A Game Of Chess With A Vampire
Chapter 133: So...Where Is He Now?

"Of course not! Is that why you were apologizing to me in the morning?" she asked.

Draven nodded. "Qui. I felt like it was really my fault."

"Well, it’s not. So do not worry, okay?" Avelina beamed heartily.

Draven stared at her and subconsciously said, "I really missed you."

Avelina spat out her drink, having not expected that from him. She furiously batted her lashes and looked at him.

"Y-ye! You...missed me?"

"Mhm." Draven nodded. "It felt so lonely and quiet. I don’t know, but I suddenly felt empty. Isn’t that what happens when you miss someone?"

Avelina squinted her lashes a bit stunned and slowly smiled at him. "It is."

"I didn’t think you would actually miss me. And even if you did, I didn’t think you would say it. Haha, that’s surprising." She was cackling softly, almost giggling.

Draven tilted his head. "Why is it surprising? Also, why wouldn’t I tell you?"

"I’m not sure." Avelina shrugged. "You just don’t look like the type to easily say how you feel."

"Shouldn’t I say how I feel?" Draven inquired. His face showed his genuine confusion.

"I think I always should so that you would not leave me or fall sick again."

Avelina looked at him. Her gaze was soft.

"Leave you..." she inquired, perplexed by his statement.

Draven gave a nod. "Mhm. I do not hope for you to leave until our deal is over."

He gently smiled.

Avelina kept quiet for a few moments before beaming. "Don’t worry. I’ll stay with you until then. I will never leave you."

Draven smiled a bit and asked, "What is your biggest fear, Avelina?"

Avelina chewed on her food.

"My biggest fear?"

Draven nodded his head.

"Snakes," Avelina replied. "I am very afraid of them."

"Oh..." Draven nodded. This just confirmed that Olive’s information was right.

"Do you think you can overcome it?" he inquired.

Avelina went silent. She lowered her head and let out a soft breath. "I don’t know."

"You have to, Avelina. That is the only way that you can survive it. I wish there was something that I could do, but there really isn’t. It’s only up to you, so please..." Draven pleaded.

Avelina glanced at him. "What if I am not able to?"

"No, you have to." Draven shook his head at her. "Please, I don’t want you to die. You cannot leave either. I have protected you this far, you cannot give up now. You want your freedom and to meet your family, right? So please..."

Avelina took a deep breath. "I don’t want you to die either. But I just don’t know if I really can—"

"You can!" Draven interrupted her. "You have to!"

Avelina softly smiled, suddenly exhausted. She took a deep breath and nodded slightly. "Fine! Okay. I will do it."

"Good! I will hold you through the night, so you will not be alone," Draven said.

Avelina blinked. "Hold me...?" She was not sure if she heard him right.

"Yes," Draven replied. "I held you last night, and it seemed to calm you down because you relaxed in my arms. I don’t mind doing it as long as you survive, okay?"

Avelina batted her lashes. She could instantly feel her face heat up, and instinctively, she went down and hid under the table to prevent him from glimpsing her flushed face.

Draven was baffled.

"Avelina?"

He bent down and looked under the table to see her squatting down with her face buried in her arms that were wrapped around her knees.

"Avelina, what’s wrong?" he asked.

"Don’t look at me, Draven," Avelina said to him. She was looking away to the other side.

Draven furrowed his brows, confused. "Why? Did I say something wrong? Are you mad at me?"

Avelina shook her head.

"No, but don’t look at me for now. Please, sit back down, okay? Wait for me to get up."

Draven was not able to understand what was going on, but he did sit down per her request.

Avelina took deep breaths and clutched her racing heart. She deeply frowned, resisting the urge to rip her heart out and throw it away.

"You stupid heart! Acting without permission!" She puckered her lips and quick breaths to calm herself down.

She got up and sat back on the chair. She glanced at Draven, who was looking at her, a bit concerned.

"Are you okay?" Draven queried.

Avelina nodded her head. "Mhm, I am."

"Are you full?" Draven probed further.

"No, no, no." Avelina shook her head. She grabbed her spoon and began to eat.

Draven watched her with a soft smile on his lips. He unwrapped the last candy in his pocket and threw it into his mouth.

"Draven." Avelina looked at him.

Draven answered, "Yes."

"Will you let Natasha go scot-free?" Avelina queried.

Draven smirked. "What do you think?"

Avelina shook her head. "I do not think you will."

"Exactly!" Draven affirmed. "Leave it to me. She will not go unscathed after putting you through this pain."

Avelina could tell that he wasn’t going to go easy on Natasha, but little did she glimpse how far he would be willing to go.

——

Old Master Lenort paced back and forth in his room.

He should have gotten a call from Bennet because he did say the culprit would be brought last night.

Unable to take the suspense anymore, Old Master Lenort grabbed his phone and called Mr. Bennet. The call, however, was being forwarded. He was not able to reach Mr. Bennet.

Old Master Lenort frowned. What had happened? Why wasn’t he reachable? Could something have possibly gone wrong?

He rubbed his temple in deep stress and kept trying to call him. The call was finally answered.

[Your Majesty]

"What is going on, Bennet? You said it would be last night. I did not see you at the royal mansion! We all waited for your arrival." Old Master Lenort spoke in a very annoyed tone.

[It was not possible to come last night, your majesty]

Old Master Lenort loured. "What do you mean by that?"

[I went with my assistance to arrest the culprit at his apartment, but he was not there. We asked around the neighborhood, and they said they hadn’t seen him in a long while, however, the information my source gave was quite different]

[I do not understand what is going on because this is all bizarre. He could not possibly have had all the neighborhood speak in his favor. No, I don’t think so]

"So... where is he now?" Old Master Lenort’s expressions darkened with each passing moment.