DISCLAIMER:
The usual. Xena, Gabrielle and all things related to the show belong to Studios USA/Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended. I wrote this strictly for entertainment purposes (yours, hopefully). There is a prop in this story that I borrowed from a fellow bard, Friction, so I want to give credit where credit is due. I highly suggest you check out her story The Enchantment. It's not necessary for you to read it in order to understand this one, but it's a great piece of fanfic and I highly recommend it.

WARNING:
Although I've written quite a bit of fan fiction, this is my first foray into the world of PWP (Plot? What plot?), trying hard to follow in the footsteps of some of my favorite guilty pleasures like Klancy7 so, yeah, there's an awful lot of sex going on here, some of it non-consensual, involving some strong restraints and a blindfold. If that ain't your cup of tea, you should probably skip this one. If it is your cup of tea, enjoy and let me know what you thought . . . I'm curious as to whether I pulled this off or failed miserably. ;-)

Feedback is welcome and appreciated at geobon@frontiernet.net or geobon612@yahoo.com

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Possession
By Georgia

The first thing Xena became aware of as she regained consciousness was the thundering pain in her head. She swallowed back the urge to vomit and, keeping her eyes closed, began to take in her surroundings as best she could without the use of her sight. It was an old trick she had learned years ago from Borias. When you're a prisoner, you need all the extra help you can get, he used to tell her. Use your other senses to gather as much information as you can before your captor realizes you're awake.

She began to mentally list facts. She was standing upright, her arms cuffed up and out so her hands were roughly even with her ears. She was anxious to test the strength of the short chain that tethered her hands to the wall behind her, but decided not to risk making any noise just yet. Her armor was missing, as was her scabbard and, she assumed, her chakram. She was wearing only her leather battle dress and boots. Her feet were manacled as well, and there was a belt of some sort around her waist, also fastening her to the wall behind her.

Once she had finished cataloging her own body and positioning, she turned all of her attention to her sense of smell. She concentrated as hard as she could without actually crinkling her forehead, searching the air for one scent in particular. In a matter of one short minute, relief washed through her as she detected what she'd hoped to find. Soft lavender with a hint of vanilla. It was subtle, but unmistakable.

Gabrielle. Thank the gods.

What in Hades had happened? The warrior tried to remember how they'd ended up here. They'd been travelling from Amata to Parnasis. The day had been uneventful, which had been fine by the warrior. She had been simply enjoying the company of her bard. Gabrielle had been rehearsing her newest story, bouncing it off Xena, using her small hands to emphasize different words or phrases. They'd stopped for the night in a small village called . . . what was it? She pushed through the cobwebs in her brain. St. Lena. That was it. They had decided to stop at the local tavern for dinner and . . .

The tavern! It all came back in a rush. The strange glances they'd kept getting from the barkeep, as well as various patrons, the door to the kitchen that had been open a crack, allowing somebody to peek out, the very subtly bitter taste of the ale in her mug, the sudden dizziness, Gabrielle's look of concern and the uncontrollable buckling of her knees. She didn't remember ever hitting the ground.

Her relief at having remembered the details that lead up to her capture did nothing to allay the feeling of self-disgust at how easily she'd been caught. She was usually so careful with food and drink purchased from an inn. Most people thought the easiest way to eliminate the Warrior Princess was to poison her and over the years, she had grown accustomed to scrutinizing the sight and smell of her food and drink before consuming either.

She'd been distracted. That was the truth. She admitted this to herself with great self-deprecation. She'd been distracted by the firm, young, scantily clad body of her companion. She couldn't explain it. It seemed that ever since Eli had brought them back, she had been unable to keep her hands off of Gabrielle. Their lovemaking had become more passionate and intense than even in their first few months together. It seemed to work both ways, too, as Gabrielle had become much more aggressive in satisfying her own desires. Xena fought to keep herself still as a sexual thrill ran through her body.

She remembered the tavern, only minutes before she had taken that fateful sip. She'd been flashing back to their bout of lovemaking earlier that day. The intention had been to simply stop for a drink of water from the nearby stream on their way to St. Lena. She'd had a drink, all right. Their simple stop had lasted for the better part of an hour. In the tavern, Gabrielle had caught her eye over the top of her mug, her green eyes twinkling mischievously, telling the warrior she knew exactly what Xena had been thinking. The bard had raised one eyebrow silently scolding, "shame on you!" Much to her own surprise, Xena had felt herself blush and quickly tried to hide it by taking a large gulp of her own drink. That's when the odd taste had registered.

Too late. And she'd allowed somebody to get the better of them.

"You might as well open your eyes, Xena. You've been awake for nearly a half hour."

The voice was female, very self-assured and annoyingly familiar. Before Xena had a chance to open her eyes and confirm her suspicions, a hard slap snapped her head back. Her eyes flew open and she glared at her captor with icy hatred, trying to figure out how Najara had not only recovered from her mental limbo, but escaped the prison they'd left her in.

"Oooo. Nice face. If looks could kill, huh?"

