Mates: The Sequel

Chapter 17

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They were in the medical wing again.

Due to him.

Again.

Clark had to fight back a huge wave of guilt as he helped his teammates recover. There were a few cuts on his arms also, but he felt like that was the least he deserved. In all actuality he deserved ten times worse for allowing Rao to do this to his friends.

The bond no longer tied him to the god and he felt quite foolish as he recalled cowering in his mind and begging to be loved. He also remembered reaching out, asking Zeus something...and he was sure that his answer had been yes but...

He couldn't remember what the question had been about...

Oddly enough, now that the bond was gone, he didn't feel empty. Or even depressed. On the contrary, he felt...free. Like he could breathe and relax for the first time in forever. It was such a weird feeling but...not an uncomfortable one.

"Is it just me or have we been spending a lot of time in this part of the tower lately?" Flash piped up, raising a hand to lightly touch at the bruised skin beneath his eyes. The words were said in a humorous tone but they didn't help ease Clark's guilt at all.

He paused in wrapping Diana's knee, his hands trembling slightly as memories of the fight flared through his mind.

Ramming his fist against Hawk Girl's head. The smell of burning flesh has his heat beams made contact with J'onn's skin. Flash going flying when he landed a kick on the speedster to stop his tornado attack...

It wasn't right...it wasn't...he didn't...would never...

But he had.

Rao had taken control of his body.

And eager for the god's love, he had let him.

That knowledge was almost enough to send him flying out of the tower and towards the fortress, or maybe out of the galaxy altogether. Except Bruce's words were still echoing in his head.

"If...you...leave...going to...find the...biggest stash of Kryptonite...and...kill you..."

Bruce would do it too. Actually, if he thought about it, he wouldn't be really all that surprised if the other leaguers ended up helping the bat...

Aside from the screeching of his conscience, there was also a load of embarrassment. Especially whenever he looked over at Bruce. Because then he'd remember how his hands had trailed over the man's skin...how his back had arched when his tongue had ran along that lean neck...those lips...and his face would turn unbelievably red. Every time. One would think that after a while the humiliation would fade but...no.

It only seemed to get worse.

Even more so when he realized that Bruce had yet to say anything else to him after the threatening to kill him thing...though he tried not to take it personally...seeing how the human wasn't talking to anyone else either...

But it was hard not to take offense, when his friend wouldn't even look his way. Clark felt his misery increase as time wore on and the only one Bruce interacted with was J'onn. It was understandable, with the Martian being his mate and all...and given the fact that he'd just tried to...rape...him...but the thought that the rocky relationship between them was now ruined because of Rao's doings...it was enough to make him sick to his stomach.

Rao had done this.

And he'd let him.

Oh god...

Saw Bruce flinch beside him and swallowed thickly, trying hard to contain the emotions he was feeling right now. He didn't want to cause his friend any more pain than he already had but...he just couldn't stop the thoughts going through his head right now. For the second time he'd nearly killed his teammates. He was supposed to protect them. Not slam them into cars or fire heat beams or...

Movement in the corner of his eye caused him to jerk out of his thoughts and alerted him to the fact that Bruce was now heading towards the exit.

"Bruce, you are not yet fully healed." J'onn was protesting. "We should remain in contact for another..." He trailed off at seeing his mate tremble slightly.

"I can't...stay here...J'onn..." Came the whisper and Clark's guilt increased even more, knowing it was because of him. Because of the emotions he was projecting...Bruce needed to stay in the medical wing. If it bothered him that much, he'd be the one to leave. Stood up and walked to Bruce, unconsciously reaching a hand out to place on his shoulder and say "I'll leave the tower then, Bruce. You stay and heal.".

Except he never got that far, because the second his hand had neared the human, he had stumbled backwards in an uncharacteristic show of...fear, as he snarled, "Do not touch me!"

The utter loathing in those words made Clark take a step back, watching as his friend stormed away, probably towards the teleporter to go down to the manor. His mind numb, he turned back and sat down on one of the empty beds, Bruce's words still ringing in his ears.

Do not touch me!

He closed his eyes against the memory, his shoulders sagging in defeat. When did I become the enemy?

The answer came to him and for the first time he knew what it truly meant to hate someone.

Rao.

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He stared down at Earth, trying hard to continue on and fly far away from this galaxy, like he had intended upon doing the second the bond had been broken. His body refused to obey him however, choosing to instead gaze down at the fragile planet. Rao didn't understand why he couldn't leave. He didn't feel guilty about what he'd done. Nor did he feel pleased. In fact, he didn't feel anything.

No sadness, anger, humor, love...no weak mortal emotions that had plagued him for as long as he could remember.

The bond was truly broken between him and Kal-El.

Silence was the only thing he heard in his mind. No doubts or prayers...just blissful silence.

It was everything he had imagined it to be.

So why couldn't he leave?

"What did you do to Ares?"

The sudden appearance of the blond goddess had him frowning in irritation. Why was she here? He wasn't on Earth, wasn't watching over Kal-El anymore. In fact he'd been in the middle of leaving. Zeus had claim to Earth, Rao couldn't deny that but he wasn't on Earth, was he? No he wasn't.

So the whole...harassing him thing...was really uncalled for.

"Don't make me ask again."

Ares...ah. The God of War. Reminder of their shortly-lived battle made him relax as fond memories surfaced. The look on the arrogant god's face as the sword pierced his stomach...priceless.

It was tempting to relive the memory. Rao wondered what type of sound Aphrodite would make while dying for a few seconds before shaking his head. Killing Ares had taken a lot of energy and he had no desire to overexert himself. Even if it did mean that he'd have to answer the annoying goddess.

