“Oh…” she whispered, looking up at the twins. “What…what just happened? I feel so much better.”
The depression and self-loathing and anxiety were gone. Best of all, the mean little voice that had been tormenting her was finally silent.
“You were drugged last night,” Strong explained. “We all were. Someone spiked the punch.”
“I know—with Fireflower juice, right?” Melanie asked, frowning.
The Dark Twin shook his head.
“The Fireflower juice was only to mask the taste of the drug. It’s an aphrodisiac which has some pretty heavy side effects once the initial euphoria wears off.”
“So…I was drugged?” Melanie bit her lip. “Is that why I, uh, acted the way I did last night?” She hoped desperately that it was. She needed a reason for the things she’d done.
“Yes.” Clear nodded firmly. “Though you know, sweetheart,” he added, reaching out to cup Melanie’s cheek, which was still wet with tears. “Strong and I wouldn’t think any less of you even if you hadn’t been drugged last night.”
“I would think less of myself, though,” Melanie admitted. “I mean, it’s one thing to be sexually uninhibited and empowered in my feminism and all that, but it’s something else entirely to throw myself at two guys who are way too young for me and act like—”
“We are not too young for you,” Strong interrupted, frowning sternly. “And you are not too old for us,” he continued. “We are exactly the right age for each other and Clear and I believe that the Goddess brought the three of us together for just that reason.”
Melanie shook her head.
“I…don’t understand.”
“Don’t you see, sweetheart? Strong and I are trying to tell you we love you.” Clear put an arm around her and then Strong did the same and in a moment, Melanie found herself in a sweet, three-way embrace.
“Guys,” she murmured, looking up at the two of them. “I…I just don’t know about this. I’m not sure.”
“Then let us convince you,” Strong rumbled, and kissed her.
“Yes, give us a chance,” Clear urged and kissed her as well, as soon as his brother pulled back.
Melanie didn’t know how to answer, so she simply kissed them back.
20
They spent the night in Aunt Marge’s spare room, since the little old lady insisted on getting to know Melanie’s “gentlemen friends” and said that Strong and Clear should stay for Christmas. Indeed, despite Melanie’s worries that she might disapprove of the fact that there were two of them and only one of Melanie, Aunt Marge seemed surprisingly flexible.
“As long as they treat you right,” she said to Melanie, as the three of them were going up to the guest room. “That nasty Steve, he never treated you right! I just want you to be with someone who appreciates you, Melly.”
“I can promise you, Ma’am, Clear and I will protect, love, cherish, and appreciate your niece,” Strong told her, putting an arm around Melanie’s shoulders.
“For all the days of our lives,” Clear added, putting an arm around her waist.
“That’s all right then.” Aunt Marge nodded approvingly. “It’s a good thing you two came!” she added. “Now that turkey won’t go to waste!”
“What’s a turkey?” Clear asked as Aunt Marge stumped away with several of her cats following.
“A traditional Earth holiday food,” Strong answered. “Which can wait until tomorrow.” He looked down at Melanie. “For now, Clear and I aren’t hungry for anything but you, little one.”
“Oh…” Melanie felt her breath catch in her throat. “Guys, we can’t—”
“No of course not—not until you’re ready,” Strong said. “But for tonight, can we just hold you between us?”
“You need healing again,” Clear murmured, stroking her cheek. “Please, Melanie—let us hold you.”
Melanie felt herself melting.
“All right,” she whispered, looking up at them. “As long as we’re just holding each other.”
“Of course.” And Strong led the way upstairs to the guest room, which thankfully had a king-sized bed or the three of them would never have fit.
As it was, it was still going to be a bit of a squeeze to get the two huge Kindred warriors in on either side of her. Melanie couldn’t help feeling a little nervous too, because Strong had asked that they all be naked.
“Skin-to-skin contact is best for healing,” he rumbled, looking down into Melanie’s eyes. “And we’ll need as much contact as we can get to rid your system of the last of that drug and the depression that went with it.”
“I’m feeling much more myself now,” Melanie said honestly.
“But you could feel even better between us,” Clear pointed out.
“Well…”
Melanie felt herself wavering. Did she really feel confidant enough to be completely naked with the two huge, muscular warriors? Then she remembered that she still had on the float dots Sonja had given her and that decided her.
“All right,” she said, biting her lip. “But I’m normally a lot more shy than I was last night when I was, uh, under the influence. “I’ll get naked with you, but only if I can undress by myself and get into bed first.”