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Description
Title of series … The Guardian Heart Crystal series
Title of book… A Guardian's Possession
Author... Amy Blankenship
Drawing by Seifer-sama

Book Cooming Soon!!!

Free Preview:

Grabbing hold of a vine, Kyoko climbed up to sit on one of the white rocks that surrounded the heart of time, not wanting to disturb the others in the middle of the night. Just because she couldn’t sleep didn’t mean she needed to wake them up. It was way to late and still way to early. Looking up into the night sky, she just sat there, enjoying the view of the lightening strikes that didn’t seem to be getting any closer.

She was glad she had come back early. The stars seemed to shine brighter on this side of the time portal without the lights of the city to diminish their brightness.

Kyoko’s fingers rose to the small pouch she wore around her neck where some of the talisman they had gathered safely rested. She was unaware that as she touched the binding, a soft florescent blue light radiated from it and the direction of the soft breeze ominously began to change.

*****

Nearby, Kyou's head tilted as a tainted scent caught in the wind of the approaching storm drifted toward him. Hyakuhei was near. He narrowed his golden eyes as the breeze shifted in warning, now coming from the direction of the heart of time. That scent… the priestess and the power of the guardian heart crystal.

His hands fisted at his side as anger flashed across his expression causing a small growl to be heard in the stillness of the surrounding forest. She was alone and unguarded.

How dare she be at the shrine at this dangerous hour unprotected! Why were his brothers not with her? Kyou closed his golden eyes and inhaled deeply of the women-child that traveled with his siblings.

Within his minds eye, he could see the image of the priestess he and his brothers had become guardians of. Auburn hair… startling emerald eyes, it was as if the beauty of the maiden statue… had come to life and color. She should have never come to this world with the guardian heart crystal. Neither she, nor it, belonged here.

The dangerous power his uncle continued to gain was her fault. Did she not know what would happen? If she were the true priestess, then she should have known to stay away form this world. His father had died because he had closed the time portal and this small human girl had undone everything he had sacrificed his life for.

His father had told him to protect the human’s… all of them. But why? Why would he now protect the very human who had been stupid enough to open the portal between their worlds. Why did his father care so much… that he gave his life for them?

Kyou had tried to frighten her and send her screaming back into her world. But much to his disbelief… she had to be the only female who seemed to not fear him for more than a few fleeting seconds at a time. When he had first come upon her not so long ago, she had stood there, chin held high, pointing a spirit dart straight at him as if she, a mere human, could fight him… and win.

He had vowed to protect the guardian heart crystal and the time portal, but never a small human girl. His brothers may have agreed to it but he had never… Humans were weak, foolish creatures that feared him. Why did she have to be different? Why did she not fear him?

Kyou leapt from the tree he had been sitting in and stood to his full height. He could feel his heart beat loud and thumping under his skin… his guardian blood was telling him to go to her. It happened every time she was near and that only angered him more.

Her lack of fear only attracted him to her and of late, she had somehow consumed his thoughts… along with his dreams. He had stayed away from the group for that reason alone. How dare that girl plant herself so deep within his thoughts?

Kyou’s body tensed as he felt a shift in the balance of good and evil approaching the unaware priestess. His face was calm… the calm before the storm. His silver hair swayed in the constant breeze, as his senses picked up what danger was about to come upon her.

Lowborn demons were already being drawn to her and the scent of power she held. They were only drones sent to keep her from fleeing because Kyou could feel the presence of his uncle not far behind them. He would not let Hyakuhei have her.

Kyou glanced up as a shadow passed across the light of the moon… announcing their arrival. All night sounds stopped as wings appeared behind Kyou, sending a furious spray of golden feathers across the clearing his silent form stood in.

“So be it.” The words left his lips in an answer to his own tormented thoughts.

She had put herself in danger once again and it left him with no choice. He had decided if his brothers were going to be lax in their duties then he would take the priestess from them. But first… he would destroy the evil stalking her.

