by Rena Marks
Strangely enough, I no longer care about being nude. Humans still carefully avoid each other’s eyes when we’re naked, but Blaedonians don’t even seem to notice. That is, since the curiosity of having humans land on their planet has worn thin. In the beginning, the men stared appreciatively. Now, everyone’s seen everything and it’s more normal not to stare.
Atareek lets the blanket drop from me when we enter the cave where the gurgling hot spring pool sits. With a smooth maneuver, he drops his loincloth and enters the water.
“You don’t look like you were quite ready to party, either,” Tessa says.
“I slept the day away.”
Tijar grins. “As did Tessa.”
She yawns. “Delivering babies is hard work.”
She has no idea.
Tijar leans toward Atareek. “Now that the weather is steady, we need to make the seasonal run. Rayhaan will head the expedition.”
Atareek nods.
“What is that?” I ask.
“We head out to collect plants that have been growing in the wild and bring them back to the village for transplantation. It makes for stronger plants when they receive a head start growth in their native soils.”
“So you don’t just plant new ones here?”
“Not always.”
“Are we going?” I ask.
Atareek smiles at me. “If you wish, Vee.”
“Oh, good,” Tessa says. “We’ll go, too?”
Tijar nods. “I am sure Jeroc will want to get away for a bit.”
I love that the three of them get along so easily. Three isn’t always an easy number, but their mating makes it work. I imagine we’d be a threesome, too, if Atareek had been cloned.
“Don’t even think about it,” he growls in my ear. “I’m selfish.”
It makes me giggle when he clamps his fangs onto the side of my neck and lets the vibrations of his growl rumble over my skin. The man is so easy natured, nothing perturbs him. Not even when I was scared witless that he was a scary, blue alien stalker.
Eventually we move from the bathing pool, and get dressed. Everyone else is outside.
The smells of roasting meat permeates the air. Children run by, laughing and chasing each other. Little girls have been mimicking Niki, and have tiny blue stuffed dolls under their shirts, where they pretend to nurse the infants. I try not to laugh.
The bright red sun casts a pink glow to the sky, but the heat isn’t so drastic here in the village. There is too much shade and greenery here. Under the full-grown trees, small areas have been set up for people to sit. Some areas have wooden chairs and tables. Others have pillows.
Across from us, a crowd is gathered. I assume Nike and Drakar are in the center of the crowd, and everyone is ogling the new baby.
“You’re awake,” reverent mother says. “Come sit. What can I get you?”
I smile at Lachlana. “What can I get you, grandmother? You should be the one sitting and relaxing.”
She grins broadly at the title. “I am running on nervous energy,” she confides.
“Then sit and visit,” Atareek says. “We will go get the plates.”
He and Tijar get us seated, and leave us.
“Where is Jeroc?” I ask Tessa.
“He was at his mom’s earlier. He should be around soon.”
“Any children in your future?” Lachlana asks Tessa.
Tessa grimaces. “Not after that labor.”
“It’ll get better. That was our first hybrid.” I don’t want to mention that I’m going to prepare for future births now, because it was still horribly irresponsible of me to ignore the fact that I needed to prepare for Niki’s labor.
“Some of you will be heading out to gather the garden plants we will need for this season,” reverent mother says. “You never know who will get pregnant on a trip outside.”
“Pfft,” I answer. “You never know will get pregnant inside the gates.”
We hear laughter from across the yard, as Maca chases Jezebel. He catches her, flips her up onto his shoulder, and straps her down with a large hand covering her butt. He carries her back indoors to their cave. Of all the couples, that one is the noisiest in the sack.
“Perhaps you will take them on the excursion—” Lachlana says slyly.
“The caves aren’t large enough,” Tessa says quickly. “It would be better for everyone if they stayed here.”
I grin.
Atareek and Tijar make it back, and this time Jeroc has joined them. They carry two plates of food each, and Jeroc hands one to reverent mother.
“Thank you, my son,” she says.
