Sin liked this disguise. She'd used it before -- for Hercules and his little friend.

'Oh, it's just so much fun reading your mind, Iolaus.' Sin thought cynically as she briefly glanced up from her menu and eyed
the couple sitting across from her, 'And Gabrielle ... I had you in my realm for such a short period of time, dear girl, until
Xena took you and Calisto away from me. But then again, when I had Xena - when she was prepared to overthrow heaven
for me as my favorite disciple - you and that pest Michael took her away as well .... Then there was all that damage
Hercules did initially when ...'

'I SHOULD HAVE ALL FOUR OF YOU! You were mine! Mine!' Sin's true disposition suddenly screamed, her eyes
blazing a lethal red, despite the calm on her attractive face. Her lips pursed tightly together. 'No ... no. Don't lose it now,
dear. After all, Rome was not built in a day.'

She made sure of that. Sin had gained so many lovely, pitiful souls from the tragedy that is Rome ... and that lovely
Coliseum! Such an inspiration! All those naive fools who cheered every time they saw a man or woman ripped to shreds by
a lion or bear .... Those men and women who fought one another to the death, for the glory of Caesar ... Sin sighed her
contentment. How she loved mortal man! How she loved their frailties and offenses!

Without really looking at them Sin continued to stare at the couple, watching their closeness and chatter, which she could
not hear from her table. Yet, she knew what they were thinking and saying. She could read mortal minds just as easily as
she was able to get into their heads and hearts, making them say and do things that were not in their character.

Once in awhile, when they were very weak, irritable or just entering into sleep Sin inserted thoughts the partners would
completely forget when awakening the next day ....

"Xena! Don't tell me how I feel! You know NOTHING about how I feel! Sometimes I wish you'd never come to
Potedia!"

"The high and mighty Hercules! Gods, there are times I just hate being your whipping boy. Do you have any idea
what I've given up ...?!"

... although subconsciously the evil thoughts were there, buried deep inside their brains. Perhaps some day to surface during
the heat of an argument? That's the way it usually happened ....

"Oh, you are both so cute." Sin whispered to herself, watching how Iolaus and Gabrielle were now flirting with one another.
Anger, fear and jealousy. Oh yes, that could work nicely ... She could do something quite enchanting with that. "I'll
eventually have you both." she whispered. Such pretty little decorations they'd be and once in her realm Sin would take
pleasure from tormenting the two semi-heroes mercilessly. She'd just have to work on them a bit. A thought here, a fear
there, a suggestion or two ...

Then, once attained, Sin would get who she really wanted. It would be so perfect. To save their two friend's from an
eternity of damnation those stupendous heroes of Greece - the man and woman Sin despised above all others in the human
world - would be forced to sell their souls.

A heart for a heart.

A body for a body.

A soul for a soul.

Be selfless. Be condemned.

Sin reveled in the anticipated destruction of Hercules, Son of Zeus, and Xena, Warrior Princess.

"Waiter," Serena's double called and handed her menu to the young man.

"Yes?" he asked, lifting a quill to his parchment pad.

"I'd like a drink to start. A bloody Hera, I think." Then she smiled, an actual grin from ear to ear, at a humor which was all
her own, "Make it a virgin."

Unaware of the eyes on her back, Gabrielle lifted a hand to gently touch Iolaus cheek.

(2)

The moon was bright and full. It hung in the clear night sky as a lighted sentinel, watching over the two mortal figures as they
strolled slowly down the path to the Coloradus River just outside of Cyreneia. Gabrielle suggested they take a walk, a bit
of exercise to work off the find meal they just consumed, and Iolaus agreed.

He needed the fresh air. The hunter hoped it would clear his jumbled mind.

In the restaurant Iolaus had gotten carried away, he feared, and was now apprehensive. Gabrielle's signals seemed clear and
he was more than eager to be occupied by a few shared moments of sweet passion. After all, how could one not be
tempted when presented with such a lovely dinner companion? That smile, so sweet and delectable, was a turn-on all its
own. Her lips were so enticing and obviously fashioned by the gods to be kissed but ... was it right? Maybe he was being
captivated for all the wrong reasons.

