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            The moon was full; shining with an eerie crimson sheen across the forest, creeping with blood red intensity into each and every fold of leaf and crack of tree until the wood itself seemed to drip with gore. Iolaus could feel it enfolding him leaving an iridescent sheen upon his skin. Somewhere in the woods behind him he could hear the wolves baying at the Blood Moon as the hunter became the hunted, could hear shrill voices chanting….

Bacc-hus, Bacc-hus, Bacc-hus…

            The ghoul came fast, slithering on its snake like body and lunging towards him out of the darkness, its serrated toothed maw gaping wide as it lunged at his throat. He dodged, diving to the frosty ground and rolling back to his feet to run again. The ghoul caught him with a sweep of its tail, snatching his feet from under him as it once more lunged. The fanged maw closed on his thigh, chomping deep into his cringing flesh as he screamed…

            And woke in a cold sweat of sheer terror, his scream locked in the back of his throat. Sitting bolt upright, Iolaus swung his feet to the floor and fought to control his trembling as he rubbed the vicious cramp in his thigh.

            "Iolaus?" Hercules mumbled sleepily from the other side of the room. "You okay?"

            "Yeah, it's n'nothing. Go back to s'sleep," Iolaus stammered.

            There was silence for a moment then the demi-god rolled onto his side and lit the lamp beside his bed. "It doesn't sound like nothing," he observed as he pushed himself up on his arms and peered through the dim light at his friend. "And it doesn't look like nothing. You’re shaking."

            "I'm not." Iolaus looked away from him, finding himself instinctively scanning the inn room for signs of the monster in his nightmare.

            "Yes, you are." Hercules climbed out of bed to push the window shutter open and let some fresh air into the room before he sat down beside Iolaus. He put a hand on his shoulder, feeling his shivering. "You feel feverish."

            "Not really. Leave me alone, Herc. It was only a bad dream."

Hercules frowned at him and left his hand where it was, noting that Iolaus made no effort to shrug him off. "About what?"

"You don't want to know," Iolaus managed a shaky laugh as he flexed his leg. The cramping pain in his thigh seemed to be wearing off at last.

"Anything that could freak you out has to be bad," the demi-god said calmly. "Talk or I torture you."            

Iolaus flashed a startled look at him and grinned ruefully. "It was nothing, really. I dreamed about the Bacchus Blood Moon and the ghoul."

"It's been a while since you had that one," Hercules commented in concern.

"It's been a while since the Blood Moon," Iolaus snorted and kept his head down so Hercules couldn't see his chagrined expression.

The demi-god glanced at the moon glowing pale as frost beyond the window. It was low in the night sky, filigreed silver instead of rich as cream. Bad weather could well be on the way and he was glad the local farmers had finished gathering their crops. The weather had been strange recently, cold when it should have been warm. Wet when it should have been dry…."We can move on tomorrow if you want," he suggested slowly.

"And miss the festival?" Iolaus protested. "Besides, we promised to help with the Tug of War. You wouldn't want me to think you’re scared of a challenge are you?"

Hercules chuckled. "I think I can beat you at a game of Tug Of War."

"We’ll see about that!"

"You and whose army? Besides, you’re the one with the weird dream."

"Don't even joke about it!" Iolaus yelped and shuddered violently, startling them both with his reaction. Hercules tightened his grip on his shoulder.

"You know, I think you are feverish," he said seriously as he felt how warm Iolaus was considering the cool night air. "Maybe you should get back into bed."

Iolaus raised an eyebrow at him. "Getting a little fussy, aren't you?"

"Well, I wouldn't want you finding any excuses when you lose, now would I?"

The hunter grimaced at him and gave Hercules a shove to make him stand up. Sliding back under the blankets, he pulled them up to his chest and then settled back with his arms folded behind his head.     

Hercules eyed him for a moment before he closed the shutter and padded back to his own bed to gratefully slide his cold feet under the covers. There was still a warm spot where he had got out and he snuggled into it blissfully.

"Herc?" Iolaus said drowsily.

"Yeah?"

"You did kill the ghoul, didn't you?" the hunter asked in a small hopeful voice.

If Hercules hadn't known his friend had had good reason to be scared of the monster that had come close to killing him, he would have teased him about his nightmare, instead he smiled in understanding. "I killed it, Iolaus," he promised. "And I burned what was left. There's no way it can come back."

Iolaus sighed in relief and turned onto his side, burrowing down among the blankets. "Good," he murmured sleepily.

Lying still, Hercules listened to his friend's breathing even out as he fell asleep and sighed. He was glad he had been able to reassure his friend, he only wished someone could do the same for him. Maybe the one he had killed could not return but he knew of nothing to stop Bacchus creating another one.

                                                            * * *

            The cowled figure knelt on the cold stone floor, huddled as close to the flagstones as it could get as the tall black cloaked woman entered the cavern with her blonde haired servant scurrying at her heels.

            "What are you doing here?"

"I have information, mistress. Important information, mistress," the cowled figure answered, bobbing obsequiously closer to the floor.

With a sniff, she gestured him to get up.  "Stop grovelling, man. It is bad enough that I have to deal with the likes of you without having to put up with your snivelling ways."

"Yes, mistress." He scrambled to his feet, keeping his cloak hood tugged tight around his face.

 "Now, what is you want?" she demanded as she settled into her throne of bones and propped her long, black leather clad legs on a stone footrest shaped like a skull.

Swallowing nervously, the man eyed her legs and took a shaky breath. "It is Hercules, mistress. He arrived a few hours ago in the village."

"And you came all the way out here after dark to tell us? How brave of you," the servant sneered, her eyes glinting maliciously.

"I obeyed Mistress Attis' orders,” the man mumbled, giving her a look of mingled fear and loathing.

"Excellent. And does he have his companion with him?" Attis asked as if neither had spoken.

"The blond warrior is with him as you said he would be, mistress. They are going to stay for the festival."

Attis smiled, her tongue flicking over pure white teeth.  "Excellent," she purred once more. "Our master will be most pleased."

The man shot a look up at her and cringed, tugging his cloak closer still around him as he eyed her lengthened incisors. "May I go now, mistress?"

Attis nodded, waving him out with a flick of long fingers. The man scuttled for the door, avoiding the large stone walled pool with its rust coloured stones that lay in the middle of the floor.

"We should kill him before he tells Hercules."

"He will tell no one. His fear of us, of me, is far too great for him to risk betraying us." Attis shifted and sat up in her throne, propping her chin on one hand as she gazed into the walled pool. "Soon the crucible will once more fill with the blood of the innocent and from their blood will rise Bacchus' Servant." Attis turned her head, her long blue black hair a shimmer of shadow in the torchlight as she smiled and ran a finger along her perfect lips. "Think of it. Hercules killed the master's minion, now he will see the new Servant arise…I find it all so poetic somehow. Don't you?"

                                                            * * *

The following morning Hercules stretched blissfully in the warm air, glad to see that it had dawned bright and clear with the promise of being hot. It was a good day for the Festival of Dionysus and he had been happy to help with the last minute preparations to get things ready. He might even be persuaded into sampling a little of the local brew. Absently glancing round, he straightened his best dark brown suede tunic and started towards the buffet tables. It seemed like forever since he had been this relaxed and happy.

"There you are, Herc. I've been looking for you. Where'd you go so early?"

Hercules glanced round at his friend as Iolaus bounced out of the inn. He too was dressed in his festival finery; a hyacinth blue shirt that brought out the colour of his eyes and a wine red suede jerkin over his black leather pants and boots. "Nowhere in particular. I was awake early so I thought I’d let you sleep in."

"On a festival day?" Iolaus gave him a horrified look.

"You looked like you needed the sleep after your nightmare."

Iolaus shot a hunted look around him and came closer. "Not so loud. I don't want everyone to know."

As his friend came to his side, Hercules chuckled and draped his arm affectionately around him. "Don't look so worried. I haven't told anyone. And you haven't missed breakfast."

Iolaus shrugged him off with an indignant look. "As if that's all I care about," he said hurtly as the demi-god tugged him towards the buffet tables laid out under the trees in the shade. Food was free the day of a festival and the women had been cooking for days in anticipation. "I wanted to help out."

"I think we've both done enough of that already," Hercules soothed as Iolaus bounced over to examine the breakfast layout. The demi-god helped himself to a mound of eggs and bacon on a fresh bread trencher and sat on the seat under the trees, watching Iolaus happily sampling the almond pastries before he chose the scrambled eggs.

"They cook great food around here," the hunter said cheerfully as he perched beside his friend.

"Well, you'll need all your strength for the Tug of War later," Hercules assured him blandly.

"We'll see. Muscle power isn't everything."

"Got a few hunter's tricks planned, have you?" Hercules probed with a thrill of curiosity. He loved Iolaus' devious plans: even when the hunter did put one over on him there was never any malice in it and Hercules rarely guessed what he was up to until it was too late.

Iolaus simply gave him a bright grin. "I'm not telling," he answered.

Tilting his head to one side, Hercules considered this. "I'm sure I can pry it out of you."

"Why? You've never managed it before."

"Greetings!" The loud hail made them both look up and grin as they saw the plump figure of the innkeeper and festival organiser hurrying towards them.

"Hello Basil," Hercules responded with a friendly wave.

Basil swished to a halt in front of them in a flurry of bright red robes. He was a little out of breath as he bobbed a polite bow to them. "Greetings most honoured guests, I trust you are relishing our humble offering of a repast?"

"What?" Iolaus said blankly, glancing sideways at Hercules. 

"He wants to know if we're enjoying breakfast."

"Oh. Why didn't he say so then?"

Hercules grinned and turned back to a faintly bewildered Basil. "Breakfast is fine, thank you. Is there anything we can help you with?"

"Oh, no, no, that's quite unnecessary I assure you." Basil enthused, wringing his hands together as he spoke. "You're finding your accommodations satisfactory? No strange disturbances? The beds are comfortable? "

"Why's he asking about beds?"  Iolaus hissed suspiciously. "And what doe he mean by 'disturbances'?"

"The inn is perfect," Hercules said loudly, giving the hunter a quelling look.

"I mean, I know we're sharing a room, but…."

Hercules dug an elbow in Iolaus' ribs and spoke up while the hunter wheezed theatrically. "We're having a wonderful time, Basil, and we're looking forward to the festival. When do the revels begin?"

"Oh, any time now.  And we are so looking forward to you taking part in the Tug Of War. You don't mind, do you?" Basil gave the demi-god an anxious look.

"Iolaus and I are thrilled to be asked," Hercules told him solemnly. "When does it start?"

"As soon as you’re ready. But please, do finish your repast first. I'll have a servant bring more eggs. If you'll excuse me…"

"He's strange," Iolaus murmured as Basil fluttered back into the inn.

"He reminds me of Salmoneus," Hercules replied thoughtfully.

"At least Salmoneus speaks proper Greek," Iolaus retorted. "I'm not sure what Basil speaks."

"Fluent innkeeper, I suspect," the demi-god chuckled.

"Whatever. I never understand a word. You finished with that bacon?"

"Get your own!" Hercules yelped, fending his friend off as Iolaus sneaked a slice of bacon from his trencher. "You've got more moves than an octopus!"

                                                            * * *

Several hours later the festival was in full swing with dancers dipping and swaying everywhere to the bright music of a trio of bards. A huge table had been set up in the middle of the square and was piled high with food. Three large casks of the best wine from previous seasons made the table bow under their weight.

Cautiously sipping a brew of apple wine, Hercules leaned against a wall while he got his breath back from a strenuous bout of dancing and watched Iolaus whirling a pretty young red head around the square as if she was as light as a feather. Where his friend got his energy to keep going from Hercules never knew. Iolaus never seemed to stop and rest for long.

"Ah, Hercules, there you are." Flushed from a beaker of wine too many, Basil bore down on the demi-god with an amiable grin. He waved a wine jug at him. "Care for a sample of Dionysus' Finest?"

"I'm fine, thanks," Hercules showed him his own beaker and was surprised when the innkeeper took it away from him.

Taking a mouthful, Basil swilled it around his mouth then spat it out with an expression of disgust. Pouting, he tossed the rest of the contents away. "Call that wine? Now, this is what I call wine," he told him, sloshing a large portion into the beaker and shoving it into Hercules' unwilling hands. "Taste that."

Hercules took a polite but reluctant sip, feeling the wine scald his tongue and burn down his throat like acid. His eyes watered in pain. "Uh…great…." he managed to stammer huskily.

"Smooth….huh?" Basil beamed at him. "Make it myself. If anyone's going to win Best Wine this festival it's going to be me. Now, the Maenads of Dionysus have made a small request."

"What kind of request?" Hercules croaked suspiciously.

"Well, they always choose a Harvest Prince for the festival…" Basil lowered his voice and shot a shifty look around him. "….as a er….fertility symbol so to speak,"

"Oh?" Hercules was starting to feel even more suspicious. "Who is it?"

Basil gave him a weak smile. "Er, this is dreadfully embarrassing which is no doubt why the Maenads asked me to tell you."

"Tell me what?" Hercules wasn't about to be used as a fertility anything if he could help it.

"Their ritual selected Iolaus." Basil blurted. "Please, don't be angry. I did tell them they had to be wrong and the ritual meant you, but they insist Dionysus wants it to be Iolaus and I really don't know how to argue with them…" Pausing warily, the innkeeper peered up at the demi-god. "Why are you laughing?" he asked in the same tone of voice someone might ask a barbarian what he meant to do with the axe he was brandishing.

 "Oh, nothing, nothing at all," Hercules chuckled. "I'm sure Iolaus will be delighted to help out."

Basil pouted. "I hope so. If I can ever get close enough to ask him. He seems to be avoiding me." Glancing at the beaker of wine he held, Hercules could understand that.  "I don't want them to scare him."

"Why would they scare him?"

"Well, there's a ritual kidnapping, you see. I wanted to warn you so you wouldn't be concerned. I assure you there's no violence involved. The Maenads are nothing at all like Bacchanites."

Hercules considered this for a moment and then nodded. "I doubt they'll scare him even if you don't tell him," he said mildly. "But I'll let him know for you."

"Oh, thank you," Basil said gratefully. "Now, drink up. Enjoy." Hercules smiled weakly and took a tiny sip of the wine as Basil looked round, spotting a friend in the crowd. "Hey, Lovis! Stay right where you are! I've got the winning brew right here!" As the innkeeper hurried off towards a dismayed looking farmer, Hercules looked round shiftily and emptied the beaker into a convenient window box.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, shame on you, Herc!" Hercules jumped a foot as Iolaus spoke up from right behind him. "You realise you've killed that plant off now, don't you?"

"Self preservation. Have you tasted that stuff of Basil's?"

Iolaus nodded solemnly. "I spilt some on the table, it blistered the wood."

"I'm not surprised," Hercules muttered with feeling. "Did you hear what Basil said?"

"Yeah. It sounds like fun." Iolaus' eyes sparkled in anticipation.

"It probably involves sampling their wine or something." Hercules lied solemnly. Knowing exactly what kind of orgiastic rituals the Maenads went in for, he figured his friend would have more fun finding out about them for himself. "I'm afraid you'll find it very boring."

"Oh…" Iolaus' face fell so fast, Hercules had to fight a laugh.

"Did you get bored with dancing?" he asked instead.

"No," Iolaus said, promptly cheering up. "It's time for me to thrash you in the Tug Of War." Hercules raised an eyebrow and looked around him very deliberately. "It's down by the stream," the hunter told him.

"I wasn't looking for that."

"No? What then?"

"Your army…."

Iolaus gave him an indignant glare. "Oh, you're going to be sorry for that," he assured him.

Hercules grinned at him. "Loser cooks dinner next time?"

"What? Burnt rabbits again?" Iolaus snorted as he led the way across the square.

"I have a new recipe."

"Really…?"  The hunter retorted sarcastically.

"Quail with roast almonds…."

Iolaus slammed to a halt, thought about it and then slid a look up at his friend. "Roast almonds? That's a temptation…."

"I know your addictions," Hercules teased. "You on for the bet?"

"What if I lose?"

"Trout with tarragon." Hercules was extremely fond of Iolaus' campfire cooking – to the detriment of his waistline.

"Okay, but you do the fishing."

"And you catch the quail."

"I’d rather catch the almonds. They don't fly so fast."

Hercules laughed, but before he could say anything there was a yell of warning from the far end of the village and the pounding of approaching hooves.

"Amazons ho!" went up the cry.

Hercules groaned and before Iolaus could protest, sprinted across the square. The last thing the demi-god wanted was to see the peaceful festival erupt into violence.

"Hercules!" Iolaus darted after him, doing his best to flag him down. "Hey, Herc! Wait up! Listen!"

Ignoring him, Hercules positioned himself across the entrance into the square and folded his arms, glaring at the approaching band of Amazons and doing his best to look suitably menacing.

"Hold!" he roared in his best demi-god tones. Surprised by his audacity, the Amazons reined in, their horses eddying around him as they gazed down at him in amused curiosity.

"Hey, first time we got a good looking welcome committee," one of them commented, tilting her blonde head to study the demi-god's rear view. 

Hercules shot the young Amazon a wary glance. They didn't seem to be violent, but it was always hard to tell what might set Amazons off.

"Things are looking up," an equally young brunette chuckled. "How about it, handsome?"

"How about what?" Hercules growled.

"Don't be dense, Herc," Iolaus panted, wriggling between the horses to his side. "They’re guests!"

"What?" Hercules gave him a startled glance.

"The elders always invite them to the festivals. Basil told me so. It's good relations."

"I'll say!" the blonde Amazon chuckled enthusiastically. "You up for some relations?"

Iolaus glanced up at her and grinned back, but was distracted before he could answer.

"Hey! Blondie!"  An excited yelp came from further down the street as a second group of Amazons trotted their horses up to see what was going on.

Iolaus glanced round warily at the nickname, then grinned hugely as he saw a six foot two, red haired Amazon swinging lithely down from her horse and striding to meet them. Without a word she wrapped both arms around the hunter and yanked him up close for a deep kiss. The other Amazons rode past, laughing and teasing and making ribald comments that made Hercules blush.

"Hey, come on, Amaryllis. Leave some for us!" the young brunette complained, nudging her fellow Amazon in the ribs when the kiss proved to be far more than a mere peck on the mouth.

"Find your own, Azalea." Amaryllis retorted as she released a breathless Iolaus and tapped him on the end of the nose with one long finger. "You've been practising your kissing, sexy. I do hope you've been practising with other portions of your anatomy besides your lips? Or do I have to take a whip to you again?"

Iolaus coloured. No one could embarrass him quite as easily as Amaryllis. She always seemed to know exactly what to say.

"Whip?!" Hercules echoed, raising an eyebrow at his friend.

"It isn't what you think!" Iolaus yelped, going scarlet. "It's only the way she says it that makes it sound, sound…!" The hunter floundered to a halt, glaring at Hercules as he gazed at him in amused disbelief.

"Whatever happened to share and share alike?" the blonde Amazon complained.

"I caught him, Aster, he's mine," Amaryllis retorted, studying Iolaus with a predatory glint in her eyes. "You can play with Hercules; assuming you can catch him and Arum will let you."

Two pairs of eyes turned thoughtfully to the demi-god. Hercules squirmed in chagrin and took a step backwards. "Now, ladies…."

"You’re Hercules?!" Azalea asked mildly.

"Yes…." Hercules admitted reluctantly. After all, he couldn't very well lie. Particularly when Iolaus would probably drop him right in it if he did.

"Ooh…we've heard all about you," Aster cooed in appreciation.

"Arum told us lots of things," Azalea added with wide grin.

"Lies, all lies…." Hercules stammered, shooting a wary glance round for the dark haired Amazon.

"Oh, I do hope not."

Amaryllis chuckled and looked up from her lazy perusal of Iolaus that was making the hunter feel like steak on a plate. "You'll have to check it with Arum," she warned as she put her arm around the warrior's waist.

"Aw, come on, what she doesn't know won't hurt her. We can drag him off into the trees for a while…." Aster argued.

"First come, first served. You know the rules."

"But it's a Mating Ride!" Azalea protested.

"And it'll be your last if you don't follow the rules. Go and play." Pouting, the two Amazons reined up their horses and circled the two men, following the other Amazons into the square. Amaryllis gazed after them watchfully for a moment, her hand idly caressing Iolaus' hip. Finally she turned an astute look on Hercules. "You needn't worry. There won't be any trouble from us," she told him. "This band comes here for every festival apparently. The villagers make them really welcome if you know what I mean?" She winked broadly at both men.

"I think so," Hercules mumbled. "You've joined their band then?"

"Temporarily, yes," Amaryllis admitted.

"Um, I see. Arum isn't with you, is she?"

"Course she is," Amaryllis chuckled. "They'll be along soon. We ran into a little trouble on the road."

"Serious?" Hercules asked in concern.

Amaryllis tossed back her hair as she laughed. "With us involved? What do you think? A petty skirmish with an odd looking bunch of would be Amazons. I'll tell Arum you’re looking for her."

"Uh, no, that's won't be necessary," Hercules muttered.

"Do you good, Herc," Iolaus teased, knowing perfectly well that Hercules' efforts at celibacy stood no chance when Arum was around. The black haired Amazon simply wouldn't take no for an answer.

Amaryllis laughed and pinched Iolaus on the rear end, making him yelp and leap away from her indignantly. "Do you good too, sweet hips. Care to go flatten some hay with me?"

"Not right now," Iolaus said weakly, doing his best to ignore the heat of her eyes. "We're taking part in the Tug Of War."

"Sounds like fun," Amaryllis said happily, rubbing her hands together and inhaling deeply enough of the fresh air to make both men stare at her spectacular cleavage. Her flint blue eyes sparkled in amusement as she noticed their appreciation of the view and she deliberately flexed a little more. "So what end do I get to pull?"

"What?!" Hercules and Iolaus both exclaimed at the same time.

"I meant the rope, naturally," Amaryllis said dryly. "But if it's three in a bed you want, I'm always game…."

"We'll stick to the rope," Hercules said hastily, ignoring Iolaus' efforts to hush him. Iolaus groaned, guessing what Amaryllis was going to make out of that.

"Ooh, kinky. Arum never mentioned you were in to that."

"I meant for the Tug of War!" Hercules yelped.

"Oh, of course you did, Legs. I know that." Amaryllis purred lazily as she set off into the square: leaving Hercules with the distinct impression that she definitely hadn't believed him at all.

