Secret Santa Surprise (Kindred Tales)

“Don’t…don’t hurt your back,” she protested dizzily. She wasn’t usually one to faint but somehow the sight of her kitchen wall, as seen through the brand new smoking hole in her hand, wouldn’t leave her mind. And every time she thought of it, she felt that spinning sensation again.

“Don’t try to talk,” Clear told her and then he was taking her out of the kitchen, out of her suite, and into the long silver corridors that ran the length of the Mother Ship.

“What…where are we going?” Melanie asked dizzily. “Just need to…to lay down. Can’t look at …at the hole. It makes me dizzy.”

“Don’t talk,” Clear said again. “I’m taking you to see my brother. He’ll know what to do.”

“Can’t wait…to meet him,” she replied and then everything grayed out and she went limp in his arms.

4

“Where is he? I need to see my brother—now!”

Strong felt his twin’s fear and worry even before Clear came into sight.

“In here,” he said to the nurse, who had come running to get him. “Tell him to come in here.” He gestured to an empty triage room, holding the door wide.

Clear came into sight, rounding the corner with a wild look in his eyes. In his arms was a lovely human female with full, lush curves and long brown hair which spilled like a waterfall over Clear’s muscular forearm.

“In here,” Strong repeated, motioning to his brother. “What happened? Is this Melanie?”

“Yes.” Clear brought her carefully to the exam table and laid her down as gently as though she was made of Dolsarian crystal and might break.

“What happened?” Strong asked again. He had never seen his twin so distraught or felt such strong emotions through their twin-link before.

“I was trying to show her how to use the wave,” Clear said, speaking rapidly. “But as she was arranging the food she wanted to prepare, she said the word, ‘cook’ while her hand was still in the way.”

“What?” Clear frowned. “So she already had the cooking surface pulled out of the wall and aligned over the base? Didn’t you tell her that was dangerous?”

“I was going to!” There was an agonized look on Clear’s face. “But I never thought…we were just speaking so naturally and easily. The conversation was flowing from one topic to the next and I know I should have said something but I never expected her to give the command to cook while her hand was still in the way!”

“Well, it’s done now. Don’t be too hard on yourself, Brother—I don’t think it was your fault,” Strong added, seeing the state his twin was in. “Which hand was injured? Ah—the right one,” he answered his own question, leaning down to look at the smoking hole in the female’s delicate hand. “This is bad,” he said, frowning and shaking his head.

“What—too bad to fix?” Clear demanded. He glared up at Strong. “You’re the doctor, Brother—so fucking fix her!”

Strong looked up in surprise. Clear never cursed. He had never seen his twin in such anguish before. Obviously the lush little Elite who was lying on the table had already captured his heart.

“All right,” he said, using a calming tone. “I can fix it—it’s just going to hurt like all the Seven Hells rolled into one. Thank the Goddess she’s out,” he added.

Which of course was the cue for the little Elite to open her eyes and look up at him.

“Clear?” she murmured, frowning. “What did you do to your hair? And your eyes…they’re blue now. Where’s the green?”

“I’m not Clear—I’m his brother, Strong,” Strong told her. “You hurt your hand and he brought you in to me to get it tended to.”

“I’m here, Melanie.” Clear took up a position on the other side of the bed and cupped her cheek anxiously. “I won’t leave you, I swear it.”

“Oh, Clear…” She reached for him with her uninjured left hand and he took it in both of his.

“It’s all right,” he told her softly. “Strong is one of the best doctors aboard the entire Mother Ship. He’s going to heal you up, Melanie—I swear it.”

“He will?” Her gaze switched to Strong and he found himself falling abruptly into her clear, amber eyes. Who knew that a human female could have eyes like that? They were so exotic in her lovely, pale face. He could see why Clear was attracted to her—she was fucking gorgeous.

“Yes,” he said finding his voice at last. “Yes, I’m going to get you all healed up, Melanie.” He liked the taste of her name on his lips. “But I’m afraid I’ll need to give you something to knock you out,” he went on, trying not to get lost in her eyes again.

To his surprise, she shook her head vehemently.

“No! I don’t…don’t do well with any kind of anesthesia. Had…had it during surgery when I was younger and broke my leg. I was sick for…for a week afterwards.”