*****

Unaware that the storm was now growing closer, Kyoko felt the breeze cool her heated skin and welcomed it with a soft smile. Closing her emerald eyes, she wanted to enjoy the solitude of the night for a while longer before heading to the village and the three guardians that slumbered there… Toya, Shinbe and Kamui.

The forth guardian Kotaro, was still within his own lands, protecting it from the demon’s who were trying to invade but he had promised to catch back up with them soon. Kyoko got a cold chill as she thought of the fifth brother.

Out of the five brothers, Kyou was definitely the strange one and the one to avoid at all costs. He was even more hostile then the demon plagued land he lived in. She wondered what she had done to wrong him. It wasn’t as if any of this was her fault… really… or was it?

Giving up on her scattered thoughts, Kyoko opened her emerald eyes and slid off the stone, only to stop dead in her tracks. There, not twenty feet from her stood Kyou. He looked almost angelic, except for the dangerous expression in his golden eyes.

The darkness that surrounded them seemed to illuminate his body… giving him a haunted appearance. Kyou's silence was thunderous. He looked as if he were considering something that Kyoko had a feeling she wouldn’t like… whatever choice he was at this moment making.

Kyou watched her face become pale because of her alarm and savored her intoxicating scent. For once… she should fear him. She should also fear the demons he had just destroyed to protect her. His eyes bore into her as he remembered the monsters he had just sent to there death. If they had gotten to her…

The muscles in Kyou’s jaw flexed angrily at the very thought of their deadly claws touching her. Still she was oblivious… she did not run nor did she scream. Would she scream if she realized Hyakuhei was on his way? Such fearlessness was not in her best interest as his thoughts darkened. It only served to inflame him further, stoking the fires of the odd rage and passion he had for the priestess.

Kyoko stood completely still. She didn't know how to take this hauntingly beautiful image. She was too scared to move and she dared not utter a sound knowing anything she did could put her life in danger. She wasn’t so sure he had ever forgiven her for bringing the guardian heart crystal back into his realm.

She could feel a chill slowly crawling its way up her spine, not stopping until it reached the back of her neck too spread out from there like icy fingers of warning. Kyoko took a step backwards before she realized it and stopped herself from taking another retreating step.

She knew that would be considered showing fear and she had been taught by her grandfather at a young age to hide such fear. Her grandfathers words came back to haunt her, “Showing fear only makes you an instant victim.”

Trying to fight the creeping sensation, Kyoko closed her eyes for a second. But when she opened them again, Kyou was nowhere to be seen causing her to be even more terrified. Again the teachings of her grandfather haunted her, “Never let the enemy out of your sight or you will not see the coming attack.”

"Kyou?" She whispered his name as fear laced her voice. Then she felt his hot breath on her neck and heard him inhale long and slow as if testing her scent.

Slowly, with her eyes wide open, expecting death any second, she tilted her head sideways, stopping only when her cheek touched his silky one. She gasp and tried to throw herself forward only to feel his arm go around her like a steal band, slamming her back against him and knocking the breath from her.

Kyoko's sudden fear was making it harder for her to regain that breath. She decided that she now knew what a panic attack really was and wondered if she was going to hyperventilate. This was the one person she feared more then Hyakuhei, though she had kept that little fact to herself. She had never been within touching distance of him and she had liked it better that way.

Her scent now surrounded him, intoxicating him. Kyou could smell her untainted scent mixed with fear and getting stronger and heavier, the longer he held her imprisoned against him. Finally, she was showing the fear he demanded but still she did not scream.

‘Why did he secretly not want to hear the familiar scream that would sound so damning if it came from her lips?’ Maybe he needed to hear that sound to rid himself of the spell she had put him under.

Something told him that it wouldn’t matter one way or the other. Deep inside his guardian’s heart, Kyou knew he wanted her and he was not one to be denied. A slow dangerous smile graced his perfect face as she started to struggle against him.

