The Outback
Present day
She rolled through the outback on her four-wheeler UTV, blasting music through the beefed-up stereo system she'd splurged on while her faithful hunting companion rolled up dunes, catching air in the desert sun. The glimmer of the giant rock on her left ring finger caught her eye and she glanced at it, letting out a satisfied chuckle. Her big day was coming up soon, and she couldn't be more excited!
Ever since her birthday almost two years ago, her life changed for the better. Not only did she get the amazing opportunity to meet her favorite idol, but they hit it off immediately and kept in touch, making it a habit to meet up a few times a month, and by their third date, they'd made it official!
Even though they had a long-distance relationship when he wasn't in town, she was incredibly happy. Nothing in her day-to-day life changed; she was still able to hunt and fight and have her own space while he traveled and performed and did his charity work all around the world. Their relationship was solid. She finally felt accepted, like she'd found her soulmate, and because of the strength of their love, they could withstand any amount of distance between them.
A year later, on their first anniversary, he popped the question and presented her with a huge, gorgeous diamond ring.
She didn't need to think twice.
They agreed to have their wedding on their next anniversary, allowing them time to plan and have things exactly how they wanted. It was surreal to her; growing up, she never imagined she'd get to have a fairytale wedding, let alone find a guy who was interested in her aggressive personality! She never indulged in those thoughts until she met him! So, she told him she didn't care how or where they got hitched, just as long as it happened.
With reluctance, he agreed and told her he'd have his event planners help organize it, occasionally running their ideas by her. She was completely fine with it, happy with the end results, and growing more excited by the day. She even had her dress picked out and tailored already! It cost her a fortune, but with her small, newly acquired fame, she could afford the finer things in life.
It was bound to happen eventually, she knew. With how often they went on dates and how little he cared to hide their relationship, she'd shown up in a few articles here and there and honestly didn't care for the way the paparazzi took her photos. She had better pictures of her taken at the arena!
And speaking of the arena, her fame only worked in her favor! She gained attention from fighters from all over the world and had a lot of eyes on her, looking to recruit her for bigger and better fights. She knew there were other, larger arenas, but Australia was her home, and she never planned on leaving. She remembered an interview she did for a radio show a few months back, and they'd asked her if she would travel the world with her fiancé.
"I could never leave my people; this is my home! Besides, who's gonna take out all those dirty vamps if I ain't here?"
Lucio knew how rooted she was and offered to buy them a house in Lake Grace, however… a small part of her wanted to hang onto her tiny apartment for as long as she could. She couldn't help it! It was her first and only apartment, and she worked her butt off to earn it. She was aware that things would change once she took his name, so she expressed that she wanted to wait until after the ceremony to fully combine their lives. And of course, he was super understanding about it, agreeing to wait until it was official to move in together. She had the perfect man.
Once they were married, not much would change, really. He told her he'd make Australia his home base and rest there with her between tours and events, and she could continue protecting both her crown in the arena and the people of the country, just as long as she was safe about it. She'd admit, she was a bit reckless out there, but after his request for her to not get hurt, she began taking it easier.
She acted like it, but she wasn't the only hunter in Western Australia, however, she was the best freelance one out there. She got calls from all over the continent and she'd taken care of almost every request, except the few that got away from her. The ones that didn't? They didn't live to tell the tale. She thought about getting her license, but that required traveling outside of her home. Maybe one day, but probably not.
Speaking of hunting, she was currently on her way to Kalgoorlie, a tiny city five hours away from Lake Grace and into the desert. She was doing routine maintenance on her weapons at the arena when she got a frantic call on her work phone about two vamps causing a ruckus. Itching for a fight, she pulled Ham out of the queue and told him there was a real battle ahead. He expressed discontent but she ignored him, knowing he'd feel better once he was rolling through the desert.
She drove up a particularly tall dune and parked it, taking a few minutes to stretch her legs; she'd been driving for a while! Turning her radio down, she grabbed her binoculars and stepped out of her four-wheeler. "Oi!"
Hammond rolled up the dune and seemingly floated in midair. "Dropping," his mech said, falling heavily into the sand next to her.
"There it is," Dez said, looking at the city in the distance. "Those mongrels are in there, for sure. Easy pickin's in that town."
"Right." Hammond agreed, popping out of the top of his mech. "But the good thing about it is that there is nowhere to hide."
"Ya think they'll be easy to spot?" She asked.
"You didn't get a description?" Hammond frowned. "You're slacking, Dez. Do you even know what type they are?"
"Eh, that don't matter," she shrugged. She didn't need to know what they looked like. She never did. "I'll draw the rat bastards out."
"We don't know if they're S-class vamps or easy work," Hammond basked in the sun after being cooped up in his mech all afternoon.
"Well, we're S-class hunters," she shot him a cocky grin. "They better fear us."
"Remember to be tactical about this," he reminded her. "I know you get tunnel vision when you're hopped up on adrenaline, and I don't want to break the news that you've been maimed to Lucio."
"Quit yer worryin'." Duh, she remembered her promise to the love of her life! "That's why I'm gonna let'cha take the lead on this one."
