Cursed Hearts. Amy Blankenship

of Halloween.

      â€œYeah,” 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.

      â€œI’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.

      â€œI 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.”

      â€œTasuki 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.

      â€œWhat 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.

      â€œAny 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.

      â€œI’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.

      â€œCome out, come out, where ever you are,” Kotaro called making his voice echo softly in the theater.

      â€œNice 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.

      â€œIt’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.

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

      â€œThis 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.

      â€œDamn 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.

      â€œWhy 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