“Why?”
“Because the baby depends on us as a community to protect her. We are warriors; we battle together and yet live alone. It’s like we’ve just entered into the biggest battle of our lives,” Finn told Bay.
The babe made a sound and twisted her neck towards her mother. Bay brought her to her nipple and the infant latched on. Finn watched, completely entranced until Zane arched his eyebrow at him. Smiling sheepishly, Finn left.
“She has some grip,” Bay muttered.
“And no teeth,” Zane said with worry. He too watched, filled with amazement. He had never seen an infant nurse. The tiny sucking and swallowing sounds were like the hum of life.
Bay chuckled. “Human babies are born, normally, without teeth. They’ll develop in a few months.”
Zane felt relief; Draven had teeth when Zane found him. “She’s beautiful.” He ran a large hand over his daughter’s forehead. “What will you call her?”
“Why don’t you name her?” Bay suggested.
“Me?”
“Sure, why not. She’s yours too.”
Zane sat and thought for a moment. He had never thought in his life to be naming a female child; he had never thought in his life to be caring for his own infant daughter. He was already in love with the tiny babe. Again, Zane was astounded; Bay and he had actually made love happen. He was looking at her.
“Luna.”
“Luna,” Bay said musingly. “I like the name.”
“It was my mother’s name.”
“It means moon.”
Zane smiled cheekily. “Well, she does mean a whole world to me.”
Draven poked his head into the room. “Can I come in?”
“Come and meet your little sister,” Bay said.
The baby had stopped nursing and was sound asleep. Draven crept closer. Zane understood his hesitance; males were never supposed to go near a female baby. It meant certain death; it was instinct to steer clear. But in his childlike innocence, he was too curious; it was one of the reasons it was safer for males to stay away from females—curiosity. Draven climbed onto the bed; he seemed stunned when Bay pulled him closer and encouraged him to hold Luna. Zane watched anxiously; Draven would never hurt the babe, but he wondered…
Draven shifted the tiny female into his arms, closer to his fur. Like Zane, the boy began to grow in size. Draven was big to begin with, but Zane was impressed. So was Bay. This was no normal growth spurt for his son; this new warrior battle mode was exceedingly powerful for one so young.
“Well, my goodness, you really are a big brother,” Bay said.
“I feel like I could beat up a cyron!” Draven studied his long black nails for only seconds before turning his attention back to his baby sister.
Zane wondered if Draven could take on a cyron. A warrior could scent the extent of his opponent and though only a child, Draven would be a formidable adversary. It seemed Luna had the same effect on males of any age. Zane’s village wouldn’t need the protection of the Zargonnii females any longer. Zane reached to take Luna, and for a moment, Draven seemed reluctant to part with her. Zane chuckled; it was more than likely this little female would be held her entire first month and perhaps beyond.
Finn returned to the room; his expression was a cross between annoyance and amusement. “There is a line outside of male warriors who want to see the first female Zargonnii baby of their lives.”
“She is half-Zargonnii,” Bay corrected. “And she’s sleeping. Tell the warriors they’ll have lots of chances to visit next week—one at a time.”
“Alright, but they need something—a name, perhaps?”
“Tell them her name is Luna,” Zane said with pride, “and tell them to go into the backyard and I’ll hold her up to the window.” Bay arched an eyebrow. “Bay, I know she’s only a few minutes old, but if I were out there feeling what I feel, it would be killing me to not even see what every fiber of my being is demanding I protect.”
“Well, wrap her in a blanket.”
Zane wrapped Luna in a warm blanket, and with Draven at his side, he went to the window. Just holding a newborn was something all Zargonnii males never thought to do, and there was a collective sigh from the warriors when Zane shifted Luna so they could see her tiny face. When Zane unwrapped her blanket, every male in his backyard grew to an extended height, so much so they began spilling from the area and some ended up on top of the fence. Powerful male protective pheromones hung in the air. This was a new beginning for their species.
Luna began wiggling in the cool air, and Zane settled her closer to his warm chest. He sighed in contentment. Finn came over and slapped him on the back.
“Titus has heard what’s happened,” Finn said and chuckled. “I wonder how Bay would feel about traveling. If every warrior grows bigger with the scent of a female child they need to protect, we’ll be invincible.”
“Do you wonder if that’s why our females keep our female offspring from us?” Zane asked. “Do you think they know we will be just as protective and dangerous?”
“That’s a thought. I always assumed it was because females grow so much larger, they protected us from themselves. Maybe it’s her Earth human half that causes this to happen.”
“I worry about having sons with Bay,” Zane admitted. “What if they’re born like Luna—defenseless and vulnerable; what if they can’t grow into battle? You said it yourself; we get our battle mode from our mother. What if he never grows powerful enough to be a warrior?”
Finn looked thoughtful. “It’s a quandary, but perhaps human male Zargonnii will get their battle ability from their fathers. Time will tell, my friend. Only time will tell.”
Zane turned and went back to the bedroom. Bay was sound asleep and Zane slid beside her. Draven pressed close to his father, and Zane wrapped an arm around his son. There were so many thoughts inside Zane’s head tumbling and turning. They would need a separate place of learning for Luna. She couldn’t go off to school with Draven—every male in the class would be in constant battle mode. Except, Zane was now back to normal—except, even normal was a bit bigger. He wondered how Bay would feel about that; she thought he was huge already.
Draven had also slipped from battle mode, but the youngster couldn’t retain the size for long periods of time. Zane didn’t think Luna had anything to fear from the female Zargonnii; she wasn’t one of theirs, and they shouldn’t be able to sense her presence.
At a small sound, Zane was on his feet, battle mode, and feeling confident with his new great size. Blu, in battle mode, was grinning from ear to ear from the bedroom doorway.
“I came to say goodbye,” Blu said and inched closer. Blu was a brother, and yet, Zane wasn’t certain he wanted any male near his baby daughter, except Draven. “Titus has decided to search the other planets for female Earth survivors. We can’t let Castians have all the fun.” Blu inched ever closer until he was finally within arm’s reach. He peeked at Luna and smiled. “She’s so tiny.”
Zane tensed as Blu trailed a finger down one tiny arm then relaxed. “You can hold her the next time I see you; right now, it’s difficult enough letting Draven and her mother hold her.”
“I can see why,” Blu muttered. “You are holding a female, an actual female babe in your arms. It’s incredible.”
“It’s exhilarating,” Zane admitted. “Did you ever think bringing home a tiny female pet could lead to this?”
“To changing an entire species’ lives? No. At the time, I was trying to get rid of Bay and hopefully cheer you up in the process.”
Luna stirred again and made a small mewling sound. Both Zane and Blu began crooning to her. Luna twisted to gaze at her uncle and then her father. To the males’ surprise the babe began repeating the crooning noise. It was a tiny sound to be sure, but there nonetheless. Zane found it strangely quieting.
“I wonder if all female babes do this,” Blu whispered.
“I wonder what else she can do.”
Zane smiled down at his daughte
r. As the doctor said—only time would tell. Zane had time, his baby daughter was staying with her family—all of them.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
C. L. Scholey—Please call me Connie! It’s been fantastic working with great publishers and following my dream of writing. When I’m not writing, I’m busy looking after my children, husband, and the family pet, a bearded dragon and our newest addition, a mastiff pup named Aramis, after the Three Musketeers. I’m currently working on way too much, as normal, but I love every second of it. Please feel free to contact me at [email protected]. Look me up on my web page www.clscholey.com or join me on Twitter and Facebook. I look forward to hearing from you.
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Bay's Mercenary [Unearthly World Book 1] Page 12
