Page 6 of Alien’s Love Child

CHAPTER 6

DAVIN

P araxan's snoring fills our shared quarters, a rhythmic rumble that would normally lull me to sleep. Tonight, it only serves to highlight my restlessness. The ceiling offers no answers, just the dull metal plating I've been staring at for the past three hours.

My mind circles back to Jesse. The way her eyes light up when she laughs at my stories, how her fingers brush against mine when passing tools in the engine room. It's becoming harder to maintain the professional distance I need for this job.

Throwing off the thin blanket, I swing my legs over the side of the bunk. The metal floor chills my bare feet. Paraxan rolls over, his fur rustling against the sheets.

The corridor stretches before me, dimmed for the night cycle. My footsteps echo softly as I walk, trying to sort through my conflicting priorities. The bounty on Xander would set me up for months, maybe even a year. But Jesse...

I rub my chest where that familiar pull tugs at me. Fated mates are rare enough among my own people. Finding one in a human? The universe has a twisted sense of humor.

The military trained me to compartmentalize, to focus on the mission above all else. But they never prepared me for this. Every time I get close to finalizing my extraction plan for Xander, Jesse's face appears in my mind. The hurt, the betrayal I'd see when she realizes what I've done.

I pause at a viewport, watching the stars streak by. Maybe there's a way to complete the job without destroying what's growing between us. If I could explain, make her understand...

The smell of fresh tea draws me toward the kitchen. Strange, at this hour. As I round the corner, I stop short. Jesse stands at the counter, her red hair loose around her shoulders, wearing an oversized shirt that barely reaches mid-thigh.

I clear my throat, and Jesse whirls around, nearly sloshing her tea. Her eyes widen, traveling down my chest before snapping back to my face. A blush creeps across her freckled cheeks.

Ah. I forgot to put a shirt on.

Not that she seems to be complaining.

"Can't sleep either?" she asks, her voice slightly higher than usual.

"The old man's snoring could wake the dead."

She laughs, reaching for another mug. "Tea? It's mint."

"Sure." I lean against the counter, deliberately flexing as I cross my arms. "Didn't take you for an herbal tea person."

"There's a lot you don't know about me." She slides the mug across the counter, her fingers trembling slightly. "Though apparently, you don't believe in sleeping with a shirt on."

"Does it bother you?" I smirk, taking a slow sip.

"Please. I've seen plenty of shirtless men before." She rolls her eyes, but her gaze darts to my chest again.

"But none quite so blue?"

"Or so humble." She taps her fingers against her mug. "Though I have to admit, the silver markings are... interesting."

"They're ancestral tattoos. Want a closer look?"

She nearly chokes on her tea. "That's got to be the worst pick-up line I've heard in three systems."

"Who says it's a line? Maybe I'm just being educational."

"Right. Because you're such a devoted teacher." She pushes off from the counter, brushing past me. The brief contact sends electricity through my skin.

Jesse pulls out a chair, the metal legs scraping against the floor. I follow suit, settling into the seat across from her. The tea's warmth seeps through the mug into my palms.

"So, what was it like? Running with the Sirius Syndicate?" Her eyes sparkle with curiosity over the rim of her cup.

I lean back, drawing from an old infiltration mission. "Ever heard of the Nexus heist?"

"Who hasn't? Three ships, supposedly untouchable cargo..." She leans forward. "Don't tell me you were there."

"Right in the thick of it." I tap my finger against the mug. "What they don't tell you is how we got past those quantum locks. Everyone thinks it was some fancy tech or inside job."

"Wasn't it?"

"Nah. Sometimes the old ways work best. Had to spacewalk between ships in complete darkness. No lights, no comm chatter. Just me and the void." I pause, remembering the actual mission. "Used the debris field as cover. Guards never thought to look for someone crazy enough to drift through that mess."

"You're lying." But her smile widens.

"Hand to heart. Lost three good tethers that day. Nearly lost something else when a piece of scrap metal came spinning past." I gesture to my side, where an actual scar sits from a different mission entirely. "Missed me by inches."

"And the cargo?"

"Trade secret." I wink, enjoying how she rolls her eyes. "Let's just say it involved a lot of creative reprogramming and one very confused security AI."

"That's not what I heard happened."

"History's written by the winners. And the ones who don't get caught." I take another sip of tea. "Though I'll tell you this – those reinforced containers everyone talks about? They're not nearly as tough as they look when you know exactly where to hit them."

Jesse props her chin on her hand, completely engrossed. "And where would that be?"

