus just smiled at him, and Hercules found a stronger emotion...love...as well as trust. "Iolaus...." Iolaus' lips took his mouth again, and Hercules, for the first time in his life, gave up *total* control to someone else.

Eli stood there for a moment, before backing away. "This is between the two of you...have faith in each other." He turned, and left them alone. Neither man heard him, but Eli didn't care. He sighed as he watched them, thinking, 'The beauty of true love.'

"Breathe with me Herc," Iolaus whispered, as he broke the kiss. "Look at me...let it go...I love you."

Hercules did as he was told, feeling safe and protected, knowing Iolaus wouldn't let anything happen to him. He was mesmerized by Iolaus' blue eyes, letting himself get *totally* lost in them, for the first time. He was taken by Iolaus' soft voice, and he would do anything that sweet voice told him to do.

"Come with me Herc...let me show you how much I love you...."

Hercules, once again, did as he was told, and felt himself drifting, his eyes closing. Then, Iolaus' voice again. "Gods Hercules, I never knew how truly beautiful you were." Hercules opened his eyes, and saw Iolaus, *really* saw Iolaus, for the first time.

They were truly one soul now, both seeing, for the first time, the pure and total love each had for the other. Reaching out to each other, both felt the joy and warmth within them...but there was also a dark cloud within both. Pain and guilt that they now shared equally.

Hercules' darkness was death. As their inner selves touched, Iolaus thought it was pain and guilt over the deaths of Deianeira, and the children. It took a moment for Iolaus to realize he was wrong. It wasn't the death of his family; it was the death of Iolaus. Each time Iolaus died, a part of Hercules did also. Iolaus now knew what his last death had done to the demigod's mind...to his soul. Iolaus was now fully aware of the depth of the demigod's love for him...he never knew such love could exist. Hercules worshipped him, would do anything for him, without hesitation.

For Iolaus, the pain was being alone. Without the demigod by his side. He would never be completely whole without his best friend, and now Hercules was aware of the burden the hunter carried...to watch the demigod's back forever, to protect him at any cost, even at the risk of his own life. Knowing the demigod could go on without him, but not knowing if he, the *brave* Iolaus of Thebes, could go on without the *mighty* Hercules. The demigod had never felt such pride in calling another man friend, brother, and lover.

There were no more secrets, no more doubts, no more pain.

There was only bliss and serenity.

Hercules reached out, pulling Iolaus to him, closing his eyes, taking Iolaus 'within' him...the one place he had always wanted his lover to be. To keep him safe and protected, from anyone or anything that would try to do Iolaus harm.

Iolaus felt the demigod's calm presence, felt his lover at peace...truly at peace. Nothing else mattered.

They stayed together for what seemed like an eternity....

Hercules returned to physical consciousness, to find himself held in the hunter's arms, tear-filled blue eyes staring into his. "Herc...I never knew how much...I'm sorry for all the times I...."

Hercules smiled softly. "Shut up Iolaus...." His lips captured Iolaus', and he got lost within their taste. Iolaus' mouth began to feed on his, sucking his tongue so hard it was almost painful. Hercules finally broke the kiss, gasping for air. "I love you, but if you keep kissing me like that, I'm going to be going to the other side myself."

Iolaus began to giggle. "Okay, okay." Iolaus kissed him gently. "I'll always be there for you Herc. Dead or alive, I'll always be with you."

"I know Iolaus. That was...I can't describe it." He pulled Iolaus close. "I'll always be with you too."

"Herc, you want to get something to eat? I'm kind of hungry."

"Why not? I think I owe Eli some thanks."

They had gotten dressed, and were walking to the stairs. Iolaus walked up two steps, turned to the still grounded demigod, and pulled him into a hard, almost painful kiss, nipping Hercules' lower lip when he broke it.

Hercules licked his lip, tasted the blood, and pulled Iolaus' mouth to his with a ferocity unknown to him until now. His hands wandered down to Iolaus' ass, and he grabbed the cheeks, pulling Iolaus' body hard against his, giving said cheeks a slightly painful squeeze.

"No more secrets Iolaus." Hercules leered. "I know what you want."

"That's right Herc. And I know what you've always wanted." Iolaus slid his hand up a well muscled arm. "I won't break Herc...and you could *never* hurt me." A grin came across his face. "No more secret fantasies, but that could be a good thing."

"How so?"

"I know yours, you know mine, maybe we can work on making them realities."

"Iolaus, from what I now know about yours, that could take the rest of eternity."

Iolaus kissed him gently. "And then some."

Hercules smiled. "Okay lover, we'll work on one later. For now, I *am* kind of hungry. What do you say to eating some food, drinking some wine, and fulfilling one of those fantasies? I like the one that involved the saddle and the riding crop."

"Personally Herc, I'm kinda partial to tying you to a chair."

"C'mon blondie," Hercules laughed, pulling him upstairs. "To the food."

FIN

Oh, Iphicles and Ares had a blast. They seduced Eli, (or did he seduce them...none were ever sure), and not one of them could walk for two days. Xena got her phallus back, but only after promising Iphicles that he could watch her take a bath. He asked to watch Gabrielle instead, and the King should be able to eat solid food again in about a month.

END