Iolaus shivered slightly and answered "no" to Gabrielle's kind question. He wasn't cold.

Even now, as they walked, he could just imagined a fierce Xena strolling up beside him, bopping her one time conquest hard
against the temple. He could almost hear her low, grievous voice: "Impure thought about my best friend? Are you still angry
with me, Iolaus? Or are you just suicidal?"

And he felt guilt that such thoughts were occupying his attention. After all, his fascination with Gabrielle and her's with him
(he hoped) were because they really did liked one another. It had nothing to do with Xena, Hercules or any past
transgression either had ...

"Iolaus, look! Ducks!" Gabrielle laughed and trotted in front of him, moving closer to the placid lake. She stared at the
mallards which floated on the water and stood close by the river's edge. "I thought they would be gone from this area this
time of year." she remarked, amazement in her tone. "And it's late. Shouldn't they be bedded down somewhere?"

Iolaus was once again reminded of why he was attracted to Gabrielle. Despite what she had been put through while
traveling with Xena - not to mention she and the hunter's rather flirtatious talk in the restaurant - the simplest things still made
Gabrielle sit up and take notice. In so many ways she was still pure of heart. An innocent. He loved that about her, as well
as her growth and maturity. Right now, looking at her in the moonlight, it was difficult to think of anything he did not like
about Gabrielle.

She glanced over at Iolaus as he came to stand beside her, watching the water fowl. She caught his chuckle, that breathy
laugh that found humor in the most common things -- and she was warmed. He was unlike any of the warriors she had ever
met. Iolaus was a brave, worldly hero, a gladiator who could pick up a sword and fight six men at once if necessary -
besting them all. Yet he wasn't hardened by the skirmishes he'd been involved in. Nor by the many personal blows to his
life. Being the best friend of a demigod, a man known as Greece's greatest hero, was not all sunshine and flowers. Yet,
Iolaus seemed to take it all in stride. It was his life. He chose it.

Gabrielle, again looking at Iolaus, suddenly wished he would open up to her. He was hiding something. Either that or
someone from his past had hurt him in such a way it made an emotional mark. He was the same Iolaus but ... different.
More shut off. Gabrielle had asked him about his amulet, how it had been broken. She expected a anecdote about some
rip-roaring brawl he and Hercules had been in. Instead he looked down, patted it gently, and whispered: "Just careless."
Iolaus then quickly changed the subject, clueing Gabrielle in that it wasn't something he wished to discuss at length.
Respecting his feelings, the curious bard wasn't going to press him but she did feel a little hurt that Iolaus, someone she had
always considered a good friend even when they were apart for a length of time, didn't want to share.

Of course, what did she expect? It wasn't as if they were fastened at the hip or anything. Iolaus had his life and she had
her's. There were a lot of things about her alliance with Xena she didn't feel comfortable imparting to Iolaus, so why should
he feel obligated?

"Gabrielle," Iolaus looked upward and his eyes narrowed. "is that a dark cloud moving in?"

The bard followed his gaze and her lips parted in puzzlement. It had been a clear night sky. Stars were everywhere but now
a huge, black cloud loomed ahead and was moving in quickly. "I think it's going to ..."

The rumble of thunder was heard and a lightening bolt flashed across the sky.

The ducks that had been floating so pleasantly now squawked and paddled furiously for cover.

"We better get to shelter before it rains." Iolaus suggested.

"But where can we go? We'll be drenched before we get to the village."

"There's a cave somewhere around here. We took Hercules there when ..."

Another crack of thunder intruded, cutting off his words.

Gabrielle grasped Iolaus' hand pulled, "Let's go!" she said, a little frightened.

Something didn't feel right about this. Not right at all.

********

CONTINUE