Talia was apprehensive about getting into Darkbourne while holding hands with Damon, but quickly she realized that it was not a big deal.
The streets on the outskirts of Darkbourne were dimly lit, so no one paid attention to one hand-holding couple.
When they emerged to the streets where the festival was held, it was lit up well, but it was packed with people, so Talia and Damon melded with the crowd where many held hands in order to stay with their group.
Also, while they were making their way toward the town square, Talia saw several guys with the same dark gray t-shirt as Damon was wearing. Those were guys who came from the patrol and didn't bother to go home and change.
With Damon suppressing his Alpha aura unless someone took a serious look at him, he was easily mistaken for a regular warrior.
"Let me know if some game or food interests you.", Damon told Talia and she nodded in response.
Damon thought of another thing. "Don't let go of my hand, kitten. But if we get separated, meet me at the clock tower." He really didn't want to risk losing Talia, and he hoped that she won't leave on her own.
Damon and Talia moved from one stall to another, and Talia observed everything with interest.
They visited more than twenty stalls when Damon realized that Talia didn't ask for anything.
He facepalmed. Of course, she didn't ask for anything. Talia is the girl who left the kitchen hungry because she was uncomfortable, and that proved how Talia is used to denying herself not only pleasures but necessities also; Talia would never ask for a thing even if she wants it.
Damon opted to pay attention to Talia's nonverbal signs of interest, but it was hard because he never paid attention to what a woman wanted, and Talia followed after him without trying to slow him down or speed up the pace.
Two stalls later, a man was selling grilled chicken on a stick. Customers could pick one of five sauces that will be lathered over the grilled meat.
Damon perked up when Talia closed her eyes and took a deep breath as a warm smile spread on her lips.
"We will take it.", Damon spoke to the vendor.
"Which one?", the man asked while gesturing toward sauces. His eyes were on the meat that was grilling, and he didn't look at the faces of his customers.
Damon really had no idea which sauce to pick, but he knew that if she asks Talia, she will say that any is fine.
"Two of each."
Talia observed as the vendor neatly wrapped each flavored type into a separate aluminum foil before placing them into a box that had a handle. There was even a small compartment on the bottom of the box that held napkins. Talia was fascinated.
Only when handing the box to Damon, vendor realized. "Alpha! It's an honor."
Damon waved at the man, indicating that he shouldn't fuss about it. "How much for these?"
"They are on the house."
Damon didn't like this. Yes, things in Darkbourne are free for Damon, but he wanted to show Talia that he can provide for her. Damon feared that if he just takes freebies, Talia will think bad of him. After all, if this was any other customer, that vendor would earn money.
Without a word, Damon fished a fifty-dollar bill from his pocket and kept it on the counter of the stall before taking the box with grilled meat.
"Let's find a spot to sit…", Damon said, and Talia tugged his hand to get his attention.
She looked at a group of people who were standing nearby and eating. "I think that this should be eaten on the go."
Damon didn't think about it. If he did, he wouldn't buy so many.
A moment later, he got an idea… "Alright. Let's stand on the side."
Damon opened the box and held it for Talia to pick first.
She took a bite from the chicken skewer that was drenched in a tangy barbecue sauce when she heard Damon saying, "Since my hands are full, you will need to feed me."
Talia chewed in slow motion while wondering what she got herself into this time. But his hands were busy holding her lunchbox and the box with grilled chicken, so it made sense.
She reached to swap sticks with chicken, to offer Damon the one she didn't bite on, and Damon moved the box out of her reach.
"I want to take a bite from that one." Damon gestured with his chin toward the skewer Talia was holding.
Talia hesitated and Damon leaned to bite on the meat while Talia stood and watched in disbelief.
Yes, they ate together (and even fed each other) many times, but standing like this super-close in the crowd and Damon eating from the same skewer was unexpectedly intimate and Talia's heart skipped a beat. Aren't the two of them like a couple? Like a real couple?
Talia saw that Damon had a smidge of the sauce at the corner of his lips and Talia wondered if she was also messy. That was possible.
Her tongue darted left-right to pick up any residue sauce and Damon stared at her.
He really wanted to kiss her thoroughly.
Damon wondered, how is it possible that he is aroused no matter what Talia does? Just being close to her makes him half-hard and he was sure that he was losing his mind.
He knew that it was the mate bond, urging him to get close to Talia, urging him to claim her as his, but he couldn't act on those feelings without freaking out Talia so Damon chanted silently that he needs to wait. They are definitely getting closer and even though this is much slower than he wants things to happen, they are moving in the right direction and that should be enough. It has to be.
One by one, Talia and Damon finished all skewers and neither of them paid attention to the flavors of the sauce or the texture of the meat, because both of them were lost in the soothing feeling of being together that mixed with anticipation of what is to come.
Damon's competitive spirit was at its highest when he saw the ring toss game and he threw a malicious side-glance at the Cinna.
There were several pegs of various lengths, with the tallest one at the front, and shortest at the back.
"What's needed in order to get the biggest toy?", Damon asked the vendor who was at the ring toss game.
"Five out of five, on the furthest pegs…", his voice trailed. "Alpha! You don't need to…"
Damon raised his hand to stop him from talking.
This was about Damon showing his superiority compared to that measly coach who dared to covet Talia, and he didn't need any concessions to achieve that... other than clearing up the long line of people who waited to play the ring toss game.
One glare from Damon made twenty-something people who stood in line to disperse, leaving only the current player sweating bullets, unsure if he should finish his turn or scram right away.
Damon was pleased with this outcome. He gestured toward Cinna while talking to the vendor. "That toy. Is it the biggest one?"
Talia frowned at Damon's question. Cinna was about ten inches tall, and there were obviously bigger toys on the display.
"Oh, no, Alpha.", a female voice came from behind the vendor, and only then Talia and Damon noticed a young woman with a flattering smile on her face.
"That toy looks like it came out of the third level for the prizes, and we have five.", she said while batting her eyelashes at Damon.
Damon groaned internally. Who was this woman and why was she flirty with him in front of Talia?
Damon decided to ignore the woman and focus on the guy. "How much for a round? Give me rings and show us your biggest toys. I want her to pick one." Or all of them.
Damon put his hand on Talia's back and pushed her to stand in front of him, to the obvious disappointment of the woman who was inching closer to Damon with every step while hoping to offer more than just services related to the ring tossing game.
"Really, that's not…" Talia's rejection was interrupted when her eyes landed on a plush toy that was about twice the size of Cinna.
This toy was a wolf with black fur and blue eyes, just like the wolf from her dreams. Talia dreamed of him on the night when she fell asleep in the forest, and she dreamed about that wolf several more times.
He was big and intimidating, but gentle and somehow she knew that he won't hurt her; he was there to protect her.
"Did you see something you like?"
Damon's question made Talia blush. She wanted to deny it, but she ended up nodding.
Damon was elated. Talia likes something and he will get it for her!
Damon leaned closer to Talia and his breath splashed on her ear, "Which one, kitten?"
Talia jolted to look at Damon with panic on her face. Why did he call her kitten? It's one thing if he is teasing her when it's just the two of them, but this was in public. What if someone heard? Sure, he spoke in a low voice, but most of the people around them are werewolves with enhanced hearing.
But Damon's gaze was unwavering and the longer she looked at him, the more anxious she got, so Talia responded, "The wolf."