Kyou nuzzled her neck then took in a sharp breath when she rubbed up against him trying to free herself. "You are encouraging me." He growled low in his throat and brushed his lips against the delicate flesh of her neck. His guardian blood challenged him to claim her as his own.

Kyoko couldn't help the chills the sensation of his lips gave her. Was he trying to seduce her or was he going to kill her after all? She stopped struggling and went perfectly still not sure if she liked the sound of what he had said and knowing she didn't want to piss him off. Something told her that he was only trying to scare her.

'Smart girl.' Kyou contemplated to himself, but still she was not screaming and he was touching her. His arms loosened into a softer hold as she looked up over her shoulder at him curiously, her fear starting to subside.

Kyou got his first up close glance at her emerald eyes and the reaction startled him. She was looking at him as if he were a man… not a guardian lord. Her inability to show proper fear of him was confusing and that alone angered him. Her lack of fear had been what put her in danger tonight in the first place. It was also why Hyakuhei was on his way to her right now thinking he could steal her away in the middle of the night.

Fear… he could teach her that.

Kyou reached around her body, sliding the palm of his hand downward in a caressing motion until it rested against her upper thigh at the bottom of her shirt. He then slid it up and under the cloth. He could feel the heat coming from her soft skin. Her whole body shivered at the light touch as she tried to twist out of his hold.

The motion caused him to form a tighter grip on her. He slid his other hand across her rib cage meaning to only teach her the lesson of being caught alone and without protection so she would be wise not to do so again.

Something within her called to him… making him want… Kyou could feel the heat radiating from her and his highborn guardian blood stirred dangerously out of his control. Becoming confused, he suddenly did not want to let her go.

Dipping his lips closer to her ear, Kyou breathed one word.

"Run."

In Kyoko's mind, fear gave way to panic when his arms loosened. She could be very obedient when the time was right and now was that time. She shot forward with no thought except to escape. Her mind screamed Toya's name repeatedly but not a sound came from her lips. Every sound she would have made seemed to be lodged in her throat… leaving it echoing only in her own ears.

If she could just get closer to the village and Toya, she would have a chance of him hearing her and saving her from his deranged brother. She mentally pleaded with herself to wake up, even though she knew this was too real to be a dream.

She nearly groaned out loud when a raindrop hit her proving she had been right… this was no dream she could wake up from and the storm had finally reached her. Glancing quickly over her shoulder, she slammed into what felt like a wall and stumbled backwards with the impact.

Seeing the white billowing silk shirt only a step from her, she sprinted in another direction… now running away from the village where the guardian’s slept and the only hope she had of someone saving her.

She knew Hyakuhei used to be a guardian but had somehow lost himself to the demons he had once fought… becoming the enemy and Kyoko wondered if the same thing hadn’t happened to Kyou without his brothers realizing it.

Kyoko caught a glimpse of white to her right and shifted back toward the village, hoping to now have a chance to get to Toya. Her heartbeat was so loud in her ears, it was deafening. Somewhere, she knew the gods were laughing at her as the sky opened up and let lose its rain with a ground shaking crash of thunder.

Why? Why was he doing this? Why didn't he just kill her instead of torturing her first? She knew she didn't have a chance of out running him. She was also aware of the fact that he was going to stop her before she got to safety but that didn't stop her headlong rush for it.

Kyou watched her get closer to the village and decided to let her think she had half a chance of escaping for a minute, knowing it would only make it better when he caught her. Then another scent hit him. His brothers. No! He would not allow it! His brother had failed in protecting her and because of that, she would now stay within his protection… no matter what. His guardian blood demanded it.

Kyoko could feel the sudden change in him. She felt Kyou’s aura closing in on her and she screamed, this time unable to hold it back. The sound rang like a death bell throughout the forest, right as a hand clamped over her mouth and an arm went around her waist tightening, cutting off her air supply as she was once again slammed back against his chest.