"If only," Xena sneered. "Just what in Tart—."

Najara held up a hand, silencing the warrior. "Before you start anything, we need to get a few things straight. I want you to know why you're here and why I haven't killed you. Yet." She began to pace the room.

"I can hardly wait to hear your warped reasoning for this one."

As Najara walked, Xena took the opportunity to look at her surroundings. She was in a large room. Though the walls were made of a heavy stone, it didn't feel like a dungeon. It was surprisingly warm and because of that, she guessed they were actually on an upper floor, rather than below ground. Directly in front of her, just beyond her captor, a black curtain was suspended from the ceiling on a long, thin, metal rod. She shifted her gaze back to the blonde as she began to speak.

"See, Xena, here's the thing. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't bother with you. We both know I'm the better fighter. I've proven that. I have my own following, so it's not like I need to kill you for the recognition. And frankly, we travel in different circles. I'm not constantly running into you. I could realistically go on with my life, do my thing, and never think of you again."

Xena watched carefully as she spoke. The warrior was particularly concerned about the look in Najara's eyes. She'd always thought the woman was a little off center, but here, in this room, Xena was convinced her captor had gone completely over the edge. Though her body language was relaxed, calm, and in control, her eyes darted nervously, never settling on one thing for longer than a few seconds.

"Unfortunately, there's this one little complication."

Tiring very quickly of this game and itching to snap the chains that bound her so she could snap the neck of the bitch in front of her, Xena sighed loudly and lifted an eyebrow in expectation. "And that would be?"

Najara stepped very close to Xena, stood on tiptoe and looked directly into her eyes. When she did so, all hints of madness disappeared. The change was unnerving.

"You see, Xena, you have something I want. Something I've always wanted. And I intend to have it." She took three steps backwards, her eyes never leaving Xena's, and grasped one edge of the black curtain, pulling it slowly across the rod. "Right here. Right now. And right before your eyes."

Xena swallowed hard as the curtain revealed its secret. Her jaw tightened, her bound hands balled into fists of rage, and she swore she'd break every bone in Najara's body before the day was through.

Before her was her beloved bard, who looked to be unconscious. She was strung up similar to the way Xena was, bound to a freestanding frame instead of the wall. Next to the frame was a small, waist-high table littered with various items Xena didn't try to make out yet. Gabrielle's arms were fastened out and up, held to the top beam on the frame by what looked like padded cuffs. Her legs were bound as well, but to the outside beams of the frame, her feet even with her shoulders. Her weight hung awkwardly from her wrists and her blonde head rested unmoving against her right shoulder. A deep green scarf was tied securely over her eyes.

None of these observances were what made Xena's heart skip a beat. It was the fact that Gabrielle was completely naked that bothered her.

Najara was walking slowly around her prize, a look of sexual hunger plain and obvious on her face. "Now, Xena. Let's go over the rules here, before I wake up this beautiful creature." She raked her hand possessively through the layered blonde locks of the unconscious bard. Then, she went to the table and picked up a long, wicked-looking dagger. Xena nearly flinched at yet another sudden change in the blonde's eyes. A cold, steely glint had instantly replaced the lust. She touched the tip of the dagger to Gabrielle's exposed hip, dragging it slowly around to her stomach. "I know you're probably thinking right now about how you'll escape your bindings, kill me, and rescue poor Gabrielle, but before you do, I want you to be aware of something." She paused for effect, enjoying the look on the warrior's face. "I have nothing to lose. This is all I want," she gestured to the unconscious bard, "and if I can't have her, nobody can." She suddenly smiled.

"Hey, you used that line on me once, didn't you?" The smile vanished as quickly as it had come, the transformation sending chills of fear up Xena's spine. "My point is, I will not hesitate to kill her. If you attempt to escape, I'll kill her. If you try to stop me, I'll kill her. If you make any sound to let her know you're here, I'll kill her."

The two adversaries glared at one another for several minutes, one smiling in victory, the other scowling with frustration.

"Simple enough?" Najara asked, approaching the warrior.

Xena spoke through clenched teeth, trying her best to keep her voice calm. "Raping Gabrielle isn't going to make her love you, Najara."

Najara smiled as she withdrew a rough cloth from her waistband and gagged the warrior with it. "Oh, I'm not going to rape her, Xena. I won't have to. She'll be begging me to touch her. Wait and see." She tied a secure knot at the back of Xena's head. "This is to help you in your attempts to keep quiet." She winked at the warrior. "Should be quite a show and I don't want you interrupting. Remember, I'll always have this very close by." She flashed the dagger again and her eyes hardened. "Don't do anything stupid, Xena. I'd hate to have to kill her because of you."

*****

"Gabriiieeeeellllle . . ."

The voice was soft and seductive and seemed so very far away. The bard tried to follow it to its source. "Xena?"

"Gabriiieeeelllllle . . ."

She felt as though she were under water, the sound of the voice slightly muffled, but coming from somewhere up above. She struggled against the fog, pushing herself up, up, up toward the surface, toward the voice. "Xena?"

