Chapter 3

3

T he afternoon passed in a blur. Jesh smiled and laughed at the right moments during the movie, but she couldn't have told you what the plot was about. All her attention was on Penny, sitting next to her. For each searching little look the teen threw toward her, Jesh swung between thinking she was overreacting and being absolutely sure that her family weren't her caregivers; they were guards.

When the movie ended, Penny turned to her. "Want to go for a walk? Mom said the fresh air might do you some good."

Jesh considered it. Getting out of the house would be nice. She didn't think she'd actually been outside since she woke up. Even arriving back here… back home, the car had pulled directly into the garage.

So the idea of breathing free air was suddenly too tempting to pass up.

"Yeah, that sounds good."

Heading to the back door, she found shoes that fit her next to Penny's. They were battered, soft sports trainers that looked familiar, but when she put them on, they felt odd. As though they were worn in like they appeared but not by her. They were her size, yes, but they pinched oddly at the toe like they belonged to someone else. And she felt oddly naked in them, as though she was used to wearing something a lot sturdier.

They stepped outside, walking down the drive and onto the street as the gates closed soundlessly behind them. The neighborhood was a quiet one. The tree-lined streets she'd seen from her window created a picture-postcard view that was almost too perfect.

Jesh shoved her hands in her pockets, her shoulders hunched as she looked around for anything that felt familiar. Anything that might spark a memory. Thankfully Penny was quiet. She'd stuffed earbuds in as soon as they'd stepped outside, playing her music. The trouble was, Jesh couldn't hear any music, even muted, from the earbuds.

She ignored that little detail. The Hargroves were rich, so perhaps Penny's earbuds were cutting edge or something. They walked together, and Jesh focused on the sounds of the town around her: the leaves of the trees rustling overhead, birdsong, and the distant hum of lawnmowers. It all seemed so… normal .

Yeah, she definitely had to be going crazy. This was all too normal and mundane to be anything other than reality. There was no conspiracy. She'd just taken one hit too many to the head during the crash, and who knew what a bad dose of radiation sickness could do to a person's mind.

But then she realized people were watching her. The neighbor across the street was watering his garden, but his attention was more on her than his plants. A jogger coming the other way slowed down as she passed, her gaze lingering on Jesh for a moment too long. Drivers of the cars going past them stole quick glances at her, but not out of curiosity. No, this was more targeted. More focused.

The hackles on the back of her neck all went up. Something was off. She was being watched. No… this was surveillance.

Something clicked into place in the back of her head, and then she saw her surroundings in a different light. She glanced around, her mind automatically calculating the distance to the nearest cover… it was an oak tree ten feet away and then a parked car a bit down the street. Or she could head backward and duck into the alleyway they'd just passed.

She blinked as a thought hit her. She was mapping out where she'd run if soldiers suddenly burst from the undergrowth with guns drawn or piled out of a speeding van. What would she do first? Drop to the ground or make a break for the nearest cover?

She shook her head to clear it. What was she thinking? It didn't make sense. None of this made sense. But the instincts were there… as if they were hardcoded into her very being.

She realized she'd stopped in the middle of the path, her chest heaving as she looked around for enemies that weren't there.

"Elena… are you okay?" Penny broke the silence, her voice soft but probing. Wise beyond her years.

Jesh swallowed and picked her words carefully. "I'm okay. I'm… adjusting. It's strange, being back. Everything feels familiar but foreign at the same time. Like I'm looking at everything through a broken mirror."

Penny nodded, sympathy written over her young features. She had a scar under one eye. Strange. Jesh hadn't seen that in any of the pictures. It must be recent. "I can only imagine. It must be hard, trying to piece everything together."

Jesh glanced at her sister. "Yeah, it is. I just wish I could remember everything, you know? It's like there's this wall in my mind, blocking me from getting to the truth."

Penny's gaze flickered, something in the backs of her eyes. But before Jesh could work out what it was, it was gone. "You will. You just need to be patient."

Jesh snorted. "Never been very good at patience."

But even as she said it, the words felt wrong. Was that what she really thought, or had she said that because she'd read her notes when the doctors weren't looking. "Patient exhibits extreme impatience when treatment not going to plan."

Penny chuckled. "Yeah, that's about right."

Jesh's senses kicked into overdrive again as they continued their walk. Her eyes scanned license plates, noticed an older couple pretending not to watch them from their porch, and worked out the exact number of steps to the nearest house where they could take cover if needed.

A sudden breeze rustled the leaves overhead, and she shivered despite the warm day. It brought her back to the present, to the perfectly trimmed lawns and the peaceful suburban streets that now felt suspiciously like a cage.

Her comm unit buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it free. She saw a message from her doctor's office.

Ms. E. Hargrove. This is a reminder for your scheduled appointment with Dr. Lewis at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow. Please ensure you arrive ten minutes early for prescreen before testing.

She blew out a sigh. She was an old hand at the routine now. There would be blood tests, scans, and then endless questions about her health and well-being. Whether her memory had started to return yet.

She didn't want to go. She wanted to ignore it, but she knew better. She had to keep up appearances.

"What's that?" Penny asked, trying to get a peek at her screen. Strangely, though, Jesh got the feeling she already knew what was on there.

"Doc appointment," she replied absently as she typed a quick reply. Thank you for the reminder. I will be there.

" Another one?" Penny huffed. "But we only just got you back!"

"Afraid so," she said as she pocketed the device. "They want to run more tests."

"More tests?" Penny's eyes narrowed slightly. "What exactly are they looking for with you? It seems like they're always poking and prodding."

Keeping her expression neutral, she shrugged. "They're just being thorough. Which they should be with the amount Mom paid for the insurance."

"If you say so." Penny didn't sound entirely convinced but let the matter drop. "Hey! Race you back to the house."