Her feet were now dangling only a couple of inches from the ground.

*****

Toya glanced up at the darkening night sky just as the first raindrops came. Tonight was a bad night… he could feel it clear down into his soul. His vigilant eyes matched the color of the lightening that danced across the darkness.

Unable to sleep while Kyoko wasn't with him, Toya had climbed onto a high branch of an old tree on the outskirts of the village to keep watch. All he could do was wait until dawn, and then go meet her in the gardens of the heart of time.

The ground shook with a rumble of thunder but Toya’s eyes widened… his hearing picking up a terrified scream within the angry storm. That scream had taken his breath away. “Kyoko?” What was she doing back here this time of night without telling him first?

His eyes instantly turned to molten silver as his protective instincts went into overdrive. He had never heard her that scared, even during battle. His heartbeat flew as his silver wings sprung from his back. Toya took off almost too fast for the human eye to detect.

"Kyoko!" The worried cry ripped from his throat.

*****

Shinbe stood outside Suki’s hut no longer able to sleep. His nightmares would not allow it. Amethyst eyes locked on the forest that held the heart of time portal deep within it. Something was wrong, he could feel it… and it had nothing to do with the oncoming storm that now raged over the forest.

“Kyou?” What was Kyou doing so close? For a very long moment, Shinbe’s throat refused to work and his breath halted in his chest as he stared into the distance. He could feel her… Kyoko was back. His midnight blue hair swayed in the stormy winds that brought the scent of his brother’s anger with it and his fist clinched. She was not alone… Kyou was with her!

After his heartbeat had decided to return to its regular rhythm, he grabbed his staff that was leaning against the doorframe. Shinbe knew he didn’t have to call for the others. He could already feel them standing behind him. Amethyst wings spread out behind him as his feet left the ground.

Kamui followed soot, leaving a tail of multicolored dust in his wake. Kaen roared to life, lifting Suki up to join in the chase.

Description
Title of series … The Guardian Heart Crystal series
Title of book… A Guardian's Possession
Author... Amy Blankenship
Drawing by Seifer-sama

Book Cooming Soon!!!

Free Preview:

Grabbing hold of a vine, Kyoko climbed up to sit on one of the white rocks that surrounded the heart of time, not wanting to disturb the others in the middle of the night. Just because she couldn’t sleep didn’t mean she needed to wake them up. It was way to late and still way to early. Looking up into the night sky, she just sat there, enjoying the view of the lightening strikes that didn’t seem to be getting any closer.

She was glad she had come back early. The stars seemed to shine brighter on this side of the time portal without the lights of the city to diminish their brightness.

Kyoko’s fingers rose to the small pouch she wore around her neck where some of the talisman they had gathered safely rested. She was unaware that as she touched the binding, a soft florescent blue light radiated from it and the direction of the soft breeze ominously began to change.

*****

Nearby, Kyou's head tilted as a tainted scent caught in the wind of the approaching storm drifted toward him. Hyakuhei was near. He narrowed his golden eyes as the breeze shifted in warning, now coming from the direction of the heart of time. That scent… the priestess and the power of the guardian heart crystal.

His hands fisted at his side as anger flashed across his expression causing a small growl to be heard in the stillness of the surrounding forest. She was alone and unguarded.

How dare she be at the shrine at this dangerous hour unprotected! Why were his brothers not with her? Kyou closed his golden eyes and inhaled deeply of the women-child that traveled with his siblings.

Within his minds eye, he could see the image of the priestess he and his brothers had become guardians of. Auburn hair… startling emerald eyes, it was as if the beauty of the maiden statue… had come to life and color. She should have never come to this world with the guardian heart crystal. Neither she, nor it, belonged here.

The dangerous power his uncle continued to gain was her fault. Did she not know what would happen? If she were the true priestess, then she should have known to stay away form this world. His father had died because he had closed the time portal and this small human girl had undone everything he had sacrificed his life for.