"You say that all the time and you always hog the glory," Hammond complained.
"Yeah, but you get all the money!" Ever since she got engaged, Lucio was adamant about taking care of her. Of course, she was reluctant for a while, but he was persistent and she was weak when it came to him. Eventually, she conceded, letting her man do his duties. Because of that, she just hunted for fun and let Ham cash in the rewards.
"You know it's not about the money, Dez. Although the hamster does think it's a bonus," the mech translated. "I want to hunt them down just as much as you do."
"And ya will," she leaned against his mech, yanking her arm away with a hiss. She always forgot how hot he got!
"Take caution," Hammond chattered with a squeaky laugh. "The hamster found that amusing."
"Yeah, yeah. I'm sure ya did," she climbed back into her UTV, anticipation turning into adrenaline like it always did when she was close to her target. "Let's take these vamps down."
"Ya think we made enough noise to drag 'er out, mate?" Jamison asked, lugging around a chest containing loot from their most recent heist.
"Better have," Mako rumbled, finding the nearest tree and sitting against it. After they collected some blood for the doctor, they stocked up on supplies and slowly made their way back to their home, the Outback. Since they had a hefty amount of illegal contraband, it took them a lot longer to get there, but they made it, happy to know their old hideout was vacant. A bit run down, but vacant nonetheless.
It didn't take them long to hear about the country's best hunter, Dez Stone. Being the troublemakers that they were, they wanted to see what the big fuss was all about and see if she truly lived up to that name. And it wasn't long after that when they found out she was engaged to one of the biggest pop stars in the world. Obviously, they had to investigate.
"Y'know she's a fighter at the arena!" Jamison lounged under the tree, turning a canister of blood up to his mouth. "She's probably got some moves!"
Mako didn't doubt that at all. He'd done his research, checked out footage of her in the arena, and even found a few short clips of her taking out vampires. He knew her weaknesses, and he was confident that he could counter her well. As long as he kept his scrap gun loaded and the chain on his hook greased up, he'd be fine. But damn if that axe of hers didn't look deadly.
"Heard she trolls 'round in Lake Grace and sometimes finds herself in Perth with Lucio~," Jamie rattled on. "Probably gonna take a while for her to get here. Ya sure that sheila called?"
"Nobody calls 'em that anymore," Mako snorted. After waiting around a while, they decided it was time to come out of hiding and cause a ruckus. Annoyingly enough, some other hunters approached them and quickly rethought their decision. Only the ones with common sense made it out alive. And finally, after scaring a few more people, they'd gotten the attention of the one they wanted. "Watched her call this morning."
"Then she should be here any minute!" When he and his mate Mako got back to the Outback, they reassumed their old street names and went by Junkrat and Roadhog, causing terror and running heists in different desert cities. They truly were a force to be reckoned with; no hunter that came after them could finish the job, and they wanted a real fight. This "Dez Stone" would be the one to give it to them. "Ya gotta let me at 'er first!"
"Go for it." Mako pulled his mask down, taking a deep breath of the high-quality diesel the doctor supplied him with. They made a deal that she would come to them a few times a year and provide them with whatever they needed, so long as they had a stockpile of blood to give her. "Gotta grease my chain."
Suddenly, a golden blade landed an inch away from Jamie's leg, and he reacted quickly, tossing down a concussion mine and detonating it to send him into the air. He looked in the direction the blade came from, seeing a tall, muscular woman, much larger than the videos portrayed.
But his bombs didn't care about any of that.
He giggled maniacally, shooting miniature grenades in her direction before landing and going airborne again.
Dez drove into the city, heading to the side of town they were spotted in. She thought to herself where they might have gone, and she had the feeling these rat bastards were trying to draw her out. Would they stay in the city or wait for her on the outskirts? Did they even know she was coming? Maybe she could ambush them.
She was in very high spirits, and the adrenaline stemmed from not knowing what she was going up against pumping her up. She needed this action! She had a strange feeling that this would be the last big hunt she'd do for a while until she got settled in her new life, and she wanted to make the best of it.
She drove around the Super Pit while Ham grappled his way through it, making sure they weren't hiding in there. She always wondered how much gold they mined out of it regularly and was glad she lived in a different city; it was too big and ugly for her to look at every day!
Hammond flung himself into the air and let his mech scan the surrounding area for any living, moving thing that wasn't human. It still gave him a wide range of results, and it was something he was looking into fine-tuning in the near future. It wasn't pressing since he'd already known what to look for. "Falling." He landed next to Dez, rolling alongside her at top speed. "The hamster believes he found the target," the mech translated. "Two hundred yards, thirty-five degrees to the left."
"Alright!" Dez exclaimed. "Ya ready to spill some blood?" The question was rhetorical; she drove pedal to the metal, headed in the direction she was told to go before she zeroed in on them. She came to a stop with a screech and swiftly hopped out of the vehicle and chucked her blade in their direction. "Crikey! I missed!"
"Dez," Hammond rolled up next to her with excitement. "Let me take the big one."
