Cursed Hearts

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“Thanks,” Kyoko mouthed the word then turned to the guy beside her. Her lips parted to tell him that they had to share but the words stuck in her throat. He was looking directly at her while pulling his shades off. His eyes were ice blue… not the normal pretty blue that people lusted over, but really like a deep blue ice. It reminded her of the color of a black light but bluer.

She felt her hair move against her cheek as if a slight wind was blowing even though they were inside and she wondered at it. “We have to share.” Kyoko’s voice was breathless.

“I’ll be Romeo if you’ll be Juliet,” Kotaro said in a voice that was meant for seduction.

*****

Kyoko walked beside Tasuki on the way to drama class. She was still tripped out that a guy that looked like the leader of the bad boy biker gang could read Romeo as if he’d practiced it all his life. She snapped out of her daydream when they entered the doors of the school auditorium and she realized it wouldn’t be a classroom they were having drama in.

“The class has been getting things together to decorate for the masquerade ball Friday night,” Tasuki clued her in. “It’s going to be in the old school building just behind this one.” He noticed all the boxes lined up on the edge of the stage and the students that were grabbing them up and walking out the back door with them. “I guess it’s time to decorate.”

Tasuki grabbed two boxes and paused at the end of the stage waiting on Kyoko to join him. When she picked up a box without looking to see what was in it, he watched her stagger from its weight. Before Tasuki could set his boxes down and run to her, someone was already there.

Kyoko cringed knowing she was going to drop everything as she fell. She blinked when the weight of the heavy box suddenly vanished. The box was back on the stage as if she hadn’t moved it and two strong arms were around her from behind to keep her from falling.

Warmth… she felt so warm. Strong arms, she could feel the hard muscles of his chest and couldn’t help it as she leaned back against his strength. She had never felt as safe in her life as she did right at this moment and she wanted to stay.

“Are you alright?” Toya asked as she melted against him. It was all he could do not to bury his face in her hair and kiss the soft skin at the arch of her neck. Everything within him wanted to keep her. ‘Mine,’ Toya whispered inwardly when he felt their heartbeat pound at the same time.

Kyoko started to close her eyes but someone grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the warmth.

“Kyoko?” Tasuki couldn’t hide the panic in his voice. “Talk to me. It looked like you almost passed out just now.”

“I’m fine.” Kyoko blinked and glanced behind her. Her hero was leaning over to pick the box back up when their eyes met. Electric eyes like melted gold… just like Kyou’s. He had ebony hair with that same color of silver highlighting it, this time in streaks and very long layers. She instantly wondered if he and the guy from calculus class were brothers.

He’d felt so strong… unmovable, even though he wasn’t much bigger than Tasuki. But something about the way he moved gave him a sleek, predatory grace that reminded her of a panther when it was on the hunt. The way he was looking at her made her feel like the prey.

Seeing the other guy giving him a hard steady look from over Kyoko’s shoulder, Toya picked the box up and started past them. “I’ll carry this one.” As he moved around them, he swallowed the taste of jealousy when he noticed that the guy still hadn’t let go of her wrist.

As soon as he was out of their sight, Toya leaned against the brick beside the door and listened to make sure she really was going to be okay. Satisfied that she was, he closed his eyes savoring the way she’d felt against him. He pushed away from the wall feeling for the first time in a long time that he had a reason for existing.

Kyoko’s lips parted realizing she hadn’t even told him thank you. Stepping back from Tasuki, she started to grab another box so she could catch up with him, but Tasuki held onto her wrist and swung her back around.

“Kyoko stop. Take a moment to breathe and tell me what that was,” Tasuki insisted when he noticed the panicked look in her eyes and the way she was suddenly shaking.

Knowing he was right, Kyoko leaned back against the stage and took a deep breath to steady herself. “I’m sorry Tasuki. The box was too heavy and I think maybe I did almost pass out. I really haven’t eaten much the past couple days because of the move.” She wasn’t lying so maybe that had been it.

