Reincarnated Soul

Five : Wicked

CYPRUS’ POV…

kick*

punch*

kick*

punch*

“Yaaa!!! kick* You’ll lose, Cyprus!”

“Really, Cassandra? You can’t even hit me!” I grinned, easily dodging each punch and kick she threw at me. She’s got some spirit, but she still needs a lot of practice if she wants to beat me.

“I kick* can… punch* hit you! kick*”

For her last kick, I’ll admit, it was a bit stronger than the others. But I still managed to catch her foot mid-air, holding it in place. We both froze for a moment, our faces close, before I let her go.

“See? You lose again, Cassa—AAH!”

Wait, what just happened?!

I didn’t see that one coming! She kicked me right in the… well, there. The pain hit me like a truck, and I immediately collapsed to the ground.

“Ow… I’m gonna die here,” I muttered, clutching my lower back in agony.

“See? Cyprus the loser, haha!” she teased, standing triumphantly over me. Meanwhile, I was still lying there, holding my sore spot.

I shot her a sharp look, still writhing in pain. “I’m not dead yet, you know…” I grumbled, trying to muster the energy to move.

“I win, Cyprus! Now give me your necklace!” She reached for my necklace, but I quickly grabbed her wrist, yanking her down to the ground. Now I was on top of her, grinning.

“Nice try, but remember the rules? No hitting below the belt!” I said, holding her hand firmly. She shot me a defiant look, clearly annoyed.

“But you don’t have a belt, Cyprus. So technically, there’s no below the belt!” she quipped, looking way too pleased with herself.

WHAT?! SERIOUSLY?!

From me being on top earlier to now being at the bottom... She really knows how to turn the tables. With all her might, she pulled me down, claiming her victory. It was clear she wasn’t going to let me win this time.

“Well… t-that’s different, Cassandra,” I stammered, trying to regain some composure.

“How can it be different, huh?” she teased, her smile only making her victory more taunting.

“Well... uh... uhmm…” I trailed off. Honestly, I had no idea what to say anymore. She was using all her charm and cleverness against me, and it was working.

“I WON!” She suddenly hugged me, and I... well, I couldn’t help but hug her back. My heart started racing in a way that I couldn’t explain. Why was my chest feeling like it might explode?

Cassandra’s just my friend, right?

Right?

She pulled away from me and stared at me with a serious look. I couldn’t even look her in the eye. Why did it feel so... different all of a sudden?

“Cyprus…”

What was that? Her voice sent a shiver down my spine. I didn’t like this feeling, not at all.

And then she started moving closer.

“W-what are you doing?” I asked, panic creeping into my voice, but she didn’t stop. She just kept coming closer and closer. My heart was pounding in my chest like it was about to leap out of me!

But instead of pushing her away, I froze. I didn’t know why, but I just let her get closer, closing my eyes to avoid the intensity of her gaze.

And then, just before I thought I might lose it completely, I heard her whisper.

“Give me your necklace…”

That was the moment I pushed her away.

What was I thinking? She’s not going to kiss me, is she? Why would I even think that? Wait, why am I thinking that?

“Why, Cyprus? I won, right?” she asked, scratching her head in that adorably clueless way. Wait—adorably? Did I just think that? Why did I just think that?

“Nah, I’ll give you the necklace if you can catch me!” I said, trying to steer the situation back to normal.

And with that, I ran—fast, like my life depended on it. I needed to get away. I needed to clear my head. Cassandra. She’s just a friend. A childhood friend. Nothing more. It needs to stay that way.

I sprinted toward our old treehouse, the one that held so many memories. I slipped inside, hoping to catch my breath, but of course, she found me almost immediately. With a determined grin, she swiped my necklace. She was obsessed with that pendant—a wolf’s tooth I had earned when I killed my first werewolf at the age of ten. I was young, but I was fearless.

“At last! I got it!” she exclaimed, jumping for joy. Watching her smile like that made my chest tighten. It was different, seeing her so carefree. So full of life. She was so different outside the castle, away from the Queen’s shadow.

“Let me put it on you,” I offered, reaching for the necklace, and carefully sliding it over her head. It looked so right on her—so natural.

“You’re beautiful,” I said before I could stop myself.

“What?” she asked, her voice soft and confused.

“Uh… nothing,” I muttered, my face burning.

What the hell am I thinking? I’ve never said anything like that to her before.

Whoooooosh*

Thump, thump, thump

Suddenly, I heard a loud noise—almost like a gust of wind—but it was sharper, more unnerving. I looked up, my eyes catching a glimpse of something ominous—a small aircraft streaking across the sky, trailing black smoke. My heart skipped a beat as I watched it plummet toward the ground.

What does an aircraft do in this secluded area?

Crash!

It landed with an ear-splitting impact, the front of the aircraft digging into the earth while flames began licking at its tail.

My pulse quickened.

"It’s going to explode!" Cassandra’s voice cut through the air, sharp with urgency. She darted toward the treehouse door, her movements quick and determined.

“Where are you going?” I called after her, my voice tight with fear.

“I’m going to check if there’s anyone alive in there!” she yelled back, already sprinting toward the wreckage.

"What?!" I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Cassandra, it’s too dangerous! Cassandra!" I ran after her, but I knew she wouldn’t listen. She never did when she made up her mind.

