Lake Grace

About a year and a half ago

She sat on the floor of her bedroom in her body-length mirror, running a brush through navy locks. She never wore her hair down, but she'd admit she liked the more feminine way it made her look. However, it wasn't about being girly and feminine, it was about sending a message. So, she went with her usual style and braided the sides of her hair down, leaving the top undone in a fierce mohawk. It required so much product, but the result was always worth it!

What was she going to do today? As far as she knew, it was just another day. Though, it was a day she didn't plan on spending hunting, but what else was there to do? She didn't go out much or associate with anyone aside from her bodyguard… who was honestly more of a best friend than anything, and they were one and the same!

She jumped up and walked over to her closet, looking for a crop top to throw over her black sports bra. As tough as she was, she still liked to wear clothes that let people know that she could beat them to a pulp and look good while doing it. Tossing on a plain white top, she stepped into a pair of ripped fishnets and dug around for a pair of shorts when she heard the door to her flat open and shut.

"Oi! 'Bout time ya showed up!" She walked into the hallway, greeting her longtime friend as he pattered into her room squeaking happily.

"[I request that you please put pants on]," Hammond chittered, climbing onto her bed and getting comfortable.

"Yeah, yeah! This ain't somethin' you're not used to!" Dez disregarded his complaints, as she had on black boy shorts under her stockings, so it wasn't as if she were walking around uncovered.

"[Want to go for a hunt?]" Hammond squeaked, having a good idea of what her response was going to be. "[If you do, we'll need to run to the garage for my mech.]"

"Nah! Today's my day!" Dez declared proudly, pointing a thumb at herself. "I ain't spendin' it chasin' after some dirty vamps!"

"[I had a feeling you would say something like that]," Hammond seemingly manifested four laminated tickets from his fur and passed them over to her. "[Happy birthday, Dez.]"

"What's this?" She reached for the fancy-looking papers, bright eyes going wide when she realized exactly what she was looking at. "Ya got me tickets to see the great Lucio?! Ah! Me 'ol cobber!" She hugged him tight, not caring that he wasn't the affectionate type. She looked back down at the tickets, reading the date and time. "And ya got me backstage passes? Little ripper!"

"[The concert is tonight, so be prepared]," Hammond knew she'd been a fan of Lucio's music for quite some time, playing a lot of it during their brawls with vampires. Though his music wasn't aggressive by any means, he did put out a lot of upbeat, bass-boosted music that she took a liking to. She said it made her feel energetic.

"The tickets say the concert's in Perth," Dez read over the details repeatedly, she couldn't believe she was going to see him live! "That's three and a half hours away!"

"[Then you better get dressed]," Hammond knew she wasn't going to go and see her secret crush like that! And he only knew about it because he caught her talking in her sleep one time! He never mentioned it, and he never would. He liked his life!

"Nah," Dez had it all planned out. They were going to leave Lake Grace now and head to Perth for a small shopping trip before the concert started. She didn't have anything to wear she deemed suitable enough to see such a renowned artist! She had backstage passes! She needed to look her best. "Let's go buy new outfits!"

"[I can't say no to that.]" Hammond was a hamster that liked to shop, believe it or not, and Dez was the perfect companion to go shopping with. They always ate good food, bought good things, had a good time, and maybe even ran into a vamp or two along the way. "[I take it we're shopping in Perth?]"

"Defo!" Dez threw on the shorts she originally planned to wear, deciding they were good enough for her trip. "Now c'mon! We don't got a second to waste!"

Perth

Hammond rode around in a crossbody bag Dez wore whenever she was out and about, mostly as a place to keep her speaker and various knives, but today, it was his space. Well, his and a few perfume bottles and cosmetics he'd never seen before! He poked his head out of the bag, watching her rifle through racks of dresses. Intriguing. "[A dress, Dez?]"

"Well, I can't go backstage and meet the great Lucio dressed like this!" Dez gestured to her outfit before sifting through the rest of the rack. These dresses were okay, but none of them caught her eye. She moved on to the next rack, liking the options better than the last.

"[I can't say I've ever seen you wear a dress.]" Hammond had been around her for years, but her style never changed. They'd also never been to her favorite artist's concert before. He was looking forward to it!

"I've got a few tricks left," she laughed, holding up a short black tube dress covered in sequins. "Ooo~! I like this!" But the price tag was nearly causing her physical pain!

Hammond couldn't believe what he was witnessing! He wondered if she would have gone to these lengths if he hadn't gotten lucky with those backstage passes.

"I'm gonna try it on!" Dez nearly skipped over to the dressing rooms, putting her bag down on one of the chairs in the seating area. "Stay put."

She hurried into the small space, latching the door shut and getting out of her clothes. She couldn't remember the last time she wore a dress; she sure as hell didn't have one in her wardrobe! But this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! To get to have a meet and greet with someone she considered to be one of her biggest inspirations? She had to look her best!

She slipped into the dress and her mouth fell open. It was as if it were made for her! It accentuated her long legs, stopping at her upper thighs and hugging her soft curves snugly. And because she couldn't wear her sports bra with it, they hung free, held up by the stretchy fabric of the dress. "Damn," she said to herself, cupping her boobs and pushing them up a bit. "I look good!"

