12. Do you like it here?

"Come on, telling me your name wouldn't kill you. Would it?" The creepy grin on his face grew wider. The more Ally ignored him, the more amused male became. He could feel the rush of adrenaline flooding through his veins as she kept defying him. Deimos, the same as Arex, was one of the most popular guys around the school. While Arex was a star student- Deimos was the "hot bodyguard" or "age difference isn't a crime" as female students stated. He noticed the new girl as soon as she stepped into the school, but decided to avoid her first. Most women who join that school turn out to be nothing but trouble, especially since men see them as a new piece of shiny toy. They give in to the temptation way too quickly- sleeping with every other man as soon as the opportunity appears. And Deimos is the one who's supposed to look after them, making sure that nobody gets into trouble. He wasn't a saint, probably would never be, but the one thing he had was self-respect. He avoided sleeping around with students who weren't of adult age.

On the other hand, this girl was rather interesting- getting herself into a fight without properly starting going to the school and wouldn't tell him even her name. She intrigued Deimos, but maybe that was her way to gain total control over guys. Women know how much guys love a good game of chase, and Deimos was one of those who took another level of liking into the hunt.

"Listen, I'm not here to make friends or enemies. I want to enjoy the last years of school away from drama and trouble. And yes, it will certainly kill me if I told you my name. And you know why? Because you'd know my name, that's why." Ally groaned, turning her attention to the forest line on her right. She had a more significant interest in trees they passed than the male, who was so full of himself.

"You're right; I liked you more when you didn't talk. Just sit there and look pretty, Princess," Deimos laughed, turning the car radio volume up. The laugh covered his defeat- one, who had gotten used to getting whatever and whomever he wanted, didn't get this one. At least for now, or that's what he thought. He was so used to women falling to his feet the mere rejection nearly hurt- it did drag his ego a bit.

"Sorry, whatever your name was, I wasn't born with a zipper over my mouth. Shut your damn mouth before I have to do that," Ally snarled, forming her hands in fists.

Lately, she had no idea what was happening to her. The sleepless nights, stress, and how easily the young woman got irritated. Anger issues were brought up even more whenever Seraphima crawled her way on the surface. The Royal beast carved for blood and destruction, having no idea why herself.

They sat in the car for a while, Ally silently celebrating the victory over the stranger. Maybe Balthazar trusted him, but she didn't- there was something wrong about him. To think more of it- most of the students around that school didn't carry any scent, same as the male who was driving her home. When she noticed that he didn't take the right turn to the Lord's house- she didn't dare to freak out.
Instead of giving in to the fear, Ally smirked, planning how to escape the male without killing him. She could distort the male, but only enough to get away from wherever he is taking her.

"Odd," The male whispered, the smirk on his face disappeared, making him look puzzled. Ally didn't open her mouth; she opted for ignoring him and acting as if she didn't hear him. The stranger most likely felt puzzled for her reaction, probably wondering why she wasn't yelling, screaming, or demanding answers for where they were heading.

After a while, Ally became annoyed about his silent cursing and constant changing of the direction.

"If you're trying to kidnap me at least be fucking good at it. Do some research about me or things I love. Planning to do things spontaneously- look at the damn map and decide where exactly you're taking me instead of driving in circles. I can orient in my surroundings pretty well, knowing that I'm a shifter- you can't make me dizzy or puzzled. I'll find my way home. Fucking amateur," Her voice was full of venom, words left her parted lips in the most sarcastic manner- mocking the male.

"I'm not kidnapping you, fool. You know you're pretty dumb for a princess, thought that Royals were supposed to be extra intelligent. I'm trying to find a place I wanted to show you- to take your mind off the things happening back in the Kingdom. For all I care you can try to beat me up, I don't mind training a little. Your left hook is pretty amazing; I have to give you that. But in all seriousness- I'm trying to find a small road. It leads to clearing in the middle of his forest. Nothing much, but the lake there is impressive, and it's hidden within the trees. If I manage to find that place, when we go back to Lord's house, you can memorize the way back and maybe go again to chill. I'm not trying to be your friend, just wanted to be friendly, that's about it. Now, you can keep on whining, and I'll bring you home, or help me to notice the fucking road." Deimos growled, staring at Ally as if she had grown an extra head.

It wasn't that he didn't enjoy her sass and fighting spirit, but he was not the one to kindly take false accusations. If anyone- he unmistakably wasn't a person who would harm the Princess. Quite the opposite, Deimos was trying to lift her spirit, to make her forget whatever didn't let her sleep. He was an observant person, noticing the dark circles under her eyes almost instantly. The irritation and attempts to fight everyone was just another red flag for the male.

"Oh, there's one, look!" Ally pointed at a small road leading into the forest. The trees and bushes made it nearly impossible to notice.

"Damn it, you're good," Deimos laughed, turning the steering wheel and driving more in-depth into the forest. The smile on his lips became impossible to fight off, seeing how excited the Princess was. This might be the first time when he saw her smiling.

