See No Evil {Bael}

[Xesa]

Xesa gasped with surprise as Bael slammed a fist in Ares face, knocking him flat on his back. She could not keep the surprise off of her face. She knew Bael was strong, but she didn’t know he was that strong. He made her feel safe and not because of his strength. It was because he was standing up for her, nothing anyone had ever done for her. Everyone she knew and met along the way were so frightened of her grandfather.

Her blue eyes flashed with anger, seeing how tired and upset Bael was. She cast a quick look towards Ares then Hades then all the other Gods and Goddesses in the room, making sure they saw the intent to kill that was visible in her eyes. It was as her eyes passed Hades eyes that he looked at Bael and smiled. “Remember our bargain.”

Then they disappeared from the room, placing them back inside Bael’s home, directly in his bedroom. As soon as they were back and her sword gone, she gripped her arms about the big guy, taking notice in his weariness. “What did they do to you?” She asked a bit harshly. It was all the anger she was feeling towards them.

She helped him onto the bed, taking note of the dark variation on his skin. “Ares attacked you, did he not?” She asked angrily. Oh, she was going to rip him apart with her bare hands.

Then, something clicked. “How was I returned?” Her eyes darkened with fear. “What did Hades mean? What bargain?” Her hand came to her chest, gripped with fear. What was the bargaining chip?

So freaked out about what the bargain was that she kept rattling on, not giving Bael a chance to speak. “I will kill him. I will kill all of them! They won’t bother you again. I’ll make sure of it. I promise it! I will not let them have you. You are too important.”

Her hand jerked through her blond hair, completely forgetting about the wounds on her arm. Her blood mingled with her hair and that was when her eyes saw the drip of blood that fell from her arm. She stared at the red pooling at the base of her elbow. “This is nothing compared to what I’ve had to deal with. I would have survived,” she said quietly. Then she pulled herself together. “Let me get you some food and water. You’ll need to get your energy back.”

[Bael]

Bael was about to collapse once they returned, it was only by holding on to Xesa that he managed to avoid falling into the floor. Every muscle on his body screamed from the abuse it was taking to keep him steady and the burns he’d taken from Ares’ lightning were aching in his skin.

Just a little rest, he thought, he would feel fine and the world would stop spinning. And…he heard Xesa speak. Shit, he didn’t want her to know of that damned deal he’d made with Hades to return her. Of course she wouldn’t know just how much that affected him, how much he had struggled against being a soldier of the devil and how he hated now being one to someone he believed was just another kind of devil.

He was silent for a moment, barely realizing he was now laying down even so that his body was relieved to have his heavy weight off his feet.

Pushing his eyes open, he took in her face and saw the blood in her arms and saw it mingled with her golden hair. Crap, she was all over him, but she was hurt and it made him flinch, not because his hurt body, but because of the pain he believed she would feel.

When she threatened to move into the kitchen, he grabbed her wrist and kept her there. Bael tried to push himself up, but the world started spinning again. Willing the world to a halt by sheer strength of will, he managed raising his upper body on the second try.

“You’re hurt Xesa, that son of a bitch! Stop worrying about me, I had worse. Let me take care of you,” he said rising up from the bed and rising her up in his arms as well. Normally she would feel weightless, but his arms were heavy as he carried her into the bathroom.

When they reached the huge tub, he placed her down and took a first aid kit from the cabinet near it and opened it. Taking some gaze, he started on cleaning her wounds before turning on the faucet on the tub.

“Let’s get you cleaned up and patched. Then we will have food enough to feed one army,” he tried to give her a small smile, trying to take her mind away from asking again about his deal with Hades.

[Xesa]

Bael looked so tired. She knew he had been attacked, but it took a moment of searching before she noticed the variation on his red skin. It dawned on her the darker variation was burn marks. Her anger hit new heights. It took everything she had not to return, but she wanted to fix up Bael before she did that. He must be in a lot of pain.

And she wanted to know what the deal was. Her blue eyes stared down at him as he rested. They were full of such rage. She was just about to walk away, figuring she would ask questions later when his hand clamped down on her wrist. Her body refused to budge and she looked at him again, this time his eyes were open and looking back at her.

