“In my world, we don’t leave females unattended, Baby girl. Ever.” I’ve switched the lid on the bottle for a nipple, and now I’m carrying her back to the armchair.
“None of your females? What about the ones who are Eleadian?”
I draw in a breath. “We no longer have Eleadian females. There was a mysterious shift on our planet about a century ago when an asteroid field drifted very close to us. Gradually all of our females died off as well as our elderly. Those of us who were young at the time stopped aging at the age you see me now. I was about forty when I stopped changing.”
“What about children?”
“We don’t have any, Little one. We are so very pleased to have discovered our unique compatibility with the females from your planet, but we aren’t compatible enough to birth any young.”
“You said you live very long lives, and I will too?”
“Yes. That’s right, Little one. You will also stop aging. Our planet is very healthy and rich in oxygen. Our metabolisms are slower. We don’t know why, but we age very slowly. It’s not noticeable. In all honesty, it’s only been a century since this shift occurred. Very few of our people have died since then, even fewer from natural causes. Our scientists project we will live several centuries based on their studies of our bodies, but no one really knows for sure.”
“That’s mindboggling.”
I smile. “There are so many new things you will see and learn when we arrive, but for now, I need you to focus on understanding that you will have no muscle control and be completely helpless at first. I don’t want you to panic. I will never leave you unattended.”
She blinks at me. “I’ll be scared,” she says in a soft voice.
I hold her closer and kiss her temple. “I know, Baby girl, but I’ll do everything in my power to ease your fears.”
“You’ll use that quill on me?”
“Whenever I need to, yes.”
“It calms me.”
“Yes. My touch does too. And my tongue.” I grin.
“Your saliva.”
“Exactly.” I tap her lips with the nipple. “You need to take this bottle, Little one. We’re going to leave soon. I want your tummy full.”
“I’m scared now,” she tells me in a very soft Little voice.
My heartstrings tug. “I know you are, Baby girl. Papi has you though. I will always have you. I promise.”
“Forever?”
“Forever.”
When she parts her pretty lips to accept the bottle, I breathe a deep sigh of relief. I know we have a lot of obstacles in front of us. I’m well aware that Little girls need a lot of time to adjust. I know she will test me and end up with a sore bottom often, but we will get through this adjustment period. All Little girls do eventually.
Life will have challenges for a while, but in the end, Olivia will be my sweet Little girl for the rest of our lives. I’m beyond excited to have found her.