Standing

Chapter 6: Gifts

"You may now speak to your beasts as your men will now speak to theirs. Any children you have will have the gift as well. But be wary my daughter, a dark being hunts you and it loves the taste of fear." The guys still have a grip on my arms so I feel their shudders as they receive their gifts. They both look at me in shock as their animals speak through our mate bond.

"Ours." I smile up at them as they stare down at me.

"I can hear them in my head and they so want to mate with me." I grin impishly and kiss each of them chastely on the lips.

"Later, first Ash." I step forward and kneel down to where Ash has collapsed to the ground. She lifts her eyes to meet mine.

"What happened?" I grimace and smile weakly.

"Let's just say that we know how to save the babies and we're going to need your Kade. But first we have to introduce the masses to my mates." Ash blushes but nods her head as I scowl and stand. I know immediately that Ash is hiding something from me but I'll talk to her about it later. I toss orders over my shoulder as I leave the room with Lucas and Gabriel flanking me on either side.

"Ash while I'm giving my speech you go to the human world, find Kade, and bring him here." I glare at Liam as we exit the doors and point a finger at him.

"If one person laughs about my hair I'm going to rip their arms off." Liam smiles and looks at me, his eyes twinkling with merriment, as he bows his head.

"Aye, lassie I hear ye." I blink and turn towards my rooms, noting his accent was completely back now.

...............................

After taking a shower, alone, since the guys were already salivating to mate thanks to their beasts I get dressed. I slid my weapons back on and put on a yellow summer dress with spaghetti straps. I leave my hair down to hide the sword on back and I don't slide on shoes. I never wear shoes unless I have to. I take one quick look in the mirror and put on black eyeliner then turn and leave the room.

The guys are waiting by my bed dressed in khakis and black short-sleeved dressed shirts, that fit their muscular arms just right. I growl under my breath as I run my hands down their biceps, fascinated. They were so....

"Love, maybe you should focus?" I blink and slowly look up to meet Lucas's eyes. I see the lust mirrored in his eyes as I slowly lick my lips. Gabriel clears his throat and I look at him and blush. I quickly drop my hands and turn towards my balcony as the guards open the door. I pretend not to hear what Gabriel says to Lucas.

"It looks like she's getting over her public displays of affection." I walk out onto the balcony as they both chuckle behind me. I have only taken two steps out when my beasts start going crazy, automatically I jerk my hand in front of my face, and I am amazed to see I am holding an arrow. My eyes narrow as my people howl in outrage from below me. The guys appear and Lucas climbs onto the roof to catch the assassin as Gabriel shields me with his body. I take a moment to examine the arrow. It is red tipped like that of the royal house, which means.... My mind shouts before my body and Gabriel turns as the guard beside Liam leaps at me with a dagger. It has barely sunk into Gabriel before several things happened at once.

One, my sword on my back is in my hand and sliding through the muscles in the guard's neck. Two, Liam leaps at him from the other side as my sword finishes going through the guards neck and I realize I might not be able to stop the momentum before I killed Liam. Three, another guard is thrown from the roof as Lucas leaps down to us. I twist my hand and release my sword in the air as Lucas reaches out a hand and catches it. I keep turning and catch Gabriel before he hits the ground. The guard's head I have cut off lands at the feet of the clans. I blanched and mind speak to Gabe.

"How bad because I really can't leave just yet?" He grunts and stands, leaning against Lucas, so he can stand all the way up. I smile and take that as I have a few moments. I turn and stare out into the crowd as I speak.

"As you know I have been getting whipped for the last three years so I could keep my wolf due to an outdated law. I kept with our traditions and did not mate with my wolf to keep my people happy and...." I glanced at Lucas who smiles, encouragingly. "...because I have a leopard that is my mate as well. I have done my duty to my people and I have now done my duty to my heart and my beasts." I grab Lucas and Gabriel's wrists and pull them up into the air so the clan can see their marks. The crowd is silent as their crowns glisten in the sun. "I have mated with my wolf and my leopard since I am apparently both. Noella has also called the 'Trial of Queens' upon me. I will take the test after I have had our children." I lower my hands but keep the guys hands held in mine. The crowd is silent a second longer then there are cheers from every corner of the courtyard. I look at the dead guards at my feet, then at my mates. Their eyes are bright and they are shimmering. I know immediately what that means as I turn from the balcony and head inside. My mates have had a scare and wounded or not they need me to calm them and calm them I will.

I shut the balcony doors and glance at the guards who quickly leave the room. I know my eyes are flashing yellow as Gabriel pulls off his shirt so I can look at his wound. Luckily it isn't deep and it is already starting to heal. I leaned forward and run my tongue over the wound in the middle of his chest. He shivers as I lean back and glance at Lucas. Lucas smiles and leans forward to lick the wound, in order to heal it completely. I shiver as I watch Lucas's tongue slide up Gabriel's chest. When he straightens they both look at me and I shiver. They smile as if they know exactly what I'm thinking. Which in fact they do.