Standing

Chapter 10: A little bit of courage

A/N:  THIS IS ASH'S POV WHILE PHELAN IS ATTACKING RIKI IN HER DREAMS

CHAPTER 10

A LITTLE BIT OF COURAGE

ASH POV 

I wake up to blood curdling screams. For a moment I am taken back to another time and place. Then Riki screams again. I am out of the bed before I know I am moving. I reach beside my clothes for my sword and curse when I realize it isn't there. I have left my sword at home because I know how quickly I can accidentally kill someone with it. I run out the door and up the stairs towards Riki's room, shoving my hair out of my face as I go. I should have taken one of the rooms upstairs but I'd insisted that the one under the stairs was fine. I pause at the top of the stairs when I see three guards standing in front of Riki, Gabriel, and Lucas's room. One of the guard's raises his hand and shakes his head.

"Alpha Lucas and Gabriel have the Queen." She screams again and I step forward so we are inches apart.

"Let me in to see the Queen, now!" The guard starts to speak but I punch him in the nose. I don't even realize what I am doing as the two other guards step forward. I take a step back and sweep my leg out, causing the guard I punched to fall to the floor. I reach down and grab the sword off his back as I take a step back. I roll onto the balls of my feet as I twist the sword in my hands. I keep my eyes on the guards movements as the third guard gets back up.

Riki sobs and a red haze falls over my eyes but I am still in control as I attack the guards with vigor. I shove one into a wall, knock another one out with the hilt of the sword, and I am drawing back to slice at the third, when arms wrap around me, from behind. I feel the panic seize me as my sword clatters to the floor. My breath is coming in short gasps as someone speaks up behind me.

"Let 'er go lad. She doesna like ta be touched. Get 'er loose Kade." The arms around me release me and the blackness starts receding. I look around to see Kade to my right clad only in his boxers with tattoos wrapping around his chest. I blink and look to my left as my breathing slows and see Liam is also in his boxers, holding a sword. He also has a single tattoo of a Celtic cross over his heart and he is very large, if his growing erection is any indication. I blush and look up to meet his emerald green eyes. He starts to speak as Riki sobs again. I drop my hand from my chest and start to run forward but Kade and Liam each grab one of my hands. I stop and look back at them, taken aback for a moment. They both have identical expressions on their faces. I just wish I knew what the expressions meant. Liam is the first to speak.

"It's alright lassie. Lucas and Gabe have 'er. Lucas spoke to me telepathically." I nod and freeze in spot when I realize that I am holding both their hands. I quickly let go and turn back to the guards as Lucas, Gabriel and Riki step out of the room. I blush and look down when I realize both of the men are naked and carrying an also naked Riki. I look back up when the bathroom door closes. My eyes wander to the three guards, two of whom were lying in the floor. My lip curl back as I snarl at them, forgetting to be afraid.

"Don't ever get between me and my Queen again or I'll kill you. If my sister needs me I'll kill every damn one of you to get to her." I see Kade gaping at me from the corner of my eyes as I walk into Riki's room. I am sitting down on the bed to wait for Riki when I hear Liam speak to the guards.

"Bloody idiots. She's trained our bloody blacksmiths and she trains our warriors on 'ow to fight with a sword. She isna soft just because she doesna like ta be touched." I smile softly as Kade sits down beside me. I don't say anything when Liam sits down on the other side of me. I just keep smiling. 

RIKI POV 

The guys wash me up, touching and teasing me but they won't do much else. I pout but to no avail. They insist I have to eat first. As I blow dry my hair, under Gabriel's supervision, Lucas goes to get us some clothes. Not even two minutes later there is a shriek from our room and I hear Lucas's chuckle in my head.