Cursed Hearts

Hyakuhei’s heart had been shattered. He’d then turned from his brother in anger and claimed the demons as his new allies. Becoming their master, his war with the guardians had been for one reason… to find a way through the heart of time so he could reclaim his lost priestess. Because of the power he’d given her, the priestess was now immortal… being reincarnated over and over as the key to the portal between worlds. But with the passing of time, she had forgotten her true power and her love for Hyakuhei.

Tama’s eyes burned with hatred for Tadamichi and the guardians. ‘What will they do to her?’ he envisioned the portrait he’d seen within his family’s living room when he would slip in and out of the house without the guardians noticing. She was lovely and he wanted his sister back.

Hyakuhei silenced the demons that awaited his command knowing he would have to be careful for now. He looked down at the young man he’d raised to be the dark prince of the demons… Kyoko’s little brother. When he had first broken through the time portal, he had come for Kyoko, had wanted to raise her by his side until she came of age for him to claim her. But the old man had hidden her away from the demons that had attacked the family.

His most lethal demons had already killed the boy and his parents before he could tighten his hold on them. It was those same demons that he now held imprisoned within his body so he could have power over them. Without his ironclad control, the demons would have killed every human they’d come across… spreading death like a plague.

Knowing Kyoko was still alive and would one day return, he’d wanted a gift for her… her little brother. He gave Tama some of his life force along with the power to help him rule over the demons. From the first moment Tama had drawn breath, they had a telepathic link. And though the boy had never spoken a word to this day… they could hear each other’s thoughts. Since then, Tama had stayed by his side willingly… just like his sister once had.

“She is of age now… they will desire her.” Hyakuhei's anger at the thought could be heard in his voice. “They will attempt to gain her trust by telling her they are protecting her from the demons. Once she befriends them, they will try to claim her and her power to control the time portal.”

‘So she’s safe for now,’ Tama mused. “But we can’t let her stay with them. She doesn’t belong there.” His emerald iris’s expanded then darkened to ebony. ‘Do you have a plan?’

“We will have to be cunning. I was not able to bring many demons with me into this world and my own powers are fleeting. When your sister’s powers are awakened by the guardians and we are reunited, my powers will be restored.” Hyakuhei could feel the sway of the demons inside him as they rattled their prison walls wanting the power that lay within the priestess. If the demons could get to her, they would force her to open the time portal and let the rest of the demons into this domain.

He growled knowing not only would he have to be smarter than the guardians… he would have to outwit the demons as well. He’d found that the only way to overcome evil was to be that much more.

“Once your sister is by my side, I will bring over my army and the guardians will no longer be such a hindrance. For now, they expect the demons to come for her, and they will,” Hyakuhei informed him.

“While the guardians are busy, Kyoko will be contacted by her long lost brother and he will warn her of the guardians’ deception. But we must take our time and be careful or we will put her in danger. If they think she is going to betray them… then they will not awaken her power. Instead, they will turn on her.”

Jealousy twisted Tama’s voice as he felt the pull from the minds of the demons around them, ‘They cannot keep her.’

“No,” Hyakuhei smiled knowing an even deeper plan, “But first… we will let them think that they can.”

When Tama frowned and looked back up at him, Hyakuhei had vanished. Using his telepathy to communicate he asked, “Are you going to see her?” his voice was wistful and full of melancholy. He wanted to see his sister but knew he had to wait on Hyakuhei to make sure it was safe.

“Shhh,” Hyakuhei’s whisper was haunted as he severed the connection between him and Tama. Another benefit to being a shade was teleportation. He materialized within the living room facing the picture that held both her and Tama. His attention slowly turned toward the stairs.

Refusing to teleport, he forced himself to take every ounce of pain the delay was causing him as he walked up the stairs and leaned against the open door frame as she came into sight. He had known seeing her would hurt and he savored every moment of it. Her suitcase was open on the bed and she was pacing back and forth, hanging clothes up in the walk-in closet.

