A Gift from the Goddess by Dawn Rosewood

Chapter Fifty–Seven – Pt# 1 

‘I killed you,‘ I whispered in my head. ‘You did nothing wrong and I killed you.‘ 

“Ahh...,” was the only sound that left me. 

I was fairly certain that telling him that information didn‘t exactly scream that he could trust me; a vital part of any possible relationship to start. Would it be wrong of me to keep it a secret? It seemed like such an unnecessary gamble to ruin something that didn‘t need to be tarnished so quickly. 

“...Aria?” he prompted. 

“I‘m trying to remember,” I lied. 

I could see it now... his eyes changing to become wary, unsure of who I was. His death was just the start o fa list of names whose lives I had ended up claiming. Would he see me as a murderer? 

| swallowed back my hesitance and cleared my throat. If I was willing to finally put the past behind me then there was no reason to ruin my future because of it. 

“No,” I eventually answered. “I… can‘t recall ever having met you. I was never running late in the library that day since there was no reason for me to be so distracted. And because I wasn‘t running late, I never accidentally collided with you in the hallway… therefore we never met to my knowledge.” 1 

It wasn‘t necessarily a lie. We technically had never met, it‘s just that I‘d managed to orchestrate his entire demise from the comfort of my own home. 

“Ah, I see...,” he said in thought before smiling. “Man, your life really was tragic, aye?” 

Texhaled in relief disguised as a laugh. “I‘m sure your ego kept you company adequately enough.” 

We continued to chat whilst we walked and I did my best to explain everything as best I could; though purposely remained vague in regards to any of my less pleasant actions or his death. I told him about my life from where it diverted; about the Goddess, Myra, my visions, and about Thea... or what I thought knew about Thea at least. 1 

“It all weirdly explains a lot of the things that used to confuse me about you…,” he said as we walked across the threshold of where he was staying. 

Both of us had instinctively walked back to his place without needing to confirm where we wanted to go. I certainly didn‘t feel up to facing my parents right now. 

“...And why you were blaming yourself about Myra,” he continued, closing the door behind us. 

A pit of guilt churned in my stomach. “I couldn‘t save her the second time. I don‘t know why I didn‘t see it i na vision like before.” 

“Hey, it‘s not your fault,” he said as he stepped closer, “You can‘t blame yourself for not knowing... and you especially can‘t blame yourself for some random power thing you‘ve don‘t have control over.” 

I sighed, closing my eyes a little in relier. It felt nice to hear those words from someone who knew the full picture. It made me feel like I wasn‘t alone. Here was someone who wasn‘t required by my birth to care for me, and they were telling me i wasn‘t to blame. And I loved my father, don‘t get me wrong, but nothing he could‘ve said would have made me feel quite the same since Cai had no real obligation to me. 

After a few moments passed though, I became painfully aware that both of us were standing silently at his door, neither of us moving. 

“Okay,” I finally said, breaking the silence. “I should probably get some sleep since it‘s been a rough night. I sit okay if I crash on your couch––,” 

I didn‘t get to finish my request though because his lips were then suddenly on line, hungrily drinking me i 

...And miraculously, I wasn‘t so tired anymore. 

I instantly dropped the dagger from my hand, letting it fall to the ground with a clunk, and reached up to grab his shoulders, pulling him towards me 

A low growl in approval sounded from his throat that did all kinds of inexplicable things to my insides, and he quickly hoisted me up against the wall, my legs wrapping around his waist as if they‘d always belonged there. His hands were gripped firmly around my thighs as he‘d positioned himself perfectly between them and I could feel his desire as he pressed himself against me. 

“Fuck, Aria,” he groaned as he kissed me along my neck. “Do you have any idea how crazy you make me? How long I‘ve wanted to do this?‘ 

Thad every mind to reply but honestly, at that point, I wanted nothing more than for him to just continue touching me everywhere, to continue making me feel more of him against me. 

The only reply I managed in the end was more of a whimpering of his narne as my back arched inwards to meet his body. Something that was met with only more kissing and a grunt of his own. 

I felt his hand travel under the hem of my dress and try to work its way up but my clothes were too tight around the chest area, restricting any more access. 

“Too many clothes,” he grumbled, feeling around my back until he touched the zipper. 

