The Heart Of Time. Amy Blankenship

question.

      Toya knew Kyou's moods better than anyone, and he knew he would not have even looked at him if he hadn’t already hit a nerve. Reading Kyou was a science to him. Even the blink of an eye meant something when it came from Kyou. Toya moved to take a seat across from him in an overstuffed chair.

      "Come on, I’m not stupid. If you want me to protect her, you need to tell me why. After all, the rest of us are on their own, so why is she any different?" He spat, as if disgusted with the thought. "She’s only a weak human girl.”

      Toya grasped the clawed hand, which he suddenly found clasped around his throat, and looked into the very angry face of Kyou.

      "You will do as I say," Kyou’s voice shook with rage.

      Toya's eyes narrowed. Now he knew something was up. "Fine." he hissed, and was rewarded with his release. He watched Kyou's rage disappear instantly as he returned to his former place across from him, his cold mask falling back down like a shield he hid behind. Toya shook his head. "You need to tell me why she is so important to ‘you’." He put emphasis on the last word.

      Kyou agreed somewhat. He had raised Toya since the day he was born. He had known his brother was near, the same moment Toya had drawn breath in this world and he had stolen him away from parents who would not have understood him. It was the same as with his other siblings, though for a while, Kyou had chosen to watch over them from a distance.

      He’d hoped to make Toya's personality different somehow, but it seemed it had followed him to this life, no matter what Kyou had done to try to change it. Bottom line was Toya was still Toya, no matter what life he led. He thought that maybe meeting Kyoko would have provoked memories of the past, but his sibling showed no signs so far, just interest. Kyou's eyes narrowed with the thought.

      "You feel nothing for her?” he asked in a tone that made Toya wince.

      "Am I supposed to?" Toya shot back, knowing he did indeed feel something for her, but wasn’t about to admit it. Folding his arms in front of him, he appeared annoyed as always, unaware of the silver that danced in his golden eyes.

      "Yes," came the cold reply.

      "Damn it! What makes her so special to us?" Toya threw his hands up in exasperation.

      Kyou's gaze challenged his, "She is the one we have been waiting on."

      Toya's eyes widened. As far back as he could remember, Kyou had told him they had to prepare for the one who carried the Guardian Heart Crystal within them. Surely, he wasn’t referring to that… why would such a powerful crystal be inside such a weak girl? He had been expecting a warrior of some kind… not a simple girl.

      â€œShe is the reason you have gathered all of them?” His eyebrows rose in question.

      Kyou had always refrained from telling Toya about his past, but he had warned him about his future. "You must protect her at all costs."

      The room was silent as Toya’s brain went into a whirlwind of thought. Lately, he’d begun to feel the increase in demonic vibes in the area, as if more were being born, and the evil side was getting stronger.

      "So, she is the one. What else do I need to know?" He almost felt relief knowing this was why his brother took such an interest in Kyoko, but at the moment he would not dig deeper into those feelings that hinted at jealousy.

      Kyou had hidden the truth for so long, he was not sure he was ready to share the memories. The thought of Toya's closeness to Kyoko in the past didn't help matters. Maybe some things were best forgotten. The two had been inseparable at times. "You were reborn to protect her and I have lived over a thousand years waiting on her. For now… that’s all you need to know."

      Toya snorted softly then chuckled in a slightly sinister way. “That’s all I need to know huh?” He ran his fingers through his long hair feeling an overwhelming need to vent some hidden anger even he wasn’t aware of. “Is that why you look at her with heat in your eyes? You say we were close… are you actually jealous of something that supposedly happened a long time ago with a girl that probably wouldn’t look at you sideways?” Toya glared… his eyes now molten silver.

      Kyou nearly snarled at Toya’s guess. There were times the boy’s perceptiveness was uncanny.

      â€œDo not cross my line of patience Toya. Crystal or no, I will not tolerate your accusations or delusions of grandeur where the priestess is concerned. You have been assigned to protect her… I care not whether you enjoy it. Your temper will be held in check and you will refrain from making any advances upon her person. Is that clear?” his eyes were now deadly as they focused on his younger brother.

      Icicles could have been hanging on Kyou’s words, and Toya could tell the conversation was finished, for now at least. He rose and left the room without a backward glance or another word. Once outside his brother’s apartment he stopped, facing Kyoko’s door. He could feel her within the confines of the rooms in front of him.

      He raised his hand to knock, wanting to be with her but knowing he didn’t have a reason at the moment. He shoved his hand deep within his pocket and turned to continue down the hall.

      Had anyone else been in the hall they would have seen a shimmering outline of silver wings as they appeared across Toya’s back before disappearing unnoticed by the now silver-eyed guardian.

      Chapter 5 "Growled Warning”

      Kyoko picked up a rubber band from the vanity and pulled some of her unruly auburn hair back into a pony tail, leaving the back in a short bouncy layer and a long layer to flow free down her back. She leaned in close to apply just a touch of blush then stood up, walked to the full-length mirror, and turned around examining herself. Suki had talked her into wearing some of her clothes and Kyoko felt different.

      The black mini skirt flared out as she turned, showing off shapely legs due to all the workouts she exposed herself to. The tight pink shirt had black lace all the way down the back, and in the front a black lace ‘V’ shape went almost to her breasts. Kyoko shook her head at the exposed cleavage.

      It made her wonder if Suki wasn’t the one chasing after Shinbe just as much as he was chasing her. Picking up her cross earrings, she wondered why she had agreed to look like a wild child. She was startled out of her musings when someone knocked timidly on her door.

      Opening the door while still fastening her earring, Kyoko beamed, feeling better seeing Suki was dressed wilder than she was. "Oh Suki, you are gonna knock them dead tonight," she said as she looked her friend up and down.

      Suki was wearing tight leather pants and a blue sheer top with long flowing sleeves, showing off her figure. Kyoko shook her head, thinking how many times Shinbe would get slapped tonight.

      "You’re just asking for Shinbe to act up aren’t you?" she cocked an eyebrow at her friend with laughter shining in her emerald eyes.

      Suki was looking Kyoko over, nodding in satisfaction, "Yep, I have a feeling tonight might be the last of the fun for a while. I caught the rumor from Shinbe that starting Monday we are going to have to start training harder than ever." Her eyes lit up, "But for tonight, let’s cut loose. You are going to love this place we are going to. It’s huge and the band tonight is going to rock."

      Suki glanced around Kyoko's rooms, her eyes widening. "Wow! I have never been up here," her gaze darted back to Kyoko's. "No one was ever allowed up here except Toya. Do you realize only him, you, and Kyou are on this floor?" She’d been so nervous about coming up to this floor that she had asked Toya's permission before coming up to Kyoko's room.

      Kyoko knew Kyou must have wanted her where he and Toya could better watch her. Remembering all he said, she knew he was right about Suki and her being friends in the past, because for some reason she felt like she had known her for a long time.

      She swallowed the sudden lump in her throat, "Maybe all the other rooms were taken, I don’t know." She headed