"Gabrielle. Wake up, sweetheart."

She was almost there. The voice was much clearer, still soft and sensual, but surprisingly not Xena's. Suddenly, she broke through the surface, taking a deep, sudden, gasping breath. Her mouth was dry and she swallowed several times, wetting her lips with her tongue, unaware of the effect such an action was having on her captor.

Xena watched, her eyes narrowed to slits of anger, as Najara gently brushed Gabrielle's hair from her forehead. She cupped her hand around the back of the bard's head, resting Gabrielle's forehead on her shoulder, and began to gently massage the nape of her neck.

"Come on, Gabrielle," she cooed softly.

The probing fingers were so relaxing, instantly dissipating the headache that had begun to form. Gabrielle allowed the contact to continue as she took stock of her situation. As the haze in her brain began to clear, she realized various facts one at a time. The blindfold was actually a relief, as she had been afraid there was something wrong with her sight. Her arms were aching tremendously and she figured out that all her weight was suspended from them. She knew her bare feet were on the ground and she slowly tested them by shifting her weight to them. She sighed in mitigation as she slowly stood straight and the pain in her arms instantly abated.

The relief lasted only for a couple of seconds. Her head snapped up as three actualities smashed their way into her conscience. Her arms and legs were bound, she was completely naked, and it was not Xena rubbing her neck. Her body stiffened and she tried to pull herself away from the touch of the stranger, simultaneously trying – and finding herself unable – to bring her thighs together.

"Who are you? What have you done with Xena?" she demanded with slightly less bravado than she had hoped. Being totally nude and exposed as she was took away much of her confidence.

"Oh, Gabrielle, I'm disappointed you didn't recognize my touch."

"Najara?" Gabrielle whispered in disbelief. "But when . . . ? How . . . ?"

"Let's just say, I helped the sisters to see the light."

Across the room, Xena was glad Gabrielle was blindfolded so she couldn't see the glint of madness in the zealot's eyes. She'd be a lot more frightened than she was.

The warrior clenched her jaw tightly on the fabric jammed into her mouth and silently tested the chain holding her right arm. It was strong, but not unbreakable. She started working on a plan of escape, trying hard not to notice the look of pure animal lust Najara directed at Gabrielle as she spun the shining dagger in her gloved fingers.

"Najara, what are you doing? Why am I here, like this? Where is Xena?"

"Xena, Xena, Xena. Always Xena. What is it about her, Gabrielle? Why are you so drawn to her? She's no good for you. She's always hurting you. You know that. I would be so much better for you." Her voice dropped an octave and she ran the tip of the dagger gently down the bard's arm, from her wrist to her shoulder. Gabrielle jumped in surprise, the touch causing goose bumps to erupt across her skin. "We'd make a fabulous couple."

Gabrielle was unnerved by the closeness of her captor, feeling the breath on her face. Her hands tightened around the chains tethering her arms to something above her. "Okay, Najara, look. We've been through this. I've told you before, my path is with Xena. Why don't you untie me, take off this blindfold, and we can talk about it? Okay?"

"I bet she's incredible in bed. Is that it?"

"Excuse me?"

Najara ducked under Gabrielle's arm and stood behind her, her lips against the bard's ear, her gloved hands stroking Gabrielle's sides with feather-light touches. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet, citrus scent of the bard's hair. "Xena. Is that why you stay with her? I bet she's an animal in bed, isn't she? And that's why you won't leave her. I mean, I admit it, I hate the bitch, but she's got a magnificent body. And all that power." She opened her eyes, focusing across the room to meet the ice blue ones that were trying to bore a hole into her. "I bet it's a real turn-on, isn't it?"

Gabrielle swallowed, unable to move her body far enough to evade the hands teasing her skin, a dread beginning to build inside her.

Najara paused to remove her gloves. She held up the dagger for Xena to see, then slipped it into her waistband and returned her fingertips to the velvety skin of the bard, touching very softly, very gently, sighing at the contact.

"Tell me about it," she murmured in the bard's ear. "Does it make you wet? All that power? Do you fantasize about the strength of those hands and what they can do to your body?" She changed from fingertips to palms, crossing them around the front of the bard, caressing her taut abdomen.

That did it for Gabrielle. She bucked hard against the binds holding her, tears filling her blindfolded eyes. "Get your hands off me, Najara! I mean it! Let me out of here, right now!"

Najara stepped back, smiling ruefully and shaking her head as she ducked back under the bard's arm to stand in front of her. She looked across the room at Xena and shrugged.

"I have to admit it, Gabrielle, I really didn't think seducing you would be that simple, but I figured it was worth a try. Don't worry. I have a back up plan."

"Najara--."

The blonde zealot silenced the bard with a finger to her lips. "No, Gabrielle. We were meant to be together, you and I. If you could only understand it as clearly as I do. We're two of a kind. You've seen it. You know it." She traced Gabrielle's lips with her thumb. "All you have to do now is accept it." She grasped the bard's chin in her hand and pressed her lips to Gabrielle's.