Kyoko glanced again toward the door. “I didn’t even get to thank him for catching me.” The thought saddened her. “Do you know him?”

Tasuki’s eyes darkened as he shrugged, “I suppose he’s one of the five brothers that started today. It’s strange how every single one of them has found a way to be close to you on their first day.” Seeing Kyoko’s frown, he tried to turn it into a joke. “I guess they just want to be near the prettiest girl in the school.” He winked and checked the weight of the boxes behind them until he found one that was almost empty. “Here, you can carry this one.”

When he placed the box in Kyoko’s arms, she held it up with one hand. “What am I? Five?” She giggled as they went across the school grounds toward the older rundown building. Her mind backtracked to what he had said about the new guys. “Brothers? Then how come they’re all in the same grade?”

Tasuki smiled, secretly thanking the lose-lipped teacher that had answered his questions. “Adopted, and until now, home schooled.” He quickly changed the subject not wanting to share her any more than he already had today. “Are you coming Friday?”

“Where?” Kyoko lost her train of thought.

“To the masquerade ball,” He nodded toward the box she was carrying, “It’s Friday, Halloween night.”

“I don’t know,” Kyoko smiled as she thought about the freedom of finally getting to go somewhere like a normal teenager, but at the same time she hadn’t a clue where to buy a costume. “Is there a place that sales costumes this late in the game?”

“The mall has a costume shop that only opens up for a couple weeks out of the year. Since this masquerade party is a school tradition, they have a very wide selection.” He wanted to ask her to go with him but the thought of her saying no actually made his stomach hurt. He had a vision of one of the new guys asking her to go and he stomped the vision into a greasy spot within his jealous mind.

“It might be a lot of fun if we go together,” Tasuki held his breath mentally kicking his own ass.

“Okay,” Kyoko smiled a real smile as she said yes to her first date. “Oh wow!” Her emerald eyes lit up seeing the transformation of what should have been a dark dusty old gym. The students had scrubbed it so clean that it nearly sparkled and now they were adding the darkness of Halloween.

“Yeah,” Tasuki smiled, suddenly the happiest guy in the world. “It will look even better by Friday night.”

Toya kept his distance after hearing her tell Tasuki she’d go to the masquerade with him but he didn’t have to be close to hear every word that she said. This masquerade party would be a really bad idea for her to come too, but seeing the happiness on her face… he wouldn’t have tried to stop her for the world. It looked like he and the other guardians would just have to find a costume and pry her away from her date.

Toya’s hands fisted at his sides when Yohji tried to get her to climb a ladder to hang decorations. The pervert pissed him off, but before he could step in, Kyoko put her hands on her hips and looked at Yohji like he was stupid and it made him laugh.

Kyoko’s gaze scanned the room looking for the echoing laughter but gave up when Yohji was dim enough to ask her why she wouldn’t hang the decorations when everyone else had taken their turn.

“I’ll make you a deal Yohji,” Kyoko gave him a cold smile that should’ve warned him. “I’ll bring you a short skirt tomorrow and we can take turns hanging the decorations.” She turned to go back to the auditorium for another box.

Yohji lowered his gaze to watch her skirt as she walked away. He started after her but pulled up short when Toya stepped directly in his path.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Toya's voice was low and dangerous and if Yohji had looked, he would’ve noticed the strange silver color that was starting to bleed in with the gold of Toya's irises.

Sadly, the dumb jock wasn’t known for his brains. “Is that a threat?”

Toya's face was dead serious, “You bet.”

Living up to his reputation, Yohji started around Toya only to wind up flat on his face when he tripped over something. “Oww, what the hell?” Yohji cried out reaching for his ankle and looking around for whatever he’d tripped over. Not seeing anything, he started to glare up at Toya but couldn’t find him anywhere.

