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."

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

me

entered the bar before he could ask

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

one would

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

here today for that.I was here to find

his scent as it slowly became stronger the further inside

walked past, but none were of the man I met

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

kept walking, heading towards another small group

that’s when I

scent, not within the room itself, but veering

that held a sign saying

obviously that wasn’t

certain all the servers and staff weren’t looking, I slipped through the door

for the most part, clearly not

of all places...? It was almost as if he

have to know I could trace his scent,

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

found myself falling into that trance as

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

had been scratching away

because he was

was in front of him, within feet of being able to touch

he wore a perfectly fitted suit, his

in every

me to not just immediately rush into his arms...though I couldn’t

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

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

as I took a

said, sounding almost relieved, and it caused a shiver to spread

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

the one losing my mind, and yet

Was I missing something?

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

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

contact you, but out of everyone I spoke to, only one person seemed to know

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

were you looking for me?" I

then stalk

you’re experiencing is completely

I said,

them from being able to function...or work...or

if

that.I can’t just undo it.It has to

I

what you did to me.Right

be a civil conversation but he was proving to be stubborn, giving me excuses

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

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

take it

him lull me into another trance,

with the intent of holding him up at knifepoint; just enough to scare him into taking me seriously.I was quick and had training, so it should have been

also just as skilled, proving

near him, suddenly he was wielding one of his

weapon that

inspection, it was definitely mine.He must have

"Calm down!" he yelled.

everything but you need to just chill for

But I was angry.

I’d ever felt before in

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

him, at my own new

at my situation…

I would b e losing both my father’s respect and my usefulness t

dagger again, angry tears beginning to form at my eyes

don’t have to hurt you," I

and we can go our

and proceeded to be on the defensive

he'd been doing this

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

impressive and concerning at the same

might not be

I thought he left open,

and faster I moved, but nothing

as quickly as I was at full

that I knew

?" I yelled in