                                                * * *

Rubbing his hands down his leather pants to dry them, Hercules picked up the thick rope and glanced across at Iolaus. His partner was happily organising his team of villagers into place on the rope, cheerfully bossing and teasing them until they were in position while desperately ignoring Amaryllis' bawdy comments. It didn't help that the Amazon's teasing was setting the other women off and he had to keep dodging to avoid getting pinched black and blue.

"The Amazons are coming! The Amazons are coming!" Basil's youngest son, Daedlion, yelled as he raced across the site towards his friends and slammed straight into Amaryllis as she turned to see what he was so excited about. He bounced off her cleavage and landed in the grass on his back as she gazed down at him disapprovingly.

"Not yet I'm not, but I plan to," she said cheerfully, throwing a lecherous glance over at Iolaus. The hunter ducked his head in embarrassment.

"Um, the Amazons are coming over to my place for wine?" the teenager added hopefully, as he looked her up and down.

"Daedlion! Watch your manners!" His older brother yelled indignantly from where he was taking up his place in the Tug of War.

 Chuckling, Amaryllis caught hold of Daedlion's hand and hoisted the blond youth back to his feet. "Come back when you finish growing up," she told him, shooing him towards his friends. The other boys accepted him into their midst with an excited babble of chatter. "Boys will be boys," Amaryllis commented to Hercules as he glanced at her curiously.

"You don't mind?"

Amaryllis shrugged. "Human instinct. We’d be stupid to ignore it. Besides, it's fun. Right, Blondie?"

"Right," Iolaus agreed as he ambled over. "Ready to get beaten, Herc?"

"No. Are you?"

"With Amaryllis on my side how could we lose?" Iolaus retorted and, taking the startled Amazon by the hand, he led her back towards his team.

"Do you want to ruin my reputation as an Amazon?" Amaryllis hissed as she impatiently tugged her hand free. Her blush belied her glare and only made the hunter grin, unperturbed. Tugging on a lock of red hair, he pulled her down and whispered something in her ear that made her laugh before she snatched the opportunity to kiss him on the mouth. She swatted him on the rear end as he bounded to the back of the rope to take his position.

"Ready, Hercules?" Amaryllis called as she took her own place.

Digging his feet in the soft ground, Hercules curled the rope around his hands and yelled back that he was as they took up the slack. There were two women, Dillon, the village healer, plus Amaryllis and Iolaus against the demi-god. Hercules thought it was about even as he leaned back against the pull on the rope and stood his ground. With much heaving and yelling his opponents sought to drag him forward, enthusiastically encouraged by the crowd that had gathered to watch.

"Come on, Herc! I thought you were going to win!" Iolaus yelled from the back. "Put some muscle into it! Flex 'em, Herc!"

Hercules growled under his breath and heaved, determined to pull all of them flat on their faces. To his astonishment the team staggered forward, but remained upright despite his efforts. Feeling the sweat break out on his back and start to trickle down his skin, Hercules stepped up his efforts – still with no more effect apart from a rustle of muttering.

"I need to drop out!" Dillon, who was at the front, called out. "I can't afford to be a healer with rope burns!"

"Herc?" Iolaus called questioningly.

"No problem." Hercules eased up so that the Dillon could release the rope and step back. "You want to get someone else?" 

"Nah!" Iolaus answered cheerfully and the rope tightened firmly.

Once more Hercules heaved, taking up the minimal amount of slack before he again met solid resistance. Still the villagers wouldn't budge hard as he heaved.  "Are you cheating?" he called suspiciously to his friend.

"Who? Us?" Iolaus called back, wide eyed with innocent as he leaned ostentatiously back against the pull of the rope. "We had our oats this morning, that's all."

Hercules grunted and heaved again to another whisper of muttering. The woman at the front staggered and went down on one knee and for a moment Hercules thought he had them, but the rope remained as taut as ever. Dillon hurried forward to help the hobbling woman out the way.

"Want to give up?" Amaryllis called, waving one hand at him.

"No!" Hercules bellowed back and stamped his heels into the ground, determinedly striding back a step before he had to admit that the rope simply wasn't moving. The second woman suddenly let go and doubled over, clutching at the small of her back and limping out of the way.

Hercules stared. Only Amaryllis and Iolaus remained and the demi-god knew without a doubt that he was stronger than either of them. So why weren't they moving? Amaryllis glanced over her shoulder at Iolaus, bracing her long legs astride as she leaned back and the pair of them heaved in unison. Hercules slithered a bare fraction forward then pulled back and Amaryllis slipped and went down on her rear end.

"Oh now look! I'm covered in mud!" she wailed as she sprang to her feet, backing away from the rope.

Hercules gaped at her. Since when did Amaryllis ever care anything about a little dirt? Shooting a glare at a laughing Iolaus, he grinned evilly and hauled. Iolaus leaned back, bracing himself against the sudden yank and not moving. Hercules' jaw dropped. This was impossible!

"What's the matter, Herc?" Iolaus called mischievously. "Lost your touch?"

"I.…What have you done?!"

Iolaus' laughter bubbled over into a waterfall of delighted giggles and he let go of the rope, stepping well clear as it remained stretched taut. For a moment Hercules couldn't believe it, then he saw the huge ancient tree the rope had been securely tied around. All the time he had been straining against a solidly rooted tree with nowhere near enough leverage to affect it.

"You’re slow, Herc!" Iolaus yelled teasingly and legged it through the laughing crowd before the demi-god could make a lunge to grab him.

"I'm going to get you for this!" Hercules roared, flinging the rope to the ground and belting after his partner with a huge grin of pleasure in the chase.  It felt wonderful to forget who and what he was for once and simply indulge in some fun for once.

Iolaus was fast and skilful, ducking and weaving through the crowd as Hercules pursued him back into the village and across the square. The demi-god finally cornered him among the market stalls set up at the far end of the square, trapping him in the narrow alleyway between the blacksmith's forge and the wall of the Temple of Hestia.

"Cheat, will you?" Hercules growled, prowling towards his friend.

"Now, Herc," Iolaus held up both hands in placation. "You never said I couldn't have a tree on my team."

"You…!" Hercules lunged and grabbed, missing as Iolaus danced out of reach but whipping sideways to get between him and freedom. "Not so fast, my friend."

Iolaus backed up, looking over Hercules' shoulder with his eyes widening in horror. "Behind you…"

Hercules frowned and glanced over his shoulder, then swung back and caught his partner as Iolaus sprinted past him. Hoisting the squirming hunter off his feet, he held him up over his head and well out of reach of any tricky handholds. "You didn't think I'd fall for that, did you?" he chuckled.

"It was worth a go," Iolaus laughed back. "You did last time."

Hercules snorted and stomped back into the square, ignoring Iolaus' protests as he looked around. He lowered the hunter onto his shoulder, holding him in place with an unbreakable grip. "Now, what shall I do with you?"

"Aw, come on, it was a joke!" Iolaus yelped. "What happened to your sense of humour?"

"Not a thing," Hercules answered cheerfully, spotting exactly the people he wanted and heading towards them. "People are laughing, aren't they?"

"Yeah! At me!"

The Maenads, dressed in their colourful dancing costumes, looked like a bed of wildflowers as they oversaw the distribution of the wine. They watched Hercules carrying Iolaus towards them in eager anticipation.

"Hey, come on, put me down," Iolaus protested as he peered around Hercules to see where they were going.  "I don't want to sit and taste wine!"

Hercules laughed and tightened his grip so Iolaus couldn't squirm off his shoulder. "I thought I’d deliver your Harvest Prince to you, ladies," he announced as he deposited Iolaus on his feet in the middle of the circle of women. Iolaus shot an uneasy look around him at their excited faces and then glared at Hercules as the demi-god firmly held him in place with a grip on his shoulder. "I'm afraid he's a bit shy…"

"I think we know how to deal with that," the High Priestess said dryly, gesturing to the Maenads. With a ripple of giggles, the Maenads closed in on the hunter, wrapping ropes of flowers around his wrists and a strand of tiny blue flowers around his neck to act as a lead rope.

"I'm gonna get you for this!" Iolaus yelled indignantly as they then led him across the square towards the lone tree in the middle. Hercules ambled after them, curious as to what they'd do next. Backing the reluctant hunter up against the pine tree, they bound him in place with ropes of flowers around his chest, waist and thighs and placed a circlet of flowers on his head. A basket was positioned at his feet and the High Priestess came to stand in front of the warrior.

"I am Zora, priestess of Dionysus. Do you know what is required of you?" she said mildly as the other Maenads hurried back to the square.

"No," Iolaus admitted warily. By now he was starting to feel a tiny bit anxious about what they had planned. He doubted it was going to be painful and he knew he could break the ropes if he needed to escape in a hurry. Hercules wouldn't let anyone hurt him, but letting him have the life embarrassed out of him was another matter. The demi-god was standing at a safe distance with his arms folded and a huge grin of amusement on his face.

 The priestess smiled at him and gently patted him on the chest. "Don't worry. You'll enjoy it," she assured him. "To ensure fertility for the village we capture a single attractive male…." She paused and frowned slightly. "You are single, I trust?" Iolaus nodded reluctantly, unsure whether he was being complimented or not.  She smiled in satisfaction and continued. "Each woman in the village who wishes to then accepts your sacrifice to ensure fertility for herself and the village."

"What sacrifice?!" Iolaus yelped in alarm.

"Why, a kiss of course," the priestess answered, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "What did you expect?"

"I er, I…." Iolaus blushed. He knew of at least one fertility rite that involved tying a man to a tree and whipping him until he came. It had always sounded acutely painful to him. Sex and pain didn't go together at all as far as he was concerned. He noticed that Hercules was grinning at him in wicked merriment and sent him a ferocious glare. "Why me and not Hercules?" he demanded finally.

"You are a mortal and he is not," she answered simply. "A few small coins are also requested from each supplicant as a gift to the Temple of Hestia."

"To Hestia?" Iolaus echoed in surprise. "Not to Dionysus?"

The priestess shook her head. "As Maenads we serve Dionysus, as women we look to Hestia who protects hearth and home. It is Hestia who protects our village."

Iolaus relaxed. He knew that any Temple of Hestia would take in anyone who needed help and had had reason in his own youth to be grateful for its protection.

"Do you accept the honour of being Harvest Prince?" the priestess asked and then leaned forward to whisper something in his ear. Iolaus shot a startled look at her as she drew back.

"Really?" he said curiously. "By any Maenad I choose?"

"As a thank you, yes." The priestess inclined her head as she opened a leather pouch on her belt and started to dab his bare skin with perfumed oil.

"Okay. I guess can manage a few kisses…." Iolaus glanced over at Hercules who winked at him and nodded in approval. "But you’re gonna pay for this, Hercules, you are going to pay….!"

                                                            * * *

A few kisses is one thing, this lot is quite another, Iolaus reflected as he surrendered his mouth to yet another passionate female. The first five or six, he had enjoyed, but after that they tended to blur together unless the girl was either particularly passionate or particularly gorgeous or had wayward hands. He had soon discovered that if they got a bit too familiar and he was driven to a yelp, Zora would bear down on the woman in question with a thyrsus in her hand and a determined look in her eye to drive them off.

Aster drew back slowly from her kiss, a speculative look in her blue eyes.  "You know what Amaryllis doesn't know…" she began.

"No," Iolaus said firmly.

"I've got a couple of gold coins for Hestia…." the Amazon hinted as she touched his sword belt.

Iolaus' expression settled into a stony glare.  "I'm not for sale. Go away."

"Come on now…."

A soft smacking sound from behind Aster made her look round into Zora's cool grey eyes. The priestess was slapping her thyrsus across one hand as she frowned at the young Amazon. "He is neither a slave, nor for sale," she informed her briskly. "You had your kiss and much good may it do you. On your way."

Aster glared and drew herself up to her full height. "I am an Amazon," she said threateningly.

"So?" Zora retorted. "You are also little more than a child who needs to learn her manners."

Aster reached for her sword in fury. "I am not a child!"

"Leave her alone, Aster. You’re peace-bonded," Iolaus reminded her sharply, flexing against the ropes that held him. "Besides, she's a priestess and Amazons don't attack unarmed women!"

Aster hesitated, then slammed her sword back into its sheath and stalked away. "Thank you," Zora murmured, inclining her head gracefully to the warrior.  "But I am armed." She lifted the thyrsus meaningfully.

"I noticed, but it was my pleasure," Iolaus responded, licking dry lips. "When do I get out of here?"

"Sundown."

"Sundown! I can't last that long!"

Zora raised an eyebrow at him.

"Well, I mean…." Iolaus squirmed in embarrassment.

"Or until the women are finished with you," Zora qualified. "I suspect you may be here all night. Apparently you kiss well."

Iolaus rolled his eyes and decided to save his strength, wishing he didn't kiss well right then. After a moment, Zora strolled back to her shady spot a few yards away and settled down with the basket of coins. He watched her for a while, grateful that no one else seemed to be coming over from the square, and was contemplating a quick nap when he realised someone was approaching.

Hercules ambled across the square to the priestess and spoke to her softly. She looked up, smiling at the demi-god in a friendly fashion and chuckling at whatever he said. Frowning, Iolaus strained to hear what they were saying but the light breeze whisked away their words. When Hercules tossed a handful of coins in the basket and turned towards his friend with a huge, evil grin however, Iolaus gaped at him in disbelief.

"Herc?" he questioned warily as the demi-god strutted towards him. "Hercules?! Don't you dare even think it!"

Hercules said nothing, his grin widening as he watched Iolaus attempt to wriggle round to the other side of the tree. Then he leaned with one hand against the tree above the hunter's head and gave him a slow, lazy smile.  "Well, hello…" he purred in his best seductive tone.

Iolaus' eyes went wide with panic. "Herc, you wouldn't!" he stammered. He knew that tone of old. "Have you been drinking?"

Hercules only smiled and delicately brushed a golden curl away from the hunter's ear.

"Hermes?" Iolaus questioned; half-hopeful, half-afraid it was the Herald. At least he knew what Hermes' lecherous intentions were.

"Nope…." Hercules leaned closer and blew in his ear.

"Hercules?!" Iolaus screamed indignantly at the demi-god, squirming at the tickling sensation.

"Yes, suntop?" Hercules purred absently as he tugged playfully at a curl.

Iolaus shook his head free. "I've still got my feet free," he warned in a dangerous growl. “You lay so much as a lip on me and I’ll kick you where it hurts! And don't call me suntop!"

Hercules gave in with a burst of laughter. "You should see the look on your face! I only brought you some water, what did you think I was going to do?"

Iolaus went scarlet. "You know damn well I thought you were Hermes!"

"Oh yeah, sure, you did!" Hercules laughed as he swung a waterskin off his shoulder and held it up so Iolaus could take a long drink. "You want me to bring you something to eat?" he asked as Iolaus gulped thirstily.

"No. Couldn't you rescue me though?"

"What? Surely not getting bored, are you?"

"Very funny. Can't you find a monster or something that you need my help to fight?"

"You mean lie?" Hercules said, wide eyed. "I couldn't possibly do that."

"Oh, a great lot of help you are. Go away," Iolaus told him irritably.

Hercules chuckled and put the waterskin down.  "I'll check on you later," he said mildly, lightly slapping his friend's shoulder before he started back towards the square.

Iolaus let out a long groan and sank heavily back against his tree. Either he was slipping or Hercules was getting more devious. "Hey, Zora?" he called as a thought hit him. "Have I got a quota to make?"

"A quota?" she echoed in surprise. "Of kisses? No…."

"How about if I pay you to let me go?"

The priestess shook her head and chuckled. "And what of your reward?"

Iolaus sighed heavily and shrugged, wriggling his shoulders into a more comfortable position against the tree. Right then the only reward he wanted was to be released. He closed his eyes, concentrating on feeling the sun warming his body into relaxation and sinking into a light doze.

It was the chink of coins that made him open his eyes and look round, curious to see his latest visitor. His eyes widened as he saw Amaryllis stalking briskly towards him, her whip slapping lightly against her leather-clad thigh. "Uh oh…."

"Hiya, sexy," she greeted him, as she looked the hunter up and down before leaning against the tree beside him as Hercules had.

"You get one kiss and that's it."

"For two gold coins I should get a lot more than that," Amaryllis scolded, tapping the whip handle lightly against his chest.

"Two gold…. Where did you get that kind of money?"

Amaryllis shrugged lazily and ran the handle down to rest on his belt buckle. "I fleeced a couple of dice players."

"Dice players?" Iolaus echoed.

"It wasn't that hard. I did the drunk and dumb routine and they fell for it like a right pair of morons." The whip handle slid lower and Iolaus gulped.

"Don't you dare…."

"Dare what?" Amaryllis purred, shifting her body so that Zora couldn't see what she was doing as she slid the whip handle deliberately between his thighs in a sensuous caress.

Iolaus rested his head back against the tree and fought the urge to respond that blazed through his body. He met her eyes coolly. "You’re being unfair," he said flatly.

Amaryllis grinned. "I'm an Amazon. Since when are we fair to men?" She leaned closer, her soft lips teasing his. "Remember the barn?"

Iolaus closed his eyes, feeling the heat rushing through his body as his memory supplied full details. "Ay yi yi, do I ever!"

Amaryllis laughed and grabbed his bound wrists. Yanking his hands up over his head, she captured his mouth, kissing him into willingly silent submission. The kiss turned into a duel of challenging tongues and passion as Amaryllis pressed as close as she could get to his hard muscled body. When they finally had to surface for air, the Amazon stepped back, meeting blue eyes that had turned smoky with desire and hunger. "Mine," she purred in satisfaction and ripped the flower ropes away from his chest, waist and legs.

"Hey…." Iolaus protested feebly. "I'm supposed…."

"Hush up, Blondie, you’re bought and paid for," Amaryllis said briskly and ducked, yanking him over her shoulder and off his feet. She sagged a little under his weight but turned to face the startled priestess as she got up. Tossing a couple more gold coins to her, Amaryllis winked broadly. "Iolaus and I are going to go and er…complete your fertility ceremony the old fashioned way. Don’t wait up," she said cheerfully and strode off into the woods with an acutely embarrassed Iolaus over her shoulder.

"You know you could ask…" he growled as he wriggled his way to his feet.

Amaryllis snorted, idly flicking her whip out to behead a few flowers. "Sure, I could, but ravishing you is so much more fun… " she said cheerfully as she then grabbed his hand and bodily yanked him after her into the undergrowth.

                                                            * * *

"Hercules!"

The demi-god looked up from his tankard of ale, peering over its wooden rim at the breathless youth sprinting across the square to where he and Dillon were having a quiet drink.  The healer rolled his eyes at his brother's enthusiast rush and sighed.

Panting to a halt beside their table, Daedlion leaned on the wood and gasped out his message. "Hercules, you’d better come at once. Iolaus has been kidnapped."

"Kidnapped?" Hercules echoed sharply, slamming down his tankard and starting to his feet. "How many of them were there and which way did they take him?"

"Only one and into the woods…."

"One? What was he? A giant?" Hercules had difficulty imagining anyone kidnapping Iolaus on their own, at least not without a noisy struggle that the demi-god would have been sure to hear.

"No, it was that red haired Amazon. She was dragging him…."

"Oh, her," Chuckling in enormous relief, Hercules sank back on his seat and drained his ale. "I thought you were serious for a moment."

"But I am serious!" Daedlion yelled.

"You didn't hear him yelling for help, did you?" Hercules pointed out.

"No, but…."

"Daedlion, Iolaus and Amaryllis are old friends. The last thing she's going to do is hurt him," Hercules explained reassuringly.

"But she had a whip and everything!"

Seeing the way Dillon raised an eyebrow, Hercules grinned at him.  "She won't hurt him…much."

"But…"

"She's an Amazon. They like to play," Dillon told his brother.

Daedlion glared at him, obviously annoyed by their amusement. Turning his back on them, he stomped off muttering under his breath. Dillon watched him for a moment then turned a thoughtful look on Hercules. "How broad minded is your friend?"

"Iolaus? Pretty unflappable. Why?"

"Well, Daedlion's of the age to be curious."

Hercules eyed him for a moment then laughed. "You mean he’ll go watch?"

"He might…" Dillon admitted uncomfortably.

"I doubt if he'll be able to find them. But even if he does, I think they'll catch him before he can see much…."

                                                            * * *

"Iolaus?" Amaryllis murmured lazily as she lay sprawled on her back in the forest glade that she and the hunter had found to share their pleasures in.

"Mmmh?" Iolaus lay on his stomach beside her, his head cushioned on her tanned midriff.

"I think we should think about going back," she told him, idly combing her fingers through his tangled golden curls where they tickled her skin.

"Already?" Iolaus lifted his head enough to give her a sleepy look from under half closed long eyelashes.

Amaryllis shivered in delight under his smouldering gaze and with a growl grabbed him by the shoulders, kissing him thoroughly.

"We could stay here," he pointed out as few minutes later as he lay on his back with the Amazon sprawled comfortably across him.

"Arum will be waiting for me."

"So?"

"So, it isn't easy keeping a group of young Amazons under control. You know what our tempers can be like. It isn't fair on her to make her watch them all herself."

Iolaus sighed as, reminded of her friend, Amaryllis rolled off him and reached for her scattered clothes.

"Besides," she went on as she tossed his leathers to him. "Won't Hercules come looking for you soon?"

Iolaus grimaced, acknowledging the truth of that. He hadn't exactly stopped to tell Hercules where he was going and he might get a tiny bit worried by his friend's unexpected disappearance.  Reluctantly, he slid to his feet and started to pull on his leathers. Amaryllis watched in silence, her flint blue eyes avariciously taking in his sunlight and shade dappled body until she could stand no more and took a prowling step towards him.

"Ah, ah, ah," Iolaus scolded, holding up one hand to fend her off. "Think of Arum."

"Arum who?" Amaryllis retorted, reaching for him. Catching his hips, she pulled him determinedly towards her.

Iolaus linked his own arms around her waist and grinned. "Then there's…" He stopped, tilting his head warily to one side. "Did you hear something?"

"Nope…" Amaryllis purred as she tugged open his unfastened shirt.

"I did. It was kind of a growl…."

"That was me…."

"No. It was definitely a growl."

"Be fair, Blondie, and stop distracting me."

Iolaus frowned and caught her wandering hands. "I mean it, Amaryllis, I heard something. Sounded like a wolf."

