A Gift from the Goddess

"Alright, a little game sounds fun," I finally replied.

"But you’ ll be disappointed to learn there is no ulterior motive in talking to you.You’ve just piqued my curiosity, is all." I tried to laugh it off but Kieran didn’t seem to notice as he immediately set his drink down, his expression turning serious as he looked me over.

Almost as if I could feel him scrutinising every little detail about me.But that confident look of his...

It took all I had to just calm my heart down, the nervous thumping inside becoming so loud that I was worried he’d hear it.

For a man who could seemingly read me so well...could he really pull this off? 

"Your eyes give you away a lot," he started, leaning forward enough that I could still hear him as he spoke in a low voice.

"Don’t get me wrong, they’re very pretty, but they also betray you."

At this proximity, his scent was beginning to overwhelm me.His compliment wasn’t helping either.I’d never been affected by small things like that before, but with him, it felt almost involuntary.

"I think you’re probably reading too much into it," I replied quietly, smiling.

"Besides, I thought you were meant to be guessing my thoughts, not theorising my tells."

"That's true...."

He moved in a little bit closer again, and I felt as though I became trapped by his gaze alone, unable to move away even if I wanted to.

Which, of course, I didn’t.

No, at this distance, I was helpless to stop myself from thinking about how flawless his features were.

How his defined jawline was such a perfect shape that I could easily picture how my head could fit under it, nestled against his neck comfortably.

‘Mine" that word repeated inside my head, but I bit it back.

"you're thinking...‘why am I so attracted to him?’" he said, sending a jolt of surprise through me.

But after quickly scrambling to find a logical explanation, I realised it was clearly just a magician’s trick.He was influencing my thoughts with his behaviour so I’d be pressured to think what he wanted me to.I laughed his guess off and simply called him out on it.

"How incredibly vague yet conceited of you to thinks o," I said, amused.

"I thought this was a game of guessing my exact thoughts, not giving yourself a backwards compliment."

However, this didn’t seem to deter him in the slightest and a smirk spread across his lips.

"You're thinking...‘why does he make me feel this way?’” I laughed again.

"I just told you that you can’t use ambiguous statements to win.It’s like bogus fortune-telling.It’s not going to work—."

..And then his hand reached out and touched mine, tracing lightly against my skin.

Spreading those sparks through my body that made my breath catch in my throat.

I stared at his hand as he gently enveloped my own, the warmth starting to make me lose concentration.

‘Mine"

That same unrelenting thought kept trying to force itself aloud.He closed the final bit of distance between us, coming in until he was speaking almost directly into my ear.His scent making it impossible to breathe without his influence.

And with one hand holding my own, his other moved to my waist to hold me in place.

"You're thinking...‘why does it feel like sparks against my skin?’"

In surprise, I sharply looked back up towards him, only I found myself now merely inches away from him.

So close, I could feel the warmth of his breath against me.

My gaze trailed down from his eyes until I became fixated on his lips, those thoughts from earlier starting to invade my mind once more.

Wondering just what it would be like to feel them moving against mine.

To taste what they looked to promise me.

‘Mine"

His hand then moved, coming up until it found my cheek and his thumb started tracing along my jaw.

Sending more sparks through me.

But the entire time he did that, I was still transfixed on his lips, watching them closely as he continued to speak.

"you're thinking...that you want to kiss me."

I closed my eyes a little as the pleasure of his presence started to sweep me away.

Letting myself relax into the touch that made me feel so many emotions all at once.I was giving myself over to him and there was nothing I could do.

Nothing I wanted to do.

Like a spell, he had me now completely at his mercy.

‘‘Mine...mine.."

our lips were almost touching, I felt as a shiver went through

move, as if promising

I wanted it...

him...and I finally felt that last piece of restraint melt

my own hand

as I was about to make contact, his words stopped

“.Mine...," he whispered.

I quickly took a step out of his grasp, hugging my

you know

possibly say, you somehow manage to say that exact one?" Kieran held up

"Relax," he said.

not a big deal. I

didn’t feel like a light matter. It felt far from

answer me," I said, gritting

asked how you knew that. How you knew any of that » It was then that I started to think over everything

that I could only come to one

I asked

He had to have.

lack of control, my inability

by one thing.I quickly looked

explain my initial reaction, but perhaps he’d also done something to me back when h e disarmed my

do to me?!"

went wide, clearly not expecting

me to

way, I didn’t trust

No!" he said,

calm down for a second." He tried to move closer

touch me!"

attention of a few people around us, briefly turning their heads to

confusion and intrigue as they fed off the

they were

Kieran hissed, grabbing back my

me a

talk to me, he almost made me

I had

my life, control

that his attempt of drugging me didn’t accidentally result in

that creature could

"Raven."

"No...," I whispered.

doing

punishment would

to mention that this man was clearly mentally ill i f he could so easily drug a woman and then have the audacity tell her to calm

father be damned, I was

regardless.I snatched my purse away from the

onlookers, but still quick enough that I felt

called out,

meet the eyes of my

constantly checking myself as I made my

pass out or show other

myself over and over again that all I needed to do was get home and sleep

I was feeling wasn’t fatigue or

it felt

hollowing out my chest the further I traveled

string tying me to what was waiting for me

for me.I shook off

me, I’d never seen

such a specific yet fast chemical reaction that it

breakthrough, for

to distract my mind as I arrived

I could think of to stop myself

there seemed to be no

was

Kieran.

slightly better

though the thoughts of him still lingered, I

would take another day or so before the effects wore off

feeling of infatuation was

from my

I recognised it immediately.

Gavin.

not feeling well enough for training today," I yelled

tired from the whole ordeal and just wanted a day

open anyway, revealing that it wasn’t only Gavin

"Morning Raven,"my father said.

"Did you sleep well?"

Oh...