Hammond heard her complimenting herself in the mirror and wanted her to come out and show him. "[Well? Let's see]," he squeaked.

"Of course, ya wanna see!" Dez said into the mirror with a smug and confident look on her face. She turned to look at herself from behind. She was going to have to take a few pictures! She reached for her bag, remembering she left it in the waiting area. "Oi!" She opened the door and stepped out, briefly missing the look of pure shock on Hammond's face. "I need ya to take a couple of pictures for me."

"[Dez…]" Hammond was speechless! She looked like a completely different person! "[Surely, this isn't the Dez I know.]"

She grinned, putting her hands on her hips and striking a pose. "Hot enough for ya?"

He finally registered that she told him to take some pictures, so he pulled out her phone, making a mental reminder to send these to himself to use as leverage whenever he needed her to do something. He'd never forget the day she dressed up like a girl! "[You clean up really well.]"

"Thanks!" She twirled, stopping with her back to him as he took a bunch of pictures. She was going to have to make sure he didn't keep them to use against her in the future, the little sneak! She turned back around, rubbing her hands along the fabric. "I need a pair of heels."

"[Heels?]" Hammond trilled in amusement. "[You're already over six feet tall.]"

"Eh, won't be any taller than I am in my boots!" Dez said, scurrying back into the dressing room to change back into her clothes. She winced when she got another look at the price tag, but she'd make up for it with a few jobs. "We gotta move quick if we wanna beat the traffic."

They arrived at the venue, and as expected, it was packed! Dez expected nothing less from someone as influential as Lucio dos Santos. With music powerful enough to inspire change all over the world and his presence in various movements, how could he not have a huge fan base?

She was a bit frenzied on the inside; outside, she hid it well. She was going to get up close and personal! What was she even going to say to him? That she was his biggest fan? How often did he hear that? How could she stand out from all the others? 'What am I goin' on about?' She didn't have time for silly thoughts like those!

He probably wouldn't look twice at a woman like her.

They presented their passes and were given special-access lanyards that would let them backstage when it was over. Pushing through the crowd of people to get as close as they could, she realized she definitely preferred her solitude! But any discomfort was worth the experience she was about to have. She looked over at the chubby hamster perched on her shoulder. "I owe ya big time!"

"[It's your birthday. Just enjoy yourself]," Hammond was happy to take a small vacation, anyway. Some time out of his mech always did him some good.

The performance began shortly afterward, and she stared, wide-eyed as Lucio appeared on stage with some cool flourish. From what she could see, he had on his signature skates and dark green shorts with speakers hanging from the pockets. And a special treat, he was shirtless! She swooned at him, clasping her hands together with stars in her eyes.

What? She wasn't allowed to have a thing for short guys?

"What's up, people of Perth~! Are you ready to get this party started?!"

"Woo~!" Dez threw her hands in the air, cheering along with the crowd. He was so full of energy, it was infectious! It was amazing how excited the people got with just a few words. He started the show with "Hard Light, Hard Time", one of his more popular songs from his first album. It was the perfect kickoff!

She danced to the music, pumping her fists and swaying her hips to the beat. This was ten times better than when she played it on her tiny speaker! She could actually feel the inspiration and positivity with every pulse, every lyric, every musical note, and it was euphoric.

"This is my favorite part!"

He sped up the tempo and she cheered again, nodding her head to the rhythm and singing along. She knew all the words, even the lyrics to his newest songs, and she wasn't ashamed. He moved on to the next song, "HELIOTROPICS", which was her second favorite song of his. Stoked wasn't even the word. This was the best gift anyone could have ever gotten her in this day and age. She looked over at Ham, who was dancing and enjoying the music, too.

The concert lasted for about two hours, and he expressed that he was feeling good that evening and wanted to give the crowd something extra, so he played a few hit singles and some new experimental mixes he'd usually perform for his smaller, more underground shows.

She recognized each mix, having watched all of his performances online. She was even embarrassed to admit she read up on his background and all the movements he participated in. She admired his hard work and dedication, and she wanted to pick his brain and find out what started it all.

And soon, the concert came to an end and the time to finally meet her idol neared. She was suddenly giddy, the thought of actually being able to talk to him and see what kind of guy he was in person making her bounce in her heels.

"[Dez, did you enjoy the performance?]" Hammond asked while she navigated through the crowd of patrons to get to the line for the people with special access.

"Bloody oath!" She more than enjoyed it! This was an experience she'd never forget. "Owe ya one!"

"[Just let me take the lead on our next hunt]," Hammond requested. Most of the time, she'd get tunnel vision and go on a rampage, leaving him little time to get in on some of the vamp-killing action. Not that it was a bad thing since she always got the job done, he just wanted a piece, too!

"Sure," Dez replied absently, looking around the line to see how many people were ahead of her. Gosh, she was near the back of the line, and she hoped he wasn't burnt out by the time it was her turn!

