"You said it yourself. It's private property." I tried easing the situation since both of us were thinking about the same thing.. Both of us knew how heavy the subject about what we had could get. So I smiled and looked at him. "And if that doesn't stop them, then this time I'll be the one snapping a neck or two." The black pearl eyes looked at me, wildness in them clearer than the sunlight that made it's way through the branches.. A smile reflecting back on his lips caused heat from underneath my skin to rush up my cheeks.. And then I got the arrogant response I was hoping for, still glad that I managed to change the subject into something lighter. "Yea? Well, I'm faster. You should stay behind me." Oh. So that's how he's going to play? "Oh you think?" "Please, Lana. I know. Remember the last time we were in the woods?" Sneaky little vamp knew exactly what bothered me to the core.. The annoyance that rushed inside me was mixed with this urge to laugh, yet nothing but seriousness reflected on my face. He was daring me. I stopped and rose my finger. "Hey, that only happened because I was in front of you. It easily could've been you that got shot." He laughed. He fricking laughed! Like a bubble of hot lava exploding underneath my cheeks, I knew I went pink with frustration. How dare he underestimate my skills? Vampires did have more abilities and some advantages, but hey I could kick his arrogant ass any time. "And that's why you should stay behind me." The seriousness in his voice was clear, and the amusement in his eyes blooming.. He loved making me angry didn't he? A gasp escaped me as I widen my eyes in disbelief.. He did not— Oh he did not just say that! Thank goodness I was wearing black shorts and a tank top. I had the mobility I needed to show him what he asked for. "Okay that's enough." I looked on the side as I took a small step back and gestured for him to come at me. "Try me, big guy, come on." Again, his response was a laugh, that was actually a damn distracting sound, and that charming grin on his face almost made me forget what we were talking about. "Lana, I'm not going to fight you." Oh really? So, now the next stage was pretending that he was going to let me be, because 'he didn't want to hurt me'. I could handle him like a dang fly! But hey, I knew how to prove a point. And it was my time to provoke. "Because you know damn well you will lose to a girl." I said as I crossed my arms over my chest and fleshed him a wide smile. He dared me, now it was my turn. He seemed to go a little bit more serious this time, but he was still convinced that I could get hurt. "You won't even see it coming." Was all he said wanting to continue walking. "Fight me." My insist turned into a demand, so quickly getting a positive response that I felt slightly dizzy. His arm went towards me and I was quick to stop it with mine, before he repeated that with his other arm as well. I didn't even realize that in the X I had with my arms, defending myself in some sort of way, he had taken a grip over my wrist and with just a slight tightening he pulled me closer.. If he went harsher on my wrist, it would've cracked, but instead he only pulled until my body pressed against his. There was a smile in his eyes. "Really?" His deep voice filled my ears, having me into this frenzy of thoughts. But I was still aware that he was holding back.. He thought he could hurt me. And I wanted a real fight. I pulled myself away in a quick motion, going at him with the same methods I was taught. On arm, he defended, the other - he caught as well, letting go and letting me continue. I could already feel my breaths cutting, but I knew what I was doing, even though he defended my moves and my 'attempted punches' with nothing but the simple moves of his arms and hands, very lightly pushing me back. "Don't. Hold. Back." I told him with each little move I made against him, my forearm coming at him yet once again defended this time by a sudden grip over it instead of his forearm as well.. Like something snapped inside him, he took a grip of my forearm, and my body was turned in a way that I could not control. I closed my eyes instinctively when I lost balance, ready to crush to the ground, yet instead I was flipped and turned until I felt myself pressed against something solid, causing me to open my eyes and realize that he had turned me in a way so that my back was pressed against his chest. His hand from behind was over my neck, and his face was right at the side of mine. "Dead." His lips very slightly brushed against the side of my face, and that deep whisper caused chills over my spine. Show off. "And I didn't even use my speed on you." He mumbled somewhere near my hair, causing me to very slightly turn my head towards him, at least attempt to, since he was holding me as tight as a real predator would. I managed to look him in the eyes, the arrogance and satisfaction clear, and a slight smirk that definitely proved that he found amusement.