A Game Of Chess With A Vampire
Chapter 338: What Are You?

Chapter 338: What Are You?

It was finally right in front of Avelina, completely within her grasp. It took her three months, but she’d made it. It was so far within her reach at the beginning, but now it was finally within her reach, and she only needed to take a step forward.

However, why wasn’t she as happy as she’d expected herself to be? This was freedom—something she had always craved and needed, so why wasn’t she embracing it?

Did she really want to stay with this man that much? She glanced at Draven and quickly averted her gaze the second their eyes met.

Draven exhaled softly and abruptly grabbed her hand. "Come, the barrier is over there."

He began to approach the barrier while drawing her bag with his other hand. In front of the barrier, Draven stood, suddenly no longer moving.

"Is this...where it is?" Avelina asked.

Draven gave a nod. "Yes, the barrier is right in front of us. You can’t see it."

"No." Avelina shook her head.

"Oh. I see." Draven extended his hand, touching the glass-like, solid frame of the barrier. It softened quite at a rapid pace, and smoothly, he walked through it, pulling Avelina along with him.

Now, they were on the other side, which was the human world. Avelina could no longer hear anything from the vampire side. It was as though she were in a room constructed with tinted, soundproof glasses.

She could only hear the sounds of cars, the murmurs of walking pedestrians, and the sound of traffic lights from the human side.

Draven lowered his head, glancing at the floor. He hesitantly let go of her hand and slowly lifted his gaze to look at her.

"You...you are free." He half-smiled at her.

Avelina’s focus was on the lively road ahead of her. She turned around and stood opposite Draven to gaze at him. "Mhm...I am free just like you promised."

She sighed, properly grabbing onto her bag. "I guess...this is goodbye."

Draven stared at her with sad eyes. His lips were softly parted, as though he had a few things to say to her. But he didn’t do so in the end.

He, however, took his furry coat off and wrapped it around her, helping her wear it properly.

"What are you doing?" Avelina looked at him with surprise.

Draven beamed at her, zipping the coat up. "It is very cold, and you might catch a cold before you return to your home. So wear it." He patted her head, wrapping a scarf around her neck.

"Do you feel much better?"

Avelina’s lashes fluttered as she blinked. She darted her large eyes away and nodded at him.

"That’s good, then. I don’t want you to get sick." Draven sweetly ruffled her hair. "Get home safely."

Avelina tightened her grip on her bag, seeming irritated by the gentle way he was speaking to her.

Just why was he torturing her like this? He should have been cold to her! That would at least allow her to leave without looking back. Why does he have to make everything so difficult and hurtful for her?

She smiled cynically, sighing. "You know, we could have been...an us." A small, fragile tear slipped, dropping down her cheek.

She let go of her bag and stepped closer to him. She wrapped her arms around him, giving him one last hug. A warm, needy hug.

It was probably the last time she was ever going to see him, so hugging him for the last time wouldn’t hurt. They would be moving on from each other’s lives anyway.

Draven flickered his eyes, his body momentarily dormant. He slowed down his breathing, trying to process the whole situation.

What was that stinging feeling that had coursed through his body when she made that statement? Why does he feel like he was doing something wrong—something he would completely regret?

He was having a bad feeling, and his gut was screaming at him: Don’t let go! Don’t let her go!

But why? Was his question? Why shouldn’t he? Wasn’t she better off without him? Wasn’t she going to be better at her own home, where she wasn’t surrounded by vampires? Wasn’t it much better for her to find another man—a human just like her, who would love her just the way she would love him? Someone she could have a little perfect family of her own with?

He was too much of a broken man to give her such a dream.

Draven bent himself and dropped his chin on her head. He shut his head, deeply hugging her back with his grip tightening on her. It was the last hug, and he wanted to enjoy every moment of it.

"I don’t hate you, Draven, and I never will." Avelina was the first to break the hug. She stepped back from him and grabbed hold of her bag. "I just wanted you to know that. So, do not worry, I may be hurt now, but I will get over it."

This time around, she smiled sincerely at him, a bit of her gum visible. "I’ll be going now."

She turned around and began to drag her bag while walking farther and farther away from him.

Draven stared at her figure, his eyes blinking ever so slowly as though he were in thought. His shoulders rose and fell in heavy breathing, and instinctively, he shouted, "AVELINA!!"

Avelina came to an immediate stop. She turned around to look at him, but a wave of breeze blew against her as Draven appeared before her in the blink of an eye. He cupped her cheeks with his palm and pressed his lips against hers, kissing her ever so gently yet so passionately.

His thumb caressed her earlobe, and he slipped his hand to the back of her head, tangling his fingers in her hair. He pulled her in closer, kissing her in such a needy manner that Avelina felt herself longing for a moment of deep breath.