A Gift from the Goddess

The plan was simple; Track down Kieran and demand he fix whatever he did to me.

With Noah tied up and locked inside a cupboard, I would head towards the hotel which had been listed i n Victor Lycroft’s information folder.

With any luck, his son had the same taste in accommodation.

Once I found him and got my answers, I’d then just have him undo the effects before going back to Noah t o finish the job.I'd complete my mission tonight and get back home without any issues.

As a result, Father would begin to trust me again and Gavin wouldn’t need to drag me back into the basement.

Everyone will be happy.

Well...except probably Noah.He’d be dead.

But that was unfortunately just the way it had to be.

‘C'est la vie’ some would say.Now to just pray that nothing went wrong.I hailed a taxi and gave the driver directions to the hotel, doing my best to make my clothes seem more casual on the way over.

There wasn’t much I could do but I worked with what I had.

By the time I arrived, there was nothing on me that would stand out too much in a public setting.

Upon stepping out of the car though, I found the hotel was surprisingly large.

The kind of place only the very wealthy could afford which, given he was the son of a literal mayor, I guess that made sense.

Though for a small town I’d never heard of before, they sure seemed to have the cash to spare.

Whilst this was an interesting thing to note, it unfortunately meant that sneaking in was going to be difficult.

The place would have security cameras and staff walking around everywhere.

So how was I meant to...And then I smelt it.

That intoxicating scent that I could recall so vividly now.

The one belonging to Kieran.

He was here or, at least, he’d been here sometime recently.I would just need to follow it and hopefully scope out the area before entering his room.

But the scent didn’t lead me towards the elevator as I expected.

No, it led me to the hotel’s bar area.

A place where far too many people would be around to witness.

Certainly not an ideal development in this plan.

"Apologies, madam," a man at the entrance said, holding a hand out to pause me.

"I just need to quickly confirm your name and room number, or the room number of the person you're here to see." I stared at him blankly, confused.

This hotel was apparently far more exclusive than I’d realised.

However, I’d had to deal with far worse obstacles than this before.

"Oh! Is that so?" I asked innocently.

"That’s a little awkward...You see, I was sent here to surprise Mr Lycroft but no one told me his room number.I guess i t was just a mix-up.Isn’t there any way I could still g o inside? Just this once?"

He looked uncertain and taken a little off guard.

This wasn’t the kind of job where you’d want to accidentally insult the wrong influential person.

"Oh ...Well I suppose I could quickly go in and find him to confirm.Mr Lycroft you said?"

He took a step away as if to enter, but I knew if he did that and Kieran told them to not let me in, then this whole plan would become messy.

"That won’t do," I said a little too quickly.

I then walked over to gently touch his arm.

"As mentioned, it’s meant to be a surprise.We haven’t seen each other in the longest time and his father, Victor, told m e Kieran was in town."

"Madam...we have precautions in place to ensure the safety and privacy of our gu—."

"The whole family will be so disappointed if it’s ruined.We’ve been planning this for a while now.I know Victor likes to come here regularly when he’s here for business.It would be a shame if this one unpleasant experience tarnished that...Especially if I have to call the family so late for something so petty "

Immediately, he became flustered, but I didn’t give him any more time to process the situation.

After all, bad decisions were always made under pressure.

"Please...," I repeated, giving him my best smile.

And it only took a few more seconds before, finally, h e cracked.

"Okay...very well.I’ll just need your name for the record and you can head on inside."

inside me as I won the small

call me

entered the bar before he could ask any

was far quieter than I’d expected.It was mostly a lot of people sitting close together having intimate

of atmosphere one would

place I personally liked to have a drink, but I was familiar with the vibe

today for that.I was here to

scent as it slowly became stronger the further inside

walked past, but none were of

the time I’d done a lap of the entire floor, I

he? I kept walking, heading towards

when I finally found

not within the room itself, but veering off through a

held a sign saying ‘Staff

wasn’t going to

the servers and staff weren’t looking, I slipped through the door and continued to follow his scent

the

places...? It was almost as if he knew

have to know I could trace his scent, which was already unnatural in

swimming in my head but, as I rounded the

that trance as [ met

explain, but seeing him again made me start to feel

inside that had been scratching away was

he

him, within feet of being

a perfectly fitted suit,

every possible

so.It took everything I had inside me to not just immediately rush into his arms...though I couldn’t

my eye, he instantly moved forward as if to embrace me, but it was that very same

exact issue, one which was causing me to feel this way about a

I took a

sounding almost relieved, and it caused a shiver to spread through me at the

looking for you for days.Do you have any idea how worried

and yet this guy was almost certifiable, acting

Was I missing something?

managed to say, so extremely confused by this turn of

to cool down before I explained a few things to you, but it’s almost as if you don’t

several different people about you, trying to find out how I could contact you, but out of everyone I spoke to, only one person seemed to know of

to be him since I didn’t end up slaying at the event long

you looking

then

didn’t do anything.What you’re experiencing

said, cutting

infatuated.It doesn’t stop them from being able to function...or work...or do anything.I tracked you down for the sole purpose of making you

it more than anything if I wanted to stay

like that.I can’t just undo it.It

and I pulled out my

you did to me.Right

but he was proving

back to my father empty-handed,

"Woah...slow down," he said.

take it easy fora

let him lull me

enough to scare him into taking me seriously.I was quick and

skilled,

was wielding one of his

that

upon closer inspection, it was definitely mine.He must have kept it this

"Calm down!" he yelled.

can explain everything but you need

But I was angry.

before

to, all jumbling around confused with whatever he’d done to

at him, at

failures, at my situation… and I was

would b e losing

angry tears beginning to form

have to hurt you,"

me and we can go our

dagger again and proceeded to be on the

been doing this sort of thing

first time facing someone who was anywhere near as skilled, if

that was both impressive and concerning

that this might not be as

for areas that I thought he left open, and yet he somehow managed to defend perfectly

I moved, but nothing seemed

moving as quickly as I was

speed that I

you! ?"