She was the only one in the world that had the ability to simply take his breath away without even trying. Her auburn hair was in long layers with loose bouncy curls… the body of a goddess… his priestess. He watched as she slowed then stopped next to the bed, seemingly lost in thought. She crawled up on the mattress and curled up into a ball, hugging one of the pillows to her chest.

“It’s so quiet here Momma… Papa. I wish Tama would come home. Then maybe the silence wouldn’t be so deafening,” Kyoko sighed as she lay sideways on the bed not even bothering to crawl under the covers. Blinking a couple of times she felt exhaustion claim her.

Hyakuhei sat down on the bed beside her, watching her breathe. ‘It won’t be long Kyoko… you will get your wish. You will never be lonely again.’ Using a moment’s energy, his body shimmered into existence as he took the cover from the bottom of the bed. He slowly slid it up and over her body then leaned down and gently kissed her temple before vanishing.

*****

“He’ll kill us all if there isn’t any pizza left!” Kamui had a tight grip on one end of the pizza box while Shinbe and Kotaro had a death hold on the other end. Kamui let go as soon as the door opened then laughed when Shinbe and Kotaro slowly set the box down in front of Toya’s chair like they had been protecting it for him.

When Toya didn’t go off on them as he normally did, Kyou glanced up from his laptop and watched Toya take a seat at the table… the wrong seat. He cocked a dark eyebrow when Shinbe and Kotaro shrugged and opened Toya’s pizza box. They started devouring it. Toya didn’t even look at them.

“Toya,” Kyou prompted, going on high alert when Toya didn’t acknowledge him.

Flipping the laptop closed, he grasped Toya’s shoulder and started to shake him but Toya flinched, looking at him as if coming out of shock. Kyou silently wondered if Toya had run across another demon that was lurking near the house. He spread his senses out invading his brother's aura but felt no hint of contact with demons… instead he found something more disturbing.

“Has something happened?” Kyou demanded hearing the rapid thumping of Toya’s blood just under his skin.

Toya nodded… then scared the hell out of everyone at the table when his lips lifted in a smile. Toya never smiled. “I think we need to go to school tomorrow.”

“Here, you want your pizza back?” Shinbe dropped the piece he’d just taken a bite out of then smacked Kotaro’s hand, making him drop his stolen piece back into the box as well. He slowly slid it across the table till it was in front of Toya.

“You could’ve just fought us for it instead of wigging everyone out with that creepy smile,” Kotaro complained.

“I don’t think he was joking,” Shinbe said as he locked his amethyst eyes with Toya’s overly large golden ones. He leaned back in his chair now that everyone was paying attention. Seeing the dazed look trying to creep back into Toya’s eyes he sighed. “And why would we want to suddenly join the freaks down at Hormones Are Us high school?”

“Because, the girl that just moved in across the street is starting there tomorrow.” Toya’s breathing was a little ragged now that he’d finally said it out loud.

When several chairs scooted back from the table, Kyou slammed his palms down on the tabletop with a rattling thump. “Sit! Down!” It was like hitting the pause button on the TV then very slowly rewinding it. Once everyone had obeyed, he turned back to Toya. “Tell us what you are talking about.”

“She’s alone… she’s her.” Toya rubbed his temple even though he knew guardians couldn’t get headaches. “Kyoko… She was talking to the pitcher above the fireplace. That’s how I know she’ll be starting school tomorrow.”

“What’s she like?” Kamui asked getting the same look in his eyes that had haunted Toya’s only a moment before.

“I didn’t talk to her,” Toya admitted then his shoulders dropped an inch. “I couldn’t, but she was dressed like they do at those boarding schools.”

“We can find out where she’s been if her records have already been transferred to the local school,” Kotaro added helpfully.

“On it,” Kamui fearlessly snatched Kyou’s laptop. He knew a backdoor into the school system’s database because he checked all the surrounding schools regularly for signs of anyone who came and went around the age of Kyoko or Tama.

“You’re sure it’s her?” Kyou asked Toya as he leaned forward in his chair.

“We would have known her on sight. Kyoko looks like the maiden statue… but alive.” Toya closed his eyes savoring the fact that so far he was the only one who had seen her. If he tapped into the part of him that was Tadamichi… then he could even remember what she tasted like. If the other guardians knew his secret, they would have been jealous. “Emerald green eyes, auburn hair but she seemed fragile… like she’s still a little girl.”

