Secrets
Maya stirred when she felt the Pandora sun heating her body right through her armor, she slowly leaned up on her elbows and was immediately aware of how terribly sore she was. She gritted her teeth and ran her hand through her hair.
Her muscles ached and her entire body highly disagreed with the sudden movement.
She stood up and stretched slowly.
She reached back and rubbed her extremely sore ass.
Good god Zero had taken a beating to her poor behind. She groaned lowly.
"Asshole" She scoffed under her breath...though last night she was everything but complaining...so possibly it was her own fault...she had egged him on.
Zero simply listened.
Maya sighed and emerged into the sunlight. She let her eyes focus slowly to the brightness of the landscape and felt the warmth on her face.
"Goodmorning siren. Sleep well? Ready for travel?" Came Zero's robotically rough voice from behind her.
Maya jumped and turned around to face her assassin.
"You really have a lovely way of scaring the crap out of me. I slept fine...just a little sore..." She admitted rubbing her arm.
"Especially my fucking ass." She growled to him under her breath.
Zero chuckled lowly.
"If I remember correctly was it not you asking me to "hit you harder"? Apologies Siren was I too rough for you to take? If we were alone I'd gladly massage it for you." Zero whispered to her, his body inches from hers.
The early morning sun only added to the heat between them. Maya felt herself go a little weak with him so close, lord she wanted him again. She just wanted him all day, to do nothing but indulge in him and all his talents.
Last night was like a heavy dose of a very addictive drug. If Maya was not already addicted, she was indeed now. Hard heavy addiction.
She looked up at Zero through her lashes and touched his chest plate, running her fingers down the rough armor. She wanted to run her tongue down that mystical blue skin of his and taste him in her mouth. That sweet, salty earthy taste.
Maya licked her lips slowly, and was aware her mouth had suddenly gone dry.
Dear god the things this alien did to her.
"Maya you are looking at me as if i am a piece of meat. I am unsure if you are wanting to eat me...or fuck me." Zero said slowly whispering the last few words in her ear. That robotic voice of his sent chills down her spine.
"Nnnng Zero..." She whispered involuntarily.
Zero laughed and tipped her chin up.
"I have not so much as touched you and you are already moaning for me? Did not get enough last night siren, you are in need of more?" Zero growled.
Maya snapped out of it and narrowed her eyes at him.
"Oh shut up!" She snapped embarrassed.
She shooed him away with her hand and sashayed away to find the others.
Zero chuckled and readjusted his rifle then followed suit behind his obviously grumpy and needy siren.
The day was hot despite areas where snow still clung to the hills. The four trudged over the land guns ready and eyes scanning the rocks.
Axton lead the way, Zero kept disappearing and reappearing as they went along most likely checking for stray stalkers and such.
The gunzerker brought up the rear, walking side by side with the siren, who seemed to be moving a little slower today.
"Moving a little slow there lass, you doing ok over there?" Salvador said swinging his gun as he moved along.
Maya winced a little.
"I'm fine, just a little sore." She said quickly.
"Your wound giving you problems?" Salvador asked.
Maya stepped over a rock and then looked at him.
"Yeah something like that." she lied.
Her wound was fine, it was her raw ass that was the problem.
She felt the blush spread across her cheeks.
Salvador chuckled. He new damn well why the siren was moving slow.
"Huh. Well we can always take a break if you need." Salvador offered.
"Oh no I'm fine. I'd never hear the end of it if I took a break, then he'd be even more cocky than he already is this morning." Maya blurted.
She immediately realized what had come out of her mouth before she could stop it.
shit.
Salvador erupted with laughter and slapped his knee.
Maya looked at him with furrowed eyes her confusion obvious.
Salvador looked at her chuckling.
"You and the Assassin, it's ok your secret is safe with me." Salvador said lowly.
Maya looked at him dumbfounded.
"I don't know what you are talking about. Theres nothing going on with me and that cocky son of a bitch." Maya scoffed, god she was a bad liar.
"Huh. You two seemed pretty friendly last night." Salvador said shrugging.
"When we came back to camp? All we did was go to bed. Trust me I can hardly stand his prideful ass as a fellow vault hunter much less anything else." She growled her cheeks flushing.
But god did she ever love that prideful ass. And everything else that went with it.
"Not at camp lass." He said smiling. He liked having secrets.
Maya stared at him.
"What are you talking about." She snapped.
"Well last night Axton and I heard some awfully strange noises, I went to check it out make sure it wasn't some bandits passing through...and well I got a good eyeful of that cocky asshole roughing you up a little bit...and you didn't seem to be complaining much." Salvador said laughing.
Maya felt her cheeks grow white hot.
"Oh my god, fucking shit please don't let Zero know you saw us. He can't know that you know." Maya whispered begging Salvador frantically.
Salvador waved his hand gently.
"Don't worry lass, I won't let on I know. But next time maybe keep it down a little, lucky Axton didn't find ya'll he would have for sure ruined the moment. You know he's got a hankering for you something awful." Salvador said wagging his finger.
Maya groaned.
Oh Zero would flip his shit if he knew.
"He see's Zero as competition now. And I don't really want those two getting into it." Salvador said sighing.
"My money would be on Zero." Maya growled rolling her eyes.
Salvador started laughing again wildly.
"I'm afraid mine would be too lass." Salvador said chuckling.
Axton climbed the next hill and yelled back at the other.
"Overlook is just over the next hill! We're almost there." He bellowed.
Overlook was a small town perched on the top of a mountain, it loomed over the landscape.
They reached the edge of town, it seemed to be eerily quiet. A couple of people shuffled in the streets, their eyes fearful as the vault hunters walked into town. One hurried inside and she other seemed to be trying to.
"Ma'm wait, we are here to help." Maya said rushing to the woman.