The bard tried to turn her head away, but Najara's grip was firm. Gabrielle felt the zealot's tongue trying to force its way into her mouth and she snapped at it with her teeth. Najara yelped in pain and stepped back, letting loose with a backhand that rocked the bard's world.

Both stood still, breathing heavily for several minutes. Najara pressed a finger to her bleeding lip and glared at Xena, who tried hard to keep the smirk off her face.

"I see you're going to make this difficult," Najara said to the bard, all seduction gone from her voice. "Make no mistake, little girl, I will have you."

"Not willingly, you won't," the bard spat back.

Najara chuckled, an evil, twisted sound that sent chills through both the other women in the room. She walked to the small table next to the frame and picked up a wooden bowl that had a wooden-handled utensil sticking out of it. "You see, Gabrielle, willingly is the only way I will have you. Raping you would be far too easy, really. I could have done that several times by now." She used the utensil in the bowl to stir its contents, walking around the room as she did so. She passed by Xena, just close enough for her to understand what was in store for the bard.

When Xena caught a glimpse of the bright red liquid in the bowl, her heart began to hammer in her chest. She pulled once at her bonds, loudly enough to earn her a searing glance from the zealot, who withdrew the knife from her waistband and held it pointed at the bard's throat. Then, she simply shook her head in warning. Xena exhaled through her nose in frustration.

Najara turned back to the bard. "Ever hear of the berries of Narcis, Gabrielle? You're a bard. You must have at least read about them."

At the mention of the berries, Gabrielle's face went pale. She had indeed heard of the berries of Narcis. Not only had she heard of them, she'd seen them in action. Ares had used their juice on Xena, hoping to make her want him. The secret of the juice was that, when applied to certain areas of the body, it magnified the passions and desires of a person so much, it became an absolute, maddening necessity for them to be touched sexually. Additionally, it was said that the person who brings them to climax is the one they'll be bonded to forever, becoming, essentially, a love slave. Luckily, Ares had been called away at the last minute, promising to come back to Xena and make her his. Gabrielle had arrived in the nick of time and had been able to 'help' Xena with her needs before Ares' return until they could get her to the one shamaness in all of Greece who had an antidote.

Later, after she'd been purged of the berry's effects, Xena had tried to describe to Gabrielle what it had been like to be under their influence. She said she had gotten to a point where she hadn't been able to take it, where she would have begged just about anybody to put her out of her misery, to just fuck her senseless. Thank the gods the next person to cross her path had been her beloved bard.

Gabrielle caught her bottom lip between her teeth. If Xena, the bloody Warrior Princess, couldn't stand the pull, how could the bard, who wasn't nearly as strong? This was bad. This was very, very bad.

"I see by the look on your face that you have heard of them. Good. That will save my having to explain them. You see, Gabrielle, I have this dream. This wish. A desire in life, if you will. I want you and I to be together." She dropped her voice to a seductive whisper. "I want to make love to you and show you how perfect the two of us can be. You know all this. We've talked about it before. The wish part is, I want you to want me. When I touch you, I want it to be because you want me to. I want to watch your face when you climax and know that it's me taking you there. I want it to be my name you call out in the middle of the night." She stopped to catch her breath. Gabrielle was breathing hard, as well, but from fear, not passion. "Oh, sure, I could just kill Xena, get her out of the way like that. But, then you'd spend the rest of your life pining for her and never give me the chance I deserve. Can't have that, now, can we?"

She finished stirring the berry juice and set the bowl down on the table. Removing her cape, she hung it from the corner of the frame. Then, slipping the dagger out of her waistband with one hand, she withdrew a small paintbrush from the bowl with the other and winked at Xena. She turned her attention to the bard.

"I'm doing this because I love you, Gabrielle," she whispered.

"Najara, listen to me--." Her words cut off when she gasped sharply as the cold liquid touched her left breast. Najara slowly swirled the paintbrush around the nipple several times, not touching it, and watched in rapt fascination as the flesh puckered and the pellet began to protrude. Only when Gabrielle bit her trembling bottom lip did Najara trail the soft bristles directly across the nipple.

"Oh, gods!" the bard exclaimed as a hot wave pulsed from her breast straight to her groin. Her breathing became labored and she felt the wetness between her legs begin almost immediately.

Across the room, Xena nearly cut through her gag with her teeth, her jaw was clenched so tightly. She felt a combination of anger, hatred, dread, and arousal as she watched Gabrielle's chest rise and fall, nearly panting. The warrior had to think. Najara was keeping a good eye on her and the dagger was never out of her hand. After looking into her eyes, Xena was sure of the zealot's madness and had no doubt she'd slit Gabrielle from navel to nose if she thought her plan was foiled.

Be patient, warrior, she told herself. Pay attention and be patient. The time will come.

