Talic’s POV
Was it ironic or funny to see Edith very scared and holding onto my hand as if her life depended on it while watching a horror movie that dealt with cults and witches?
“You know, you are a witch too,” I whispered softly.
She looked at me seriously and then shook her head.
“I may be a witch, but I can never do something like that. Those in the movie are wicked, and they practice intense black magic,” she answered, making me chuckle.
She, too, used black magic, but I guess it wasn’t for bad or evil intentions; that’s what made her very different and unique.
“I am nothing like those witches in the movie. How could they sacrifice little children just to gain immortality? They were even spilling blood like it was nothing. How could they be so horrible?” she asked in a cracked voice, then lowered her gaze to the floor.
I was shocked that she was crying over a movie. Did it remind her of her past mistakes?
I was glad that only a few minutes were left for it to end because I didn’t like seeing her like this because of it.
“Are you crying over a movie?” I asked softly.
“It’s just so sad seeing how they mistreated the children, even if it’s just a movie,” she whispered.
I moved and grabbed her waist, pulling her onto my lap and hugging her.
“It’s just a silly movie, so screw the director and the cast. Have you forgotten how they portray my kind? We eat humans and, at times, kill them mercilessly for sport. A few times, we change them accidentally to be like us, and sometimes we gut them for amusement,”I said honestly, then sighed in relief when she laughed a little.
“So, you like watching movies too?” she asked.
“Yes, because Harvey watched them a lot in the past before he knew of the responsibilities and hardships of a pack. Movies were a fascination for him, mostly those that portrayed our kind or any other supernatural beings. He was one of the pack members who helped fill this room with CDs. Whenever he wanted to enjoy a drink or spend some time alone, he came here to relax, and I was right there, watching the movie with him,” I answered, then rested my head against hers.
“It’s not like I could be much different from him because he and I are one. And to be honest, I really liked whatever he watched, and we talked about it whenever it was funny, very serious, or rather badly portrayed. Besides that, he was a fan of music, and I too began to like it. With time, we were both into movies and music,” I said with a smile.
“But then our time to take over as acting Beta came, and we saw how we wasted time watching movies and listening to music. Each time we took a day off felt like a day wasted. We stopped coming here, and over time, some pack members stopped too. I don’t know if we contributed to that or if they thought the same as we did. The few that came here did so to add to the collection of CDs on the shelves; that way, whoever came to watch was updated,” I said.
“Do you have any hobbies, Talic, not Harvey?” she asked, then pulled back and looked at me.
“Well, I have never told anyone about this before, but I do. I love and enjoy reading a lot. I don’t stick to genres because whatever gets my attention, I read. On the other hand, Harvey hates reading,” I answered honestly.
“What else?” she asked.
“Mmm, does drinking count?” I asked playfully.
When she gave me a cold glare, I smiled and then moved my hand to her cheek.
“I was joking, so don’t give me that look,” I said and then dropped my hand.
“As shocking as this may sound, please don’t freak out when I say it,” I said as she smiled widely and then nodded.
“I really love dancing so much,” I said seriously.
“What?” she asked in surprise.
“See, I knew you would react like that; that’s why I asked you not to be shocked,” I said.
“Oh no, I’m not shocked that you love dancing. I am shocked that we share that, besides reading. I, too, love dancing a lot; that’s why I failed to reject some ball invitations that came my way in the past,” she answered.
I smiled and then looked at the huge screen that was playing the movie’s rolling credits. It was a slow song that was pleasant to the ears.
I stood up with her in my arms and put her down carefully.
When I extended my hand to her, she looked at it, then at me, with a wide smile.
“Care to dance?” I asked.
“I would love to,” she answered and then took my hand while closing the space between us.
As I rested my other hand on her back, I could feel my own rapid, loud heartbeat.
I was extremely nervous.
We all in higher positions in the pack knew how to dance a few dances because we were sometimes invited to balls and parties. We did dance, but there had never been a day when any of us had ever danced with our mate. This was my first time, and I didn’t want to mess it up in any way.
When we began to move, I made sure to watch my every step.
“Talic,” she called.
“Yes,” I answered softly.
“Look into my eyes and let your heart guide your feet. If you are very nervous, you are likely going to make a mistake,” she said softly.
I looked into her eyes and decided to follow what she had instructed me.
With each step I took, I could feel myself becoming calmer and calmer. Soon enough, everything around us seemed to disappear.
All I could see was her, and all I could hear was the beautiful music that was playing. When she smiled at me, I felt my heart flutter, and I couldn’t help but smile back. Everything seemed like a magical dream that was happening.
I had never felt like this over just a dance.
Each time she turned, I saw grace, and she moved like she was royalty. We were so in sync, and the tingles between us felt amazing.
When she stopped moving, I too did, with a smile. Without much thought, I leaned in and kissed her as she kissed me back.