Is it Better Left Unsaid?

Chapter 2 'Empty'

Driving faster in my car

Falling farther from just what we are

Smoke a cigarette and lie some more

These conversations kill

Falling faster in my car

Time to take her home,

Her dizzy head is conscience laden.

Time to take a ride it leaves today

No conversation

Time to take her home her dizzy head is

Conscience laden

Time to wait too long, to wait too long,

To wait too long.

Too much walking shoes worn thin

Too much trippin' and my soul's worn thin

Time to catch her ride it leaves today,

Her name is what it means

Too much walking shoe worn thin. 'Big Empty' by Stone Temple Pilots

(Zatanna's Home - Gotham Park - Library)

Xanadu looked at the crystal ball sitting on the table. Unlike the false readers in the world her crystal ball was able to see the future, the past, and even peer into souls of those she needed to know about. She studied the ball and could see the darkness of the spectral explosion, but she couldn't see where it was going to happen. Zatanna's home didn't have enough spiritual power in it to uncover the location of the spectral explosion, or the exact date. She could only hope that the others was having more luck than she was.

(Zatanna's home - meditation room)

The sound of her heart beating was the only sound in the room. Zatanna listened to the emptiness around her and let her spirit guide attempt to show her the place of the spectral explosion, but it wasn't happening. In truth she wasn't in the right place to access her spirit guide. She needed to be completely relaxed, not thinking about anything, and at the moment she was too worried. She was worried about the spectral explosion, worried about stopping it, but in truth she was worried about Bruce. She knew that he was upset, and she knew why. After all, she had erased his memory, and in doing so she had caused a huge rift between them. It was no secret that they had been close before. When she was younger she would fantasize about becoming his wife, of living with him, helping him, and having children that she could teach about magic. Slowly that dream began to fade as she realized how distant Bruce was with everyone. She stayed a close friend to him right up until she altered and erased part of his memory.

"It really was for your own good Bruce. I wanted to protect you. I wanted to protect you as much as the others did. I'll admit that what I did was wrong, but it was because I cared so much for you," she thought

She looked toward the wall and knew that her spirit guide wouldn't be coming. There was no way to make the connection while she was this distracted.

(Zatanna's home - Bedroom)

Epiphany moaned in delight as John weaved the tantric sex magic. He had drawn the enchantment circle and added a drop of his blood to enhance the spell. A moment later she found herself in the middle of the circle with him with her clothes off writhing and moaning as he did delicious things to her. She felt their bodies levitating off of the ground and could sense the power of the circle increasing. Unlike with most magic the tantric sex magic was able to pull in the energy it needed from the release of sexual energy. Images began to flash through her mind as the magic began to build. She threw her head back and let out a throaty moan.

"John, God YES!" she screamed.

"Hold it off love," he said.

She knew what he meant. They needed to hold their orgasms off until everything was revealed to them. She needed to wait, to not focus on the delicious things he was doing to her, and instead focus on the spectral explosion. She tried, really tried, but the moment his hand ran from the small of her back to cupping her ass she lost it. She felt her entire body become ridigid with power and the spell reached the height it was going to reach and then fell. Both her and John fell to the floor in a lump.

"At least... At least we know when it is going to happen," John said.

Epiphany nodded and tried to catch her breath. She felt her entire body tingle from the amount of magic and energy that has passed through them. She slowly sat up and could see that John was sweating like she was. She felt the streams of sweat rolling down her skin and dripping toward the floor. Slowly both she and John stood up. He pulled her against him and kissed her before smirking.

"Like I said love, tantric sex magic. It works better than almost any other kind of magic," he said.

They began to get dressed, but slowed as they noticed that the circle had remained charged. John looked at it and sat down in the middle of the circle. He closed his eyes and stretched out his hands letting the feeling of the charged energy move in toward him. It tickled down his arms and he felt the warm of it surround him. Suddenly visions filled his mind. He saw every time he and Epiphany had made love, fucked, and just had a fun romp, yet there was something else behind all of the fun. He moved passed the images of what had been done, would be done, and would have to try until he saw a dark force. It stood over a minature city with its hand outstretched. John tried to make sense of it until he realized that it wasn't a minature city, but rather it was a normal sized one, and the dark force, the dark figure was actually giantic. The city came into focus and he could see it wasn't one, but several cities together. There was London, Gotham, Metropolis, New York, Moscow, Tokyo, and dozens of other cities. The dark force swiped at them causing explosions, instant death, and a deep laugh erupted from the form. John then looked closer and at the feet of the form was hundreds of costumed heroes. All of them in various stages of decay. He wanted to turn from it, but he couldn't. Instead he felt a pair of hands touching his shoulders.