Her lips turned downwards, frowning unbelievably hard as Bael attempted to sit up. He got it on the second try. She had no idea why he was sitting up. “Bael, get some rest. I’ll get something for the burns,” she brought her other hand out to his chest, about to push him back, but was too late. He stood and picked her up, and she protested something horrible. She didn’t want to harm him by squirming and trying to get free, but she set her lips in a firm line. “Put me down, right now! You are far worse than I am. Please, put me down.” The latter of her words turned to begging. “They have done far worse to me. I can handle the pain.” She was good with pain.

He still carried her to the bathroom. How he had managed such a feat was beyond her. He did manage to get her mind off of his deal with Hades, but she would just ask him later.

Once he sat her down, she watched him. Her legs were locked, about ready to stand and catch him, if need be. She still was unsure how he hadn’t passed out yet.

When he came over with the first aid kit, her hand came to his arm and held him there. “Sit down at least and let me look over your wounds as well.” If he was going to fix her up then he would have to fold and let her do the same. “Then I want you back in bed. I will get us some food.” How? She wasn’t sure. She’d just order food from somewhere. Surely she couldn’t cook. She didn’t know how to use a stove, let alone know what it was.

It was obvious by how she looked ready to pounce something that she was still upset. “Thank you for helping me...again.” Her hand dropped to his, sliding her fingers between his and recalling their night spent together. It helped her to calm down some. “Trouble follows me everywhere, so I’d understand if you don’t want to be involved in this mess.” It was beyond a mess. It was a catastrophe!

[Bael]

Bael’s smile didn’t last long as he checked Xesa’s wounds. She was though, acting like they were nothing, but hell if he liked to see her hut. Ah great, they had laid together once and he was already all protective and shit. Could he shot down that voice in his head that called her HIS Amazon?

He had purposely ignored her protests and his own wounds to take care of her, he wouldn’t have it any other way. She might have known the softer side of him, but he was still the badass bounty hunter and wouldn’t allow her to cater to him while she was hurt herself. It was a though guy honor thing, but still she allowed her to check his wounds as he worked on hers. Bael would collapse later, after she was taken care off and he could fall into unconsciousness more at ease. So far he was keeping conscious only by sheer force of will.

“However hurts you now babe, will have to go through me.”

Look at his protectiveness showing off again. But he wasn’t saying it lightly, he was a bad assed demon and anyone messing with her would have his big fist crushing their faces.

Bael made short work of cleaning her wounds and patching her up. He had a lot of experience doing it in himself, so he knew what he was doing. Being a bounty hunter, he had his share of wounds and the scars to prove it. And he wore every last one as if they were a badge of honor, a sample of his badass manliness. The big bad, mess with me and die demon.

Sure he was a softy inside, but that wasn’t for everyone.

“No need to thank me…” he started until she started babbling away about him not wanting to be involved in her mess. Bael frowned and glared at her and his voice took an annoyed and sarcastic tone to it.
“Oh sure, because my life is a sea of roses and I puff rainbows off my ass!”

He tilted his head and took her hands in his.
“Stop speaking and kiss me you babbling fool.”

[Xesa]

Xesa lifted her head slowly, pausing a moment from wrapping up Bael’s wounds. She hated to see him fatigued like this and knew it took a lot to really get this demon in such a state. “You are brave,” she brought a hand to his cheek.

Then she pulled her hand back and growled. “I want to tear them all apart for hurting you, especially Ares!” She had so much pent up aggression boiling through her veins. Typically, she wouldn’t have pushed Ares like she did today. He probably expected her to grovel at his feet for mercy.

“I have never felt anything for any man like I feel for you.” Her blue eyes glistened, staring up into his hard chiseled face. He was such a big softy. That’s what attracted her to him. He had a big heart in that demon body. It was that heart that made her need and want him.

His words made her laugh, loosening that tightness in her body. Her body had been coiled, ready to attack, but he softened her. “You don’t have to tell me twice.” Her hand came to his face, latching onto his chin and tugging gently at his goatee to bring his face towards her.

She kissed him hard, as if she could mark him as her own with that single kiss. When the kiss broke, she was slightly breathless. She didn’t want to knock him out by one kiss. She needed him to get his energy back. Her eyes sparkled with amusement though. “I might be a babbling fool, but I am one smart babbling fool. I saw what a great person you are didn’t I?”

She couldn’t get the mental image out of her head of Bael punching Ares. “The Gods are frightened of you. I have never seen them frightened of anyone. I will never forget the look on Ares face after you sent him sprawling. He might think twice about bothering me now.”