"A wolf?" Amaryllis' attention snapped back into place and she looked round, scanning the bushes as intently as Iolaus. "I can't see anything."

"No, but I heard it. I'm sure of it."

Amaryllis looked from him to the bushes and back again and decided not to take any chances. She caught up his hand briskly. "Come on then, let's get back to the village. I've still got plans for you that don't involve you being a wolf's supper."

                                                            * * *

"Well, it's a difficult decision, but…." Hercules hesitated; weighing the merits of the honey glazed berry pie against mead soaked apricots. Both were delicious and he was hard pressed to choose between them. Where was Iolaus when he needed him?

The women gathered around him gazed at him expectantly, each one hoping it would be her dessert he picked.

"I think possibly….the berry pie first and the apricots second," he rushed out the answer, hoping they wouldn't maul him too badly in their disappointment. The plump brunette who had baked the pie let out a yip of glee, flung her arms around the demi-god's neck and kissed the startled Hercules soundly on the mouth. She let go equally suddenly and went scarlet in embarrassment, hiding her face in her apron. To Hercules' intense relief his decision seemed to be a popular one and he was allowed to gracefully retreat from the round of congratulations that followed.

Strolling back across the square Hercules found himself wondering seriously where Iolaus had got to. He was starting to have an uneasy feeling that grew stronger the longer the hunter was out of sight. He wasn't sure why. Something in the air seemed to be disturbing him, grating on his nerves more and more as the afternoon wore on. The breeze was starting to turn into a chill wind and overhead clouds were brewing, threatening rain to finish the day.

"Hercules?" A worried looking farmer trotted up, shooting a shifty glance around him to see if anyone else was within listening range.

"Yes. It's Lovis, isn't it?" Hercules recognised the man as one of Basil's friends. "What can I do for you?"

"We er, we have a little problem. Could you come, please?"

"What kind of problem?" Hercules asked warily as he nonetheless followed the farmer back the way he had come. 

"I’d rather not say. Basil asked me to fetch you."

Puzzled, but curious, Hercules lengthened his stride as the farmer broke into a jog and led him across the square and out to where the Tug Of War had been held earlier.  There was a gathering of men at the edge of the woods as they crossed the stream by its narrow bridge and Hercules felt his unease grow at the sight. Somehow he didn't think he was about to be invited to a drinking party. The men watched him come and silently stood back, letting Lovis and the demi-god through into the tangle of undergrowth beyond.

As soon as he entered the clearing a fifty yards or so further on, Hercules felt his tension crash over him in an icy wave. There was a blond haired body on the ground, only the ashen pallor of the skin suggesting that the man wasn't merely curled up under a tree asleep.  Basil, Zora and a dark haired young woman in Hestial robes were standing over the body, watching as Dillon finished his examination.

Hercules moved closer, shoving rudely past Lovis to get a better look at the body and exhaling in relief as he realised his fears were invalid. It wasn't Iolaus. "What happened?"

"We're not sure. Yuna here found him." Basil gestured to the young woman standing close to the high priestess.

"He was lying there….I didn't know he was, was…." Yuna shuddered and turned away, burrowing into Zora’s arms in a fit of tears.

"I thought we should call you," Basil went on soberly. "We hoped you might know what to do."

Hercules frowned and knelt next to Dillon. "I take it you don't think this was an accident then?"

"Look for yourself," Dillon replied grimly and moved back so Hercules could view the body as the healer tilted the limp head to one side. The neck was bruised but surprisingly clean considering the twin holes punctured deep into the flesh. "He was drained of blood…."

Hercules felt his skin crawl as he went cold all over in horror. He knew of only one creature that killed in this fashion.

"Do you know of anything that could do this?" Basil asked.

"Do you?" Hercules looked up at him questioningly.

Basil gazed back at him uncomfortably.

"Oh say it," Zora snapped irritably as Yuna moaned in distress. "It was a Bacchanite. What else could it be?"

"We don't have their kind in this village!" Basil protested indignantly. "You promised when you came here there were no Bacchanites among you!"

"And there aren't. My followers are Maenads. We serve Dionysus, not his brother Bacchus." Zora told him impatiently and turned her attention to Hercules as he stood up.  "You of all people should know the difference between Dionysus and his brother."

Hercules sighed and nodded wearily, aware of how often the twin Gods were confused by mortals. They were like two sides of a coin: darkness and light, good and evil. Hedonistic pleasure lover Dionysus loathed the maliciously licentious Bacchus and their natures were reflected in the activities of their followers. But the twin Gods very lives were entangled and one could not exist without the other whether they wished to or not. "Zora is right. It was a Bacchanite."

"How much harm can one Bacchanite do?" Lovis asked nervously from where he stood listening at a safe distance.

"Depends how hungry it is," Hercules muttered. "And whether it is only one Bacchanite. They have a nasty tendency to travel in packs."

"Like wolves?"

"Rumour has it they can turn themselves into wolves," Dillon murmured uneasily, glancing around him at the suddenly menacing woods.

"It isn't rumour," Zora said crisply. "You’d better bring this poor young man to the Temple Of Dionysus."

"That might not be exactly tactful…," Basil said cautiously.

"Perhaps not. But he was killed by a Bacchanite." Zora raised a meaningful eyebrow at them. "There are certain purification rituals to be observed."

"For the sake of his soul," Dillon murmured, nodding to himself.

"That too," Zora agreed dryly.

With a shudder, Hercules understood exactly what she meant. A male victim would not become a Bacchanite, but a zombie could rise from the remains if precautions weren't taken. "Basil, I think the party is over. Can you recall everyone to the village?" Hercules knew that Iolaus and Amaryllis weren't the only ones to sneak off to celebrate the fertility festival in private and there were likely to be couples scattered all over the woods.

"We can sound the horn," Basil answered. "Zora? Would you mind? I’d better help Dillon and Hercules." Zora nodded and she and Yuna set off back the village. After a quick glance round, Lovis scurried after them.

"Do you know who he is?" Hercules asked as he helped Dillon arrange the body.

Basil nodded gloomily. "He's one of Daedlion's friends. I wonder what he was doing out here all alone."

"If he was alone…." Dillon muttered. "If he came out here with a girl and the Bacchanite bit her too…."

"I think that's enough speculation, son," Basil interrupted him. "Let's get him back to the village and then figure out what we’re going to do next."

Hercules said nothing as he helped them lift the body. He was too busy worrying. If Dillon was right then this poor youth's companion might be turning into a Bacchanite even as they talked.

                                                            * * *

Standing on the long wooden table where the breakfast buffet had been served, Hercules raised his hands over his head, using his height to his advantage for once. "Look, I'm sorry. I don't want to ruin your festival," he boomed out over the hubbub of the crowd. "But the fact is, we've got one murdered young man and we don't want anyone else getting killed. There is a Bacchanite around, maybe even more than one. Do you honestly want to take the risk of getting yourself killed for the sake of a few more drinks?"

"Hercules is right!" Basil yelled. His voice wasn't quite as impressive as that of the demi-god but the villagers were used to listening to him and the surly muttering ebbed a little. "There'll be another festival. I don't want anyone else turning up drained of blood in the woods. Now go home."

"Why should we be scared of a few Bacchanites?" Azalea called from where she stood with her arm draped around the shoulders of her swaying friend. Both Amazons were obviously drunk.

"S'right," Aster agreed. "We can handle 'em. Maybe you're 'fraid of them, Hercules, but we’re not."

Hercules sighed. "It isn't a matter of being afraid of them, it's common sense. You can't fight Bacchanites unless you know what you’re doing."

"You mean like you?" Aster sneered.

"Yeah, you gonna go home and hide under your bed?" Azalea gave the demi-god a lecherous wink and nudged her friend. "Maybe we'll come join you…" A strong hand whipped out of the crowd behind the dark haired Amazon and clipped her ear in sharp warning.

"Watch your mouth," Arum snapped. "I told you he's mine."

A ripple of laughter ran through the crowd and Hercules ducked his head in chagrined exasperation. He had enough to worry about already and the Amazons weren't helping. He had been doing a surreptitious head count and was aware that not every one was present and correct: among them Iolaus and Amaryllis. He was hoping that they were simply taking their time about returning. "Look, Bacchanites are strong and vicious. They can turn themselves into wolves, They could turn this village into a charnel house if you don't take precautions."

"You expect us to run and hide?" the burly blacksmith demanded.  "We ain't women to cower away from a fight."

Wonderful, a macho man. That's all I need. There had to be one! Hercules resisted the impulse to sigh.

"And there speaks a man who's never had a woman in his life," Arum snorted in disgust. The blacksmith turned on her angrily, but the sight of the tall black haired woman caressing her sword made him hesitate.

"All I'm saying is, we ain't cowards," he complained.

"No one is suggesting you are, Bufus," Basil retorted irritably. "Hercules is saying we can't fight Bacchanites and he's right. We're farmers and grape growers. Is there anyone here who can honestly say they’re a warrior?"

Arum threw back her head and laughed, her amusement echoed by the other Amazons in the crowd.

"How dangerous can they be? They’re only women when it comes down to it!" the blacksmith still wanted to argue

"All right, you think you’re so clever," Hercules snapped at them, losing his temper. "What do you know about Bacchanites? How do you kill one? Can you kill one?" The silence fell so fast the thud was almost audible. "What happens when a Bacchanite bites someone?" He aimed a finger at Aster. "Suppose she bites you? Do you think being an Amazon will save you from turning into a Bacchanite? It won't, you know. And you..." He pointed at the blacksmith as Aster stopped grinning and looked round uneasily. "A Bacchanite bites you and the best you can hope for is that she kills you clean. There's a Bacchus Moon rising, a Blood Moon. The Bacchanites will be in a frenzy and if they’ve found easy prey here you can be sure they'll be back for more!" A sullen silence met Hercules' hot words and he stirred, stepping to the edge of the table to look down at them. He softened his voice persuasively. "Look, I understand how you feel, but it is for the best. Go home and lock yourselves in. Open the door to no one. Let no one in until tomorrow morning. A Bacchanite cannot cross the threshold unless invited. BY tomorrow morning you should all be safe."

Bufus shook his head. "I say we should hunt it down and kill it," he said grimly. "How else can we be sure it's gone? We should form a hunting party."

Hercules glanced down at Basil and shook his head. The villagers simply couldn't comprehend how dangerous even one Bacchanite could be to them. It was too far outside their experience. "I have no intention of hunting Bacchanites," he said aloud. 

"Is this the brave Hercules we've heard so much about?" Lovis sneered, joining in the mockery as he pushed to the front of the crowd.

"You saw the body, Lovis!" Basil responded indignantly, surprised by his friend's comment.  "Maybe you should all see it."

"If there is one!" someone from the back of the crowd yelled.

"He lies in the Temple of Dionysus," Zora's cool voice floated from the back of the crowd, clearly heard over the muttering voices. People turned to look at the red robed priestess, eyeing her warily. She and her Maenads were outsiders and still strangers to most villagers, but they all knew whose High Priestess she was. "He was killed by a Bacchanite. I have no doubt of that.  You may see him if you wish; when the purification rituals are complete."

"Or when you've hidden the truth. How do we know it wasn't one of your Maenads who killed him?" the blacksmith demanded. "The last place he should be is with your lot."

Zora gave him a hostile look. "For the sake of his soul there is no other place he can be," she retorted coldly. "Unless you wish him to wander this land forever lost?" A ripple of uncertainty ran through the crowd as Zora paced forward, the villagers drawing warily back out of her path. Reaching the table she turned until she stood with her back to Hercules and folded her hands placidly in front of her. "Go home. Let Hercules find the Bacchanites and stop them. All you can do is get in his way."

"And if we don't?!" Bufus demanded, shooting a belligerent glance around him. People had started drifting away as soon as what Hercules and Basil had told them had sunk in. Now the pace was quickening, spurred by the grim certainty in Zora's voice.

"Then the Bacchanites will catch you and kill you," Zora replied calmly. "The choice is yours." She turned to look up at Hercules. "I think perhaps we should talk."

Hercules nodded and vaulted to the ground, following the woman as she gracefully circled the table and moved away. He glanced back and was relieved to see that most of the villagers seemed to be heading for home. There was still no sign of Iolaus though. Where had he got to? I could have done with his help…

"Hercules?"

"Yes, Zora." Politely, Hercules turned his full attention to the priestess.

"I presume that you've noticed there are people still missing."

"I have, yes," Hercules admitted.

"And have you also noticed that with the exception of your friend's Amazon friend, they are all males?"

"Uh, yes, I had," Hercules eyed her uneasily, noticing her worried expression. "Is it significant?"

"Very. You mentioned the Blood Moon a few minutes go. Does that mean I can assume you know what a Bacchus Ghoul is?"

"I killed one once. I thought there was only one."

"One immortal ghoul at a time, yes. From it others can be…created."

"Not if the bodies are burned in time. And you mentioned a purification ritual…"

"That only works on dead Bacchanite victims. A ghoul's dead victims have to be burned as you said or they become ghouls themselves."

Hercules nodded frowning. "But I destroyed the body of the Bacchus Ghoul."

"So I heard," Zora sighed and laid a gentle hand on his arm, tugging him into walking beside her. "A Bacchanite is created by the bite of a Bacchanite, but she only becomes a permanent Bacchanite if she drinks the blood of Bacchus."

"I know that. It doesn't make her immortal either."

"Good. Now, a ghoul is created in a similar fashion. The male victim is killed and drained by the bite of Bacchus' Chosen: an immortal Bacchanite who oversees the ritual. The body of Bacchus' Servant is then bathed in the blood of the innocent. This triggers the transformation of mortal male into immortal ghoul." Zora paused for a moment, glancing at the greying clouds scudding across the darkening sky. "This ritual can only take place when the conditions are right and the Blood Moon rises."

"Tonight?" Hercules guessed reluctantly.

"Tonight," Zora agreed. "They must be stopped or another ghoul will stalk the land and create others like it."

Hercules shuddered and folded his arms, feeling cold all over. "I wish Bacchus was more like Dionysus at times," he muttered bitterly.

"A wish I share," Zora sighed with feeling. "But, he is not and you must stop them."

"I’d better organise a search party for the missing men. At least it'll give that blasted blacksmith something to do. Any other handy hints?"

Zora smiled; glad he had not laughed at her fears. "I happen to have some Dryad bones lying around that you might find useful."

"Odd thing for a Maenad to have," Hercules said warily.

"Not really. We don't get on all that well with the Bacchanites," Zora responded sardonically. "By the way, I think the first part of your search party has arrived."

Hercules frowned and turned to follow her graceful gesture as she pointed towards the trees. To his relief Iolaus was emerging from the shadows with Amaryllis. They were ostentatiously walking apart, but as Hercules watched Amaryllis took a long legged step to catch up with the hunter and swatted him on the rear end. Iolaus shot forward with a yelp and an indignant glare at the laughing Amazon.

 "Iolaus!"  Hercules couldn't keep the relief out of his voice as he hurried to meet his friend.

Iolaus glanced round swiftly then bounded to meet him. "Hi, Herc. Look I know we were gone a while, but we er…kind of got distracted…"

"Never mind that," Hercules waved his explanation aside. "Did you see anything out there?"

"Huh?" Iolaus coloured as Amaryllis strolled up with a huge grin.

Hercules glared at him. "I didn't mean her."

"Oh, er no then…but I heard a wolf."

"You thought you heard a wolf," Amaryllis corrected.  "Personally I think you were looking for an excuse to come back for dinner."

"I was not. I definitely heard a wolf!"

"There are Bacchanites around," Hercules interrupted grimly. "We found a body. One of Daedlion's friends."

"Aw no," Amaryllis said sadly. "Is Daedlion okay?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen him. Have you? We thought he might have followed you."

"He was here when we left," Iolaus pointed out doubtfully "Why would…?" Amaryllis' dirty laugh made him flush again. "Ohh…."

Despite his worry, Hercules grinned at his friend's embarrassment. "He's not the only one missing. Amaryllis, can you organise a search party and ask Basil to join us?"

"Sure. We Amazons love hunting. What about you and cupcake?"

"I want to show Iolaus the spot where we found the body. He might be able to pick up tracks."

"You mean we're going after the Bacchanites?" Iolaus said in surprise.

"It might be only one."

"Hah!"

"I'll catch you up," Amaryllis decided. "An extra sword might come in useful. Let me have a quick word with Arum about the search party and I’ll be right back."

As she sped off, Hercules turned and looked down at the hunter. "Cupcake?" he questioned dryly.

Iolaus shrugged. "She's bigger than I am. Who am I to argue? Besides…."

"Besides what?"

Iolaus only grinned brightly. "Never you mind. Where are these tracks you want to show me?"

"This way." Hercules led the way quickly across the Village Square and down across the stream and into the woods to where the body had been found. When he pointed out the tree, Iolaus loped forward and knelt to examine the damp earth beneath it.

"That's you," he said; quickly sorting out the jumble of tracks that had been left. "Who was with you?"

Resting his hands on his knees as he leaned over his partner, Hercules studied the tracks himself as he explained. Iolaus nodded, sorting out the footprints and finally starting to widen his search. "He wasn't alone," he said after a moment when he found new tracks a few feet away in undisturbed earth.

"Damn," Hercules grunted. "Male or female?"

"Female. She went that way." Iolaus pointed off deeper into the trees. "Do we really want to track her?"

"I think we’d better. It only takes one Bacchanite to cause trouble."

Iolaus nodded, tucking his thumbs into his sword belt as he studied the wood. With the change in the weather, the atmosphere was turning damp and the smell of lichen and leaf mould filled the rising cold wind. "What about the missing men?" he asked quietly.

"I think we should leave them to the search party. The Bacchanite is our problem."

"Make that ours too." Arum interrupted as she and Amaryllis loped up to join them.

Hercules frowned. "That's not a good idea," he argued.

"Why not?" Arum bristled belligerently. "Think we’re not good enough?"

"You’re women…" Hercules began and then yelped as Iolaus kicked him in the ankle and gave him a warning look. "Well, they are," he protested petulantly. "And it's a Bacchanite we're after. You put two and two together."

"It's men who have gone missing though," Arum said pointedly. "Maybe you and Iolaus should stay here where it's safe."

The demi-god scowled, glaring back at her and missing the way Iolaus and Amaryllis exchanged exasperated looks. "All right, fine. Come with us if you insist. But…" Hercules stopped in surprise as Basil, the blacksmith and Dillon jogged up to join them. "What is this?" he demanded irritably.

"Search party," Bufus puffed.

"But we're looking for the Bacchanite," Hercules protested.

"I want to find my son," Basil answered.

"And knowing my brother, if there's trouble, that's where he’ll be," Dillon added.

Basil shot a look at him and frowned. "I thought I told you to stay in the village."

"I want to help find Daedlion!" Dillon retorted.

Basil took a deep breath and turned to face his eldest son. Placing his hands on his shoulders, he met his eyes steadily and shook his head. "I know you do, son. But you’re the only healer we have and you'll be needed in the village if anyone gets hurt."

"But…."

Basil cupped his face between his hands. "No, son. I don't want you at risk too. I’ll find your brother."

"I know these woods…."

Basil chuckled and hugged him. "And I've known them a lot longer than you have. Now, go home. We'll have him back before you know it."

Dillon drooped and gave in, recognising defeat. Basil watched him make his way back down slope and then turned back to Hercules. "Well?"

Hercules shrugged, seeing that Basil was determined. If they didn't take him with them, he would probably go on his own. "All right, we'll pair up. We'd better stay together.  Iolaus, lead the way."

Iolaus nodded and moved out with Amaryllis at his heels. Basil and the blacksmith followed, leaving Hercules and Arum staring at each other. The Amazon was the first to follow the others and Hercules tagged after her reluctantly. When he said pair up, he had assumed Iolaus would naturally be his partner, he hadn't counted on the Amazons having other ideas.

                                                            * * *

An hour later, Hercules shivered in the clammy air and peered around him warily. Thick fog had rolled up, turning the trees into ghostly half seen shadows that loomed up out of nowhere and left them all jumping at shadows. Iolaus was swearing under his breath as he backtracked yet again to pick up the tracks. They had already made one nasty discovery when they discovered that the tracks they were following had met up with others. At least two sets had headed back towards the village while others went deeper into the woods. After a short argument Arum and Basil had headed back, while Hercules and the others followed the remaining tracks.

"There's something wrong with these tracks," Iolaus complained quietly as he knelt to examine them.

"Such as?"

"One set stops here completely and the other…. turns into paw prints…" Iolaus lifted his head and met Hercules' eyes as the sudden howl of a wolf rang out. It made all the hairs on the back of Hercules' neck stand up on end and the demi-god looked round sharply, feeling his senses prickle. Iolaus came upright beside him, instantly alert.

"That came from over there," Amaryllis said quietly, her own sword drawn and ready as she pointed.

"Do we want to tangle with it?" Bufus hissed, his face grim with tension. He was sweating, but he held his sword steady.

"Real wolf or Bacchanite?" Hercules asked Iolaus softly as a second, closer howl echoed through the fog.

Iolaus lifted one shoulder in a shrug and drew his sword. "One way or another, it's hunting us…," he said quietly as he flicked a meaningful glance at the blacksmith.

Hercules inclined his head in silent agreement. They both had no doubt of Amaryllis' abilities but the blacksmith was an unknown quantity. "This way," he said quickly and led the way back down the path. Amaryllis followed wordlessly.

"We're running away?!" Bufus demanded indignantly. Iolaus had hung back to take the rear and he gave the man a hard shove in the back.

"It's called a strategic withdrawal," he told him. "Or an advance towards the rear."

"You mean a retreat," the blacksmith sneered over his shoulder at him.

"If you want to stay here and fight a pack of wolves on your own, be my guest," Iolaus snorted and stepped around him, heading down the track after the others. After one quick glance back, the blacksmith hurried past him. Iolaus lengthened his stride as a flurry of wolf howls cascaded out of the woods around them. There's a damn sight more than one of them….

"Close it up!" Hercules bellowed from up front and Iolaus broke into a lope. The fog was so thick he could hardly see one hand in front of his face and he had to concentrate to make sure he didn't trip on the rough ground. The Amazon war cry that ripped through the fog startled him badly and he instinctively broke into a sprint. All around him the wood was filled with the sound of bat like chittering and the howling of wolves.