"By the gods, you are beautiful," Najara whispered as she watched the sensual dance before her. She dipped the paintbrush back into the liquid and painted the other breast bright red in the same manner. When she finished, Gabrielle could barely stand still. She twisted uselessly in her bonds, her knuckles white with the grip her fingers had on the chains above her. She clenched her teeth and groaned through them, trying to keep her thoughts somewhat organized. Her mind was fighting her. It kept trying to focus solely on the waves of sensation coursing hotly from her aching breasts to the juncture between her legs. Relief! That's all she wanted. If she could only press her thighs together, maybe that would ease some of the throbbing. She tried to do so, but the chains held her legs apart. She yanked at them to no avail, growling in frustration.

Najara watched with amusement and leaned close to the bard's ear. "I measured those chains carefully, Gabrielle. I wanted to be sure you couldn't close your legs. I wanted you open for me."

Gabrielle cried in frustration, rattling the chains that held her, feeling her focus faltering. The berry juice was slowly erasing everything from her consciousness except the need to be touched. "Xena," she whimpered softly, thinking that maybe if she just concentrated on a vision of her warrior, she could prevent herself from using Najara's name. "Xena, Xena, Xena," she repeated over and over.

At the mention of the warrior's name, Najara threw a jealous glance over her shoulder at the warrior, who raised her eyebrows and shrugged. The zealot still held the dagger, so Xena decided not to provoke her, much as she wanted to.

Hang in there, Gabrielle, Xena pleaded silently. Just a little longer. Xena felt her insides warm when she realized the bard was using her as a focal point in her mind. Unbeknownst to Najara, Xena had already silently stretched open a link on the chains on each of her feet. One slight yank and she'd be free. She set to work on the one holding her waist to the wall. She knew her hands would be more difficult. She wasn't sure there was any way to stretch that chain without making some sort of telltale noise, but she had to figure it out. If Gabrielle gave in and begged for Najara to touch her . . . Xena shook the thought from her head. It wouldn't be Gabrielle's fault, she scolded herself, but she knew it would crush her just the same. The warrior wasn't sure she'd be able to handle it.

Gabrielle begs no one but me, she thought fiercely, her warrior pride flaring. She began to flex her ab muscles against the chain holding her to the wall. Hang in there, baby . . .

Najara studied her handiwork. Gabrielle was not yet to the point of no return, but she was damn close. The original plan had been to paint the berry juice between the bard's legs as well, but now . . . she tilted her head to one side, considering. The bard's thighs were glistening with her arousal, much to the zealot's pleasure. She decided to forego the third dose, electing to help Gabrielle along herself.

The bard was still writhing and Najara could tell even through the blindfold that her sparkling green eyes were squeezed shut.

"How you doing, Gabrielle? Hmm?"

Gabrielle didn't trust her own tongue and kept silent, except for an occasional gasp. She felt as though her entire body was burning up.

"Tell you what. I think the juice has sufficiently settled into your system, so I'm going to wash it off. Okay?" In truth, Najara wasn't sure if the juice had any effect on parts of the body other than intimate ones, but she didn't want to take the chance by getting it on her hands and she simply had to touch the bard. She reached to the table, dunking a soft, white rag into a bowl of warm water, the dagger still in her left hand. She smiled evilly at Xena, who seemed transfixed by the writhing of the bard's naked body. She mouthed silently, "having fun?"

Turning back to the bard, she tenderly began to wash her breasts with the rag, watching in uncontrollable arousal as Gabrielle gritted her teeth and moaned at length. She took her time, bathing each creamy mound of flesh thoroughly with gentle, deliberately teasing strokes. Some of the red liquid had dripped slowly down the bard's abdomen and Najara followed its trail with the warm, moist cloth.

Try as she might, the bard couldn't avoid the touch. As it was, her body was already betraying her. She felt a trickle of her own arousal coursing down her inner thigh, much to her dismay.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Najara cooed. "You want more? You want me to touch you, Gabrielle? Hmm? All you have to do is ask, you know. Just ask me." When the zealot was satisfied that she'd removed all the berry juice from the bard's body, she returned the rag, now dyed a light pink, to the table and moved behind her. She pressed herself against the bard's small, firm body and grasped Gabrielle's wrists with her strong hands. The bard was a couple inches shorter than she and Najara smiled at how perfectly their bodies fit together. She held tightly to the bard's wrists, just under the fur-lined cuffs imprisoning her and kissed the side of her neck.

"Is your body on fire, Gabrielle?" she teased, slowly sliding her hands down the bard's bare arms. "I can feel the heat coming off of you." She continued her journey over Gabrielle's armpits and down her sides, sliding over her hips and stopping momentarily to cup the firm buttocks appreciatively. "Gods, you've got a great ass."

Gabrielle was concentrating with every fiber of her being on an image of Xena's face, but it was getting harder and harder to ignore Najara's hands, not to mention the warm body pressed against her back. The hands were sliding up her tummy now, dancing just below her aching breasts. She had to consciously lock her jaw to keep from begging for them to continue upward.

As if reading her mind, Najara slipped her fingers up the last few inches to cup a surprisingly full breast in each hand, massaging erotically, but being careful to avoid the sensitive nipples. At least for a minute or two.