But, Hades statement still plagued her. “What did you bargain?” She asked softly, her thumb and index finger stroked his goatee.

[Bael]

When she eased and her lips met his, the demon breathed relieved. No matter that his arms felt like they weighed a ton, he moved them around her bringing her close for the duration of their kiss and kissed her just as hard. Ah yes, that was a balm for his aching soul, way more welcome than the bandages she was wrapping on him.

His wounds would heal just like they had a thousand times before, not much to it. But then he didn’t owed anyone a damned thing, he was free. Now he was bound to a bastard of a god, had uttered a pledge of servitude to save her. But ah, she was well worth it. Those legs of hers, those lips and everything else about her appealed to him. And it wasn’t just the physical stuff, even if it wasn’t dismissive, he liked her personality, her though but soft demeanor and the way her eyes softened as she looked at him.

Should he tell her as well that she moved him like no woman had ever before? Beal wasn’t used to drop his badass persona, but there was something about her that made him feel at ease. Anyone else would have their ass kicked in t minus five just to know he was still the same badass as ever, but not Xesa.

But heck, did she have to bring up the damn deal with Hades?

Bael sighed, looked into her eyes and frowned.
“Ah…unicorns? I promised him unicorns? He always wanted to ride them and prance around like a magnificent puff with those robes of his.”

Yeah, like she was going to buy this.
Crap!

The demon stood silent for a moment and lowered his eyes. Hell, he should just say it, put it out in the open. Like ripping off a band aid, right?

“I promised to work for the bastard if he brought you back and let you go. I wasn’t going to let those poochies eat you up.”

[Xesa]

Xesa raised one perfectly arched brow as Bael suggested unicorns. “I know it wasn’t unicorns. He wouldn’t want something so cute, unless he wanted to kill them or maybe eat them.” If he was joking then it probably wasn’t as bad as she expected. Although, it still bothered her that he didn’t want to share what it was that he had promised Hades.

What he told her was bargained was not what she expected, nor did she want to see Bael used in such a way. Oh no… She sat there like a statue, not moving, completely shocked, scared, and angry - all tied into one big bundle. The only movement she made was her fists curling into tight balls. Her knuckles went completely white as her nails bit into the palms of her hands.

“That son of a bitch!” She finally cursed. Her teeth ground together and she swore all she could see was red. It made her wonder if Hades knew what he wanted the whole time. Was that why he agreed to help Ares bind her?

She had to open her palms forcibly. They were so tight from clenching so roughly that it was hard to straighten them out.

Her eyes stared down at the bathroom floor, thinking of what she would need to do or hoping she could do to break this bargain. There had to be something she could give. “I cannot watch you suffer for me,” she spoke softly. All the malice lost in her voice. It was now placed with concern. She was so worried what Hades had in store for Bael.

“I will work a deal with him to get you out of this.” She stood, deciding to take care of this matter now. She would not let Hades have this hold for much longer. She knew Hades. He was evil and full of wickedness. He would use Bael in ways she could not fathom. She just knew it. The thought of what he might have him doing broke her heart.

Hovering over him, she stared at the man she had quickly come to adore. He hadn’t expressed the same for her, which was another reason she had to get him out of this bargain. She did not want him having this servitude for something he did not want.

Her hand dropped on top of his head and she leaned down to kiss him between the shaven down horns. She stayed there, holding him as her cheek pressed against his head. “I’m sorry for getting you involved in this, but I promise to fix it,” she grumbled against the bare top of his head.

[Bael]

Bael kept his eyes averted from her still. The demon didn’t want her to know how much he hated this servitude gig. Yes, he was a freelance bounty-hunter, but it was different. He chose his business, did what the hell he wanted and had compensation for it. He was no one’s bitch.

But at least this was better than the idea of having Xesa becoming dog food or giving up a firstborn…if he ever had one. He believed that would disgust the amazon as well, if she was not disgusted of him for being bound to work for someone she hated. Not to mention that he didn’t want her to stick around if she was to feel pity for him for doing it to save her. Hell, that was messed up. If she was to stick with him, Bael wanted it to be because she wanted to. Even if he desired her, wanted to hang on to her and not let go, he wanted it to be out of her desire alone and not pity or duty or anything messed up like that.

When her lips came softly into his forehead, he was initially surprise. But after a moment, his arms mover wrapping themselves around her and he summoned what was left of his strength to hold her.