"Fine." Dez looked up at the rat that propelled himself into the air and called her knife back like a boomerang. Piece of cake. She watched him go up into the air again, this time shooting miniature frag grenades in her direction. "That all ya got?" She laughed, launching her blade at him again and successfully landing it. "You're dead!"
Jamie knew this one would be dangerous, but danger was his middle name! Realizing he'd gotten caught by her knife and would be pulled in her direction, he tossed down one of his infamous bear traps in the direction she was headed.
As soon as she called for her blade, she'd gotten caught in a trap of some sort! She growled, pulling her axe from behind her back and swinging it at the vamp being hurled at her. To her distaste, right as she swung, she was dislodged from the trap and sent flying backward in the air, narrowly missing him. Landing as gracefully as she could, she ripped a piece of fabric from her shirt and quickly tied it around the fresh wound in her leg.
This was nothing.
"That was a close one!" Jamie knew now that he had to keep his distance from her and would act accordingly. He shot a few more grenades her way, glancing over at Hog, who'd pulled out his scrap gun and was shooting it at some giant rolling ball.
Once Dez acknowledged his wish to take out the big one sitting under the tree, Hammond took off, barreling in his direction. He appeared to be performing maintenance on what looked like a chain with a hook attached to the end of it. Noted. Grappling to the tallest branch that would support his weight, he swung around the tree once—just for fun—and dropped hard. "The hamster is displeased with your kind!" His mech translated, rolling around and dodging the shots from an obvious homemade shotgun.
Mako heard about the Wrecking Ball from what he read about the arena fights, but he didn't know he was partnered up with Dez. That was a bit inconvenient. He grumbled, watching him swing around the tree and drop a few feet in front of him, the impact actually lifting him off the ground! He picked up his scrap gun and shot it a few times, but the robot was too fast. "What a nuisance."
Hammond swung around the tree again, this time slamming into him at full force and sending him flying back several feet. His targets usually went a little further, but this one was quite robust. Emerging from the sides of his mech, he activated his machine guns and fired, bullets spraying rapidly.
Mako ate the bullets like they were nothing, though he knew with sustained damage, he wouldn't last forever. The stupid ball may have been slippery, but he was big and easy to hook. He noticed he moved a little slower when he pulled out his guns, and that was his opening. He swiftly flung his hook at him, chuckling deeply when it connected. "Hi," his voice was dark and grave as he pulled the incessant ball into his space, firing his scrap gun at him point blank before he rolled away.
Hammond was stunned by the range of that hook! In a split second, he'd been caught and was dragged inches from his gun. However, in that same split second, he'd turned on his temporary invisible shield, which was a good thing because if he hadn't, his mech would have taken some serious damage. But this was still nothing compared to the fights he had in the arena. As soon as the vamp shot his weapon, he was freed from the hook and he rolled away, putting some distance between them.
Meanwhile, Dez was running toward the little one, dodging his frags and shooting her shotgun. "Oi! Quit yer runnin' and come and fight me like a man!" She launched her blade at him, but the little chook was flying up into the air over and over again! "S'like the damn vamp grew wings!" Every time she did manage to snag him, she could never get him with her axe because he'd drop a mine and send her flying! Just how many bombs did this vamp have in his inventory?
Jaime led her back over to Hog, realizing he may have bitten off a little more than he could chew. She was avoiding his traps, and his grenades were only grazing her, what was this beast of a woman built of? No normal human could get caught in his trap and live to tell the story! The good thing was she was easy to avoid, so long as he didn't get too close.
Just as Dez threw her knife at him again, Ham came flying in, ramming into him and sending him flying. "Knock 'em down!" She cheered, directing her attention to the big one ahead of her. She called her blade, a crazed grin on her face as she landed it on him and left it, using the tech on her arm to siphon his energy. "Not gonna run, eh?" She asked, reloading her shotgun.
"Why should I?" Hog snorted, amused at her tenacity. The Wrecking Ball had a better chance against him than she did; she had no armor besides whatever was on her arm. He pulled out the blade that was lodged in his shoulder and let it fall to the ground as she ran toward him, raring to go. "That tickled." He had something special for this one. As soon as she got too close to avoid it, he threw down his pig pen and she got caught in it, slowing down quite a bit. "Stuck?"
Just as Dez got close to him, he tossed some ugly damn trap that activated when she got close to it, long metal bars with spikes extending out and snagging her feet, catching her off guard. She grumbled, reaching behind her for her axe and swinging it, but was rudely met with a chest full of bullets from what looked like a homemade scrap gun.
The force of it seemingly canceled out her axe swing and sent her back a few feet, stunning her a bit. "Bloody hell!" It hurt, but it was nothing her fancy blade couldn't fix with a little bit of his energy. It was a secret tech she paid good money to perfect over the past few years, that even the fighters in the arena didn't know about. It was her ace in the hole.
She hit him a few times with her gun, understanding she was going to have to use her melee weapons this time. It only worked out for her, since her axe had the same tech embedded into it. "That all ya got?"
