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."

as I won the small victory, and I instantly

can call me Raven,"

the bar before he could ask

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

would

not the kind of place I personally liked to have a drink, but I

I wasn’t here today for

his scent as it

carefully, screening the faces of every person I walked past,

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

kept walking, heading towards another small group

I finally found

within the room itself, but veering off through a door

that held a sign

obviously that wasn’t

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

seemed pretty untouched for the most part,

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

could trace his scent, which was already unnatural

my head but, as I rounded the corner, everything seemed

I found myself falling into that trance

him again

inside that had been scratching away

he

within feet of being able

he wore a perfectly

in every possible

had inside me to not just immediately rush into his arms...though

eye, he instantly moved forward as if to embrace me, but it was that very same movement that made me remember why I

this exact issue, one which was causing me to

quickly stopped himself as I took a step

and it caused a shiver to

for you for days.Do you have any

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

Was I missing something?

I managed to say, so

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

people about you, trying to find out how I could contact you, but out of everyone I spoke

him since I didn’t end up

were you looking for me?" I

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

didn’t do anything.What you’re experiencing is completely

said, cutting him

just meet someone and instantly become infatuated.It doesn’t stop them from being able to function...or work...or do

needed it more than anything if I wanted to

doesn’t work like that.I can’t

and I pulled

you did to me.Right

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

was between drawing blood or going back to my father

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

it easy fora

me into another trance, choosing to

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 that back when

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

that looked awfully

it was definitely mine.He must have kept it this whole

"Calm down!" he yelled.

but you need to just chill

But I was angry.

before in m

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

at him, at my

my failures, at my situation… and I

going home, knowing I would b e losing both my father’s respect and my usefulness t o

beginning to form at my eyes as my

have to

me and we can go our

the dagger again and proceeded to be on the defensive as

fluidly as if he'd been doing this sort of thing his

facing someone who was anywhere

was both impressive and

not be as easy as I’d

for areas that I thought he left open, and yet

moved, but nothing seemed

moving as quickly as

that I knew wasn’t

you! ?"