"[You're not even listening to me.]" But it didn't matter. While she was distracted looking for a pair of heels earlier, he sent himself a few of the photos he took of her, so he'd get his way when the time came!

They stood in line for what felt like an additional hour, but was probably less than that when it was finally her turn. She was so excited, she could hardly contain herself! She heard him finishing up with the person before her and turned to Hammond. "Hey. I look alright?" She asked, pulling the ends of her dress down before pulling the top of it up some.

"[You look fine, Dez]," Hammond replied, giving her a once over.

"Ya sure?" It got hot in the venue after a while, and she wanted to make sure her hair didn't get ruined. "I don't look all sweaty or nothin', right?"

Hammond watched in amazement as she pulled a compact mirror out of her tiny purse and checked her hair and makeup. Forget the amazing concert, this was unforgettable! "[You're overthinking this. Just go in there and talk to him. I'm sure he won't care what you look like.]"

Yeah, that's what she was afraid of. As silly as it sounded coming from her, she wanted to appear as feminine as she could for this meeting. She was very tall and muscular, and she considered herself a tomboy. Unfortunately, because of that, she had a very… insignificant love life. Guys weren't into women who played hard and fought harder, they preferred those who were soft and dainty and looked to them for protection, and she was the furthest thing from it!

What was she doing thinking about things like this? For one, she didn't live a life suitable enough for any sort of romantic relationship! She was always out hunting or fighting in the arena with Ham. She didn't know anyone sane who wanted to live the life she lived. And the second, most important thing, this was Lucio Correia dos Santos she was talking about! Why was she daydreaming about some celebrity? It wasn't like she was going to somehow stand out from the thousands of women who probably throw themselves at him… at least, not in that sort of way.

This wasn't like her. She needed to come back to reality.

Soon, she saw the girl before her being walked out of his dressing room by one of his guards, and she couldn't help but notice how pretty she was. She was petite with a cute face; how could she compete with that?

The security guard turned and looked at the next fan in line, taken back by her sheer size and the hamster sitting on her shoulder. He would have mistaken her for security if it weren't for that dress! He approached them since they seemed to be together, and peered at their lanyards, verifying that they were actually supposed to be back there. "You guys can go on ahead," he motioned for them to go into the room and checked out the tall hottie as she walked past him with a nod. In another lifetime, he would have tried to flirt!

If she wasn't before, she was definitely nervous now! Dez gave herself an internal pep talk as she teemed with those insecurities she tried to suppress. "Let's do this," she put on a confident face as she walked into the room the guard directed her to. And when she saw him chugging a bottle of water with his back to her, she got all giddy again. "Er… hi! Um, Lucio?" She didn't know what to say! "Thanks so much for meetin' me!"

"What's up!" Lucio said, wiping his mouth and spinning in his chair to see one of the tallest women he'd ever met. His eyes went wide as he almost blatantly checked her out. She was statuesque and curvy, but obviously strong and beautiful, and looked like she could handle herself in this tough world. Immediately, there was something alluring about her and he wanted to know more. He jumped up from his seat, extending a hand. "Uh, h-hi…"

Dez giggled, looking away shyly. No way he just checked her out! Maybe she was just imagining things. She cleared her throat and reached out, shaking his hand. "Sorry 'bout that, I uh, I don't usually go out like this…" Why was she explaining herself?! Surely, he wouldn't care about any of that!

"You have nothing to be sorry about," as he expected, she had a firm grip. He watched her fidget nervously, reading her like a good book. With her eccentric hair and piercings, he already figured she didn't wear things like that on a regular basis, and he wondered what her usual style was. She seemed to be trying hard to be more feminine when he was certain she was perfect as she was. It was cute. "Just be yourself."

"Be me, eh?" She shifted, an awkward half-smile on her lips. She found herself feeling comfortable with him and she wasn't sure why. "Well, if I'm honest with ya, I'm quite a bit nervous…"

"Don't be nervous!" Lucio smiled. "Let's start with this: what's your name? This guy, too," he gave a 'what's up' to the hamster tagging along.

"I'm Dez," she declared, happy he was taking the lead. "And this here is my minion!" She pointed a thumb at Hammond, who gave her an angry squeak. She laughed, messing with him was always fun. "Yeah, yeah. He's my bodyguard. Name's Hammond."

"You can understand him?" Lucio was curious how someone like her needed a bodyguard! Even more so, she joked around with him like she understood what he was saying and that interested him even more.

"Yeah. Can't explain it, but I think it's funny when we're out 'n about and I'm just talkin' to 'em like a normal human," she said with a chuckle. "Get some funny looks here an' there."

"I bet," Lucio usually limited these meet and greets to a few minutes, if that, but he figured he could let this one go a little longer. He checked her out again, admiring the way she was rocking that dress. What really caught his attention though was her awesome mohawk and how well it suited her. She was an enigma. "So, tell me more about Hammond being your bodyguard."

"Only when he's in his mech!" Dez explained. "It translates for 'em so people can understand 'em!" She was proud of how far her little ripper came with those upgrades. He was truly brilliant, she even had him build her weapons and armor.

