A Game Of Chess With A Vampire
Chapter 388: Let Me Fix It, Sunshine

Chapter 388: Let Me Fix It, Sunshine

"Like what?" Draven asked. He began to rub and pat her back, hoping to help her calm down.

Avelina shook her head. "I’m not sure. Food, maybe. It was something like that."

Draven sighed, grabbing a hold of her and pulling her into a hug. It must have been the smell of the meals coming from the several kitchens in the mansion.

"Draven." Avelina lifted her head to look at him with a flushed face.

Draven smiled at her. "What is it?"

"I really like your scent. It’s very comforting. I feel like I want to drown in it." Avelina pulled him closer, stepping on her tip-toe to nuzzle his neck.

Draven blinked rapidly, a bit concerned. She’d suddenly become very clingy and needy—not that he was complaining, but it wasn’t always like that. He felt like something had suddenly changed in the past few weeks, almost like something they were unaware of was going on with Avelina.

She was becoming too emotional and would always sulk, get angry, complain, or even bite when he did the slightest wrong thing that she didn’t like. It was never on purpose, and no matter how much he apologized, she would hold grudges for at least two days before finally forgiving him and speaking to him like she often does.

It was a bit exhausting, if he were to be honest, and the worst part was the fact that he was unable to figure out what the issue was.

"Draven, is something wrong?" Avelina asked, pulling back to look at him.

Draven shook his head at her. "No." He smiled, not wanting to make things difficult for her.

Avelina furrowed her brows at him.

"But...you seem... tired," she mumbled, nervously gripping her dress. "Is it me? Am I the issue? Are you tired of me?" Her eyes were slowly starting to water up. "I stress you out, don’t I?" There, a tear slipped from her eyes.

Draven’s pupils flew open, and he furiously shook his head at her.

"No, no, no! Avelina, please stop assuming things like this." He grabbed her shoulders, lowering his head to look at her tearful face. "I am not tired of you, and I would never get tired of you. I love you very much, and like I’ve told you many times, I can never be without you, so please calm down."

"I am honestly just a bit worried about you, and that is all. Please," he was begging, wanting her to understand him.

But Avelina doesn’t say a word.

Draven deeply exhaled and gathered her into his arms. "Do you need my comfort?" he asked as he walked back into the room.

Avelina nodded as he laid her down on the bed. Draven got into bed with her and moved closer, embracing and pulling her to him.

He warmed her up, spooning her and wanting to make her as comfortable as possible. He wasn’t exactly sure, but he felt like this was what she needed.

"D-Draven?" Avelina stuttered his name.

"Yes, sunshine?" Draven began to caress her hair. "What is it?"

"I’m sorry..." Avelina sniffled.

Draven blinked in confusion, not exactly sure why she was apologizing. "I don’t understand. Why are you sorry?"

"I stress you out, don’t I? I can feel it," Avelina mumbled, the tears from her eyes dropping onto the bed. "You look so exhausted, and I know it’s my fault."

"Avelina—"

"No, don’t say anything." Avelina shook her head. "Don’t try to make it better. I feel even more terrible the more you pretend for my sake."

Draven could feel her hot tears dripping onto his arm, and he hated how much it hurt him. He hated seeing her cry, it often broke him, and right now, he had no idea what to do.

What the heck was going on? What changed? Did he unintentionally mess up somewhere along the way?

Draven’s embrace on her tightened, and he began to spread kisses all over her shoulders and neck.

"You’re wrong, sunshine." He flipped her over to have her face him. "I am not exhausted because of you, you could never tire me out."

"T-then why? You haven’t even been sleeping properly." Avelina’s eyes were starting to grow puffy.

Draven’s soul was crushed at the sight of this, and with his thumb, he began to wipe her tears off. "Avelina, please, you are killing me. I hate to see you cry, so please stop. I don’t like it."

"You look much prettier smiling." He cuddled her closer, burying his face in the crook of her neck. His nose nuzzled at the mark he’d given her, feeling proud within himself. She was his—she belonged to him and no one else. His mark was on her, and so was his smell.

Avelina inhaled sharply at the intimacy, her hands grabbing tightly onto his shirt. "Then tell me what the issue is. Why are you so exhausted? If I’m not the problem, Then what is it?"

"Your emotions and everything," Draven answered, biting into her shoulder. "Your emotions are everywhere like you’ve lost control of them. So many things about you have suddenly changed, and I can’t seem to figure out what it is."

"I feel like I’m losing you. Things often hurt you easily now, and you are more sad than happy. I hate it and I want to do something about it, but no matter how hard I try, nothing changes. It just gets worse as if I don’t know or understand you anymore."

He sighed. "I wondered if perhaps I needed to make another journal, but even so, it didn’t help. You change every day, and I can’t seem to catch up. I want to know what the problem is. I want to know what is going on with you. Let me fix it, sunshine."

His tone was pleading, wanting to rinse every bit of truth out of her. But even Avelina herself was, unfortunately, clueless. It’d been as if she didn’t know or understand herself any longer.