"I'm just getting started," Hog rumbled, chugging from his canister as she shot silver bullets into him. If she thought that was going to affect him, she had another thing coming. He'd been around and evolved far too much to be put down by something mediocre like that.
While Dez was plotting to safely get close to Hog, Hammond was having a blast, flying around and knocking into the other vamp. This one was agile, but it was nothing he couldn't catch! He watched him land with insane laughter, deciding to follow him to the ground. "Piledriver." His mech said, falling to the ground with a thud only to get stuck in a trap. Machine guns emerging from his mech, he fired at the little rat. "You cannot defeat the champion."
Jamie had his hands full, but once he successfully trapped the annoying ball, he figured he could toss a mine at him. Unfortunately, his plans were rearranged when he started getting nicked by a bunch of tiny bullets. Instead, he launched himself up into the air to dodge them. "Ooo~ that kinda stings, mate!"
"Running is futile. Perish." Hammond activated his shield; his gut telling him he'd need it and was right when a mine landed on his mech and exploded, sending him flying. It did some damage, but nothing he couldn't work with. Using the force of the impact to gain some free air, he grappled onto a large boulder and swung himself around a few times, calculating the trajectory of the rat's jumps. He reached the same height each time, so if he timed it right, he could meet him in the air.
Jamie was annoyed. First, he had the monster of a woman charging at him with an axe, now he had some slippery metal ball that could actually knock him out of the air! He himself wasn't an S-class vamp, but his mate Roadhog was, and it was clear these two hunters specialized in vampires of the higher tier. Landing, he launched himself up again and shot grenades at the ball, who'd thrown himself in his direction. This might not end well for him!
Hammond flew full speed at the flying rat, "impact imminent." He slammed into him, sending him flying like a rag doll. "Untranslatable laughter," his mech said as he landed, his shield creating a small crater around them.
"I'm in a bit of a pickle!" Jamie said to himself, throwing traps and mines down around them. He needed to get out of there fast! He hobbled around, dipping and dodging the spray of his bullets while detonating the bombs around him. How was he just taking those? It was as if he had this invisible armor of some sort!
"The hamster finds your talent… lacking." Hammond rolled in circles around the edge of the crater, waiting for the perfect speed to go up into the air and drop his minefield. He wasn't particularly fond of using such a large defense mechanism on small fries like this one, but he was bothersome, and he wanted to get this done quickly and collect his winnings.
"Oi!"
He heard Dez calling out in the distance and focused on her, wondering why she was abandoning her target.
After Dez realized she'd have to get up close and personal with this fat one, she faked him out and pretended she had gotten caught in his trap again to lure him closer. Unbeknownst to her, he wanted her close, as he threw his hook at her and yanked her over to him, quickly blasting his scrap gun. But just because she was big didn't mean she wasn't quick. Once she realized what he was trying to line up, she blocked the shot with her axe before turning it sideways and swinging it.
Mako grunted out in pain, having just received a large gash in his side. It was going to take a lot of blood and diesel to recover. He unhooked her and took a few steps back, firing his gun while chugging from his canister again. She was persistent, but as long as he avoided that axe, he should be able to take her down.
"You're a smart one," Dez muttered, hitting him with her blade and stealing some of that energy he was replenishing. She felt dirty siphoning from a vamp, but she had no choice. She went to swing again and was hit by his gun. "Ya think that's gonna stop me, ya bloody fuckin' wanker?!" She grinned, eating his bullets and connecting her axe to his fat leg. "I am the Queen!"
"Not for long," Mako hooked her again and brought her close, suddenly feeling something hot on his stomach. He heard her chuckle and looked down, the barrel of her shotgun pressed into his flesh. Just as quickly, that hot sensation turned into a burning, searing feeling that sent him stumbling back a bit. That hurt.
Dez was feeling great! She had him right where she wanted him, backing away like a scared dog. And right as she was about to have at him a little more, the watch on her wrist started buzzing and she stopped in her tracks. "Hold that thought," she called for her blade and held her axe out, putting distance between them.
"Hey, sexy," she answered the call on her fancy watch, unable to keep the stupid grin off her face as it spat out a small hologram of her fiancé.
"What's up, gorgeous?" Lucio said from the other end. "Did I catch ya at a bad time?"
"No, not at all!" Dez laughed girlishly. He was so handsome. "For you, it's never a bad time."
"On a hunt?" He asked knowingly. She had that battle look on her face, and he thought it was the most adorable thing ever.
"Nah," she blushed, kicking rocks around. He knew her well. "Just havin' a nice arvo in the Outback with Ham."
"Well, if you're not busy, why don't you head back to your place? There's a surprise waiting for you."
"Ooo~ a surprise?" She cheesed, wondering what he had in store for her. "What is it?"
"Guess you'll have to find out."
"Well, how could I deny?" She checked the time, if she drove at top speed the entire way, she could get back home in three hours. That wasn't fast enough! "Can ya give me a few hours?"
"I was sort of hoping you'd say that." He had her location and saw that she was a bit away from home, but that was perfect. It gave him some time. "I gotta run. I just wanted to hear your voice. Love you, Dez."
