Standing

Chapter 6: Gifts

CHAPTER 6

GIFTS

RIKI POV

I stare open mouth at Ash's possessed body. I stand before I realize I'm standing. Gabriel is stands with me and I am sandwiched between him and Lucas. I am peering from behind Lucas when her eyes meet mine. I gasp, knowing instantly who is possessing her, and bow my head. The guys look at each other but still don't move as I speak.

"Leopard Goddess, it is a great honor." I blink and Ash no longer looks like herself. She appears to be six feet tall with tawny colored hair and yellow eyes. She is languid and catlike as she curls her legs underneath her in the chair. She smooths down her simple white dress as she smiles. I can no longer see Ash's body at all and it worries me. I start to speak and she waves her hand at me.

"Don't worry, your cousin is fine. As a human shifter your cousin is capable of taking any human shape, even yours. It is why I am able to 'borrow' her body, as it were. And this is what I look like." Her yellow eyes stare into mine as she blinks up at me. "Oops, she doesn't know she can shift into other human shapes yet. Our secret then. She'll discover it soon enough." She sets an arm on the side of the chair and gestures at us. I blink and I am sitting in the chair again but in Lucas's lap with Gabriel at our side. They growl and snarl as she smiles, wider.

"I'll tolerate insolence but only for so long. Then I'll gag and leash you." She looks pointedly at Lucas and the noises stop as I put on my 'Queen' face. She smiles and looks back at me.

"So much like your mother Realtin. Hopefully not too much." I glance at the guys knowing I'm blushing as Gabriel speaks under his breath.

"Your full name stands for 'little star'? And you didn't tell us?" His hand reaches out and caresses my cheek and I lean into him forgetting where we are. "It's beautiful Riki." I smile and turn back when the Goddess claps.

"Fabulous. Your mother never showed public affection with her wolf mate. There may be hope to save you and your babes yet." We all turned our attention back to her as she holds up two fingers.

"You have two weeks until the full moon. You need to find the wolf goddess before then. Or when the moon is full your wolf will rip through you and kill your babes. If you gain her favor she can show you how to change gently. Thus saving your children. Then you have two weeks to come back here so that I can show you how to gentle your leopard. Only then will your babes be safe to be born." I stand abruptly and stalk over to her before the guys can stop me. My chest is heaving as I struggle to contain my emotions. My eyes meet hers even as my knees quake.

"Show me the leopard first. Then we will be halfway there." She smiles and stretches her arms over the head, linking her fingers together as she looks beyond me to the guys.

"Feisty and insubordinate for a Queen, isn't she? Good look with that." She looks back to me and abruptly stands. She's so close our noses are touching. I feel the guys each grab an arm as if to jerk me back. She reaches a hand up and places it on my cheek.

"This is a quest little Queen. I cannot give you the easy way out but I do believe I will give you a gift. Would you like your hair changed back?" I raise a brow and shake my head as I growl softly.

"Mine." She chuckles and kisses me chastely on the lips. I gasp as something passes though me. Then I feel my wolf and leopard stare up at me and I hear them speak aloud through me.

"They are ours." I blink and look back at the Goddess, shocked. She smiles and then she is just Ash again. Ash blinks and draws back from me as I hear the goddess's voice in my head.