“I’ll say,” Kamui agreed as his eyes widened on the screen. “Her records indicate she’s been living at an all-girls school in the middle of nowhere-land since she was three years old. Kyoko Hogo, age 17. All the information is here and I even have her class schedule for tomorrow.” He frowned thoughtfully, “But I don’t see anything about her brother starting the school with her.”

Toya shook his head. “I know we’d hoped they were somewhere safe together but Tama was never with her. She’s completely alone over there. Remind me again why we can’t just tell her who we are.” He already knew the answer, it was just bugging the hell out of him because he wanted to tell her.

Kamui glanced up from the laptop as he answered first. “We have taken this vote before. Anyone in their right mind would just call the police on us if we told them who we really are. She’s human Toya… with no idea of anything to do with being a priestess. We have to be careful.”

Shinbe chimed in, “Besides, the last thing we need or want are the feds snooping around because the cops are investigating us for stalking the girl next door. And if the demons find out the priestess is back, they will probably stir up quite a few messes that will have the feds back in the area anyway. It will be dangerous enough with all of us just popping up in school tomorrow.”

“Plus, if we just up and tell her that demons came after her at the age of three and she believes us… then she would probably blame herself for her family being killed,” Kotaro supplied as another justifiable reason.

Toya glared at the other guardians, once again not liking the answers. “You’ve over thought this, haven’t you?”

“What do you expect? We’ve had fifteen years to turn that question inside out.” Kamui gave Toya an apologetic smile.

“Shinbe, I think you should go check the demon wards surrounding the house.” Kyou nodded to Shinbe and suddenly there were only four of them in the room.

“Damn, he left so fast I felt a breeze.” Kotaro rubbed his arms as if the draft had chilled him.

Kamui's fingers flew across the keyboard as he talked, “I’ve always had it set up as if we’ve all been home schooled by our adoptive dad and we are all in the 12th grade. As of tomorrow, we’re switching to public school so we can graduate like normal teenagers.”

“Oh, that won’t send up a red flag at all,” Kotaro said sarcastically. “Five brothers starting in the same grade, at the same time. Even if the teachers understand what’s going on, we’ll still be the talk of the school by the students. It’s not as if we have a chance in hell of fitting in with real teenagers.”

“Try,” Kamui gave him a level look. “Anyway, give me some credit. I’ll stagger our schedule so that one of us will be in Kyoko’s class at all times. I’ve had our school records updated every year since kindergarten, so our age would match hers if she had ever come back.”

“Just curious,” Kotaro smirked, “But what if the priestess had come back at the age of ten?”

“Leave me alone,” Kamui gave him a glare. “Or I’ll make it so your grades suck.”

Completely changing the subject, Kyou remarked, “If I’m right, the demons could not locate her because of the boarding school being on hallowed ground… for the same reason we could not find her. Up until now, the demons have spread out causing havoc only here and there. But now, they will catch her scent and one by one come back.”

His voice became so cold that it sucked the heat right out of the room, “And just because we have found no sign of Hyakuhei in this world does not mean he isn’t here.”

“We know he’s here,” Toya growled feeling his hatred flare then instantly calmed. “We came to this world so we could be with her and protect her. She shouldn’t be over there by herself even for a minute.”

“We all agree with you Toya… but you have to remember she is an innocent. That’s why we are going to become her new best friends,” Kyou informed him.

“Just how are we supposed to do that?” Toya snapped.

“Didn’t your mommy ever teach you to make friends?” Kamui smirked, but his eyes widened when Toya quickly stood up.

Toya noticed Kamui flinch and raised a dark brow. “I’m just going to see what’s taking Shinbe so long.”

*****

Shinbe confirmed his demon wards hadn’t been disturbed, though he worried about the fact that demons weren’t their only problem. The fact that Hyakuhei had broken through the barrier around The Heart of Time spoke volumes of the danger the priestess was really in. Sure, the wards would help hide her and keep the weakest demons from crossing the lines, but it wouldn’t be enough to stop Hyakuhei should he come out of hiding.

