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See part 1 for disclaimer

There is violence, and some sex, and a loving relationship between two consenting adults...oh yeah and they're the same gender. If any of this bothers you, or is illegal where you are, or you're not 18 yet then please delete this now and find something else to read. Sex Warning: This one needs a warning if a fairly graphic sexual encounter between two caring , loving adult women bothers you (geez are you in the wrong place) I suggest you delete this now. Angst Warning: Some pretty intense emotions here so I was told a tissue alert was in order.

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Dedication: For Niki, my inspiration, and the keeper of my soul, my angel. If not for her belief in me this story wouldn't exist. Thanks chér!

Also, a big thanks to my beta, Diva, you're the best, babe, but you already knew that.

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The Keeper of My Soul--Always 22

by: Alex P.

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After they had taken the edge off their desire, the two lovers lay there in each other's arms enjoying the afterglow in silence. Xena could feel Gabrielle's small hands rubbing patterns on her abdomen.

She wrapped her arms around the light of her life a little tighter, and enjoyed the soft moan of pleasure her lover made as she revelled in the warm protection of the warrior's powerful arms.

Xena kissed the top of Gabrielle's head and breathed in deeply, taking in the intoxicating fragrance of the bard-Queen's golden hair. She let her

chin rest on her bard's head and smiled at the familiar quiet comfort of the moment.

<>By the gods woman!<> Xena teased at herself, enjoying the peace and quiet that enveloped them here with the Amazons <>you have got it bad, and you're loving every minute of it.<>

Something was bothering Xena, a small voice in the back of her mind nagging at her. There was a question she had wanted to ask, but couldn't remember what the damn thing was about, but she was sure it would come to her sooner or later.

The warrior let her eyes roam around the room, casually taking in the atmosphere that pervaded the sleeping room of their hut. By Amazon standards it was huge.

The hut had three sleeping rooms, a loft for extra guests, and an eating room with a table where Xena and her partner usually ate their private, special meals together.

There was also a large central room where guests came to talk or visit.

Anything concerning the Amazons was usually handled in the throne room in an entirely different building.

Gabrielle took being the Amazon Queen very seriously, but she took her partnership with her spouse seriously also so she tried to keep her private and public lives separate. It didn't always work, but Xena appreciated the attempt.

It was then that Xena remembered how her wife was dressed before the warrior had made her more "comfortable". The Amazon Queen had been wearing her most formal outfit, the one she wore only on very formal very important gatherings.

Unlike most of the clothing Gabrielle wore since becoming an Amazon, this was a very stiff and conservative outfit almost a formal full-length,

leather gown with a high collar and flared sleeves with a full-length dress.

Around her waist went a heavy leather belt dyed green and hanging from the belt was an Amazon short sword on the right and a long dagger on the left.

The leather head band was still on her head, it held a steel badge in the center of the Queen's forehead. It was an important sign from her patron

goddess that bore the symbols of Gabrielle's clan, tribe, and the symbol of Queen of the Amazons, given to her personally by Artemis, signifying the Goddess's own blessings on the small woman and the Queen's position as the chosen of the Goddess of the hunt. It was a silent, formal declaration of the bard's rank and importance as an Amazon.

The warrior's eyes quickly surveyed the interior of their hut until her eyes fell on the formal, intricately-carved staff that she carried on her visits to the temple of Artemis. The carvings told the story of how Gabrielle became an Amazon princess because of an act of unselfish bravery and how, after a series of unforeseen events, the accomplished bard became Queen of her tribe.

Then it went on to tell the story of how the Goddess had proclaimed the small bard-Queen her chosen and Queen of the entire Amazon nation. It was a beautifully decorated and important symbol of the Amazon nation that Gabrielle cherished.

Usually the staff was left with the regent as a sign that the Queen had her complete confidence and her decisions had the full backing of the Queen.

When they were home or the staff wasn't being displayed for some official purpose, the priceless artifact was kept safely locked away with the rest of what the Amazons considered their most valuable treasures.

Now it was here in their home.

All the signs told Xena that something of great importance was about to happen or had happened already, and it was quite probably something that Xena had forgotten, like an anniversary or birthday or the like. She could feel the guilt wash over her.

Once again, the royal Consort and

Champion was sure she had let her beloved Queen down.