"What kinda mech?" Lucio noticed she was slowly coming out of her shell, and he wanted more. How long would it take for her to be herself one hundred percent?

"A great big wreckin' ball with grapples and machine guns and the whole bout," she answered without thinking. "Little bugger's come a long way." She boasted.

"Sweet! Sounds like a fun time," Lucio took a long stride to the couch that was against the wall and sat on the end of it cross-legged. "Wanna sit?" He gestured to the empty space.

"M-Me?" Dez was dumbfounded! Was this how all his meetings went? Was she really being offered some face time with her favorite artist in the world? She'd be a fool to turn it down!

"Who else, silly?" Lucio laughed, loving how nervous she was.

"[Dez, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity]," Hammond squeaked, thrown by the unexpected turn of events.

"I know, I know!" She shushed him, a warmth growing across her cheeks.

"I don't know exactly what he said, but I think he wants you to stop being so shy," Lucio gave her his best smile, not missing the way she rolled her eyes bashfully.

"Fine," she caved easily, slowly making her way over to the opposite end of the couch and awkwardly pulling on the bottom of her dress. The piece of fabric was going to ride so far up her legs once she sat down! She surely couldn't have worn anything shorter!

Lucio watched her fumble with her dress, admiring her long, healthy legs; he'd always taken a liking to the taller ones. And even though she tried to hide it, he could tell she had a serious body under that dress that she clearly took good care of. She eventually sat down, knees pressed together tightly, and he couldn't stress enough how adorable she was. "So, Dez… is that short for anything?"

"It's short for Odessa," she didn't really care for her full name; it didn't fit her image.

"Odessa," her name rolled off his tongue in a way that sounded pleasing to the ear. "It's a beautiful name."

"Oh…" She couldn't hold back the girlish giggle that left her. "Th-Thanks."

"A beautiful name for a beautiful woman." He had to! He had a feeling she didn't hear it enough, and he wanted to be the one to tell her.

"Oi! Cut it out, would ya?" She huffed, the stupid grin on her face contradicting her words. What was she supposed to say to that?! Gosh! She played with the end of one of her braids, looking everywhere but at the guy sweet-talking her.

"What? Don't hear that often?" Lucio leaned in, nudging her with his elbow.

"It ain't that…" she mumbled. She didn't expect him to be so suave! Not to mention, he was right! She didn't hear that often, and it gave her butterflies. What a foreign feeling!

"What about that gorgeous smile of yours?" He laughed out loud when he was shot with a look that told him to stop it. It was clear that she wasn't used to being complimented and it was cute! She was cute. Was that even the right word? Maybe 'sexy' was a better fit.

"Alright, now you're messin' with me!" She gave him a playful glare; he was doing this on purpose! But why? There was no way he was truly interested in her as a woman. Not with the hundreds of thousands of better-looking ones out there that he'd be a much better fit for! So why was he treating her as if she were the hottest one?

"I can't help it," Lucio let his hair out of the tie that kept it up, letting his thick locks fall past his shoulders. They had a tendency to get in the way a lot, so he always kept it out of his face during performances. "You're fun to mess with."

Ah, her heart! The wall of ice she'd built around it years ago was starting to melt, and so quickly! How did he do it? She blushed again, this time holding back the feminine giggle that wanted to escape her. He was so handsome with his hair down.

"So," Lucio figured out quickly that he needed to be the one to take the lead, which was no problem for him. Getting people to come out of their shell was his forte! "What brings you to the show?" What a silly question! Obviously, she had tickets! Why would he ask something like that?

"Oh, Ham here surprised me with the tickets just this morning," she pointed a thumb at Hammond, who'd gotten comfortable next to her on the arm of the couch. "I've always wanted to see a show of yours."

"[Be sure to tell him it's your birthday]," Hammond chittered, feeling a bit mischievous. "[And that you rushed all the way from Lake Grace and even bought that dress just to meet him.]"

"And why would I do that?" Dez blushed like mad, whipping her head over at the critter in question. She was going to get him back for that! "You better hope I don't get my hands on ya when we leave this place, ya little…" she threatened, forgetting for a second that she was supposed to be all girly and proper and slipping back into her normal self.

"Do what?" Lucio was greatly amused. This girl had some layers to her, and he wanted to reveal them all.

"Oh, er…" she looked at Lucio, who had this expectant look on his face! How could she say no to that? She fiddled with the end of a braid nervously, not expecting to be as shy as she was! "It's nothin' special," she said with a wave of her hand, trying to brush it off. "He just wants me to tell ya it's my birthday, or whatever."

"No kidding?" Lucio couldn't believe she was being so nonchalant about it! Perhaps it was just the partying spirit in him, but he loved celebrating birthdays! He scooted a little closer to her, leaving only a few feet of space between them. "Happy birthday, Odessa. Or should I call you Dez?"

She just about melted into a puddle right then and there! The smooth way he said her name was too much for her to handle! Normally, she'd gut whoever dared call her by her government name, but for some reason… it sounded good coming from him. She was sure her grin was from ear to ear by now. "Call me whatever ya want."

