38. Eros' Shackle

"I should go back down." Sage mumbled, reluctantly – glancing back at the café. "But are we really ok now? You're not angry, about ... Ezekiel?"

Ares' gaze tightened slightly, but he shook his head.

"I have a gift for you." He told her, changing the subject. "It once belonged to Psyche and was a gift crafted for her by Eros." Ares touched Sage's wrist and suddenly, a bracelet was there. Sage admired the gold ornament. "It was supposed to symbolise his undying love for her. Psyche was human, but when she wore this – the world understood that she was loved by a god."

Sage stroked the delicate design.

"How come you have it?"

"Well..." He hesitated. Thrax snorted, asking for permission to leave. Ares nodded to his warhorse, allowing him to return to the sky. Sage waved goodbye to the beast and Ares smiled. It was pleasant to see that all her fear of Thrax had disappeared.

Still smiling, Ares took Sages hands and place them around his neck. Sage squeaked, her eyes widening as Ares took a step off the roof and they slowly floated down to street level, landing in the alleyway opposite the café.

"Some warning next time." Sage breathlessly chided.

"Noted."

Sage shook her head at his cheeky expression.

"So, why do you have the bracelet?" She prompted.

"A long time ago, Eros went missing. No one could find him. Not on Olympus or on Earth or in the Underworld.  He was presumed dead. I told you before, didn't I? That when a god dies he becomes his true nature. If that happens, the god can never be resurrected or found."

"But now we know that wasn't the case."

"Indeed." Ares assented. Because Eros had appeared on Castle Hill. Which left a lot of unanswered questions...

"That still doesn't answer my question, though." Sage prodded, disrupting Ares' thoughts. "How come you have the bracelet?"

"I'm Eros' father. I have many of his belongings, kept safe."

"Won't he want this back?"

Ares shrugged.

"After hitting me with an arrow, I'm in no mood to give any of his stuff back – should he return to claim them." Which he hadn't.

Sage released her hold on Ares, now they were firmly on solid ground, and looked down at the bracelet once more.

"What happened to Psyche?" Sage asked, belatedly realising that she'd never asked. What had happened after Eros had cursed the royal bloodline? Ares shrugged.

They walked out of the alley and paused to wait for a car to go by. The café gleamed in the sunlight, it's walls as pink as cherry blossom.

"They say that she's in the underworld." Ares answered thoughtfully. "But I've never seen her there."

They made it to the café but Ares tugged on Sage's hand to stop her from going immediately inside. "The bracelet can be our symbol now. A token that shows my love for you." His eyes glowed as he stared down at her. "Promise me that you'll wear it."

"I promise."

Ares watched Sage return to work, his glowing eyes fixed on her. She was wearing the bracelet, it looked good on her. Ares breathed a sigh of relief. There was more to the bracelet then he'd told her. As long as Sage wore it, she'd never be able to run away from him. He'd always know how to find her. That had been Eros' real motive for making the pretty shackle.

Eros had loved Psyche and kept her a prisoner on his mountain. Ares intended to be cleverer than that. He would stop Sage from being able to leave him. But he'd keep her blind to the shackles he was placing around her.

"What's that?" Jaz asked at the close of the day, his gaze on Sage's wrist.

"A bracelet. Ares gave it to me." A soft smile lingered on her lips as she answered. She was still so relieved that things were repaired between her and Ares. She didn't notice Jaz's troubled expression.

"Something up, boss?" Markus asked, nudging Jaz on the arm.

"Nothing." Jaz's voice was brusque. "Just bad memories..."

**

Ares snuggled up to Sage as they sat in the fading sunshine. They were on the low wall outside of the café, with Sage's bike ready for her deliveries propped up beside them.

"You look tired." Ares murmured, his intense gaze making Sage's stomach flutter.

"Hmm. I haven't been sleeping well. I've been having strange dreams..." Her voice faltered. She'd been having really strange dreams. Far more vivid than any she'd ever had before.

"Let me stay with you tonight." Ares suggested lightly. He swooped down and kissed her cheek. "I'll chase the bad dreams away."

"Ok..."

Ares' eyes widened with hope. She'd actually said yes?

"Ok?"

Sage's cheeks were turning pink. Filling him with further hope. "When you say 'I can stay over', do you mean we can...?"

Sage's ears were now flame red. She nodded.

Ares' blood felt like it was burning him. He got up suddenly, bringing Sage to her feet with him.

"What are you-" Sage exclaimed, taken by surprise.

"Let's go to bed now."

Sage burst out laughing. But Ares didn't seem at all amused. His gaze was hot with desire. Just looking at him was getting her flustered also.