"Told you, I'm pretty good at this. Hurry up; I want to see the lake!" The Princess screamed in excitement, jumping up and down in her seat. Her behavior made him feel special; the way she shone with delight reminded the male that everything gets better in time. Even one's behavior, if they're treated right.

"Don't jump out of those pants just jet, chill," He laughed again, loving the atmosphere in the car. When the Princess acted like a cranky older woman- Deimos wanted to get rid of her as fast as possible, but now she was more than a pleasant companion.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm just so damn excited. When I was younger, my dad used to take me to a clearing near the castle. There was a lake, which seemed to be bigger than the world back then. It had the most transparent and warmest water ever; I learned how to swim there. When you told me about the lake, I got a bit carried away- it kinda brings out the best memories." Ally grinned like a child, mentally picturing the days she spent with her dad.

As time passed, Eros became busier; in a few years, there wasn't time to spend it in privacy. She did get used to her dad's busy schedule, but the child in her didn't- missing the midnight swimming and pointless conversations. Back then, they spent hours together, away from everyone and all problems, merely enjoying being father and daughter. Sometimes her mom joined them, usually to make a small picnic place and to watch how those two kept thrashing around the water. Those were one of the best childhood memories Ally had. Unlike other children- she didn't want the toys and fortune; she wanted her parents and a little more of their attention. Maybe that's where the rebellion was born. Perhaps that's the reason and time when Ally changed to the warrior she was now. Maybe the lack of time and privacy made her believe that being a fighter is better than being a princess.

"Princess, can you get out of that thought bubble and look around? We're here, get out of my damn car, woman!" Deimos brought her back to reality, the joyful rant followed by laughter.
Ally wasn't sure how much she should trust him, nor how good of a person the male was. She did, however, enjoy his attempts to make her feel better.

"I'm coming!" She yelled and bolted out of the car.

The view was fantastic, making her picture memories even more intensely. The lake was extensive, yet entirely hidden from people who didn't know about its existence. The trees around it layered one over another, making the forest line look like a painting. Shy was clear; she couldn't notice a cloud. Ally took a deep breath, closing her eyes and listening to the sounds of the forest. She could hear some birds flying and animals roaming around in the distance. The scene felt too good to be real.

"So? Do you like it here?" Deimos appeared by her side, sliding hands in the pockets of his jeans. At first, he seemed to be nothing but an enormous asshole, but the more time Ally spent with him, the more she understood that there must be something more under his first impression.

"Yes, this place is magical. Thank you," She blushed, looking at the forest line. The young woman didn't hide the blush on her cheeks since the male was staring at her anyway. Ally felt like his eyes could burn a hole in her skin; however, the intense glare wasn't one of an enemy.

"This land used to belong to my mother- after she passed away, I inherited it. Been trying to keep this as a secret, but seeing that you need a hidden place- feel free to come here whenever you require thinking. It's pretty hard to find if you're driving, but I'm sure you won't have any problem. If anything, just go down the road and look for the third house on the left. Guess Balthazar didn't mention this, but we're sort of neighbors," Deimos scratched the back of his neck nervously. He smiled, looking down at Ally, but this time the smile was genuine, the hint of sarcastic asshole wholly gone from the male's appearance.

"I'm sorry about your mom," Ally blurted out, biting on her lower lip and taking a deep breath as she continued: "But what do you mean by sort of neighbors? Is there even such a thing?"

"I mean- I guess so? Okay, we are neighbors, since you're staying at the Lord's house," Deimos shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention away from Ally, looking at the clear lake. He enjoyed the silence which followed their small talk, being near the Princess wasn't that bad when she was calm and collected. There must be something significant that happened to turn her this way.

"As a kid, I used to think life was moving so slow; I sat down and watched it go by. Now, standing here, it does feel like the truth. I can't remember the last couple of years- all I did was connected to training and improving fighting skills. Thank you for taking me here, for making me remember the best days of childhood," Ally sighed, gently shaking her head.

Deimos threw his hand around Ally's shoulders and pulled her into his side. Ally didn't try to fight the sudden action, she leaned her head against his torso and closed her eyes. Deimos did the same, he leaned closer and placed his head against hers. If anyone would see them- they'd definitely think that both were lovers. The type of gentle, intimate closeness usually was brought up only between those who love. But for Deimos and Ally, it was just an action to support each other. He sank into memories about the mother he didn't remember, and the Princess could think of the days when her family was just a family, not Royals.

"How about we go swimming? We have enough time," Ally spoke up. She didn't care that none had any swimwear; all she could think was the feeling of her skin against the water.

"Swimming? Aren't you up to kick my ass? Thought you'd at least try to punch me once," Deimos wiggled his eyebrows, a mischievous grin plastered on his lips.

Ally opened her mouth to answer, but the breath left her body when her back collided with the forest soil, and Deimos sat on top of her. He straddled her, placing both hands on the sides of her head. The young woman was caged, with a man on top of her.

"What are you doing on top of her?!"