"Yeah?" By now, Lucio was flirting shamelessly and hoped she was just as into him as he was her! "Odessa… I like it. It really suits you. At the same time, Dez suits you, too."

"Aww, you're just sayin' that," her voice softened a bit. She was having a hard time making eye contact with him!

"I mean it," he hopped up and grabbed his water. "Want something to drink?"

"Do ya treat all your fans this well?" Dez hated herself for asking that! It was like she was having an out-of-body experience. Seeing herself all nervous and awkward was weird!

"Only the cute ones," he said casually, tossing her a bottle of water before sitting back down. Truthfully, he only got up so he had an excuse to sit a little closer to her than before. Did she notice? "And I've gotta say, none of them can compare to what's in front of me now."

Bloody hell! She had to be dreaming! He was sitting so close to her and saying such things, she was going to lose it if she didn't distract herself soon! She almost tore the cap off the bottle, turning it up to her mouth thirstily. "Thanks for that," she exhaled, trying to relax a bit and crossing her legs. It was so weird sitting like a girl!

"I mean it," he rocked side to side, bumping his shoulder against her arm. "Honestly, this is my first time doing this. I usually keep these short, but I kinda want to see where this goes."

Okay. This was happening. She looked over at Hammond who just ignored her, letting her fend for herself. Just as she was about to respond, his security guard knocked on the door frame and poked his head in. No! She didn't want to leave! She still had so much she wanted to say to him!

"Times up," the guard said, cocking his head to the side in confusion. Why were they on the couch? That was weird. "Let's go."

"Hey, uh," Lucio got up to shoo him away. "I'm gonna keep this one going for a while. I'll let you know when I'm done."

"Sure thing," the guard shrugged, walking off. He didn't care personally, but the remaining fans weren't going to be too happy.

"Sorry," Lucio said with a smile, sitting back down. She looked relieved that she didn't have to leave and it made him feel good. "Now where were we?"

This was her chance! She had to tell him how much of an influence he had on her life! But the unfortunate part was that she spent so long rehearsing what she was going to say, but was drawing a blank! "I'm so stoked to be here, I er…" she trailed off, what could she say next? "Your music, it's a big part of my life an' what I do… you're such an inspiration."

"Yeah? I'm glad to hear it," Lucio would admit he heard that from almost everyone he met, but from her… it sounded genuine. "What's your favorite song?"

She perked up, stars in her eyes as she shifted into fan mode. "Truth be told, I'm a big fan of, er… 'Quebrando a Barreira do Som', I hope I'm pronouncin' it right," she felt like she butchered the hell out of it! How embarrassing!

"You said it perfectly," he grinned, feeling a little bold and putting a hand on her knee. He always liked to ask people what their favorite song of his was. Because he had such a versatile collection, he was able to get a glimpse of their personality with whatever answer they gave.

Dez turned cherry red, positive there was steam coming from her ears! Her body was on fire, was he really touching her?! Gosh. It was painfully clear to her that she was having a dry spell if just a simple touch like that was enough to make her feel like this! She twirled a braid around with her finger. "Yeah, I usually have that song playin' from my speaker while I work, but lately… I've been into one of your newer songs, I think it's called 'Amor místico'."

"Now, that's unexpected." So, she was into love songs? Adorable. But what was more interesting was that it was an unreleased song, only performed at a few underground shows. It was a new genre he was trying out and he got a lot of positive feedback, so he was planning on releasing it to the public in the next few weeks. "Where did you hear that?"

"Er…" she was aware the song wasn't out yet, but she had her ways of getting recordings. She looked away, embarrassed. It was a love song, anyway! She only played it when she was alone and even still, she felt weird about it! "Just pretend ya didn't hear that."

"How could I ignore that? A pretty girl that likes a pretty song," he said without a care in the world. He squeezed her knee. "If only I'd have known beforehand, I would have given you a shout-out… maybe I would have even played it."

"Ah, bloody hell," she blushed, taking his hand without a second thought. He was sweet, just like she imagined.

"You're cute, Dez," Lucio intertwined their fingers, marveling at how much larger her hand was. "I want to know more about you."

She laughed, rolling her eyes. What was even happening? For him to be coming on to her like this was beyond her wildest dreams! Would it be bad to indulge? She looked at their hands, trying to ignore how perfect they felt all tangled up. "What are we doin' here?"

"We're going with the flow," he pulled her hand up to his lips, brushing them against her knuckles. The scars on her tanned skin told stories, and he wanted to hear them all. "So, Odessa…" he lingered, noticing the soft shimmer on her skin, likely from a fancy lotion. Cute. "Tell me about yourself. What do you do?"

"Ah, you don't wanna know what I do," she said, trying to dismiss the topic. She didn't want him to know about the rough life she lived.

"But I really do," he kissed her hand and watched her turn into putty. He had an idea of a few professions she could be in, and none of them bothered him. He knew it was a dog-eat-dog world and some had to fight to survive.

