Chapter 26

"...I break everything I touch..."

I stood for a moment in silence as his words hit me. Though his face was turned away from me, I felt the sadness behind his words. The air around us felt... vulnerable. No, he felt vulnerable. I wanted to do something. But I wasn't sure what to do in this situation. His body language told me my presence wasn't wanted. He was keeping a clear distance between us after our kiss. So, I walked out of the room. Closing the door behind me, I fell back against the door.

Lowering my head I whispered.

"I don't believe you,"

Two weeks later

It has been two weeks since I last saw Ultraman. Clearly, my assessment of the situation was correct. He wanted nothing to do with me. I thought I saw him in the hallway the next morning, but it was just J'onzz. I tried to press his associates about Ultraman's whereabouts for the next two days but their mouths were sealed. After the third day, I stopped asking about him. He didn't want to be found and they weren't saying anything. So, I left him to his solitude.

The following days were rather uneventful. I got to know 'the boys' who worked for him. They were an eclectic bunch, but loyal. They kept me well occupied. Showing me the city, explaining 'what they did', and showing me the wonders of Man's World. No matter what they did to distract me, my heart ached for Ultraman.

It's day 14. It started like any other day. Lunchtime had crept up on me as it typically had done after my morning workout sessions. After showering, I left my 'quarters' aka Ultraman's bedroom as I'd done for the past two weeks. As the elevator doors opened on the ground floor, I saw him. He was floating in the open atrium in the middle of the building. His head was angled up towards the sky as his whole body basked in the midday sun. There was such a look of peace about him as the sun caressed every inch of his skin. At that moment he looked like a sun god.

As those words formulated in my mind, I suddenly felt the air about me shift. It felt heavy and hot, yet at the same time cold to the touch.

"Oh, no,"

My mother told me the gods were ever present and, at this moment, I feared one of them might have been listening. I closed my eyes and prayed that the gods hadn't heard me. Mother said they were a jealous bunch.

"They had killed for lesser slights," she said every time I acted out of line as a child.

Fear gripped me as the freezing molten air engulfed my senses. A soft whimper parted from my lips.

"Forgive," I whispered. "I meant not to slight you..."

A shiver ran down my spine as I felt hot breath against the nape of my neck. I covered my mouth and prayed for Hades to take my soul quickly.

"Do you compare me, Lord Apollo, to that 'thing'," a voice whispered. "Is this how you treat your beloved brother?"

"No, my lord…"

My brother sighed, "I thought you'd be happy to hear I'd finally come for you..."

I felt Apollo's molten touch against my cheek, forcing me to open my eyes. As they opened, I saw the living sun, Apollo, my older brother. He stood in front of me in all his glory. A pale cream suit stood in stark contrast to the endless void of black that was his skin. His long flame-like hair framed his face. His piercing eyes bore through mine.

"Why didn't you come with my man?" he asked coldly. "Did he touch you?"

I remained silent as Apollo tilted my face from side to side. What he was looking for, I didn't know. I kept repeating that I was safe with Ultraman over and over in my head. A searing pain built where Apollo's hands were.

"Shit," he heard me again.

I bit down on my lower lip to keep myself from screaming. Apollo's heat grew closer around me. He turned his gaze to the floating Ultraman. It was a blank stare, but the gods were unreadable. Especially, one who chose to still walk the earth. They never did so without reason.

"Why do you not fear him, the way you do me," he continued. "Am I not the loving god who wanted to free you from your mother's oppression?"

Apollo hissed as his hand slid down my cheek to my collarbone. The warmth from his breath and touch were scorching. His words pained me.

"One should always fear the gods,"

"Tsk, tsk," he cooed.

With his other hand, Apollo pulled me closer to his body. I trembled against him and fought to control the thunder bubbling up inside me. One wrong move would cost me my life and everyone in this building.

"But I am your beloved brother,"

He nuzzled his face into the nape of my neck, breathing me in.

"Father made you for me and gave you to me," he continued. "Yet you seek comfort with a weakling mongrel."

I stumbled over my words.

"I am here because I can't go home," I replied. "He offered me mercy and shelter..."

Apollo bit down on my neck, marking me with his teeth.

