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."

me as I won

me Raven," I

entered the bar before

I’d expected.It was mostly a lot of people

sort of atmosphere one would expect

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

for that.I was

catch his scent as it slowly became stronger the further inside I

walked past,

by the time I’d done a lap of the entire floor, I was beginning to

where the hell was he? I kept walking, heading towards another small

I

scent, not within the room itself, but veering off through a door

a

that wasn’t going to

was certain all the servers and staff weren’t looking, I slipped through the door and continued to follow his scent until it led me into a

space seemed pretty untouched for the most

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

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

my head but, as

falling into that trance as [

to explain, but seeing him again made me start to feel almost

that had been scratching away

he was

I was in front of him, within feet of being able

met, he wore a perfectly fitted

in every

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

eye, he instantly moved forward as if to embrace me,

one which was causing me to feel this way about a complete

quickly stopped himself as I took a step back

a shiver to spread

for days.Do you

and yet this guy was almost certifiable, acting a s though we

Was I missing something?

I managed to say, so

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

I spoke to, only one person seemed to know of

would have to be him since I didn’t end up

hell were you looking for me?" I

grand scheme? Drug a girl then stalk her? Why are

do anything.What you’re experiencing is

I said,

stop them from being able to function...or work...or do anything.I tracked you down for the sole purpose of making you reverse

needed it more than anything if I wanted to stay in my father’s

can’t

I yelled, and I

what you did to

conversation but he was proving

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

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

take it

lull me into another trance, choosing

with the intent of holding him up at knifepoint; just enough to scare him into taking me

skilled, proving that back when

anywhere near him, suddenly he was wielding one

that looked awfully

it was definitely

"Calm down!" he yelled.

you need

But I was angry.

I’d ever felt before in m y

inside that I wasn’t used to, all jumbling around confused with whatever

at him, at my own new inability

my situation… and I

e losing both my

beginning to form at my eyes

don’t have to hurt you,"

and we

again and proceeded to be on

he'd been doing this sort of thing

facing someone who was anywhere near as skilled, if not more so,

impressive and concerning at the same

that this might not be as easy as

attacking, aiming for areas that I thought he left open, and yet he somehow

and faster I moved,

was moving as quickly as I

speed that I knew wasn’t

you! ?" I yelled