Prologue

Kamui Gakupo sat on his knees, placing a cold compress on his older brother's head. The second it touched the older Kamui boy's brow, it seemed to sizzle, another sign that his brother's fever was skyrocketing out of control.

"Daisuke, you idiot, can't you ever control yourself!" Gakupo said to himself. How could himself, a fourteen year old boy, act more mature than his nineteen year old brother. They were already orphans, rich ones at that, but now Kamui Gakupo would be all alone in the world. Sure Gakupo loved his brother, but this was one of times he wanted to kill him. If the sickness didn't kill him first, that is. Daisuke started to open his eyes and feebly started to sit up

"No, lie down Daisuke" Gakupo told him as he gently pushed back down.

"Little brother, I never meant this to happen to you, it's all my…"

Suddenly the door slammed open, interrupting Daisuke confession. Gakupo turned to see an old hag hobbling on a cane. His hair was as white as the moon, and her face would scare even the bravest of children.
"So, you think you can just take advantage of my granddaughter and get away with it, do you!" she chuckled crazily. "And here I come, jarring my poor aching bones, and you're already half dead" she scowled, but then started to wickedly grin. "Maybe this is God's way of punishing you. Oh well, I guess I just have to put the curse on your brother instead!"

"No!" Daisuke shouted

"It's too late to stop now. You have sinned, and every crime deserves a punishment!" Then she turned to Gakupo, chanting.

Always forced to play card games,

Trying to win a maiden's heart,

Never knows true love until too late,

Only then can the joker's life restart.

Suddenly a flash of light blinded Gakupo, making it impossible to see. When it had finally passed, he noticed that there were five cards laid out by his feet. As he bent to pick them up, he realized there was a half mask, tied around his face.

"Now don't take the mask off Master Joker" The witch chuckling at Gakupo's blank expression. "If someone sees you with it off, before the curse is broken, you will shrivel up and die. That is if you ever break the curse" she burst out laughing. When she finally stopped, she pretended to wipe away a tear as she continued. "Now here are the rules. Each year, one maiden will arrive here at your manor. You will play your card game with her and she must pick a card. If she picks the joker card, you get her heart. You must have at least one maiden's heart a year or I will take yours. Any questions? No? Good!"

"Stop! You can't do this to him. It's not his…" Daisuke hoarsely shouted, then started to cough uncontrollably.

"No, it's yours, and I take pleasure in knowing that you will die knowing it. See you in hell!" she cackled wickedly as she open the door and disappeared.

"Little brother," Daisuke whispered when he finally stopped coughing. "I'm so sorry, will you forgive me?" He asked his brother, his eyes filled with pain.

Gakupo turned his face away from his dying brother. Now his whole life would be a living hell, only because his brother couldn't control his lustful nature. This was too hard to forgive. Impossible to forgive.

"No" he said angrily as he turned to look his brother in the eye. But instead of the sadness or pain he suspected, Daisuke's eyes were glazed over.

Hey thanks for reading! Please review and check out my name on Fiction Press, lasthope1128