Lana regretted her actions just minutes after she reached her room. Why had she run? She felt elated and excited but not at all scared, so why had she obeyed Lex's dare to run away like a frightened little girl?

Damn him, he had won that battle to be sure, but she was not going to let him win the war. Lana wasn't sure when this had become a war between them exactly, but she loved the excitement it provided. Pitting her own strength against that of Lex made her heady and reckless.

He'd liked her dress, a small smile curved her lips as memories of his words swirled through her mind.

He had liked it a lot.

She wasn't sure what this was between them, since she'd never experienced anything even close to this drowning sensation. The boys she usually sharpened her claws on were nothing when compared to Lex. They did what she asked them, eager for even a smile from her.

And none if them made her heart pound or her flesh ache down there.

A flush of colour stained her cheeks as she recalled just how much Lex made her ache in places only she had ever touched.

Places Aunt Nell said she should never show a boy.

She imagined Lex seeing her secret places and a embarrassing heat spread across her face even as her stomach fluttered wildly.

She flopped onto her bed, kicking off her shoes with a sigh. Her mind going wild with ideas of how next to taunt Lex into noticing her.

She wasn't sure what she wanted to happen when he did notice her, she only knew that she wanted to find out just what he'd meant when he said that he would devour her.

Lana fell asleep with a smile on her lips.

.

.

.

Lex was conflicted. Some bit of long buried morality he had once possessed had risen it's ugly head when he had seriously considered following Lana after she had run away from his wicked words the night before.

He wasnt sure why he had restrained himself at all considering just how much he wanted her.

He was longing to take the willful Ms Lang in hand and he was sure she wouldn't have protested much either.

She was natural born tease and even though Lex suspected that she was physically innocent, she possessed an ability to tease and tantalise which was as old as eve.

He wasn't even sure why he had been so blunt with her, maybe it had been the rampant desire which seeing her look so fucking beautiful had induced or maybe it was the need for her to see the real him.

And the latter was more worrying than the first simply because Lex didn't share himself with anybody.

Lex knew that she would continue to pit her will against his and he was looking forward to the challenge. God knew he was sick to death of women throwing themselves at him and begging for any scrap of attention. They drove him insane agreeing with him all the time when all he wanted was someone who fought him and denied his power. Even though it was inevitable that they would see his way of thinking eventually, he wanted the challenge of making sure they knew who was master.

He sent a note to Lana's room at the hour of six o'clock the next morning.

It read ; If you want to learn to fight, meet me in the ballroom.

Lex knew that Lana wouldn't be able to resist that particular invitation, if her excitement had been genuine.

He was happy to teach her all she should know, question was if she was able to rise to this particular challenge, because Lex had no intention of going easy on her because of her youth or undeniable beauty.

Because he knew that those same attributes would be the reason she would need to be able to defend herself.

He dressed as he always did, in a close fitting black t-shirt and a pair of Nike joggers. Casual and comfortable he waited for her to arrive, as he walked around the massive room opening the shutters and making sure the hanging punching bag was securely fastened.

Lex sipped a bottle of Evian as he did this, a small white towel draped around his neck.

A slight sound behind him alerted him to her presence.

That and the unmistakable scent of vanilla and orchids.

His stomach did an actual summersault as he turned to face her, something which he couldn't remember ever having felt before. He disguised his shock at his own reaction by letting his infamous Luthor smirk twist his lips as his eyes met hers.

Good lord, she was beautiful.

As stunning as any priceless work of art he had ever seen.

In the early morning light her skin looked luminous and as smooth as the finest alabaster, gently tinted with a rose glow across her fine cheek bones. Her eyes were wide and thickly lashed. Her hair, brows and eye lashes were dark mahogany brown, which brought the hazel green of her eyes into startling contrast.

Lana wore a gym outfit which outlined every curve of her slight and yet womanly figure.

She met his gaze for a mere moment before dropping her eyes uncomfortably.

"Good morning." He said softly, pushing up the long sleeves of his t-shirt and setting down his water and towel on the nearby table.

Lana watched his movements closely, swallowing the huge lump in her throat. She once again felt out of her depth with him and very young.

"Good morning." She replied in barely a whisper.

"Are you ready for your first lesson?" Lex asked, doing nothing to dispelled the innuendo his words created and staring at her with a mind blowing intensity, deliberately trying to blow her composure.

He wants sure why he wanted to make her uneasy, perhaps it was the instinct of the preditor to disconcert its prey or maybe it was just that Lex had enjoyed her fear and arousal the night before and wished for a repeat performance. Either way her heart was pounding faster than ever as she read the double context of his sentence and blushed.

Ignoring his ploy she nodded. "Yes I am. Is the instructor going to arrive soon?"