Tasuki stepped over Yohji on his way to the door. “It doesn’t look like you’ll be doing much dancing Friday night.” Concern was absent from his voice.

Kyoko made it back to the auditorium but as soon as the door closed behind her, she knew something was off… way off. For one thing, the whole room was pitch black and totally silent. Hearing something scurry across the floor toward her, she turned and rushed back out the door and right into a brick wall.

Toya’s arms instantly went around Kyoko to steady her. He felt the evil mingling within the darkness as the double doors slowly closed behind her, trapping it inside. As he wrapped both arms around her he asked, “Are you okay?”

Kyoko nodded as she laid her cheek against his chest. That was the second time he had asked her that. “I think there’s an animal or something in there.”

“Tasuki is looking for you,” Toya lied as he placed his hands on her shoulders and gently moved her around him. Before she could say anything, Toya was inside the building with the door closed firmly behind him.

Kyoko realized he had done it again… disappeared before she’d even thought to thank him. Reaching for the doorknob and turning it, she frowned. Locked?

Tasuki had seen her in Toya’s arms from a distance and the sight made him grit his teeth. Before he could catch up to them, Toya was already inside and Kyoko seemed to be locked out.

“What happened this time?” Tasuki tried to hide the annoyance that was building at the speed these new guys at the school seemed to have for coming on to Kyoko.

Kyoko pulled on the door one more time then gave up. “I think there’s some kind of animal in there, but Toya locked me out so I’m not sure what it was.”

Tasuki shook his head, “It’s probably just a Halloween prank to keep up the tall tales about the town being haunted. Strange things have been going on around here since I was little. I wouldn’t worry about it. Come on, class is over in a couple minutes anyway.”

Chapter 5 “Phantom of the Opera”

Toya heard the locks click on the surrounding doors and could feel his brothers closing in at a fast pace. When the room lit up with shimmering light, his gaze searched for Kamui recognizing that it was his magic illuminating the room. Seeing all four of the brothers headed toward him, his senses went on full alert.

“Any idea what kind of demon it is?” He backed up in line with his brothers when the heavy stage curtains fell from the ropes that held them up, barely missing him.

“I’m guessing it wants to be the phantom of the opera when it grows up,” Shinbe stated then they heard a clicking noise that sounded like claws tap-dancing across hardwood. It moved so fast all they saw was a streak of darkness.

“Come out, come out, where ever you are,” Kotaro called making his voice echo softly in the theater.

“Nice touch,” Kyou complimented him with a raise of his eyebrow. “Now can we please be grownups and kill this thing?”

Toya nodded toward the darkest area of the stage. As everyone’s attention focused on it, the shadow stretched and rippled, peeling itself from the walls and floor. Blood red eyes flashed open but its form wasn’t so much humanoid as a twisting between human and arachnid. Its upper body remained mostly shadow, while its legs filled out with sharp bony spikes at the joints and tips. Its mouth opened like the cheese on melting pizza and it let out a screech as it took off up the wall and across the ceiling.

“It’s a good thing it’s almost Halloween or we’d have a hard time explaining that spine-chilling sound carrying through the halls of the school.” Kamui shivered shaking the creepy sound off. The last period bell sounded causing the demon to screech again as it ripped the speaker off the upper edge of the wall then threw it at the guardians.

“Good… no witnesses.” Kotaro eyed the creature wearily, taking note of the fact it was getting ready to jump.

“This thing's gonna be a pain in the ass,” Toya growled right before he was slammed into the row of seats behind him. He quickly pulled his silver dagger from his waist and swung his arm sideways, slicing the deformed demon across what could only be described as its stomach.

Nasty-looking tentacles erupted from its back just as Kotaro tackled it, trying to pull it off Toya. The tentacles wrapped around him, joining with Kotaro’s momentum and sling-shot him across the room and into the edge of the stage.

Toya watched the dark apparition riding the spider demon lean toward him and inhale like some demented vacuum making his hair lift off the ground. The spider’s fangs were showing as it slowly opened its jaws to attack.

