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.."

almost touching, I felt as

me to make the first move, as if promising me water

I wanted it...

felt that last piece

my own hand moving forward to touch

as I was about to make contact, his words

“.Mine...," he whispered.

to kick back in. I quickly took a step out of his grasp, hugging

you know that?"

know that?! Out of every single word you could possibly say, you somehow manage to say that exact one?" Kieran held

"Relax," he said.

not a big deal. I

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

I said,

that. How you knew any of that » It was then that I started to think over everything that had just happened, taking a moment to realise

so batshit insane that I could only come to one

you drug me?" I asked in a hushed

He had to have.

of illness and lack of control, my

only be explained by one thing.I quickly looked over to where my drink was and eyed i

also done something to me

did you do to me?!" I asked

went wide, clearly not expecting me to say

maybe not expecting me to realise

way, I didn’t

what? No!"

to move closer but I instantly matched his step

touch me!"

attention of a few people around us, briefly turning their

and intrigue as they

they

Kieran hissed, grabbing back

a moment to

him freely talk to me, he almost

state where I

in my life, control

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

creature could have

"Raven."

"No...," I whispered.

not doing

of punishment would be

mentally ill i f he could so easily drug a woman

be damned, I

way I saw it, this was going to end in disappointing him regardless.I snatched my purse away from the counter and immediately started walking to the exit as fast

attention by onlookers, but still quick enough that I felt assured he wouldn’t be

familiar voice called out,

to meet the eyes of my father

I made my way home in

randomly pass out or show other

all I needed

side effect I was feeling wasn’t fatigue or drowsiness, as I would have

felt

if something was hollowing out my chest the further I traveled away

to what was waiting for me

‘who’ was waiting for me.I shook off the thoughts instantly and gritted

he gave me, I’d

a specific yet fast chemical

scientific breakthrough,

my best to distract my mind as

to stop myself

ultimately, there seemed to be no

there was still only one thing on my mind as!

Kieran.

awoke the next day feeling slightly better than when

though the thoughts of him still lingered, I felt as though the whole thing wasn’t

or so before the effects wore off completely? I

of infatuation was

said suddenly from

I recognised it immediately.

Gavin.

not feeling well enough for training today," I yelled

far too tired from the whole ordeal and just wanted a

door swung open anyway, revealing that it wasn’t only Gavin alone...I knew instantly what it

"Morning Raven,"my father said.

"Did you sleep well?"

Oh...