Cursed Hearts - Amy Blankenship 4 стр.

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.

*****

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?