The Reincarnated (Book 2A of Wolfcreek Series)

Chapter 17

Sergio kept stealing side glances at me while we walked before he looked forward. He wanted to ask me some questions; I could tell, but he didn't want to intrude too far into my personal life for whatever reason.

I sighed and turned my gaze towards him while I narrowed my eyes and scowled, annoyed because I did not want him to keep me looking at me like that. I knew my eyes flickered to a different color because his eyes grew wide with shock and filled sadness that he couldn't hide. "Well?" I asked, my tone harsh, ignoring the sadness in his eyes because it was not something that I wanted to know. "What is it?"

Sergio raised an eyebrow and composed himself, even though he couldn't hide his sadness. He tried to play dumb, but it didn't work because I could easily read him, even though I hadn't known him long. "I don't know what you are talking about," he said innocently. "What do you mean?"

I groaned and rolled my eyes while I scowled and moved a hand across my face, annoyed with this older male. "You keep giving me these side glances as if you know something about me, and now you are acting all innocent like when we both know that you aren't."

Sergio bit back a snort and didn't respond. He kept silent, and I had a feeling that he was trying to come up with something to say but couldn't without telling me the truth.

I bit back another sigh and shook my head while I looked forward. I set my jaw and pressed my lips into a thin line, annoyed with his silence because it was speaking a truth that he had to hide.

"Even if I did know something, I am under strict orders not to say anything, Cass," he said finally. He shrugged and cleared his throat while he grimaced. "It's, unfortunately, something that you have to figure out on your own."

I groaned, not liking that answer, and wrinkled my nose. "Can't I get straight answers from someone?" I asked, letting him hear the dissatisfaction and tiredness in my voice that I tried to keep hidden.

Sergio paused and cocked his head, thinking. "Well..." He flinched and cleared his throat while he shook his head, and I had a feeling that someone had yelled at him. "No, no," he said. "Sorry."

I pressed my lips into a thin line and rubbed the bridge of my nose, wondering who this person was that could answer the questions that I had. "Ya, whatever," I grunted, defeated at least for now.

"Hey, cheer up," Sergio said and slapped me on the shoulder harder than a normal human could, leaving me to believe that they weren't normal and were supernatural. "I am pretty sure that if you seek for the truth, you will find it."

I rolled my eyes and scowled but didn't say a word. I knew that what he said was true, but I didn't like it.

Sergio nudged my shoulder and cleared his throat while he looked the way that we were going before he looked at me. "So, have you been fighting any?" he asked and raised an eyebrow, and I nodded in confirmation. His eyes grew wide, and a look of nervousness filled his eyes while he studied me. "How long?" he asked, and his voice shook from his nervousness.

I gave him a weird look and shrugged while I looked around to see if I couldn't see anything that looked "familiar" to me, even though I couldn't because this place was new. "Since I could walk," I replied. I stuffed my hands into my pockets and cleared my throat while I shrugged. "I started dancing and doing gymnastics then too."

Sergio nodded and cleared his throat. "What do you like doing the most?" he asked, and the nervousness didn't leave his voice while he asked me.

"Fighting," I replied right off the bat. "Dancing is a close second, but I love to fight."

"Are you any good?" Sergio asked. He shifted a bit away from me, and I gave him a weird look because I had no idea why he was afraid of me since he was a giant and older than me.

"Why don't we do a little dance on the floor so that you can find out," I shot back. I gave him a little glance over and looked towards the way that we were going, biting back a smirk. "I am pretty sure that I can take you."

He gulped and shook his head, no. "No, no, I am good," he said, and his voice quivered slightly. "I believe you, Cass. I don't think I need to find out what you can do."

I gave him a weird look, not knowing shy this 6'7 male was afraid of a female who stood at 5'9. "The hell is wrong with you?" I asked bluntly.

Sergio's eyes went wide, and he looked shocked at my bluntness. "What?" he asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"Why the hell are you afraid of me?"

He stayed silent and shrugged, not answering my question.

"I mean, I am 5'9, and a lot skinnier than you, and you are..." I gestured to him, and he raised an eyebrow in question. "You're a giant with big arms and legs, and you are scared of lil ole me. Why?"

"Because you learned how to fight at a young age," Sergio replied simply. "And I am pretty sure that you are fast and then strong, too."

I opened my mouth to retaliate but closed it without saying a word. I shrugged, and he beamed and knew that he won that round because I was fast, and I was strong, stronger than many girls my age and some men, which left them in a pissy mood sometimes when we fought, and I won.

The sound of cheering filled the air, and I could tell that we were getting closer to one of the training arenas.

My heart pounded excitedly in my chest, and the urge to run and jump into the fight was strong, but I held back. I flexed my fingers and stared intently towards the area that the fighting was taking place.

I wanted to fight someone so badly that I could almost cry. I took a deep, shuddering breath and cleared my throat, pushing those feelings aside, even though it was hard for me to do.

"Are you ok?" Sergio asked and looked at me with concern in his eyes. He furrowed his brows and studied me, waiting for me to say something.

"Uh... ya, ya, I am fine," I said. I cleared my throat and clasped my arm with my other hand, and rubbed it to stop the feeling, but it didn't stop. "I just like the sound of fighting is all..." I cleared my throat and rubbed my arm again while I shrugged. "It makes me feel alive and whatnot, to be honest."

Sergio nodded and stayed silent. Sadness filled his eyes, and I could tell that he missed someone, and for some reason, I reminded him of her.

"Do I remind you of someone?" I asked and raised an eyebrow. I studied him, wanting to know what secrets he held because I had a feeling that they were to help with my past and maybe my future.

Sergio sighed and rubbed the back of his head, and nodded. "Yes," he admitted, finally. He cleared his throat and shook his head. "You have this spark in you that reminds me of her."

I slowly nodded. "What happened to her?" I asked.

"She died." His voice shook, and he cleared his throat while he shook his head. Tears filled his eyes, and I could tell that it still hurt him, even though it was so long ago.

"Oh."

He nodded and cleared his throat again. "Can you do me a favor?" he asked.

I raised an eyebrow and cocked my head while I studied him. My heart broke for this stricken male, and I wanted to do everything in my power to make him laugh because I didn't like seeing him like this. "Anything," I said. "What is it?"

"Promise me that you will never change for a man. Promise me that you will cho-" He stopped talking before he sighed and shook his head as if he knew that whatever he wanted me to make a promise for, I would break. "Promise me that you'll keep trying to fight to stay alive even if things get rough, and it seems impossible, ya?" He raised an eyebrow in question while he looked at me.

I gave him a wry smile and nodded because that was an easy thing that I could promise him because I would fight to stay alive with my last breath. I had to.

"Promise."