“Damn it! It smells Kyoko on me.” Toya’s arms were now wedged underneath its heavy body leaving him at a disadvantage.

Kyou raised his hand, forming a glowing ball that became oblong as he moved his hand from side to side. Slinging his hand out, the shape streaked across the room, stretching out to form a whip and lashing itself around the head of the demon. Jerking his hand back, Kyou ripped the demon off Toya, but he had to struggle with it to keep it from returning to Toya as the silver guardian picked himself up off the floor.

“Why the hell is it only after Toya?” Kamui complained. He quickly raised his hands, whispering words as he added the odd sign language to give the spell strength. The demon skittered sideways and back, trying to avoid the coming strike, but Kamui turned, following its every move. Coming to the end of the chant, his palms turned outward and the last word echoed across the room, slamming the spell into the demon.

The demon screeched, reaching for Toya as the force of the blast sent it plowing through several rows of seats before it smashed into the wall. Its legs instantly turned inward as it braced itself against the wall to use it as a backboard for rebounding.

Before it could jump, Shinbe was in front of it, casting another spell that held it against the shattered sheetrock while the other guardians surged forward and literally tore it limb from limb. Shinbe noticed the shadow demon trying to slither up the wall and escape them.

In the blink of an eye, he leapt up the wall and was like a cage around it. “Hey Nasty, just where do you think you're going?” he growled as a crystal blue barrier appeared over it like a half bubble. Shinbe pushed himself off the wall, landing easily on his feet. The mutilated body of the arachnid that was scattered on the floor twitched several times then caved in on itself as it turned to dust.

“You can’t just leave that there,” Kamui threw his thumb toward the odd sight of the shadow slithering around inside of… what was starting to look like a see-through blue egg sack.

“Ye of little faith,” Shinbe smirked watching the sack get smaller and smaller. “By the time it’s done shrinking, it’ll take a microscope to find it. Now…” he turned and walked straight up to Toya and sniffed.

Toya gave him a look that should have sent him running. When his brother was stupid enough not to take the hint, he reached out and grabbed Shinbe by the throat, lifting his feet several inches off the floor to back him up to arm’s length. “Do not ever do that again.” Toya dropped him non-to gently.

Shinbe pushed himself off the floor with a knowing smirk. “And you call me a pervert. No wonder Spiderman wanted you so bad. You have Kyoko’s scent all over you.” His amethyst eyes narrowed as his humor vanished. “Why is that?”

“Speaking of Kyoko,” Kyou’s voice caused the temperature in the room to drop several degrees. “If we are all here… then who is watching her?”

*****

When Kyoko asked Tasuki if she could use his cell phone to call a cab, he had quickly offered her a ride anywhere she wanted to go. Kyoko gratefully accepted, not really wanting to venture out for the first time in a strange town all alone.

“The mall? Sure. Hey, if you want, I can help you pick out a costume for the masquerade ball.” Tasuki started picturing all kinds of things he would pick out for her. Then he quickly backpedaled, realizing he wouldn't want others to see her in half of those costumes. “Is that the reason we’re going to the mall? A Halloween costume?”

Kyoko sighed and looked out the car window debating on whether to tell him the truth or not. As they passed in front of the school in the slow traffic, she noticed that same guy from this morning was once again standing alone on the sidewalk. She wondered what it was about him that kept drawing her attention.

As she gazed at him, she realized that all the other students milled around him… yet he was the stillness in the middle of a raging storm, and he was looking right at her with eyes as black as sin. It saddened her seeing she was wrong about them being green.

She leaned closer to the glass to get a better look at him as they drove closer and slowly passed. He was watching her with such hunger in his eyes that Kyoko felt it clear down to her soul. It made her want to reach out to him. He turned his head slowly as they passed; keeping his eyes on her and Kyoko saw his lips move.