By the time I reached her, she was already crouched beside the wrecked plane, inspecting the wreckage with an intensity I couldn’t ignore. I took in the scene—two bodies inside, one mangled beyond recognition. The other, though—alive, or at least still breathing, his forehead bloodied and battered. The scent of fresh blood hit me like a punch to the gut, and my instincts flared.

I wanted to feed.

I could already taste it on my tongue.

But Cassandra wasn’t thinking like that.

“H-help... please,” came a weak voice. The man, barely conscious, grabbed Cassandra’s hand with what little strength he had left. His grip faltered, and he seemed to drift back into unconsciousness.

I watched Cassandra’s expression shift. There was something in her eyes—a pity, an overwhelming urge to help. It was both irritating and... soft.

“Let’s help him, Cyprus,” she said, her voice steady but full of resolve.

"Help?" I repeated, my voice rising in disbelief. I was shocked, stunned even. Was she serious?

“Yes, let’s help him,” she insisted, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. But to me, it wasn’t. To me, it was reckless, foolish. This wasn’t just any mortal—it was a potential meal. We didn’t help people like him.

"Why would we help him?" I growled, my voice sharp. "They are our food!"

For a long moment, there was silence between us. I could see the internal struggle in her eyes. She wasn’t backing down. She had always been too compassionate, too soft-hearted when it came to the weak. But this... this was something else.

"Fine, Cyprus," she said, her voice low but firm. "If you won’t help him, I’ll do it myself."

She didn’t wait for me to respond. She just hoisted the man onto her shoulders, effortlessly carrying him away from the wreckage. I could see how hard she was fighting to keep herself in control. The air around us felt thick with tension—the scent of blood, the weight of her decision.

I had no choice but to follow her. The moment we were far enough from the wreck, the explosion rocked the ground, a deafening roar that sent a shudder through my bones.

“Are you really taking him to the treehouse?” I asked, my voice heavy with disbelief.

“Yes, Cyprus. There’s no safer place for him,” she said, her face set with determination. “Now, are you going to help, or just keep following me around?”

I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to be involved, but I couldn’t leave her to do this alone.

Once inside the treehouse, she laid him on the couch with surprising tenderness. I watched her as she wiped the blood from his face, her expression soft and focused. It made something twist in my gut. This was wrong. She was a vampire. She shouldn’t care about a mortal. But there she was, acting as if he were someone worth saving.

This was our place, our sanctuary. And now, here was this... man—a mortal, no less—sitting in the heart of it. It was infuriating. All I could think about was biting him, draining the life from his body. It would be so easy, so satisfying. But I held back, watching as she fussed over him.

“Look, Cyprus. I found something,” Cassandra’s voice snapped me out of my dark thoughts. She walked over to me, holding something in her hand.

“What is it?” I asked, but I already knew.

She opened the paper in her hand, revealing an ID card.

“His name is... Dylan Guillaume.”

My heart skipped a beat. The name hit me like a thunderbolt.

Dylan...

-End of Flashback-

.

.

"So what do you think, Cyprus? Are you going to cooperate with me in killing him? Killing Dylan?"

The weight of the words hung in the air like an oppressive storm, thick with tension. I stared at Queen Lucinda, her smile curling as she awaited my response, her eyes gleaming with a cold, calculating intensity.

The name "Dylan" echoed in my mind, a cruel reminder of the mortal that stood between Cassandra and her future. I could already hear the cracks forming in my chest, the battle inside me intensifying. Was I really considering this? Was I about to betray Cassandra for this?

I clenched my fists, the frustration and the rage swirling within me. I knew this was wrong. Killing him—killing Dylan—felt like a betrayal of everything I had promised her. But there was no way back now. I had already crossed a line.

I took a deep breath, the decision weighing heavily on my soul. I was torn, what would she think of me if she found out? How could I live with myself after this? Cassandra’s face flashed in my mind, her trust, her friendship, her smile. She had been through so much, and now I was about to shatter it all.

"Just promise me that Cassandra won’t get harmed," I finally said, my voice strained, barely above a whisper. The words tasted bitter in my mouth, like poison I couldn’t spit out, but they were all I had left.

Lucinda’s eyes glinted with a malicious light, and she nodded, her smile widening. "Of course, she’s still my daughter, the heir of our kingdom. I just want to get rid of her mortal lover."

Her grin stretched across her face, an expression so cold and wicked it sent an involuntary shiver down my spine. She wasn’t concerned about Cassandra—not really. To her, this was nothing more than a game, a means to an end. This was about control. About power. About ensuring the throne remained within their reach.

But to me... to me, this was everything. This wasn’t just about duty; it was about the sacrifices I was willing to make. And yet, in the depths of my mind, another darker thought flickered—envy. Dylan had captured Cassandra’s heart. He was the one who held her affection, who could bring a smile to her face. And I... I was always in the shadows, never able to reach her in the way he did. The thought twisted inside me, a sharp edge to the decision I had just made.

I looked away from Lucinda, unable to bear the sight of her smugness, the cold gleam in her eyes. I finally understood why Cassandra despised her mother so much. Why she would go to such lengths to escape the woman who claimed to love her. But at this moment, we were aligned. Our goals were the same. We both wanted Dylan gone.

He was mortal—weak, insignificant—a threat to the very future Cassandra was destined for. And in my jealousy, in my silent resentment, I couldn’t help but agree.

I closed my eyes, trying to will away the turmoil in my heart. The decision had already been made.

"Fine," I muttered, the words tasting like ash on my tongue. "I’ll tell you where they are."