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."

of smug giddiness rose inside me as I won the small victory, and I instantly started walking towards

call me Raven,"

before

expected.It was mostly a lot of people sitting close together having intimate

sort of atmosphere one would expect from a

personally liked to have a drink, but I

I wasn’t here today for that.I was

right now, I could still catch his scent as it

walked past, but none were of the man I

I’d done a lap of the entire floor, I was beginning to worry I’d walked past

was he? I kept walking, heading towards another small group

I finally found

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

held a

wasn’t

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

pretty untouched for the

of all places...? It was

I could trace his scent, which was

were swimming in my head but, as

that trance as [ met his

explain, but seeing him again made me start to feel

been scratching away was finally

because he was

him, within feet of being able to touch

met, he wore a

in every possible

not just immediately rush into his arms...though I couldn’t say the

if to embrace me, but it was that very

this exact issue, one which was causing me to feel this

himself as I took a

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

been looking for you for days.Do you have any

yet this guy was almost certifiable, acting a s though

Was I missing something?

" was all I managed to say, so extremely

to cool down before I explained a few things

could contact you, but out of everyone I spoke to, only

have to be him since I didn’t end up

you looking

Drug a girl then stalk her? Why are you

you’re experiencing

said,

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

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

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

I yelled, and I

you did to me.Right

be a civil conversation but he was proving

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

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

take it

him lull me into another trance,

scare him into taking me seriously.I was

just as skilled, proving that back when we’d

dagger anywhere near him, suddenly he was wielding one

weapon that

upon closer inspection, it was definitely

"Calm down!" he yelled.

explain everything but you need to

But I was angry.

ever felt before in m y

feelings bubbling inside that I wasn’t used to, all

angry at him, at my own new inability to

my situation… and I was

home, knowing I would b e losing

swiped my dagger again, angry tears beginning to form

don’t have to hurt

me and we can go our separate

and proceeded to be

been doing this sort of

who was anywhere near as

that was both impressive and concerning at the same

this might not be as

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

moved, but

he was moving as quickly as I was

I

are you! ?" I