Heat wave

A story by Erin Jennifer

Disclaimers: The characters of Xena and Gabrielle are the exclusive property of those who created them, and no infringement upon anyone’s rights is intended.

Violence: Not in this one

Subtext: Most definitely. This story contains my first attempt at a love scene, therefore there are semi-graphic depictions of intimacy between two women. So, if you are under 18, or this kind of thing makes you uncomfortable, please read no further.

The blistering summer sun beat down mercilessly on the heads of the two women travelling down a dusty, deserted road. The oppressive heat rose from the ground in shimmering waves that rippled around their feet as they trudged forward. The first woman was tall and lean, built like a fighter, with broad shoulders and powerful arms and legs. With the back of a strong, callused hand, she wiped the sweat from her forehead and wished for the hundredth time that she was wearing something other than dark brown leather. She cast an envious glance at her smaller, blonde companion, who was somewhat cooler in her lightweight, midriff-baring halter-top and skirt.

"You doing okay?" Xena asked, feeling the dryness and the grit from the road scratching the back of her throat.

"I think I’m melting. But other than that, I’m just great," Gabrielle returned wryly, rhythmically digging her staff into the hard-packed earth as she walked.

It hadn’t rained in weeks, and all of Greece was suffering the effects of the worst drought in recorded history. Earlier that morning, they had passed a small vineyard where the grapes had withered and died from the scorching heat. At the moment, Gabrielle felt like one of those poor, desiccated grapes. She lifted her long, sweat-darkened hair away from her neck and silently prayed to the gods for a hint of a breeze. Still, as uncomfortable as she was, the bard knew that the misery was ten times worse for Xena, encased in her typical leather and brass armor.

Without breaking stride, Xena unstoppered their waterskin and took a tiny sip from the half-empty container before passing it to Gabrielle, who drank gratefully. The warrior’s sharp blue eyes scanned the countryside, searching for the smallest bit of shade that they could take refuge in for a while. There was nothing but low-lying scrub in any direction, except. . . . Xena squinted, peering through the radiating heat waves at a slight rise in the landscape ahead. Atop the meager hill, a lone, stunted tree stood forlornly with its promise of a brief respite from the sun’s rays. Xena pointed, feeling the skin across her shoulders tighten from the sunburn she had acquired. Gabrielle’s gaze followed the warrior’s outstretched arm. She nodded, and they plodded on wearily.

"We should’ve stayed in Corinth until this damned heat wave broke," Xena muttered grumpily. The heat had given her a monstrous headache that throbbed painfully above her right eye, making the irascible warrior even more irritable as the day wore on.

"C’mon, Xena. You know we couldn’t do that," Gabrielle scolded her gently. "You promised your mother we’d be in Amphipolis for her birthday, remember?"

Xena grunted in response and shaded her eyes with her hand, trying to gauge the distance between them and the beckoning tree. They’d be lucky if they didn’t melt away completely before they reached it, she groused silently. They moved on in silence. It was too damn hot for anything else. Too hot for conversation or for the "warrior or warlord" game they often played to break up the monotony of their travels. They hadn’t encountered a single other person that day, Xena realized, and even the animals had enough sense to stay out of the blazing sun. Only one other brave soul kept them company as a hawk circled lazily in the cloudless blue sky. Its shrill cries pierced the stillness as the predator vainly scoured the ground for food.

As they drew nearer to their destination, Xena’s keen senses detected the faint, but unmistakable scent of water nearby. She blocked out all other sounds and extended her hearing outwards, her brow furrowed in concentration. Gabrielle watched curiously as a slow smile spread across her soulmate’s face, lighting up her clear blue eyes.

"Can you hear it?" Xena asked, putting a hand on Gabrielle’s upper arm.

Gabrielle scrunched her fair eyebrows together and struggled to locate the source of Xena’s apparent happiness. She heard nothing but the sound of Xena’s armor creaking and their boots scuffing along the ground. She shook her head and turned her sea green eyes up to meet her companion’s gaze.

A smile played at the edges of the warrior’s mouth. "There’s water on the other side of that rise," she said.

Gabrielle blinked at her in surprise. They’d travelled this road countless times and there had never been any water in that spot before. Maybe that earthquake a few months back had something to do with it, she mused thoughtfully. Not that it mattered. All that mattered was that Xena said there was water, which meant a chance to clean up and cool their overheated bodies. In unspoken agreement, they increased their pace, and by mid-afternoon, they were standing at the top of the hill.

In front of them, a gentle slope led down to a newly created spring that had bubbled up out of the rocks. The quiet burbling of the water sounded like music to the bard’s ears. Xena led the way down to the water’s edge, and she knelt on the sun-baked rocks surrounding the small pool. She cupped her hand and lifted some of the water to her lips, testing the liquid’s quality. Finding the water wonderfully cold and sweet, she grinned in pure joy and relief. In a rare bout of playfulness, she scooped up another handful and flung it at the woman standing next to her, getting a startled yelp from her soulmate.

"You are so dead, warrior princess," Gabrielle mock-threatened as she wiped the excess water from her dripping face.

Xena laughed as she unhooked her sword and chakram and shrugged out of her heavy armor. She removed her boots and still fully-clothed, she launched herself into the center of the spring. Gabrielle joined her seconds later. The pool was deeper than Xena had expected. The water level hit her at mid-chest, and the spring was just wide enough for the warrior to stretch out fully. The water was blissfully cool against their skin, and for a moment, they simply reveled side by side in perfect contentment. Then Gabrielle submerged herself completely and Xena chuckled as a tickling hand slid from her calf to her thigh. The bard’s sleek head popped up beside her, and a mouthful of water suddenly hit the warrior on the side of her head, drenching her raven hair.