"Now that would be telling." The irony of using my actual military experience to build this false persona isn't lost on me. "Though I might be persuaded to share more stories."

Jesse's lips curve into a smile that makes my pulse quicken. The dim kitchen lights catch the gold flecks in her green eyes.

Why am I holding back? She's right here. I'm sure she'd melt in my palms if I held her close, laid her out on the table…

"Your turn," I say, leaning back. Not yet. It's not time yet. "Fair's fair. Tell me about little Jesse's first adventure."

She traces the rim of her mug. "You really want to hear about twelve-year-old me making a complete fool of herself?"

"Even more now that you've put it that way."

"Fine." She tucks her legs under her. "First time my parents let me help on a real job. We were running stolen medical supplies– actual medical supplies, not the recreational kind. I was supposed to be the lookout while they made the exchange."

"Let me guess – you got distracted?"

"Worse. I thought I saw Ataxian patrol lights and hit the emergency alarm." She covers her face. "Turns out it was just some kid playing with a light stick outside the warehouse."

"Oh no."

"Oh yes. The whole operation went sideways. Dad dropped half the supplies trying to run. Mom twisted her ankle jumping over a crate. And me?" She drops her hands, laughing. "I was so scared I climbed into a ventilation shaft and got stuck."

"How long?"

"Three hours. They had to take apart the whole thing to get me out." She shakes her head. "Dad didn't even yell. Just looked at me, covered in dust and crying, and said 'Lesson one: always verify your intel.'"

"Smart man."

"Yeah. Lesson two was 'know your escape route before you need it.' Lesson three was 'never hide somewhere you can't get out of on your own.'" She drains her tea. "Though I think the real lesson was 'don't trust your pre-teen daughter as a lookout.'"

I laugh at her story, the sound echoing in the quiet kitchen. Jesse rests her chin on her palm, studying me with those mesmerizing green eyes.

"Your turn again." She traces patterns on the table with her finger. "Any great loves in your past? Someone special waiting for you somewhere?"

My smile falters. Is this a test? The way she's not quite meeting my eyes suggests something more than casual curiosity.

"There was someone, once." I rotate my mug, watching the tea leaves swirl. "Back when I was young and stupid. Mira. She lived next door to my family's estate."

"What happened?"

"Life. Her parents had arranged a marriage with some corporate heir before she was even born. We knew it wouldn't last, but..." I shrug, remembering those stolen moments in the garden, the way her eyes seemed to glow in the moonlight. "You think you can change fate when you're that age."

"Did you try?"

"To what end? She had a duty to her family. I had..." The military. The structure. The escape. "Other paths to follow. Last I heard, she's running her husband's trading empire and has three kids."

"I'm sorry." Jesse's hand twitches, like she wants to reach across the table but thinks better of it.

"Don't be. She's happy. That's what matters." I meet Jesse's gaze, that familiar pull growing stronger. "Besides, sometimes fate has other plans."

The truth of those words settles between us. If I hadn't taken this bounty, if I hadn't tracked her ship... I'd have never found what was actually waiting for me in the universe.

The comfortable silence stretches between us, and I decide to test the waters. "So, what's Dr. Xevran's story? He seems... jumpy."

Jesse's fingers stop their pattern-tracing on the table. Her shoulders tense slightly – most wouldn't notice, but military training makes these tells obvious.

"He's just a doctor looking to help people." She takes another sip of tea, not meeting my eyes. "We're giving him a lift to where he can do more good. He give us free care in exchange."

"Must be some kind of good to need such discrete transport."

"Some places don't make it easy to help people." She shrugs, but her knuckles whiten around her mug. "Sometimes the best intentions get tangled in red tape."

I nod, keeping my expression neutral despite the disappointment settling in my bones. She's still feeding me the cover story. After our shared confidences, the stories, the growing connection – she still doesn't trust me enough for the truth.

"Well, the galaxy needs more good people." The words taste bitter on my tongue. "Especially doctors."

Standing, I stretch, giving her one last chance to open up. "I should try to get some sleep. Thanks for the tea and company."

"Anytime." Her smile is genuine, even if her words weren't. "Sweet dreams, Davin."

Walking back to my quarters, every step feels heavier than the last. The mission should be simple now – she's confirmed she's going ahead with smuggling Xander. But the thought of betraying her trust, even this limited version she's given me, twists something deep in my gut.

Paraxan's snoring welcomes me back to our shared room. I climb into my bunk, the metal frame creaking under my weight. The ceiling offers no more answers than it did hours ago.