Secret Santa Surprise: Book 29 in the Kindred Tales Series Read online

  “Our shafts merge when we bond a female to us, yes,” Clear said, without an ounce of embarrassment. “But that’s a natural biological function—the two twins becoming one. Why should that be a problem?”

  “It’s considered…perverted in some places,” Melanie tried to explain. “I mean, because the two of you are brothers—you’re blood related—and then you’re, uh, putting your, um, shafts together in a sexual way…”

  She trailed off, wishing she had never started this conversation in the first place. It was so embarrassing to be talking about this to her young, handsome coworker and it felt really inappropriate in the work environment, too. She hoped Clear wouldn’t think she was harassing him!

  “If you mean you think we’re getting pleasure from touching each other, that’s not true,” Clear said, frowning. “We are coming together to pleasure our female. And we only take the final step of joining after we have given her orgasm after orgasm and she is open and ready to take us.”

  Oh my God, he needs to stop talking like this! What if a supervisor comes by?

  Melanie shifted uneasily in her seat, pressing her thighs tightly together. It wasn’t just that Clear’s blunt talk was inappropriate—it was also turning her on by making her imagine herself between him and his twin with the two of them touching and tasting and—

  Stop it, Melanie! Stop it right now, she lectured herself fiercely.

  “Okay, well, um, that’s all very interesting,” she said quickly, wondering how to change the subject. “Thank you for explaining that to me.”

  “Will you put it in your vid?” Clear demanded, frowning. “Will you let the humans know that we don’t pleasure each other—we only wish to pleasure our mate until she opens for us to take our seed deep in her body and seal our bond with her?”

  “Yes, yes, I promise,” Melanie said, nodding rapidly. “Um, thank you so much for your feedback. Maybe I should get back to work now.”

  She put a hand on his broad shoulder and gave him a little push, willing him to go. In the next cubicle she could see that Sonja’s eyes were wide and she was trying to stifle a giggle behind her cupped hand.

  “But I don’t feel like we’ve really explored this problem thoroughly,” Clear protested, refusing to budge. “I had no idea humans were feeling this way about us! I think there’s still a lot of confusion to clear up.”

  “Well, I mean, cultural confusion is…it’s really uh, bad.” Melanie hardly knew what she was saying now. She just wanted him to stop talking about bonding because it was equal parts embarrassing and inappropriate.

  Not to mention arousing. Admit it, Melanie—imagining yourself bonding with Clear and another Twin Kindred is getting you all hot and bothered, whispered that little voice in her head.

  “I mean, take your confusion about Christmas,” Melanie went on, trying desperately to change the subject and put the kinky thoughts out of her head. “It can be really hard to understand another culture’s religious beliefs and holiday customs.”

  “True.” Clear nodded. “Like my confusion between ‘Santa’ and ‘Satan.’”

  “Yes, exactly. Look here…” Melanie typed rapidly on her keyboard until two images popped up side by side. Santa was on the right with a jolly expression on his face and a devil image was on the right, complete with cloven hooves, a pitchfork, horns, and a tail.

  “Oh, I see…” Clear leaned forward and pointed at Santa with his bag of presents. “That’s Satan, correct?”

  “No, that’s Santa,” Melanie corrected him. She giggled a little, giddy with relief at successfully changing the subject. “See the presents and the red suit?”

  “But the other figure is red too,” Clear pointed out.

  “Yes, but look at the horns and the tail and the pitchfork.” Melanie pointed out the features as she talked, rotating the holo image so that the big Kindred could see it clearly. “That’s Satan—the devil. He’s evil and Santa is good. There’s a big difference.”

  “I suppose so.” Clear didn’t sound wholly convinced. Still, he nodded at her politely. “Thank you for pointing out the differences. Human culture can be so confusing at times.”

