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 started

call me Raven," I

I entered the bar before

lot of people sitting close together having

of atmosphere one would expect from

liked to have a drink,

here today for that.I

now, I could still catch his scent as it slowly

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

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

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

that’s when I finally

but veering off through a door to

a sign saying

obviously that wasn’t going to stop

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

for the most part,

was he here of all places...? It was almost as if he knew I was tracking him...but that was

know I could trace his scent, which

as I rounded the corner, everything seemed to just...slip

I found myself falling into that trance as [ met his expectant

was hard to explain, but seeing him again made me start

inside that had been scratching

he

of him, within feet

we first met, he wore a

in every possible

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

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

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

himself as I took a

and it caused a shiver to spread through me at

for days.Do you have any idea

thinking that I was the one losing my mind, and yet this guy was almost certifiable,

Was I missing something?

managed to say, so extremely confused by

cool down before I explained a few things to you, but it’s almost as if you don’t

of everyone I spoke to,

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

the hell were you

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

anything.What you’re experiencing is

said,

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

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

can’t just undo

and I

what you did to me.Right

was hoping this would be a civil conversation but he was proving to be stubborn, giving me excuses rather than

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, choosing to act

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

that h e was also just as skilled, proving that back when we’d

dagger anywhere near him, suddenly he was

that looked awfully

was definitely mine.He must have kept

"Calm down!" he yelled.

can explain everything but you need to just chill for a

But I was angry.

than I’d ever felt before

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

at him, at my own new inability

failures, at my situation… and I

b e losing both my father’s respect and my usefulness

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

don’t have to

we can go our

again and proceeded to be on the defensive as I

doing this

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

that was both impressive and concerning at the same

that this might not be as easy

that I thought he left open, and yet he somehow managed to defend

I moved, but nothing

quickly as I was

I

?" I