A Game Of Chess With A Vampire
Chapter 119: BADUM!

Chapter 119: BADUM!

Draven sat on the bed opposite Avelina, who had her head sloped.

"What is it?" he asked.

Avelina shook her head at him. "Nothing."

Draven crumpled his brows. He slanted closer and tilted his head downward to glimpse her face. "You look sad. Is it because of Valentine?"

Avelina glanced at him and cleared her throat. "I...guess so. I feel sorry."

Draven thought for a few moments before smiling at her. "He’s fine. Do not worry. We are used to it."

"Huh? Used to...it?" Avelina was taken aback.

"Mhm." Draven nodded. "This is not the first time. It has happened countless times, so...don’t worry, he is okay."

Avelina blinked her eyes. She was speechless and unable to even say a word.

Draven stared at her while smiling. "It’s really okay. You get used to things when they happen often, you know."

Avelain buried her face in her palms and took a deep breath.

"Draven," she called.

"Hmm? Is something wrong?" Draven inquired.

Avelina shook her head. "No, it’s just that, why do you have to stay here? Don’t you have somewhere else you can live?"

"I do," Draven replied.

Avelina was flabbergasted. "R-really?"

"Yes." Draven gave a nod. "Hmm...let’s see. I have four different estates and three villas."

"Y-ye! Seriously? That’s a lot!" Avelina’s jaw was on the floor.

Draven agreed. "I know. I don’t know what to do with them."

"Then, why did you buy them?" Avelina questioned.

Draven shrugged. "I just did. There is no particular reason. I thought it would be nice. You know, somewhere I could spend time alone sometimes with someone."

"Why don’t you live there? You could be away from this place and—"

"Avelina." Draven playfully flicked her forehead.

"I don’t live there because I need to be here. You have to be closer to your enemies if you want to win. What I seek is here, so there is no reason for me to live away. When I get what I want, I will gladly leave. Do you understand?" He patted her head with a full smile on his lips.

Avelina batted her lashes.

"W-what about Valentine? Would you leave him here?"

Draven, who had never thought of it before, rubbed his temple. "I don’t know."

"Huh?" Avelina appeared stunned. "B-but if you leave him here alone, wouldn’t he suffer? There would be nobody to protect him as you did, and he would be all alone."

Draven gazed at her and asked, "Do you really care about him that much?"

"Eh..." Avelina blinked. "No, it’s just...he seems really nice unlike your other brothers, and he cares a lot for you. I don’t think you should leave him. You may not know it, but he does. The way he talks about you, Draven, it shows he—"

"Avelina, calm down, haha." Draven cupped her cheeks in his palms. He stared into her hazel eyes and said, "I would not leave him. If he desires to go with me, I will take him with me. I don’t mind. So it will be up to him then."

Avelina beamed widely with sparkling eyes. "That’s a relief. That’s such a relief."

Draven pulled her cheeks and rubbed them to massage them.

"Your heart is as pure as a cloud," he abruptly said.

Avelina blinked, baffled. "A...cloud?"

Draven nodded. "It means you’re very nice."

"Oh..." Avelina flickered her large eyes before smiling. "I see."

"Have I been pulling too much?" Draven asked.

Avelain raised her brows at him. "Hmm? What do you mean?"

"Your cheeks...they are red." Draven’s face held a slight bit of guilt.

"What?" Avelina immediately pulled away from him and jumped down from the bed. She looked at her face in the mirror, and her expression fell at the sight of her reddish cheeks.

She cupped her cheeks with her palms and turned around to look at Draven.

"It is...sore." The urge to cry overwhelmed her. "Do you have a cheek fetish or what?"

Draven shook his head at her. "No. I just like yours. I have never pulled anyone’s cheek except yours. It’s very adorable, and I can’t seem to resist touching it."

"You are a cheek monster!" Avelina said it with a serious, playful look on her face.

Draven tipped his head with a perplexed look. "A...cheek monster? What is that?"

Avelina chuckled softly and walked over to the bed to sit opposite him.

"You have to minimize pulling it, or else my cheeks would melt off."

"I see. I am sorry if I hurt you." Draven apologized.

He then asked, "But can I touch it though or...no touching?"

"Ah..." Avelina pondered about it. She replied, "Of Course, you can touch. It won’t hurt like that." She deeply sighed and lay down on the bed with her gaze fixed on the ceiling.

Draven, a bit worried by the sudden change in her mood, moved over and loomed above her with his hands pressed against the bed on each side of her head. "Are you okay?"

Avelina’s eyes met his. She stared at him and subconsciously batted her lashes.

BADUM! BADUM!

She could hear the sound of her heartbeat pounding in her ears. "Uh...y-yes. I-i am." She was stuttering.

"What’s wrong? Your face is starting to turn red." Draven was confused by the abrupt change in her expression. She couldn’t have possibly fallen sick so suddenly, right? He touched her forehead and wrinkled his brows, seeming perplexed.

Avelina immediately gripped her chest. This tightening feeling is in her heart again. Why? What was going on? It was the same at the cafe. Every time it happened, it felt as though she fell into a dormant state where she could no longer control her body. She could not bring herself to look away from Draven anymore.

Cold sweats began to drip from her forehead. Draven, who was watching her quietly, wiped off the sweat on her forehead and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"I don’t think you are sick. But I wonder what could be wrong. Why is your face—"

"Draven!" Avelina abruptly exclaimed. She was blinking uncontrollably.

"Hm? What is it?" Draven inquired.

Avelina nervously smiled at him. "I-I like to go to the bathroom. C-can you get off?"

"Oh...sorry." Draven quickly shifted off.

As though in a hurry, Avelina jumped down from the bed and dashed into the bathroom. She slammed the door shut, and Draven could only peer at the door, bewildered.

Rested against the door, Avelina’s shoulders rose and she fell in heavy breathing.

She staggered towards the mirror at the sink to glimpse her reflection. Her face was as red as a tomato.

"W-what is wrong with me? Why is my heart pounding like this?" She could not let go of her chest for fear that her heart could possibly burst right through it.