  “That’s how I feel about Kindred technology,” Melanie told him. “That wave cooker I have in my suite, for instance—I nearly burned my hand off with it when I first moved in!” She shrugged. “And now I’m scared to death to use it. I’ve been living on cold food like salads and way too much take-out—which isn’t exactly good for my thighs.”

  She patted her thighs ruefully. She’d always been bigger in the hips and butt and thighs than she wanted to be. It was one area she worked on constantly at the gym, but since she’d passed 35, it seemed to be a losing battle.

  “What’s wrong with your thighs?” Clear asked, frowning. “I think they’re beautiful. I think all of you is beautiful, Melanie,” he added, looking her right in the eyes. “Am I allowed to say that?” he asked. “On my planet, it’s considered polite to compliment an Elite, but I don’t know about here.”

  “Um…” Melanie wasn’t sure what to say. “It’s…probably not something you ought to say to a coworker. But I’m not offended,” she added quickly. “Though I’m not sure what an ‘Elite’ is.”

  “An Elite is a female the Goddess has blessed with extra-generous curves,” Clear explained. “I noticed your curves the first moment I saw you, when you came to work in the PR department.”

  “Oh, um…”

  Melanie cleared her throat, not sure what to say. Was he flirting or was he just being nice? It must be the latter, she decided. After all, he had told her that it was considered polite to compliment women on their beauty on his home planet.

  “Thank you,” she said at last.

  But Clear was frowning.

  “No, I shouldn’t have said it. You’re getting pink in the face again, just like you did when I was talking about pleasuring and bonding. Is sex and courtship really such a forbidden subject to humans?”

  “In the workplace it is,” Melanie managed to get out. “But I’ll try to be understanding—I know our, uh, customs are still strange to you.”

  “As our technology is to you,” Clear said, nodding gravely. “You know, I would be happy to come to your suite and teach you how to use your wave. I do most of the cooking in my domicile since my brother works long hours at the Med Center.”

  “That’s, uh, very generous of you.” Melanie smiled at him. “But I don’t want to put you out.”

  Clear frowned.

  “Put me out where?” he inquired, looking honestly confused.

  “Oh, I mean I don’t want to put you to any trouble,” Melanie explained. “I don’t want you to have to go out of your way for me.”

  “I don’t mind and it won’t be out of my way or any trouble.” Clear gave her a smile that made Melanie feel absolutely dazzled. He was just so handsome.

  “Oh, well…” she said weakly. “Um…sure, I guess. If…if you really don’t mind?”

  “I don’t mind. In fact, I’m looking forward to it.” He gave her that dazzling grin again that showed an adorable dimple in his left cheek. “Tell me where your suite is and I’ll come by to help you cook Last Meal tonight.”

  Feeling dazed, Melanie told him her suite number and corridor. The big Kindred nodded and at last rose from his chair.

  “I’ll see you tonight, Melanie,” he rumbled.

  And then he left, going back to the Accounting department while Melanie tried to figure out what exactly had just gone on between herself and her much younger coworker.

  Sonja didn’t seem to have any doubt about Melanie’s encounter with Clear, though.

  “Oh my God, Miss Melanie,” she sang, fluttering her eyelashes as she rolled her chair over to Melanie’s cubicle. “Did I just hear you making a date with tall Light and handsome over there?”

  “I…I don’t know.” Melanie shook her head, still feeling stunned. “I think he was just being nice. I mean, Twin Kindred can’t date a woman without their bro
ther, can they?” she asked, remembering her research.

  “Well, no,” Sonja admitted frowning. “But he could just be softening you up to meet his brother.”

  “What? Why would he do that?” Melanie asked.

  “Because Dark Twin Kindred can be intense, girl!” Sonja told her. “I’ve heard that’s something they do, you know. The Light Twin sort of softens the girl up until she’s kind of open to the idea and then bam! He brings in the Dark Twin. And before you know it, you’re the filling in a yummy, muscular, Twin Kindred sandwich.” She giggled.

  Melanie shook her head.

  “Be serious. Look at me and look at Clear.”

