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,

call me Raven,"

entered the bar before he

I’d expected.It was mostly a lot of

would expect from a fancy

the kind of place I personally liked to have a drink, but I was familiar

I wasn’t here today for that.I was here to find

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

followed it carefully, screening the faces of every person I walked past, but none were of the man I met

the entire floor,

I kept walking, heading towards

I finally

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

that held a sign saying

obviously that wasn’t going to stop

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

seemed pretty untouched for the most

though was why was he here of all places...? It was almost

that, he would have to know I could trace his scent, which was

as

I found myself falling into that

to explain, but seeing him again

been scratching away was finally

he was

in front of him, within feet of being able to

a perfectly fitted suit, his dark brown hair styled

every possible

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

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

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

himself as I took a

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

looking for you for days.Do you have any

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,

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

asked 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

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

the hell were you

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

do anything.What you’re experiencing is completely

said, cutting

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

than anything if I wanted to stay in my father’s good

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

I yelled, and I pulled out

did

but he was proving to be stubborn, giving me

blood or going back to my father empty-handed, the choice Was

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

take it easy fora

I didn’t let him lull me into

him into taking me seriously.I was quick and had training, so it

skilled, proving that back when we’d met the

dagger anywhere near him, suddenly he was wielding one of his own as he deflected

that

definitely mine.He

"Calm down!" he yelled.

everything but you need

But I was angry.

felt before in m y

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

at him, at my

at my failures, at my situation…

of going home, knowing I would b e losing both my

again, angry tears beginning to form at my eyes as my desperation

have to hurt you,"

me and we can

to be on

fluidly as if he'd been doing this sort of

the first time facing someone who was anywhere near as skilled, if not more so, than

both impressive and concerning at the same

might not be

I thought he left open, and

moved, but nothing seemed to

he was moving as quickly

I knew

you! ?" I yelled