The Vampire King's Possession
Chapter 744. Too Worried to Sleep

Chapter 744: 744. Too Worried to Sleep

Mauve was standing in the middle of tall trees. The sky was dark, but it didn’t hide the beauty of the night, and she couldn’t help but look around, enjoying the scenery, the tall trees, and the leaves. Though far, it looked like if she stretched, she might touch the branches.

The breeze was what drew her attention the most—the whistling as it passed through the leaves and the way it tousled her hair. She tucked some behind her ear to get it out of her face and smiled to herself. It was a great night. She just wanted to spin around, surrounded by the trees.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of a branch breaking, and she turned just in time to see the claws of a Paler reach for her face. Mauve screamed, the scream ripping out so forcefully that her voice cracked in the process. It also pulled her out of her sleep to Jael vigorously shaking her.

"You’re fine," he was saying as calmly as he could muster. "It was just a bad dream. You’re okay. I promise you’re okay."

"Jael," Mauve called as her vision cleared and she could see Jael. She was also no longer in the forest, and no Paler was trying to attack her.

"Mauve," his gaze softened. "How do you feel?" She opened her mouth to speak and coughed. "Here is some water."

As Jael said those words, a cup of water appeared in front of her, and she couldn’t help but think about how fast it got to her. Mauve accepted it and drank until the cup was empty. "Thank you," she said and laid back down.

"How do you feel?" Jael asked, peering at her.

"I am okay," Mauve replied and placed her hand on her stomach as she looked around. She was clearly in Jael’s bedroom; he must have brought her here. A flash of her last memory made her shut her eyes.

"That’s good," he said and lightly touched her cheek. "You didn’t wake up for a while."

Mauve’s eyes flew open. "How long was I out?"

"It’s almost sunset," Jael responded, pulling his hand away, but his gaze never wavered.

She covered her mouth with her hands. "I was asleep for that long?"

Jael nodded and ran his hands through his hair. His hair was undone. It framed his face and stopped at his shoulders. He didn’t look like he got any sleep. Did he watch her throughout? He was still wearing the clothes from the night.

"Yes," he slowly replied. "Are you hurt anywhere?" He had a worried look on his face.

Mauve shook her head. "I feel fine, really." Except for a small headache, she figured it was not worth mentioning. She was already bracing herself for the earful that would likely follow soon—no need to make it worse.

"Would you like something to eat?" Jael asked.

Mauve shook her head. "I am not hungry," she mumbled. What she felt was anxiety. That was enough to fill anyone’s stomach.

"You missed the last meal," Jael commented. "You should eat something."

"You said it was almost sunset. I will wait until the first meal."

Jael’s brows knitted, and Mauve realized something odd. All this while, Jael just sat at the edge of the bed, unmoving, without making any attempt to scoot closer.

"Did you get any sleep?" she asked before he could say anything.

"No," he said and finally looked away, only to look at her again. "I was too worried to sleep."

She already suspected this, but it didn’t make it any less shocking. "You were awake the whole time?" she asked in horror.

"If you hadn’t done something so dangerous, I wouldn’t ha—" he replied, a hint of reprimand in his tone.

"I know," she cut in softly, reaching out to take his hand. "I’m really sorry."

Jael remained still, his expression stern. "That’s not nearly enough. It could have turned out differently."

Mauve’s eyes filled with remorse. "I promise I’ll be more careful. I didn’t mean to worry you."

He sighed, his features softening slightly. "Just... please, think before you act. For both our sakes. Or should I say all our sakes?" His eyes lowered to her stomach.

Jael was trying his best not to raise his voice or say words that he might regret later. Mauve had just woken up. She must have been very troubled for her to faint like that; he didn’t want to put her through more stress, but at the same time, he was still angry about her actions.

"I will," she vowed, squeezing his hand gently.

Jael sighed. "Are you sure you don’t want something to eat?" he asked, changing the subject. He was happy she was fine, no need to dwell on the past.

"I am sure. What I want right now is for you to join me in bed. You haven’t slept a wink. You have bags under your eyes." Mauve knew this was her fault, so she didn’t have the heart to scold him, but she thought it was a little too much that he didn’t sleep at all. He just sat unmoving watching her. Would he have stayed up the whole time if she had been asleep for longer? She would be lying if she said she wasn’t touched by this. It made her almost forget the incident.

"And whose fault is that?" he asked with a dark look.

"Mine," Mauve admitted immediately. "But please get some sleep."

"No point in that," he said and glanced at the door. Sunset was almost upon them. It was going to be a busy night. As much as he wanted to ask Mauve what happened, he didn’t want to trouble her so soon.

"There is still some time before sunset. Stay with me, on the bed," she added.

Jael looked reluctant, but he let her pull him into bed, and he laid down. Mauve was quick to cuddle up against him. He wrapped his arms around her, and she rested her back against him.

"Were they able to put out the fire?" Mauve suddenly blurted. It was something she was worried about, as this was the last thing she could clearly remember—the bright crimson flames, the cracking of wood as the fire blazed, and the smell of smoke. This part was stronger in her memory than anything else.