Cursed Hearts. Amy Blankenship
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long lost brother and he will warn her of the guardiansâ 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.â
Jealousy twisted Tamaâs voice as he felt the pull from the minds of the demons around them, âThey cannot keep her.â
âNo,â Hyakuhei smiled knowing an even deeper plan, âBut first⦠we will let them think that they can.â
When Tama frowned and looked back up at him, Hyakuhei had vanished. Using his telepathy to communicate he asked, âAre you going to see her?â 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.
âShhh,â Hyakuheiâs 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.
âItâs so quiet here Momma⦠Papa. I wish Tama would come home. Then maybe the silence wouldnât be so deafening,â 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. âIt wonât be long Kyoko⦠you will get your wish. You will never be lonely again.â Using a momentâs 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.
*****
âHeâll kill us all if there isnât any pizza left!â 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 Toyaâs chair like they had been protecting it for him.
When Toya didnât 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 Toyaâs pizza box. They started devouring it. Toya didnât even look at them.
âToya,â Kyou prompted, going on high alert when Toya didnât acknowledge him.
Flipping the laptop closed, he grasped Toyaâs 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.
âHas something happened?â Kyou demanded hearing the rapid thumping of Toyaâs 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. âI think we need to go to school tomorrow.â
âHere, you want your pizza back?â Shinbe dropped the piece heâd just taken a bite out of then smacked Kotaroâs 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.
âYou couldâve just fought us for it instead of wigging everyone out with that creepy smile,â Kotaro complained.
âI donât think he was joking,â Shinbe said as he locked his amethyst eyes with Toyaâs 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 Toyaâs eyes he sighed. âAnd why would we want to suddenly join the freaks down at Hormones Are Us high school?â
âBecause, the girl that just moved in across the street is starting there tomorrow.â Toyaâs breathing was a little ragged now that heâd 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. âSit! Down!â It was like hitting the pause button on the TV then very slowly rewinding it. Once everyone had obeyed, he turned back to Toya. âTell us what you are talking about.â
âSheâs alone⦠sheâs her.â Toya rubbed his temple even though he knew guardians couldnât get headaches. âKyoko⦠She was talking to the pitcher above the fireplace. Thatâs how I know sheâll be starting school tomorrow.â
âWhatâs she like?â Kamui asked getting the same look in his eyes that had haunted Toyaâs only a moment before.
âI didnât talk to her,â Toya admitted then his shoulders dropped an inch. âI couldnât, but she was dressed like they do at those boarding schools.â
âWe can find out where sheâs been if her records have already been transferred to the local school,â Kotaro added helpfully.
âOn it,â Kamui fearlessly snatched Kyouâs laptop. He knew a backdoor into the school systemâs database because he checked all the surrounding schools regularly for signs of anyone who came and went around the age of Kyoko or Tama.
âYouâre sure itâs her?â Kyou asked Toya as he leaned forward in his chair.
âWe would have known her on sight. Kyoko looks like the maiden statue⦠but alive.â 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. âEmerald green eyes, auburn hair but she seemed fragile⦠like sheâs still a little girl.â
âIâll say,â Kamui agreed as his eyes widened on the screen. âHer records indicate sheâs 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.â He frowned thoughtfully, âBut I donât see anything about her brother starting the school with her.â
Toya shook his head. âI know weâd hoped they were somewhere safe together but Tama was never with her. Sheâs completely alone over there. Remind me again why we canât just tell her who we are.â 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. âWe 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. Sheâs human Toya⦠with no idea of anything to do with being a priestess. We have to be careful.â
Shinbe chimed in, âBesides, 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