“You will do no such thing. I didn’t make this deal with that asshole to get you out just so you’d fall into his grasp again. I won’t allow him to have you. I want you to be free…free of him and…”

He paused for a moment, hating himself for what he was to say next, but he didn’t want her around out of some notion that she owed him anything.

“…free of me.”

Pulling his head back, he tilted his chin up so that he could stare straight at her.
“I did this for you, but you don’t owe me a thing. I don’t want you to feel trapped to me because of it.”

She was an Olympian goddess after all and he was a demon. He had seen the look of disgust the other gods gave him because of his nature. He didn’t give a damn about it, but did she? Was he just a thrill to her? The big bad ass demon that she was attracted to but wanted nothing further than what they had shared the previous night?

[Xesa]

Bael’s words were so kind and caring. She closed her eyes as she pressed her cheek against the top of his head, listening to him tell her how he wanted her to be free of Ares. Her blue eyes opened slowly as he paused though. She was almost expecting something dreadful. What he said though broke her heart and she slowly stepped away from him. Her mouth was slightly open. She had to close it to hide the shock on her face. Her initial instinct was right. Bael did not care for her like she did him. Now she just felt like an idiot.

She barely even heard his next words as her eyes hardened. “Free of you? Trapped? I thought- I don’t know what I thought.” It took her a moment to pull it together. “So, that’s your excuses? I am my own person now. I don’t need anyone’s pity, and I definitely don’t need excuses from you. I am a strong person. If you wanted to tell me to leave you should just say it,” she bit out. “Well, I don’t need any favors. I’ve dealt with the Gods for how many years now. I know how to bargain with them. I know what they need and want. I don’t need anyone doing me any favors, which is why I will make sure this bargain you made is nullified at once.”

Her anger flared and she stomped out of the bathroom, tossing angry words over her shoulder as she did. “Why did you even help me? You should have left. I would have handled it just fine.” Her teeth ground against one another. “Free of me. Oh, I’ve heard that excuse before.” She let out a strangled laugh that sounded closer to a choked sob.

She stopped near his front door and growled. It was better to be angry than sad. “Dammit!” She couldn’t go storming back onto Mount Olympus like this. They would have her for breakfast. First, she needed to calm down. She rubbed a hand over her forehead before opening his front door and stepping outside. It was time for a long walk to cool her jets. Then she would go back to visit Hades.

This was all her fault. She felt it deep within her gut, but she’d do whatever she could to correct things. The first thing she’d do would be to get Bael away from Hades. Just because he didn’t care for her didn’t mean she didn’t for him.

She did not like feeling this way. She definitely did not want to be looked at as a charity case. Shoving her emotional self away, she lifted her head and decided she needed to be strong when she did this.

[Bael]

Yeah, that went well…

Bael just looked at her, brows furrowed in confusion as she went on and stormed out of the door. There he was trying to explain to her that she didn’t owe him a thing and that if she wanted to remain with him it would be out of her own choice and she started babbling as if he was dumping her. Women! He wouldn’t ever understand them.

With a heavy sigh he tried to stand and only managed to fall on his ass. Ah screw this, he wasn’t going to just leave that at this. Summoning a reserve of strength he didn’t even knew he had, he got to his feet, walked out and when he found Xesa he tossed her on his shoulder, ignoring any protests she made and dragged back inside, tossing her into the bed.

“Now you listen to me,” he started as he frowned and moved a finger towards her, glaring at her to be silent. “Are you insane? I never told you to leave or that I wanted to! I told you that you didn’t owe me anything and if you want to stay, it won’t be because any warped sense of gratitude. I want you to stay, but only if you want to…”

Now it was him who was growling and Bael started passing right and left. All he wanted right now was to fall into bed and sleep for a week, but no, he had to deal with that first or he knew he wouldn’t be able to get any rest.

“I saw the way all these gods and goddesses stared at me back there, like I’m unworthy of you, a dirty beast. I don’t care about what they think. I only care about what you think and if you were just looking for a thrill with a big bad demon for one night, okay, walk away just fine, but don’t make it look like I’m pushing you away.”

More growling.

And then before he could stop himself since he was in a roll, he added.
“Only a stupid one like me to fall for a goddess…to hope you would want to stay with me…”

[Xesa]

Xesa was still babbling like an idiot when Bael stormed out and threw her over his shoulder. She growled and protested the whole way inside. She was so angry right now that she couldn’t even think straight. All she wanted to do was hurt someone, except Bael, even if this was all his damn fault!