A second later something caught his foot and sent him tumbling, sprawling across the heavy obstruction that blocked his path. He shoulder rolled with the floor, coming up on one knee as he looked round, his sword seeking a target. He had tripped over the blacksmith who lay in an untidy heap on the path. "Ah no…." Easing to his feet, Iolaus leaned towards him and stretched out one hand to touch his throat. Tilting the man's head back he saw the gaping wound under his chin where his throat had been ripped out. The chittering in the woods grew louder, closer….

"Iolaus!" Hercules shouted from further down the path and Iolaus bounded to his feet, hearing the sound of fighting. He darted into the fog, seeking the demi-god. The black shape that reared up out of nowhere in front of him made him skid to a halt and duck the reaching claws, lashing out in a sidekick that swept his attacker's feet from under her. She went down with a thud and he leaped upright, meaning only to get past her. Some of the Bacchanites had to be from the village and he didn't want to kill anyone by mistake. He got two steps before a heavy body dropped on him from above, flattening him to the ground. He bucked furiously, throwing the Bacchanite off as she lunged at his throat, her hunger her undoing. The next second something hard smacked into the back of his head and he went down again, dimly aware of a hissing wave of black closing in around him as he slid into oblivion.

                                                            * * *

Ducking, Hercules caught the Bacchanite across his shoulders as she leaped at him with a scream and straightened up to throw her slender figure across the clearing to slam into a tree. Beside him Amaryllis fought like a wild thing, her sword a never-ending dance of silver around her.  There were fewer of them now. One or two they had been forced to kill to save their own lives, others had retreated. But at the sound of a weird cry in the woods they seemed to have given up, melting away in twos and threes into the fog. The howling of the retreating wolf pack in the woods was fading, drawing the remaining Bacchanites with it.

A last wolf snarled up at them, blood red teeth glistening in its feral face before it turned and slunk off into the woods. Two more Bacchanites fled upwards, vanishing into the fog and leaving them alone in the clearing.

Trembling with weariness from the fight, Amaryllis drove her sword point first into the earth and leaned on it. "What happened? Why'd they leave?"

"I don't know." Hercules looked around him as he rubbed a fang scraped arm.  "Something called them off. I'm more worried about the others. Bufus? Iolaus!" There was no answer, only the increasingly eerie muffled silence of the fog bound forest. Gritting his teeth, Hercules jogged across the clearing and back down the path they had been following. Shaking her sweat soaked hair out of her eyes, Amaryllis loped after him.

They didn't have to go far before they found Bufus' body, sprawled where he had fallen across the path. Hercules turned him over enough to see the wound in his throat and ascertain there was nothing he could do to help.

"Iolaus?!" Amaryllis lifted her own voice to scream the hunter's name. "Iolaus, where are you?" The forest kept its secrets to itself. "Hercules? Why doesn't he answer? Do you think he's hurt?" For one of the few times since he had known her the Amazon looked uncertain.

"I don't know. He'd answer if he could." Hercules shook his head, examining the ground as best he could in the poor light. The signs of Iolaus' fall were there; partly hidden by the scuffle he had had with the Bacchanites. Hercules touched the damp spot and rubbed his fingers together, checking the bright colour against his skin and sniffing. "Blood…" he said grimly.

"Bufus?" Amaryllis asked hopefully.

"Most of his blood is missing. I think Iolaus got hurt..." Hercules straightened up, looking round him uneasily as the sound of a lone wolf howling. "They got Bufus, then ambushed Iolaus too."

"But he must have got away!" Amaryllis argued. Hercules gave her a cool look. "Well, he isn't here. Where else could he be then?" she demanded.

"I think they took him," Hercules said reluctantly. "Remember that call we heard? That was what called them off. I think they got what they wanted."

"Iolaus? But why? What would they want with him?"

"I don't know," the demi-god admitted, but he shuddered as he thought of the ritual Zora had told him about. Bacchus undoubtedly knew who had killed his last ghoul and from what Hercules knew of him, he would want his revenge.

"We have to find him," Amaryllis decided with grim determination.

"Agreed," Hercules said, glancing sadly at the body of the blacksmith. Much as it pained him, they would have to leave Bufus where he lay for now. The living had to come first whether it was Iolaus or not. "But there are no tracks to show…." Hercules stopped, suddenly aware of tawny red shot eyes watching him from the undergrowth. As he watched, he realised they weren't alone: red rimmed eyes in pale faces were watching them in silent menace from all around.

"We're surrounded…." Amaryllis breathed shakily, catching his unease and looking round her warily. She edged closer to the demi-god, ready to guard his back. "Rotten place to make a stand…."

"That's probably why they picked it," Hercules muttered. It felt odd to have her in the place Iolaus always took.

"True. This is not the way I planned to get killed. I was going to go out in style."

"Neither of us are going to get killed."

"I wish I believed that."

"Go away," a low, sibilant voice hissed from the bushes. "Take him and go."

"Come out and face us…" Amaryllis shot back and jumped as Hercules laid a hand on her arm.

"Why?" he called softly.

"Take him…" the voice repeated.

For a second, Hercules hesitated, and then common sense took over. To linger would get them both killed. "We'll do as you say," he said and backed away from the bushes towards the body. "Help me lift him."

"Are you crazy? They'll be on us in a second."

"I don't think so." Hercules crouched to pick up the body. Sheathing her sword, Amaryllis reluctantly helped the demi-god heave the blacksmith over his broad shoulders. She steadied him as he straightened up. "We're leaving now…" he announced.

"What?" Amaryllis protested. "What about Iolaus?"

"We don't stand a chance of finding him right now," Hercules told her, the words tasting bitter in his mouth.

"But don't you care…."

"More than you know. Shut up and come on."

"You have your chance, Amazon, take it or join us…" hissed the voice from the bushes.

Amaryllis bristled, but Hercules jostled her and made her back up. "Since when did you turn into a coward?" she snarled at him as she reluctantly backed down the path. The eyes followed them, staying under the cover of the bushes.

"There are too many of them. They'd drag us down."

"But…."

"I think they’re new Bacchanites, from the village. They’re only letting us go because of that. For now they remember. If they weren't new, they'd have killed us by now. We'd better get Bufus back to the village. We can't risk leaving his body where they can get to it. Then we can come back after Iolaus."

As they moved on down the path, Hercules shot a glance over his shoulder and made a silent promise to himself to find his friend and kill every damn Bacchanite in Greece in the process if he had to to free him….

                                                            * * *

Darkness came in a black wave, rolling thickly across the ground in its cloak of muffling fog. Amaryllis and Hercules only knew they had found the village when they stumbled into the cold waters of the stream. Floundering across it they had barely made their way into the village itself when the first chittering screams went up from behind them.

"Hercules?" Amaryllis looked at him uneasily.

Hercules shifted the body across his back, feeling his shoulders ache in protest. "Head for the temple."

"Which temple?"

"Any temple," Hercules retorted and quickened his long legged strides into a lope. Amaryllis matched him step for step, the two of them hurrying up the alleyways into the market square. Paws pounded across the ground behind them as their lope turned into a run and sweeping shapes whisked through the fog overhead. One of them hit Amaryllis' shoulders, sending the Amazon sprawling with the impact. As the Bacchanite landed astride her victim, Hercules punched her aside and grabbed Amaryllis, yanking her upright.

Bacchanites were tumbling out of the alleyways and dropping out of the fog, screaming and chittering in excitement at the sight of prey as they circled them. Hercules shot a worried look around him and then spotted the Temple of Hestia; its rounded walls of mellow golden stone glowing in the light of the torches around its main doors. "That way, go…" he ordered Amaryllis and shoved the dazed woman ahead of him. Recovering herself, Amaryllis ran with Hercules on her heels; the pair of them barely making it to the steps of the building before the Bacchanites could catch them. Hercules pounded with one fist on the doors as Amaryllis watched the horde of Bacchanites gathering in the market square.

"Why don't they come closer?" she panted in bewilderment as one of the heavy doors swung open behind them.

"This isn't their territory," Hercules answered as he glanced over his shoulder at the slender priestess who had opened the door. She glanced nervously past him at the Bacchanites, then gestured Hercules and the Amazon inside before closing the door.

Hercules looked around him, surprised to find that the Temple of Hestia - normally a quiet place - was so busy. The circular cella was dominated by the walled hearth of the altar behind which stood a statue of Hestia, her arms outstretched in welcome bearing the graceful folds of a cloak. The cella was full of refugee villagers, most too terrified to do more than stare at him. Several of Hestia's priestess' moved among them, offering, food or comfort to the frightened. 

He spotted Dillon and winced as he hurried towards him.  The healer's eyes were on Bufus. "If you bring him over here…"

"There's nothing you can do for him," Hercules told him gently as the healer reached for the body.

"Oh…" Dillon stopped, bewildered. "What happened?"

"A Bacchanite got him," Amaryllis answered curtly. "Are Basil and Arum here?"

"They got back a little while ago. They’re both okay." Dillon was staring as Bufus in shock.

 The priestess stirred, lightly touching Hercules' back.  "Bring him this way, please. We will take care of him."

"There's a purification ritual that needs to be done," Hercules said uncertainly, wondering if he dared risk leaving the safety of the temple to take Bufus' body to the Maenads.

"It will be done," the priestess assured him quietly as she led the way across the temple and through a narrow doorway at the back. of the cella. Hercules followed her wearily down a short corridor into a cold stone chamber where she was instructed to lay the body on a plinth. An older priestess came forward to examine the body and sprinkle it with herbs. "You should go and rest," the first priestess told Hercules. "The Bacchanites will not leave until it's light again."

Hercules hesitated, but he could sense his presence was unwelcome. The priestess had work to do. Tiredly, he and he retreated back to the cella. Amaryllis had found Arum and was waiting for him. "They didn't find Daedlion," she told him grimly. "And there are six others still missing.  Plus several women from the village vanished after we left."

"They must have joined the Bacchanites," Hercules said wearily, running one hand through his hair. "They'll be the ones who chased us back here."

"Amaryllis tells me Iolaus is missing. What are you going to do?" Arum asked steadily.

"Go after him." Hercules started to for the main doors and was stopped by the Amazon gripping his arm. "You'll never get across the square alive, let alone out of the village. The temple is surrounded and we're trapped in here."

"I can't leave him."

Arum frowned. "You'll have to. We’re going to need all the fighters we can get in here. I sent Aster and Azalea with the other Amazons to protect the Maenads."

"The Bacchanites can't get in without being invited," Hercules argued. "The temple is off limits to them."

"Sure of that, are you? And how do we know that some of these women aren't Bacchanites already?" Arum gestured around her.

"What are these people all doing in here anyway?" Amaryllis asked.

"The Bacchanites over ran the village," Basil answered tiredly as he came over to speak to Hercules. "Anyone who was still outside simply ran for cover. This temple was the closest." He took a deep breath. "Did you see Daedlion?"

"I'm sorry, Basil. No, we didn't," Hercules apologised.

"Lovis is missing too." Basil looked around him dazedly. "I can't believe this is happening. We thought the Maenads would keep the Bacchanites away."

"Apparently it doesn't work like that," Arum snorted. "They're more like honey to wasps, attracting the Bacchanites in."

"It always worked before. We've never had Bacchanite problems since we started the Dionysus festival," Basil retorted.

Hercules bit his lip and tuned away from the argument, wanting to get away from them all for at last a couple of minutes. He needed to think and clear his head of the wild speculations running through his thoughts. Worry for Iolaus coloured everything and he knew that unless he controlled his emotions he was going to make a bad mistake that could get someone killed.

"Hercules?" Amaryllis came after him.

Taking a deep breath he turned to look at her, prepared to face her anger again. He knew that as an Amazon, Amaryllis would go to extraordinary lengths to protect a comrade and he strongly suspected that her feelings for his friend went deeper than she knew.

"Iolaus will be all right," she said however, her flint blue eyes full of the determination to believe her own words and convince him of their truth too. "He'll expect us to help these people. So, we'll make sure they're safe and then go after him. Right?"

Hercules smiled wanly, understanding her need for his affirmation. "Right," he said steadily.

Amaryllis stood stiff and proud for a moment then drooped. "Knowing it’s the right thing to do doesn't make it any easy though, does it?"

"No," Hercules sighed heavily and forced himself to start thinking logically.  "They've trapped us in here deliberately. They must have plan to get in."

"And a reason for trapping us." Amaryllis followed his lead.

"Yes, that's what worries me," Hercules glanced around the temple and straightened his aching shoulders. "So, first things first. Let's see what we can do about organising these people and making this place secure."

                                                            * * *

The low chanting eddied around him in the darkness, echoing through his thoughts and filling up his mind with its cadence.  His senses shivered in response as the liquid rise and fall of indistinguishable words found a soul dark rhythm that pulsed hypnotically deep within him. It rocked him in erotic waves of vibration, lulling him towards a deeper sleep where pleasure was a dark dream.

 The deeper he sank the darker the dreams. Dreams of blood and sharp pain that were alien to his nature. Strange thoughts and feelings were at war within him, contesting for his against the warmth of light and laughter.  He could sense an eclipse within him, as if the seductive darkness sought to control his soul and extinguish his existence in a total eclipse of his self. Part of him rebelled, cried out in protest at the erosion of his soul and he fought back against the current, struggling against the dark tides of obsessive passion….

Iolaus woke to find himself lying on a cold, stone floor with a thumping headache and the driving beat of the repetitive chant punishing his ears. The air was icy cold and damp enough to make the hunter shiver. "Whatever happened to lyric poetry? This stuff's terrible…" He groaned softly as he rolled over onto his back and attempted to pry his eyes open properly. His skin felt as if it had been flayed off him and there were few bits of his body that didn't feel bruised and abused. In fact, he felt as if he had been dragged for miles which, considering the last thing he remembered, was very likely. Bacchanites weren't known for their kind and considerate treatment of their prey.

A shadow moved in the fire lit gloom above him and he tensed, ready to fight off an attack.

"Iolaus?"

Groggily recognising Daedlion's shaky voice, Iolaus dropped out of kill mode and smiled wearily. "Yeah…." The next moment he let out a muffled yelp as the youth flung his arms around him in a hysterical hug.

"Oh, thank goodness. I thought they'd killed you and they'd stuck me in here with another body and they were going to kill me too at any minute and…."

"Woah, steady." Iolaus fended him off. "Slow down a bit."

Daedlion sat back on his heels as Iolaus gently shoved him back. He gulped hard, fighting for control as he watched Iolaus lever himself into a sitting position.

"Did they hurt you?" Iolaus asked as he gingerly felt the back of his head.  From the feel of the bump and the size of his headache, he was going to have a whacking great bruise to contend with at the least. There was blood on his fingers when he lowered his hand.

"No. They brought me here and left me." Daedlion's blue eyes were huge in his young face. "Iolaus, they, they k'killed the others."

"Others?"  Iolaus looked up too fast and flinched as the movement inspired a wave of dizzying nausea.

Daedlion was close to tears of shock as he nodded past Iolaus. "Out there," he whispered. "They were…." His voice broke and he curled up, hugging his knees as he hid his tears.

Awkwardly, Iolaus patted his shoulder.   "Don't worry, we'll get out of here," he soothed.

"How?" Daedlion asked promptly. "There's so many of them and they’re women. We can't hurt them."

"They stopped being women the second they became Bacchanites," Iolaus told him flatly. "If they want to hurt us, then they'll get hurt right back."

"But that isn't their fault and they can be turned back…" Daedlion looked up at him miserably.

"Maybe, maybe not. Depends whether or not they've drunk Bacchus' blood. And it sounds like that's exactly what they’re doing…" Iolaus glanced over his shoulder, worried by the frenzied rise of the chanting. The room they were in was little more than an alcove, blocked off from the main room beyond by a leather curtain. A single torch lit the shadows, showing the walls to be of rough natural stone. The Bacchanites were showing their usual proclivities for underground dwelling and had set up home in a cave.

"Then we can't be that far from the village," the youth exclaimed in excitement when the hunter pointed this out to him. "As soon as they start a search we'll be found!"

Iolaus sighed. He didn't want to upset Daedlion but he doubted they would be found, let alone rescued, that easily. Rather than argue with him, he slid to his feet and leaned unsteadily against the wall to catch his balance before he lifted the curtain aside.

Instantly a Bacchanite stuck her head in at him, hissing furiously. Iolaus glared straight back at her, ignoring the spear point touching his chest. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere," he told her sarcastically. After a second, she drew back, her eyes twin gold discs of emotionless colour in her pale face. Iolaus eyed her warily, then turned his attention to the wild revels going on in the cave below.

A narrow path curved around the cave wall, leading to the floor below from their own stone niche. Directly opposite him an obsidian throne carved in the shape of human bones dominated a dais, with a skull shaped footrest in front of it. On the black cushions of the throne a woman with long blue black hair and a chill, pale beauty sat and dispassionately watched the Bacchanites dancing before her around a deep walled pool in the middle of the floor.

Iolaus eased a step further forward, striving to peer into the pool and identify the oily contents. Something was dripping into it from above, making the surface ripple constantly. Curious, Iolaus looked up and froze, his mouth going dry as he saw what decorated the roof of the cave. Hung upside down like bats from the ceilings were bodies, some so fresh the blood still ran and dripped from their slashed throats and their arms still waved obscenely slightly with the movement of the ropes that held them, others so ancient their flesh was dried to their bones.

The Bacchanite snarled and punched him in the stomach with her spear butt, sending Iolaus tumbling backward into the cave. Daedlion helped him sit up. "What is it?" he whispered, unnerved by the expression of horror on the warrior's face.

"You don't want to know." Iolaus grabbed his arm. "How long have the Bacchanites been here?" he demanded.

"Not long…."

"Daedlion, don't lie to me. How long?" It was hard to put what he had seen in the cave out of his thoughts. The sight of those bodies reminded Iolaus all too clearly of the ghoul's cave and the limp boneless bodies of its victims that he had almost joined. The pattern was too familiar to be ignored and he had a horrible feeling that he knew what lay at the core of this ritual. The Bacchus ghoul had to have come from somewhere and its lair hadn't been that far from here. Suppose the Bacchanites wanted to recreate Bacchus' servant to help them punish the village?

The youth swallowed. "They haven't been seen in a long time. The festival is supposed to keep them away because we sacrifice to Dionysus and Bacchus. Dionysus protects us from Bacchus. Only…."

"Only what?"

"Dionysus is more popular than Bacchus. Everyone wants to sacrifice to Dionysus to ensure the grape harvest is good…."

"So the sacrifices to Bacchus get fewer and fewer and he gets mad and sends the Bacchanites back," Iolaus guessed and shuddered, imagining what the Bacchanites would do when they reached the peak of their orgiastic blood frenzy. The stories of Bacchanites tearing their victims apart were all too true.

"What can we do?" Daedlion asked nervously. "If we promise to sacrifice to Bacchus…"

"It won't do any good. The only sacrifice Bacchus will want now is blood and pain. You can't placate him, only distract him. And I have a feeling the Bacchanites have more in mind for us than simply killing us."

"Then we have to get out of here."

"Easier said than done," Iolaus muttered under his breath as he pushed himself back to his feet again. "Do you know the way out of these caves?"

"I think so." Daedlion scrambled to his feet beside the warrior, watching him hopefully.

"All right, first I have to take care of our friend out there…" Iolaus took a step towards the curtain. He could see no point in delaying. Okay, so he didn't have a real plan yet. But he had winged it before and there wasn't really much choice. If they stayed they would be butchered.

Taking a deep breath, he tweaked the curtain aside. The Bacchanite on guard promptly leaped forward to confront him, hissing furiously. Iolaus smiled weakly and looked her up and down, concentrating on the fact that she was a very beautiful young woman in her black leathers.  "Hi there, sexy," he purred lazily.

The Bacchanite blinked, caught off balance by his seductive tone. Her golden eyes were wide, aroused by the erotic beat of the chanting. Her gaze flashed over him and she licked her lips as she came back to his face, studying him speculatively. Her hunger was palpable in the air, spurred by the erotic chanting and dancing going on below.

Iolaus winked. "Bet you’re bored out there. Must be frustrating not being able to join in…Want to come in and have some fun with us?" he crooned the invitation, daringly reaching out to touch her bare arm. She shuddered in lust, dropped the spear and pounced, driving the warrior back across the confines of the cave to slam into the wall.

Iolaus gasped at the impact and grabbed for her throat, tightening his grip as she clawed at him until her erotic wriggling became a frenzied squirm for air. By the time she realised what he was doing it was too late and she slid into unconsciousness without a sound. Iolaus dropped her and hopped over the body to head for the curtains again.

"Wow…" Daedlion breathed. "Can you teach me to do that?"

"What? Strangle someone? I don't think so."

"Nah, how to get a girl to…"

Iolaus flicked a grin and a glance at him. "If you've got it, flaunt it – when you’re old enough…" he said wryly and flicked aside the curtain to find himself staring at a trio of glaring Bacchanites. The first one hit him in the stomach with a spear butt, and then she and her companion promptly seized the gasping hunter by the arms and yanked him out of the cave. The third Bacchanite grabbed Daedlion and hauled him after the others down the slope to the floor of the main cave. "Um, can we talk about this?" Iolaus asked hopefully as he was dragged bodily across the floor and around the pit to the dais. Neither of his captors deigned to answer him, though one hissed at him threateningly. The dancing Bacchanites whirled around him, plucking at his hair and clothes as his guards snarled and thrust the women back with their spear butts.

Reaching the dais, Iolaus was flung to his knees and Daedlion joined him a moment later as he landed beside the hunter. Iolaus could hear the youth whimpering in mindless terror as he noticed the bodies suspended like gruesome fruit in the shadows overhead, but there was nothing he could do or say to reassure him.

The black haired woman sprawled across the throne stirred and rose elegantly to her feet to prowl down the steps and stand poised on the last one above them. As she raised her hands, her scarlet lined black cloak fell back from her leather-clad body like giant wings. The Bacchanites fell silent around her and an eerie, expectant hush muffled the cold air.

"Welcome," she purred lazily as she studied her captives.

Iolaus flicked a wary glance at the Bacchanites that flanked them and pushed slowly to his feet, careful not to make any sudden moves that might provoke an attack. "Is that what you call it?" he retorted sarcastically. "I can't say as I think much of your hospitality."

She frowned; absently caressing a strand of her own hair as her personal servant stepped forward and glared angrily at the hunter.

"Be careful how your speak to your Mistress."