<>How many times,<> Xena asked herself <>How many times am I going to mess up and have her forgive me without so much as a word or action of disappointment<>

"Ah, Brie, can I ask you something without making you mad?" the warrior asked tentatively. "You know just out of curiosity nothing important or anything."

"Sure, hun, you can ask me anything," the sleepy bard answered hoping she

had the answer her lover was looking for. "You should know that by now."

"Ah...yeah I know but it never hurts to ask, K?" Xena answered sheepishly, stopping just short of reminding her lover how moody she'd been. "I mean I don't want you to think that I take you for granted."

Judging by the megawattage smile she received, Xena knew she had given the right answer. Gabrielle gave her warrior a lung-crushing hug, and seeing

all that beautiful soft skin on her lover's neck, the bard was unable to resist taking a bite.

She was rewarded for her efforts when Xena let out a low, sexy growl. Hoping for further favorable reactions, the playfully aroused Amazon Queen released the flesh of Xena's neck and latched onto the nearest earlobe and began sucking and nibbling on the tender morsel.

"Gods, woman, you're killin' me!" Xena moaned, feeling her heat rising even higher than it had before.

"You complaining?" Gabrielle asked around her mouthful of ear. "Cause I can stop if you want."

"Oh sweet goddess no!" the aroused warrior exclaimed almost at the breaking point. "I'd rather die."

With strength born of determination, Xena clasped Gabrielle's arms and rolled so that she was laying on top of her heavily panting bard.

"Now, my sweet little wife," the warrior growled, "let's see if you like my

attentions."

<>Oh yes!!<>Gabrielle thought gleefully<>I think I'm in big trouble now.<>

Xena knew exactly what was on her lover's mind and knew just the right move to drive her over the edge of sanity. Gabrielle found her lips covered by her lover's own soft ones.

She felt her lover's tongue tracing the outline of her mouth, her way of requesting entrance. As if they had a mind of their own, her lips parted, allowing Xena's swirling, probing tongue to enter.

While her tongue explored her lover's hot wet mouth, her hands found the bard's firm breasts. She marvelled how the incredibly magnificent mounds fit so perfectly in her hands. The warrior began gently squeezing and kneading the sensitive flesh when her fingers discovered Gabrielle's diamond hard nipples, giving the already tender nubs a light pinch, eliciting a deep demanding groan.

Gabrielle was in the grip of her body's most primal urges, feeling her lover's thigh trying to take a position between the bard's own. Gabrielle gladly opened her legs and was rewarded when Xena's hard-muscled

thigh

pressed against the bard's drenched center.

Both women moaned in ecstasy as they felt how wet Xena's thigh became as Gabrielle's hips ground into her thigh trying to increase the friction and drive the now incoherent Amazon even further.

Gabrielle's hands rubbed patterns down

Xena's muscular back, digging her fingernails into the smooth skin when her lover made a move that aroused her further. Eventually, the bard's hands reached her lover's tight, round

ass and began kneading the globes and digging her nails into the flesh making Xena hiss in ecstasy.

Xena finally released her lover's mouth kissing down her jawline, her lips and tongue tasting every inch of skin all the way to her neck. The Warrior Princess began nipping and sucking at the skin of her bard's neck, clearly marking the woman as hers.

"Oh gods, Xena...yes...please...more!" Gabrielle cried out not caring who heard. "Take me there...PLEEEEEEASE!"

Her pleas ending in a scream, making Xena want to do more for her beloved. Inspired by the cries, she began moving down the bard's body kissing, licking, and nipping her way to her love's breasts. She let her tongue swirl in circles around the hard nipple.

Feeling Gabrielle's breathing become faster, Xena stopped licking and gently

blew on the wet

flesh, watching as it puckered and pebbled, smiling at her lover's loud moan of pleasure.

"By the gods, woman, you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen," Xena declared in a reverent voice, almost a prayer. "Just truly magnificent."

The words barely registered in Gabrielle's sex-fevered brain, she was sure she was about to die of ecstasy as her arousal reached a painfully high peak.

"Please-Xena-please-take-me-now-please-I- need-you-please-now," Gabrielle begged as her mind reached it's breaking point. "Oh-my-gods-Xena-release-me-now-I- can't- take-any-more-please!"

