A Game Of Chess With A Vampire
Chapter 49: Why Did You Flinch?

"You should sleep in the next room. I will have the maids clean this place," with that being said, he called for Santino and the maids.

Once they arrived, he had Santino escort Avelina to the next room. While the maids, who had fear in their eyes, began to clean the room, he strolled off into the bathroom to shower again.

...

Draven stepped out of the bathroom, fresh and clean. He made his way to the next room and shut the door behind him.

He turned around only to halt at the sight of Avelina, who stood by the bed. Her expression looked as though she had seen a ghost. She was ghastly pale.

What is going on with her? Draven struggled to understand.

"A-are you...okay?" Avelina stuttered. The reason for her fear was unclear.

Draven felt awkward and uncomfortable with the way she was looking at him. It was the sort of look you’d give to someone who had committed an act that could possibly traumatize you for the rest of your life.

He cleared his throat and asked, "Why...are you standing there? Are you...okay?"

Avelina furiously nodded her head with dilated eyes. "O-o-of course! Why wouldn’t I be?"

She forcefully smiled through the cold sweat dripping from her forehead.

Draven took a deep breath and walked over to her. He slanted closer to drop his glasses on the mini table beside her, but Avelina spontaneously jolted away from him.

Draven halted. He raised his eyes and gazed at her.

"Why did you flinch?" he asked.

Avelina shook her head nervously. "N-n-nothing." The anxious smile on her face was still visible.

Draven’s expression instantly fell, and he dropped his glasses. He stepped closer to her and stopped once they were only three inches apart.

"You are afraid. Why?"

"A-a-afraid? Of Course not—"

"Hey!" Draven interjected, a bit irritated. "I once told you that I hate lies. I don’t like when people lie to me, no matter how small. So please, just tell me what exactly is going on with you."

He sat down on the bed and folded his arms. "If it’s me that you are afraid of, please don’t be. I know that what happened there scared you, but I had no control over it. I didn’t want you to witness such a scene, but you woke up, and there was nothing that I could do about it."

Avelina batted her lashes and heaved a deep sigh. She composed herself and stopped trying to look tough.

"I have told you before that I am not afraid of you," she said. "True, what happened there was horrifying, and it made me sick, but if you hadn’t been there, I would be dead by now. You...protected me again."

Then she quickly added, "What I am trying to say is that I am rather afraid of what happened." She half-smiled. "You and I had a conversation about it, yet I let my guard down. I slept peacefully, not realizing that I could have died before I would have even realized it."

"What if you had not been there?" she asked. "I would be a corpse by now."

Draven gazed at her, at a sudden loss for words.

"So...that’s what you were afraid of?"

Avelina nodded at him and smiled. "Thank you for protecting me."

Draven did not respond, but his face was rather furrowed in thought.

"If that is the case, then why did you flinch when I came close to you?

"I was just nervous," Avelina clarified with a soft chuckle. "Instincts."

Finally grasping an understanding of the reason, Draven assured, "Well, you don’t have to worry. I killed every one of them and will murder the future ones, so no one can harm you as long as I’m with you."

He laid down on the bed and covered himself with the duvet. "I must sleep now."

Avelina quietly watched him for a few seconds and subconsciously smiled. "Sleep well."

She turned around and exited the room.

It was morning, and without a doubt, every vampire was asleep.

I can walk around the mansion with no worries. Avelina faintly beamed as she left the room.

She proceeded to the main room, only to halt.

The maids, including Camilla and Thalia, who were still in there, were diligently cleaning and changing everything that may have been tainted by blood.

Avelina vigilantly walked past them into the dressing room, sparing Camilla and Thalia a single glance.

Now that she thought about it, shouldn’t the maids be asleep too? Was this their duty time regardless? That could probably be it.

Satisfied with the dress she changed into, Avelina looked at herself in the mirror. It was a lovely, simple light blue dress with white butterfly patterns.

She brushed her hair and slipped her feet into her slippers, then left the room to proceed outside onto the royal grounds.

Not even the royal guards were patrolling. They really do treasure their morning sleep if the Old master was willing to let them off duty at such times. I mean, each wake after such sleep leaves them feeling stronger than they previously were.

This could possibly mean that all the vampires on that side of the earth must be asleep. Avelina smirked as she explored the surroundings.

What suddenly caught her attention was the tall double gate—the exit out of her current hell.

I could have died today, you fucking bastard, Ryan... Avelina cursed at the recollection of this man.

She stood, thoughtfully peering at the gate.

There was not a single guard in sight—that she was very sure of. No one was awake either, except the maids, who may still be busy with the room.

An unknown glint—a glint that only ever appeared when she was struck with a deep epiphany, flashed in her hazel eyes.

If I go through this gate right now, I could possibly be able to escape. Her heart was beating in her ears.