Gabrielle inhaled through her teeth and couldn't prevent her butt from pushing itself back into Najara while her back arched slightly, pushing her chest further into Najara's open hands.

"Oh, you like that, do you?" Najara chuckled in her ear, flicking it with her tongue. She felt her own arousal building rapidly and hoped she could control herself long enough to wait until she heard that sweet voice pleading for her. She didn't know how much longer she could take it. "You like that? How 'bout this?" When she lightly pinched each nipple between her thumbs and forefingers, Gabrielle groaned loudly and dropped her head back onto Najara's shoulder.

"Sweet Artemis . . . " the bard whispered.

Najara tightened her hold, kneading Gabrielle's breasts more firmly, using her grip to pull the bard harder against her own body. The bard was grinding back into her and the zealot couldn't resist throwing a victory glance in the direction of the warrior.

Xena wanted nothing more than to tear her gaze away, to not see what was happening before her. Her jaw was cramping, she was biting down so hard. She'd managed to free her waist. Now, just her hands and she'd be able to throttle the preachy blonde bitch.

She concentrated on closing her ears, attempting not to hear the sounds her bard was making under the hands of another woman, although the sight of her naked and straining body writhing in pleasure was something to behold. She knew it wasn't Gabrielle's fault. Xena herself had been under the influence of the berries, too. She knew how strong they were. Truth be told, the warrior was surprised Gabrielle had lasted this long without begging for release. She focused on the bindings holding her wrists, knowing Gabrielle didn't have much time.

Najara was sure she was in the Elysian Fields. Listening to the sounds Gabrielle was making, feeling the firm body moving beneath her fingers, was something she'd dreamed about ever since the first time she met the bard. When she was in the prison, it's the only thing that kept her going. Gabrielle was her destiny. She was sure of it. Her purpose in life was to save the naïve bard from a fate worse than death: Xena. Having Xena close enough to watch as she brought Gabrielle to a raging climax was a brilliant idea she had hatched up while chained to her bed in the prison. Of all the horrible acts of revenge against the warrior she had conjured up in her mind, this one had been by far the most satisfying, the best way too ultimately defeat the warrior. Now that it was actually happening, it was even sweeter. It would only be a few short minutes before Gabrielle was begging her to take her. And Xena would be forced to watch as Najara gave the bard everything she asked for and more. Gabrielle would be crying the zealot's name, begging for her touch and Xena would have no choice but to see it, to hear it. Just the thought of the warrior's face at that moment sent a thrill through Najara and she pulled the bard hard against her, smiling.

Gabrielle could hardly think. It was so hard to hear her mind over the shrieking of her body. Her mind knew she needed to focus on Xena. Xena's face, Xena's hands, Xena's voice . . . anything but Najara. Her body, however, knew that the nearest person, the one in the best current position to scratch the uncontrollable itch threatening to consume her was Najara. She didn't know how much longer she could hold out. Her entire body was on fire and she needed release. She didn't care how she got it.

Najara slid one hand down the bard's heaving belly and rested it softly in the coarse, damp hair at the apex of Gabrielle's thighs, lightly stroking with her fingers. The bard groaned through clenched teeth, frustration warring with need. Najara had had enough. She ducked under Gabrielle's arm, stopping only momentarily to taste a sweet, swollen breast, and kneeled down in front of her.

"What do you want, Gabrielle?" she asked quietly, looking up at the face of the woman she had dreamed about for countless sleepless nights. "Hmm? Tell me." She ran her hands up the outsides of the bard's thighs, which were glistening now with a thin sheen of sweat. She wrapped her hands around them, then her arms, hugging the bard to her, burying her nose in Gabrielle's belly button, kissing her flat stomach. She swallowed, wetting her lips with her tongue as she let go and brought her hands around to the front of the beautiful body before her, pushing the thighs further apart. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes in bliss, relishing the smell of Gabrielle's arousal, allowing herself the fantasy that she had actually caused it.

Gabrielle was breathing so rapidly, she thought she might faint. Najara's voice was so soft and sensual, it felt like a caress. Xena, Xena, Xena, she thought to herself. The image of the warrior's face rippled slightly in the red wave of desire that washed through her. She felt Najara's hands opening her thighs further and was powerless to resist. Her body was betraying her and she could do nothing but keep her teeth clenched tightly shut, half expecting to crack one or two. She thought for sure she'd simply pass out when she felt Najara gently probing her, using her thumbs to spread her open and expose her wetness to the cool air. She dropped her head back and moaned loudly, pushing her pelvis toward the zealot, silently begging for her touch.

But, Najara didn't want silent begging. She needed to hear the words, hear her name. "What do you want, Gabrielle?" she asked again. "I'm right here, ready to give it to you. I know exactly what you need. All you have to do is ask for it." She swallowed hard as her mouth filled with saliva in anticipation of the feast before her. She slid her thumbs very slightly through the wetness, hardly moving them at all, but creating enough sensation in the bard to cause another moan.

Tears had begun to flow from under the blindfold as Gabrielle battled against her own body.