  “Yeah, I’m lookin’.” Sonja arched an eyebrow at her. “So what?”

  “So what is that I’m over ten years older than him,” Melanie pointed out. “Maybe even closer to fifteen years older. I’m way too old for him!”

  “Kindred don’t think like that,” Sonja said at once. “You can’t attribute human prejudices to them—they just don’t have them. Like…when I first met Sahran, and he’s all big and blond and so white he practically glows in the dark. I mean, the boy looks all Aryan Nation, you know? So I was not prepared for him to go for me.”

  “But you’re beautiful,” Melanie protested.

  “Yes, but I’m also black.” Sonja tossed her long braids. “And with the kind of unrest that’s been going on, especially in our own country right now, I just assumed he would be hostile to me because of my race. Instead, he couldn’t wait to get in my pants!” She giggled.

  “Oh, you!” Melanie elbowed her gently. “You’re too much,” she told her friend. “And I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I still don’t think Clear would be interested in me that way. He’s just being nice.”

  “Mmm-hmm, keep telling yourself that.” Sonja grinned at her. “And let me know tomorrow how things go on your date.”

  With a wink, she rolled back to her own cubicle, leaving Melanie to wonder if she might possibly be right.

  2

  “You look tired, Brother. Long day?” Clear asked, watching his Dark Twin, Feels Strongly, collapse onto the couch in their shared suite.

  The couch, like all the furniture in their suite, including the huge bed in the bed chamber, was built for three. But as yet, there were only the two of them, though they still hoped to find a mate to share and bond with.

  “Just a long shift. And I have to go do another one in an hour.” Strong sighed deeply. “They need to hire or train more doctors. I wish you’d trained with me so you could help.”

  “Sorry, Brother—you know I don’t like how messy your profession is,” Clear remarked, coming to sit beside him and offering him a cup of coffee. He knew his twin enjoyed the human caffeine brew and it would help him be alert for his next shift.

  “Right—you like things tied up neatly. Numbers are better than blood and guts, right?” Strong gave him a rare smile, one corner of his mouth quirking up.

  “Infinitely better,” Clear agreed, grinning. He cleared his throat. “I have some news. While you’re working I’m going to help the little Elite I told you about learn to use her wave. Apparently she had problems with it before and nearly burned herself.”

  Strong frowned.

  “Why do you bother? You know she’ll never be interested in us when she finds out you’re part of a Twin Kindred pair.”

  “She already knows.” Clear tried not to sound defensive. “In fact, she’s been working on a vid for the PR department to try and help the humans understand us and our need to share a mate.”

  Strong made a rude noise.

  “Good luck with that! It seems like every eligible human female I meet runs the opposite direction when she finds out I have a Twin who I’ll need to share her with!” He shook his head. “We had such high hopes of finding a mate here on the Mother Ship, but so far…nothing.”

  “Melanie was explaining some of the reasons to me that humans don’t like the idea of their females bonding with us,” Clear remarked. “Do you know that in many places on Earth they approve of a male having more than one wife but they disapprove strongly of a female having more than one husband?”

  Strong frowned, his black brows drawing low over his dark blue eyes.

  “Why in the Seven Hells would the males want more than one female? How could you properly pleasure more than one and make her feel special if you had several more hanging around?”

  “I don’t know.” Clear shrugged. “Humans customs are still confusing to me, too. But Melanie says it’s because the Earth has many misogynistic cultures where the males think they are better than females and deserve better treatment.”

  Strong snorted.

  “Then they’re idiots who don’t deserve to have even one mate—let alone more than one!”

  “She also said that many cultures consider it morally wrong for there to be more than one male and one female in a relationship,” Clear offered.

  Strong shook his head. “That may be, but I don’t think it’s the main reason why human females don’t want to bond with us.”

  “Why, then?” Clear asked as his brother took a sip of coffee.