His father had told him to protect the human’s… all of them. But why? Why would he now protect the very human who had been stupid enough to open the portal between their worlds. Why did his father care so much… that he gave his life for them?

Kyou had tried to frighten her and send her screaming back into her world. But much to his disbelief… she had to be the only female who seemed to not fear him for more than a few fleeting seconds at a time. When he had first come upon her not so long ago, she had stood there, chin held high, pointing a spirit dart straight at him as if she, a mere human, could fight him… and win.

He had vowed to protect the guardian heart crystal and the time portal, but never a small human girl. His brothers may have agreed to it but he had never… Humans were weak, foolish creatures that feared him. Why did she have to be different? Why did she not fear him?

Kyou leapt from the tree he had been sitting in and stood to his full height. He could feel his heart beat loud and thumping under his skin… his guardian blood was telling him to go to her. It happened every time she was near and that only angered him more.

Her lack of fear only attracted him to her and of late, she had somehow consumed his thoughts… along with his dreams. He had stayed away from the group for that reason alone. How dare that girl plant herself so deep within his thoughts?

Kyou’s body tensed as he felt a shift in the balance of good and evil approaching the unaware priestess. His face was calm… the calm before the storm. His silver hair swayed in the constant breeze, as his senses picked up what danger was about to come upon her.

Lowborn demons were already being drawn to her and the scent of power she held. They were only drones sent to keep her from fleeing because Kyou could feel the presence of his uncle not far behind them. He would not let Hyakuhei have her.

Kyou glanced up as a shadow passed across the light of the moon… announcing their arrival. All night sounds stopped as wings appeared behind Kyou, sending a furious spray of golden feathers across the clearing his silent form stood in.

“So be it.” The words left his lips in an answer to his own tormented thoughts.

She had put herself in danger once again and it left him with no choice. He had decided if his brothers were going to be lax in their duties then he would take the priestess from them. But first… he would destroy the evil stalking her.

*****

Unaware that the storm was now growing closer, Kyoko felt the breeze cool her heated skin and welcomed it with a soft smile. Closing her emerald eyes, she wanted to enjoy the solitude of the night for a while longer before heading to the village and the three guardians that slumbered there… Toya, Shinbe and Kamui.

The forth guardian Kotaro, was still within his own lands, protecting it from the demon’s who were trying to invade but he had promised to catch back up with them soon. Kyoko got a cold chill as she thought of the fifth brother.

Out of the five brothers, Kyou was definitely the strange one and the one to avoid at all costs. He was even more hostile then the demon plagued land he lived in. She wondered what she had done to wrong him. It wasn’t as if any of this was her fault… really… or was it?

Giving up on her scattered thoughts, Kyoko opened her emerald eyes and slid off the stone, only to stop dead in her tracks. There, not twenty feet from her stood Kyou. He looked almost angelic, except for the dangerous expression in his golden eyes.

The darkness that surrounded them seemed to illuminate his body… giving him a haunted appearance. Kyou's silence was thunderous. He looked as if he were considering something that Kyoko had a feeling she wouldn’t like… whatever choice he was at this moment making.

Kyou watched her face become pale because of her alarm and savored her intoxicating scent. For once… she should fear him. She should also fear the demons he had just destroyed to protect her. His eyes bore into her as he remembered the monsters he had just sent to there death. If they had gotten to her…

The muscles in Kyou’s jaw flexed angrily at the very thought of their deadly claws touching her. Still she was oblivious… she did not run nor did she scream. Would she scream if she realized Hyakuhei was on his way? Such fearlessness was not in her best interest as his thoughts darkened. It only served to inflame him further, stoking the fires of the odd rage and passion he had for the priestess.

Kyoko stood completely still. She didn't know how to take this hauntingly beautiful image. She was too scared to move and she dared not utter a sound knowing anything she did could put her life in danger. She wasn’t so sure he had ever forgiven her for bringing the guardian heart crystal back into his realm.