"I killed him."

Telling Aphrodite of Ares' demise was almost as good as killing her, Rao discovered, taking pleasure at the emotions that played on her face. "You...you...how...that's impossible!"

The sickening smirk that answered the goddess had her quickly backing away as a sword appeared in his hand. "Oh really? You wish me to prove myself?"

Two other beings appeared in front of her and Rao frowned, not recognizing them. Their energy levels suggested that they were immortal like he was but...they looked more like that green thing. The one that had refused to let go of the human...

That atrocious thing has gods? He was repulsed but realized that not all aliens could look as handsome as Kal-El.

"You got what you wanted." One of them spoke up and Rao saw that it was a male. "Leave."

"Suppose I say no?" He moved forward, his inner beast purring in anticipation for the battle that was sure to come. "Do you intend on making me?"

Aphrodite teleported away, probably to get Zeus but Rao didn't care. Let her get the King. He took out Ares he could take him out too. Never mind the energy required; he'd destroy them all. Kill the little Earth Gods and watch as the idiotic humans ran around and destroyed themselves. Oh it would be so much fun...

Energy crackled around Rao, setting H'ronmeer and L'Zoril on edge as the mad god started to chant. The words spilling from his lips were ancient and they didn't understand their meaning but it was causing something to shift in them, something to change and suddenly they were aware of how they couldn't move, even with their lives on the line and Rao charging at them with the intent to kill. H'ronmeer had closed his eyes, briefly saying goodbye to C'eridyall and apologizing for all that he'd put her through...

Except Rao never made it to them.

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When Rao had first come to Earth, He hadn't known what to think. He wasn't around when Rao had visited last time, and he really had no clue what to expect. Zeus hadn't seemed worried though if he hadn't alerted the Justice League to the god's presence, so He had decided to trust in the King's judgment. Apparently he had been horribly wrong to do so, when Rao had taken over Clark's mind and had made his Child scream in pain...

And had attacked Bruce as well...

J'onn was his only Child.

Bruce was his Child's mate.

So by definition Bruce was under his protection as well.

Needless to say he'd been enraged at the nerve of the god. But then he had found out why Zeus had chose to keep Rao's return to himself. That hadn't made him any happier. The only thing that managed to pacify his anger had been that the King had managed to fix things finally by taking guard over the Justice League. He'd been annoyed though when they had slacked off over guarding Bruce but had made up for it by guarding the human Himself.

He was sure not to alert the human of His presence, aware that he liked his privacy, but He hadn't intended on turning away for a second.

Until He'd felt a certain spell being said. An ancient one that should have remained lost to time, one which was being uttered by a foolish god who had no idea of what it would cause. And had teleported to Rao, determined to put a stop to whatever it was he was planning...

But had been too late to save Ares.

For the first time since coming into existence he truly felt floored as he wondered what the God of War's death would mean to the planet, if not the universe. Where did a god go upon dying? It was a question that desperately needed an answer and so He had gone searching, all the while keeping aware to what C'eridyall, H'ronmeer and L'Zoril were doing, prepared to interrupt if needed. Thankfully things hadn't gotten that bad and they managed to thwart Rao while He dug up some answers on what had happened to Ares.

It was only a theory at best and he needed more information but at least things didn't look completely helpless.

The bond between Kal-El and Rao was broken. J'onn was alive, as was Bruce.

He'd been prepared to let the god leave.

Except Rao had started to attack H'ronmeer and L'Zoril, with the intent to kill them and then all the other Earth Gods. An anger like no other had surged through Him, causing Him to teleport Rao to the same dimension He was in, his energy swirling as He started to take on a humanoid figure.

Rao had almost killed his Child.

Rao had tried to taint the sacred bond between J'onn and Bruce.

Rao had killed Ares, thereby disrupting the balance.

Rao had tried to kill H'ronmeer and L'Zoril.

Locked eyes with the god and had there been a flash of fear in those cold orbs maybe His anger would have died down. But there had been none. Just a cocky self-assurance that had him racing forward and slamming into Rao with a snarl.

"You are a disgrace!" His voice thundered as He traded blows, landing several on the god but getting none in return. "You bring shame to all gods everywhere! Have you no idea what damage you've caused?!"

Pinned Rao down, his energy biting into the god and making him writhe in pain.

"I never asked for this!" Came the snarl and it made him boil with fury at the selfishness those words held. He'd just caused so much to come undone and all he cared about was himself. He didn't deserve immortality.

"You don't want this?" He asked, taking pleasure as He finally saw apprehension showing in those eyes. "Allow me to take it away from you."

Rao started chanting again and was puzzled when the strange being in front of him was still able to move. That wasn't possible. The spell was wrote specifically to affect gods so...

The entity towered over him and Rao gulped as he saw his future in those eyes. Eyes that swirled with so much energy... "Wh—Who are you?!"

A cold smile, one that filled him with nothing but dread. "My name is unfit for one such as yourself to hear."

And then Rao only knew pain.

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Bruce's reaction will be explained in the next chapter. I hope the fight between the Unnamable one and Rao wasn't too horrible...I kinda suck at action scenes too...;.; I'm sorry about the lull in updates, I'm kind of suffering though writer's block right now...and I keep getting distracted...it's a pain to write about the Unnamable one because...he has no name. So I have to just say 'He' and 'Him' and 'His' and it might get confusing... you have no idea how tempting it is to just call him 'Bob' and get it over with...