“What?” Kyoko whispered trying to understand then she felt Tasuki’s hand on her shoulder.

“Do you know him?” Tasuki asked still glaring in the rear view mirror. Something about that guy was just wrong. He knew everyone at the school, but he’d never seen that guy around until today. “He’s not a student.”

Kyoko sat back in her seat but quickly glanced over her shoulder unable to help herself. Luckily, Tasuki turned the corner at the stop sign and the stranger was lost in the distance. “No.” Kyoko shook her head wanting to drop the subject, “I’m just nervous because I’ve never been to a mall… or any other kind of store really.”

“What?” Tasuki said a little too loudly. “You’re kidding… right?”

“I wish.” Kyoko smiled at the look on his face. “I’m going to tell you a secret, but you have to promise to keep it to yourself.”

Tasuki nodded gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. “I would never do anything to hurt you Kyoko, so if you want to trust me with anything… you’re safe.”

“Thanks.” Kyoko settled back in her seat looking straight ahead and slowly told him the whole story… leaving nothing out. “So the first thing I need is a new wardrobe.”

Tasuki had been parked at the mall for the last ten minutes listening to her. It was the saddest thing he’d ever heard. “You mean you have never even been kissed?” When she looked at him strangely, he smiled and closed the distance between them.

Kyoko’s eyes widened as his lips caught her bottom one between his and he kissed her. He then moved to do the same to her top lip. She was at a loss for words when he pulled an inch away and inhaled as he watched her reaction to her first kiss. He must have liked what he saw because the corners of his lips hinted in a satisfied smile as he returned to his seat to stare at the mall in front of them.

“You know what Kyoko?” Tasuki glanced over at her as if he hadn’t done anything. “We are about to give a new meaning to the words… shop till you drop.”

*****

Tama stood in the doorway of the abandoned gym watching the guardians leave the auditorium. They had killed the spider demon that had gone in search for them just as they’d planned. It had only been a test and they had failed miserably.

“The guardians are easily distracted thinking they are keeping her safe.” Hyakuhei was not worried about the demon they’d lost. Before he entered this world, he’d hidden many of his most powerful demons away were no one could find them… deep within his own soul. For now, he would use the weakest demons as cannon fodder and lure the guardians into a false sense of victory. “Let them think that they are protecting her to the best of their ability.”

‘Can I go to her now?’ Tama glared at the guardian known as Toya. While they’d fought the shadow demon inside the school, Hyakuhei had linked with the demon's mind, letting Tama view the battle through the eyes of the demon. He knew Toya had Kyoko’s scent on him more than the other guardians. Hate burned in his eyes as jealousy entered his wounded heart.

“Only fools rush in dear boy,” Hyakuhei warned him. It was hard for Tama to share her with the enemy, but what Tama didn’t understand was that it would be even harder for the guardians to share her among themselves. The closer bond she has to them… the more possessive they will become until they are at each other’s throats. It would only be a short amount of time before the brothers started to self-destruct. They were no different from him and Tadamichi.

‘Will you let me talk to her soon?’ Tama asked remembering the way she had looked at him from the car window. ‘She wants to.’

“Her soul is curious about you… it knows you are its sibling, even if she does not remember. It is the tie that binds her to us all.” Hyakuhei felt the longing Tama was feeling meld with his own. “Soon Tama… very soon. You will have your sister.”

*****

Hyakuhei stood at the top of the mall escalator watching Kyoko glance around the shopping center in amazement. She had always been an innocent and it seemed in this life she was no different. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

‘Come to me,’ he whispered within his mind knowing she would hear the summons without realizing it.

Kyoko glanced up toward the second floor and then eyed the escalator as if it was an amusement ride at the fair. “Can we?” she smiled at Tasuki then back toward the moving staircase.

“Sure,” Tasuki smirked then laughed when she made him get on first. “Oh sure… sacrifice me… why not.” He shrugged as if it didn’t matter then held on to the railing as if he was terrified.