"It's beautiful isn't it love?" a familar voice said.

"Rosacarnis, what are you doing here?" John asked.

"Is that all you have to say? After all I was the mother to three of your children John. Such fine children, well except for Maria. She's followed in her father's footsteps. It's a shame really. She believes that she can obtain a normal life by attempting to live like you. She's foolish isn't she?" Rosacarnis asked.

"Speak your reason for being here demon," John demanded.

"I'm here to watch John. I've been contacted by a mystic, and I've been asked to help prepare the spectral explosion. Of course if the mystic had spent a little more time studying me, my father, and perhaps our realm she would know that she needed to be completely specific. Instead she only hinted at what she wanted. Such a shame..." Rosacarnis replied.

"What do you know?" John asked.

"No, I'm going to just answer you John. I have demands to be met for information. I want a child again. I want another child to grow inside of me that I can unleash upon the world. A true terror and blight for mankind that will rip through and separate the wheat from the chafe, and no John... I don't want you to be the father. I haven't chosen yet, but I know that if you want my help you'll provide me the willing consort," she said.

"Forget it. I not going to willingly send someone to what equates to a third level succubus," John said.

"I AM ABOVE THOSE LOWLEVELS! I AM ROSACARNIS DAUGHTER OF NERGIL! DUTCHESS OF THE SEVENTH LAYER OF HELL!" she screamed.

"And I'm John Constantine who has beaten your father a dozen times. I don't feel like having this conversation any longer love," John said before he opened his eyes and caused the vision to vanish.

"What happened?" Epiphany asked.

"I know a good deal more about what's going on. We need to talk to Xanadu, and we need to contact the Batman," John said.

(Wayne Enterprises - Bruce's office)

Bruce looked at the woman who had just entered his office, walked across the floor, and taken a seat across from him. She was graceful, but then she had always been graceful. He couldn't say that he never loved her. In truth he had been deeply in love with her for a long, long time, and he still loved her. He even once wondered if they would have been together by now. Perhaps married, with a child or children, but her devotion to her father had kept that from happening. He turned off the intercom and studied her for a moment.

"Talia, what are you doing in Gotham?" he asked.

"I am here because of you my beloved. I want only to spend some time with you," she said.

"Are you here because of Ra's?" Bruce asked.

"Beloved, you cut me with that question. I am here, now, with you because I love you. Bruce, I have never stopped loving you, and I know you have never stopped loving me," she said.

She stood and walked toward him. Gently she laid a hand on his chest indicating that she wanted him to remain seated and she gracefully took a seat in his lap. She turned toward him and kissed him with a light greeting kiss, before it became more passionate. She felt his hands move to the fullness of her hips. She broke the kiss for a second, "How I've missed you my beloved,"

He would be lying if he said he didn't feel anything for her. His own body was responding to her as it had when they tried to make a relationship work before. His hands caressed her full, tight, and all to wonderful bottom only to move up and feel the softness of her back. She surprised him again by not wearing a bra, but then Talia's normal uniform didn't call for one. She moved changing her possition from simply sitting on his lap to straddling him. Her breath became ragged, deep, and full of pent up passion and frustration. She kissed him again and this time it was different. This wasn't Talia simply trying to seduce him. He knew that she was hungry for him. She needed him, and that perhaps she was telling the truth that the reason she here, now with him was because she truly did want to be with him. She pulled away from him and he saw something in her eyes that surprised him. It was the look of lust mixed with love.

"I am yours beloved. I've never stopped being yours. Please, make us one," she asked as she leaned back against the desk.

Bruce looked at the shape of her as she moved until she was seated on the desk. His hands moved forward and touched the pearl buttons on her white silk blouse. Slowly each button opened revealing her flawless skin. He leaned forward kissing down her neck and could feel her entire body shutter with each kiss. She let out a breathy moan as he found her breasts.

"Bruce... Please..." she moaned.

The door flew open and Talia quickly grabbed her shirt and pulled it close.

"Mr Wayne, I tried to stop him," a red headed secretary said.

Bruce narrowed his eyes at the man who was standing in the office.

"That's fine Veronica," Bruce said.

"Hello Detective," Ra's said.