He didn‘t pull it down though, his hand pausing for a moment as if in thought, and instead he threw me over his shoulder in a fireman‘s carry, making it seem as though I weighed absolutely nothing 

Cai!” | Squealed in surprise, unable to stop my giggling. “Put me down! I can walk!” 

what was probably the bedroom. “You have a habit of storming away whenever I finally get to kiss you. This is just

couldn‘t help it. Something about being carried like this was too exciting to

want for him higher. A part o í me even wondered what it would be like once I was shifted and became open to senses far more sensitive. We weren‘t destined mates, and I knew that there was nothing I could do about that, but even without a mate bond he always

chosen mates, something that wouldn‘t give me the artificial yet intense feelings of a destined mate, but it would be nice nonetheless. If it was between purely a fake emotional attachment induced by the Goddess‘ choice, and someone who genuinely cared about me but wouldn‘t give me

then realised all this talk of mates was me getting a little ahead of myself. I hadn‘t even spoken to Cal yet about us.. about how it would even be

that yet.. for now, I would

to unzip the back of my dress. His touch was a fire that made me want to forget all my worries, but I managed to clear my head enough

“Cai,” I whispered. 

i realised that it didn‘t even sound remotely like I was trying to

him to stop what he was doing.

“Cai,” I repeated, trying again. “Hang on a second. I need to ask

at seeing him like that, seeing the effect I had on him, knowing that it was me that had done that. It

he asked, his breath

heard myself say in my head as I gazed at his perfect features.

know... I need to know what your relationship with Iris is. Iris

in disbelief almost as if he couldn‘t believe I was

you ever sleep with

strangers. Clearly, she was

annoyed. “I did not sleep with Iris or have any sort of

much better, more assured. But I still needed more answers.

when she called you her ‘hot date‘... what was

and rubbed at

to know her. Things were good, we got along great, we still do, but I ended up leaving after only a month or so. Her father propositioned me to take Iris as a chosen mate in the event neither of us found our destined ones. Given our families lineage and the affiliation it could create, it seemed like

but I could see how the proposal would have been extremely beneficial to both

what did you say?” I asked hesitantly, now unsure if I even wanted to know about this

it was obvious. “Of course I said no, you dork. I‘d much rather be with this one very stubborn, very annoying old lady who always makes me constantly question my sanity... I want to be with you, Aria, and I meant that.”

warm happiness rush inside me and I wanted to give in to it immediately... but I knew that, as nice as being with Cai was, the reality was that it

this wasn‘t an ideal world. Our relationship would possibly ignite a war, something that I‘d been trying to push out of my mind to just enjoy the euphoric moment

in the way of once he experienced it. I

Fifty Seven – Pt#1

how easy it would be to forget everything else; anyone else.

decreed by a deity that, according to Selene herself, wasn‘t able to be changed. However, I couldn‘t say the

Luna, or child prior to his death. A death at the

finding his destined mate became higher. A risk I‘d have to be willing to accept

Chapter Filly–Seven–Pt# 2 

Fifty–Seven – Pt#2 “Aria?” Cai asked, pulling me

out and poked a finger between my brows, making me realise

“The one that usually tells me you‘re overthinking something...

at his joke. I hadn‘t realised he‘d learnt my expressions

I stared into his pure golden eyes that had always made me want to melt. “...I‘m not going

it‘s just temporary,‘ I

there at the beginning of my return, witnessing my worst moments and helping me even when my plans were insane or not his concern. He‘d been there for me when I‘d cried and broken down, unsure of who I was or who I could lean on. And it was true he‘d ended up hurting me, but I‘d hurt him too. Yet somehow,

made me feel safe, comfortable, and... wanted. Things I‘d never felt in my past. Was it

on me again, and goddamn did he know how t o kiss. I felt like I was going to burn everywhere he touched me; along my thighs, around my waist, up my back. He‘d managed to unzip my dress already and so it was

as he grabbed at

that,” he said gently. “You‘re

overly special. How could I given my history? I‘d tried to make myself prettier in the past to impress Aleric and it had only made me look unhealthy with a

way up along my arm, making a trail of pecks as he went. And when he finally reached my shoulder, I shivered under his touch. Everything he did was driving me crazy, especially as he then began

while he teased me, looking just about ready to devour me at any second, but instead he restrained himself, wanting to make the moment last as long as he

letting me lift it off, he clasped my wrist gently and

this before?”

life,” I answered before I paused in thought, considering his question further. “...And never with someone who cared about

he know exactly what I was saying and was trying to make up for my past. Already I had felt more in these last few minutes than any prior experience and

whilst his other hond started to venture lower...

I was there until now, hor had I realised just how amazing this could feel. H e kissed me gently