One thing he knew about Hyakuhei was that the demon lord was patient… patient enough to pretend to be dead for the last fifteen years. What demons the guardians had caught sniffing around, they’d destroyed. But now that the priestess was here… there was no telling what was going to crawl out of the woodwork. She would need better protection.

When he noticed one of the upstairs lights come on, Shinbe quickly scaled the outer walls unable to help himself. It felt as if his very soul was drawn toward her. His amethyst eyes glowed as he looked in the window seeing her standing within the huge bathroom. Toya had been right… he would have known her on sight.

He watched her graceful movements as she reached into the shower to test the temperature of the water. He tried to turn away, but when she started unbuttoning her shirt it had been his undoing… he was frozen to the spot.

“So that’s what the maiden statue would look like without clothes,” Shinbe breathed then started to climb higher so that he could see more of her than just from the waist up. He suddenly lost his grip on the wall when an arm went around his neck and jerked him backwards.

Toya grunted when he hit the ground flat on his back, but that wasn’t as bad as Shinbe landing on top of him. “Get the hell off me!” Toya growled.

“Let go of my neck and I will,” Shinbe hissed as he stuck his elbow in Toya’s ribs.

Toya pushed Shinbe off and quickly rolled to his feet. “You’re supposed to be checking the demon wards, not…” He gestured toward the window, “… you’re a pervert, you know that?”

“I just wanted to see her.” Shinbe started to glance back up at the window but Toya’s dangerous growl stopped him.

“I think you’ve seen enough.” Toya’s golden eyes swirled with quicksilver.

Shinbe debated reminding Toya there was so much more to see but he knew when not to press his luck. “Fine, there’s always the girls locker room at school tomorrow.” That gained him an agitated slap upside the head but he just chuckled.

“Come on, we have a meeting to attend.” Toya started back toward their house pushing Shinbe in front of him the whole way.

All humor left Shinbe’s face as he told the group his fears about the barrier’s weakness. “I know we have killed a lot of the demons that haunt the area waiting on her, but sometimes I wonder if we have forgotten the real problem.”

“We will take shifts watching over her tonight.” Kyou’s order started the age-old argument about who would go first, but Kyou won.

In his shade form, Hyakuhei leaned against the far wall of the same room where they were having their secret meeting. He was barely paying his nephews any attention as his mind drifted across the road to where the girl in question lay sleeping. He thought it was sad that they still avoided saying his name and wondered if it was guilt that kept them from doing so.

Chapter 3 “Hormones Are Us High School”

Kyoko had been frustrated all morning trying to figure out what to wear. It wasn’t like she had much of a selection since she had worn the same thing every day at the boarding school. Luckily she found a slice of color to go with her boring outfit.

One of the girls had given her a shirt last year for Christmas. It was emerald green, short, and frilly. She had always loved it but had never had a chance to wear it. Now that she had it on with one of her black school skirts, she felt almost excited about the prospect of going shopping after school and replacing her wardrobe.

Mr. Sennin had given her the bankcard along with her account information yesterday on the plane. Kyoko had almost screamed out loud when he’d told her the balance in the account. She was glad she didn’t when he’d added the fact that the card was only from the recreational account. Her true holdings were in a completely different account.

Now she was faced with her first dilemma… how to get to school. They didn’t allow the girls to get their driver’s license at the boarding school and she had no idea if the bus even came down this street… not that the bus driver would know to pick her up anyway. She was startled from her thinking when a horn blew outside.

Opening the front door, Kyoko smiled and waved at the taxi. “Thank you Mr. Sennin,” she whispered as she grabbed her book bag and headed for the driveway.

“Well that answers that question.” Shinbe climbed into the passenger seat of Toya’s jeep while Kyou and Kamui headed for the sleek black mustang. “I just hope the barrier spell I placed on her last night can hide her enough to keep any stray demons from raiding the high school.”

Toya clenched his teeth knowing all the guardians had been in her bedroom separately last night, but the thought of how close Shinbe must have been to cast that spell was grating on his nerves.

