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"How did you know?" he asked gently.
Jessie smiled warmly and shrugged. "Something in your eyes. I'd spent a lot of time staring into those eyes."
Collin ran his fingers through his hair and turned away from her. "Now you know how different I really am." He turned to face her. "I was the only survivor when our space shuttle crashed. I'd escaped in an emergency pod. I've spent years trying to find remains from the craft."
"What's the significance of the stone statue?" Jessie asked curiously.
Collin smiles gently. "Nothing really. It was just something I'd picked up in another galaxy at a market. I really do have a thing for stones." He became silent while staring at her. "I'm sorry I had to lie to you about who and what I really am, but I really had no other choice." Collin hesitates. "I'll understand if you don't want to talk to me anymore."
Jessie smiled warmly and took his hand. He looked at her with some surprise. "It's going to take a lot more than alien blood to change my opinion of you, Collin." She stared at him a moment and raised a curious brow. "You don't eat humans or anything odd like that, do you?"
Collin laughs softly and moves closer to her. "No, nothing so dramatic--if you don't mind the whole half human half beast thing."
"Actually," Jessie began with a tiny smile, "I find it fascinating. You took several direct shots and you're not even scratched."
"My kind has the ability to heal rapidly," he informed her simply. "But it's taken a lot out of me. I'll probably sleep another ten hours."
"As long as you're back for our date tonight," Jessie replied warmly.
Collin nodded with a smile. "You can count on me," he announced warmly.
Jessie watched as Collin jumped to the nearby wall and scurried back to his dark corner.
She stared into the corner, kissed her hand, and waved it to him. A police officer entered the museum and looked at Jessie.
"Is everything alright? I thought I heard voices," the officer asked.
Jessie turned to the officer and smiled warmly. "Yes, everything is perfect." She looked back to the dark corner, smiled, and then left the museum. The officer eyed the dark corner with a strange look then followed her out the door.
*END*
