“Listen to me clearly, Vorah. Open your ears.”
Vorah looked at me intently and leaned towards me to focus harder.
“The human way is different from the Maji way, very different. When they mate, it is not for life. Males have no essence to share with a female. The only thing humans give to one another is their hearts.”
“I know they are different.” Vorah stared at me blankly. “But no essence?”
“No essence.”
“Then how do they form a bond?”
“Through time.” I shrugged. “Trust me, I know what I’m talking about. My brother Kol is mated to a human female. They have been a pair for four moon cycles now. He knows every single thing there is to know about human females. They’re similar to our females but also very different.”
Vorah’s cheeks darkened slightly. “I met Prince Kol’s female aboard the Ebony when we retrieved the human females from Earth. I don’t know if he told you this, but Princess Nova agreed to test a bond with me before she mated your brother. I had a verbal intention from her, so he challenged me, beat me, and restored her status as a single female.”
I leaned back, shocked.
“I had no knowledge of this.”
Vorah shrugged. “It is in the past. No need to relive it when he and the princess are now mated.”
“Well.” I shifted. “You don’t need to worry about losing this particular female to one of my brothers this time. I am not blind to how she looks at you. She cares for you.”
Vorah’s tapered eyes filled with hope.
“Do you think so, my prince?” he asked. “I am not skilled with females. I have never …”
His face filled with dark colour, and I quickly realised what he was telling me. Rapidly, I checked his personal profile within the System and searched for his details.
“You’re forty years of age,” I said. “Being a vilo is not something to be ashamed of at any age, but you just entered malehood. Most females on Ealra are minors, and the older ones are mated, so you don’t have very many options.”
“I know.”
“That is why we brought the human females to Ealra. They’re here to help single males find suitable mates so we can repopulate and not worry about there being so few females.”
Vorah exhaled a breath, and in a low voice, he said, “Nicah is a female who I want … I want her to be mine.”
I eyed him. “And her young?”
“I want her young too.” He bobbed his head. “When we were walking a few days ago, the young was awake and moving in her stomach. She asked me if I wanted to feel. When I felt that little one kick my hand, I wanted her too. I want Nicah as my female and her offspring to be my young, even if I am not the blood father.”
“You’re an excellent male, Vorah. Not many males would want to raise a young one who did not come from their loins, especially offspring that is not even the same species.”
“I don’t care about that,” Vorah said as he turned and looked at Nicah, who was being fussed over by Levi as she patted her head with a damp cloth. “She makes me happy. Seeing her smile is the best part of my day. I cannot eat and sleep, I think only of her. I hope her daughter looks like her because I would love nothing more than to have a child that is her image. She is beautiful.”
“Tell her that,” I urged. “Those exact words.”
“How can I, my prince?” he asked, looking hopeless once more. “She has told me she is happy I am her friend. She has never indicated that she wants me as her male.”
I grunted. “Human females are elusive. She says with words that she is happy you are her friend, but her eyes when she looks at you say a whole different thing.”
Nicah’s sudden scream made Vorah jolt, and without my having to encourage him, he rushed to her side, gripped her hand, and leaned his face towards her. She turned into his touch. Levi’s eyes were wide as she watched the pair.
“I can’t do this!” Nicah roared. “I can’t, Vorah!”
“Look at me,” Vorah said firmly. “Nicah. Look at me, beauty.”
She did. She focused on him completely.
“You’re about to become a muma. You’re nearly there, nenna.”
Nicah gripped his hand tighter. “Don’t leave me.”
“Never.” Vorah growled slightly. “Never, nenna. Now push.”
Nicah was positioned at the end of her bed with lots of pillows propping her up. With her legs spread apart, Vorah put his hand behind one thigh, and Levi did the same with the other. I placed my hand on her stomach and felt a contraction surge through her body. It was the most powerful one yet. I eased as much pain as possible without allowing my lissa to interfere with the process. I needed the young fully alert as Nicah pushed her down the birth canal. Vorah growled as Nicah screamed. It was loud and filled with pain. I watched as a mass of dark hair came into view.