Sizzling grit and heat radiated from the pavement in the parking lot. Sunlight was already leaving as the boys had spent hours just drinking and talking. Rul, Kael and Brock took a cab together, leaving Ryker alone. They understood he wanted some private time and knew Liv was coming to pick him up.
He was sitting on the hood of his car, waiting.
A pole light was flickering on and off, giving him a headache. Glancing at his watch, it was 7 pm. Liv's internship usually finished around this hour so it was perfect timing.
Birds were flying in a formation, their distant cries mixing with the distant sound of the waves. Then they scattered as if startled by something.
A bat flew straight through the flock.
Landing gracefully on the hood next to Ryker, the small bat stretched its wings. A few seconds later, Liv sat beside him.
"You smell like a bar," she said, her nose wrinkled slightly.
He knew she wasn't angry. One of the rules was no alcohol before driving and no alcohol before flying. She trusted him.
"It was a long day," he said. His sister could tell something else was weighing on him.
"Keys?" she asked, holding out her hand.
He handed them over. They slid inside the sleek black Mercedes, the interior bathed in the dim glow of the dashboard.
Liv decided to put his seatbelt for him, a gesture that was both caring and slightly possessive. Her fingers brushed against his chest as she clicked the buckle into place.
"Let's go home," she said.
The engine purred to life as Liv navigated them out of the parking lot and onto the coastal road. 20 minutes later they arrived, he took a long shower and entered the kitchen.
Maddie was there, but she wasn't alone. Professor Larmen was at the kitchen island, sipping tea with a knowing smile. Cut lemon slices were next to the sugar pot.
"Professor Larmen?"
"Ryker," she greeted, "Your mother and I were just chatting about your potential."
His gaze flickered between the professor and his mother. Maddie's expression was unreadable, a calm, professional mask she often wore.
"Have you given it any thought?" Larmen asked, referring to the brochure he had stuffed in his bag this morning.
Liv was standing behind him. He felt her stiffen, a coldness emanating from her that had nothing to do with her ice magic. Maddie put her cup down with a deliberate clink.
Ryker let out a sharp exhale.
"I'll do it. You said it's safe for non-magic users, so why not?" he directed this at Larmen, but his eyes were on his mother.
The professor's smile widened.
"See I told you Mads," she said, her tone triumphant.
"No. Absolutely not."
Liv's voice cut through the air, sharp and frigid.
Everyone turned to look at her. She was glaring daggers at the professor.
"Just because it's only goblins doesn't make it safe. All it takes is one slip up."
"It's a low-Iota rated tour, Liv," Larmen said smoothly, "I'm an F-rank adventurer, there will be other chaperones. We have all the safety protocols in place too."
Turning to her mother, seeking an ally, she asked, "Mom, you can't be okay with this."
Maddie's eyes met her son's.
The kitchen was so quiet Ryker could hear the low hum of the refrigerator.
"Your sister has a point," Maddie began, her voice measured, "But you're an adult now, Ryker. You make your own decisions. I trust you to be smart about this."
She stood up, her presence instantly commanding the room.
"Larmen, thank you for coming by. I'll see you out."
The professor's smile never wavered as she picked up her briefcase. As soon as the door closed, Liv stormed to her room.
Maddie leaned against the counter, folding her arms across her chest. Her red eyes, a mirror of his own, studying him with an intensity that made him want to squirm.
"I want you to be independent but drinking during the day?" she said.
He was expecting a lecture. Something about responsibility.
Then he felt a soft kiss on his forehead. Maddie didn't show affection often, but when she did, it landed like a punch.
"Just be careful, okay?" Her voice was quiet almost powerless. A rare show of vulnerability from the woman who held their family together with logic and routine.
He could only nod.
As she walked away towards her bedroom, he called after her, "Was my father a disabled vampire too?"
Her shoulders tensed for a fraction of a second before she relaxed again. She didn't turn around.
"No," she said, her back to him.
The bedroom door clicked shut. Questions about his father always left a bitter taste. They were a dead end, mirroring the fact that his father was dead. Not even a memory or photo left behind. His mother had erased him.
Vibration from his phone pulled him out of his thoughts. Messages from the group chat. Brock asked if we could all hang out. They both had agreed to confront Anna tonight.
She replied immediately.
"Can't. Sorry. I need to study. I'll see you two tomorrow."
A quick message.
His stomach twisted. Brock's text appeared next.
"It's okay Ryke, let's do it tomorrow at school."
But it wasn't okay. All this secrecy was poisoning him, making him feel fatigue. It's a big reason why he wants to never lie to anyone. He stared at the phone screen, at Anna's message, his finger hovering over the call button.
He shook his head and decided to comfort the one person who'd never lie to him ever. With a bowl of ice cream in hand he knocked on Liv's door.
"Come in," her voice was muffled.
He opened the door to see her sitting on her bed, surrounded by plush toys. A shark was on her nightstand, wearing a tiny surgeon's cap. Ryker sat on the bed and gesture for her to sit on his lap.
The beautiful woman turned into a cute bat and was sitting on his lap within seconds. She was staring at his neck, wanting to take a juicy bite.
"We can't remember?" he said.
"I know," she pouted.
He had brought a small spoon for her tiny bat mouth..
A comfortable silence stretched between them, the only sound was the soft scrape of the spoon against the bowl.
One movie later, he gently closed the door as to not wake the sleeping bat. Ice cream was her weakness.
Lying in bed, he couldn't stop thinking. Kael and Rul were leaving. Anna was lying. He felt like he was weighing down Brock. His own mother didn't stop him from doing the dungeon tour. Everything was changing, maybe for the better.
Restlessness consumed him. The four walls of his room felt like a cage. Pushing the window open, he transformed into a bat and flew into the night. Revera City looked beautiful from above, with the ocean's shimmering expanse hugging the U-shaped landmass.
He let the wind guide him, flapping aimlessly towards the shopping district. As he passed by the pawn shop, something caught his eye. Or rather, someone.
A small figure with bright green braids was sneaking out from the back of the pawn shop, a sword on her waist.