"She's no mistress of mine," Iolaus snapped as he started to get to his feet. A spear butt hit him in the back of his knee, dropping him back down with a bitten off exclamation. It was followed by a blow to the small of his back that made him grit his teeth.

The blonde haired Bacchanite servant snarled, baring her fangs and lunging towards him.

"No, Casia, leave him. We have other plans for him," the black haired Bacchanite said calmly.

"But Attis, he does not show you the proper respect…"

"He is a mere mortal male and knows no better. It is beneath my notice. Be silent now."

Casia's teeth glinted but she moved back, looming behind her mistress in silent antagonism. Attis turned her attention back to her captives, studying first Iolaus then a quivering Daedlion before she turned back to the hunter. "Come here…" she ordered coolly, beckoning the warrior closer with a hooked blood red nailed finger.

"Why should I?" Iolaus demanded belligerently.

"Because this Bacchanite prefers blonds," Attis murmured as she tilted her head to one side, her golden eyes widening in the torchlight as she smiled and showed her gleaming fangs.     A low chanting started to hiss through the air, softer and infinitely more menacing than the previous orgiastic howling as Iolaus found his gaze captured by hers and got slowly to his feet, feeling the beat of the chant pulse within him. Dark terror flitted around the edges of his mind as he felt her draw him helplessly in with her strange fascination. He struggled to resist the urge to sway forward into her arms and stood rigid, one foot resting on the step as he watched her nervously. Her eyes half mesmerised him and he tore his gaze away, focusing instead on the carvings on the cave wall behind her throne.  The writhing pictures horrified him; detailing the butchering of the male sacrifices and the draining of the blood into the pool behind him before a chosen victim was led before a Bacchanite that was drawn larger than the others. Iolaus assumed she was their leader and shuddered, recognising in the images a reflection of his own position. On the wall, the Mistress of the Bacchanites ripped out the throat of the victim and threw the drained body into the bloody pool. A flicker of torchlight as Attis stirred made him blink, registering the similarity of the Bacchanite on the wall to Attis.

"Look at me…" she commanded and Iolaus reluctantly obeyed.

"Those pictures….Do they show ….?" Iolaus hoped he was wrong.  He didn't want to think about the transformed creature the carvings showed rising from the pool of blood…

"The ritual for the raising of Bacchus' Servant? Yes." Her smile was all the crueller for its chill unemotional beauty that never touched her golden eyes. "And only I can perform the ritual. I am the first to have drunk of Bacchus' blood as he drank of mine."

Iolaus flicked another glance at the wall pictures. "Don't you mean she is?"

Attis flung back her head, exposing the long creamy line of her throat. "That is me, foolish mortal!" She calmed herself, her golden eyes turning blood red in the torchlight. "Bacchus has chosen you," she told him as she caressed his jaw line and ran her finger slowly down his throat until her fingertips rested against the hollow of his collarbone. She watched the beat of his pulse beneath the fine skin with a lazy smile, sensing his panic in the face of a predator. "The hunter hunted…Ironic, isn't it?"

"Why him? Why not the young one?" Casia hissed.

"Because this one knows how to fight," Attis replied as her hand slid down Iolaus' bare chest to caress his stomach. "Because Bacchus wants a replacement for the Servant Hercules killed. And it was because of this one that Hercules killed him. It will be fitting that when he becomes the new servant his first task will be to kill Hercules."

A quick scuffle from behind Iolaus made Casia glance irritably at Daedlion as the youth struggled feebly between the two Bacchanites that had dragged him to his feet. "If that is what the master wishes, mistress, so be it. What shall we do with the other one?"

"He shall serve in his own way. Kill him. Let him join the others." Attis' full attention was on Iolaus, her gaze locked with his. He made her think of sunlight and fresh blue sky with his flaxen hair and azure eyes: so beautiful and yet so lethal. How long had it been since she had seen the sun in the sky? Both had been denied to her since she drank of Bacchus' blood and became an immortal creature of the night. It had been the price she paid to be immortal and forever beautiful and it had been one she embraced willingly. But with eternal life had come eternal hunger, the endless hunger that could never be assuaged but only sated for a while. She could sense the vitality in this one, a living exuberant essence she could almost taste already. This one would ease her hunger for a while. She cupped his face in a lover's embrace and drew him closer, her lips seductively capturing his…

Casia snorted in disgust and stepped past them, beckoning to the Bacchanites holding on to Daedlion.

Iolaus closed his eyes as the Bacchanite eased stealthily towards him like a snake through the grass. His libido was at war with his survival instincts; the depths of the unnatural hunger she inspired in him terrifying him with the hint of obsessive need and spurring his survival instinct to new effort.

As her lips crushed his, tasting of blood and berries, he reached down to his boot and drew the knife he always carried there. She held him still, her lips sliding down his jaw-line as she readied herself for the bite that would crunch through his skin and rip out his throat. She kissed the spot she had chosen one, her tongue lapping his skin then she drew back her head for the final lunge and bite….

Iolaus plunged the knife into her, driving the long blade up under her ribs and deep into her slender body. The shock showed in her blood red eyes, turning them pale satin gold as she crumpled. He held her against him for a moment then dropped the body and started to turn a second before Casia realised what he had done and screamed. Her spear shaft caught him a hard blow across the side of the head, sending him stunned and staggering off balance as she lunged after him. The warrior flung up one arm instinctively to protect his face from her claws and she seized his wrist, yanking his arm down so she could sink her fangs deep into his forearm close to the elbow. Iolaus let out a scream of his own and clubbed her across the head with his balled fist. The Bacchanite ripped her teeth free in a spray of blood and went for his throat. This time Iolaus caught her, twisted sideways and threw her bodily into the Bacchanites still holding Daedlion. All three of them went down in a tangle as Iolaus leaped after them. Grabbing Casia's spear in one hand, he yanked Daedlion to his feet with the other.

"Run!" he yelled at the shocked youth and shoved him hard, propelling him towards the gaping exit of the cave below where they had been held. Daedlion stumbled obediently in the direction he was pushed as Iolaus shot a wary glance round at the other Bacchanites.

Recovering from their initial surprise, the Bacchanites reacted like a swarm of angry hornets, some darting towards their fallen Mistress while others turned on the two men in rage. Iolaus swung back to face them, blocking the one who jumped him with the spear. Screaming in rage, she bit through the wooden haft, splintering it and wrenching the shattered end out of his hand. Stunned, Iolaus looked from her to the spear and then back again as she gathered herself for another leap. As she sprang, Iolaus whipped sideways and side kicked her in the stomach then swung and kicked her in the jaw. She went crashing backwards, bringing down a tangle of others with her.

Casia was up and leaping at him from behind and, without thinking, Iolaus thrust the splintered end of the spear back at her. It slammed into her stomach and went straight through as easily as a foot through snow, her tortured scream exploding through the wild screeching chittering of the Bacchanites and bringing a stunned silence as she crumbled to ashes.

Iolaus gave the sparkling red embers a shocked look. That was the last thing he had expected to happen. It hadn't happened to Attis and she was…. He looked instinctively towards the dais as Attis rose to her feet, her eyes twin crimson flames as she looked at the ashes of her personal servant and then glared at Iolaus. "Kill him!" she screamed and her cry shattered the silence of the cave.

As one the Bacchanites turned and lunged at Iolaus, finally given an order to obey. They rushed him, their own eagerness to get at him and tear him apart their undoing. Iolaus slashed at them with the spear to make them duck back and ran for it, jumping onto the edge of the pool wall to avoid the seething horde of angry Bacchanites. He ran along the edge until he got up enough speed and then jumped, somersaulting over one Bacchanite and landing behind two of the creatures that had seized Daedlion and were fighting for the privilege of killing him. The hunter took them by surprise as he landed behind them. With no time to worry about the niceties Iolaus grabbed one and tore her off the youth, throwing her into the pool as the other one turned on him. He met her attack with the spear and left the weapon embedded in her side as she crumbled to ashes.

The Bacchanite in the pool was screaming in agony, her flesh melting from her bones as she churned the blood to froth with her struggles. Around the edge of the pool the Bacchanites were in a frenzy, clawing at each other in their efforts to get past each other and catch the mortals.

"How.…?" Daedlion stammered, staring at the Bacchanite in the pool.

Iolaus neither knew nor cared, assuming that the ritual that would transform a man into the ghoul would kill an already transformed Bacchanite. "Never mind that! Run!" Grabbing Daedlion by one arm Iolaus took off at sprint, dragging him out of the cave and down the tunnel beyond. A wild chant started up behind them, a feral howling of rage providing a counterpoint.

"What are we going to do?" Daedlion wailed as they burst out of the cave into a rain swept night on a darkened hillside.

"Get to the village. Which way?"

"But the Bacchanites?"

"We’ve got time to get a lead on them while they're changing."

"Changing? Into what? Cloaks?" Daedlion looked up into the rain, nearly falling over his own feet as they ran. Iolaus jerked him upright beside him.

"No, you stupid…." Reminding himself that Daedlion was only a kid and a shocked kid at that, Iolaus curbed his tongue. "Change into wolves…Pull yourself together, Daedlion. Their confusion won't last long. You said you knew this area. We have to get to the village. Which way?"

Daedlion looked at him blankly and shook his head, too frightened to be much help. Iolaus shot a desperate glance around him and gritted his teeth. Downhill. The village had to be downhill through the woods.  He quickened his pace, forcing Daedlion to greater speed. It had to be downhill, because if it wasn’t they were doomed and the Bacchanites would catch them.

The rain beat his face, driven by an ice-cold wind that battered the branches at them and made it hard to see where they were going. Slipping and stumbling they fought their way through a wood that seemed set on preventing their passage while behind them the wolves howled in the night. If it had been almost anything other than Bacchanites on their tails, Iolaus would have slowed down and used his hunting skills to waylay the pursuit. He knew plenty of traps to trap and kill an unwary pursuer, be it human or animal. But not when they were possibly Bacchanites. His head aching, Iolaus shook off the memory of seeing Casia crumbling at his feet. 

Staggering into a pocket sized clearing at last, Daedlion tripped over his own feet in exhaustion and down with a whimper. Panting for breath Iolaus stood over him for a moment, striving to get his bearings in the rain soaked darkness. His left arm was throbbing with pain and he wasn't sure whether it was blood or rain that soaked his shirt. His eyes seemed to be playing tricks on him, shading the night with blood red shadows and he looked around uncertainly, then thought to look up. The moon was up, glinting among the skeins of copper rain clouds. A blood red moon, crimson with gore…

Iolaus' mind went blank in horror, then Daedlion moaned, burrowing into the wet earth and snapping Iolaus out of his own exhausted shock. The moon might be the wrong colour and ominous in its bloody veils, but it was still the moon. It still rose and fell in the same place and from it Iolaus could get his directions.

"Get up!" Grabbing his arm, Iolaus yanked at him determinedly. "We're not far from the village. Keep moving."

"No, no further…." The youth gasped.

"You want them to catch us? You want them to kill us? Get up!"

"No, I…"

Iolaus snarled and heaved, bodily lifting the youth to his feet. "You may want to get torn apart, but I don't want to be ghoul food, move you, damn fool!" Something in the warrior's eyes frightened Daedlion into falling into a stumbling run with Iolaus pushing and swearing at him from behind to urge him on.

The wolves weren't far behind, their howls tearing the rain soaked air with their excitement as they ran down slope. They had caught the scent of their prey now and were aroused by the scent of blood. They were starting to close in as Iolaus and Daedlion all but fell into the clearing by the stream and saw the welcome lights of the village flickering a few hundreds yards ahead.

With a moan of relief, Daedlion found the energy to break into a sprint, harried by Iolaus at his heels. The stream was swollen with the torrential downpour and Daedlion hesitated at the edge where the narrow plank bridge had been washed a way until Iolaus gave him a shove in the back that sent him floundering forward. "You’re already soaked.  Another dunking won't hurt you, but the Bacchanites will!" Iolaus yelled at him above the roar of wind and rain. His grip on the youth's arm kept him up and moving when he would have sunk onto the streambed.  The hunter dragged him up the bank on the far side and into the outskirts of the village as the wolves burst out into the clearing behind them.

Daedlion let out one breathless sob of terror before he was flung ahead of the warrior and into a wild sprint. He had no idea of where he was going, only that Iolaus was behind him and urging him on as they burst into market square and saw the Bacchanites waiting for them.

"No…." Daedlion slid to a halt, convinced it was all over.

Iolaus braked behind him, looking over his shoulder at the furry pack surging across the stream before looking forward to see why the youth had halted. Seeing the Bacchanites turning towards them, he swallowed hard. There was nowhere left to run to, they were surrounded….

"Daedlion," Iolaus caught at the youth's shoulder. "Listen to me, we have to take them by surprise. When I tell you to run, I want you to head for the Hestia's temple."

"But…."

"Don't argue with me. The Bacchanites can't enter a temple that belongs to anyone except Bacchus without permission and Hestia loathes Bacchus. You…we'll be safe in there." Iolaus glanced back at the wolves, seeing that they had slowed their headlong rush as they began their hideous change from wolf back to human form. Ahead of them the Bacchanites had spotted the two new arrivals and were closing in, stalking their prey with menacing deliberation. Iolaus could see their chances of survival deteriorating rapidly the longer they delayed. "Go on, do as I say…." He gave the youth a shove sideways that made the Bacchanites lift their heads as if they had scented them, then the hunter bounded forward, charging them.  "Move it, Daedlion!" he yelled a second before he piled into the front rank of the Bacchanites.

Startled by his unexpected attack they erupted into a turmoil of caterwauling confusion, some scrabbling to get out of the way of the berserk blond whirlwind in their midst, others clawing eagerly towards him.

Iolaus mule-kicked one woman into a fruit stall, headbutted another who went for his throat, chopped two more in the throat at the same time and then whipped around in a spin kick to smash another in the jaw before the Bacchanites recovered their senses and piled in on top of him all at once, dragging the infuriated warrior to the ground. The back of his head connected hard with the ground as he was pulled down and he saw stars as a squalling Bacchanites bared her fangs and went for his throat…

                                                            * * *

"What are they waiting for?" Basil muttered, shuddering as he turned away from the slit window that looked out onto the market square where the Bacchanites were gathered.

"A chance to get in," Arum answered him from where she sat sharpening her sword with her back to the warm walls of the altar hearth.  She looked up, giving the plump innkeeper a wicked grin. "They're gearing themselves up into a frenzy before they attack. All they need is an invitation."

"They won't get it from anyone here," Basil retorted and moved away, seeking out Hercules. The Amazons had never particularly bothered him before, but Arum made him nervous without knowing why.

The demi-god was leaning against the wall further along. Amaryllis was beside him, her face taut with frustration. "A surprise attack will do no one any good, least of all us," Hercules was telling the red head patiently. "There are too many Bacchanites and too few of us."

"Arum says the other Amazons made it into to cover. If we attack they'll join in. We could kill some of them."

"Before they drag us down, yes," Hercules agreed. "And then what?"

Amaryllis shrugged, ignoring the fact that it did spectacular things to her cleavage. It amazed Basil that Hercules could be so oblivious to the geological changes to her scenery.  "We could maybe get by them, go after Iolaus…" She shivered and – to Basil's disappointment - folded her arms. "I'm worried about the little blond psycho, Hercules, and that's unusual for an Amazon."

Hercules smiled faintly. "I'm worried about him too, but that's not unusual for me. If anyone can escape from them though, it'll be Iolaus. I've seen him get out of tighter spots than this."

"Without help?"

Hercules nodded solemnly. "Iolaus is a survivor, Amaryllis. Never doubt that."

The Amazon smiled weakly and leaned back against the wall, staring silently across the cella as she sank deep into her own thoughts.

"Hercules?" Basil took his chance to approach the demi-god. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but people are getting restless. They want to go home."

"So do I," Hercules replied dryly. "But as long as the Bacchanites are out there, there's no chance of that."

"But how long do we have to wait?"

"Until they leave."

"And how long…?"

"Look, Basil, I don't know the answer to that any more than you do," Hercules interrupted irritably.

"All right," the innkeeper mumbled, wishing he had never agreed to be spokesperson for the villagers in the first place. He had his own problems to think of: his youngest was out there… "But we need to know what's going on. Some of us have friends and family missing. I need to have something to tell them."

Hercules winced visibly.

"The men will have been killed. The women converted," Amaryllis said coolly. "Tell them that. Tell them they're gone for good."

"I can't do that!" Basil protested. "There must be something we can do."

Hercules sighed. "We don't know how many of the Bacchanites out there are new ones. Or even if any of them are."

Basil frowned "Will that make a difference?"

"Perhaps. The new ones might still be saved – if they want to be. If you can keep them from drinking Bacchus' blood until first light of the day after they’ve been bitten, then the transformation can be reversed. But take a look out there. I'll bet those flasks they’ve been passing round don't have your best wine in them." Hercules caught the innkeeper's arm and pulled him up to the window. Standing on tiptoe, Basil peered out into the square at the Bacchanites, seeing what Hercules meant about the flasks being passed from hand to hand in the flickering light of torches guttering in the rain.

"I thought they were getting drunk, like Maenads," he whispered. "I thought we'd be able to fight them then…"

"Maenads get high on wine, dancing and sex – like Amazons. That’s why we like them," Amaryllis observed. "Bacchanites get drunk on Bacchus' blood, go into a feeding frenzy and kill anything that moves. Particularly if it's male. Which is why Amazons don't think much of them. They’re wasteful," She glanced at Hercules. "Basil could be right though. Once they lose control…"

"Hush!" Hercules lifted his hand for silence and tugged Basil away from the window so he could lean closer to it.

"What is it?" Amaryllis whispered.

"I hear…wolves…" Hercules said slowly, frowning uneasily.

"Transformed Bacchanites coming to the party?"

"They sound like they’re hunting." Hercules flicked a glance at the Amazon, seeing that she had jumped to the same conclusion as he had.

"I wonder who the prey is?" she murmured as she drew her sword from its sheath across her back. She pushed Basil aside so she could peer into the square.

"We'll soon find out. It sounds as if they’re coming this way." Hercules eased back and glanced around the cella, looking for something he could use as a weapon if he had to. A dozing farmer lay with his pitchfork alongside and he headed over to him, gently shaking the older man awake and asking to borrow the implement.

"Iolaus!" Amaryllis' alarmed yip made the demi-god spring to his feet and dash back to her side. She moved aside so he could look out, her flint blue eyes enormous in a combination of anger and worry.

Hercules gritted his teeth as he saw his friend and partner hovering at the edge of the square with Daedlion; the pair of them trapped between a rock and a hard place. There was really only one thing they could do and – knowing how much like himself Iolaus thought,  -Hercules knew exactly what the warrior would do. A split second later Hercules was lunging for the door and colliding with Amaryllis as she moved with the same intention as the demi-god.

"Stay here," they both said at the same time.

"He's my friend,” Hercules snarled.

"He's my lover," Amaryllis spat back as the caterwauling suddenly went up from the Bacchanites outside.

Without bothering to argue with her, Hercules raced for the door and flung back the heavy bolts that had held it shut against the Bacchanites. Amaryllis was only a step behind him until Arum caught her arm and held her back. "Don't be a fool. Let Hercules go."

"That's Iolaus out there!"

"He's only a man. You'll find another one."

"He's more than that. He's a battle comrade. I've fought beside him." Amaryllis answered as Hercules hurled the door open and raced out into the rain soaked night.

"You’re a fool. You'll get yourself killed! He's not worth it."

For a second, Amaryllis looked into her friend's dark eyes in disbelief then shook her off. "Fighting for a friend is always worth it," she retorted and sprinted after Hercules, her Amazon war cry splitting the air as she raced into the darkness. Swearing, Arum followed her…

As Hercules hurtled into the square, the first thing he saw was Iolaus going down under the pack of Bacchanites while the new arrivals piling into the square headed for Daedlion. The youth was running for all he was worth and Hercules reluctantly swerved towards him, intercepting the pursuit as he realised Daedlion stood no chance alone. Swinging the pitchfork in front of him, he skewered the first Bacchanite to rush him and hurled her furred body into the rest of the half-transformed pack. He caught a second Bacchanite the same way, but the third ducked him and as he swung after him another tore the pitchfork from his hands. He had a glimpse of Amaryllis beheading the Bacchanite coming at him from behind as she herded Daedlion behind her and Arum and screamed at the youth to get inside, then he kicked the Bacchanite who had disarmed him in the face and broke her jaw.

Knowing the Amazons would protect the youth; Hercules turned his attention to his real concern. Using his speed and weight to force his way into the ranks of the Bacchanites, he slammed bodily into their backs and gained several yards towards Iolaus before they realised what was happening and turned to face this new menace. Then he started grabbing and throwing, snapping limbs here and necks there and tossing the broken bodies aside as he ploughed forward.  His strength was more than a match for that of the Bacchanites even when they mobbed him with their favourite tactic of pulling their prey down by sheer numbers alone. Hercules went down on one knee then surged up, flinging the whole pack of them flying and gaining himself enough space to reach the scrum surrounding Iolaus. The only bit he could reach of his friend was one foot and he grabbed the hunter by the ankle, yanking him out from underneath the mob.

The dazed and mauled warrior was drenched to the skin and it was impossible to tell in the poor light what was blood and what was mud, but he was still alive and kicking and proved it by using his feet on the Bacchanite that lunged for Hercules. She staggered back with a yelp of pain as he booted her in the stomach and the demi-god promptly grabbed her by the throat and threw her out of the way. Iolaus rolled over into his stomach, hazily struggling to get up as Hercules stood braced astride him and fought off the Bacchanites that wanted to drag them both down.

"Hercules! Grab him and come on! Daedlion's inside!" Amaryllis screamed as she hacked her way towards him. "I’ll watch your back."

Glad of her help, Hercules bent and scooped Iolaus to his feet with one arm around his midriff. The hunter staggered dizzily at suddenly being upright and yelped as a Bacchanite bared her fangs and lunged at his throat. Sensing Hercules behind him and trusting his friend to catch him, Iolaus fell backwards and kicked her in the face with both feet as the demi-god instinctively wrapped his arms around his chest and supported his weight. The second his feet were back on the ground, Hercules moved backwards, hauling the warrior with him.