"And in all of this, you never thought to call upon me for aid," he replied. "I am yours and you are mine, all you had to do was think of me and I would have come for you. Did you not once think of me?"

I lowered my head as he kissed the bite mark, he left.

"He as clouded your judgment little one,"

"He has been kind, brother," I replied.

He pulled away from me to look me in my eyes.

"He plagues your mind against me,"

The air about us grew thin. His mood was changing. I needed to act fast before he killed us all.

"He knows nothing of you," I replied. "He only seeks to harm Darkseid..."

Apollo tilted his head, amused at my words.

"So naïve, my beloved little one," Apollo added. "He slights me by keeping you amongst his things. You even smell of him..."

I tried to pull my gaze away from Apollo, but he held me in place.

"I've seen your dreams, beloved little one..."

A hot sensation ran through my wetness.

"Do you think that 'thing' will protect you from me after what I have seen him do to you?"

Apollo's hands wandered down my body. He cupped my ass and hips, leaving a trail of heat behind. The sensation of pleasure wasn't there as it had been in Ultraman's arms. His touch made me crave more. It left me breathless. Apollo made my skin crawl. I needed to get away from him. Instinctively, I elbowed him in the gut and took a step away from him. As I created some distance between us, he met my actions with a smirk.

"Feisty," he growled.

I rolled my eyes.

"Brother, please,"

Darkness consumed me as I found myself back in Ultraman's bedroom. I was back in his bed naked.

"Is there where you dream of him,"

I turn in the direction of Apollo's voice. He was lying beside me, running his molten hands down the side of my body. I felt my face flush.

I didn't reply.

Apollo scoffed.

"I dream of nothing," I replied coldly.

Apollo brushed my cheek with his thumb.

"Lies, you dream of those horrid women who treated you like trash," he cooed.

"They were my family,"

Apollo laughed coldly, "You can lie to yourself but not to me. I know how badly they treated you sister…"

"Now it is you that lie…" I replied. "You know nothing of me of my suffering."

The air around us grew extremely hot as a low rumble of thunder sounded in the distance. Apollo's black flesh turned a pale grey as he rushed into my mind. He sifted through the thread of my life, pulling out memory after memory. He saw the horrors of Themyscira. How I lost my name. The beatings. The violations. He pulled back his thoughts as a tear fell down my cheek.

"I knew Father kept things from me, but this!" he hissed back. "My little one, if I'd known, I would have come for you sooner…."

Apollo took a few deep breaths as his hue turned back to normal. I cursed under my breath as I tried to stop the rumbling of thunder around us.

"You speak as if I knew Father or his ways," I replied. "He left me to fend for myself amongst a sea of vipers. I don't know him or you."

"And for that, I am sorry," he said as he once more reached for my face.

He held my gaze to his. His eyes lacked the warmth of Ultraman's. Even in his rage, there was something behind them that didn't make me feel safe.

"I am the head of our family now and I will make this mess up to you, my little one, I promise," he added.

Promises… What are the promises of a god to me?

"There is nothing you can do," I reiterated as I brushed away his hand. "They already died..."

I turned my back to my brother but he wrapped his large body around me. Spooning me in his arms, Apollo growled as the sun above started to dim.

"Let me care for you, beloved," Apollo cooed. "Only I truly love you as you are..."

Apollo's words hit me like a ton of bricks as Ultraman's bedroom grew completely dark. He whispered in my ear...

"The moment he finds out what you truly are, he will use you as a pawn..."

I rolled around to face Apollo but he had vanished, leaving his laughter surrounding me.

"That 'thing' is more like your mother than you know," he cackled. "Kal-El craves power..."

Though he was out of sight, I still felt him smile behind me. As he spoke, I curled into a ball.

"You know I am right, little one," he added. "In time you will see I am right. And when the moment comes, I will be there to pick up the pieces that are your heart. Bringing them back home with me where they belong."

Suddenly, I found myself back in the atrium of the Syndicate. Still looking up, our eyes met. Ultraman was standing before me. Apollo's laughter echoed about use.

"Until next time little one..."

Rage filled Ultraman's eyes.

"APOLLO!"