By Meryle
This story contains scenes of graphic sex between a man and a woman. If you are under 18 or if this is illegal where you live, please read something else.
The character of Iolaus belongs to Universal Studios and Pacific Renaissance and no copyright infringement is intended. The author is just having fun.
Iolaus made his way slowly through the forest, his ears tuned to even the slightest sounds in the trees around him. He knew he had to warn Hercules, but he could only do that if he managed to stay alive. Shuddering slightly, he recalled the last enforcer Hera had sent after his friend. He had managed the warning that time, but only at the cost of his own life. There was no way he was going to let it happen again. If it hadn't been for Hercules making a deal with Hades, Iolaus knew he'd be strolling through the Elysian Fields right now instead of stealthily sneaking through the forest. Not that he wasn't always ready to risk his life for that of his friend, but when his time came, he stubbornly refused to allow one of Hera's cronies to be the last face he saw on this side. All he had to do was make it to Corinth. Once Hercules was warned of the most recent developments in Hera's never-ending plan to annihilate him, Iolaus would be able to relax.
A slight whirring in the air interrupted his thoughts and he turned swiftly, sword ready. Standing motionless, he allowed his gaze to take in every inch of the area from which the sound had come, but to no avail. Nothing disturbed the surrounding foliage. Warily, he turned in order to continue on his mission. After a mere two steps, he heard the sound again, this time closer, and accompanied by a searing pain in his back. The realization of what had happened filtered through to his conscious mind even as his body hit the ground. Darkness swirled around the outer edges of his sight as he waited for the attacker to finish the job. Tightening his grip on the sword, he vowed to send the unknown assailant to Hades as soon as they came within reach to ensure the arrow had hit its mark. Nothing but silence surrounded him as he fought to maintain his hold on consciousness. No assailant came to finish the job. Even as the darkness won the battle and closed in around him, he realized that he was alone… very much alone.
He felt as though he were floating. All attempts at movement were met with sluggish resistance as though he was mired in something akin to a thick, warm liquid. He concentrated his efforts on opening his eyes. Finally, he was rewarded with a small sliver of light as it peered through his lashes. After many attempts, he was able to open them fully and focused as well as possible. The light was that of the sun, shining overhead and sending dappled patterns dancing across his surroundings as it made its way through the leafy trees around him. He was still in the forest. It took him another moment to realize that something was different. He still lay on his stomach, the way he had fallen, but there were no leaves beneath his chest. A thin blanket now covered the ground on which he found himself. Trying to clear the fog from his mind, he placed both palms against the soft cloth and attempted to push himself up, only to feel a sharp pain shoot through his back. He collapsed back down on the blanket even as he heard a rustling in the nearby growth. He summoned all his determination to try once again to raise himself off the ground, only to feel a hand on his shoulder as someone approached him quickly.
"Take it easy, Iolaus," came a soft voice.
He frowned in confusion, as his stiff muscles finally began to comply. "Alynn?" he croaked hoarsely.
Gently, she helped him as he pushed himself to a sitting position. "Yeah, it's me," she smiled slightly, "I'm so glad you're awake. I wasn't sure you'd make it."
"But what are you doing here?" he frowned, "Where are we? The last thing I remember, I was in the forest on my way to Corinth."
"Same forest," Alynn informed him, "Different agenda."
Iolaus shook his head slightly, "No, you don't understand," he said as emphatically as possible. "I still need to get to Corinth. I need to warn Hercules before it's too late."
"Don't worry about Hercules," Alynn tried to sooth him. "He's fine."
"You're sure?" Iolaus persisted, uncertainly.
"I'm sure," Alynn assured him, "He was in Corinth when that thing came after his mother."
"Alcemene?" Iolaus frowned.
"Yeah," Alynn explained, "Don't worry, she's fine too. It seems Hera wasn't content with just killing Hercules. She wanted to kill everyone who meant anything to him first. That … creature…"
"Enforcer," Iolaus corrected, closing his eyes against the pain in his shoulder, "The third in a series."
"Whatever you want to call it," Alynn smiled lightly, "It told Alcemene she was next on the list; that it had already taken care of the pesky blonde sidekick."
Iolaus opened his eyes, "Sidekick??" he sputtered, "Sidekick? Is that what it called me?"
Alynn chuckled, a twinkle in her eye, "Sorry, Iolaus, just repeating what I heard."
"I'll show it a sidekick," he murmured, "Right upside that grotesque head…"
"Don't let it upset you," she advised, reaching to check the make-shift bandage, "You should be glad you're still alive."
He winced as she probed the area around his wound. "I guess I have you to thank for that," he replied, "But what were you doing here? This is quite a distance from the amazon camp."
"Luckily for you," she explained, replacing the thick bandage, "I was passing through Corinth on my way back to the camp. I heard what had happened, and knew you would have tried to warn Hercules. I simply retraced the logical steps you would have taken, and found you here in the forest."
Iolaus smiled at her admiringly, "Brains AND beauty," he teased, "Quite a combination."
"I wanted to go for help," she explained, "But infection had already set in when I found you. You'd lost a lot of blood. If I'd left you alone, you may not have made it."