“You only say that to your favorites,” he chides, earning a quick chuckle from her.
Atareek hands me mine, and sits next to me. “I got you something new.”
The silly man often brings me my favorites on the plate, but always sneaks something new for me to try. He brings a smile to my face, so I lean in to kiss him.
“May I have everyone’s attention, please?”
Rayhaan stands, his loud voice booming. Everyone in the yard quiets immediately, an almost reverent peace taking over where nervous excitement was previously. In his arms is the bundle of blanket-wrapped baby.
“I’d like to bid a welcome to the latest addition to our clan. This child is so special, not only for being a blend of two species, but for being part of our line of royalty. We wish blessings and luck to you.” He drops the blanket and holds the naked, squalling infant up to the skies.
“What name do you, First King Drakar, give this infant?” Rayhaan asks formally.
“He shall be called Nikolee.” Drakar’s voice is strong and sure.
Niki gasps, and Drakar bends his head to kiss her. I assume naming the infant after her is a surprise.
Blessings are being uttered from around the yard. To my eye, the baby looks slightly green. “His color has changed,” I whisper to Lachlana.
“I thought it was perhaps a trick of the light,” she whispers back.
“Do you suppose we might discreetly bring him over here?”
Lachlana catches Rayhaan’s eye, and raises one finger up. He makes his way to us, and hands the baby to her. She presses a kiss to his tiny wrinkled forehead, and then hands him casually to me. Atareek takes my plate as I place the newborn infant in my lap, and carefully unwrap him.
He kicks scrawny arms and legs out, testing the air.
His tiny body is still a light blue. But he now has darker pigmentation in the creases that looks remarkably like horizontal stripes.
“He’s jaundiced,” I whisper. “That’s why his skin turned green. The natural blue pigment mixed with the yellow of human jaundice.”
“What does that mean?” Lachlana says, her voice low.
“His organs are not filtering bilirubin properly. It’s common with human infants, but not so soon after birth. Usually sunlight helps.”
She gasps. “Blaedonian infants can’t be kept in the sun. It’s why he’s wrapped and in the shade. Their immunity to the rays does not begin until after they begin to walk. Do you see how he now has light blue stripes? When the stripes dissipate into full colors, then his skin is protected enough for sunlight.”
“So the stripes are natural?” Tessa asks, leaning in. “I guess I didn’t remember them when he was born. Of course, he was covered in goop.”
“The stripes develop several hours after birth,” Lachlana murmurs. “They’ll grow stronger still. Much like Byndi’s baby.”
I’m ashamed to admit I’ve hardly looked twice at Byndi’s infant. So I say nothing.
I quickly rewrap little Nikolee and hand him back to Rayhaan. “Everything all right?” he murmurs under his breath.
“For now. We’ll keep an eye on him without worrying anyone.”
Rayhaan takes Nikolee back to Niki and Drakar, who can’t keep the smiles off their faces as they reach for the tiny, slightly striped, greenish-blue bundle. I’ve seen those looks countless times, but of course, I’m also w
ell aware of the other end of the spectrum. The overwhelming sadness when things go wrong. They cuddle the baby, and another crowd forms around them, ooh’s and aah’s sounding the same in any language.
Reverent mother whispers something to Jeroc, who sits next to her. He nods and slips away.
Atareek leans in to kiss my forehead. “Are you all right?” he says into my ear.
He knows me so well.
“Barely.” I smile at him to take the edge off.
“This trip will be the perfect time to gather the supplies you need.”
“Yes.” My smile is wider now, because out of everyone, Atareek understands. He knows my insecurities, he knows where I fall short. Yet this incredibly sexy man loves me. He has loved me from day one, even when the concept was so far from my mind I had only terror inside.
He pulls me closer to him, and I melt inside. There is no place in the world like being near Atareek.
Jeroc makes his way back, and this time he has Byndi, her mate Jerobi, and their baby. Like Niki’s, little Jacobi is swaddled head to toe.