Another giggle left her, she couldn't say no to him! "I'm… I'm a hunter." Why did she suddenly feel inadequate? He wouldn't be interested in some rough and rowdy hunter!

"Nice!" That was one of his guesses! Score! "I've always respected what you guys do, keeping us safe and stuff. I know it's a dangerous life. Now I get why you have a bodyguard," he laughed. "Though you probably don't need one."

This slick bugger! He knew that would get a reaction out of her! "You're right, I don't need one! I pretty much take 'em all out by myself anyway!" She wanted to show him her favorite blade. She reached down to pull her knife out of her boot when she remembered she was wearing something completely different. "I don't have any of my blades with me, but ya get the drift."

"Wow. So, this is the real Odessa," He was smitten! She was tall, tough, and tasty, with a hint of girliness to her; she checked all his boxes! "I imagine you wielding a giant axe or something like that," he joked, neither of them paying any mind to the hands that were still connected.

"Funny ya say that," Dez grinned wildly, again slipping back into her usual self. She loved talking about her weapons! "I've got me an axe, a couple of knives, a machete, an' a bloody nice gold-plated shotgun with wooden an' silver bullets!"

Lucio saw how brightly she shone while she talked about what she was most passionate about. She had such beautiful eyes. They were a brilliant golden, almost red when caught at the right angle. "I'd love to see your collection one day."

"What're ya sayin'?" She elbowed him lightly. He wasn't making any sense! He was making it seem like they'd meet again, but she knew that couldn't be true.

"I'm saying," he finally let go of her hand and reached for his phone, unlocking it and handing it to her. "I want to see you again, when we're not on a time limit."

"You wanna see me, again?" Dez was stunned! Was he telling her to put her number in his phone?

"[Dez! You're going to give him your number, right?]" Hammond wished he was recording this! She better not do something dumb like reject him!

She looked over at Ham, who was urging her to do it. Did he think she was going to say no?! She turned her attention back over to Lucio, who was so handsome and expectant, waiting for her to accept his advances. With a soft scoff, she took the phone and added her number to his contacts and passed it back to him. "Ya better not be yankin' my chain!"

"I wouldn't do that to you," he looked at the newly added name in his phone and found it hard to contain his happiness. Odessa Stone. How fitting. "I wanna treat you like the stunning woman you are. Will you let me?"

"Why're ya doin' this to me, eh?" She was suddenly nervous again, feeling like she was the butt of a really cruel joke. Why would an international pop star be interested in someone like her? She'd admit… she had some confidence issues, but it'd be a cold day in hell before she said it out loud!

"Don't tell me you're already taken," he said, disappointed. It would make sense for someone as beautiful as her to be snatched up.

"I ain't taken," she replied a little too fast, her face a permanent shade of red.

"Lucky me then, right?" He cheesed, pleased with that information. He wanted to hold her hand again. Would it be weird? "Will you show me around one day?"

"Nothin' really in my small ol' town to see," she said truthfully. If she wasn't riding around in the outback, then she was in her little city, having a good time in the arena.

"You're not from Perth?" So, she traveled to come see him same day? How cute.

"I'm from a little town 'bout four hours east of here called Lake Grace," she explained.

"You came all this way to see me, huh?" He poked fun at her, loving her reactions.

"Oi! I'm pretty sure I ain't the only one that traveled to see ya! I'm nothin' special…" she trailed off, wondering why she even added that last part. She wasn't some damsel in distress looking for some hot guy to pay her compliments. Although, it was a nice feeling!

"Yeah, but for some reason, it feels better coming from you," he reached for her hand again, being graced with the cute little smile she liked to give when he fiddled with her fingers. "So, aside from using these skilled hands to save us from those terrible vampires, what else do you like to do?"

He was such a flirt! Who would have guessed? "Me an' Ham like to watch fights at the arena in town," she said, recalling the last show they saw. "An' when we're not watchin', we're playin'."

He wondered what she looked like in action. What look would she have on her face? What would she have on? What kind of awesome energy would she exude? "You've gotta show me one day! I wanna see you in action!"

"Yeah?" Dez perked up again at the opportunity to show off her skills. She wouldn't really say she liked to showboat… but she couldn't deny loving the attention she got from her fans back home. "Y'know… back at the arena, they call me the Junker Queen, 'coz no one's been able ta take the crown from me in years!"

"[Don't let her lie to you]," Hammond squeaked, really wishing he had his mech so he'd understand him! "[I'm the true champion of the arena!]"

"Aww, too bad he'll never be able to understand ya!" She stuck her tongue out at Ham, who was trying to rob her of her moment with Lucio! "Like I was sayin'…" she turned her attention back to him, who looked amused by their interactions. "I was born to rule."

God, he believed it. She had such a powerful, commanding aura to her, and he just wanted to be consumed by all of it. And suddenly, something in his head just…clicked, as if he'd opened a box flooded with ideas for new music and show themes. Did he just find his muse? This has never happened before!

