Wolfe's Blind Moon

9 ~ First kiss...?

Tala puts the bag of coins in Alex's hand when they reach the bridge.

Alex scratches his head shyly. "Miss, perhaps even only a half will do. You need to save some for yourself too."

She smiles at him. "I'm still good for a little while, Alex. I have some savings and I don't really spend much. You need to be prepared for the expenses and every coin will count when the time comes. You can pay me back whenever it is possible, if you want. Or not at all if you can't. But we have to try to do everything for your mother first, while we still can."

Alexander swallows and nods. "Alright. Thank you again, Miss. I really appreciate this."

Tala ruffles his hair. "Don't think about it too much. Focus on doing what you can, not what you cannot. Oh, here." She hands him a whistle. " I will blow mine when I reach my house. When you hear it, blow this whistle back so I'll know you heard me and that you're headed home. If I don't hear it, I will come back here to check on you." She teases him and the boy chuckles.

She waves him goodbye and walks briskly on the long path home. In around ten minutes she covers her sensitive ears and blows really hard on her whistle to make sure the sound reaches Alex and she waits for the response, sighing in relief when she hears it.

"Oh goddess, my ears are bleeding! What was that?"

Tala jumps, startled, and whirls around, wielding her walking stick like a sword in front of her, ready to attack.

"Whoah! Hey, it's just me, Wolfe! I have been waiting for you. I'm so sorry if I scared you!"

Tala frowns.

That's odd, she didn't sense his presence. Usually, she knows when someone is around.

This is not good.

She doesn't put the stick down, but twisted it instead, showing one sharp spearhead.

"Hey, I don't mean any harm, I swear! I was about to say hi when you blew that infernal whistle!"

Nice voice or not, there is nothing normal about his nightly visits.

"Why can't you come to visit during the day like any normal person? Who are you, really?"

"I'm one of the travelling vendors. You met my companions, Scout and my brother Wulfric, the other day, with your friend…Uhm…Lucy. They told me about it. I come at night because I'm busy at the camp during the day."

Tala blinks. "You're not a vampire, then?"

Wolfe's voice sounds offended and truly disgusted. "A bloodsucker!? Oh please, I'd rather end my own life than be a walking dead." He mutters.

Tala slowly lowers her walking stick but doesn't put the spearhead back in.

"You've been here waiting for how long?"

"Since after dinner." He says, "I had a lot of things to do and I came here as soon as I could."

"Oh… I thought you were going to be at the tavern tonight."

"Why? Did you sing for me?" She can almost hear the cocky grin in his voice and blushes, thankful it's too dark for him to see.

"Of course not." She denies. "I sang for everyone."

He chuckles. "Really? That's too bad. A few of my friends were there. They told me about the final serenade. I was so certain it was for me."

She blushes even more, caught in her lie and secretly thrilled he talks to his friends about her.

"I… I just had nothing else to sing…There were so many requests tonight. The tavern was full and—-"

"Tala?"

She stops blabbering and takes a deep breath. "Yes?"

"Thank you. I'm sorry I missed it. They said it was wonderful."

She nods and says nothing more.

"Will you sing it again for me?" He asks suddenly.

"What?"

"Yeah, I'd love to hear it myself. You can sit on your balcony again if it will make you feel safer and I'll stay in my usual spot."

Tala c***s her head to the side, grinning playfully. "This is an extra request. How much are you paying me?"

He is silent for a bit, probably taken aback, but then he chuckles and replies:

"Will my heart and soul do? I pledge them for all eternity, packaging included."

Tala's heart slams hard inside her chest and she can't think of anything to say at first.

Declaring himself to her all of a sudden, without preamble and with no hint of hesitation.

What's wrong with him?

And what is wrong with her heart, fluttering so!?

She decides not to take him seriously, he must be teasing her, since it seems it's so easy for him to proclaim such things.

So she raises her eyebrows. "And what am I supposed to do with those?"

He chuckles. "Whatever you desire, moon."

Tala can't help grinning. "Are you sure? Because there's no getting those back, you know."

"I'm yours."

She says nothing else and goes inside the house, biting her lips to stop smiling as she realises that she's playing a forbidden game.

One she's certain to lose but right now, it feels like it doesn't matter.

Just this afternoon the fear of passing on her 'eyes' to a child of hers broke something inside her again and she had barely mended herself once more. The remembered pain is still there.

And yet Wolfe is making her dream once more.

It's just flirting, I promise. She thinks to herself as she leans on her door while trying to collect herself.

"Nothing harmful in it," she attempts to convince her own mind. "I just want to feel."

Taking a deep breath, Tala walks toward the balcony, feeling him staring at her from his usual place.

She doesn't say anything, and just begins to sing as soon as she touches the rail of the balcony.

When she is done, he claps his hands in appreciation and she smiles, pleased with his reaction.

There is comfortable silence for a few seconds before Wolfe chuckles. "I'm glad I wasn't able to come to the tavern. I wouldn't have been able to enjoy it like this."

Tala smirks. "At the tavern, I collect the p*****t at the end of every performance. Pay up!"

He laughs. "If you lean over the rail I can make an initial p*****t now, a kiss to prove my good intentions..."

His tone is teasing but she suspects he's not entirely jesting.

So she laughs, their unorthodox courting sending little sparks of sinful delights in her heart.

She has never felt like this before.

What a thrill!

