The luna's human mate

CHAPTER EIGHT

Ashers POV

The moment we stepped out onto the street Silvias eyes lit up in a way that I really wanted to remember. I mean I wanted to hold onto that look not just draw it or paint it. There's a difference between those things and it mattered to me in a way that I wasn't totally prepared for. When I paint I'm trying to capture something from the world and put it on a canvas where I can look at it from a distance.. With Silvias expression I wanted something more personal. Something that wouldn't involve distance all.

I put that thought for the time being and focused on our current problem. The four of us were standing on a city sidewalk and we totally stuck out. We looked like we had just arrived from a world, which wasn't that far from the truth. People were starting to slow down and stare. I knew we needed to blend in.

Toby was the obvious problem. He had his hand resting on his hip, where his gun would have been if he had been allowed to bring it with him. It was a habit that he just couldn't seem to shake after everything we had been through. He looked like a bodyguard or someone who was about to have some kind of episode.

Ava was standing beside him holding his hand and looking around at the street with a mix of wonder and caution. She was trying to take it all in without looking too amazed. It was clear that she was struggling to keep her cool.

Then there was Silvia. She had gone still taking in everything around her with a quiet intensity. She was looking at the lights the buildings, the people and the cars. She seemed completely absorbed in the moment. It was like she had been waiting a time to see all of this and she wasn't going to miss a single thing.

When she caught me watching her her expression changed slightly. It was like she was closing off a little bit.

"We need to get some clothes " I said, trying to give her an excuse to look away.

I took them to a boutique a blocks away a place I had been to before. The staff knew me, which made things a lot easier. The attendant was great recovering quickly from the shock of seeing four people dressed in clothes that were definitely not from here.

It took an hour to get everyone dressed but eventually we managed it. Toby was the hardest to dress partly because he kept standing near the door like he was ready to make an escape. He ended up in some trousers and a jacket that Ava picked out for him and he looked like he was resigned to his fate.

Ava on the hand took to the clothes shopping like a pro. She moved through the racks with ease picking out a blue dress that made her look like she belonged here.

Silvia stood in front of the mirror looking at herself in some jeans and a simple white shirt. Her silver hair was loose over her shoulders. She looked... Different. Like she was seeing herself in a light or something.

When she caught my eye in the mirror I said, "You look like you belong here." Which was true. Also not entirely what I meant. I meant that she looked beautiful. I didn't want to say that out loud.

She looked back at her reflection for a moment then said, "That might be the thing anyone has ever said to me."

I. Said, "I have a feeling thats not as weird as it sounds."

The corner of her mouth moved, a little bit. Not quite a smile,. Almost.

We left the boutique. Walked through the streets taking in the sights and sounds of the city. I pointed out a landmarks trying not to make it feel like a tour. Toby gradually started to relax his hand moving away from his hip and his eyes scanning the crowd intensely.

Ava was loving every minute of it looking around at everything with eyes and a huge smile.. Silvia just walked and watched, taking it all in without saying much. I was starting to realize that this was how she processed things. She collected information and didn't speak until she had something worth saying.

My house was a short walk from the restaurant where we had lunch. When we got there I could tell that they were all surprised by how big it was. I hadn't thought about how it would look to them until we were standing outside. I heard them all go quiet.

Ava spoke up first saying, "You live here? Alone?"

I explained that my parents had retired to France a months ago so yeah, I was living here by myself.

The inside of the house was just like it always was. A bit cluttered and messy. In a comfortable way. There were stacks of books and a few unfinished canvases leaning against the wall. I watched as they took it all in trying to see it through their eyes.

Silvia said, "It's a house," which didn't seem like much but the way she said it made me think she meant something more.

They all settled into their rooms. I started making dinner. We ate in silence mostly which wasn't uncomfortable. It was just that we were all still trying to process everything that had happened.

After dinner I was heading to my studio when I heard Silvia coming down the stairs behind me. She was wearing a sleeveless top and shorts and her silver hair was tucked up. She looked younger somehow and more real.

She was looking at the canvases, against the wall and she asked if they were mine. I said yeah. She looked at them for a moment without saying anything.

Then she said, "I wanted to thank you for letting us stay here.. To apologize for... Everything."

I told her it was no deal and that the chains had been a reasonable precaution.

She looked at me. This time she almost smiled. "I have something to ask " she said. "I saw a library on our way. Could you take me there tomorrow?"

I said sure and she nodded. Looked at the canvases one time then said, "Good night, Asher."

I said night back and she went upstairs.

I stood in the hallway for a moment after she had gone looking at the canvases she had been looking at. The canvases were really interesting. I thought about the kind of person she was. She was the type of person who said sorry for things, like chains. She also asked for libraries, which was pretty cool.. When she smiled it seemed like it was hard for her to do it.

Then I went to my studio. I pulled out a canvas and started to work on it. I was working on a painting. The studio was my place to be and I loved working on new art projects. I started to paint. I was really focused, on my work.