Where they were going, Iolaus had no idea. He barely knew which way was up and lashed out at any Bacchanites stupid enough to get in the way purely on automatic as the demi-god hustled him across the square and onto the steps of the temple. "Get inside!" Hercules yelled at him and then was gone. Sinking onto the steps, Iolaus peered groggily around him at the noisy chaos. Dimly he recognised Arum cutting her way back to the temple, saw Hercules hauling Amaryllis to her feet and punching the Bacchanite who had caught her in the face. There was a flurry of movement and a Bacchanite swirled to a halt at the edge of the steps, staring at him in loathing.

"Attis wants you," she hissed. "And you will not escape her."

Iolaus glared back at her and lurched to his feet, spitting an insult at her. "Attis can go boil in her own blood!"

The Bacchanite flung back her head with a wild laugh. "Come, fight me!" she urged. Her eyes ablaze with the blood light. "Or are you a coward to hide behind Hestia's skirts!"

Iolaus growled, goaded beyond common sense by the heat of battle and fury of flight. He started forward, wanting to strangle her with his bare hands. She took a step back, luring him closer….

"No!" Hercules bellowed, grabbing the Bacchanite by the back of her leathers and flinging her across the square to crash into a couple of others in a hissing, spitting ball. Iolaus started after her as Hercules ducked forward and caught him over one shoulder, rushing him back into the temple with the two Amazons barely ahead of them.

"Put me down!" Iolaus snarled indignantly a second before he was dumped unceremoniously back on his feet. Hercules turned away from the hunter to help Amaryllis and Arum swing the doors shut in the face of the infuriated Bacchanites.

"Find something to brace these doors!" Hercules bellowed, startling both priestess' and villagers into movement.

"I thought you said they wouldn't break in," someone protested as they hurried up with a chair.

"They’re mad enough to forget the rules. And Hestia's attention might be elsewhere," Hercules retorted as he single handedly lifted the locking beam across the doors.

Iolaus looked at them blankly, his head roaring with the noise and throbbing pain. It occurred to him distantly to wonder where Daedlion was and he looked around, glad to see the youth being half crushed by his father and brother as they hugged him in fervent relief.

I could do with some of that… he reflected wistfully.

Vaguely aware that he couldn't help much, he let himself be jostled aside and tottered across the cella towards the altar hearth. The warmth of the blazing fire welcomed him as he stood gratefully before it, warming himself before the flames as he looked up at the statue of Hestia. As always, she seemed to smile on him in welcome. Iolaus bowed his head politely.

"I'm sorry, I didn't bring a sacrifice," he mumbled groggily. "But, all hail to Hestia and if you could spare us a minute or two…" The roaring in his head was getting worse and he thought he heard Hercules yell his name. Silly really, the demi-god had far more things to occupy him than worrying about Iolaus might be up to….

Wow, this place is hot…. Iolaus reflected dazedly as the shadows rushed in on him.

"Hercules, I think you’d better fetch Iolaus…." Amaryllis said sharply, making him glance away from directing the building of a door barrier. She was busy binding a sword slash in Arum's arm for her, but had still spared time to look for Iolaus. Realising he had forgotten his friend, Hercules looked round anxiously to see him standing before the altar and quite obviously swaying on his feet.

Dropping everything, the demi-god raced to his partner's side and caught him as Iolaus swayed backwards and sagged against him, his eyes closing as he slid floorward. Scooping him up, Hercules carried the hunter across to the bedding he had laid out for himself in the vague hopes of sleeping for a few minutes if he could. He settled Iolaus into the blankets and clamped his hand around the hunter's forearm as he saw the wound there. Raising the wounded limb, Hercules made a quick examination of his friend for any other signs of hurt, finding numerous scrapes and bruises and the bloody bump on the back of his head before he looked round and bellowed for Dillon.

The healer, busy attending to his brother, glanced up with a frown. "I’ll be okay," Daedlion urged shakily, clinging to his father's hand. "Iolaus saved my life."

"Go on, I’ll stay with him," Basil urged, giving his eldest son a gentle nudge.

Dillon nodded and grabbed his herb bag as he hurried over to Hercules. He had done nothing but tend to wounds since they entered the cella. Much of the damage had been caused simply by the villagers' panic-stricken efforts to escape the Bacchanite attack, leaving him with more broken limbs to deal with than anything else. Iolaus was starting to stir as he knelt beside Hercules.

"It's his arm that's the worst of it," Hercules said quickly as the healer gave him a questioning look. Dillon leaned forward enough to peer under Hercules' hand as he lifted it a fraction.

"Nasty, but I can fix that once it stops bleeding," he decided, turning his attention to the warrior and started to check his pulse. "Iolaus?" he called softly and Iolaus focused on him slowly.

"What happened?" the hunter asked weakly as he attempted to tug his arm free of Hercules' grip. The demi-god pushed him flat with a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Not a lot. Stay down until Dillon can look you over."

Iolaus frowned and gave both of them an exasperated look as the healer started to examine him. "I'm okay…."

"You've lost a lot of blood from the looks of you," Dillon retorted as he eyed the hunter's ashen complexion critically and carefully ran his fingers through his mop of blond hair. Iolaus flinched and protested vehemently as he found the bump. "And you've had a nasty crack on the head."

"I know that! Leave it alone!" Iolaus shoved his hand away indignantly.

"Look at my finger, please…."

"No, leave me alone…."

"Iolaus, don't be stubborn. Do as he says."

Iolaus shot a glare at Hercules, saw his worried expression, and reluctantly obeyed, following Dillon's finger as he moved it in front of his face. After a few moments, he winced and closed his eyes.

"Feel sick?" Dillon asked kindly.

"Very sick," Iolaus snapped, shooting a glare at him from under his eyelashes.

"That's the crack on the head. You need to rest."

"With a pack of Bacchanites drooling on the doorstep? Let me up."

"So you can faint again? I don't think so…" Hercules growled and lifted his free hand, threatening to swat the warrior as he pried at the hand locked around his forearm.

"I did no such thing," Iolaus retorted. "Let me go, you’re hurting me…"

Hercules flinched slightly at the idea of so much as bruising his friend, but determinedly kept his grip. "It's for your own good. If I let go and you sit up, you'll faint," he said flatly. "So, I hang onto you and you stay down."

"I don't…"

"Stay!" Hercules barked.

Iolaus blinked and subsided, staring at him in bewilderment.

"Don't look so worried," Dillon said gently. "You’re going to be fine, Iolaus. Let me get some water to clean you up with. Hercules, you stay with him and don't let him up. Keep a hold on him until his arm stops bleeding."

Iolaus gazed after the healer as he hurried off then turned warily back to Hercules, catching him in a worried expression that he quickly hid. Smiling very faintly, Iolaus did his best to relax and let his aching body accept the luxury of lying down. "Is Daedlion okay?" he asked.

"Daedlion is fine," Hercules assured him. "How do you feel?" Iolaus considered the question and answered with a silent grimace. "That good, huh? You'd feel even worse if I let you up," Hercules told him brightly.

The warrior gave him a dirty look and turned his attention to his throbbing arm. Now that he had time to look at it in the better light of the cella, he could see what a bloody mess it looked and swallowed hard on sudden nausea. He was glad he couldn't see the wound that Hercules grip was concealing. Hercules touched his chin with a firm finger and pushed his face away.

"Don't look until Dillon gets it cleaned up," he advised.

Iolaus nodded and rested his head back, closing his eyes against the swirling sensations that moving gave him. Lying still, he gradually started to become aware of other things besides pain: like how wet he was and how cold. Unconsciously, he started shivering as the dampness bit into him. Hercules squeezed his shoulder and he twitched fully awake, focusing on him slowly as the demi-god pulled a blanket over him.

"We need to get you dry and warm," Hercules observed worriedly.

"I'll be fine," Iolaus told him even though his teeth were starting to chatter and his nausea was increasing. He closed his eyes again, fighting to keep his body under control.

"If we look after you properly you will," Hercules said impatiently. "Amaryllis!"

"Aw, no, Herc….leave her out of this…" Iolaus protested weakly, instinctively looking up at him and whimpering as his head spun.

"You hold on," the demi-god soothed him as the Amazon hurried up.

"How you doing, honeycake?" Amaryllis asked as she hunkered down next to him.

"Oh great. I'll be right with you," Iolaus lied.

Amaryllis gave him a cool look then startled him by leaning forward and kissing him gently on the forehead. "You’re adorable when you're lying," she said dryly and turned her attention to Hercules. "What do you need, legs?"

"Dry clothes and blankets for him…"

"Wine….?" Iolaus suggested.

"No wine," Hercules refused. "We need to get him warm and dry."

Iolaus sighed and closed his eyes, wishing he could turn invisible. The conversation drifted over him, echoing strangely as he started to drift. Distantly he was aware of his arm being lowered at last and the sudden explosion of pain caused by the movement sent him slithering over the edge into welcoming oblivion.

                                                            * * *

Attis paced the rocky dais restlessly, her cloak swishing around her in night black wings that disturbed the dust. The last thing she had expected was for that wretched blond mortal to actually despatch her devoted servant Casia so easily.

"I told you arming ourselves with spears was a mistake but would you listen? No! See where it got you, you fool?!," she hissed at the heap of dull embers that was all that remained of Casia..   Her servant would not rise again from this mistake. She might have chosen to drink Bacchus' blood, but Attis was the immortal one. She shivered, wrapping the folds of her cloak tight around her as she remembered the delicious pleasure of Bacchus' flesh pressed against hers, the erotic ecstasy of his fangs sinking into her throat, sharing his essence with her. Only with her…

"Mistress?" the hail was nervously polite as the young Bacchanite warily approached the dais.

"Yes? What is it now?"

The Bacchanite gestured behind her as her companions dragged a struggling cloaked figure up to the dais and flung him down before Attis. "We caught this one outside the village. We were going to kill him but he spoke your name."

Attis frowned and swept back her cloak from her slim body, eyeing the captive as she struggled to his knees and shoved back his hood. "What of the hunter and the boy?" she asked however.

"They managed to reach the village," the Bacchanite admitted reluctantly, half cringing from her glare. "They sought refuge with Hercules."

"Mistress!" the cowering man babbled in panic. "Please, I did as you commanded. Let me go."

Attis turned her cold gaze on him: it was better to punish a worthless male than a Bacchanite who couldn't be spared. "Lovis, you worm, where did you think you could run to?"

"I wasn't running," the farmer stammered. "I was, I was…." He looked round wildly, his eyes getting bigger and bigger as he smelled the blood in the air and realised what the pool was filled with. Involuntarily he looked up at the bodies and went white in shock.

"You were to stay with the others and let us in," Attis reminded him. "You failed."

"I got separated from the others. I couldn't get in. Hercules is in the temple."

Folding her hands together, Attis studied him in disgust before looking thoughtfully up at the bodies of the sacrifices. Hercules' friend had ruined her plans, but perhaps not as disastrously as she had thought. True, she could wait and see if her Bacchanites managed to drag him and Hercules from the temple after all. But that might take time and they could not afford to delay much longer. If the ritual did not start soon, it might fail all together. And, after all, a ghoul was a ghoul. The source for its body hardly mattered. And Casia's sacrifice should not be wasted. With her blood and flesh to nourish it this ghoul would be invincible.

With one swift movement, Attis stepped up the pool and scooped up a golden cupful of the oily crimson liquid within. "Bring him here…" she commanded, hooking a finger at Lovis. Her Bacchanites pounced, seizing the frightened man before he could run and dragging him to their Mistress.

"Please, don't kill me!" he whined. "You promised me! You promised to reward me!"

"And you shall be rewarded," Attis assured him as she clamped her fingers on his jaw and forced his mouth open to pour the noxious concoction of blood and herbs down his throat. Lovis kicked and struggled to no avail, his screams bubbling through the thick liquid that he was forced to swallow or drown. When the cup was finally empty Attis stepped back and the Bacchanites dropped the retching man to the floor.

"You could have poisoned me…." Lovis gasped as he clawed his way upright. "Why'd you…?" He stopped, staring into Attis' golden eyes as they flicked with blood red light.  "No…No, you promised, Mistress. Not me…"

Attis reached out, her hand gliding seductively over his shoulder as she smiled lazily and watched him dare to think she meant him no harm. Then she lunged, her fangs sinking deep into his throat and ripping through the flesh, his scream gurgling into silence as she drained the blood from him with hungry eager gulps and hugged him in her lethal embrace.

Only when his body was limp and dry did she release his throat and step back, lifting the lifeless body over her head and sliding it carefully into the pool of blood so that not a drop touched her. The body slid below the surface, sinking to the bottom.

Attis raised her arms, arching upwards towards and throwing her head back in exultation. "You have our sacrifice, master. Send us your Chosen One!"

"Bacc-hus, Bacc-hus…." The Bacchanites started to chant as the liquid in the pool heaved violently and started to bubble as the flesh within started its transformation.

"And we will send you blood!"

                                                            * * *

When he woke up again, he was warm, dry and wrapped in soft clean blankets. Everything still ached, but as long as he didn't move too much it didn't hurt too badly. His head was cushioned on something firm and he opened his eyes, focusing slowly on the sleek brown leather clad thigh under his cheek.

"Who…?" he felt a stab of panic for a second until a hand caressed the nape of his neck and tickled the back of his ear in a gesture he knew well. "Amaryllis…." The panic sighed out of him and he relaxed again.

"Of course, sugarpuff. Who were you expecting?"

"Don't ask." Iolaus made an awkward attempt to move and was thwarted by the Amazon's firm hand on his shoulder.

"Not yet," she said quietly. "You need to rest."

"I feel better…."

"While you’re lying down, sure." Amaryllis ran her fingers lightly over his still damp hair and he sighed, lulled by her petting. "There's no rush anyway. Everyone is asleep and the Bacchanites have gone quiet. Go back to sleep."

Iolaus closed his eyes again, knowing better than to argue. The Amazon was probably right anyway. After the battering he had taken he needed to rest if he was going to be able to fight.

There was a rustle of movement and a faint creak of leather. "How is he?" Hercules asked quietly, his voice a husky murmur in the hush of the cella.

"Awake," Iolaus answered, opening his eyes to look at his friend. Firelight flickered around him as he lifted his head, surprised to find that he had been moved closer to the warmth of the hearth. No doubt Hercules had carried him – which made Iolaus glad he hadn't been awake to be embarrassed.

Hercules gave him a relieved grin. "Good," he said warmly. "Amaryllis, you want to take the watch now?"

"If I must." The Amazon sighed and reluctantly eased Iolaus back onto the folded blankets.

"I can help…" Iolaus began.

"No, you can't," Hercules and Amaryllis both said at the same time and he frowned at them in surprise.

"Sure, I can," he snapped and wedged an elbow under him. The flare of pain that bolted down his arm made him gasp and flop back into the makeshift bed, only dimly aware of Hercules' quick hand under his neck stopping him from banging his head as he went down. Distantly he heard Amaryllis say something and then the brisk sound of her footsteps as she moved away made him open his eyes again.

"She's going to fetch Dillon," Hercules explained when the hunter looked at him.

"You should let him sleep," Iolaus protested. "I'm not that hurt."

"No, you’re not," Hercules admitted gratefully. "But he wants to look at you anyway. Besides, you're still in no shape to get up. Lie still and rest."

"And what about the Bacchanites? Am I supposed to lie here while they overrun the place?"

"That isn't going to happen," Hercules told him sternly. "They can't get in unless invited."

Iolaus sighed heavily and shifted into a more comfortable position. "So what are we going to do?"

"Wait them out."

"That's no good, Herc," Iolaus argued. "Sure, come morning some of them will leave. But a lot more will stay and keep us trapped in here. Then what?"

Sitting cross-legged beside his friend, Hercules studied the back of his hands and shook his head. True, he had spent most of the time worrying about Iolaus, his concern distracting him from solving the problem of the Bacchanites.  But he had found time to mull over what Zora had told him while Iolaus slept. "I've never heard of Bacchanites putting a village under siege before," he said finally, thinking aloud. "They usually pick off their prey one by one. So, this time they want something else. I think Zora is right."

"What's she got to do with it?

"She told me a few things about Bacchanites and ghouls."

"Ghouls?" Iolaus echoed in alarm and made a grab for the demi-god's wrist. "You think it's coming back?!"

"Not the one we fought no, a different one," Hercules soothed, patting the hunter's hand as he gripped his arm.

"That's bad enough!"

"It can't get you in here."

"Did I say I was scared?"

"No, of course not. " Hercules grinned at him affectionately. "But one of the things she told me is that the Bacchanites need a Blood Moon for the ritual of creating a new ghoul.

"Herc, tonight is the Blood Moon.  I saw it!" Iolaus yelped.

"I was afraid of that," Hercules sighed, twisting out of his grip. "Tonight is their chance."

Iolaus took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. "Then you think that's what they’re waiting for?"

Hercules inclined his head. "They’re keeping us trapped in here so we can't interfere with its creation." He paused, seeing Iolaus' dubious expression. "Unless you know better?"

"Maybe. When the Bacchanites caught us, they took us to a cave with all these carvings and bodies." Iolaus scowled, fighting the fog in his memory.

"Daedlion told me about the bodies," Hercules said calmly. "He described it pretty graphically. He says the Bacchanites were sacrificing them and draining their blood. He wasn't sure why."

"For the blood. It's part of the ritual." Iolaus rubbed one hand over his face, wishing he didn't feel so cold and shaky. He closed his eyes, forcing his mind back to the cave until he could once more see the Bacchanite screaming in the pool of blood.  Once he had started to talk, dragging the memories to the surface of what Attis had told him, the words came easier and the memories flowed. He was unaware of his shivering becoming violent shudders or of Hercules' hand on his shoulder as he spoke to him. Only when the words ran out, leaving him drained and exhausted, did he realise he was huddled against the bigger man as Hercules knelt beside him, holding him against the nightmarish torrent. He hugged him hard in silent gratitude for a second then shakily let go.

Wordlessly, Hercules eased him back into the blankets and pulled them up around him. "You’d make a lousy ghoul," he said softly.

Iolaus managed a weak laugh. "It wouldn't be exactly my favourite choice of things to be. I'm sorry…."

"Don't be. It's only a reaction to what happened. You're entitled."

Iolaus smiled feebly. "But, Herc, now we know what they’re waiting for."

"They want us and they want another ghoul. And we have to find a way to stop it. The question is, do they have anyone to transform?"

Iolaus bit his lip. "I didn't see anyone. Maybe Daedlion did."

"He says not. Basil asked him. He's worried about Lovis, that friend of his." Hercules glanced up as Dillon padded towards them, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Iolaus seems okay, maybe a little dazed still."

"I'm not dazed!" Iolaus argued.

Dillon smiled and picked up his arm to examine his skin beneath the firm bandaging and check his pulse. "Did I thank you for saving Daedlion?" he asked politely.

"I don't think so, but you don’t have to," Iolaus told him firmly. "Herc, the Bacchanites…"

"Your problem is getting enough sleep. You let me worry about the Bacchanites."

"Easy for you to say," Dillon commented. "I mean, what if they do get in here, how do we kill them? I mean, do we happen to have a handy supply of Dryad bones lying around?"

"Dryad bones? What for?" Iolaus asked curiously, wondering if Hercules' rueful grin meant he was being teased.

"It's the only thing that will kill a Bacchanite," Dillon answered solemnly.

"But, I killed one…" Iolaus frowned, thinking of the Bacchanite he had skewered with the spear.

"You were hurt. Maybe you only thought you killed one. After all they are immortal," Dillon told him kindly.

"If Iolaus says he killed one, then he killed one. And only the Mistress is immortal, not the others. They're only hard to kill," Hercules interrupted firmly as he fished a roll of leather from inside his jerkin.

"Oh, nice distinction," Iolaus said sarcastically. "I'll remember that when they're ripping your throat out."

"Why my throat?" Hercules protested.

"You’re harder to kill than I am."

Hercules smiled faintly as he unrolled the leather and picked out one of the long thin shards of greyish white that had been wrapped in it. He handed it to Dillon. "What do you think that is?"

"It looks like wood," the healer said slowly as he turned it over on his hands. "But it feels different somehow."

"It's a Dryad bone. Zora gave them to me," Hercules handed another shard to Iolaus. "It's a popular myth that the only way to kill a Bacchanite is with a Dryad bone, but the problem with that is that there's no such thing. A Dryad is an elemental tree spirit, they don't have bones as we do."

"Then what's this?" Dillon held up the shard.

"It's a stake of wood from a tree inhabited by a Dryad," Iolaus guessed as he looked up at Hercules.

The demi-god nodded. "With that you can kill Bacchus' Mistress. She's the truly immortal one. A stake of ordinary wood is enough to kill the others."

Iolaus' widened.  "Or a spear shaft…."

Hercules nodded. "That'd do it," he agreed. "That's how you killed Casia."

"It was an accident…." Iolaus said softly.

"Don't fret it. From what you said, she was going to kill you. She's probably been a Bacchanite a while. Who knows who else she'd killed."

"But I thought Dryads were those things with wings and tails," Dillon argued, frowning thoughtfully as he interrupted.

"No, those are Keres. The Keres have been allies of the Bacchanites for a long time. A bone from one of them will kill them as well." Hercules glanced anxiously at Iolaus, noticing that his pale faced friend had closed his eyes and rested his head back on the blankets. "Iolaus? You okay?"

The hunter gave him a weak smile. "Tired, I guess."

"We should stop talking and let you sleep," Dillon said quickly. "I want you to take it easy with that arm too. I don't want you ruining my best embroidery." 

Iolaus raised an eyebrow at him. "I won't pull so much as a stitch."

"See that you don't or you'll be wearing a sling." Dillon pushed back on his haunches and then rose to his feet. "One of the priestess' was offering soup. I’ll see if there's any left. Iolaus needs to eat something."

Iolaus opened his mouth to protest but subsided in the face of Hercules' warning glare as the healer hurried off. "He took your Dryad bone," he said quietly as he offered back the one he held. Hercules pushed it back at him.

"No, you keep it. So can Dillon if it makes him feel better. I have a few more even if we don't want to kill any more of them than we have to."

"I thought you said they couldn't get in here."

Hercules hesitated as he stretched out beside the hunter and settled himself as comfortably as he could. "I've been thinking about something Arum said. We really don't have any way of telling if any of the women in here were bitten."

"Wouldn’t they turn into Bacchanites straight away?"

Hercules shook his head. "It takes time, longer with some than with others. That may be another reason why the Bacchanites haven't left."

Iolaus took a deep breath and looked around him uneasily; suddenly acutely aware of how many women had sought refuge in the temple. "Isn't there any way to tell?"

