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."

won the small victory, and I instantly

me Raven," I called

the bar before he could ask any further

a lot of people sitting close together having intimate conversations

would expect from a fancy

of place I personally liked to have a drink,

for that.I was here to find

still catch his scent as it slowly became

walked past, but none were of the man

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

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

when I finally found

the room itself, but veering off through a door

a sign saying

wasn’t going

until I was certain all the servers and staff weren’t looking, I slipped through the door and continued to follow his

untouched for the most part, clearly not

places...? It was almost as if

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

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

once again I found myself falling into that trance

him again

inside that had been scratching away was

he

was in front of him, within feet

he wore a perfectly fitted suit, his dark brown

in every

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

to embrace me, but it was that very same movement

this exact issue, one which was causing me to

stopped himself as I took a step

shiver to spread through me at the sound of his

days.Do you have any

was the one losing my mind, and yet this guy was almost certifiable, acting

Was I missing something?

to say, so extremely

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

I spoke to, only one person seemed to know

didn’t end up slaying at the

you looking for me?"

Drug a girl then stalk her? Why are you even

do anything.What you’re

I said,

become infatuated.It doesn’t stop them from being able to function...or work...or do anything.I tracked you

anything if I wanted to stay in my father’s

that.I can’t just

I pulled out

what you did to me.Right

he was proving to

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

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

take it

him lull me into another trance,

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 a piece of

also just as skilled, proving that back when

get my dagger anywhere near him, suddenly he was wielding

that

was definitely mine.He

"Calm down!" he yelled.

but you need

But I was angry.

felt before in m y entire

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

at him, at my own

at my failures, at my situation…

home, knowing I would b e losing both my father’s respect and

so I swiped my dagger again, angry tears beginning to form at

don’t have to hurt

fix me and we can go our separate

proceeded to be on the defensive

doing this sort of thing his

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

that was both impressive and concerning at

this might not

left open, and yet he somehow managed to defend perfectly every

moved, but nothing

was moving as quickly as I was at full

I knew wasn’t

?" I yelled