Lex smiled at her as he shook his head slowly. "I'm going to teach you to fight Lana." He said, handing her a pair of boxing gloves. "I assure you, I am completely qualified for such a task."

Lana looked shocked. "You fight?" She asked hesitantly.

"Yes, I was taught when I was very young to defend myself." Lex said, his tone self mocking. "I was a bald kid with a rich, hated father, an easy target for bullies. My father's chauffeur turned out to be an ex navy seal, he stared my training by teaching me how to box, which is where we will begin today."

Lana looked intrigued, her eyes filled with questions Lex had no intention of answering.

"What else can you do?" She asked, genuinely curious and not insulting.

Lex bound his knuckles with tape as he replied. "I have a black belt in karate and I have studied Krav Maga for a decade. I also excel at Muay Thai."

Lana stared at him in admiration, her lips parted, eyes sparkling.

"But we begin with simply boxing techniques. Ducking, blocking and striking is where you start learning. Just channel all of your anger and you'll do fine."

Lana laughed. "Some of us aren't as angry as you are Lex."

Lex finished wrapping his hands and shrugged nonchalantly at her claim. "Fine." He returned. "It's not like just anyone could shove you around and take what they wanted from you. Listen to your aunt and stay away from contact sports."

She gaped at him. "How did you know...?"

"That Nell would have persuaded you not to learn to fight?" Lex asked. "I've known Nell for a while and I'm sure that learning to defend yourself isn't high on her list of things for you to do."

"I want to learn how to fight." Lana stated, her chin rising in defiance."I want to learn all you can teach me."

A smirk appeared on his lips at her careless claim. "Are you sure about that Ms Lang? I know a lot more than you do."

Lana flushed a becoming shade of pink as she realised what she'd said.

"I mean, all you can teach me about fighting." She said softly, looking away from his intense gaze.

Lex exuded power and Lana felt herself drawn in by it now. Her blood rushed through her veins at the heady thought of all the time she would be spending with him, alone.

She would have what she'd wanted although she wasn't sure if she knew what to do with Lex, now that she'd gotten her wish.

"Well, let's start." He said walking over to the punching bag with jungle like grace in every line of his confident stride. "Come here and hit this bag."

Lana pulled on the gloves clumsily, before stepping up to the huge bag and eyeing it warily.

"It's not going to bite you, Lana. Hit it."

She did experimentally and it didn't even move.

She laughed and gestured in annoyance at the behemoth thing which Lex was holding for her as if she could actually make it shift at all.

"I can't even make it move!" She said irritated.

Lex released the bag and moved slowly around it, until he was behind her small figure.

"Learning to defend yourself is not about size or strength, Lana, it's about ability. If you want to be effective you have to put your whole body into it." He said as he closed the distance between their bodies and braced her arms with his hands on her shoulders.

A shudder shot through her entire body at the contact and her stomach did a delicious flip as awareness flooded every nerve ending in her entire body.

He released her as if he hadn't felt that brief contact with every fiber of his body and went back to his original place behind the punching bag.

Lana focused on his eyes, his expression of expectation and the need to please him drove her fist forward with enough strength to shift the bag a scant foot. "That's it. Well done." Lex approved, his smooth voice deep and mesmerising.

"Now do it again."

She did, this time adding in a kick of pure instinct fueled with all her pent up desires and frustrations. The bag shook and pushed Lex back a pace.

For the first time admiration filled his eyes and his smile was genuinely filled with wonder.

"That's it." He said encouragingly.

After a few more punches Lex taught her how to duck and block an attack, using him as the assailant. He went easy on her, but only marginally.

Lana was a fast learner and Lex found himself genuinely proud of her earnest dedication even in the face of a thousand bruises and a split lip, which happened by accident when she blocked with too little force and the practice sword hit her squarely on the mouth.

Lex paused for a moment and apologised, Lana shook her head as she gingerly pressed a finger to its fullness.

"I'm fine. It was my fault." She said.

Lex stepped closer, invading her personal space as he examined her lip closely, his hot breath fanning her face and making her mouth water.

She didn't retreat, standing so close to him made her feel drunk on the sensations rushing through her body.

Madness made him reach out to stroke the broken flesh lightly, his finger sliding along her lower lip with slow, soft sensuality causing Lana's breath to hitch in her throat.

She swayed towards him just as he stepped back.

"Shall we continue tomorrow?" He asked as he wiped his face with the towel as if nothing had happened.

Lana felt completely off balance at the loss of his presence. "Yes...that's fine." She answered.

"Okay, see you same time tomorrow." Lex said as he walked towards the entrance leaving her standing there by herself. "Oh and Lana?"

"Yes?"

"Dinner is at eight in the study, if you'll join me."

She didn't know what to say. She could only nod.

Lex smiled as he left her.

Authors note; yes I'm back. Lex is wicked, but that's how I like him ;)