"Not that I know of," Hercules admitted reluctantly. "All we can do is wait…"

                                                            * * *

 "Dem bones, dem bones, dem Dryad bones…."

Hercules opened his eyes, frowning into the graceful arches of the cella roof. It took him a moment to orientate and recognise the softly singing voice coming from beside him.

"Dem bones, dem bones, dem Dryad bones…."

"Iolaus?" Sitting up, Hercules leaned over his friend. The hunter was curled up on his side, his arm tucked safely against his chest for protection as he gazed at the fire on the hearth and sung quietly to himself.

"Mmmh?"

"I love you like a brother, but if you don't shut up, I'm going to kill you…." Hercules told him darkly.

Iolaus fell silent and Hercules sank gratefully back down, closing his eyes again. The hunter wriggled restlessly beside him.

"Squirming is irritating too," Hercules pointed out grimly.

"Sorry…." Iolaus curled into a ball and froze; his entire body stiff with a combination of resentment and misery.

Hercules opened his eyes again and stared thoughtfully up at the roof. Iolaus had had a bad day, what with Bacchanites and ghouls and nightmares. He was entitled to have a rough night. Rolling onto his side, the demi-god pushed up on one arm and leaned over the hunter. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly. "Are you hurting?"

"No, whatever that stuff Dillon gave me was great. I'm fine," Iolaus answered curtly, keeping his eyes tight shut. Gingerly Hercules touched his forehead to check if he was running a temperature and the warrior pushed it away angrily. "Look I said I was sorry. I didn't mean to disturb your beauty sleep. Heck, you need it enough."

"And I didn't mean to be a grouch and upset you," Hercules told him kindly, gripping his shoulder tight for a moment. "What is it then? Bad dreams?"

Iolaus laughed harshly and shivered. "Something like that."

Hercules bit his lip in concern and glanced round the darkened cella. Amaryllis was watching them from her perch by the window and she gave him a worried frown, pointing to herself and then to Iolaus. The demi-god shook his head and settled down again, leaving his hand resting on his friend's shoulder. Amaryllis simply wasn’t the comforting sort and Hercules figured Iolaus needed friendship more than passion right then. "You want to talk about it?" he said softly.

"No, but I don't want to sleep either." Iolaus rolled onto his back, hugging his arm across his chest.

"You did have a bad dream," Hercules guessed.

"More like a memory…" Iolaus flashed a haunted look at him. "I can remember how it felt to be strung up by the ghoul. I keep wondering how those poor men felt when Attis killed them, if they were alive, if they saw what happened to the others, if…"

Hercules clamped a firm hand over his mouth. "Don't," he said flatly. "You have no blame in this. You got Daedlion out alive and unharmed. Remember that."

Pushing his hand away, Iolaus sighed heavily. "I can't help thinking I should have killed Attis while I had the chance. Maybe then we wouldn't be trapped like this."

Hercules sighed heavily. "You’re usually the one telling me to forget the what might have beens."

"Yeah, well…"

"There's no 'yeah, well' about it," Hercules scolded impatiently. "Besides which, Attis may well be the one Bacchanite who really is immortal if she's the Mistress. And I don't mean immortal as in hard to kill like me, I mean impossible to kill. She could have killed you."

"You said the Dryad bone would do it. But if it doesn't, how are we going to stop her?"

Hercules snorted. "What's with this 'we' business? You’re going to stay right out of it."

"I am not!"

"You've been hurt once already."

"So?" Iolaus snapped sarcastically. "Since when did that ever stop me? I'm not running away again…" The hunter stopped, clenching his teeth hard.

"Ah, Iolaus, is that what's bothering you? You didn't run away. No one thinks that, least of all me."  Hercules leaned over him in concern.

Folding his arms tight, Iolaus rolled onto his side again and obstinately put his back to his friend. "I keep thinking it," he muttered under his breath. "And I keep wondering what I'll do if they do get in here."

"The same as you always do: you'll fight." Hercules hesitated for a moment then ruffled the warrior's hair. "I'm going to get you some wine. It'll help you sleep."

"Dillon said I couldn't have any," Iolaus mumbled sulkily into his blankets.

"He doesn't know you the way I do." With a quick reassuring pat to his friend's arm, Hercules eased lithely to his feet and headed off in search of a priestess. The soup and warm clothes the priestess' had supplied for the hunter had done wonders but he needed something stronger now.

Iolaus huddled deeper into the blankets, wishing he could fight off the chills that kept making him shiver. Part of him was glad Hercules was gone, part of him wanted the demi-god to come back and keep him company. Licking dry lips, Iolaus wriggled his aching body into a new position and focused on the soothing flicker of the hearth flames again. He could see pictures in them: a Hydra thrashing its coils, a sea serpent rearing over the castle walls…

Iolaus halted his own thoughts, annoyed with himself that all he could see were monsters in the dark. Whatever happened to the dreamer who saw nymphs in the fire? Hugging himself, Iolaus searched his mind until he found an old soldiers' drinking song and started singing softly under his breath.

"Ten green amphora a' hanging on the wall, ten green amphora a' hanging on the wall, and if one green amphora should accidentally fall…"

A light footstep made him shut up and wince, resenting the interruption. He wasn't singing loud enough to disturb anyone except a demi-god with the ears of a bat and it distracted him from both sleep and his fearful thoughts. Rolling onto his back he peered up through the shadows at the woman standing over him. Although her face was concealed by the shadows, he recognised Arum's shapely figure, dressed in her black leathers with her long hair flowing loose and wild around her shoulders. "Don't tell me, my singing was disturbing you?"

"No, far from it…." she murmured huskily. "I find it quite….attractive."

"Attractive?" Iolaus gazed at her in bewilderment as the Amazon sank gracefully down on one knee beside him and placed a hand on his thigh. Her fingers felt cold through the soft fabric of the blankets and he had a sudden wish for his own leathers rather than the light pants he wore. She was making him nervous on an instinctive level that he didn't understand. "It's a drinking song…"  

"You have a pleasant voice," Arum ran her hand slowly up his thigh until he grabbed her fingers in alarm. She tilted her head, studying him through the firelight. "You reminded me I am…. hungry."

"I don't know what you're up to but I don't think Amaryllis would appreciate what you're thinking." Iolaus thrust her hand back and abruptly found his wrist gripped hard.

"She's an Amazon. Males are to be taken. You’re trophies for our pleasure, spoils of war….nothing more."

Iolaus glared at her. "Not this male," he snapped, attempting to twist his arm free. Arum wasn't budging and her grip tightened until it started to become painful.

"Come now, you’re male. Do you care which female it is who gives you pleasure?" Arum leaned forward, her dark eyes burning with a faint golden sheen. "I can help you sleep…."

Angrily, Iolaus wrenched free. "I don't need any help. Go….."

Arum lunged, her fist thudding into his unprotected stomach and driving the air out of him. Pinning him between her thighs, she seized a fistful of his hair and yanked his head back, exposing his throat to her suddenly revealed fangs. Batting aside his hands with supernatural strength she leaned closer, ignoring his efforts as he grabbed her shoulders and fought to push her back. Her free hand covered his nose and mouth, cutting off not only his breathing but also any attempt to cry out. Iolaus, already battered, felt his senses start to swim as he felt the prick of her fangs in his vulnerable throat.

An Amazon war scream split the hushed air of the cella and a booted foot hit Arum in the ribs, smashing her off the hunter and sending her flying. Arum rolled with the blow, coming up and around fast: her face pale in the firelight that glinted off her fangs and glistened in her golden eyes. Around them, people were leaping to their feet, startled by the scream and the antagonism between the two Amazons.

Standing protectively over a gasping Iolaus, Amaryllis faced down her fellow Amazon. Lifting her sword, she extended it point first towards her. "I'm warning you, Arum," she began, raising her voice to be heard over the chaos erupting around them.  "Don't make me kill you."

Arum shrilled a weird chittering cry and sprang, covering the several feet between them with a gravity-defying leap. Amaryllis twisted sideways, dodging her and reversing her sword on the swing. Arum spun back to catch her from behind and instead received the pommel of the sword hilt in the face with all the red haired Amazon's fury behind it. Arum crumpled with a thud, sprawling bonelessly to the floor. With a snarl of possessive fury, Amaryllis prodded her with a sword tip, tempted to kill her. "I told you he's mine…"

"Don't…kill…" Iolaus managed to gasp. "Not responsible…."

Amaryllis grimaced, but stepped back and sheathed her sword. "If it was anyone else…." she muttered darkly.  Despite her resentful tone she was glad Iolaus was there to stop her before her temper got the better of her.  Arum was a friend, but honour still demanded she be made to pay for taking by force what belonged to another Amazon – even if it was only a man.

Iolaus struggled to his knees and then subsided back on his heels, too shaky to get any further. He touched her hand and she looked down at him, the hardness of her eyes changing to relief and regret. "You okay, Iolaus?" she asked affectionately.

"Are you?"

Amaryllis shuddered. "I knew she wasn't herself. But a Bacchanite?"

"Iolaus!" Hercules came running, shouldering his way through the crowd and skidding to a halt.

"And where were you?" Amaryllis snapped, glaring at him angrily as if it was all his fault.

"The store room. Iolaus, are you hurt?" Ignoring the Amazon, Hercules turned a worried look on his friend. "When I heard Amaryllis yell…."

"I'm okay." Iolaus stumbled to his feet and leaned on the arm the demi-god thrust out to support him. "Arum's a Bacchanite."

"Ah…" Hercules shot a quick look at the taut expression on Amaryllis' face as she crouched over her friend and rolled her onto her stomach. Fishing a handful of leather thongs from her belt pouch, she started to tie the dark haired Amazon's hands together.

"We should kill her…" Seeing that the fight was over, the villagers were starting to calm down and a few of the braver men were edging closer.

"Yeah, she's dangerous," someone else agreed.

"We're not going to kill her," Amaryllis said icily. "I don't care what anyone says. She can be turned back. And I’ll kill anyone who says otherwise."

Hercules and Iolaus exchanged a quick look, both recognising the edgy tone of voice from past experiences of their own. Frightened for her friend, Amaryllis was in danger of being pushed too far.

"She's a Bacchanite…" the first man argued.

Amaryllis jolted to her feet, only halting as the demi-god stepped between her and the disconcerted farmer.  "She's no danger now," Hercules said quickly. "All we have to do is keep her somewhere safe."

"From the likes of you…" Iolaus whispered as he took his place at Hercules' side. He raised his voice. "Look, it was me she attacked and I say she's not responsible."

"She's one of them now! If you won't kill her, then we should throw her to her friends out there!"

"Then we'd never be able to save her," Amaryllis hissed, taking her place at Hercules' other side.

"What's going on here?!" Basil pushed his way through the knot of angry men to find out what the commotion was about. 

"The Amazon's turned into a Bacchanite."

"And who's to say the other one won't go the same way?"

"I am," Hercules said grimly. "You want to argue with me?!"

Silence met his threatening growl. Basil looked round at them all with a disgusted scowl. "We have better things to worry about than standing around arguing with each other," he said coldly. "Whether she's a Bacchanite or not, she's harmless now. Go and get some sleep."

It was a sullen withdrawal, but the villagers backed down from the innkeeper, retreating back to their own rough beds. 

"Troublemakers," Amaryllis muttered disdainfully.

"They’re scared and reacting out of fear," Basil corrected as he turned back to Hercules. "But is she a Bacchanite?" Hercules had crouched beside the Amazon and peeled back her upper lip to examine her teeth. Watching him, Iolaus shuddered and folded his arms across his chest, unconsciously rubbing his sore arm. Amaryllis glanced down at him and wordlessly put her arm around his shoulders, giving him a tentative grin when he glanced up at her.

"I'm afraid so," Hercules admitted. 

"This could have been any one of our women," Basil said in alarm.

Running one hand through his hair, Hercules had to concede the truth of that. The idea that they might have fledgling Bacchanites trapped with them had been worrying him ever since they entered the temple, but he had finally come up with an answer that might give them a clue as to who to watch. "I know it's a bit late, but perhaps Dillon could check for bite marks?"

Basil stared at him, then nodded. "Why didn't I think of that? I’ll go and wake him right now," he exclaimed.

As the innkeeper hurried out, Hercules shook his head and glanced at his friends. "And if I’d thought of it earlier, we could have avoided scaring ourselves. Amaryllis, can you take care of Arum if I give you a hand?"

Reluctantly releasing Iolaus the Amazon nodded. "We can put her in the store room. You'll need to put someone else on watch though."

"I'll do it," Iolaus offered quickly.

"You sure you’re up to it?" Hercules worried.

"It'll give me something to do." Iolaus straightened up, brushing down the loose brown tunic he wore. "After all, what trouble can I get into merely keeping watch?"

Hercules grinned and lightly slapped his shoulder. "Knowing you, a lot," he teased as he handed him the wineskin he had found. "Here, have some of this and keep your wits about you."

"Always do, Herc, I always do…"

                                                            * * *

Roused from his sleep, Dillon tottered in to the storeroom to examine Arum and shook his head. "I don't think you hurt her too much," he told a worried Amaryllis as he examined the bite marks hidden beneath Arum's long hair. "You must have pulled the blow."

"She's my friend," the Amazon replied simply as she stood over him, her thumbs hooked into her belt.  "Even if she is a Bacchanite…"

"Keep her safe until morning and she'll be fine," Hercules told them reassuringly from where he leaned against the doorjamb and kept watch. The excitement over, the villagers were settling down again, a slow hush creeping across the cella as conversations faded in the face of sleep. He could see Iolaus over by the window slit, sharpening a sword he had borrowed from someone as he kept watch.

Dillon pushed to his feet and absently rubbed his back. "You want me to check the women for bite marks now?"

"Well, there's no point waiting until morning," Amaryllis pointed out sarcastically.

"I want you to check everyone for bite marks," Hercules corrected. "I know Bacchanites are supposed to kill all their male victims, but on the off chance they don't and something else happens to them I'd rather know about it in advance."

"Sounds good to me," Dillon said dryly and stepped closer. "Would you mind?"

"What? Oh…" Suddenly realising what the healer meant, Hercules shoved his hair off his neck and leaned forward so Dillon could examine his throat.

"Mmmh, nice view…." Amaryllis murmured, unable to resist the chance to heckle as she eyed his rear view.

Hercules shot a glare at her as Dillon turned his attention to the Amazon. With a broad grin, Amaryllis leaned forward so he could examine her neck and at the same time get a spectacular view down her well-filled bodice. The young healer went red even as he made a valiant effort to concentrate on her throat.

"You both seem okay," he managed to stammer as the Amazon straightened up again.

"You’re cute when you blush," Amaryllis chuckled. Even more flustered, Dillon retreated, muttering about checking the villagers.

"That was cruel," Hercules scolded.

"Nonsense. He wouldn't be male if he didn't want to look." Amaryllis replied smugly.

"Hercules!" Iolaus' yell held a note of alarm that caught Hercules attention instantly. Whipping around, he dashed back into the cella and across to his friend.

"What is it?" he demanded as he came up behind the hunter and rested his hands on his shoulders.

"Something's happening. Look…." Iolaus whispered, easing back so that Hercules could peer around him into the darkness.

Hercules frowned, his eyes taking a moment to adjust to the flickering torchlight of the square. It had stopped raining and the torches cast odd reflections in the lingering puddles. The Bacchanites were alert now, watching the far side of the square where something was stirring amongst the shadows.  Torches were raised suddenly and a slender black haired woman strode across the square, ignoring the Bacchanites ducking respectfully from her path.

"That's Attis," Iolaus told him uneasily as she came to a halt in front of the temple.

"Hercules! I have come!" she called. "Come and face me!"

"What do you want, Attis?" Hercules yelled back.

The Mistress paused, frowning slightly. "If you know my name, then your precious hunter has told you what he knows. You know what I want. Vengeance for the life of Bacchus' Chosen."

"Bacchus' Ghoul, you mean," Hercules retorted grimly. "An abomination that deserved to be destroyed."

"And who are you to decide that?"

"Someone who saw its evil and knew it, and you, for what it is," Hercules paused, aware of Iolaus' gaze on him.

"And are we any more evil than those who follow Dionysus? Or any of the others?"

"Whatever else Dionysus is, he doesn't stoop to creating zombies or using mortals for his pleasure!"

Attis bared her teeth at the temple, her hunger to enter it and rip Hercules' throat out plain on her beautiful face. "Come out, Hercules. Who are you to say what is evil and what is not? I offer life to those who join us. Freedom from male oppression."

"You can get that by joining the Amazons!" Amaryllis was unable to resist yelling. "And you don't have to get yourself killed to do it."

The Mistress hissed in frustration. "You will suffer for denying me," she snarled. "I will have what I came for." She lifted her arm, her cloak falling from her black drapes of night. In the shadows across the square there was movement and the Bacchanites began a slow, sonorous chanting….

"Bacc-hus, Bacc-hus…!"

"I give you one last chance, Hercules. Surrender to me, and Iolaus and the others can go free. Refuse and I will kill them all, slowly and painfully. And I will personally feed your hunter to Bacchus' Chosen – day by day, limb by limb!"

"That's what you think!" Iolaus shouted, angrily pushing forward to the window and jostling Hercules aside. "Bacchus' worm will be fish food if it comes near me!"

"Ooh, I love a diplomatic man," Amaryllis murmured admiringly.

Hercules snorted, but held his tongue. Attis had him worried. She didn't seem the kind to make idle threats so she must have a plan of some kind. A sickly sweet smell of blood and rank herbs filtered through the window, making his nose wrinkle in disgust as the stench filled the rain-washed air.

"No…" Iolaus said softly and shuddered, taking a firmer grip on his borrowed sword. "She did it, she created another one…."

Quickly, Hercules peered over his head and groaned under his breath, recognising the horribly sinuous shape slithering out into the square. It was a little smaller than the first such monster they had encountered, but the basic attributes were the same: the two pairs of arms with their flexible claw like long fingers, the broad shoulders narrowing down to the muscular snake like tail that carried it forward. Huge lidless eyes like twin crimson pools of blood in a nose-less face competing for attention with the lipless mouth that was full of ring upon ring of lamprey like teeth.

"So, now we know what happened to Lovis," Iolaus whispered.

"That's…?" Hercules took a reluctantly closer look, seeing the face of the farmer beneath the mutated features of the ghoul.

"Hercules!" Attis called his name again as the ghoul slithered to a halt beside her, swaying cobra like as if unwilling to keep still. "Have you made your decision? Your life or theirs?"

Hercules scowled and shifted from one foot to the other, very much aware that both Iolaus and Amaryllis were watching him closely.

"You go out there and they'll kill you," Iolaus said grimly.

"They can't get in here, you said so yourself," Amaryllis added.

"You can't trust her."

"She's bound to be lying."

"She'll kill you first and then us."

Hercules looked down into Iolaus' bright blue eyes and gritted his teeth. No, I don't think so. She'd kill you first, my friend, and make me watch. Silently, he gripped Iolaus' shoulder and turned back to the window. He couldn't take the risk that Attis was lying. Nor so much for his own sake as for all the people depending on him. "I'm not a fool, Attis. As soon as you've killed me, you'll kill everyone else in the village as well."

Glaring at him, the Mistress folded her arms and wrapped her cloak tight around her in sullen annoyance. "You killed the Chosen. It is you we want."

Hercules grinned with icy malice. "I'll tell you what then, I'll fight your monster there one on one. If I win, you let us all go and you crawl back under whatever rock you emerged from. You win, and you've got what you want: my life."

"Are you out of your mind?!" Iolaus hissed indignantly. "That thing'll cream you!"

"I killed the first one."

"You had an incentive then."

"Don't I have the same incentive now?" Hercules responded with a wry grin.

"What you don't have is a handy cave roof to drop on it," Iolaus retorted.

"It is an interesting offer," Attis called, sounding thoughtful. "But you have everything to gain and I nothing. I suggest higher stakes." 

"Such as?"

"You lose and I get Iolaus as well. Bring him out here with you."

Hercules flinched.

"Hadn't thought of that, had you?" Iolaus said sarcastically.

"Yeah, but I hoped she wouldn't."

"Well? What's it to be?" Attis called impatiently.

Iolaus shrugged. "Guess you'd better say yes."

"No, I can't. Not now."

"Herc, I trust you to win. You wanted an incentive…"

"That wasn't it. I don't trust her not to grab you while I'm distracted."

"If you ask me, which neither of you is going to bother to do," Amaryllis interrupted sardonically. "I don't think either of you should go out there. She's only playing with you. She knows your vulnerable spots, Hercules, and she's willing to stab you in them." Both men gave the Amazon a wary look and Amaryllis smiled wolfishly. "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate you want to do the right thing, but she's evil. She's not going to keep any bargain you negotiate. Honour may have its place, but it isn't here. She only wants to lure you out there so she can kill you easier."

"I think she's right, Herc," Iolaus said quietly.

"I'm getting tired of waiting, Hercules!" Attis shouted.

"I could get her to swear…"

"What's she going to swear on that'll mean anything?" Iolaus retorted.

"Hercules! I'm warning you! I'm going to count to ten. One, two….."

"Don't rush me!" Hercules snarled.

"Look, you can't…."

"Shut up, Iolaus and let me think," Hercules said impatiently, throwing a worried glance around the cella. Everyone who was awake was watching them with anxious expressions. Basil took a step towards him, then glanced at Daedlion as he sat up and looked up at his father sleepily. So many people, all depending on them to protect them…

"Ten! Hercules! Your answer! "This entire village will burn if you don't show yourself."

"I'm coming!" Hercules roared back. "I'll surrender to you if you let the others go."

"What?! Herc!  No! Are you crazy?!" Iolaus screamed, grabbing at his arm.

Hercules shook him off gently. "I'm sorry, Iolaus. She wouldn't be negotiating at all if she didn't know she could win."

"No, you've got that all wrong. She knows she'll lose. They can't get in here…"

Hercules shoved him back firmly. "Take a look around you. These people can't fight Bacchanites. They can't afford to be besieged in here. All Attis has to do is wait us out. This way I may get a chance to kill her. But if I stay in here, I'll never be able to do that."

Iolaus shook his head, torn by anguish and sheer disbelief. "You can't…."

"Iolaus, let him go," Amaryllis said softly, catching the hunter by the shoulder and pulling him round to face her. "It'll be okay…." she told him as Hercules seized his chance to slip away.