  “They won’t bond with us because they fear us,” Strong said, frowning. “They fear our size and strength and the fact that in order to bond with them, we both have to enter them at the same time. Do you know what the humans call that? Double penetration.”

  “Well, I suppose that describes what we do in a way,” Clear said thoughtfully.

  Strong shook his head.

  “No, you don’t understand. They use it in their pornography with two human males and one human female. But it’s demeaning the way they do it. It’s like…like the males are simply using the female for their own pleasure—as though she’s a receptacle for their seed and nothing more.”

  “But that’s as bad as blasphemy!” Clear was aghast. “To use a female instead of pleasuring her properly…Where did you see this?”

  “One of the human doctors who came during our medical exchange program showed me on his communications device,” Strong said grimly. “But it was worse than you can imagine. Often it seemed as though the males in the vid he showed me were forcing the female. They thrust roughly into her when she clearly wasn’t ready for it. And the sounds she made sounded forced and even pained—as though what they were doing to her hurt her.”

  “Gods…” Clear felt ill and he could feel through their link that his brother felt ill as well, just remembering the disgusting vid.

  “I asked the human who showed me if it was typical of their pornography and he said yes, it was.” Strong’s voice was hoarse with revulsion. “So of course if that’s the kind of male/ female /male sex the human females are seeing, it must be what they expect from us. No wonder they fear us!”

  “But we would never hurt a female,” Clear protested.

  “You and I know that,” Strong pointed out. “Most human females don’t. Besides…” He took another sip of his coffee. “Even if they didn’t think we would be rough with them, they would still fear our size. Especially the size of our merged shafts.”

  “Well, there’s bonding fruit to ease the way for our shafts,” Clear pointed out.

  “They don’t know about the bonding fruit unless we tell them, and it’s damn awkward to bring up in conversation—especially when you’re just getting to know a female,” Strong pointed out. “I mean, what am I supposed to say—

  ‘Hello, lovely one, I know I’m much bigger and stronger than the males you’re used to and you’re frightened of the fact that I have a brother who will need to share you with me, but please don’t be afraid—I have a special substance which will allow you to open up to take both our shafts at once inside your tender little body?’”

  He arched an eyebrow at Clear, who sighed and nodded.

  “Yes, that’s not exactly what you want to lead with,” he agreed. Then he brightened. “But maybe Melanie can put something about bonding fruit in her information vid about
Twin Kindred. If you’re right and our size and strength and the need we have to do ‘double penetration’ is why human females fear us, then it would be good for them to know there is nothing to fear because the bonding fruit will ease the way.”

  “That might be a good idea.” Strong nodded. “You should mention it to her when you see her tonight. Just don’t get your hopes too high, Brother,” he added. “Don’t forget—she hasn’t met me yet. And I’m much more likely to scare her away than you are.”

  “You won’t scare her away. You just need to smile more,” Clear protested. “The fact that you’re two inches taller than me and so stern all the time is a little frightening but if you’d just make the effort…”

  “I do make an effort,” Strong protested. “But none of the eligible human females I’ve met responds.”

  “Maybe we haven’t found the right female yet,” Clear told him. “Maybe Melanie is the one.”

  “Have you dreamed of her?” Strong asked. “And do you know if she’s dreamed of you?”

  Dream Sharing was commonly known to be a sure sign that the Goddess intended a male and female or in this case two males and a female to be together.

  Clear frowned.

  “To be honest, I’m not sure. I’ve dreamed of a sweet, feminine scent and long, silky brown hair…”

  “Any number of human women smell good and have long brown hair,” Strong pointed out.

  “True.” Clear sighed. “I don’t know if the dreams are about her or not.”

  “And you don’t know if she’s dreamed of you—or us—either,” Strong pointed out.

  “True.” Clear nodded. “But I’m not giving up,” he said stubbornly. “Melanie is beautiful. She’s an Elite and you know we could never hope to attract one of those on Twin Moons.”

  Elites were rare on their home planet and only males with the highest status could hope to attract and bond one.