Taking pity on the over-stimulated woman, the warrior slid down and settled herself between Gabrielle's thighs and took a heartbeat to take in the sight before her. The soft, golden curls were soaked by her lover's arousal. The dark-haired beauty breathed in deeply, enjoying the scent of the light of her life's arousal.

The inner flesh was swollen and dark pink. Using her long slender fingers, Xena gently parted the nether lips. She was immediately drawn to the source of the sweet nectar that flowed copiously from her beloved.

Craving the flavor of her bard's essence, her tongue flicked out and just

barely grazed the hot, wet flesh.

Gabrielle hissed loudly and arched her hips into the warrior's face. Xena took pleasure in lapping up her lover's nectar. She let her tongue drag up the slit until it came to the throbbing bundle of nerves at the apex

of the bard's sex.

Gabrielle screamed in sweet agony as electric jolts of pleasure ripped through her body into her brain. Her lover closed her lips around the center of her heat and began sucking lightly on the swollen center of her lover's arousal, while Xena flicked her tongue over the tip of the hypersensitive clit, driving Gabrielle even closer to the paradise she was seeking.

"Xena...please...your...fingers...now...fill...me." Unable to deny her lover anything, she pressed two fingers into her bard's core.

She could feel her own sex answering her lover's primal call as she felt the inner walls close on the invading digits, trying to grab and hold them. Their efforts were thwarted by their own slick juices that flowed freely from the bard's very core.

"More, Xena, I need more pleeeease," Gabrielle begged then screamed in ecstasy as her lover complied readily.

Gabrielle's hips rocked in time with Xena's thrusts. Her thrusts became harder and faster as Xena felt her own climax approaching as she thrust a third finger into her lover.

Gabrielle suddenly went completely rigid and her inner walls clamped down on her lover's fingers, trapping them there.

"OH GODS XENA YESSSSSSSS!" the Amazon cried out as her orgasm tore through her body.

"That's right, baby," the warrior growled. "Let it go cum for me, lover."

Moving up her lover's body for a kiss, Xena felt the smaller woman raise her

own leg, pressing her hard thigh into Xena's dripping wet over-heated center.

The dark woman gasped as she felt the hard muscle causing the most delicious friction against her sensitive flesh. She felt herself grinding her wet sex into the thigh, her breath coming in harsh gasps as the smooth-skinned limb carried her higher and higher toward the heights of passion.

Just when the Warrior was sure she couldn't go any higher, the jolting electric fire of her own climax launched her soul beyond the heights of Olympus. Her howling roar of pleasure shattered the night air.

"That's it, love, let it go for me," Gabrielle hissed, enjoying the way her

lover surrendered to the passion.

The sated woman rolled her still trembling body off her lover and lay there trying to regain control of her racing heart.

"Hey, lover, come here," Gabrielle requested wanting to hold her beloved wife in her arms.

Xena looked up into those heavy-lidded, smoky green eyes and knew resistance was futile. Unable to rise, her body still quivering with pleasure, the warrior crawled to her bard's body until they were eye to eye and lay down next to her.

Gabrielle looked her lover over closely, from her dark sweat-dampened hair, down her glowing skin, to her perfect feet and back up again until smoky green gazed deeply into intense dark blue.

<>By the Gods<>Gabrielle thought<>even after that almost terminal climax I still want her. Careful girl, one more session like that right now would kill you.<>

<>Ahhh but what a way to go<> she answered her own warning.

Xena heard her lover's sigh and wondered what she was thinking. Shaking that thought off, she wrapped her arms around her bard and pulled the petite woman close.

The two women lay in their bed, quietly basking in the afterglow of their

love making, each assured of the other's perfection as a lover. Xena heard Gabrielle's breathing become slow and steady and knew she was asleep.

<>Damn, I forgot to ask her what the occasion was<>Xena thought with a smile<>oh well it was worth it. I'll just ask when we wake up<>

The sleepy warrior reached down and pulled the covers up over both of them and tightened her hold on her lover as she felt the small woman snuggle in closer to her.

She lay there watching her precious lover sleep until she answered the call of Hypnos herself, her eyes fluttered shut and soon her own sleep sounds join those of Gabrielle. Both with satisfied smiles on their lips.

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END 22

TBC

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