Black Winged Angel - Amy Blankenship 4 стр.

Kyou let his heightened senses scan every square inch of the area before lifting his gaze toward the window. He stared intently at a place directly next to the window frame. He knew this had to be the same entity that had caused Kyoko to pass out a few minutes prior. What he couldn’t figure out is why. It obviously meant no ill will… almost as though it was simply visiting.

However, Kyou couldn’t shake the sensation that he’d felt this entity before. Whatever it was, Kyou knew he needed to find out its secrets and why it was there. In the meantime, he actually humored the idea of staring at its hiding place until it either introduced itself or left.

Darious was sitting on the wide windowsill leaning his back against the frame and had one leg propped up in a relaxed position. He had heard everything and it had left him feeling an odd since of belonging that he was trying hard to ignore. He had always worked alone against the demons and here he had found a whole room full of … humans wasn’t the right word for some of them, even though that was what they were pretending to be.

His proof was the fact that the man knew he was there even if he couldn’t see him. However, the stare the man was giving him was challenging to his nature. The silver-haired male wasn’t human… he wasn’t demon… what the hell was he? Darious frowned a bit until a powerful aura swept through the room toward him. It wasn’t threatening… merely stating the man knew exactly where he was.

Darious narrowed his eyes at the man… Kyou, he’d been called. Where had he heard that name before? He froze in mid-breath and his dark eyes became bottomless pits. It was impossible.

When he had gone back to the monastery only to find it abandoned and the statue gone, he had searched the tunnels beneath the rubble and found the lost scrolls pertaining to the guardians. It was within those ledgers that he had heard of Kyou and his brothers. The monk’s writings had indicated that the guardians surrounded their priestess and protected the world from demons.

He had thought the guardians were a myth… nothing more than the hopes of man added to the dire scrolls' foretelling. He searched his mind for what the scrolls had actually said but the memory eluded him because he hadn’t paid the fables any attention. He’d left the scrolls where he had found them, only to return years later to find one more scroll added. It had been about the guardians.

One thing he did recall from the new scroll was that he was older than the guardians and they had abandoned this world the same time hell’s seal had been broken. Even the monks had not understood why they had abandoned him during his darkest times.

Now they were back and pretending to be human… living among them as if they belonged, while he was left out in the cold to fight the demons as if it was meant to be? What made the humans accept the guardians when they had always turned a frightened eye on him? All the humans had ever offered him was loneliness.

Darious stood to his full height as he drew his longings back behind the hard walls he kept them trapped in. If he allowed himself to feel, then he would only find pain… he had learned that lesson the hard way. He’d never needed anyone and he wasn’t about to start now… especially those who were weaker than him. He snarled silently at the man before taking his leave, shattering the window as he went.

Kyou stood there with his hands buried in his pants pockets letting the wind whip through his long hair. He arched an eyebrow wondering what he’d done to anger the entity. He was no closer to finding out what it was… but again, the familiarity of it haunted him. Something told him it would not be the last time they crossed paths.

Turning toward the door, he gave a knowing smile. He quickly pulled it open and stepped back just in time to see everyone fall through the entry.

They had left the room, but as soon as Kyou locked the door behind them, they’d crowded around it, pressing their ears to the polished wood. It took them all by surprise when the door was abruptly pulled open, making them all fall forward and onto the floor.

“I suppose this means I will have to retrain all of you on your eavesdropping skills,” Kyou stated before stepping out of the room. “And Suki, call the workers to repair the window.”

*****

Toya tugged at the collar of his shirt growling in frustration. Leave it to Kyou to find a way to get him dressed up. The getup was almost similar to the crap he’d seen sappy vampires wear in the movies, complete with some lacy frilly thing around his neck. The pants only went to his knees and he was wearing white stockings. Stockings? What the hell did Kyou think he was… a pansy?

Toya had forgone the wig and settled for just tying his long hair back in a low ponytail at the nape of the neck with several locks falling down on the sides. The only part of the elaborate costume he did like was the long black hooded cloak with red lining. It actually went really well with the rest of the outfit. The other plus was the fact that Kyoko’s eyes had lit up when she had seen it on him.

His golden eyes softened when he glanced over at her. She had called him the sexiest vampire she had ever seen. His gaze trailed her body in the same appreciation.