She could feel a chill slowly crawling its way up her spine, not stopping until it reached the back of her neck too spread out from there like icy fingers of warning. Kyoko took a step backwards before she realized it and stopped herself from taking another retreating step.

She knew that would be considered showing fear and she had been taught by her grandfather at a young age to hide such fear. Her grandfathers words came back to haunt her, “Showing fear only makes you an instant victim.”

Trying to fight the creeping sensation, Kyoko closed her eyes for a second. But when she opened them again, Kyou was nowhere to be seen causing her to be even more terrified. Again the teachings of her grandfather haunted her, “Never let the enemy out of your sight or you will not see the coming attack.”

"Kyou?" She whispered his name as fear laced her voice. Then she felt his hot breath on her neck and heard him inhale long and slow as if testing her scent.

Slowly, with her eyes wide open, expecting death any second, she tilted her head sideways, stopping only when her cheek touched his silky one. She gasp and tried to throw herself forward only to feel his arm go around her like a steal band, slamming her back against him and knocking the breath from her.

Kyoko's sudden fear was making it harder for her to regain that breath. She decided that she now knew what a panic attack really was and wondered if she was going to hyperventilate. This was the one person she feared more then Hyakuhei, though she had kept that little fact to herself. She had never been within touching distance of him and she had liked it better that way.

Her scent now surrounded him, intoxicating him. Kyou could smell her untainted scent mixed with fear and getting stronger and heavier, the longer he held her imprisoned against him. Finally, she was showing the fear he demanded but still she did not scream.

‘Why did he secretly not want to hear the familiar scream that would sound so damning if it came from her lips?’ Maybe he needed to hear that sound to rid himself of the spell she had put him under.

Something told him that it wouldn’t matter one way or the other. Deep inside his guardian’s heart, Kyou knew he wanted her and he was not one to be denied. A slow dangerous smile graced his perfect face as she started to struggle against him.

Kyou nuzzled her neck then took in a sharp breath when she rubbed up against him trying to free herself. "You are encouraging me." He growled low in his throat and brushed his lips against the delicate flesh of her neck. His guardian blood challenged him to claim her as his own.

Kyoko couldn't help the chills the sensation of his lips gave her. Was he trying to seduce her or was he going to kill her after all? She stopped struggling and went perfectly still not sure if she liked the sound of what he had said and knowing she didn't want to piss him off. Something told her that he was only trying to scare her.

'Smart girl.' Kyou contemplated to himself, but still she was not screaming and he was touching her. His arms loosened into a softer hold as she looked up over her shoulder at him curiously, her fear starting to subside.

Kyou got his first up close glance at her emerald eyes and the reaction startled him. She was looking at him as if he were a man… not a guardian lord. Her inability to show proper fear of him was confusing and that alone angered him. Her lack of fear had been what put her in danger tonight in the first place. It was also why Hyakuhei was on his way to her right now thinking he could steal her away in the middle of the night.

Fear… he could teach her that.

Kyou reached around her body, sliding the palm of his hand downward in a caressing motion until it rested against her upper thigh at the bottom of her shirt. He then slid it up and under the cloth. He could feel the heat coming from her soft skin. Her whole body shivered at the light touch as she tried to twist out of his hold.

The motion caused him to form a tighter grip on her. He slid his other hand across her rib cage meaning to only teach her the lesson of being caught alone and without protection so she would be wise not to do so again.

Something within her called to him… making him want… Kyou could feel the heat radiating from her and his highborn guardian blood stirred dangerously out of his control. Becoming confused, he suddenly did not want to let her go.

Dipping his lips closer to her ear, Kyou breathed one word.

"Run."