Kotaro put on his shades and threw his leg over the back of his motorcycle. “Last one there has to do everyone’s homework.”

*****

Wanting to see his sister for himself, Tama sat on the three-foot tall brick wall in front of the high school. He glanced at Hyakuhei, who was leaning against the brick right beside him though Tama knew no one else would be able to see him since he was a shade. So far he’d been silent as they both watched the students entering the school.

With his skater-boy haircut and new clothes, Tama blended in with the other students as he watched and waited. His emerald green eyes where hidden behind the darkness of his thoughts for a moment as he felt the power of the guardians pass close by and enter the school. He didn’t look at them for risk that his loathing would show.

Last night, he’d sent one of his demons to watch her house and alert him if his sister left. Sometime in the early morning hours, one of the guardians had killed it. As the demon’s master… he’d felt its violent death. He knew controlling demons wasn’t the same thing as having pets so it didn’t bother him when one died. Sometimes, he felt like killing them himself when one of the demons would escape their power and injure a human… or worse.

Feeling a spike in the energy around him, he turned his head to see a girl walking away from a taxi that had pulled up to the front of the school. Tama’s lips parted knowing without a doubt that it was Kyoko. She had long auburn hair with large, loose waves that bounced as she walked. Part of it was up in a ponytail near the top of her head, while the rest was left hanging almost to her waist. She glanced toward him with bright emerald eyes then quickly looked away as if she were nervous.

Hyakuhei kept his aura hidden as she neared them. Just seeing her again so soon sent a sudden need slamming through him. He could hear Tama’s heartbeat speed up as the boy whispered in his mind… ‘It’s here, isn’t it?’

‘Yes.’ Hyakuhei’s voice was a mixture of emotions as memories resurfaced to haunt him. ‘It is time to leave our present for the guardians.’

Tama gave a wicked smile as he reached up and pulled the black widow off his shoulder, setting it down on the brick beside him. He watched as Hyakuhei passed his hand across the poisonous arachnid, making it look more like a caress then what it truly was. The shadow that the spider cast in the morning sun opened its blood red eyes.

*****

Kyoko was a nervous wreck as she walked into the building. It felt like someone was watching her and the sensation left cold chills across her arms. This place was nothing like the boarding school. Some of the kids she just passed were doing everything from smoking cigarettes, to making out right there in front of the school. As if that wasn’t enough… what they were wearing made her feel almost inferior.

Nearly losing her nerve, Kyoko turned around and put her hand against the door wanting to make a run for it. Looking out at all the students, her eyes returned to the boy sitting alone. She’d noticed him watching her as she’d gotten out of the cab and he was still watching her. He was taller than her, but around the same age, with a lethal body that the alternative fad didn’t quite hide.

He reminded her of something that you know is dangerous, but you craved it anyway. Seeing the sun glint off his eyes as he tilted his head, she could have sworn his irises changed from black to bright green. Figuring it was just her imagination, Kyoko turned around and sighed knowing it was time to face the music.

Trying to avoid eye contact with anyone, she headed for the glass doors with the word OFFICE posted beside them. She tilted her head at all the girls that were milling around the doors looking in and whispering. She caught all kinds of remarks from, look at that ass, to I call dibs.

Once she was inside the room with the door closed behind her, Kyoko glanced around noticing it was even noisier in here than it’d been out in the hall. She started toward the long desk but pulled up short seeing several students in front of her.

The secretary clucked her tongue in annoyance. “I haven’t even had time to check the fax machine yet so you’ll just have to take a seat until I can get your schedules together.”

“Our schedules are already approved and should be with the rest of the paperwork.” Kyou’s voice was icy. If the old woman had known him better, she would have been tripping over herself to do as he asked. With a glare at the fax machine, it clicked on and started printing.

Kyoko’s gaze locked on the guy whose voice had given her the shivers, but as soon as she took the sight of him in, her lips parted. No wonder there was a throng of girls peeking in the doors. He had the longest hair she’d ever seen on a guy and it was white-silver… not like the color of an old man's, but soft and vibrant looking. His clothing was that of a rich kid and it seemed he was used to getting his way. The smile he gave the secretary was wicked and cold, but his face was sheer perfection.

