A Game Of Chess With A Vampire
Chapter 69: Can I Have My Book Now?!

Chapter 69: Can I Have My Book Now?!

A deep breath exited Valentine’s nose. He laid down on the sofa and curled up like a baby.

Olive, who had taken his shower, walked out of his room after a few long minutes. He strolled into the living room, only to see Valentine fast asleep on the couch.

Why was he sleeping at such a time? Would he still be able to sleep in the morning after this, or is it because he is drunk? And even so, why on the couch? He did tell him that the guest room was empty.

A soft breath fled Olive’s mouth, and he grabbed a blanket to cover him up.

"What a messed-up family," he couldn’t help but comment.

He returned to his room and lay down on the bed, unsure of what to do. Should he tell Draven that he has met his younger brother? If he did, what would he think? He is well aware that Draven trusts no one.

Olive exhaled a deep breath and turned on his side on the bed. "Well, it’s fine anyway. He will be gone in the morning."

—

Staring at the table with deep intent, Draven began to arrange things like hair brushes and so on it. The table was disorganized, and as a person who loved things perfectly done and kept, it was sort of irritating him.

"Avelina, could you do me a favor and always leave things as you see them? I don’t know, but they do get on my..." He halted speaking when he suddenly heard Avelina giggle.

He turned his head and glanced at her. "Avelina..."

Avelina did not answer. It was as though she didn’t hear him.

"Avelina!" he called again.

"Hmm," Avelina answered, her attention fixated on the book she was reading.

"Won’t you sleep?" Draven questioned. "It’s midnight."

Avelina waved her hand at him. "I don’t feel sleepy at all. I slept with you from morning till evening, so now I feel very awake."

Draven furrowed his brows at her. He stood up to his feet and walked over to her. With his hands relaxed behind his back, he bent a bit to peek at what she was reading.

Avelina was smiling and giggling like a girl who was stalking her crush from the shadows.

"What are you reading?" Draven asked, the curiosity to know, overwhelming him.

Avelina was a bit startled, as she had not noticed him earlier peeking at the book.

"N-nothing." She quickly shook her head at him. She proceeded to shut the book, but Draven took it from her before she could.

"Lies! You’re giggling and kicking your feet, so you are definitely reading something interesting," he said to her.

"Draven, give it back!" Avelina tried to get it from him, however, a significant height difference stood between them, with Draven towering over her.

"I will. Just let me see what you are reading. I am curious, and I don’t want to stay curious." Draven was moving from left to right while trying to read the open page of the book.

Undeterred, Avelina stretched her arm as high as she could, desperately attempting to grasp the book from him. She strained on her tiptoes, her small fingers reaching toward the book.

Draven slightly creased his brow and raised his hand even higher, keeping the book just out of her reach.

Frustration tinged Avelina’s expression as she realized her efforts were in vain. Why does he even want to see what she is reading?

Avelina’s vexed gaze turned into a gentle plea, silently urging Draven to hand over the book. But instead of responding to her unspoken request, Draven’s demeanor shifted, and he turned around swiftly.

In one quick motion, he used his height to his advantage to block Avelina’s access to the book. He moved his broad shoulders to deliberately push her head back, creating a barrier between her and the book.

"Relax, Avelina. I just want to see what you are reading." His eyes were scanning what was written inside the book.

"Draven, you can’t—"

"Oh wow... t-that is really, um, ahem! Something. I see, so this is why you were giggling. It’s quite... wow," Draven stuttered as he read the content of the book.

Avelina shut her eyes, and her face steamed red in sheer embarrassment. "Draven!!!"

She rushed towards him and jumped on him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Give. My. Book. Back!!"

She was intending to push him around with her weight and grab the book, but what occurred was the opposite of her expectation. As though she were a teddy bear and weighed nothing, Draven didn’t move an inch. She was sort of too light to actually move him the way she wanted. He was a vampire, after all.

"Huh? Why... aren’t you moving?" Avelina was confused. She tilted her head to one side while still trying to stagger him around. Surely he can’t be that strong.

Draven lifted his face from the book. "Avelina, what are you doing?" He looked over his shoulder to meet her baffled gaze with a raised brow.

"Trying to get my book, obviously." Avelina shrugged while darting her eyes around.

Draven, with the use of his left hand, playfully flicked her forehead.

Avelina hissed a bit and drew her head back. "Ouch!"

"You’re like a puppy trying to move a mountain." Draven was entertained by her behavior. He carefully put her down on her feet and turned to look at her.

Avelina lifted her head and stared at him. She extended out her small slender hand. "Can I have my book now?"

"Of course." Draven nodded and gave the book to her. "You have a unique interest, if I must say. It is, but only now do I realize why the bookseller grinned at me when she gave me those books."

Avelina rolled her eyes at him.

"It’s called dark romance for a reason," she muttered to herself.

Draven chuckled a bit at her expression.

"Since you don’t feel like sleeping, come with me, there is something that I want to show you."

Avelina glanced at him. "Something?"