Reincarnated Soul

One: A sin

Owls hooting…

Fireflies roaming the forest…

The moon shines brightly above…

Leaves rustle softly with the wind…

It’s a sin, I know. Yet, I do not regret anything. I would commit this sin over and over if given the chance—for him and only him. If they call it a crime, so be it. I would gladly become a criminal for him because I love him.

“You’re the most beautiful thing that ever happened to my life, Cassandra. I love you.”

Those words make my heart flutter. He brushes his fingers through my hair, his touch trailing down my shoulder. We lie together, bare beneath the vast Amazonian canopy. Yes, we made love—a forbidden act. We’re meant to be apart, yet here we are, defying the fate set before us. We’ve carved our own path, one they swore we couldn’t have.

“I love you more, Dylan.” I kiss him, letting my lips linger on his. I push back the strands of hair from his forehead, gazing into his mesmerizing gray eyes. I’m drawn to him, to the man who sees me for who I am and loves me despite everything. His belief in me strengthens my soul.

Through all the years of struggle, he has taught me to believe—believe in love, in goodness, and in his promises. As long as I am with him, I know nothing can defy me. In his arms, I feel warmth. His presence is intoxicating, his touch electric. I know I should resist, but I cannot. My heart is his.

“Cassandra, can I ask you something?” he murmurs into my ear, his fingers playing with my hair.

“Of course, my love.” I touch his face, reassuring him. He owns my heart. I am his, just as he is mine.

“It’s been three years since we met, and you know I’ve accepted all of you—vampire or not.”

I nod, unsure where he’s going with this.

“But, Cassandra… I’m weak compared to you. I can’t protect you from the dangers of werewolves or even your kind.” His words catch me off guard. I see the self-doubt in his eyes, the disappointment weighing on him.

“Dylan, don’t say that. You don’t need to worry about those things. I can handle it,” I say, lifting his chin so he can see the conviction in my eyes.

“But because of me, your relationship with your mother, the vampire queen, is ruined. You are the hope of your kind, Cassandra. Everything has changed because of me.”

He blames himself for the choices I made, choices I would make a thousand times over for him.

“Dylan, listen to me. None of this is your fault. My mother and I were broken long before you came into my life. If I had to choose again, I’d choose you—over and over, without hesitation. I love you, Dylan. And nothing else matters.” My words barely leave my lips before he pulls me into a deep, passionate kiss.

As we part, his gaze softens, filled with tenderness. Then he surprises me.

“Marry me, Cassandra.”

WHAT?!

My mind races, my heart nearly stopping.

Did I hear that right? Is this real? He’s proposing to me?!

“Yes! Yes, Dylan! I’ve always wanted to marry you!”

Tears stream down my cheeks as he slides the ring onto my trembling finger. I stare at it, stunned, as waves of joy crash over me. We stand there, wrapped in each other’s arms, our embrace raw and unfiltered, as if the world has faded away.

In this moment, nothing else exists—just us, bound together, sealed with a kiss that carries the weight of forever.

Woosh!

And suddenly, a sharp sound breaks the tranquility.

"Ahh! My arm…”

Before I could fully grasp what was happening, Dylan’s arm was already dripping blood, an arrow embedded deep into his flesh. I couldn’t even tell where it had come from. My joy twisted into raw fury in an instant.

How dare anyone harm my lover?

My vision sharpened, and my instincts took over. Vampires see everything clearly in the dark—near or far. And there, in the distance, I spotted her: a figure sprinting toward us. But instead of running, I used my strength, leaping with predatory precision.

In an instant I caught her, my hands closed around her throat, slamming her to the ground with a force that left her utterly helpless.

“How dare you!” I growled, my voice laced with venom and fury. My fangs gleamed under the moonlight, sharp and eager. As her face became visible, my breath caught. Her piercing green eyes glinted with malice, and her lower fangs bared like daggers. Fur covered parts of her face.

A werewolf.

A guttural growl erupted from her throat, and before I could react, she shoved me with a strength that sent me flying. My back hit the ground hard, but the pain only fueled my rage. She was strong—nearly as strong as me. But fear? Fear wasn’t something I felt.

No.

I surged forward, ready to kill her with my bare hands. Dylan’s bloodied arm flashed in my mind, a reminder of what she had done. But before I could reach her, she bolted, disappearing into the shadows.

Coward.

She left her bow and arrow behind, a mark of her retreat.

“Cassandra, let’s go. Here are your clothes—wear them.” Dylan’s voice cut through the fog in my mind, pulling me back to reality.

That’s when it hit me—I was still naked. The raw vulnerability of my state burned hotter than any shame, and I sprinted to him, where he stood, now fully clothed, holding out my garments. His eyes averted, his concern palpable, but it was his scent that overwhelmed me.

Blood.

The metallic tang of it filled the air, sharper than any dagger, clawing at the monster within me. It teased, beckoned, taunted. My throat burned with the primal need to taste it. My stomach twisted with hunger so violently it felt as though it might consume me whole.