He looked like he should have been at a photo shoot somewhere for those Calvin Klein underwear ads. Her cheeks heated up when his expression instantly softened and he glanced toward her as if he’d heard her thoughts. Kyoko took a step back, looking away from him. The carpet was much safer to look at.

“Are you Kyoko Hogo?” The lady practically yelled from behind the desk.

Kyoko’s gaze jerked up and she nodded, not liking the spotlight.

“Here is your schedule.” The lady held the paper out but kept her eyes on the guy in front of her. “Your lawyer had the forethought of sending your information last week instead of last minute.” Her voice couldn’t have been sweeter if sugar had been poured on it. Kyoko knew the sarcasm was meant for the guy she had been arguing with and not her.

“You may go on to your first class.” She waved Kyoko toward the door then turned back to the others, “I can’t believe I have six new enrollments to do in one day.”

Kyoko turned and rushed for the door only to find one of the guys holding it open for her. She had been embarrassed enough, so without even looking directly at him, she quickly murmured, “Thank you,” as she slipped past.

She stepped back out into the hall and put several feet between her and the drooling girls before she finally felt the tension level plummet. Looking down at the piece of paper then back up at the huge hallways, Kyoko noticed them leading off in different directions, even up the steps. “Great… so how am I supposed to find room 101?”

“Up the stairs and the first door on your left,” Tasuki said as he leaned over her shoulder looking at her schedule. “Hey! We actually have the same classes.” Watching her whirl around like he’d scared her, Tasuki gave her his ‘I’m so innocent’ smile. “I’ve never seen you here, and I know what a screw-up that office can be. So, I thought I would come over and introduce myself in case you needed some help.”

He stuck his hand out. “Tasuki… and you are?”

Kyoko couldn’t help the smile that tugged at her lips as his warm hand took hers and held it. Curiosity entered her mind feeling like she knew him from somewhere. She blinked when the feeling didn’t disappear although she knew there was no way she had ever met him before now.

His hair was so dark that it had strange blue highlights running through it in the light and it hung in haphazard layers past his shoulders. She could see a dangling cross earring peeking out one side and thought he looked like the lead singer of an 80’s rock band. One of the girls at her school had constantly been in trouble for smuggling rock posters in and putting them up in various places around campus.

“Kyoko,” She gave him her first name since that was all he had offered her.

“And the teachers claim that I’m not good for anything.” His smile was brilliant as he waved his hand toward the stairs. “I can now prove them all wrong by keeping you from getting lost today.”

Kyoko thankfully followed him up the stairs as he kept talking about the teachers, who gave homework and who didn’t. When they entered the science class, she noticed it was set up with double desks.

“Yeah,” Tasuki frowned. “Everyone already has a partner. The school has a thing about putting double desks in every class.” He shrugged, “but the desk beside mine is empty.”

Kyoko was just happy that the teacher simply smiled at her then looked away instead of introducing her to the class. Finding a science book already on the desk, she quickly got herself organized as the rest of the students slowly filled the chairs. Tasuki was the last one standing since he was flipping through her book pointing out what chapter they were on.

“Tasuki… quit trying to pollinate and take your seat.” The deep male voice came from the front of class making Kyoko turn several shades of red when some of the students turned to look at them. “She may be new, but from the look of her previous grades, I don’t think her lack of a partner will hurt her.”

“If she needs a partner…” Shinbe walked into the class like he belonged there, “… then I will volunteer.” He handed a slip to the teacher and started for the only empty seat in the room.

While the teacher looked over the paper, Kyoko’s eyes widened and she moved her stuff out of the chair beside hers. He instantly reminded her of Tasuki because they seemed to have the same hairstyle. But this guy’s eyes weren’t soft brown like Tasuki’s… she could have sworn they were amethyst. Where Tasuki tried to look like a rock star, this guy didn’t have to try… he simply did.

“Will you share it with me?” Shinbe locked his gaze with hers as he took his seat.

“Heh?” Kyoko so elegantly replied. Why had her temperature just gone through the roof?