"There, now I got you all wet," Gabrielle grinned at her devilishly.

"You got that right," Xena arched an eyebrow suggestively.

Laughing, Gabrielle clasped her arms around Xena’s neck and happily rested her forehead against her soulmate’s. Xena seized the opportunity and captured Gabrielle’s lips for a long, passionate kiss. Tongues intertwined as they gently probed and explored the familiar territory. Xena’s hands trailed down to the bard’s slim waist and pulled her closer, pressing their bodies together as a jolt of desire left her senses tingling. They parted, breathless, staring deeply into each other’s eyes.

"You know, we should really get out of these wet clothes," Gabrielle suggested, smiling.

Xena’s lips curled into a sultry grin and she kissed the bard again. The warrior’s hands fumbled with the laces holding her soulmate’s top closed, and she felt Gabrielle’s breathing catch as she hands brushed lightly across the bard’s breasts. The water had swollen the cloth ties, and growling in frustration, Xena simply ripped the laces free and impatiently tossed the waterlogged garment up onto the rocks. Gabrielle threw her head back in sensual ecstasy as Xena’s lips slid down to nuzzle the base of her throat and the warrior’s strong, knowing hands caressed her bare breasts. A shuddering moan escaped her lips as Xena’s thumbs stroked her erect nipples, sending waves of desire rippling through her body. Urgently, she unhooked the straps to Xena’s leathers, desperately craving the feel of her lover’s skin against her own. Gabrielle could feel her excitement building, and a small cry of disappointment issued from her throat as Xena’s hands left her breasts. A deep, longing groan left her when she felt Xena’s nimble fingers unfasten her skirt.

Just as eager for the intimate contact, Xena pulled away the thin fabric separating her from her bard, and soon, Gabrielle’s skirt and Xena’s leathers joined the forgotten halter-top in a heap. The warrior’s touch left trails of fire down Gabrielle’s sides as Xena slid her hands down to the smaller woman’s hips. With a powerful motion, she lifted Gabrielle halfway out of the water, and Gabrielle wrapped her legs tightly around Xena’s waist, drawing a low moan from her partner as her center pressed against the warrior’s abdomen.

"I love you, Gabrielle," Xena whispered in a voice husky with lust.

"I love you, too, Xena. I need you," Gabrielle breathed into Xena’s ear.

Tenderly, she took the warrior’s earlobe between her teeth and teased it with her tongue, feeling the shiver run down Xena’s spine as a fresh wash of desire surged through her. She tangled her fingers in her lover’s dark hair as Xena lowered her head to kiss the tops of her breasts. Still carrying the bard, Xena took them both out of the water and up to the shade of the lonely tree, where she gently laid Gabrielle down on the sweet-smelling grass. She stretched out on her side and lovingly brushed a lock of hair from Gabrielle’s eyes as she leaned in to taste her soulmate’s lips again. Xena’s own body tingled with the thrill of contact.

Alternately licking and nibbling at Gabrielle’s soft skin, Xena worked her way down past the bard’s shoulders, moving with infinite slowness to prolong the pleasure. Her firm tongue traced the contours of Gabrielle’s collarbone and then dipped slightly lower until she hovered just above a perfect, round breast. Gabrielle shut her eyes and her hands clutched at the grass as Xena’s mouth closed over her hardened nipple. Once again, she buried her fingers in her lover’s hair, holding her head in place as Xena licked and sucked the puckered flesh.

Carefully, Xena seized the captive nipple between her teeth and flicked it rapidly with her tongue, eliciting a series of escalating cries and moans from her lover. Gabrielle’s breath came in ragged gasps, and Xena transferred her attentions to the bard’s other nipple, loving it in the same fashion. At the same time, she pressed her own body closer, grinding herself against Gabrielle’s hip. She stroked Gabrielle’s inner thigh, her fingers sliding through the wetness coating the skin. Gradually, Xena moved her touch inward until she found the swollen bud at the bard’s center, and she rubbed it rhythmically until Gabrielle writhed in ecstasy beneath her. Xena’s own need climbed as she rocked against her lover’s hip.

"Xena, please. Please," Gabrielle moaned, pleading for release.

Xena nodded, still holding the bard’s nipple prisoner between her teeth. Her fingers found her soulmate’s opening, and Gabrielle raised her hips to allow the warrior entry. Gabrielle arched her back, thrusting upward to meet Xena’s hand as the warrior slowly eased to fingers into the bard’s hot, slick entrance, groaning in rapture as Gabrielle’s inner muscles contracted almost immediately. The bard was already nearing her climax and Xena increased the motion of her hips, furiously thrusting her center against Gabrielle’s body as she pumped her fingers in and out of her lover’s core. The warrior and the bard moved as one, hearts and souls merging together as they reached their peaks at the same moment, their cries of passion echoing in the air around them.

Xena waited until the last aftershock had passed before she reluctantly withdrew her fingers. She held Gabrielle close, murmuring words of love into her ear until the bard stopped trembling and her breathing returned to normal. The sun had begun its descent, casting a rosy glow over the intertwined lovers, and Gabrielle lifted her head to peer at the fading light.

"You know, your mother’s expecting us tomorrow night," she said once she had regained her voice.

Xena quirked an eyebrow at her and her lips curled into a seductive grin as she felt Gabrielle’s fingers drift down to her thigh.

"I think we’re gonna be a little late," she said, her train of thought broken as Gabrielle rolled on top of her and the flame of their passion burned anew.

THE END