"Ask me, Gabrielle." Najara's voice was soft, yet commanding. "Just ask me to touch you and I will. Tell me what you want."

"Xena . . . " the bard whispered through her tightly clenched teeth.

Najara bit back her frustration, briefly considering a third swipe with the paintbrush after all. "Xena's in no position to help you. I am."

"Guess again."

The voice behind her was so incredibly close, the zealot's whole body jumped in shock. Before she had time to react, a hand slipped around in front of her and snatched the dagger from her waistband. She was tossed bodily against the far wall so fast, she didn't even realize it until she was lying in a heap on the floor. Dazed, she looked up into the slitted and angry eyes of an extremely pissed off Warrior Princess who was pointing the zealot's own dagger at her.

"Never turn your back on me, Najara."

A spinning kick later and Najara was trying to focus on the stars swimming across her vision.

"And you keep your hands off what's mine," the warrior snarled.

Najara felt her body being manipulated, heard the sounds of shredding fabric, but couldn't zero in on exactly what was happening for several minutes. When the room stopped whirling and she was able to focus, she found herself standing on the very spot in which she'd imprisoned Xena, bound to the rings in the wall by torn remnants of her own cape. The Warrior Princess stood before her, arms folded across her chest in a authoritative pose. Najara growled and pulled at her bonds in frustration.

"Comfy?" the warrior asked sweetly.

"Fuck you," the zealot spat.

"Nice mouth. The Djinn teach you to talk like that?" Xena snapped back. "You're lucky I don't kill you right now, cuz believe me, nothing would make me happier." She turned to regard the bound bard, teeth still clamped together, body still writhing in need. She stopped to admire the view, a mischievous smirk playing at her lips. "Well, almost nothing. Pay attention, Najara. Class is now in session."

She walked to the bard, grasping her hips and kissing the top of her head gently. As the bard's muscles jerked in surprise, Xena whispered, "It's okay, baby. It's me."

Gabrielle gasped with relief and began to cry openly. "Xena! Oh, thank the gods. Xena, please. Please help me. I can't take it anymore. Touch me. Now. Please!"

Xena threw a glance at the bound zealot. "Lesson number one," she instructed as she removed the blindfold, exposing the bard's dazzling green eyes that blinked rapidly in the sudden light. "She doesn't like to be blindfolded. I know, I know. Some people think it's sexy. She doesn't. Tying her up is okay. That's a turn on for her. But, she likes to see what's going on. Besides, why on earth would you want to cover up these beautiful orbs?"

"Xena, please," Gabrielle begged. "I need you. Now!"

"Lesson number two: foreplay." She looked disparagingly at Najara. "Something you obviously know nothing about. You didn't even kiss her, for cryin' out loud." She stopped suddenly, tapping a thoughtful finger against her pursed lips. "Wait, I take that back. You did try to kiss her, didn't you? But, as I recall, she wasn't impressed. Maybe you need to work on your approach. Observe." With that, she silenced Gabrielle's continuing pleas by covering the bard's mouth with her own, both women moaning loudly at the contact.

Najara felt her blood boiling and pulled mightily at her bonds. That only succeeded in cutting the flesh of her wrists, Xena had tied her so tightly. The kiss seemed to last for hours and, even in her raging fury of hatred and jealousy, Najara could not deny the level of passion it exhibited. Neither could she deny the ache in her soul at the sight of it.

Gabrielle whimpered as Xena pulled her mouth away to rattle off another statement in the zealot's direction. "Lesson number three." She knelt in front of the bard, but her height put her face much higher than Najara's had been. She looked at the creamy mounds of flesh that awaited her. She glanced over her shoulder at her pupil. "These need way more attention than you gave them." She closed her mouth around one swollen nipple, finding the other with her fingers and spent the next several minutes suckling at the bard like a child.

"Xena . . . " Gabrielle felt light-headed. Her body was still screaming, but the fact that it was Xena touching her and not an unwanted intruder helped to ease the tension ever so slightly. She still felt as if she'd explode at any moment, but she was familiar with Xena's games of power and passion and she knew, even through the berry-induced haze, that this was Xena's way of reclaiming something she felt belonged to her, of reestablishing her possession of the bard. Gabrielle was just going to have to let the warrior lead the way. The fact that Xena had not untied her told her she didn't have much say in the matter.

She looked down at the dark head fastened to her breast and was flooded with a sudden wave of affection that mixed nicely with the ache of desire that had settled low in her body. She lifted her head and was startled by the intensity with which the blue eyes across the room watched what was happening. The bard actually felt a thrill of excitement shoot through her at the thought of being observed. Xena raked her teeth across a sensitive nipple, pinching the other firmly as she did so, and Gabrielle gasped, the pace of her breath quickening.