The woman looked at her with fear seeping from her pupils.
"You can't help us. We are cursed. You best leave before the curse gets you too." She whispered to Maya shakily.
"Curse? What curse...we are hear because of a plague..." Maya asked.
The woman shook her head.
"We thought it was, it isn't. It's something else. I beg you, leave before it gets you too..." She said louder.
And with that she scurried away like some frightened animal.
Maya looked back at the other vault hunters confused.
Salvador snorted.
"People get damn crazy up here in the mountains by themselves." Salvador said shaking his head.
"Well we better go get a room at the Inn and then we will start figuring this shit out." Axton sighed.
The Inn was a disgusting building just next to the local bar. Maya could feel her skin crawl as soon as she walked in. A blonde woman looked over her magazine at the four of them as they walked in the door.
"Well what can I do for ya'll weary travelers?" She said plunking the reading material on the desk.
She peeked over her librarian glasses a smile spread across her bright red puffy lips.
Axton approached the counter and gave one of his million dollar smiles.
"We're gunna need four of your finest rooms you beautiful little creature." Axton cooed slyly.
The woman leaned over the desk pressing her large breasts together as she did so and grinned at Axton.
"Oh of course! So whats your business here handsome? We don't get many visitors out here, specially not since things started getting spooky round here." She said slyly.
"We're vault hunters, we've come to figure out what is going on around here cutie." Axton said sensually.
The woman's eyes grew.
"Vault hunters huh? Well well my hero, heres your room keys love, and if you need anything else at all you come and see me." She said with a wink.
Axton growled and raised his eyebrow.
"Will do sweetie." He said slowly.
Maya grabbed her room key from Axton's hand and rolled her eyes.
"Quit being such a pig." Maya growled.
Salvador chuckled and followed the Siren.
Maya pushed open her room and threw the key on the bed.
It wasn't the cleanest, but it would do.
Maya inspected the room and sighed slowly.
There was a faint knock at the door.
She turned, and faced Zero's form as it filled the doorway.
"We are going to the Holy Spirits. Information is to be found there. Will you join?" He asked folding his arms.
"If you don't mind I actually think I'm just going to lie down. I'm way too sore to deal with a drunk Axton tonight. Hope you understand." She said smiling.
Zero nodded.
"Understandable. I feel very sorry I am responsible for your discomfort. I apologize." He said displaying a sad face.
Maya laughed.
"Oh stop it Zero, you know I loved it." She said walking up to him.
She placed a kiss on his faceplate.
"And I can't wait to do it again." She whispered.
"Nnng Maya do not tease me so. I've just now got the need tamed. Do not rouse it i beg." He said sighing.
She smiled.
"Fine, go I'll be here if you want to join me tonight." She said smiling.
Zer0 shuddered.
"An invitation most welcome. You can count on my presence later. That i promise." He mused running his fingers through her hair.
Zero was gone in a flicker.
He was like a ghost.
Coming and going as he pleased, never knowing when he would decided to grace one with his presence.
It was all part of the mystery that surrounded him.
Maya breathed out slowly as her lover departed just as quickly as he had come.
Her eyes searched for signs of him, but she knew there would be none. He left no traces behind.
She closed the door slowly, stealing one last look outward and then was left to her empty motel room.
The light seeping in the windows was waning, and the night was slowly beginning to settle in. Maya sat down on the bed mechanically.
The dusk kissed the landscape like a long lost lover. It held it there caressing it with passion.
Maya could no longer hold back the thoughts.
She had known Zero killed for a living, it was a profession, just like hers.
But she had not known the darkness that was clinging to Zero's soul.
There were monsters lurking within her lover.
She had chose to ignore them last night in the heat of passion...but now they were placed in front of her begging for her undivided attention.
She could no longer sweep them aside.
Zero lusted for killing, he needed it and enjoyed it like an addict needs a drug. She could only sit and ponder to what extent this need ruled him...
What if it was stronger than Zero himself...what if he couldn't control it...
What if the need for her and the need to kill got muddied?
What if he hurt her...
Maya shook her head and frowned.
He wouldn't...would he?
There was something in Zero last night that she had not yet seen before...something very frightening.
A murderer high on his lust to kill.
Maya felt uneasy with this fact...she felt even more unnerved that it did not bother her the way it should.
It aroused and frightened her...this strange monster in him...
How should she handle this?
What was the right action here?
Ignore it?
But what if it got stronger when ignored...
Her head felt heavy, buzzing with worries.
What had she gotten herself into?
Her feelings for this assassin...they were growing...
Blooming into this wild thing.
Growing like a fern drinking in the fresh rain, its roots swelling with nourishment.
She had not felt such things before.
As a loner...you learn to lust for few, trust none...and "love" was out of the question.
She bit her lip and let her eyes wander out over the landscape slowly. Out toward the wild hills of this planet that she now called some what of a home.
Love.
What a strange word that was.
She whispered it to herself.
It stuck to her tongue and teeth like honey, and lingering in the air like mist.
It was thick enough to choke her.
She barely knew Zero. She was unveiling more as their time spent together grew...but she did not know everything. Not even close.
He was still a puzzle.
As were his intentions and his feelings.
Could he possibly ever love her?
And did she...love him?
The question of the evening sat right there before Maya grinning at her like some cheeky demon.
Did she love Zero?
Did she even know what it meant to say you loved another?
She ran her hand wildly through her hair.
No. She could not fall that hard that fast.
Love was out of the question.
Especially not with these unknown demons swarming about Zero and all that he was. They hung there like terrible things.
She would have to address them first before this...love business was ever brought up again.
She Scoffed to herself.
Love what a petty strange word.
She was not in love.
No.
At least...not that she would say out loud.
She sighed and let her secret thoughts bed down with her for the night.