"So, you nursed me back to health," he raised his eyebrows in gratitude, "I owe you my life."
"Yeah," she smiled, the teasing twinkle in her eye matching his own, "You do."
He tried to laugh, only to have the pain shoot once again through his body.
"Take it easy," she placed a hand on his chest, "Your fever is gone, but the wound needs to heal before you can travel. The bleeding stopped two days ago, but it's going to be painful for a while yet."
"Two days?" he repeated incredulously, "How long have I been here?"
"This is the fourth day since I found you," she explained, "The first day you remained unconscious. The second day, the fever made you delusional. Wasn't easy holding you down either, I might add."
"And you took care of me all this time?" he questioned.
"I bandaged your wound and bathed you in cool water to reduce the fever," she shrugged, "I was able to gather some medicinal herbs here in the forest. They seem to have done the job." Placing a hand on his good shoulder, she smiled, "But now you need to get your strength back. There's a stream about half a mile from here. You rest, and I'll go for some fresh water."
She began to rise from his side, only to feel his hand on her arm, "Thank you, Alynn," he whispered, his clear blue eyes sincere, "I really do owe you my life."
"It's nothing," she smiled, "You'd have done the same for a friend." Patting his arm once more, she turned to head for the stream. Iolaus watched her until she disappeared before closing his eyes, a smile still on his face.
He awoke to the smell of something cooking. Gingerly, he once again pushed himself to a sitting position, noting that the pain was less than it had been. He could see the fire and a spit that held a nice, plump quail. Glancing around, he searched for Alynn. The sight he beheld nearly took his breath away. Not too far from the fire, she stood, her back to him. Her long hair hung down over her bare back as she wrung out her wet tunic. He watched, mesmerized, as she finished with the cloth and pulled the still-damp garment over her head. As she turned, she caught him watching her. Her initial expression of surprise turned to a pleasant smile as she walked toward him, pulling her damp hair out from the tunic that now clung to her muscled body. "You're awake, I see," she greeted him, stopping at the fire to turn the spit.
"Yeah," he cleared his throat, only slightly embarrassed that she'd caught him looking at her. "It smells wonderful."
"That's a good sign," she replied, moving past the fire to approach his side, "Could you eat something?"
"I could eat the Erymanthian boar if it were cooked right," Iolaus grinned, "I'm starved."
"Sorry to disappoint you," she quipped, "But we're fresh out of boar. Quail will have to suffice."
He studied her face as she tended to his wound, "It's fine, really," he assured her, "I'll be ready to travel tomorrow."
"Hercules will be glad to see you're alive," she commented, "He's probably given up hope by now, probably mourning your death as we speak."
"That's unfortunate," Iolaus mused, not once taking his eyes from her lovely features, "But there's nothing either of us can do about that tonight."
She held his gaze for a moment, remembering the time they had spent together months ago, during the outbreak of fever at the amazon camp. She could still feel the warmth of his skin on hers, the taste of his lips. With tremendous effort, she pushed the memories aside and smiled. "Then I guess we should concentrate on things we can do," she quipped, "Like getting your strength up so that you don't slow us down too much tomorrow." She rose to return to the fire and the food she'd prepared.
He watched as she deftly removed the dagger she carried and carved the quail's meat from the bone. He too, had fond memories of their time together, and despite his current state of health, couldn't help but think about how nice it would feel to have her lying beside him. Pushing himself to a standing position, he steadied himself against a tree until his legs regained their circulation.
"You shouldn't be standing just yet," she admonished, not once taking her eyes from the bird. "You need to save what strength you have."
"Nothing wrong with my strength," he replied, a slight tremor in his voice belying his statement. "I need to stretch my legs."
She shrugged, "Suit yourself, but this is ready and if you want to eat it while it's still hot, you'd better sit down."
He walked unsteadily toward the fire, lowering himself to the large rock on which she sat. "Imagine that," he teased, "She cooks too."
"I'm a woman of many talents," she quipped coyly.
"Yes," he murmured, "I remember." He smiled slightly as he noticed a faint trace of color rise in her cheeks.
She met his gaze and smiled knowingly. He reached out a hand toward her and she shoved a plate into it, surprising him slightly. "Eat," she ordered, a satisfied look on her face.
He chuckled. "Ok, Ok," he sighed, "I'll eat."
They finished the meal in silence, neither of them wanting to voice the thoughts on their mind. After the leftovers had been discarded, she helped him return to the blanket. Gently supporting his wounded arm while he made himself comfortable. "Where are you sleeping?" he asked, frowning slightly.
"Tonight, I'll bed down on the other side of the fire," she replied coolly, "You're out of danger now."
"And while I was in danger?" he asked, eyes twinkling mischievously, "Where did you sleep then?"
She knew what he was getting at and decided to go him one further. "By your side of course," she smiled sweetly, "You needed someone to bathe your body while in the grip of the fever. Someone had to cool your hot skin while you slept." She saw him swallow hard and smiled to herself, "And then, of course, there were the chills. Someone had to keep you warm enough that your trembling wouldn't re-open your wound." She leaned slowly closer to him as she spoke, until their lips were mere inches apart. "But," she pulled back abruptly, slapping him on the good shoulder, "You're over all that now. Good night, Iolaus."