She flashed back on a time a year or two ago. They had been staying in the stables with Argo, as the local inn had been full. Xena's sex drive had always been classified as higher than that of most women, but for some reason, during that month it had been through the roof. One evening, not long after dinner, the warrior had surprised and overpowered the bard, who put up a valiant struggle simply because she knew it to be a turn-on for her warrior, and had tied her to a rafter with the leather reins from Argo's bridle. It hadn't been long before they each realized that the stable boy – a handsome young man of maybe eighteen or nineteen – was still up in the loft. Gabrielle had no explanation for it, but the idea of being watched was incredibly exciting for both of them. His observance of them had ended up being the most powerful of aphrodisiacs and their session had lasted nearly until dawn.

"Xena," she begged again, her arousal surging impossibly higher at the memory, her arms straining to free themselves. "Please?"

Seeming not to have heard the plea, Xena continued her lavishing of attention on the bard's chest. Gabrielle began to squirm, indiscreetly arching her back and pushing her pelvis forward, a not-so-subtle hint to the warrior.

Xena suppressed a grin and switched her mouth to the other breast.

"Xena," Gabrielle growled. "I am not kidding here." She rattled the chains holding her arms, her frustration climbing almost as high as her arousal.

The warrior glanced up at her, then over her shoulder at the trussed-up zealot. "I'm surprised she can still feel her arms, aren't you?"

"Xena!" the bard snapped, all traces of sweetness gone from her voice. "You won't be feeling a damn thing if you don't fuck me right now!"

Xena sighed in mock defeat. "Lesson number four, Najara. When she gets this mad, you'd better do two things. One, thank the gods you were smart enough to tie her up. And two," she winked with affection at the bard, "give her what she wants."

Still on her knees, she kissed the damp, golden curls lightly. Sliding her large, warrior hands between and around the bard's thighs, she grasped the firm buttocks and pulled the bard's center to her mouth, stroking slowly but firmly with her tongue.

"Oh yeah," the bard whispered in relief. "That's better. Gods, that's so much better."

Najara, try as she might, was unable to stop playing the voyeur. Gabrielle's sweat-slicked, bound, pleasure-ridden body was just too much of a vision and she couldn't tear her gaze away. The bard's eyes had drifted shut. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and buried her face against her right bicep. Najara's own wetness was flowing freely and she swallowed hard as the warrior shifted her grip to spread the bard farther open, allowing her mouth greater access. She realized with intense envy that Xena was humming softly in delight.

Sensing her bard was almost there, Xena debated whether or not to show mercy and put her out of her misery, despite the fact that she'd been known to taste Gabrielle like this for hours before allowing the smaller woman a final release. In all honesty, she wanted badly to unchain the bard, sweep her into her arms, and hold her tightly. She still felt a twinge of guilt for allowing Najara the chance to touch even one hair on Gabrielle's head and she wanted to make it up to the bard any way she could.

The decision made, she drew one hand back through, and slipped two fingers deliciously into the bard, eliciting a sharp, satisfied cry of pleasure from her. She moved in a slow, easy rhythm to match the strokes of her tongue, and sent Gabrielle careening over the edge in a very short time. Najara squeezed her eyes shut and hung her head in defeat as Xena's name echoed off the stone walls of the room.

Xena had unchained the bard's feet even before the last muscle contraction had stopped. Her hands were next and she collapsed into the warrior's strong, waiting arms. With a hand under the blonde's knees, Xena scooped her up and cradled her lovingly. Sparing a searing glance at their would-be captor, she said simply, "Lesson number five. When she's had enough, you hold her in your arms and tell her how much you love her."

Gabrielle snuggled her head into Xena's neck. "Love you, too," she smiled weakly.

"That's how it's done."

Looking around, Xena spotted Gabrielle's clothes piled in a corner. Setting the bard down gently, she handed the items to her.

"Get dressed, sweetheart. We don't have much time before-- ." Her sentence was cut off abruptly by lips suddenly devouring hers. Prying the bard away, despite her whimpering protests, the warrior held her at arm's length. "Gabrielle . . . "

The bard wiggled in the strong grip. "Xena, please? Come on. Just once more? I need you."

"I knew this was gonna happen," the warrior mumbled. "Gabrielle, listen to me." She spoke very slowly, as if talking to a young child. "It's the berry juice. We need to get you to the antidote right away. Now, put your clothes on."

"I think you should take yours off." The bard began to playfully tug at Xena's leathers.

The look of pure lust in the bard's eyes – drug-induced or not – made the warrior's knees go weak. She had a sudden vision of the method she would most likely have to employ to get the bard to the shamaness with the antidote. It involved Gabrielle riding Argo, sitting in front of Xena with her hands tied securely to the saddle horn, while Xena's own hands roamed the various curves and moist recesses of the insatiable bard as she pleaded for more.

She glanced at Najara, who was once again watching intently. "I don't know whether to hate you or thank you."

Najara glared at her.

Gabrielle had succeeded in pulling Xena's straps off her shoulders, the warrior not doing much to stop her.

Xena shrugged and rapidly divested herself of the rest of her clothes. Throwing one last victorious wink at the zealot, she grinned. "When you promised quite a show, you weren't kidding were you?" She allowed herself to be pulled down onto the bard.

It would be days before they'd reach the shamaness.

THE END
Copyright February 2000