A Gift from the Goddess

Book 2 Ch#8

“Alright a little game sounds tun,” I finally replied “But you‘ll be disappointed to learn these sa 40 uiterior motive in talking to you You‘ve just piqued my ouliouity, is all 

I tried to laugh it off but Kieran didn‘t seem to notice as he immediately set his drink dowi ks. expression tuming serious as he looked me over. Almost as if I could feel hin soniniwing even Iittle detail about me 

But that confident look of his. It took all I had to just calm my heart down, the nervous thumping inside becoming so loud that I was worried he‘d hear it. 

For a man who could seemingly read me so well could he really pull this off? 

“Your eyes give you away a lot,” he started, leaning forward enough that I could still hear him as he spoke in a low voice. “Don‘t get me wrong, they‘re very pretty, but they also betray you.” 

At this proximity, his scent was beginning to overwhelm me. His compliment wasn‘t helping either. I’d never been affected by small things like that before, but with him, it felt almost 

involuntary.

“I think you‘re probably reading too much into it,” I replied quietly, smiling, “Besides, I thought you were meant to be guessing my thoughts, not theorising my tells.”. 

*That’s true….

He moved in a little bit closer again, and I felt as though I became trapped by his gaze alone, unable to move away even if I wanted to. Which, of course, I didn‘t. 

No, at this distance, I was helpless to stop myself from thinking about how flawless his features were. How his defined jawline was such a perfect shape that I could easily picture how my head could fit under it, nestled against his neck comfortably, 

“Mine,’ that word repeated inside my head, but I bit it back. 

“You‘re thinking... ‘why am I so attracted to him?‘” he said, sending a jolt of surprise through me 

But after quickly scrambling to find a logical explanation, I realised it was clearly just a magician’s trick. He was influencing my thoughts with his behaviour so I‘d be pressured to think what he wanted me to.

I laughed his guess off and simply called him out on it. 

“How incredibly vague yet conceited of you to think so,” I said, amused. “I thought this was a game of guessing my exact thoughts, not giving yourself a backwards compliment.” 

However, this didn’t seem to deter him in the slightest and a smirk spread across his lips 

“You‘re thinking.. why does he make me feel this way?** 

I laughed again 

“I just told you that you can‘t use ambiguous statements to win It‘s like bogus fortune telling. 

pot going to wor=–* 

And then his hand reached out and touched mine, tincing lightly against my skin Spreading those spaiks through my body that made my breath catch in my throat 

I stared at his hand as he gently enveloped my own, the warmth starting to make me foto concentration.

*Mine.’ That same unrelenting thought kept trying to force itself aloud, 

He closed the final bit of distance between us, coming in until he was speaking almost diiectly into my ear. His scent making it impossible to breathe without his influence. And with one hand holding my own, his other moved to my waist to hold me in place. 

“You’re thinking.. ‘why does it feel like sparks against my skin?” 

In surprise, I sharply looked back up towards him, only I found myself now merely inches away from him. So close, I could feel the warmth of his breath against me. 

My gaze trailed down from his eyes until I became fixated on his lips, those thoughts from earlier starting to invade my mind once more. Wondering just what it would be like to feel them moving against mine. To taste what they looked to promise me. 

“Mine.’

His hand then moved, coming up until it found my cheek and his thumb started tracing along my jaw. Sending more sparks through me. But the entire time he did that, I was still transfixed on his lips, watching them closely as he continued to speak.

“You’re thinking… that you want to kiss me.”

the pleasure of his presence started to sweep me away. Letting myself relax into the touch that made me feel

do. Nothing I wanted

‘Mine… mine….‘ 

a shiver went through my body. Tempting me to make the first move, as if promising me water

I finally felt that last piece of restraint melt

own hand moving

as I was about to make contact,

“…Mine…,” he whispered.

was enough for reality to kick back

of his grasp, hugging my arms to my chest in horror

demanded. “How could you possibly know that?! Out of every single word you could possibly

heid up his hands to calm me, but it

said “It’s not a big

a light matter it felt

answer me,” I said, gutting my teeth *I asked how you

was then that I started to think over everything that had just happened, taking a momento tealise just how crazy the whole encounter was

I asked in a hushed

feeling of illness and lack of control, my inability to make rational decisios All of it

eyed it warily. It didn’t explain my initial reaction, but perhaps he’d also done something to me back when he

you do to me?” I

maybe not expecting

offended “Just calm down for a

tried to move closer but I instantly matched his step

touch

people around us, briefly turning their heads to what the commotion was. Their faces filled with confusion and

Kieran hissed, grabbing back my attention “Give me a

unknown A state where I had no control. And, in my life, control was everything. He should be lucky that his attempt of drugging me didn’t accidentally result in his death, because that was the true worst case scenario here. Unleashing that creature could have ended in a

* Raven”

whispered. “No… I’m not doing this.

to mention that this man was clearly mentally ill if he could so easily drug

I saw it, this

to the exit as fast as possible. Slow enough to not draw attention by onlookers, but still quick enough that I felt assured

chase me without looking

a deep familiar voice called out sounding from somewhere

kept walking, refusing to meet the eyes of my father wholknew was

constantly checking myself as I made my way home via a taxi. Checking to make sure I didn‘t randomly pass out or show other side effects of the drug. Telling myself over and over again that all I needed to do was get home and sleep it

No, it felt almost like.. loneliness. As if something was hollowing out my chest the further I travelled away from the event. A string tying me to

was waiting for

thoughts

me, I’d never seen anything like it. A drug with such a specific yet fast chemical reaction that it didn’t seem possible. A scientific breakthrough,

distract my mind as I arrived back to my bedroom. Doing everything I could think of to stop myself from feeling the

still only

Kieran.

next day feeling slightly better than when I‘d gone to bed. And though the thoughts of him still

or so before

hope. This

said suddenly from my door, breaking

I recognised it immediately.

Gavin

well enough for training today,” I yelled back. I was far too tired from the whole

the door swung open anyway, revealing that it wasn’t only Gavin alone… I knew instantly what

Raven,” my father said. “Did you

No. No.

sir,” I

out, presenting ing with the familiar ljaridcuffs I wotild be