"We can't. I have my deliveries to do."

"But-"

"They'll only take a couple of hours."

Ares' arms wrapped around her, crushing her against him. He kissed her eagerly, his lips insistent and demanding. He wanted this woman. With a desire that was all consuming. He wanted them to be lovers. FINALLY.

Sage's thoughts were becoming tangled. Maybe she could just forget to do her deliveries tonight? It was maddeningly tempting...

With reluctance, she pulled away and tried to catch her breath. "Are you going to behave?"

"Definitely not." His grip tightened on her waist. Sage grinned.

"Go... fly around or something. You're stopping me from working. I'll meet you back at the flat."

She didn't think she'd get through all the deliveries if he stayed. He wasn't the only one who was looking forward to this.

Ares kissed her again, shorter this time and not so deeply. It was a sweet kiss.

"I love you, Sage."

Sage smiled, feeling blissfully happy.

**

Ares waited for Sage in her room. He paced the tiny space impatiently. Tonight, they'd become lovers. It felt like this would be their beginning. No love arrow. No rivals. Tonight, the war god could finally claim his woman.

Sage gripped the handle of her bike. Her stomach was a riot of nervous butterflies. She'd made her last delivery and now she could head back home. To Ares. The butterflies grew worse with anticipation. Would it be very different with a god? Ares said it would be better, that gods made the best lovers. It was an exciting thought...

Sage gasped suddenly, her eyes changing. She stared straight ahead. But it wasn't the dimly lit pavement that she was seeing anymore. It was room. A shabby kitchen with the tv blaring loudly from the next room. A man was sat on the ground with a packet of frozen peas pressed against his bloody face.

Someone shut the freezer door. Sage stared at this man and an icy shiver danced down her spine. What was happening? Why couldn't these people see her?

"I stuck him good." The man on the ground spoke gruffly. "He won't have survived that."

"I'd feel better if you'd seen him die."

"I had to run for it. His lads were onto me. But I know when a man's dying, you know. Trust me. The Mad Dog's been put down."

Sage's gaze went to the bloodied knife that had been flung into the kitchen sink. She felt sick to her stomach.

The vision of the kitchen faded away and Sage was left gasping on the street, her bike fallen on the ground beside her. Sage staggered and clutched her head. Had that been real?

'The Mad Dog's been put down.' The words echoed in her head and her mouth went dry.

"Ezekiel..."

**

Ares stood outside the café, his head turning to look anxiously up and down the street. Sage wasn't back yet. And she was very, very late. The protective wards he'd set up told him that she wasn't in any danger. Why hadn't she come back yet?

Jaz stepped out of the café and approached Ares' side.

"Is something up that I should know about?" Jaz asked. Ares forced a smile.

"Sage asked me to wait here for her." And it was taking a lot of self-control to stay put and wait.

"You don't have to be anxious. It's not like she can run away, is it?" There was an edge to Jaz's voice.

Ares looked at him in surprise.

"What do you-"

"The bracelet." Jaz's expression was stern. "I know what that bracelet is for."

Guilt flashed across Ares' gaze.

"I...I just..." His voice faltered as he tried to form an excuse. Jaz faced Ares fully, and Ares felt the air charge around Jaz. There was power there – god-like power.

"Take it off her. Swap it with another, pretend it's lost, I don't care what you tell her. But remove Eros' shackle."

Ares bristled from the aggression in Jaz's tone.

"Or what?" Ares hissed, glowering at him. Jaz's eyes shifted colour, changing from human brown to a brilliant pink. Finally, Ares thought, you're showing what you really are.

"I will do it myself, Ares. But I'm giving you a chance first, to do the right thing."

Jaz's phone burst noisily into life. It was the ringtone reserved for Sage. Jaz returned to normal.

"You love her, don't you?" He grumbled. "So, don't lie to her." He retrieved his phone from his pocket and accepted the call. "Sage?"

Ares focused, able to pick up Sage's voice.

"Jaz, I...I...I'm looking for Ezekiel..." Her voice was breaking up and it sounded like she was running.

Ares' eyes glowed hot like burning coals.

"I thought you were doing your deliveries." Jaz replied, confused.

"I was... I just... I don't know how to explain it. I have to find him. Is he at the café?"

Ares de-materialised without saying anything, leaving Jaz alone on the street. Jaz frowned unhappily.

"No, Sage. He isn't here."

Ares' flew through the night sky. It felt like jealousy was clawing nails into his heart. Sage was looking for Ezekiel. On the night she'd promised to be with him...

She was going instead to the mad dog.

Ares howled and his voice resounded across the skies, as loud as tortured thunder.