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.."

close our lips were almost touching, I felt as

move, as if promising me water

I wanted it...

finally felt that last piece of restraint melt

started to give in, my own hand moving forward

was about to make contact, his words stopped

“.Mine...," he whispered.

for reality to kick back in. I quickly took a step out of his grasp, hugging my arms to my chest

did you know that?" I

that?! Out of every single word you could possibly say, you somehow manage to say that exact one?" Kieran held up his hands to calm me, but it did

"Relax," he said.

big deal. I

feel like a light matter.

answer me," I said, gritting my

you knew 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 just how crazy

that I could only come

you drug me?" I

He had to have.

of illness and lack of control, my

quickly looked over to where my drink was and

but perhaps he’d also done

you do to me?!" I

not expecting me to say it

me

way, I didn’t trust

No!" he said,

for a second." He tried to move

Don’t touch

few people around us, briefly turning

confusion and intrigue as they fed off

as if they were social

Kieran hissed, grabbing

me a moment

last time I let him freely talk to me, he almost made

I had

life,

me didn’t accidentally result in his death, because that was the true worst-case scenario

creature could have ended ina

"Raven."

"No...," I whispered.

doing this.Fuck i

of punishment would

i f he could so easily drug a woman and then have the

be damned, I

him regardless.I snatched my purse

still quick enough that I

deep familiar voice called out,

refusing to meet the eyes of my father

constantly checking myself as I made my way home

randomly pass out or show other side effects

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

yet, the biggest side effect I was feeling wasn’t fatigue or drowsiness, as I

felt almost

chest the further

tying me to what was waiting for

me.I shook off the thoughts instantly and gritted my

I’d never

with such a specific yet fast chemical reaction

scientific breakthrough, for

best to distract my mind as I arrived

could think of to stop myself from

seemed to be no

slowly drifted off into sleep, there was still only

Kieran.

day feeling slightly better than when I'd

lingered, I felt

or so before the effects wore off completely? I could only

of infatuation

suddenly from my

I recognised it immediately.

Gavin.

for

from the whole ordeal and

it wasn’t

"Morning Raven,"my father said.

"Did you sleep well?"

Oh...