Dez didn't miss how truly interested he looked as she spoke. Did she really end up getting super lucky and finding someone who was actually into her, as a woman? Well, she'd run the ultimate test and show him a video Ham took of her in action one day and see if he was still just as into her as before. She reluctantly let their hands go again and pulled her phone out of her ridiculously small purse, scrolling through it until she found the perfect one to show him. "Take a look at this," she said, passing it over to him. "Go on, press play!"

He did as instructed and saw that he was watching a thirty-second clip of her fighting in said arena, swinging her axe and throwing her blades with extreme precision. There appeared to be something magnetic within the blade, as it came back to her like a boomerang and brought the target with it, finishing them off with a slash of her golden axe. Was this what it was like to watch him perform? He was captivated by how graceful she was, but also deadly, how stunningly accurate she was with every move she made, how hot she looked while she was focused.

"Time for the reckoning!"

He watched what he presumed to be her signature move, her axe spun around faster than his eyes could see as she seemingly skated across the floor through her opponents. "Magnífica…"

"It was a rip-snorter of an arvo, I'll tell ya that!" It was a fight she'd never forget. "It's the fight that won me the title of queen."

"With a performance like that," he passed the phone back to her, letting their eyes and hands linger for a bit. "I believe you."

"So? What d'ya think?" She asked, slipping her phone back into her purse. Did he still see her as the "pretty girl" he said she was earlier? "Pretty badass, eh?"

"This just makes me want to see it live!" He said earnestly. Oh, how the tables have turned! He was the fan, and she was the superstar. It was nice getting a look into her day-to-day life and seeing what her usual style was. Sure, he liked her in this amazing dress, but he really liked her in the shorts and the crop top. A lot.

"Oh, it's even greater live!" She boasted, giving Ham a nudge. "If ya wanna know somethin' sweet, Ham here does all the upgrades on my weapons!"

"So, is he some sort of genius hamster, or something?" Lucio asked, directing his attention to him when he remembered he wouldn't be able to understand him.

"Yeah, he fell from some swanky space station near the moon years ago or somethin' like that an' landed in my city," she'd probably consider that one of the most eventful days of her life! "What I didn't know was that it was my best friend fallin' from the sky."

"[Ugh, Dez. Don't be cringey]," Hammond chattered, wishing he could just explain it himself. It appeared he'd get the opportunity to in the near future! "[Don't even bother trying to explain it to him. You never get it right. Just wait 'til he meets me in my mech, and I'll explain it.]"

"What's he saying?" Lucio leaned in curiously, wishing he could understand him like she did!

"He's just sayin' I don't know how to tell the story right," she rolled her eyes. "Goin' on 'bout explainin' it t'ya himself once ya meet him in his mech."

"Oh, yeah?" Lucio liked the sound of that! It only meant he was going to meet this beautiful goddess again! "Sounds like a plan."

Again, just as she was about to respond, his guard appeared at the door again, this time a bit more stern. What was his problem? Couldn't he see there was something brewing, here?!

"Sorry, boss," the man said, taking a mental note of how… friendly Lucio seemed to be with her. He'd never seen him make moves on a fan, so this was new! Aside from that, he was being bombarded with questions and complaints from the remaining fans who were waiting to meet with him, and he was over it! "Gotta schedule to keep."

"You're right, sorry about that," Lucio sighed, looking over at Dez, who looked to be a little disappointed. He stood up, extending a hand. "Don't worry, we'll meet again soon."

She giggled for the umpteenth time that evening as she took his hand and stood up, their height difference immediately making them both laugh. "I promise, I'm not this massive in my boots," she said shyly.

"It wouldn't matter even if you were," Lucio held her wrist up to his lips. "You're just what I like either way."

"Ya really like 'em tall?" Dez asked, a pierced brow raised.

"You really like 'em short?" Lucio countered with a smile.

"Aww! Ya got me!" She kicked a foot around, wanting to stay with him as long as she could. "I can't help it!"

"Same here," Lucio let his hand slide up and down a defined arm. Just how strong was she? "I've got a thing for powerful women." He watched her flash those pearly whites again, eyes landing on plump, pierced lips. "Can I hug you?"

"Er… I suppose you could have a go at it," she didn't want to seem too excited, so she tried to keep her cool, but with the way her arms were extended and waiting, she surely contradicted herself!

He went in for that hug, feeling good about the whole thing. He didn't plan on asking out one of his fans, but he'd also never seen someone so… out of this world. And she liked him, too! Why wouldn't he act on it? With her height, he was limited to wrapping his arms around her midsection, but that was perfectly fine! She smelled divine, like vanilla with a hint of gunpowder, and she felt even better! Her body felt defined, like she worked on it consistently, but it also felt soft and feminine. She was perfection. Before his hands started to wander, he stopped himself, pulling away and seeing how stunned she was. There was no doubt that they had a serious connection, and their embrace only confirmed it.

"Well, I guess this is it," Dez said sadly, letting Ham back onto her shoulder. "I had a really good time. Thanks."

"I had an even better time. Before I forget…" he unhooked one of the speakers hanging from his shorts and handed it to her. It served as a really nice Bluetooth speaker when it wasn't linked to his equipment. "I know I already said this, but happy birthday, Odessa."