"Aww, love you too," she said bashfully before hanging up. He sounded happy and rested, and she loved that. Sometimes when he traveled, he'd sound so exhausted and it killed her. It was nice to hear that pep in his voice again. She directed her attention to the disgusting creature ahead of her, who looked annoyed. "Gonna have to take a rain check, champ. But don't think I won't find ya again!"
Mako was pissed off! How dare she disrespect the fight like that! However, that axe of hers… She was far more dangerous than he anticipated and was sort of relieved that he'd get a do-over. If they were going to have a go at this one, they needed to plan things out properly. It wasn't as if she were unkillable! For now, all he could do was stand there agitated as she walked off.
Dez turned on her heel and jogged away, calling out for Ham to get a move on. "Oi!" He was currently doing circles around a crater he made and if she knew any better, she'd bet he was about to drop his minefield. "We're takin' a rain check! Get your arse over here!"
A rain check? Interesting. "Consider this your lucky day," his mech said to the vamp before rolling away. Hammond could only think of one reason why Dez would stop mid-fight, but what he didn't understand was why he had to stop, too! He rolled alongside her as she made it back to her four-wheeler, noticing the happy look she had on her face, the look she only had when she talked to a certain someone. "Let me guess," he said, watching her throw her weapons into her duffel bag haphazardly. "Lucio called you."
"Says he's got a surprise waitin' for me at home," her voice was giddy as she flipped through stations on her radio, looking for her favorite one. "Can't wait to see what it is!" She was hoping he was the surprise; she hadn't seen him in almost two weeks, and she missed him terribly. He was finishing up a volunteering job in the States and he'd told her he didn't know when he'd be done and that he'd let her know. Since he didn't say anything about it in the call, she just assumed he had something delivered to her place. "Don't worry! We'll come back for these bastards!"
Hammond almost complained, but he knew where Lucio ranked in importance in her eyes. Trying to convince her otherwise was pointless. He also knew that she meant it when she said they'd come back for these vamps, so he'd let it slide. "Good. I want to perform a few more upgrades on my mech first anyway."
"Yeah, that's some hard yakka there," she agreed. Those were a pair of feisty vamps! "We'll have to come prepared next time around now that we know what we're dealin' with."
"Nothing a few champions can't handle."
"Deadset," she nodded, turning up the radio when she heard her love's voice come through the speakers, playing her new favorite song, "Para Odessa," a love song he'd written and gifted to her on their anniversary, along with her stunning engagement ring. She rarely heard it on the radio, so clearly, this was a sign!
Ham popped out of the top of his mech and rolled his eyes at the cringey sight before him. She was swooning and singing along with the lyrics horribly, because no one had ever told her she had the voice of someone who was deaf! But in all reality, he was pleased that she'd finally displayed genuine happiness, and he only had Lucio to thank for it. So, for her, he'd abandon all plans silently.
"Alright!" She said between verses. "Let's get a move on!" She drove off into the desert, singing loudly and kicking sand up behind her, with Ham right on her tail, rolling as fast as he could go.
And while the two hunters disappeared into the Outback, Jamie hobbled back over to Mako, who'd slumped back down under the same tree. "What d'ya think that was all about, mate?"
"She took a 'rain check'," Mako breathed through his mask, making quotes with his fingers.
"A rain check?" Jamie was flabbergasted! "She just up and left in the middle of the fight?"
Mako let out a rumble, finishing the last of what was in his canister. "Need fresh blood."
"Have a look at yourself, mate! You're a mess!" Jamie gawked at the gashes on his leg and stomach. "Looks like I was right to avoid that axe of hers."
"Payback," Mako growled, throwing his empty canister to the ground. Even though the odds weren't in his favor during that fight, he felt completely disrespected and felt she needed to be taught a lesson. It was one thing to abandon a fight for good reason, but to call it quits because her boyfriend called her? Absurd.
"Well, whaddya have in mind mate?" Jamie asked, falling flat on his back and staring at the clear blue sky.
Mako wasn't entirely sure yet, but with all the research he'd done on her, he knew for sure she had a wedding coming up soon that would be held somewhere in Australia. "It would be a shame if her wedding got crashed."
"I like the way you think!" Jamie said with a crazed giggle.
Dez hightailed it home so fast; excited wasn't even the word! She even beat her planned travel time! As soon as she pulled into her garage, she skipped a few steps up her porch and shoved the key in the lock, pushing the door open.
"Welcome home, beautiful," Lucio stood at the door with open arms as soon as he heard her pull in. They hadn't seen each other in a while, and he missed her more than words could describe. He knew this would be a nice surprise but luckily for her, that wasn't the only one!
"Babyface!" Dez reached for him and spun him around in a bear hug. "I was hopin' you'd be here," she said, bending down for a kiss.
"Heh, well don't get too excited. The night is still young," He led her to her room and helped her get out of her gear. "Sorry to pull you out of a hunt, I just couldn't wait to see you."
"Had I known I'd be graced with your presence, I'd have cleaned up a bit!" She kicked clothes around her room, scolding herself for being so messy.