“Ahh, there you are, Byndi,” Lachlana says. “Let me see the cutie.”
This guy’s much larger than the newborn I’d just held, of course. Part of that is the fact that he’s full Blaedonian, and part is the fact that he was born months ago, even though he was premature at the time.
“Do you mind if Valencia checks him out?” Lachlana asks casually.
“Of course not,” Byndi says.
Again, Atareek takes my plate and reverent mother hands me the heavier baby. As we are still comfortably in the shade, I uncover him. He is very well fleshed out, whereas Nikolee looks like a scrawny chicken still. Jacobi has thick stripes of darker blue pigmentation covering his lighter blue skin every four or five inches. I touch the stripes. They have a softer feel than the rest of his skin. The soles of his tiny feet are a darker blue. He giggles excitedly at being unwrapped, and I imagine he crawls around indoors naked as a jaybird.
I run my hands along the rest of his body, feeling for rough spots. I massage his joints, and press his tiny belly gently. He feels strong and healthy. I run my fingers down his spine and feel his tail.
That’s definitely different. Niki’s baby doesn’t have that. Of course, the tails disappear eventually, but Nikolee wasn’t born with one. None of the adult Blaedonians have tails now. I wonder how that happens. Does it fall off? Does it gradually grow shorter until it’s gone, and disappear completely?
I make a mental note of the differences between species, and the differences between ages. Jacobi’s overall skin seems thicker, especially at the darker rings. It’s almost as if the darker pigmentation offers a layer of protection that spreads out across more delicate flesh before the next stripe takes over.
Jacobi gurgles at me, and reaches for my hair. Apparently my hands are tickling the baby, and now he wants to play.
“Sorry, little guy,” I murmur. “We have to cover up this tender, baby-blue skin.” Without a drop of green. I cover him up and his tiny bow-mouth purses.
“Time to get you inside anyway,” Byndi says. “You’ve been outside long enough.”
She takes him from me, and murmurs a thank you at my check-over. I immediately feel guilty. I should have done this long ago.
For all my training, I’m a horrible midwife. Not at all like the amazing woman who took in an orphaned child two decades ago.
I’ll have to do better.
Chapter Four
The expedition begins the next morning, and as usual the hunters meet in the yard. Naturally, Drakar and Niki stay behind this time.
I check little Nikolee before I leave, and it’s definitely not my imagination. His greenish color is a bit more noticeable indoors than it was in the sun.
As Atareek gets his face painted by Jeroc, I seek out Lachlana.
“The baby is a wee bit greener today,” I whisper.
Her eyes grow larger. “I noticed that. No one else seems to see the difference, though.”
“Good. Keep an eye on him. Usually human jaundice goes away on its own in a week or so. But what worries me is that a baby doesn’t usually get jaundiced until a few days after his birth. Because Nikolee got it a few hours after birth, it could signal another problem.”
“Let us prepare ahead of time for those other scenarios,” she murmurs. “What are the other problems?”
“There could be a compatibility issue with the mother and baby’s blood type. We call it an Rh factor. Or it could signify digestion problems with him.”
“There are herbs to use with digestive problems. Not usually given to newborns, but if worse comes to worse, we could dilute them.”
“Perhaps we’ll take a Blaedonian’s dosage and cut it in half for humans? From there, we’ll cut the dose again based on age and weight for a newborn.”
We stop talking as someone approaches, and I wave goodbye, moving back to where our hunters have gathered. One by one, we begin to file outside the main gate.
As I look down at the ground, the shadows of me and Atareek dance on the ground. It reminds me of when I was a child and was taken by the midwife. I’d watched my shadow on the burro, my pigtails bouncing. It makes me a little melancholy.
To compensate, Atareek pulls me back to the end of the line. “Do you remember how I chased you relentlessly when you first arrived? And how terrified you were?”