Her mouth fell open when she realized what he was handing her. "I can't take this! Wh-What would ya even pass it off to me for?"

"You said you play my music on a speaker when you work, so I wanted to give you a little something that'll remind you of me whenever you turn it up," he was happy when she reluctantly took the speaker, investigating it closely with a wide grin on her face. He wanted to kiss her, so badly, but he'd wait until they met again. He wasn't really one to believe in soulmates, but he was almost absolutely certain she was the one.

"This is a million times better than the old speaker I have sittin' at home!" She handed it to Hammond, who was just as curious. "Ham, ya seein' this?! I'm so stoked! Best day ever!"

"Come on, chop chop," the guard appeared again, now annoyed at the loitering. "Time's up."

"Calm down, I'm comin'!" Dez grumbled, giving sad eyes to who she hoped was her new beau.

"You gotta promise you'll take me to the arena to see you fight one day soon," Lucio said as his guard came in to walk her out.

"Sure," she said with a wink before heading out. "Ya have my number."

"I sure do," he said, tilting his head to the side and watching her leave. He didn't get a good look at the back of her until now and damn. He was going to text her asap! He turned, reaching for his phone and was about to scroll through his contacts when he heard the next fan approach him.

"Oh my god, I can't believe I'm meeting the Lucio! I'm your biggest fan!"

"Yeah, hi," he said unenthusiastically. Suddenly, he didn't want to meet anyone else. Those words meant nothing unless they came from Odessa. She'd come in and shown him beauty he never knew existed, giving him inspiration he never thought he'd experience. He needed to see her again.

"[So, Dez]," Hammond said as they walked back to their hotel. They decided to stay in Perth for the night and head back home in the morning. "['Amor místico'?]"

"I'll have your guts for garters if ya say another word!" It was for that reason she didn't tell him about it in the first place! He'd never let her live it down! Although…

It was kind of worth it, wasn't it?

She was on cloud nine for the rest of the night! Everything about the concert was perfect; she wouldn't change a single thing! From the music and the energy he had during the performance to the way he hugged her goodbye, it was all so surreal. She never would have thought in a million years she'd get to meet him, let alone get the opportunity to give him her number!

Why was she so giddy? It wasn't like he was going to call her, anyway. Why would he? With how suave he was, she wouldn't be surprised if he put those moves on every attractive woman he met! He was so good-looking, who wouldn't fall for his charms? She glanced at the green speaker hanging from the strap of her purse. Was he just being sweet to her because it was her birthday?

Well, whatever the true reason, it was the best birthday she ever had.

Her thoughts stayed with her late into the night, slowly morphing back into insecurities while she took one last look at herself before she slipped out of her dress and kicked off her heels. It's been a long time since someone looked at her sexually, and it felt good. But would he like what he saw with her clothes off? She had curves, but she also had defined abs, broad shoulders, and strong legs. There was nothing remotely erotically appealing about her body in her eyes.

She hated thinking about herself in this way! She was supposed to be this badass who didn't care what any man thought of her! Yet with a little bit of attention, she falls apart like fragile, rusty metal. Why did he get her all confused like this? She wasn't relationship material! He kept saying all the good stuff like how he wanted to see her fight and how he liked tall women, but it didn't change the fact that they lived completely different lives.

He was an international superstar who traveled the world, and she was just a hunter who never left Australia, getting her hands dirty and doing the work no one else wanted to do. How would they ever make that work?

She got comfortable in the normal sports bra and stretchy shorts she usually wore to bed, happy to have the ability to move freely again. The entire evening, she was reminded why she never wore dresses, but she'd do it all over again if she got to see him a second time.

She fell onto her bed, who was she kidding? He'd never text her! He was probably just being nice for her poor heart. How obvious was it to him that she hadn't been swept off her feet like that? How was he able to do it so easily? He got her to talk about her work and her hobby like it was nothing! Why did she feel so comfortable with him?

She crawled under the covers and hit the switch on the lamp, checking her phone one last time before she got some shuteye. "Bloody hell…!" She gasped, sitting up in disbelief.

'I can't stop thinking about you. I'm going to be in Perth for a few more days, can I see you again?'

She bit her bottom lip in a goofy grin, her crush liked her back! She felt like a silly, hormonal teenager! But the realist side of her tugged at her, was her life really something she wanted to introduce him to? She only knew how to live dangerously, and the last thing she wanted was to put someone she cared about in danger.

But on the other hand, they had such different schedules, that they'd likely develop a long-distance relationship, meeting up a few times a month or something like that. It was an idea she was comfortable with since it allowed them to continue living their lives as they normally would.

She was getting ahead of herself! Who's to say he wanted to even take it that far? Maybe he just wanted to have some fun… which she was also open to! Whatever it may have been, she was excited to see! She typed out her response, her thumb hovering over the send button. Did she sound too desperate or excited? She hit send, tossing her phone to the side and covering her face with her hands.

She fell back onto the mattress, at a loss for words. "Hey, Ham. Looks like we're stayin' in Perth for a few days."

What's the worst that could happen?