Bristling with hurt fury, Iolaus opened his mouth to yell at her and then closed it again with a snap as she winked at him. A second later she whisked past him on silent feet and belted Hercules over the back of the head, knocking him to the floor. As he slumped dizzily, she dropped on his back and started to bind his hands together with her belt. Catching on, Iolaus pounced on his friend's feet and lashed them together with the sash of his tunic.

"I'm waiting!" Attis bellowed, her voice becoming more strident with every second.

"She's starting to lose her temper," Amaryllis commented.

"Who cares? Maybe it means she’ll make a mistake," Iolaus retorted grimly as Hercules roused enough to start a groggy struggle for freedom. "Attis!"

"Ah, my golden prey! And what do you have to offer me other than your throat?" Attis called back mockingly.

"Hercules won't be coming! Nor will there be any other sacrifices!"

Hercules groaned aloud as the words sank through the fog in his head. "You maniacs, let me up!"

"Not until you learn some sense," Iolaus snapped breathlessly.

"I'm going to pound some sense into you, if you don't untie me!"

"You need any help?" Basil asked warily as he approached, eyeing the struggling demi-god and his companions in bewilderment.

"Yeah, find me something heavy to hit him with." Iolaus grumbled. "Lie still, Herc. This is for your own good."

"Um, does he mean that?" Basil asked Amaryllis uneasily.

"You never can tell with Iolaus," she grinned as she tightened her thighs on the demi-god's hips. "Bet you make a nice ride in bed, Hercules!"

Hercules subsided with a wary growl. "Does everything come down to sex with you?" he demanded impatiently.

"Only when it comes to men," the Amazon answered cheerfully.

"What's going on?" Daedlion asked curiously as he followed his father over and peered down at them in bewilderment.

"Nothing much, Hercules is being his usual dense self."

"Iolaus, as soon as I get free I'm going to pulverise you," Hercules snarled, flexing his arms against the restraint of the belt.

"Are you coming out, Hercules? Or do I have to get nasty about this?" Attis screamed, sounding closer. Iolaus darted to the window and peered out, alarmed to see that she had come to the very edge of the steps.

Daedlion snorted, looking round at the others in confusion. What were they waiting for? The Bacchanites were hardly trained warriors after all. Surely they weren't afraid to answer her back! "If you want him you can come and get him!" he yelled back with a surge of youthful pride and arrogance. "We're not afraid…Mmbfl!" Daedlion choked as Basil's hand slapped over his mouth and he was clutched against his broad chest. Outside a wave of yammering excitement swelled from the mouths of the Bacchanites, counterpointed by the eerie, wavering scream of the Ghoul.

"I'm sorry…." Basil whispered in anguish as Hercules, Iolaus and Amaryllis all stared at him in horror.

"Iolaus….?" Hercules was the first to speak and Iolaus scrambled to his side, rapidly untying him and helping the demi-god to his feet as a tremendous crash came from the main doors of the temple. Amaryllis ran towards them, drawing her sword as she went. With  a quick glance up at Hercules, Iolaus shot after her, yelling for anyone with a weapon to help them. "Basil, you’d better get your people out back if you can."

"I don’t understand…." Daedlion stammered as Basil released him.

"You said the wrong thing," Basil said grimly. "You've let them in."

"I let…" Daedlion looked at him in shock and then at Hercules, his eyes wide with terror and sudden comprehension. "I didn't know! I didn't think!"

"It's all right. It was an accident." Hercules said as calmly as he could manage. Youth made everyone an idiot at some point.

"You didn't mean any harm, son, we know," Basil said quickly and put his arm around him. "Now come on, we need to get out of the way." He gave Hercules a nod as he hurried his son away and let Hercules race to join the others in their efforts to shore up the door barricade.

He had barely reached it when the doors burst inwards, shattering wood and furniture in all directions as the locking beam gave way with a crack of doom that echoed off the temple walls. As the doors thudded back against the walls, the Ghoul appeared, rearing up over the wreckage of the barricade with its mutated human face twisted with rage and evil. Men fled from the hideous apparition as it hitched its sinuous body forward and heaved itself over the remains of the barricade.

"Fall back!" Hercules yelled the warning, seeing the pack of Bacchanites led by Attis herself swarming after it. Amaryllis and Iolaus were on the far side of the doors and backed away, retreating in wary unison from the threat.

"Hercules!" Seeing the demi-god, Attis pointed a slender arm at him, standing unconsciously silhouetted in the doorway as the Bacchanites eddied around her. "He's the one!" Kill him!"

The Ghoul's head snapped around, the lidless eyes locking onto the demi-god with lethal intent. It slithered towards him, long bony claws raking at the air as if already locked onto his flesh. Hercules swallowed and eased back, needing space to manoeuvre.

The Mistress swept a look around the cella, finally focusing on Iolaus. "Bring me that one! He killed Casia! Kill the others! Feed your hungers!"

Chittering in greed the Bacchanites surged forward, spilling past the barricade in a wave of darkness. Iolaus had a sword in one hand and the Dryad Bone Hercules had given him in the other and was using the bone as a dagger, alternately slashing and stabbing at the Bacchanites attempting to drag him down. Amaryllis was hacking at any Bacchanite that came within reach of her sword arm. Hercules had one last glimpse of Iolaus and Amaryllis swinging to fight back to back before the Bacchanites engulfed them and the Ghoul came between him and them.

Hercules dodged the first sweep of the claws, ducking low and sideways in the hope he could get past it and help his friends. The ghoul was faster than he expected and a slashing blow ripped the back of  his tunic to shreds, making him yelp in pain as the razor sharp claw tips drew blood. Dropping to the floor, he shoulder-rolled clear then sprang up and whipped around to face the monster. Snarling in fury, the ghoul closed in on him again, reaching for his throat. Hercules spun and kicked, using his heel to smash into the thing's face. The grater like teeth lacerated his boot leather and a swift hand caught his ankle, twisting his leg towards its mouth. Hercules fell backwards, using his own weight to pull him free of its grip. Outraged, the ghoul convulsed, bringing its heavy tail into play to knock him off his feet as he leaped up. Before Hercules could get out of range, the ghoul had thrown a coil of tail around him and was struggling to crush him. Choking in its grip, Hercules felt himself being lifted off the floor to dangle in front of the ghoul's emotionless gaze. He could smell the sweet -stale blood smell from its body, the hint of carrion on its breath. It watched him in fascination, drawing him closer to the slavering mouth.

"Lovis…" Hercules gasped as he scrabbled futilely at the coil tightening around his throat. He needed a weapon, any weapon…. Pain and lack of air made his memory slow, but…. "Remember,….remember who...you are…."

The ghoul cocked its head, a tiny flicker of something entering the bloody depths of its eyes that might have been understanding.

"Attis…did this…to you…."

"Kill him!" Attis screamed as she came closer. "Don’t listen to his lies. You are what you always wanted to be. You’re immortal!"

"But…did you…want to be….immortal…like this?" Hercules wheezed as he groped inside his tunic, his fingers feeling clumsy and unattached to the rest of his body as they closed over the Dryad bone.

The ghoul hissed, its eyes burning bloodier than ever as it yanked Hercules to its face and prepared to rip out his throat. With all the strength he had, Hercules drove the Dryad bone into the coil around his throat, stabbing the viciously sharp point as deep as he could. With a shrill scream of agony, the Ghoul flung Hercules away from him, sending him skittering across the floor to crash against the edge of the hearth wall.

"You fool!" Attis screamed as she leaped to yank the Dryad bone from the Ghoul's flesh. "You let him go for a mere pinprick. You are not worthy…."

The Ghoul roared in her face and turned away, flicking her aside with a whip of its tail as it undulated down the steps and hurtled towards the stunned demi-god.

Kicking a Bacchanite in the teeth, Iolaus stepped back a  fraction to catch his breath and ran another one through with his sword point. Somehow the swarm of Bacchanites had separated him from Amaryllis. It was a situation that neither of them was happy with, but no amount of effort could get them any closer as the Bacchanites seemed intent on widening the gap between them.

Their swords were having little permanent effect and he had lost the Dryad bone in a particularly stubborn Bacchanite's stomach. They could wound them enough to make them retreat, but they kept coming back. Sooner or later sheer numbers were going to drag them down. And while the Bacchanites were wearing them down,  the Bacchanites themselves were as fresh as ever. Nor did they have the full attention of all the Bacchanites many had spilled over into the cella, the thrill of the hunt driving them into pursuing the villagers, dragging down those ran, cornering others.  

The Ghoul's scream made Iolaus look round for a split second, hoping Hercules had killed it. Instead he saw the demi-god hurled across the cella like a broken puppet. Attis' enraged scream rang out a second before the Ghoul swept her aside and went after Hercules.

Without stopping to think what he might be getting into, Iolaus sprinted after it. The Ghoul was incredibly fast and was looming over Hercules as he stirred as Iolaus raced across the cella and did the first thing that came to mind. Swinging his sword over his head he brought it down in an axe like chopping motion,  hewing through the last foot or so of the monster's tail tip. The Ghoul screeched as thick reddish ichor spurted from the wound and it twisted back on itself to stare at him, swiping at him in sheer mindless fury. Iolaus ducked and back-pedalled, hoping to draw its attention from Hercules until the semi-conscious demi-god could recover. Hissing menacingly, the Ghoul slithered after him, following him around the hearth as he retreated.

Belatedly, Iolaus realised he was backing himself into a corner and looked around wildly as the arch over the statue blocked him in. The Ghoul reared up over him, bracing itself on its tail and glaring down at him in triumph. Iolaus ducked and lunged forward, leaping onto the edge of the hearth. The Ghoul screamed,  a pair of arms slashing out to catch the warrior in the ribs and sending him tumbling backwards into the alcove, badly stunned. It arched itself up and backed away, roaring in pleasure before lunging towards him only to find its forward leap halted as Hercules seized it by the tail and hauled it grimly backwards.

Hercules was sweating, his head spinning and his eyes stinging from sweat and blood as he fought to drag the ghoul away from Iolaus. Past the monster's threshing coils, he could see the hunter dazedly rolling over and struggling to his hands and knees. 

"Hercules! Behind you!" Amaryllis cry of warning came barely in time. Flicking a glance over his shoulder, Hercules saw Attis springing at him with silent skill. Forced to drop the ghoul's tail, he flung up one hand to protect his throat as she landed on his back.

"Let's see how you like it…." she hissed into his ear as she struggled to bring her fangs to bear on his throat. Reaching behind him, Hercules seized her by her cloak and bent forward, flinging her over his shoulder to crash into the ghoul as it turned on him. They crashed to the ground together in a tangle. Hercules reached for them, aware of Iolaus clawing his way up onto the edge of the hearth, dangerously close to the flames but wanting the advantage of height to join the fight. 

"Get back!" Hercules yelled the warning at his partner as the ghoul surged upright again, freeing Attis who lunged at Hercules and drove the Dryad bone at his chest. Hercules seized her wrist and twisted, turning the weapon back on her and driving it into her vulnerable stomach. Attis choked, looking down at the bone penetrating her flesh in disbelief.  A tiny bit startled himself, Hercules let go of  her and stepped back, stunned to see a curl of red tinged black smoke curling from her flesh.

Gripping the bone and tearing it free, Attis screamed, a weird ululating cry ripping from her lips as she flung back her head and wailed at the roof. Before Hercules could make a move, she leaped to the edge of the hearth, startling Iolaus into taking a step back beneath the looming bulk of the statue.  Laughing in his face, she flung one hand at the ghoul, screaming ancient words at it. The Ghoul responded with a scream of its own and lunged, hurling itself on Iolaus. The hunter dodged with a yelp and the Ghoul slammed into the statue with a tremendous crash.

 Recovering it bounced back, swiping at Iolaus again and flinging the coils of its tail around the statue for balance. The cracking of stone as the statue broke away from its base exploded through the cella, deafening everyone. The statue toppled in a cloud of thick stone dust, slamming down on the hearth in a gush of flames that toppled the shrieking Attis into the fire and engulfed her in its flames. An agonised cry went up from the Ghoul as a chunk of stone smashed into it and  dislodged its precarious balance on the hearth edge, sending it slithering into the fire. The flames leaped to catch its flesh, burning upwards to set its hair ablaze like a torch. 

All Hercules could see was a flash of flaxen hair before dust, smoke and flames obscured the view. He started forward, aware of the Ghoul screaming in mortal agony as the fire engulfed it and burned the evil from its bones. Then a second explosion of fire that blasted him off his feet and sent him rolling several feet across the floor before the shockwave  faded.

Groggily lifting his head, Hercules pushed to his hands and knees and looked around him warily, prepared to fight but finding the cella silent. The villagers were looking stunned, staring at the drifts of ash where Bacchanites had been only moments before. A few woman dressed in Bacchanite leathers were standing around looking confused, one or two were starting to cry in shock and relief. With the loss of Mistress Attis the spell that had held them was released.

"Hercules?" Picking herself up from the floor, Amaryllis staggered towards him, her left arm bloody and her clothes ripped and torn. "Where's Iolaus?"

Hercules was wondering that himself as he lurched to his feet and staggered towards the hearth. Hestia's statue had been destroyed, chunks of once pure white stone lay scattered around the smashed and extinguished hearth. Its smoke blackened remains stood like broken tooth at the back of the hearth. "Iolaus?" Fear keener than anything the Bacchanites had inspired in him rose in Hercules as he limped round the heath in search of his friend. Amaryllis circled the other way, her fear obvious on her face. Gritting his teeth, Hercules started turning over rubble, dreading what he might find.

A soft moan filtered to his ears. "Iolaus? Iolaus!" Lifting his voice, Hercules bounced forward, slipping and sliding on the rubble as there was movement in the scant shelter between hearth and alcove. Part of the statue had survived the fall, providing a small patch of safety. Hercules grabbed the heavy stone and heaved, realising that it was the statue's cloaked arm as he tossed it aside and found Iolaus curled in a ball underneath.  Crouching, Hercules touched him with shaking hands and got a small groan of response from his friend as he stirred in and opened his eyes. "Herc?" he stammered as the Hercules shoved the hair out of his eyes so he could see his face and smiled at him shakily. "You okay?"

"Am I okay? You….!" Not knowing what else to do or say, Hercules settled for scooping his friend into a fierce hug.

"Ouch!" Iolaus squeaked and fended him off. "Mind the bruises."

"Sorry…." Hercules reluctantly let him go and eased back on his heels, helping the hunter to his feet. "I thought…. Are you hurt?"

"No," Iolaus stretched, gingerly examining himself for damage and cradling his bitten arm carefully close. "Some new bruises, and my arm hurts, but…."

Before he could finish Amaryllis swept in and engulfed the hunter in a passionate hug. Hercules was surprised to see a sparkle of joyful tears in her flint blue eyes before she closed them.

"Ow! Hey, you want to crush me?!" Iolaus complained, fending her off.. 

"And a few other things," Amaryllis managed, scrubbing one hand across her face.

"What is it with you two?" Iolaus demanded, glaring at them. "We've got Bacchanites to fight…." He paused, slowly taking in the empty, almost peaceful, cella. "Uh, where'd they all go?"

"When Attis was killed they vanished," Amaryllis explained.

"She was their link to Bacchus and when she…fell into the fire they were cut off from him," Hercules added. He wasn’t that sure Attis had been killed: recalled certainly, but that wasn't the same as being killed.

"Oh," Iolaus seemed at a loss for words then he shrugged and leaned against Hercules wearily, rubbing his sore arm. "I'll bet Bacchus is going to be mad," he muttered.

"Probably," Hercules remarked thoughtfully, reflecting that he had won his animosity and made yet another enemy. 

Amaryllis eyed them for a moment, her expression torn between jealousy and understanding. "I'm going to check on Arum. She might have snapped out of it." Leaning down, she gave Iolaus a very gentle kiss on the cheek and hurried away before he could question her.

Touching his cheek in surprise, Iolaus looked up at Hercules in awe. "Don't ask me. It must be your natural charm in action." Hercules grinned, draping an arm around his shoulders.

"Mmmh," Iolaus frowned, watching Basil hurrying towards him with his sons in tow. "Herc?"

"Yeah?"

"Next time I have a bad dream, let's run for it?"

Hercules chuckled, hugged him and stepped forward to meet Basil. Limping after him, however, Iolaus sighed tiredly to himself and wished that Hercules would take the request seriously. He really didn't want to run into any more ghouls ever again.

                                                            * * *

Three days later Hercules sat down on the edge of the hearth to take a drink of fresh spring water and rest his back for a few minutes. Hestia's hearth had been carefully cleaned and purified before being sprinkled with herbs as the priestess' prepared to light a new sacrificial fire within its circular confines. Hercules had been helping to repair the cracked outer wall of the hearth, glad of the chance to use his muscles for something other than fighting for once. Thanks to Dillon's attention and salves his clawed back was almost healed and he was enjoying the rebuilding process of the village. It was a lot more fun than going up the Bacchanite cave and burning the bodies. Or telling Basil what had happened to his friend….

"Herc!"

The familiar yell made Hercules grin and lower the waterskin as his thoughts brightened. He waved as Iolaus bounced across the cella to join him. "I thought you were going off with Amaryllis to er….pick flowers or something."

"The phrase she used was flatten them. And we did…" Iolaus grinned cheerfully. "Actually, I've been seeing her and the others off. They're going home. Arum may not say it but she needs her friend."

Hercules caught the look in his friend's eyes and smiled as he pushed to his feet, dropping his arm around his neck. He knew as well as Iolaus did that they weren't only talking about the Amazons. Hercules always found it hard to admit he needed Iolaus around. "Arum's not the only one," he said carefully. "Is she all right?"

Iolaus gazed up at him for a second and nodded. "She'll be okay."

"Good." Hercules glanced at the hunter's still bandaged arm. "And what about you? Are you going to miss Amaryllis?"

The hunter shrugged awkwardly. "Maybe," he said noncommittally.

"Uh huh," Hercules commented, taking that as a yes but changing the subject anyway. "And have you seen Dillon?"

"Don't start, Herc."

"Have you?"

"Yes. And been slathered with more of his noxious salves. I don't know why, you can hardly see it now." Hercules snorted. The warrior's arm wound might be healing well, but it was far from gone. Iolaus shot a glare at him and gestured towards the priestess coming towards them. She had Zora and young Yuna with her. "She wants to talk to you."

"Oh great…." Hercules could imagine what that was about. Somehow they would want him to pay for wrecking Hestia's statue even when it wasn't really his fault. He gave the women a polite bow as they reached him.

"Hello, Hercules," Zora smiled at him complacently

"Uh, hello. What can I do for you?" Hercules asked, feeling suspicious without knowing why.

Zora glanced at the priestess beside her and smiled faintly. "Don't look so shocked, Hercules. We Maenads also follow Hestia.  Mura has something to ask of you."

"We would ask a favour," the priestess said quietly, self-consciously smoothing her Hestial robes. "Hestia's fire must be re-lit from the fires of Delphi and we would ask you to accompany Zora and Yuna to fetch the flame."

Hercules blinked in alarm, knowing how long that could take. "Does it have to be from Delphi?!" he blurted, disconcerted.

Mura smiled serenely. "The flame must come from Olympus and the Olympus flame burns only there."

"Why not ask Hestia to light it?" Iolaus asked curiously.

"That is not as easy as you might think," Mura scolded him gently.

"I don't see why not…" Iolaus looked round and trotted over to pick up a handy torch.

"You don't understand. This is a temple. Hestia's flame is sacred."

"Yeah, right, and Hestia will want her temple back in use right away." Iolaus offered her the torch. "Why not simply ask her to light it?"

Mura drew back in surprise. "That would be improper."

Iolaus frowned at her in genuine bafflement. "Why? You follow her, don't you?"

"You don't simply ask for something like that," Mura protested.

Puzzled, Iolaus looked up at Hercules who shrugged helplessly.  "It's the way things are done, I guess," he said ruefully.

"The hard way?" Iolaus said sarcastically.

Mura gave him a reproving look and lightly touched Hercules' arm. "If you will do us this favour…"

"I mean all you've got to do…" Iolaus muttered, holding up the torch. "Is ask Hestia nicely and say please.…"

There was a soft whumpfing sound and a flare of brilliant light erupted in the cool dimness of the cella, illuminating all the walls as the torch blazed flared high and bright. Iolaus almost dropped it in shock and gingerly lowered his arm, holding the torch as far away from him as he could as he gaped at the flames – his unexpected success startling even him. "Er…." He offered it nervously to Mura who equally nervously took it and edged cautiously over to the hearth, dipping the torch to the fresh herb sprinkled wood and kindling that had been laid. The flames leaped from torch to hearth eagerly, licking hungrily across the wood and blazing to glorious light in a pyrotechnic display of reds and golds and glorious coppers.

A breeze whispered around the cella, setting the flames to dancing in its sweet breath.

Children, my children, you only had to ask…. murmured the breeze as it faded away and the fire settled down to a steady, friendly warmth.

"Uh…." Iolaus backed up, acutely aware of the way Mura and Yuna were staring at him in awe. Zora seemed amused and Hercules was openly grinning. "I think that now would be a good time to go…." he muttered, retreating a few more steps before turning and sprinting for the door.  The last thing he needed was this.

"Does this happen often?" Zora asked dryly.

His grin threatening to split his face, Hercules bowed politely to the priestess'.  "Only when he least expects it," he chuckled and ambled after his friend.

Iolaus was standing on the far side of the square, staring up at the sky and muttering under his breath. "She did that on purpose," he muttered as Hercules joined him. "I thought Mura would have to ask…."

"She wasn't going to though, was she?" Hercules pointed out. "And Hestia did want her fire lit."

"Yeah, but she didn't have to use me!"

"Why not? Hestia always did have a soft spot for you. And you do owe her one."

Iolaus sighed heavily and slumped, then gave him a rueful smile and nodded towards the temple. "But now they think I'm well in with her!"

"Well, aren't you?" Hercules laughed.

"Whatever. But we’d better get out of here before they start getting any ideas about keeping me around as Sacred Flame Holder or something!"

"Okay, okay, keep your tunic on. We'll go and tell Basil we’re off. But look at it this way, you've saved us a long walk." Iolaus gave him a baffled look, saw his friend's grin and then broke into a bubble of laughter as he fell into step beside Hercules: the two of them looking forward to leaving the village as they had arrived: together.

                                                                        oooOooo