In Kyoko's mind, fear gave way to panic when his arms loosened. She could be very obedient when the time was right and now was that time. She shot forward with no thought except to escape. Her mind screamed Toya's name repeatedly but not a sound came from her lips. Every sound she would have made seemed to be lodged in her throat… leaving it echoing only in her own ears.

If she could just get closer to the village and Toya, she would have a chance of him hearing her and saving her from his deranged brother. She mentally pleaded with herself to wake up, even though she knew this was too real to be a dream.

She nearly groaned out loud when a raindrop hit her proving she had been right… this was no dream she could wake up from and the storm had finally reached her. Glancing quickly over her shoulder, she slammed into what felt like a wall and stumbled backwards with the impact.

Seeing the white billowing silk shirt only a step from her, she sprinted in another direction… now running away from the village where the guardian’s slept and the only hope she had of someone saving her.

She knew Hyakuhei used to be a guardian but had somehow lost himself to the demons he had once fought… becoming the enemy and Kyoko wondered if the same thing hadn’t happened to Kyou without his brothers realizing it.

Kyoko caught a glimpse of white to her right and shifted back toward the village, hoping to now have a chance to get to Toya. Her heartbeat was so loud in her ears, it was deafening. Somewhere, she knew the gods were laughing at her as the sky opened up and let lose its rain with a ground shaking crash of thunder.

Why? Why was he doing this? Why didn't he just kill her instead of torturing her first? She knew she didn't have a chance of out running him. She was also aware of the fact that he was going to stop her before she got to safety but that didn't stop her headlong rush for it.

Kyou watched her get closer to the village and decided to let her think she had half a chance of escaping for a minute, knowing it would only make it better when he caught her. Then another scent hit him. His brothers. No! He would not allow it! His brother had failed in protecting her and because of that, she would now stay within his protection… no matter what. His guardian blood demanded it.

Kyoko could feel the sudden change in him. She felt Kyou’s aura closing in on her and she screamed, this time unable to hold it back. The sound rang like a death bell throughout the forest, right as a hand clamped over her mouth and an arm went around her waist tightening, cutting off her air supply as she was once again slammed back against his chest.

Her feet were now dangling only a couple of inches from the ground.

*****

Toya glanced up at the darkening night sky just as the first raindrops came. Tonight was a bad night… he could feel it clear down into his soul. His vigilant eyes matched the color of the lightening that danced across the darkness.

Unable to sleep while Kyoko wasn't with him, Toya had climbed onto a high branch of an old tree on the outskirts of the village to keep watch. All he could do was wait until dawn, and then go meet her in the gardens of the heart of time.

The ground shook with a rumble of thunder but Toya’s eyes widened… his hearing picking up a terrified scream within the angry storm. That scream had taken his breath away. “Kyoko?” What was she doing back here this time of night without telling him first?

His eyes instantly turned to molten silver as his protective instincts went into overdrive. He had never heard her that scared, even during battle. His heartbeat flew as his silver wings sprung from his back. Toya took off almost too fast for the human eye to detect.

"Kyoko!" The worried cry ripped from his throat.

*****

Shinbe stood outside Suki’s hut no longer able to sleep. His nightmares would not allow it. Amethyst eyes locked on the forest that held the heart of time portal deep within it. Something was wrong, he could feel it… and it had nothing to do with the oncoming storm that now raged over the forest.

“Kyou?” What was Kyou doing so close? For a very long moment, Shinbe’s throat refused to work and his breath halted in his chest as he stared into the distance. He could feel her… Kyoko was back. His midnight blue hair swayed in the stormy winds that brought the scent of his brother’s anger with it and his fist clinched. She was not alone… Kyou was with her!

After his heartbeat had decided to return to its regular rhythm, he grabbed his staff that was leaning against the doorframe. Shinbe knew he didn’t have to call for the others. He could already feel them standing behind him. Amethyst wings spread out behind him as his feet left the ground.

Kamui followed soot, leaving a tail of multicolored dust in his wake. Kaen roared to life, lifting Suki up to join in the chase.