She was dressed in an outfit as elaborate as his, but she took to it a lot better. Kyou had picked out a dress for her that was reminiscent of the Colonial era. It was a nice combination of red and black plaid with the little poof in the back that, to Toya, seemed to sway with each step she took. She was holding a black lace parasol and had a feminine top hat pinned in her auburn hair that served no other purpose except to be stylish.

The only problem with Kyoko’s outfit was it was short in the front… it only came up to mid-thigh while the back was long and dragging on the ground. The top of the bodice was also low cut and showing more cleavage than Toya ever wanted anyone else to see… anyone except him.

Seductive was the first word that popped into his mind, but he hadn’t shared that compliment with her. He had only teased her back by telling her she would introduce the young boys in the children’s area to their first crush.

Despite Kyou’s possible inner pervert surfacing due to the outfit, Toya had to admit his brother had showed impeccable style by choosing it for her. Neither of them had the scary monster look, so it was kind of perfect for hanging out around the kids at the festivities. If Kamui and Amni’s facts were right, the witch was going to take another child tonight.

“TESTING!”

Kyoko placed a hand to the side of her head and winced a bit while Toya growled at the listening device in his ear.

“Turn down the god damned volume, you hellish nerd!” Toya exclaimed loudly, hoping Kamui's speakers would burst.

Kamui giggled, “Sorry couldn’t resist. Oh and Toya, if you want to keep undressing Kyoko with your eyes, don’t do it here.”

“How the hell…?” Toya muttered looking around.

Kyoko grinned and placed a hand on Toya’s arm to get his attention, then pointed up to the traffic camera mounted on top of the stoplight.

“Son of a bitch,” Toya growled. “He’s tapped into the traffic control center again.” He grinned and looked over at Kyoko. “Why don’t I give him a show?”

Kyoko smacked Toya on the arm and glared at him with a red blush on her cheeks.

“The only one who’s going to see Kyoko naked is me,” Kotaro exclaimed good-naturedly from somewhere within the five city blocks that had been roped off for the Halloween parties. “I’m the one she truly loves.”

“The only one who’s going to see Kyoko naked is me,” Kotaro exclaimed good-naturedly from somewhere within the five city blocks that had been roped off for the Halloween parties. “I’m the one she truly loves.”

“HA!” Kamui exclaimed. “Kyoko goes more for the quiet types, which puts me in the lead at the moment.”

“You just yelled in her fucking ear with your testing… how the hell does that make you the quiet type?” Toya argued.

“Will all of you stop joking around?” Tasuki demanded. “We’re here looking for demons, not discussing Kyoko’s sex life.”

“How about lack of sex life?” Yohji asked, causing another round of chuckles.

“How about all of you shut up?” Kyoko ordered, suddenly angry that she was blushing ten shades of red. “Just because I don’t have a boyfriend, doesn’t mean you can make fun of me.”

Toya’s expression softened and he pulled Kyoko into a hug. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“OH MY GOD, CALL THE MEDIA QUICK… TOYA JUST APOLOGIZED!” Kamui yelled into the com-link.

“You know,” Toya stated. “I’m half tempted to go back and kick his ass.”

Kyoko giggled, “Don’t worry about that right now. I’ll let you have fun later.”

She smiled shyly, realizing that had sounded a little more X rated than she had meant it to sound. As their eyes locked, she noticed his hair had fallen down around his face, which was soft and tender in the dim light. Tucking a lock of his hair behind his ears, she kissed him on the cheek.

It was all Toya could do to breathe as he blushed at the double-edged comment and the feel of her soft lips against his skin. He smiled wickedly up at the hidden camera and stuck his tongue out at it before taking Kyoko’s hand and slowly leading her through the throng of people surrounding them. At least her last few words had shut everyone up.

The block party was in full swing, with music bands performing on every street corner and in every club. The partial moon hung high above, casting twisted shadows around them. They’d parked on the other side of the square because Kyoko wanted to walk through everything and get a lay of the area before they reached the children’s block.

She pulled Toya to a stop as she pointed to a drain near the sidewalk.

Toya nodded as he let go of her hand and stepped closer to it. “Hey Kamui, we got a grate removed from the drain near…” he looked around for the closest landmark which happened to be right in front of the drain.

