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."

I won the small victory, and

me Raven," I called

bar before he could ask

mostly a lot

sort of atmosphere one would expect from a fancy

not the kind of place I personally liked to have a drink, but I was familiar with the

for that.I was here to

I could still catch his scent as it slowly became stronger the further

screening the faces of every person I walked past, but none were of the

the entire floor,

was he? I kept

I finally found

within the room itself, but veering off through a door to somewhere

door that held a

wasn’t going

looking, I slipped through the door and continued to follow his

pretty untouched for the most part,

question I had though was why was he here of all places...? It was almost as if he

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

many questions were swimming in my head but, as I rounded the corner, everything

myself falling into that trance as [ met

seeing him again

something inside that had been scratching away was finally

because he

front of him, within feet of being able

we first met, he wore a perfectly fitted suit, his dark

in every possible

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

me, but it was that very same movement that made me remember why I was

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

I

almost relieved, and it caused a shiver to spread

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

was thinking that I was the one losing my mind, and yet this guy was almost certifiable,

Was I missing something?

 "What…? " was all I managed to say, so

to cool down before I explained a few things to you, but it’s almost

but out of everyone I spoke to, only one person seemed to know of you.Something that they even admitted

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

you

this your grand scheme? Drug a girl then stalk her? Why are you even

you’re experiencing is completely

said, cutting him

don’t just meet someone and instantly become 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 reverse this.I want my life

I needed it.I needed it more than anything if I wanted to stay in

doesn’t work like that.I can’t just undo it.It has

I pulled out my

did to me.Right

but he was proving to be stubborn,

drawing blood or going back to my father empty-handed,

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

take it easy

I didn’t let him lull me

him into taking me

forgot that h e was also just as skilled, proving that back

dagger anywhere near him, suddenly he was wielding

weapon that looked awfully

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

"Calm down!" he yelled.

but you need to just chill

But I was angry.

I’d ever felt before in m y entire

that I wasn’t used to,

angry at him, at my own

my situation… and I

of going home, knowing I would b e losing both

my dagger again, angry tears beginning to form

to hurt you,"

fix me and we

again and proceeded to be on the defensive as

as if he'd been doing this sort of thing

who was anywhere

was both impressive and concerning

might not be as

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

and faster I moved, but nothing

he was moving as quickly

speed that I knew wasn’t

?" I yelled in