I snatched the clothes from his hands, slipping into them with trembling urgency, desperate to focus on anything but the red temptation flowing from him. But as I dressed, my eyes betrayed me, drawn to the wound on his arm. The blood still flowed in crimson rivulets, each drop a siren’s song luring me closer to the edge.

“Cassandra?” Dylan’s voice was soft, but the concern laced through it stabbed into me like a knife. “Are you okay?”

His words jolted me, snapping me from the abyss. My hands balled into fists, my nails biting into my palms to ground me. “Yes,” I said, though my voice wavered under the weight of suppressed hunger. “I’m fine. It’s you I’m worried about.”

I moved closer, my fingers brushing lightly against his arm. His warmth was intoxicating, his presence a lifeline I didn’t deserve. The sweet aroma of his blood invaded my senses with merciless precision. My fangs throbbed, desperate for release. My lips parted ever so slightly, instinct warring against resolve.

No, Cassandra. No.

I clenched my jaw so tightly that I thought my teeth might shatter. “Let me heal your wound,” I said, forcing each word out like it might break the dam inside me. My hands hovered over the wound, trembling. “My blood… it can help you heal faster.”

“Cass…” Dylan’s gaze searched mine, his worry deepening. “You don’t have to—”

“I do,” I interrupted, though my voice cracked. Every part of me screamed to run, to resist the hunger that was clawing its way to the surface. But Dylan—his safety, his life—was more important than my fear. “Let me handle this. It’s for your own sake”

The hunger roared louder, tearing at my resolve. My fangs ached so sharply it was as if they had a mind of their own, urging me to bite, to taste. My vision narrowed to the crimson streaks painting his skin, the pulsing temptation just beneath his veins.

No, Cassandra. You’re not that monster anymore. You don’t drink human blood. You hate it. You’ve changed. The pig’s blood is better. You’re better.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Dylan asked, his voice a balm against the storm raging within me.

I forced a smile, brittle and strained. “I’m fine.” But as the words left my lips, I wasn’t sure if they were for him or me.

I could still feel it, the monster inside me, clawing at the cage I had built to keep it contained. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold it back. All I knew was that Dylan couldn’t see it—not now, not ever.

I bit into my palm. Pain flared, but it was fleeting. My blood trickled down, and I smeared it over his wound. His hiss of pain cut through the night.

“It stings,” he gritted out, his face contorted.

“It’ll pass. Just wait.”

Minutes later, the wound closed, his skin smooth and unbroken as if it had never been touched by harm. I let out a shaky sigh, relief washing over me like a wave. My hands lingered over his now-healed arm, the faint warmth of his blood still teasing my senses, but the raging hunger that had gripped me moments ago was gone. It had subsided, leaving in its wake a quiet ache—not for blood, but for peace.

I stepped back, grateful for my gift. This power of mine—immortality, strength, and the ability to heal—felt both a blessing and a curse. I could mend others with a touch, defy death itself, and yet, beneath it all, I was haunted by a singular vulnerability. For all my gifts, there was one thing that could end me—one thing that no healing power, no supernatural strength, could save me from.

Metal.

Unlike other vampires, I was impervious to sunlight. Garlic, crosses, and holy water were little more than myths, harmless symbols that held no power over me. But a blade of metal? It could pierce through my immortal body, severing the thread of eternity with a single strike. It was a vulnerability I carried in secret, the Achilles’ heel that reminded me that even gods could bleed.

Because I wasn’t just any vampire—I was royalty, a princess of my kind. My bloodline was unparalleled, stronger than any other, carrying power and prestige unlike anything else. But with that power came a curse equally singular: I couldn’t turn humans. If I bit them, they wouldn’t transform. They’d simply die, succumbing to the extraordinary venom coursing through me.

As I looked into Dylan’s eyes, I knew I would protect him from any harm, even if it meant risking the very thing that could destroy me. For him, I would face the sharp edge of fate itself.

“Cassandra…”

“Yes, Dylan?”

“That woman earlier… A werewolf, right? Do you know who she is?” His voice was cautious as we walked toward the city, leaving the forest behind.

“I don’t know her. But yes, she’s a werewolf. I’m certain she aimed for me but missed and hit you instead.”

His expression darkened, his shoulders sagging slightly.

“Why do you look so sad, my love?” I cupped his face, forcing him to meet my gaze. I hated seeing him like this.

“It’s just… I feel useless. I couldn’t protect you—”

I silenced him with a kiss, cutting off the spiral of self-doubt.

“Don’t you dare think like that,” I whispered fiercely. “If you say it again…” A wicked grin spread across my face, “I’ll tickle you.”

He groaned, but I was already at his side, my fingers digging into his sides. His laughter filled the air as he squirmed and ran, with me chasing after him, ready to attack again.

At that moment, amidst the chaos and the laughter, I remembered why I loved him.

For him, I could endure anything—even the temptations of the monster within me.