He arched a dark eyebrow, “House of Screams… damn that’s cheesy. You want us to check it out?”

“Yohji and Kotaro can check it out if they will stop pawing Kyoko long enough.” Kamui answered in an irritated voice.

Toya growled as he turned and sure enough, Kotaro had his arm around Kyoko’s shoulders while Yohji’s was around her waist, his hand riding dangerously low on her hip. Toya rubbed his hand over his forehead as if he were in pain before he took long, determined strides toward them.

They immediately jumped back, both clasping their hands behind their backs and looking as innocent as possible. Kotaro even had the audacity to start whistling while looking up at the buildings around them like they were the most fascinating things on earth.

“Kotaro,” Toya growled, “keep your hands off of Kyoko.”

Kotaro pouted and Toya turned his glare on Yohji, who was actually stupid enough to return it.

“Don’t even think about it,” Toya stated. “Now are you two gonna check out that drain or do I have to throw you down in it?”

Kotaro threw up his hands in surrender, “Fine, fine… we’re on it. But I’m sending you my dry cleaning bill.” He quickly pulled Yohji out of harm's way when he noticed the idiot was trying to kiss Kyoko on the cheek. “Come on dummy, before demons aren’t the only thing you have to worry about fighting tonight.”

Kotaro touched his earpiece, “Hey computer nerd, where does this drain lead?”

“Hold on, I’m searching,” Kamui said slowly. “I think… yeah, got it! It leads right under the haunted house directly in front of you. Let’s see, it’s a pretty old place… give me a minute.”

“Just tell us if there’s a way into the drains from the house,” Yohji demanded.

“What the hell do you think I’m looking for?” Kamui yelled back. “I swear, you all seem to think that this stuff is always easy to find. It takes research damn it!”

Yohji gave Kotaro a deadpan expression, “This coming from the guy who can break into the CIA database in his sleep.”

“Whatever, we’ll leave you three to argue about it,” Toya stated. “I’m taking Kyoko over to the children’s section of the festival, so we can do our part.”

Toya put his arm around Kyoko’s shoulders and steered her away from them. They froze however when Kamui’s voice came back over the earpieces.

“Um, people… we got a problem.”

“What is it pipsqueak?” Toya asked, his voice changing tone at the seriousness Kamui was emitting.

“That drain leads into the house alright… through the basement. It also leads to the local cemetery about five blocks away. Apparently, the tunnels were dug during some kind of revolution. Local legends say it was an underground ‘highway’ for demon activity.”

“Damn, I’m glad I’m not you guys. Totally sucks to be you right now,” Toya said with a smirk. “Hey, Shinbe, Tasuki, think you can come over and help these ladies out?”

“I do humbly apologize Toya,” Shinbe said over the radio. “But Tasuki and I are on the other end of the square and unfortunately, we are currently preoccupied with our own work.”

“Yeah,” Tasuki stated then screamed.

“Tasuki?” Kyoko asked. “Are you okay?”

“He’s fine,” Shinbe said trying not to laugh. “He just got the life scared out of him by an old man and a teenage zombie wanna-be. Hey Tama, love the costume.”

“We changed our minds, we’re coming,” Tasuki growled. “Damn old man, always scares the crap out of me.”

Kyoko giggled along with Suki. It seemed Grandpa Hogo had found Tasuki.

“Tell Grandpa hello for me and I’ll call him tomorrow,” Kyoko said.

“I’m not telling that old geezer shit!” Tasuki exclaimed sullenly.

“Tell him or else,” Kyoko warned, as her emerald eyes grew stormy.

Kotaro, Yohji and Toya took two big steps back from the auburn-haired woman. When Kyoko got that expression on her face, there was only one alternative… run.

“Um, we’re gonna go ahead and check out the inside.” Kotaro said hesitantly. “We’ll keep you posted at what’s going on.”

Yohji didn’t even need prompting. They took a couple more steps back as though Kyoko might attack them once their backs were turned before hastily making their way to the house.

“Kyoko,” Toya said wonderingly. “You’re scary, you know that?”

Kyoko smirked, “It runs in the family.”

“Tell me about it.” Tasuki mumbled in her earpiece.

Suki could be heard laughing again, “And you guys all wonder why I love working with you.”