"Don't worry about it," he fell onto her bed and realized how badly he missed the way it smelled like her. He couldn't wait to wake up next to her on a regular basis. "Where's the little guy?"
"You know he hates it when ya call him that!" She laughed, putting her weapons in their designated spots. "He went to the arena to catch some late-night fights." She was glad Ham caught the hint and went off on his own when they got back to Lake Grace. Even if Lucio hadn't been here waiting for her, she planned on video-calling him and giving him a show. "Give me a bit to wash all this dirt off me," she said shyly, looking forward to the evening they were going to spend together.
Lucio scanned her body, eyes landing on the cloth she had wrapped around her calf and soaked in blood. He knew the work and hobbies she had were dangerous, and he really hated seeing her hurt. However, she wouldn't be the woman he fell in love with if she didn't do any of those things, so the most he could comfortably ask her to do was stay safe… which, surprisingly, she'd managed to do! He knew how reckless she could be and how aggressive she got, so for this to be the first injury he'd seen on her in over a year was surprising. "Dessa," he reached out and took her hand, stopping her before she went into the bathroom.
She knew he was looking at her injury, and she wanted to reassure him that she was fine. She wasn't even in pain anymore! Her tech made her feel like a superhuman sometimes. "This is just a scratch!" She sat on the edge of her bed and unwrapped the fabric, surprised to see it was completely healed. Just how much energy did that vamp have?
"Wow, babe," Lucio stared at her fully healed leg in awe. He knew of her self-healing abilities, but he didn't know the specifics of how it worked. "You're amazing."
"It's all in the tech," she grinned at him, nodding in the direction of her arm gear.
"Yeah, but it's not all just the tech," he gazed into her now scarlet eyes, loving how they changed colors. "It's you too, isn't it?"
"You always say cute stuff," as badly as she wanted to pounce on him, she really wanted to get out of her clothes and into the shower. "How's about I do something nice for ya when I'm done gettin' cleaned up?"
Lucio just smiled at her. He already had something special planned for her, but he didn't want to ruin the surprise! "Get your fine self in there," he sent her off to the bathroom, giving her butt a nice spank on her way out. Once he heard the water running, he poked around her room, not to be nosy, but just to see if there were any significant changes in her life while they were apart like trophies from the arena or plaques from the city for any serious jobs she took, things of that nature. As much as she liked to think otherwise, she was quite humble and didn't like to show off her awards, at least not to him! He'd seen her boast about her conquests before to others, but never to him, and he wondered why.
There were a few times when he'd seen a newly acquired trophy tucked away that she hadn't told him about. He told her that even though he wanted her to be safe, he still wanted to know about her work, but for some reason… she didn't like to talk about it with him. And the times that she did, she was short with her responses. Eventually, she told him it was because she didn't want to expose him to that world, so the easiest way to keep him away from it was to not talk about it.
He understood, but he still wanted her to vent to her and talk about it, even if nothing of importance happened that day. Even if she just went into the arena to sharpen her blades or watch a few fights, he wanted to hear about it. Even if she had the greatest fight of her life, he wanted to hear about it. He wanted to hear it all. So, when he called her earlier and happened to catch her in the middle of a hunt, it bummed him out when she denied it.
He thought back to when they first met and how passionate she was when she talked about it. As soon as they took their relationship to the next level, all talk about hunting and fighting just… stopped. He chuckled softly to himself, she says she didn't want him exposed to her world, but what she failed to realize was that it had already been done. The moment they went public with their relationship and the rest of the world discovered her, it was too late. He was Lucio, the famous pop star who was engaged to an Australian hunter, and the best arena fighter in the country. And she was Odessa Stone, a well-known, true-blue native who fought for her people and was now due to get married to one of the biggest celebrities. Of course, their lives would become intermingled! Neither of them were regular joes!
What did she expect?
What she also failed to realize was that he wanted to be a part of every aspect of her life, good and whatever she considered bad. He went into this relationship knowing she lived dangerously. He went into this relationship wanting all of her, just as she was. And he wanted her to know that he was all in, which was why he proposed to her. He hoped once they were married, she'd feel a little more at ease letting him in.
He knew she wasn't shutting him out purposely, only out of concern for his well-being. God, her love for him spoke volumes. She took great care of him in ways only she could, so of course, she deserved the world from him.
He picked up the large, framed picture she had sitting on her nightstand and made a mental note to have it blown up. It was a photo they'd taken together at the beach right after they'd gotten engaged. She was so stunning that day—no, she was stunning every day, but the way her smile shone and her eyes glistened in the sun when she said yes was a memory that would stand out in his mind forever.
About a year ago, there was an omnic invasion in his hometown, Rio de Janeiro. He was on tour when it happened, but she kept up on current events for him while he was away, and she was the one who'd called and told him about it. She was so passionate about going to help out and save his people, it was at that moment that he knew she was the one. Someone who'd never left the comfort of her home, someone who was afraid of flying, went out of her way to meet up with him and fly to Brazil to fight for the peace of his people.
He had to marry her.
