We washed little Jonathan the same way we had washed Kennedy.


    I was fascinated by the light markings on the baby’s skin. Unlike the men, who wore their stripes all the time, Jonathan’s only appeared when he became upset. Now as we bathed and he was rxed in the warm water, they were invisible and he was as pale as me.


    Evan held Jonathan as his Brothers cleaned his baby’s body thoroughly. They handled him so carefully, but Evan was still protective. He demanded Kein be the one to clean his hair.


    “It is matted and stuck together. You have the best hands, Brother. Clean it without causing him pain,” Evan instructed Kein solemnly.


    After our bath our baby was diapered in an absorbent towel. He was then dressed in an outfit that Nu-reeh had sent for him. It was like a bag with arms. The men told me once he started to move around small pants would be brought for him. For now, this was warmer and safer.


    “This leather,” I said touching the smooth brown of the outfit, “it feels like…”


    It felt like the coat Nu-reeh had made for me.


    I was surprised when Damien answered the unasked question. “It is like your coat,” he said putting mittens of simr consistency on Jonathan’s tiny hands. “Tosu told us the men that make his clothes will always beat the material until it is soft. Still it will give him great protection against sharp things.”


    Smallshes were tugged to secure the little mittens to his hands. Evan made sure they weren’t too tight. A cord was present under his feet and when it was tied it encased his legs in the outfit. A small hood was attached and fitted over his head. One of therge soft nkets I had made was handed to me and we wrapped him tightly for warmth.


    Clean, dry, and secure Jonathan looked up at me with those strange blue eyes.


    “It is Evan’s line,” Kein said looking down into the baby’s face as I held him. “All males born to it have eyes that look this way. It is a dominate trait, like the hair.”


    Little Jonathan started to fuss, so Evan took him and let him suck on his finger. Big eyes drifted shut and the infant was back asleep.


    “Come, little Sister,” Bane said happily, “take a meal with us.”


    My form was draped in a warm blue dress and we walked slowly out into the main room. I saw a table and chairs had been added so we could eat in here.


    “We are not to travel in the caves with Jonathan,” Damien informed me. “The women want him in a safe ce at all times.”


    That was fine for me. I was just as d not to have to drag an infant all over the mountain. It had been difficult enough with Hannah and Kennedy.


    The men were beyond excited as they sat and uncovered the feast that had been brought to us. The table wasden with tters. We would eat very well tonight.


    As soon as they started to remove the lids I smelled the pungent aroma of the leaves.


    “Eight days,” Evan said excitedly, “this mountain receives the bounty of the tami for eight days. All the men get this treat. It is a celebration.”


    “Strange,” Imented taking a seat beside Evan, “we’ve never had a feast like this before.”


    “No sons were born when we were here before,” Damien said pulling the meat apart andying arge serving in front of me.


    I sat silently in shock. We’d spent many moons in the mountains. Long enough to raise two girls. No sons had been born that entire time? The men had sex with women daily, how was it no children were born to these women?


    The race would cease to exist if this kept up.


    It made sense now, the need to mix genes with a weak human. At least I was making children. The women here did not seem to manage it.


    Our first night with Jonathan was interesting, to say the least. He got fussy after we had dinner, so I fed and changed him. He was fine for a little while and then he got fussy again. The men soon learned how nice it had been with Hannah and Kennedy, the girls could at least tell us what was wrong.


    Jonathan cried and screamed for no reason. He didn’t want the breast, he wasn’t wet, and we were keeping him warm. Just like a human infant, he was irritable.


    In the middle of his wailing Nu-reeh appeared, which frightened my family and me. Damien and his Brothers stood between Nu-reeh and our son, until she promised not to hurt me or the babe.


    They watched her carefully as she checked him over. Huge, taloned fingers examined his soft flesh and touched him delicately. I feared for myself and for my family, but Nu-reeh did not wish to harm any of us. She just wanted to be sure Jonathan was well. The screaming she expected, to some extent.


    “He will be a difficult young man,” she said handing him back to me. “Walk him,” she instructed the men. “It should calm the child.”


    The men were shaking they were so angry after Nu-reeh left. Evan leaned over and passed a gentle hand across his wailing child’s face. His other hand cupped my cheek. With utter tenderness hekissedme and thenkissedhisson. Nu-reeh had no right to touch us as she had.


    “She is correct,” I grudgingly admitted to them. “Babies on Earth are often soothed by movement. Walking and rocking him may calm him.”


    The men took turns the first night walking Jonathan. I was ordered to stay in bed and rest. Exhausted as I was, Iplied easily with the edict.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Jonathan stayed calmer as they paced the interior of our cave. I’d sleep until they determined it was time to feed him. After I was done, I was tucked back in to sleep while another of them walked the baby for a while. Moving around was the only thing that kept him calm.


    The night passed fitfully, but at some point it got quiet and I felt myself fade into aplete sleep.


    “Damn it!” Bane cursed and jumped out of bed.


    I was startled awake and looked for my son. He and Evan were gone. I tried not to panic as I followed the men out of our living area. There was no one walking by the pool.


    “She’s going to skin us,” Damien ranted walking faster.