I laugh. “I had no idea what was going on. Half the time I thought I was dreaming. Your language is so different than ours when we can’t understand it.” I was the first human to receive the language implementation after Lucie. The rest of them received it from a Stargazer computer when they visited later. Niki still has the ability to transfer the Blaedonian language, but it’s no longer needed.
“You were the most beautiful out of all the strange-looking humans,” he confides. “I was terrified some other hunter would notice and snatch you up.”
I remembered. It made him relentless, but it terrified me.
“I still remember our first time,” he says.
I harrumph. I had just learned the language, was suddenly aware he was interested in me, and I dropped my panties like a hot potato. I refuse to teach him that phrase.
“You were very patient,” I murmur.
“You jumped me rather quickly.”
The shock of his implication catches in my throat. I begin to outright laugh, and it comes out as a snort. Several others are the trail look back curiously. “Atareek!” I whisper.
“What?” His expression is serene. “You did. I took you outside to show you our sunrise. You reached under my loincloth.”
“It was tented up! Besides, I thought you were deformed under there.”
“I am bigger than most,” he brags.
“The size of my forearm,” I agree.
“It makes you much of a screamer when we’re alone. It’s why I like to take you away from the others.”
When we’re indoors, I clam up. I’m too aware of how sounds are so apparent with the leathers and furs used as thin doors over each cave. They block sight, but not noise.
“We’ll be alone soon,” I remind him. He’s agreed to take me off from the others so we can look for my medical supplies.
His eyes gleam. “Yes, we will go off on our own and meet up with the others at the cave before dark.”
“We’ll probably be dirty and sweaty by then. Maybe we can find a nice creek to clean up in.”
Atareek:
It’s easy to find a creek, as I know the land like the crook of my elbow. I catch Rayhaan’s eye, and make a small movement with my neck that we are veering away. He nods with a slight grin. We are all mated to humans and understand their strange shyness with sex. Valencia is a tiny, fragile human. In spite of that, she has a lush bounty. Curvy breasts and rear, with a tiny waist I can span with my hands.
She loves my easygoing personality and with her, I let it slip out more and more. But when it is just the two of us, naked? Oh, that other half
comes out. She makes me crazy with lust. I can’t wait to get her alone.
So I grab her hand and veer off into the trees, where soon we hear the gurgle of water.
“Where are we going?” she asks.
“Your creek, madam,” I whisper gallantly.
Vee chews on her bottom lip, an uncertain expression making her large eyes appear more fragile than usual. She is a beautiful woman, with light eyes framed by thick, dark lashes. I close the distance between us to scoop her up in my arms. She gasps but grips my shoulders anyway. “I can walk.”
I resist grinning, amused with her independence. She is light in my arms, and cuddles perfectly against my chest. It feels so good to have her close, and I want to keep her forever.
“Where are we going?” She relaxes against my strength.
“I’m taking you deeper into the brush. I don’t want any interruptions in case the others are exploring also.” Sex is a way of life for the Blaedonians, but humans are different. They refuse to be watched. In fact, they didn’t even want it known that they are having sex. It is a strange dichotomy, because they do love it as much as we do. In the past, we found nothing wrong with watching.
“The stream is ahead,” I rasp, because my voice is thick with need in thinking of sex. “We will go there.”
She smiles, liking that. “Okay.”
She studies my face, and I wonder what she is thinking. There are a lot of differences between us, but they seem to fade away as quickly as the seasons do. My eyes are black as the night without light. My skin? A deep, dark blue. Darker than most of my people. My muscles bulge in contrast to her softness. My hair is black, swept into a dark mane, as black as hers but with a different tint. It is so black it almost seems to have a tint of blue, whereas hers is so black but it leans toward the brown undertones.
The thick strands wave down my shoulders and the multicolored streaks of blue are a striking sight. The ladies always whispered about it during my single days. Vee is no different. Her hand turns and she runs her fingers through some of it, as if she enjoys the silky texture. My gaze flicks to hers for a second before I concentrated on where to step. “We’re almost there.”