His eyes landed on the long, zipped-up black bag that was hanging in her closet and smiled. That must have been her dress. He remembered her calling him from the tailor and raving about how perfect it was and how she looked "bangin'", as she would say. He couldn't wait to see her in it.
Dez was finishing up in the bathroom, standing in the mirror wrapped in her towel and brushing her thick, deep blue waves. Since she didn't wear her hair down much, she didn't realize how long it had gotten. She thought about quickly braiding it up, but even though he wouldn't say it out loud, she knew her man liked it when she wore it down for him.
She spritzed herself with a fancy perfume she bought not too long ago, remembering she got a good reaction out of him the last time she wore it. Checking herself out one last time, she emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of steam, the fresh air hitting her skin nicely.
"Ya pokin' around in my room again?" She called out before she rounded the corner to her room and paused, mouth falling open. "You're yankin' me," she said with a grin.
"Nope," He flashed her a bedazzling smile as he lie nude on her bed, sprawled out on his side dangling cuffs from his hand. They talked about trying some things out and this was the first one on her list. The first on his list involved seeing her in a black, latex catsuit holding a whip, but they'd get there one day.
He ogled her tall frame as she stood in the doorway wrapped in the tiny white towel he desperately wanted off of her. She was a goddess, and every aspect about her backed that up. Her strength, her compassion, her intelligence, her beauty. All of her was a testament, proof that the heavens and angels existed, and she was definitely a favorite. "Hair's getting longer."
He watched her tuck a lock behind her ear and look away, a tiny smile playing on her lips. She was so cute when she got all shy. "Let me see you, Dess." He nearly drooled when she dropped her towel. It was a body he'd seen several times already and was like a gift each time. "Have I told you how beautiful you are?"
"Once or twice," she let out a soft giggle while he checked her out. She didn't know how he did it, but he made her feel so good, so… feminine. He never let a day pass without letting her know. Maybe he knew about the insecurities she tried to repress. Maybe he knew she needed to hear it.
"I hope you never get tired of hearing it." He planned on telling her every day until the day he died because he knew she needed to hear it. She tried to hide it, but he could tell she struggled with her femininity, which was why she got shy from time to time. She was easy to read—at least to him—so he knew exactly what to say and what to do to make her comfortable. "Because you're the most stunning woman to ever walk the earth."
"You and your sweet talk," she made her way to the bed and mingled, enjoying his kisses and the way he left no part of her body untouched. She suddenly felt metal click around her wrist and her arms pulled up. She gave him a sweet smile. "Slow down, sexy. I ain't goin' anywhere."
"I can't help it," he said, hooking the cuffs around one of the rods in her headboard and clicking it shut around her other wrist. He held her face and kissed her before heading down her neck and to her chest. "I need you, Dez."
She gasped when his lips latched onto her chest, hands gripping and wandering. He knew just how to treat her body. She yanked her arms, wanting to touch him as he was touching her and let out a soft whine when she couldn't.
Lucio was in his own personal heaven. Face pressed between soft breasts, perky brown nipples begging to be sucked on, her surprisingly soft body begging for more attention. "You smell so good," he mumbled into warm skin, dragging his tongue in circles around a dark areola while he squeezed and kneaded the other. He knew he was doing something right when he heard her whine and pull on the cuffs, long legs closing around him.
He moved down, kissing her toned tummy while hands stayed on her chest, more than what he could hold in each hand. He loved her body, how perfectly sculpted it was and how well she took care of it. He loved how tall she was, how long and strong her legs were, even though he just barely reached her chest. He just wanted to be crushed by those thighs! Soon, he'd get his wish.
Moving down a bit more, his hands slid down her plentiful body, arms wrapping around healthy quads and revealing the wet prize in front of him. The smell of her arousal acted as an aphrodisiac and he wasted no time diving in, burying his face in a moist, welcoming cavern. She tasted so good, as if her body were crafted specifically for him. Her cries of pleasure were like music to his ears, and the musical side of him wanted to sample that beautiful voice of hers and splice it into a few of his love songs.
But he knew she wouldn't go for that in a million years.
He unhooked one of his arms and pushed a few fingers inside while he made quick work of her, pleased when her body jerked from the sudden stimulation. He hummed against her, knowing she wanted to touch him, but couldn't. And when she smashed his face between her thighs—just like he wanted—he knew she was close.
He pried her legs open, not letting her shy away from his treatment and lapped at her relentlessly, her body arching up from the bed. He felt her tighten up and she closed her legs around his head again, moaning and pulling on the cuffs as he worked her through her orgasm. As she slowly relaxed her legs, he came up for air and sat on his knees, continuing to gently work her down from her high. He stared down at her, her chest rising and falling as she caught her breath, skin flushed, eyes lidded and begging for more of him.
"Odessa," his voice was low and soft, and his hands, once reaching her deepest parts now sliding sensually up her body. "You're so damn beautiful." He had her in his favorite state right now, putty in his hands, and the fact that he was the only one who ever had her like this was a real boost for his ego. "How did I get so lucky?"
