Chapter 252 - Gavrael (Part IX)
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He reluctantly took a step back, but still unable to wrench his gaze off her. The struggle to step away from her at that moment was driving him crazy. What had this creature done to him? Why was he behaving this way? She seemed to be evoking some sort of deep seated emotions he never known existed within himself. And all this was making him a little confused as well.
No, this was just him being the monster that he was, right? He had already wanted her so badly the very first time he saw her, and he was that monster who did not care about anything else just to get what he wanted. He was just having a hard time accepting that he cannot have her, and that he was giving up on something he wanted so very desperately. This was just the same as when he had chosen to give up on his desire to be acknowledged by those dark faes. The thought that this girl was the same as those dark faes had made his heart grow even darker. It seemed that no matter what he does, she would always fear him and see him as nothing more than a fearsome monster.
Sinister thoughts emerged from within him again. His rebellious mind wanting to play with her for his own amusement, wanting to carry out his role as the monster in her life until he got bored of it. He badly wanted to do that but every time he looked at those large clear eyes and her small delicate frame, he could not bring himself to. It was as though there was a noose looped around him that seemed to pull him back when he wanted to go wild and torment that young lady standing before him.
He thought that perhaps he felt that this creature was too breakable. The way she trembled in fear was enough to make him reject his very own wicked plans for her. Someone like her would definitely not be able to survive in the hands of a monster like him.
Finally, with much difficulty he turned away from her and took a step before halting momentarily by the window. "Also, I don't know why you are wandering all alone in the forest last time around, but this monster shall warn you…" he looked at her over his shoulder. "If you don't want to encounter monsters like me again, don't ever go there again."
He was about to leap through the window when he heard her weak voice.
"W-wait…"
Immediately, he turned, surprise etched on his face, never expecting her to call out for him to stop. In fact, he had expected that she would rush to chase him off if he had stayed on any longer.
With a puzzled look, he furrowed his brows as he waited for her to speak.
"You're… wounded…" her voice was so weak, but he saw the fear in her eyes were not as severe as before anymore. And she was now approaching him with small careful steps.
He blinked in confusion. He could see she was still wary, so why was she approaching when it was clearly hard for her? Gavrael was so confused now as he watched her get closer to him slowly.
"I… think we must stop the bleeding…" she added quietly, and he realized that there was worry in her eyes and voice when she looked at him, and that shocked him again. She is now worried for him?
Gavrael nearly laughed out loud. Was she not dying from fear of him just a while ago? Why was it that she is worried now? Just because he had been wounded from the fight earlier? What was with this little creature?
He watched her scramble beneath her bed as she grabbed onto something from under there. Wriggling out from under there, he saw her holding a white cloth, before she approached him again. Then slowly, she reached out as if to wipe the blood from his forehead. But Gavrael caught her wrist before the cloth could touch him.
"You know what? You are bloody confusing me, butterfly girl." He tilted his head as he narrowed his eyes at her. He felt her flinch at his touch, but this time, surprisingly she did not jerk her hand off. "You're still clearly scared of me yet at the same time, you're worried as well?"
She swallowed and then she nodded. He weakly leaned the back of his head against the wall, as if he had suddenly lost all of his energy. "You are driving me insane, little butterfly." He chuckled in disbelief, shaking his head. "When I'm chasing, you desperately run away, now that I'm retreating, you're voluntarily coming at me…" he huffed as he squinted at her. " What are you trying to do?"
"You saved me…" she said and he furrowed his brows.
"I was the one who put you in danger." He contradicted her statement.
"Still, you got hurt because you saved me. I… it would trouble my conscience if you… if…"
"Don't tell me you're worried that I'll die over something so trivial like this." Gavrael smirked as he looked over at her.
When she nodded, a pleasant and quick laugh echoed in the room. The young lady gave a start at his laughter. She did not expect him to laugh at her statement.
"Good Lord, I don't know what to do with you anymore." He uttered, exasperated, but at the same time, the darkness in him seemed to have immediately dissipated. He could not help but laugh again helplessly, realising that this young lady seems to be able to affect his emotions so easily.
At that moment, the girl was also stunned. His laugh surprised her, and she was shocked because his laughter, though having hints of darkness, still sounded happy and pleasing and genuine, as if something amazing had just happened. And suddenly, her fear of him receded. She felt herself growing a bit more relaxed. Maybe because this person's suffocating darkness seemed to have disappeared slowly since she started to approach him.