"May I ask what was the whistle for?" he asks, curiosity evident in his tone.

"Took you by surprise, huh? Which reminds me…I didn't realize you were here…what were you going to do, jump on me?"

"Absolutely not, I'm not an i***t. They told me you can incapacitate a man in less than 3 seconds. I was about to make myself known when you broke my eardrums."

She chuckles, unabashed. "Next time, announce yourself or make a noise before coming too close to me. You're lucky I recognised your voice and I wasn't deep in thought. Sometimes my instinctive reactions don't wait for my mind to process things. I could have shredded you to ribbons!"

"Oh, don't I know it. Duly noted." There is a smile in his voice. "So…there is a next time, huh?"

She blushes. She seems to be doing that a lot around him. Oh, but he teases her so.

It's refreshing. The young men of the village, even the older ones, are intimidated by her. The blind girl who acts more like a trained assassin.

A reputation not exactly conducive to romantic involvement.

No man wants a girl who can humiliate him in front of his peers should she wish to, she once overheard someone say.

Tala had wanted to say there wouldn't be any humiliation to be had in the first place if said man isn't an i***t but it had seemed pointless.

Besides, why would she be interested in someone who prefers the company of his peers to his family and values his friends' opinions more?

Which takes her mind to Wolfe.

She frowns. "You are not intimidated by me." She states curiously.

Wolfe simply laughs. "Oh, you are very intimidating, don't get me wrong. I just… I'm more fascinated. And if you let me, I can show you just how much."

She smirks in his direction. "Are you sure you're not afraid to come too close? I don't need a weapon to deliver pain, just to be clear."

"A kiss would make it worth all the pain in the world."

That gives her pause. Surprised but impressed he's brave enough to try.

It's just a kiss he's asking for. It could be something she can fondly remember in the future, when she's feeling blue.

"Live." Her mother had told her. "Let every moment be something worth remembering, no matter what the norm dictates. The gods have already taken your sight. Don't let another take something else away."

It's just a kiss.

But after that…will it be enough?

"I will allow a kiss." Tala tells him. "But on one condition."

She can almost feel his excitement, probably not believing his luck.

"What? Tell me!"

"Make it something I won't regret and will never forget, or I will kick your ass for ruining it for me. This is my first kiss."

It seems to turn him even giddier. "Deal."

She frowns at him. "You seem so certain. I'm almost having second thoughts. It would seem like you've had lots of practice if you can guarantee it just like that."

He simply laughs. "Jealous already? Don't worry, I'm not a man w***e. I just do not doubt that we will be perfect together."

She hears him climbing and turns in his direction. "What makes you say that?"

She feels his hand cupping her face as he stood in front of her, on the other side of the rail.

"Because you are mine and I'm yours. And you feel it too. Don't you?"

She blinks. "It feels…like there is something but it could be like this with anyone. I have no idea, I've never felt like this before."

"It won't. I promise you that. This is…something special we share. May I kiss you now?"

She nods.

His lips were gentle and tentative, as if almost afraid to touch her.

There were sparks of something but the fire wouldn't burn just yet.

"Wolfe?"

"Hmmm…?"

"If this is it, I'm a little bit disappointed."

He laughs. "Just wait. I'm building up the moment…Why are you in a hurry?"

"I'm just saying…It's sweet but…I was told it was mind-blowing…"

"I'm trying not to scare you away. I'd like to be a father someday and they told me your favourite target is the family vault."

Giggling, she flicks her fingers at him. "That's one way to put it."

"Close your eyes."

"Wolfe?"

"Yes?"

"I'm blind. It won't make a difference."

"Close your eyes, Tala. It will make a difference to me. It's unsettling to see someone with eyes wide open while I kiss her."

"Oh. Alright." She's still doubtful but closes her eyes, waiting for him to make his move.

But Wolfe chuckles nervously. "I'm going about this all wrong and now the moment is ruined. I shouldn't have to tell you to close your eyes. It should come naturally. How about we talk for a little while first? See how it goes?"

Amused, she lifts an eyebrow. "It's getting late, you know."

"You never did tell me what the whistle was for." He says quickly.

She sighs. "It's called compromise. The tavern keeper is worried about the wolf they heard the other night and wouldn't let me go home. I can't stay in another house, I need the familiarity of my own. It bothers me to have to depend on another just to relieve myself. The whistle was to assure them I got home safely."

"Who blew the other whistle?"

"My friend Alex…he's like a younger brother to me. He works very hard to support his mother who is sick at the moment."

"I don't think the wolves mean any harm."

Tala frowns. "Wolves? As in there's more than one? How do you know? Have you seen them? Ares did say your people probably let the wolf or wolves escape."

"Who's Ares?"

"The head hunter. He told me there's an organized hunt for the wolf tonight."

"Is he your friend too? Another brotherly affection?"

Annoyed, Tala steps away from him. "I don't appreciate your tone."

Wolfe sighs. "You're right, I'm sorry…it's… I'm just very jealous right now."

"Ares is an asshole. Why would you even…"

"I'm sorry, alright? I can't help feeling this way." He says, frustration colouring his tone.

She sighs. "I think it's time to call it a night. I'm tired, I'll just kick your ass another time." She turns to go but Wolfe grabs her arm.

"No, no, please wait! I'm sorry, I really am. I'm new to this mate bond as well and it's driving me crazy, I can't think properly—-"

"What mate bond?"