Amy Blankenship - Cursed Hearts

“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.