Her back hit the bed and she had a thought to get up to storm off again, but she stilled as Bael brought a finger down towards her and told her to listen. He was all menace and very sexy, and she wondered just how disturbing it was that she was turned on by his actions.

After his words tumbled out her brow scrunched together with confusion. “You…want me to stay?” Ah hell, she blew her top too early, so she finally answered his first question. “Yeah, I’m a little insane, especially when it comes to you.”

She closed her eyes briefly. His next words hit her so hard that she growled too. Her eyes shot back open and she reached up for Bael’s hand, pulling him down quick and hard on the bed with her. “I’m so sorry, babe. I’m a short fuse. I’ll be the first to admit it. I thought you were trying to get rid of me. I feel horrible now.”

Her lips claimed his briefly. “I listened to you, so now you listen to me. I want this cleared out. You are not unworthy of me, and you’re not a dirty beast. They are the dirty beasts. If anyone is unworthy, it is me of you.. And you thought I was looking for a thrill with a big bad demon for a night? Oh, Bael, you are so wrong…in so many ways.” She brought a hand to his cheek, caressing it gently. “If I was so worried about what they thought of us together I wouldn’t be fighting them all. I’d do as Ares asked and return to his feet to beg for mercy, but I am tired of that life. They are all so shameless and dishonorable. I would become human if it would shed me of this link with them.”

Did he just say? Her eyes searched his before she kissed him again. She pulled back with a look of adoration. “And I must be stupid too because I’m falling for a demon.”

Sliding her bandaged arm around him, she knew he was still sore and exhausted. “Now I want you to forget about all of this and close your eyes. You need your rest. If you let me I’ll take care of you,” she whispered the latter part.

[Bael]

Bael was furious, he was running on anger alone but right then it was all he had to fuel him and stop him from collapsing. How it was that he had got himself in this damn mess of the gods anyways? Oh right, the hot blonde amazon in his bed that stared at him as he babbled away.

He had heard someone say once that the angrier you get at someone, the more they meant to you. If that was true…well, she affected him into a shattering level. And it killed his balance as well when she pulled into the bed, he collapsed like a castle of cards.

When she pulled into the bed and her lips claimed his, his expression softened. Ah hell, he wasn’t mad at her. Well, maybe he was for her storming off like she had instead of allowing him to do the right thing and give her a choice. He was trying to be noble and shit and she was thinking he was dumping her…women, huh?

Yeah, he didn’t give a damn about what the Olympians thought of him, they could just shove their almighty arrogance. But maybe Xesa cared, if that meant she would be looked upon like he was some kind of outcast for sticking with him. But when he listened to her and looked into her eyes, all concern he had about this disappeared from his mind. Actually a smile came to his lips instead when she said she was falling for him.

Doing as she told him, the demon allowed his eyes to close and rested his head into the bed. But his hands reached for her before she moved.

“Stay with me, I will be alright, just need some sleep and I want you by my side.”

[Xesa]

Xesa was still trying to figure out what had happened to them. It was like a whirlwind. It went by so quickly and affected them both so much. She was still not happy that Bael was going to be working for Hades. It put a knot in the pit of her stomach.

She watched as that big bad demon closed his eyes. His hands came out to her and she smiled softly at his command. She had no intention on leaving his side, not right now. “I’ll stay by your side, do not worry.”

As if she couldn’t use some rest herself. The bandages on her arm were a good indication of that. She wanted to close her eyes and forget about this day, which was why she joined Bael. She brought her head down to his chest and hoped to forget all the bad parts. His heart beat beneath her ear, proving to her by its beat just how strong and powerful he was.

At some point she was going to need to go back to her place. She couldn’t go on wearing this outfit, and she did not have any extra clothes on her. She would wait for that though. After they woke she would head back to her place, which was tiny in comparison to Bael’s place, but she mostly stuck with the kind of living that put her under the human radar.

Deciding to think about some things later, she curled herself into the big demon and closed her eyes. Next to him all her fears were erased. She felt utterly safe as she drifted off to sleep.

[Bael]

(I think that could be a nice place to end this thread and we can start another one with a small time jump, unless you have something else to add to this one beforehand?)

[Xesa]

((I was actually leaning towards the same thing. A small time jump sounds great. *nod*))