With a grunt, Covak hoisted the barbell overhead, his heavy muscles barely straining with the effort. Metal clanked as he lowered the weights, the sound echoing off the steel walls of the Reapers' gym. The room was built for utility rather than comfort—battered flooring scuffed from the many hours of training he and the other Reapers had put in here. Punching bags hung from the ceiling, gently swaying with the ship's motion. Dumbbells and kettlebells, their handles well-worn from use, lined the walls.

Sweat slicked his skin, highlighting the intricate patterns etched into his flesh—a celebration of his Vorrtan heritage. Damp hair clung to his neck and brow. He inhaled deeply as his muscles burned. He embraced the pain as a sign of progress and growth. No pain, no gain.

As he set the barbell back onto its rack with a satisfying clink, movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He glanced up at the small window that looked out into the corridor, catching sight of Tell walking past.

Covak rose to his feet. He'd been curious about human females ever since one had come aboard when the Reapers had transported the human president, Murphy, beyond human borders to rescue his mate. Since then, his fascination with human females had only grown. Compared to the Vorrtan, they seemed so small, so delicate, and utterly fascinating at the same time.

He sauntered over to the gym's doorway, his movements fluid despite his bigger-than-everyone-else-aboard bulk, and leaned against the doorframe. A sharp whistle cut through the silence of the corridor, and Tell turned, his eyebrow raised as he glanced back over his shoulder.

"Oi, Tell. You're human," Covak said in a low rumble. "Got a minute?"

"Nothing gets past you. Does it?" Tell replied mildly, but he nodded and stepped into the gym.

"Always knew you weren't Lathar. Figured you for some kind of hybrid runt," Covak said, crossing his arms. Muscles rippled involuntarily at the motion and a seam tore under his arm. Dammit, he was going to have to get some new shirts soon. "Wanted to ask you something… about human females, actually."

A smirk quirked the corners of Tell's mouth. "Human females? Never took you for the small talk type."

"I am when the topic's interesting enough," Covak replied, flashing a fang-filled grin. He gestured to a nearby bench. "Take a seat in my office."

Tell obliged, stretching out his long legs as he settled onto the bench. Covak took a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking again.

"So, Anya… the female who was with Murphy. She was the first human female I've seen up close. They all like that? So… small ?"

Tell chuckled.

"Compared to you, yeah. Human females tend to be smaller than males, though it varies. The major's on the petite side, even for a human. They're not all quite so small."

Covak sank onto the bench opposite Tell, nodding thoughtfully. It creaked beneath his weight but held fast. He thought back to meeting the human. At the time she had seemed too delicate to be real… and beautiful. Utterly beautiful. He'd been scared to even breathe heavily in case he broke her.

"So they're not as fragile as they look?" Covak asked, hopefully.

Tell grinned. "You'd be surprised. Humans may lack Vorrtan strength, but back them into a corner and they're capable of impressive things. Seen some human females take down opponents twice their size with the right training."

Covak blinked. The idea of such strength and resilience in so delicate a form was captivating. "Do tell. What are they like, personality-wise?"

Tell scratched his head. "Broad question, that. They're as varied as anyone else. Some hard as nails, others more nurturing. In my experience, many are resourceful, intelligent. Though to be fair, I've mostly dealt with women in my own line of work. Civilians might be a bit different."

A low, rumbling chuckle rolled from Covak's chest. "Imagine that—human females infiltrating alien crews. Next you'll say they're running the galaxy."

Tell shrugged. "The answer might surprise you. Lathar aren't humanity's only target."

Covak's gaze sharpened. "Oh? Who else you been making friends with?"

Tell's expression shuttered, the easy rapport evaporating. "Let's just say we have fingers in a few pies," he replied, his tone brooking no further questions. Covak knew not to push. The human would divulge no more secrets today. He'd gotten way more secretive since they'd found out he was human.

"You're no fun anymore," Covak grouched.

"That surprise you?" Tell asked, his eyes glinting.

Covak shook his head, chuckling softly. "No, why would it?"

Tell watched him for long moments before answering. "Plenty of Lathar I've met seem to think females are helpless, in constant need of protection."

Covak's laugh boomed through the room, echoing off the metal walls. "Clearly they've not met the right ones. Someday I'll take you to a Vorrtan home world. With that pretty face, some warlady will snap you up for her harem quick as a blink."

Tell arched a brow. "That so? Sounds like I'd have my hands full."

"Oh, you would," Covak assured him, still chuckling. "Vorrtan females are larger than males, and highly aggressive. They run our society with iron fists. Trust me, you'd learn the true meaning of ‘strong woman' right quick."

The gym lights flickered briefly, likely due to a course adjustment, but Covak took no notice of it, all his attention on Tell. The human was his best source of information about human females, and Covak wasn't about to go into the battle of courtship without as much intel as he could get.

"In your experience, what's the best way to approach a human female without scaring her?" Covak asked, his lips quirking wryly. "For someone like me, I mean."

Tell grinned. "Don't growl at her?"

He chuckled and flashed a fang-filled grin. "Noted."

"Just be yourself," Tell continued, his expression dropping serious. "Human females value honesty and kindness. Show genuine interest in who they are, not just what they look like."

Covak nodded, committing Tell's advice to memory. His thoughts turned to the female they were about to rescue. What would she be like?

The human looked him up and down. "Or you could luck out. Some ladies… they like them big."

Covak's grin widened. "Well, I'm in luck then. I'm?—"

Something about Tell's expression made him cut his words off. "You mean big, like…" His eyes widened. "Oh… seriously?"

Tell chuckled and pushed off from the bench. "Bless you, you're gonna be like a fucking lamb to slaughter, big guy, and no mistake."