Dez couldn't think straight, and he was the only one who could make her feel this good. She hadn't had many partners in her life, but the ones she did didn't even come close to what he did to her. And the fact that he was so clearly aroused only encouraged her to feel as womanly as he made her feel. She rolled her eyes playfully. "Just shut up and kiss me!"
He opened his eyes the next morning wrapped in her arms and smashed against her chest. Sunlight snuck through the cracks of her blinds, golden rays kissing her tanned skin as she slept soundly. He was in very high spirits! Not just because they had an amazing night together, but because he had a really big surprise for her! As badly as he wanted to lay with her all morning, he had a specific way he wanted to do things. He weaseled out of her grasp and rolled out of bed, watching her shuffle and mumble something about the wasteland in her sleep.
There wasn't a single thing he didn't love about her.
He leaned down and kissed her forehead before stepping into his shorts and heading to her kitchen. He planned on making her a nice breakfast and sitting on her patio together as he told her his surprise. He couldn't wait.
Dez rolled over feeling colder than she remembered. She sleepily pat the bed next to her, looking for the source of her warmth. "Mmm… Babyface…?" She rubbed her eyes and sat up groggily. Did she smell food or was she just hungry? Looking around, his clothes were still scattered around and that gave her peace of mind; knowing he was still there.
She swung her legs off the side of her bed and yawned, reaching down into the drawer in her bedframe and grabbing a pair of short shorts and a sports bra. She stood and gazed at her body in the mirror, snorting at all the marks he left on her. "Ya really did a number on me, didn't ya?" The little cutie. She was sure she left her fair share of love bites on him, too.
After she got dressed, she ran a brush through her hair and nearly skipped to the kitchen. "Mornin' love! What's all this?" She asked, watching him take plates of food out to the balcony.
"Morning, beautiful," he paused to take her in, a sleepy face and a hot body he'd laid claim to in form-fitting fabric. There was nothing better. "Come out and eat with me."
"This is a nice lookin' brekky!" She sat in her usual chair while he opened the umbrella in the table. "What's the occasion, baby?"
"What if I told you," he faced her, sliding his hands along her thighs and crouching down, gently massaging the calf that was injured during her hunt. He knew she was all healed up, but he still wanted to. Maybe he was just looking for a reason to touch her… not like he needed one! "That I rearranged my schedule and have the next few days to spend with you?"
"Yeah?" She grinned down at him. It was rare that they spent more than a full day together whenever he visited, and even though she saw him almost once a week, she wished she could see him for more than just a night or two. She leaned forward, putting her arms on her knees. "Then I'll tell ya that excites me."
God, she gave off such a powerful energy, it was hard not to get lost in it! He held her chin and brought her face close to his. "I knew it would," he said before kissing her. "But that's not all."
"More?" She raised a brow. What could top the last sixteen hours? "What're ya up to?"
"So, you know how we've been looking at houses?" He began, working his way down and massaging her foot.
"Ya find one?" She beamed, a bit more excited than she thought she'd be. It was true she wanted to hang onto her old life, but with each passing day, she became more and more eager to start her new life.
They went house hunting a few times and picked out a few favorites, but even though the houses were amazing, she still felt a little hesitation when it came to picking one. Maybe because they were looking in Perth and she'd never lived anywhere outside of Lake Grace. But she really didn't care about that. Wherever Lucio was, that was her home.
"Even better," he said, pulling out his phone and activating a hologram of a house. "Take a walkthrough and tell me what you think."
Curious, she took the phone and zoomed in on the undeniably fancy house as he worked on her other leg. "This is…" she went on a virtual tour of the house, floored at how it checked all of their boxes, nothing left behind. "Where…?"
"I know, I know," he chuckled. "We scoured Perth and couldn't find anything like it. Take a look at the address."
She zoomed out, looking at the details. "Lake Grace? I ain't seen a house like this around these parts!" She looked at him in confusion, wracking her brain for an answer. Now that she thought about it, she remembered seeing some new construction on the other side of town two or three months ago, but she thought nothing of it. No way it was…
"I see you piecing things together in that pretty head of yours," he knew with some thought, she'd come to it. This was a small town, she was bound to see something new happening. "I wanted to wait until after breakfast to tell you, but I just couldn't help myself."
"You're actually building this?" She asked, eyes wide. "Here? In Lake Grace?"
"I know you don't want to leave your home, so I figured the easiest thing to do would be to buy some land here and build us a house."
She didn't think she could love him any more than she already did until that moment. It was such a sweet, grand gesture, filled with promise of a fulfilling life. It washed away any insecurities and doubts that lingered in her mind. "I… How can I…?" How could she ever repay him for this? Merely existing would only get her so far!
"Don't say anything just yet," he said, lost in the light of her golden eyes. He knew she was probably trying to figure out how to make it up to him somehow, but her hand in marriage was all he wanted. "I wanna take you to see it first."
He was full of surprises, and he always managed to leave her speechless. What else could she do but throw her arms around him? She squealed girlishly, completely uncharacteristic of her, but she didn't care. She was just so happy.
"I love you, Dez. More than anything," he said into her ear. "Luz da minha vida."