Without another word, she turned and headed for the other side of the fire, a satisfied smile on her face as she imagined his expression.
He gaped in the direction she had taken. Boy, that was more than he'd bargained for all right. He could feel his body stirring beneath his codpiece as he watched her prepare an area for sleep. How could she do that to him and just walk away as though nothing had happened? Didn't she realize the effect she had on him? A smile crept across his face as he realized the answer to his own question. Of course she knew. She knew exactly what she was doing and that aroused him even more. "You don't have to sleep so far away," he called to her matter-of-factly, careful to hide any tremor in his voice that would betray his feelings, "I don't bite, you know."
She gazed across the fire to look at him thoughtfully, "Hmmm," she frowned, feigning concentration, "If I remember correctly, you do." She giggled to herself as she turned her back to him, and settled down for the night.
"That does it," he murmured, stifling his own laughter. Getting slowly to his feet, he made his way toward her, knowing full well that she was aware of his movements. She turned and propped herself up on both elbows, watching him as he made her way toward her.
"Just what do you think you're doing?" she asked sternly, trying to keep a straight face, "You need your rest."
"I'll be the judge of what I need," he smiled, as he lowered himself to the ground beside her.
"Oh really?" she raised an eyebrow, "And just what might that be?"
"Someone to keep me warm so my trembling doesn't re-open my wound," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion as he reached for her.
She closed her eyes as he stroked her cheek with one hand. The warmth of his touch sent a current running through her body. As he reached to stroke her soft, silky hair, she opened her eyes to stare into his. Her own desire was mirrored there and she felt her body stirring in anticipation. "Are you sure you're up to this?" she whispered.
"You tell me," he answered, lowering his head to hers. As their lips touched, her senses were bombarded with his closeness, his smell, his taste, his touch. She reached for him as he kissed her more deeply, probing her mouth with his tongue, his teeth gently nibbling on her lips. Caressing his strong back, she was careful to avoid the wound as she pulled him even closer to her. She could feel his hands as they made their way slowly down her body, stroking the column of her neck before moving on toward her ample breasts still clothed in the safety of her tunic. Slowly, he untied the leather lace that secured the garment and sighed audibly as the twin mounds of flesh spilled from their previous constraints. He pulled his lips from hers, looking briefly at her slightly flushed face before leaving a trail of hot, passionate kisses down her throat until he reached the the object of his journey. She moaned slightly as he took one of her erect nipples in his mouth, teasing and nibbling the rose flesh while his other hand cupped its counterpart, kneading the milky white skin of her exposed breast.
He took turns with her nipples, hungrily devouring one and then the other with his hot mouth while one hand continued to travel down her quivering body. He caressed the taut stomach, the rounded hips beneath her skirt. With little effort, he quickly unfastened it and let it fall away, revealing the delicate skin beneath. His fingers traveled lightly over the exposed flesh, moving over her abdomen until they reached the soft curls between her thighs. Parting her legs slightly with his hand, he allowed his fingers to explore her most private areas, stroking the soft folds of her womanhood as her soft moans encouraged him to continue. He pulled away briefly, rising onto his knees while he gazed down at her, his hands reaching to unfasten the leather pants he wore.
Her eyes never left his as she helped him out of the trousers, discarding them unceremoniously as he lowered himself onto her once again. She could feel her breasts pressing against the hard chest, her body trembling as his fingers continued to lift her to new heights of arousal. She reached for his manhood, wrapping her long fingers around it as he moaned with pleasure. She teased him as he teased her, stroking the length of his member while he tantalized her most sensitive areas masterfully with his gentle hands and hot mouth. She felt the passion mounting and spread her legs to receive him as he poised above her. A sweet sensation invaded every inch of her body as he entered her, his lips covering hers to stifle a gasp of sheer pleasure on both their parts. She matched his rhythm as he began to move inside her, each thrust bringing with it a heightened sense of ecstasy. His hands moved to her full breasts, pinching the already erect nipples as he continued to plunge into her again and again.
She grasped the flesh of his buttocks, her passion increasing as he drove his weapon into her with increased frenzy … harder … faster…. Until at last neither of them could resist the wave of pleasure that crashed over them simultaneously. She gasped as he clutched her to him, her legs clinging to him as though to let go would mean to let go of life itself. Time seemed suspended as they rode the crest of their passion, until the last surge of pleasure wracked their entwined bodies, replacing the urgency with a sense of deep and utter contentment. He rolled slowly off of her, lying by her side as he struggled to gain control of his breathing. "That was … fantastic," he murmured, unable to describe the feeling now enveloping him.
She closed her eyes, a slight smile on her face, "I guess that answers my question," she sighed, "I don't know how you did it, but you are definitely strong enough to travel tomorrow."
He laughed lightly, turning onto his side to study her face, "I don't know," he murmured, a teasing twinkle in his eye, "Perhaps we need to test my strength one more time … just to make sure."